What is Pathfinder SRD? A Brief Overview

Introduction

Fans of the classic table top game of Dungeons & Dragons may look forward to other games that utilize the same gaming principles as the original. Many recent games have done exactly that - taken the underlining mechanics of the popular game and reworked them or even expanded on them in order to make other games.

One of these offerings is the 2009 role playing game of Pathfinder SRD.

What is Pathfinder SRD?

What is Pathfinder SRD? Well, as mentioned above, it is a role playing game that was released in 2009 and is based off the revised third

edition of the Dungeons & Dragons rule book and is compatible with the 3.5 edition of D&D.The SRD in the name stands for System Reference Document, which takes from several manuals in D&D that allows for the beginning mechanics in running a D&D structured game.

Over the course of a year, gamers were able to download portions of the game in order to test and provide feedback to the publisher, Paizo Publishing.

Based on the third edition of D&D, Paizo added elements to the game that allow greater options for players in regards to character and game play. Not only were elements added to the game, but some of the 3.5 version were expanded on in order to help balance out the current game play.

The game was released under the open game licensing, which allows for the core game rules to be used by anyone under the licensing terms.

Rules & Gameplay

The rules of Pathfinder SRD, while based on the core rules from D&D, are open enough to allow for customization for each game play that a group participates in. Many game masters or group will have their own ‘house rules’ that they stick by, which may or may not be taken from the core rulebook. These rules allow for discussion among the game master and players, again allowing for a greater customized form of game play.

As in other tabletop RPG games, Pathfinder SRD has a game master that describes the rules at the onset of the game, describing the

environment in which players will encounter, along with any creatures or situations that they may face. Players take turns describing the actions of their characters in response to the environment that the game master has laid out. Some actions, such as magical ability, will be based on the roll of the dice to see how a character fares.

As players go through the game’s adventures, they are able to earn gold, magical items, and experience points. Like a standard RPG game, these items allow for better items, such as armor or weapons, better magical abilities, and the ability to level up one’s character.