Pathfinder a Bite at a Time: The Races
Monday, August 31, 2009 at 04:46PM Unsure about Pathfinder? Not quite ready to lay down hard gp for yet another 3.5 product? Wondering if it’s worth the scratch?
As a longtime 3.5 player and DM, allow me to be your guide to the good and the bad of Paizo’s Pathfinder in this, the first in my series of Pathfinder reviews, a bite at a time.
The Races
The races from 3E are back with many minor changes, and a few major.
Each race receives a +2 to two ability scores, and a -2 to another. Half-orcs, half-elves, and humans get a +2 to one ability score of your choice (our very own Canid might need an upgrade based on this, but I believe our Siren still holds up well. Maybe even the Grumpkin from way back when). Favored classes are no longer a function of race (more on that when we bite into classes), and the usual gamut of skill bonuses, feats, and situational modifiers still apply with only a few tweaks.
Gnome drood, just for flavor.
Half-Orcs are more desirable now as their ferocious nature allows them to stay on their feet into the negative hit points (although I intend to houserule that they receive a +2 to Str and Wis with a -2 to Cha—it fits better with their racial text, provides a bit more flavour, and makes them a stronger choice overall for PCs).
Gnomes are now barely removed from their fey bloodlines, impulsive, craving action, with wonky hair colours, and seeming alien or strange to the other races. Dwarves still have a laundry list of abilities, some of which will only be valuable to the keenest players. Elves are now taller than humans and better wizards than their 3.5 counterparts, but still familiar. Halflings are still lucky survivors, and so on.
Despite my previous positive comments on the art, I'm a little dissatisfied with the smallclothed versions of each of the common races in PF. The gnome is particularly underwhelming, no pun intended. This may simply be a matter of naked skin being difficult to detail. Still, the writeups for each race are enjoyable to read, and while it’s mostly familiar territory this is a fine take on an old group; you’ll be pleased if you were pleased with them before. I am.
Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Half-Orcs, Humans, Pathfinder, Review in 3E, Pathfinder 
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Reader Comments (3)
For anyone who'd like a more complete view of the races of Pathfinder, you can read all about them in the Pathfinder SRD at
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/Home/races
That's the races page, just click on the race you are interested in and read on!
-- John Reyst
Thanks for the review!
I just have one comment, and I don't feel that you are the only one doing this: I don't think it's fair to include art criticism within reviews for books. Art is a subjective subject, and while you may not like the way the races are represented, others may like them or tolerate them enough so they do not detract from their experience.
I've seen other reviews (not yours, of course) that condemn an RPG based on the art, which is fluff, in the end. Yes, it will excite and inspire some players and GMs, but the ultimate experience of playing the game should be judged by the rules themselves.
This is just my opinion... Thanks for your time!
Nice! Thanks very much, John. I'm impressed to see the PFSRD rolling so soon.
Hey Steve-o, welcome to U20! I see your point, but I don't believe fairness has anything to do with it—after all, I think it's clear that all of my comments here at U20 are just my opinion. Art is VERY subjective, no question, but in a discussion of the overall quality of an RPG product it's certainly worth exploring, even if it has nothing to do with the rules.
I certainly don't want to do the makers of Pathfinder (or any product) a disservice however, so I'll be careful to provide a balanced opinion. In case you missed it, overall I'm very pleased with the PF art, as I mentioned in my last post on presentation.