When it comes to TTRPGs, many out there offer the basic fantasy setting, which is what most look for. There’s a reason as to Dungeons and Dragons ‘Fifth Edition’ being the most popular table-top role playing game to date. However, there is a contender to popularity, Paizo’s Pathfinder, now in its Second Edition. Pathfinder is often referred to as ‘Mathfinder’ thanks to its reliance and abundance of maths. Having looked at the similarities of both products, it’s safe to conclude that Pathfinder is much more advanced than Fifth Edition, and even more so than the likes of 3.5e, another form of D&D. For those who love maths, and the complexity of a high level game, then Pathfinder may be the path for you.
Playing exclusively by the core rules found in each handbook - £41 for 5e, £42 for P2 - then we can easily say that there is more to Pathfinder than there is in D&D. Comparing the 316 pages of the Player’s Handbook in 5e to more than double the amount, at 640 pages worth of Pathfinder content found within its Core Rulebook. This makes plenty of sense, as quite a lot of people who have played both of these TTRPGs have described Dungeons and Dragons as a much lighter system overall. Pathfinder is strategic, and requires the things that can be described as optional for Dungeons and Dragons. It doesn’t really work too well without the battle maps, miniatures, and more. The key difference is complexity, in my opinion. People can play D&D on a call on a discord server, using maps stolen off of google, whereas to get the full Pathfinder experience, it often requires a lot more research, expertise, and time. It can attract those that wish for a more complex game style, higher stakes, and deep dives into the nitty-gritty of a TTRPG that Fifth Edition just can’t seem to support.
Other things that can be enjoyed with Pathfinder that gives it the title of D&D’s main rival is quite a listful. Some of my personal favourite aspects of Pathfinder that makes it set itself as a valuable TTRPG and alternative to D&D is that the system has a wide variety of what you can do during your turn. The action economy is phenomenal within Pathfinder! Instead of the singular action and bonus action that can be done in a rather liminal sense, Pathfinder introduces three actions, which allows for creative freedom to an incredible sense. Compared to everyone getting given the standard, low-scale abilities in 5e, such as opportunity attacks, Pathfinder lets individuals get easier, stronger feats by locking away certain features behind the confines of a class. Each class has a bearing, an impact on how you play the game to a powerful scale both when playing as a character and during combat. Another aspect of this alternative to Dungeons and Dragons is that Pathfinder’s ‘Crit’ system, meaning a success of high quality or failure of high causality can have drastic consequences. Within Dungeons and Dragons, a critical is commonly determined on if a player rolls a Natural 20, for successes, or a Natural 1 for failures. This, whilst interesting and fun within D&D, is much different for Pathfinder. Pathfinder instead leans on critical successes and failures not being tied intrinsically and permanently to sides of a dice but instead to the value of the Difficulty Class (DC) plus ten or minus ten. Any equal, or below/above those numbers are considered critical. This critical system is much more interesting than the usual one associated with TTRPGs in the form of ‘Nat 20s’, it allows for dynamics to be introduced and stops virtually impossible things from happening with a Nat 20. It can stop players from doing stupid things and saying that because of the roll of a dice that they can do it. Personally, this is one of my favourite differences that Pathfinder has exhibited over Dungeons and Dragons. Truly, it’s a mechanic that I believe can, and should be, adapted into D&D games.
The last strength I’d like to give an example to is the changes to weapons from Pathfinder. Compared to the simplicity of fifth edition, where weapons have a damage type, and are either simple or martial, melee or ranged, Pathfinder takes the deep customization found within the likes of MMOs and takes the dial up to eleven. Special mechanics to certain bands of weapons and unique viewpoints on weapons lesser known to those who are likely to play a TTRPG, like a Khopesh, Hook-Sword, and Scizore. These all amount to creating unique characters which you won’t find elsewhere. One last point in favour of Pathfinder is that it is very friendly towards those wishing to experiment with the game, especially in the newer book released by Paizo. Abomination Vaults, an extremely popular adventure made by Paizo, has had versions made for other TTRPGS, 5e included.
When it comes down to it, D&D and Pathfinder have many differences but can still be seen as very similar. What sets them apart ultimately makes them both stronger. This uniqueness of the lore and monsters within Pathfinder can be reflected by the iconic creations of Beholders and Mind Flayers of D&D descent. Now, it is a running gag for many to simply play Pathfinder if you have an issue with 5e, and whilst many would find that preferable, both are rather unique in their own playstyles and let fans of both experience incredible standards of TTRPGs, no matter what side they are on, even if there are no divisions to be truly found.
This article was written by Xan who you can find out more about here: https://www.fiverr.com/s/awVQNQ.