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Player Core
The Pathfinder Player Core presents a new entry point to Pathfinder Second Edition, with everything a player needs to learn how to play the game! Choose from eight ancestries, eight complete character classes, and hundreds of feats and spells to make unique characters ready for deadly adventures in a world beset by magic and evil! This 464-page hardcover tome is the definitive rules resource for all Pathfinder Second Edition players!
Pathfinder Player Core is the first core rulebook for the fully remastered Pathfinder Second Edition RPG! These rules are compatible with previous Pathfinder Second Edition rulebooks, incorporating comprehensive errata and rules updates and some of the best additions from later books into new, easier-to-access volumes with new presentations inspired by years of player feedback. Along with the GM Core, Monster Core, and Player Core 2, these books provide a new foundation for the future of tabletop gaming!
Pathfinder Player Core
• Easier to Learn! We’ve taken feedback from the Beginner Box and the Core Rulebook and made this new entry into the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game easier to navigate and get right into the fun.
• Complete character creation rules, walking you through building a character by selecting your Ancestry, Background, and Class, with a focus on the bard, cleric, druid, fighter, ranger, rogue, witch, and wizard! Core ancestry options include human, dwarf, elf, gnome, goblin, halfling, leshy, and orc!
• A mountain of options allowing you to customize your character including versatile heritages, like the changeling and nephilim, skills and feats, and hundreds of spells (including dozens of new ones), ensuring that the character you build represents your hero not just in story, but in rules as well!
• Everything you need to know to start playing, from advice on how to explore the world to tips on surviving deadly combats with terrifying foes.
• A primer on the world of Lost Omens so that your character can be a part of an exciting and diverse world!
• Rules and tools to advance your character through play, taking them from a fresh-faced adventurer ready to take on the world to a veteran hero, wielding powerful magic that can reshape reality!
• Fully integrated errata from the first 4 years of Pathfinder Second Edition, including revisions to the witch, expanded options for every character class, streamlined spells, new equipment, and more!
• This is the first Pathfinder product published under the new Open RPG Creative (ORC) license, giving players and Game Masters even more freedom for making their own creations based on Pathfinder Second Edition.
Pathfinder Player Core is the first core rulebook for the fully remastered Pathfinder Second Edition RPG! These rules are compatible with previous Pathfinder Second Edition rulebooks, incorporating comprehensive errata and rules updates and some of the best additions from later books into new, easier-to-access volumes with new presentations inspired by years of player feedback. Along with the GM Core, Monster Core, and Player Core 2, these books provide a new foundation for the future of tabletop gaming!
Pathfinder Player Core
• Easier to Learn! We’ve taken feedback from the Beginner Box and the Core Rulebook and made this new entry into the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game easier to navigate and get right into the fun.
• Complete character creation rules, walking you through building a character by selecting your Ancestry, Background, and Class, with a focus on the bard, cleric, druid, fighter, ranger, rogue, witch, and wizard! Core ancestry options include human, dwarf, elf, gnome, goblin, halfling, leshy, and orc!
• A mountain of options allowing you to customize your character including versatile heritages, like the changeling and nephilim, skills and feats, and hundreds of spells (including dozens of new ones), ensuring that the character you build represents your hero not just in story, but in rules as well!
• Everything you need to know to start playing, from advice on how to explore the world to tips on surviving deadly combats with terrifying foes.
• A primer on the world of Lost Omens so that your character can be a part of an exciting and diverse world!
• Rules and tools to advance your character through play, taking them from a fresh-faced adventurer ready to take on the world to a veteran hero, wielding powerful magic that can reshape reality!
• Fully integrated errata from the first 4 years of Pathfinder Second Edition, including revisions to the witch, expanded options for every character class, streamlined spells, new equipment, and more!
• This is the first Pathfinder product published under the new Open RPG Creative (ORC) license, giving players and Game Masters even more freedom for making their own creations based on Pathfinder Second Edition.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published November 28, 2023
19 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 1, 2025
I admit, I did not anticipate reading what largely amounts to a reference book cover to cover. But as Pathfinder is a new system for me, and as I was going through it I found myself reading way more than I was skimming, I decided to just go for it.
The Player Core is exceptionally well-organized. It's generally easy to follow and covers nearly all major elements of game play.
Some aspects felt very convoluted in description that will likely be much easier to follow in game. That's the nature of RPG instruction lol. I was a little bit annoyed though that some aspects relevant to game play are not included at all and require one of the other books for the rules. (I'm looking at you, magical runes exclusively in the GM Core...)
All in all though, I enjoyed the read, I feel much better informed on the game, and I can't WAIT to get started.
4.25 stars
The Player Core is exceptionally well-organized. It's generally easy to follow and covers nearly all major elements of game play.
Some aspects felt very convoluted in description that will likely be much easier to follow in game. That's the nature of RPG instruction lol. I was a little bit annoyed though that some aspects relevant to game play are not included at all and require one of the other books for the rules. (I'm looking at you, magical runes exclusively in the GM Core...)
All in all though, I enjoyed the read, I feel much better informed on the game, and I can't WAIT to get started.
4.25 stars
January 17, 2024
A more organized and revised version of the original Core Rulebook.
If like Pathfinder, this book is a must-have. While it doesn't undergo a radical transformation from the CRB, it presents a more concise and meticulously organized version, making the learning experience easier. The quality of the art, printing, and the book as a whole remains exceptional, maintaining the high standards we all associate with Pathfinder books.
Beyond the book quality, this edition seamlessly incorporates the errata accumulated over the first four years of Pathfinder 2nd Edition. For those seeking a comprehensive and consolidated resource, this is the book .
If like Pathfinder, this book is a must-have. While it doesn't undergo a radical transformation from the CRB, it presents a more concise and meticulously organized version, making the learning experience easier. The quality of the art, printing, and the book as a whole remains exceptional, maintaining the high standards we all associate with Pathfinder books.
Beyond the book quality, this edition seamlessly incorporates the errata accumulated over the first four years of Pathfinder 2nd Edition. For those seeking a comprehensive and consolidated resource, this is the book .
August 30, 2024
Excellent layout. Easy to navigate. Rules are clearly explained.
January 17, 2025
Man I wish my players would read this
December 31, 2023
Originally posted at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea every day!
Product- Pathfinder Player Core
System- Pathfinder 2nd Ed
Producer- Paizo
Price- $59.99 here https://paizo.com/products/btq02eoj?Pathfinder-Player-Core
TL; DR- Superficial but needed changes. 100%
Basics- It’s Pathfinder 2nd ed-AGAIN! Player Core is the ORC approved, non OGL version of Pathfinder. Spoilers for this one- If you liked Pathfinder 2nd Ed, you’re gonna like this. If you HATED Pathfinder 2nd ed, you're still not gonna like this! Let’s look at the parts.
Mechanics or Crunch- This is the exact mechanics you saw in the original Pathfinder 2nd Ed book. The system’s basic mechanic is level based bonuses with ability bonuses to a d20. If you would like a deeper breakdown check out our original review here https://throatpunchgames.com/2019/08/18/ring-side-report-pathfinder-rulebook-2nd-ed/. It's a solid game. 5/5
Theme or Fluff- Like Golarion? If you liked 1st Ed and you like the previous 2nd Ed world, then you will like this. Nothing really changed in this book aside from switching out what classes made the cut: witch is in but paladin/champion is out. Things do not drastically change with this new book, but I liked the old book too. 5/5
Execution- Paizo does good books. Layout, text, pictures, and words all flow well. What this book does differently than the last one is some edits to explain some concepts better. I think this is the distinction between the two versions. Also, since we moved from the OGL to the ORC some game terms changed, and honestly despite it being mostly superficial, these are good changes I like. I can sum this up in one example spell LEVEL vs spell RANK. Those two things mean the EXACT same thing. BUT, too many new players get confused when you say level with spells, and anyone with any experience with games can tell you about a 3rd level wizard, shocked they only get 2nd level spells. Now, that's gone. That right there is worth this five out of five. 5/5
Summary- Welp this review can be summed up as “if you liked Pathfinder core rulebook you will like Player Core, and if you hate Pathfinder 2nd Ed, you won’t come back for this one!”. And that's about it. The elephant in the room is “was this needed?”. And honestly, not really and yes. Not really because this book’s biggest changes are cosmetic. The cosmetic updates are welcome, but are really just surface changes as the base mechanics haven’t changed. I like them, so that's not an issue. And completely needed because WotC hinted at major changes and this book makes Paizo stand on its own with its own rules and systems. So, your mileage will vary as you can get quite far with an old player book and have a blast, but if you have holiday money and want to get into Pathfinder 2.1 (since this isnt as big a change as DnD 3 to 3.5, not even close), then this is a great book to buy and play. 100%
Product- Pathfinder Player Core
System- Pathfinder 2nd Ed
Producer- Paizo
Price- $59.99 here https://paizo.com/products/btq02eoj?Pathfinder-Player-Core
TL; DR- Superficial but needed changes. 100%
Basics- It’s Pathfinder 2nd ed-AGAIN! Player Core is the ORC approved, non OGL version of Pathfinder. Spoilers for this one- If you liked Pathfinder 2nd Ed, you’re gonna like this. If you HATED Pathfinder 2nd ed, you're still not gonna like this! Let’s look at the parts.
Mechanics or Crunch- This is the exact mechanics you saw in the original Pathfinder 2nd Ed book. The system’s basic mechanic is level based bonuses with ability bonuses to a d20. If you would like a deeper breakdown check out our original review here https://throatpunchgames.com/2019/08/18/ring-side-report-pathfinder-rulebook-2nd-ed/. It's a solid game. 5/5
Theme or Fluff- Like Golarion? If you liked 1st Ed and you like the previous 2nd Ed world, then you will like this. Nothing really changed in this book aside from switching out what classes made the cut: witch is in but paladin/champion is out. Things do not drastically change with this new book, but I liked the old book too. 5/5
Execution- Paizo does good books. Layout, text, pictures, and words all flow well. What this book does differently than the last one is some edits to explain some concepts better. I think this is the distinction between the two versions. Also, since we moved from the OGL to the ORC some game terms changed, and honestly despite it being mostly superficial, these are good changes I like. I can sum this up in one example spell LEVEL vs spell RANK. Those two things mean the EXACT same thing. BUT, too many new players get confused when you say level with spells, and anyone with any experience with games can tell you about a 3rd level wizard, shocked they only get 2nd level spells. Now, that's gone. That right there is worth this five out of five. 5/5
Summary- Welp this review can be summed up as “if you liked Pathfinder core rulebook you will like Player Core, and if you hate Pathfinder 2nd Ed, you won’t come back for this one!”. And that's about it. The elephant in the room is “was this needed?”. And honestly, not really and yes. Not really because this book’s biggest changes are cosmetic. The cosmetic updates are welcome, but are really just surface changes as the base mechanics haven’t changed. I like them, so that's not an issue. And completely needed because WotC hinted at major changes and this book makes Paizo stand on its own with its own rules and systems. So, your mileage will vary as you can get quite far with an old player book and have a blast, but if you have holiday money and want to get into Pathfinder 2.1 (since this isnt as big a change as DnD 3 to 3.5, not even close), then this is a great book to buy and play. 100%
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March 7, 2025Pls no one tell WotC that I read this.
September 27, 2025
goated system, it's like d&d 5e except functional and consistent
October 8, 2025
This new edition of the Pathfinder rules is the clearest, best-presented version I've seen yet. If PF isn't for you, then so be it; I won't sell anyone on the rules. However, if you are a fan then this is the most lucid, best-indexed iteration of the core game mechanics that Paizo has released.
The rules are clear and consistent, with ample explanations for more complex abilities. The character-creation process is more involved than in D&D, but the rules hold your hand through it. After a couple sessions of playtesting, we found combat to flow smoothly with little need to consult the book for reference but if we did have to, the clarifications were pretty easy to find. Pathfinder is higher on the complexity range than its better-known sibling, but with a rulebook laid out as consistently and intelligently as this one, that complexity isn't a heavy burden.
This won't win over new converts but it's a great example of learning from missteps and applying the lessons to improve your product.
The rules are clear and consistent, with ample explanations for more complex abilities. The character-creation process is more involved than in D&D, but the rules hold your hand through it. After a couple sessions of playtesting, we found combat to flow smoothly with little need to consult the book for reference but if we did have to, the clarifications were pretty easy to find. Pathfinder is higher on the complexity range than its better-known sibling, but with a rulebook laid out as consistently and intelligently as this one, that complexity isn't a heavy burden.
This won't win over new converts but it's a great example of learning from missteps and applying the lessons to improve your product.
August 5, 2025
Took me a number of tries to slog through this book. There are a lot of good ideas here: I like the different levels of proficiency and how ability score boosts come from different aspects of your character like ancestry, class, background, etc. It makes those choices feel a lot more meaningful.
But overall, I think a lot of Pathfinder 2e is just needlessly complex for 2024. It wouldn’t be a problem if this was say your main choice for a D&D-like. But overall I find 5e (2024) to be a better/more useful game without the same level of complexity. As a result, I just don’t see much of a use for it at this point.
That being said, I know there are tons of Pathfinder fans out there and more power to you. Some people will really enjoy the complexity, but I just don’t think it’s needed.
But overall, I think a lot of Pathfinder 2e is just needlessly complex for 2024. It wouldn’t be a problem if this was say your main choice for a D&D-like. But overall I find 5e (2024) to be a better/more useful game without the same level of complexity. As a result, I just don’t see much of a use for it at this point.
That being said, I know there are tons of Pathfinder fans out there and more power to you. Some people will really enjoy the complexity, but I just don’t think it’s needed.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews