Pathfinder: Kingmaker Successfully Funded, Goblin Companion Unlocked

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the world will get a proper Pathfinder CRPG soon. The Kickstarter campaign for Pathfinder: Kingmaker has successfully concluded with a grand total of $909,057 pledged. Apart from a clear indication that even in these days of crowdfunding fatigue people want a Pathfinder RPG, this means that when the game launches, our party will be bolstered by a Goblin companion.

Before the campaign concluded, two more updates have been released. Update #32 talks about all the outfits our characters will be wearing in Kingmaker and how Owlcat Games made them work. An excerpt:

What strikes the eye when looking at the illustrations of characters is the lovingly drawn detail. Transferring the graphic design “as is” and keeping the number and size of different elements is not a good idea, for this might result in visual clutter and pixel flicker. We decided to go down the same path as WizKids when they created the miniatures for the tabletop game. A character’s miniature that is standing on the table is at the same distance from the eyes of the player as a character model on the screen.

A character’s look is more than just a weapon and armor or a robe, it is also the everyday apparel

An important feature that sets iconic characters apart from each other is their clothing. This detail reveals the hero’s past, their origins and social status. The social clothes are tied to the hero’s class and is visible in places not protected by armor. This way, in our game the social dress partially represents the class of the character.

The equipment’s design is realistic and functional

Wayne Reynolds’ designs are realistic and well thought-through, which is represented in class-specific details such as adventurer belts that other gear is attached to. This item is drawn on top of the armor, which means it is always visible, and it is another element that shows the character’s class.

An adventurer lives in the open, undertakes long journeys and carries his belongings around

Each class has a set of items that are handy to bring on an adventure. The hardy and the thrifty travel with large backpacks full of supplies for all of life’s emergencies, while the more delicate types and the ascetics make do with a woolen blanket and a small journey bag containing only the bare necessities.

The classes are also represented by class-specific equipment

These are items such as a woolen blanket or a hiking pot. They could belong to any character, but are drawn in a place where they reveal the flavor of a particular class. In our game, each class has a unique combination of a waist belt, a backpack, and something else. For example, all warriors travel with their own mug, which is hung from the belt so that it is always at hand!

There’s a holding bag or a sheath for everything

Yes, all weapons and combat items come with scabbards or sheaths, all consumables, be it potions or crossbow bolts, have their own pouches and cases that can be attached to the belt.

The contents of a character’s slots directly influences their appearance. All equipment, consumables, and weapons are shown or strive to be shown on the in-game model

And Update #33 announces a clearly unattainable stretch goal of $1.1$M that’s supposed to add a Hellknight faction to the game. With this update releasing so close to the campaign’s conclusion, I can only assume that Owlcat Games plan to continue collecting funds through PayPal or some other means in the future. For now, here’s a bit about the Hellknights:

But there is another outstanding image, or should we say, the order in the Inner Sea that also became synonymous with the Pathfinder. Yes, we are speaking of they who are the weapons of desperate times and soldiers with the force of will to do whatever must be done. They are intimidation, relentlessness, and unwavering conviction. They are the black-gauntleted fist of absolute order. They are the Hellknights!

For far too long the Stolen Lands were the den of thieves and murderers, sanctuary for those who ran from the Law, home of the chaotic and capricious fey, the embodiment of everything Hellknights abhor. They arrive in this lawless land with the important mission, and it will be up to you to decide whether they are friend or foe. Befriend them, prove that you are worthy, that your rule is the lawful one, that your country is the beacon of stability in the region and you will be welcomed into their ranks. Help them complete their mission in the Stolen Lands, and you will be taught secrets and mysteries only a few are privileged to know. Antagonize them, and you will find them to be a powerful and extremely well-organized adversary, vanquish them to seize their relics and discover the truth behind their appearance in the Stolen Lands.

This stretch goal will provide your character with even more options to choose, with unique abilities for Hellknights and Hellknight Signifers and specific items thematic to the Hellknights, as well as new quest line dedicated to the Hellknight presence in the Stolen Lands. Face them on the field of battle or fight side-by-side, it is your choice to make.

Hellknights is our next stretch goal, they will be unlocked when funding reaches $1.1M