This is part of my RPG series of entries here at SOB. See the inaugural entry in the series for more details.

I got an email from Paizo today. I’m including the main text of the email here, but you can skip to the end to get the executive summary if you’re lazy or have a short attention span.

Subject: “Paizo News: Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook Sold Out!”

The Golem’s Got It! Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook Sold Out! All Preordered Copies Now in Distribution Channel, New Print Run to Arrive in Early November Ten days before the launch of their much-anticipated Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Paizo Publishing today announced that the first print run of the book has sold out, with all preordered copies on their way to stores for an August 13 release. With preorders more than five times greater than for any previous product in Paizo’s seven-year history, orders for the Core Rulebook continue to mount even as the company speeds to produce another print run. Paizo.com has retained enough copies to handle all paizo.com subscriptions and pre-orders. Customers who have not already placed a pre-order with paizo.com or their game or book retailer are encouraged to seek out a copy immediately following the book’s retail release, as supplies are expected to run out well before the arrival of a second print run in early November. “We thought we had printed enough to last us at least until the end of this year, but skyrocketing demand from our customers and distributors has us reprinting already,” Lisa Stevens, CEO of Paizo said. “We have a healthy amount heading to Gen Con, but we think even those will go fast, so don’t delay in picking up your copy!” The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook is the first release in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game line of hardcover tabletop RPG rulebooks. Clocking in at a whopping 576 pages and at a weight of more than four pounds, this $49.99 rulebook is the newest incarnation of the 3.5 version of the world’s best-selling roleplaying game. Playtested by more than 50,000 players over the last year, the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook is the most hotly anticipated tabletop RPG release of 2009. A massive electronic download file ($9.99) will remain available at paizo.com. “The phenomenal support of the constantly growing community of Pathfinder RPG players has been a staggering sight to behold,” said Paizo Publisher Erik Mona. “To sell out a hugely ambitious print run before the release date just goes to show what an immense audience this game will enjoy in the years to come.” The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook can be found wherever gaming products are sold or can be purchased directly from Paizo Publishing http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy88yj&source=mailing via paizo.com.

Executive Summary

The book hasn’t even been released yet and, aside from extra copies friendly local gaming stores may have ordered to stock their shelves and the copies Paizo plans to take to GenCon this month, they’re all sold out. There’ll be more available in November, apparently, after the second print run — but for now, if you want to get a copy of the book for yourself, you basically need to show up at your FLGS on 13 August and buy any copies they have on the shelves, show up at GenCon and be one of the first people in line at the Paizo booth, or go back in time and order one (or ask your FLGS to order it for you, as I suggested in Pathfinder RPG Preorder: It’s time to reserve a copy.)

This is Good News (for me)

I hoped it would be popular. The more popular the game, the more likely it is to have more books available for it in the future — and I definitely want more books for Pathfinder RPG. Still, this is surprising news. I didn’t think the first print run would be spoken for before the first book even shipped.

Luckily for me and the SigO , we reserved a copy at our FLGS and signed up for the Pathfinder RPG subscription (get core game materials as often as they’re published, cancellable at any time) in time to get two copies of the game. We should have both of them on 13 August, the very day the game’s officially released, including the PDF of the core book we get with the subscription.

If you don’t get a copy this month, you should probably preörder a copy from the second printing as soon as the option becomes available, if you want one. Otherwise — maybe that’ll sell out right away, too, and you’ll miss it again. In the meantime, you can at least order a PDF for about $10.