Start Pathfinder 2e with Player Core Remastered for 2024-2026

If you are starting Pathfinder 2e now, buy Player Core (Remastered) first. The remastered Player Core is the current, streamlined entry to Second Edition: it gathers the core player-facing rules, ancestries, eight primary classes, backgrounds, spells, and character advancement guidance in a format designed for easier learning and faster character creation. Remastered presentation also folds in years of errata and quality-of-life adjustments, so the onboarding experience is smoother for new players and groups migrating from other systems.

Run a continuing campaign or plan to GM long-term? Add GM Core (Remastered). The remastered GM Core provides up-to-date encounter design, hazards, magic items, and GM advice aligned with the remastered rules, making it the best single volume for building adventures that match current mechanics and balance expectations. If you want a boxed starter, buy the Beginner’s Box for pre-made scenarios and player aids that pair well with the Player Core.

If you already own older Core Rulebook editions, those legacy books remain usable for many sessions. Most rules are compatible, but expect differences in design and organization, and a few mechanical adjustments. Consult Archives of Nethys or official errata when a rules question arises. Paizo has been replacing older volumes with remastered editions and publishing errata, and many new product lines reference remastered rules, so plan for gradual migration if you maintain a mixed library.

For collectors watching their budget, the legacy Core Rulebook and older supplements still function at the table. Buy remastered volumes when you need the cleaner layout, up-to-date character creation flows, or when you encounter rules conflicts. If you want the most current player-facing experience without tracking multiple errata, buy Player Core (Remastered) first and add GM Core (Remastered) when you start running campaigns.

Remastered books are the direction Paizo is publishing toward, so new releases will increasingly assume those rules and presentations. Pick Player Core (Remastered) to minimize friction, reduce rules hunting, and get new players into the game faster.