Retailers Leak Details for Pathfinder Waking Tigers Adventure Path

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A new Pathfinder Second Edition adventure path has just been revealed. Unfortunately, the new product wasn’t announced by publisher Paizo, but instead was released online from retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The upcoming book is entitled Pathfinder Waking Tigers and takes place in the nation of Hwanggot; a region loosely inspired by real-world Korean culture and history. The adventure path will take players from levels 1 to 11 and includes a built-in gazetteer for the area.

Waking Tigers is currently scheduled for release in March 2027, but you can pre-order it now from your local game store, Barnes & Noble and on Amazon (notably, a pre-order page is not yet available on the official Paizo website). Below, we take a closer look at what to expect in this return to one of Pathfinder’s most unique locations.

What’s the Pathfinder: Waking Tigers adventure path about?

So far, no official details have been released by Paizo (who were most likely planning on an announcement at this year’s Gen Con in July). The official book description for online retailers, however, reads as follows:

“A troubling conspiracy is unraveling in the heart of Hwanggot, but the wrong people stand accused of orchestrating it! Delve into two different timelines in this adventure as investigators uncovering the conspiracy in the past and defending themselves in court in the present. Can you discover the truth and prove your innocence?

Waking Tigers is a 256-page Adventure Path designed for four Pathfinder Second Edition characters, starting at 1st level and rising through the ranks to reach 11th level at the campaign’s exciting conclusion. Waking Tigers also includes a gazetteer of the nation of Hwanggot and a look into the cycle of elements and how they interact in Hwanggot, as well as useful new items and a host of dangerous monsters.”

What is the kingdom of Hwanggot in Pathfinder lore?

Hwanggot, also known as the Kingdom of Flowers, is a nation located in the eastern reaches of Tian Xia (a continent on the Pathfinder world of Golarion inspired by real-world Asian cultures and history). Despite centuries of imperial domination, the people of Hwanggot have largely embraced pacifism and are renowned for their art and beauty.

The society also observes distinct gender roles where women form the vast majority of the military and scholarly classes, while men traditionally dominate farming, craftsmanship and the arts. In the current Pathfinder timeline, the kingdom is ruled by Queen Hyeon Geon-ji and is largely protected from invasions to the west by the dense, treacherous Chang Liao Jungle.

The country is also steeped in ancient magic as well as suffering the effects of the recent Godsrain, which spawned the magical, color-shifting flora of the Dusk Gardens and released the long-imprisoned enchantress known as Mistress Peony back into the region.

Notably, Hwanggot has been briefly mentioned several Pathfinder supplements over the years, including the Dragon Empires Gazetteer (which was released in 2012 for Pathfinder First Edition) and more recently the Tian Xia World Guide (which was released in 2024 for Pathfinder 2E). There hasn’t, however, been a dedicated sourcebook or adventure focused on the nation.

When will the Waking Tigers Adventure Path be released?

Waking Tigers will officially be released on March 3rd, 2027. At that time it will be available at local game stores and online.

How much is the Waking Tigers Adventure Path book?

The standard hardcover will retail for $79.99 USD. A Special Edition (with faux-leather cover) and retailer exclusive Sketch Edition will also be available (although prices have not yet been confirmed).

Why we’re excited about Pathfinder Waking Tigers

• A rarely explored Pathfinder region: Players will get to explore the nation of Hwanggot, a kingdom that’s been mentioned in lore for years but has never before been the subject of a dedicated sourcebook or adventure.
• Innovative dual-timeline narrative: The concept of getting players to unravel a conspiracy across two different timelines sounds intriguing (although we’ll have to see how it’s actually handled).
• New monsters and loot: One of the big draws of a PF2E adventure path is the new creatures, magic items and treasure that’s included, so we’re interested to see what Paizo puts together.
• A major milestone for PF2E: A new adventure path is always a major product release for Pathfinder, so we’re looking forward to seeing what kind of tie-in materials and community support Paizo will be offering.

Final thoughts

It’s great to see a new PF2E adventure path set in a region of Golarion we haven’t really explored before. It is, however, a bit disappointing that Paizo had their thunder stolen by online retailers, rather than being able to announce the new book on their own terms (something that has happened in the past with other products).

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the book in the days ahead. In the meantime, you can pre-order Pathfinder Waking Tigers now from your local game store, Barnes & Noble and on Amazon