How to Find a Pathfinder Group Near You
Finding a Pathfinder group is the practical step between reading the rulebook and actually rolling dice with other people — and it turns out the tabletop hobby has built a surprisingly robust infrastructure for exactly this problem. This page covers the primary channels for locating in-person and online Pathfinder games, how each channel works mechanically, and how to decide which approach fits a given situation.
Definition and scope
"Finding a group" in tabletop RPG context means locating an active game with an opening for a new player, or assembling one from scratch. Those are meaningfully different challenges with different tools. The scope here covers Pathfinder Second Edition (PF2e) groups primarily, though most channels work equally well for players seeking Pathfinder First Edition tables — a distinction worth understanding, since the two editions have distinct communities and player pools. The Pathfinder First Edition vs Second Edition breakdown covers what separates them mechanically, but for group-finding purposes, the relevant difference is volume: PF2e has dominated new organized play rosters since its 2019 launch, while PF1e retains a dedicated but smaller community.
How it works
Group-finding happens through three main channels: organized play systems, digital matchmaking platforms, and local venue networks.
Organized play (Pathfinder Society) is the most structured option. Pathfinder Society Organized Play is a global campaign run by Paizo Publishing in which every table uses the same official scenarios, characters are portable between groups, and games run at conventions, local game stores, and online. Paizo's event locator at paizo.com/organizedplay lists sanctioned events by region. Because the system is standardized, a player can walk into any Pathfinder Society table in Chicago or Charlotte and sit down with a legal character — no prior relationship with the GM required.
Digital matchmaking platforms connect players asynchronously. The two platforms that carry the heaviest Pathfinder traffic are:
- Warhorn (warhorn.net) — the default sign-up tool for organized play events; also used by independent convention coordinators to manage seat reservations
- Startplaying.games — a marketplace where GMs list paid and free games, with searchable filters by system, edition, schedule, and experience level
- Reddit's r/lfg (Looking for Group) — a text-based board at reddit.com/r/lfg where players and GMs post availability; posts are tagged by system and format (online/in-person/play-by-post)
- Discord servers — Paizo maintains an official Discord, and the unofficial Pathfinder 2e Discord server hosts a dedicated #looking-for-group channel with thousands of active members
Local venue networks remain the highest-value channel for players who want in-person games. Friendly local game stores (FLGS) typically maintain community boards, run demo nights, and host Pathfinder Society events. The Paizo store locator lists registered retailers. Public libraries in larger cities increasingly run tabletop game nights — a frequently overlooked source — and Meetup.com hosts tabletop groups in most metropolitan areas searchable by game system.
Common scenarios
Three situations cover most of what people encounter:
New player with no local contacts. The lowest-friction path is a Pathfinder Society in-person event at a local game store, or a beginner-friendly game on Startplaying.games. Both environments are designed for onboarding — Society tables especially, since the Pathfinder Beginner Box and introductory scenarios are explicitly designed for first-time players. The Pathfinder Starter Tips for New Players page covers what to expect at that first session.
Experienced player relocating to a new city. Warhorn and the Paizo store locator together give a fast read on organized play density. A city with 3 or more active Pathfinder Society venues on Warhorn has enough community mass to support regular play.
Player who prefers online. Fantasy Grounds and Foundry VTT both have native Pathfinder 2e support with official licensed content, and Pathfinder Online Play Tools covers the platform comparison in detail. For online group-finding specifically, r/lfg and the Pathfinder 2e Discord are the highest-volume sources.
Decision boundaries
Choosing between channels isn't complicated once the constraints are clear:
- Schedule flexibility vs. commitment: Organized play events are drop-in by design; home campaigns expect weekly or biweekly attendance. A player who travels frequently is better served by Society play.
- Social preference: Some players want to meet people organically at a game store; others would rather read a GM's written description on Startplaying before committing to a session. Neither is wrong — they're different products.
- Budget: Pathfinder Society games at game stores are typically free-to-play (the store earns revenue through product sales). Paid GM services on Startplaying range from $10–$25 per session per player, per the platform's publicly listed ranges.
- Edition: If the goal is PF1e specifically, r/lfg and dedicated Facebook groups (search "Pathfinder 1e LFG") carry more relevant traffic than Warhorn, which skews toward current Society content.
The broader pathfinderauthority.com home page provides the full context on where group-finding fits within the larger Pathfinder ecosystem — rules, setting, and community resources together.