Paizo never sued individual downloaders but sent DMCA takedowns to large hosters (The Trove, Library Genesis). In 2023, Paizo released offering $500+ worth of PF1e PDFs for $25, effectively legitimizing bulk acquisition. This dramatically reduced piracy rates for PF1e specifically, as the marginal cost of legality fell below the convenience cost of piracy.

: PDFs allow you to use Ctrl+F to find specific keywords, spells, or feat prerequisites instantly, which is vital in a high-complexity system.

Despite these efforts, a thriving grey market emerged.