The Future of Pathfinder Society Organized Play, Part I: PaizoCon and Beyond

Monday, March 21, 2011

Though we're still in 2011's first quarter, we in Pathfinder Society Central are already plotting out details of Season 3, which will officially begin in August at Gen Con. Before we can move into the next season, however, we need to conclude Season 2. I guess now's as good a time as any to announce the final four scenarios of the current season—The Year of the Shadow Lodge.

At PaizoCon, as always, four new scenarios will debut to tie up all the loose ends with the ongoing metaplot of the season, and foreshadow the themes and challenges of next year. In this case, we've got the two part Shadow's Last Stand arc, set in the Andoren capital of Almas. Part I is At Shadow's Door, by Steven Robert, and Part II is Web of Corruption by Patrick Renie. Pathfinder Society campaign coordinator Hyrum Savage will send the PCs deep into undead-ruled Geb in You Only Die Twice, and Michael Kortes will pit the PCs against a team of deadly assassins in The Mantis's Prey. Players closely following the conflict between the Shadow Lodge and the Decemvirate will find all their questions answered in these four action- and intrigue-packed scenarios.

Because we've got some fairly significant changes and expansions coming to the campaign as it enters its fourth year, we decided to vary things up a little with July's releases. Instead of two standalone adventures left dangling between the conclusion of one year-long story arc and the introduction of another, we'll be putting out a three-part, first-level adventure arc called First Steps, designed to act as an introduction for new players, or old players starting new PCs. In this series, PCs will undertake their first missions as Pathfinders, learning what it means to be a member of the world-spanning organization, getting familiar with Absalom—their new home base—and meeting the heads of all the factions as well as some of the Society's most persistent enemies.

Adam Daigle starts it all off with In Service to Lore, followed by Stephen Radney-MacFarland's To Delve the Dungeon Deep. Larry Wilhelm wraps it all up with A Vision of Betrayal. PCs will end the series at second level, and choose their faction at the series' conclusion, deciding which of the motivations or play-styles most fits their character. As if this weren't exciting enough, all three scenarios will be available for free.

Stay tuned to this blog for more announcements about the future of the Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign in the coming weeks.

Mark Moreland
Developer

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: Geb Monsters PaizoCon Pathfinder Society Pathfinder Society Scenarios Undead
Dark Archive 1/5

Looking good Yoda ... er, Mark!

The good stuff just keeps rolling out, those are great authors there.

Sovereign Court

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

That is awesome news to encourage new people to try out the Pathfinder Society.

Dark Archive

As if this weren't exciting enough, all three scenarios will be available for free.

Sweet. May use as a jumping point for my new Pathfinder campaign. If the Pathfinder Basic / Intro set is available by that time, so much the better.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut

Huzzah for Larry writing another PFS scenario! Way to go, my friend!

Oh...and that Daigle guy, too. ;-)

Grand Lodge 4/5 *

Love the "intro campaign arc" module idea - sounds like a great way to help build player knowledge of the "core assumption" and Golarion. Way to go! Now, if we could fast-forward to July...


Thanks Neil! Appreciate the congratulations.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 *** Venture-Lieutenant, California—Los Angeles (South Bay)

This is good and interesting news. I think that First Steps sounds very interesting and a good way to introduce new players to Pathfinder Society Play. (Hmm, maybe I will run the adventures at an upcoming EN World Chicago Gameday.)

I am also glad to see that plot ties will not be left hanging. There are GMs and players in my group who would love to resolve a few things ... including coming face to face with a certain major traitor to the Pathfinder Society and his faction.

So far, I am very happy with what I am seeing in PFS play. I am looking forward to learning more about the changes.

Paizo Employee Director of Game Development

Larcifer wrote:
Thanks Neil! Appreciate the congratulations.

Likewise. Thanks, Neil.

Dark Archive

This is great news with strong writers to back it! WOOT!

Silver Crusade 4/5

Oliver von Spreckelsen wrote:
That is awesome news to encourage new people to try out the Pathfinder Society.

+1


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber
Lamplighter wrote:
Love the "intro campaign arc" module idea - sounds like a great way to help build player knowledge of the "core assumption" and Golarion. Way to go! Now, if we could fast-forward to July...

+100

The Exchange 4/5

wow what a way to end season 3 with a bang.... too bad i have not run or played in any of the shadow lodge stuff yet... maybe Paizocon :)

as for the intro three parter, love it. I will definitely run it at my Convention event in August.

Grand Lodge 3/5

Larcifer wrote:
Thanks Neil! Appreciate the congratulations.

[mutters].... stupid PFS Cancon rules.... [/mutters]

;)

Gratz, Larry, Adam.

Liberty's Edge 4/5

Lamplighter wrote:
Love the "intro campaign arc" module idea - sounds like a great way to help build player knowledge of the "core assumption" and Golarion. Way to go! Now, if we could fast-forward to July...
Quote:
Adam Daigle starts it all off with In Service to Lore, followed by Stephen Radney-MacFarland's To Delve the Dungeon Deep. Larry Wilhelm wraps it all up with A Vision of Betrayal. PCs will end the series at second level, and choose their faction at the series' conclusion, deciding which of the motivations or play-styles most fits their character. As if this weren't exciting enough, all three scenarios will be available for free.

Love th eidea. As first level (only) scenarios, will they be under the same replay rules as Godsmouth Heresy & Master of the Fallen Fortress?

Also, since choosing your faction is done when you reach second level, I would assume that the whole arc has no PA given? :(

Paizo Employee Director of Game Development

Callarek wrote:
Also, since choosing your faction is done when you reach second level, I would assume that the whole arc has no PA given? :(

I'm certain Mark and Hyrum have plans for this topic. No worries. I certainly like that new players get a chance to test drive the factions before signing themselves up.

5/5

Jason Sonia wrote:
This is great news with strong writers to back it! WOOT!

Strong? Have you met Daigle? Scrappy? Yes. Strong? Most certainly not!


Adam Daigle wrote:
Callarek wrote:
Also, since choosing your faction is done when you reach second level, I would assume that the whole arc has no PA given? :(
I'm certain Mark and Hyrum have plans for this topic. No worries. I certainly like that new players get a chance to test drive the factions before signing themselves up.

I would hope so, because the players that must have their PA will never touch these three scenarios otherwise. I am not stuck on getting the most PA possible, so playing through these one day will be fine with me. :)

Sovereign Court 5/5 Owner - Enchanted Grounds, President/Owner - Enchanted Grounds

Enevhar Aldarion wrote:
Adam Daigle wrote:
Callarek wrote:
Also, since choosing your faction is done when you reach second level, I would assume that the whole arc has no PA given? :(
I'm certain Mark and Hyrum have plans for this topic. No worries. I certainly like that new players get a chance to test drive the factions before signing themselves up.
I would hope so, because the players that must have their PA will never touch these three scenarios otherwise. I am not stuck on getting the most PA possible, so playing through these one day will be fine with me. :)

Yeah, I'm surprised it's gone this long without the PA grabbers getting all riled up already.

"What?! No prestige award?! How will my character compete for most broken character ever?!" Rabble, rabble...

The Exchange 4/5

Drogon wrote:

"What?! No prestige award?! How will my character compete for most broken character ever?!" Rabble, rabble...

We're waiting until they actually announce that before we bring out the picket line. As of now no PA is purely speculation.

Paizo Employee Director of Game Development

Kyle Baird wrote:
Jason Sonia wrote:
This is great news with strong writers to back it! WOOT!
Strong? Have you met Daigle? Scrappy? Yes. Strong? Most certainly not!

A lean dog can run a long race.

And I'm sure Jaye was responding to my fortitude. :)

(See ya at GenCon, Jaye! The pints are waiting!)

Dark Archive

Kyle Baird wrote:
Strong? Have you met Daigle? Scrappy? Yes. Strong? Most certainly not!

Ironically, yes...

Liberty's Edge 1/5

Love the idea of letting new players learn about the Society and the various factions in-game before having to choose a side. Good work Mark and Hyrum.

The Pathfinder also known as Josh Futterman

Lantern Lodge 4/5

Adam Daigle wrote:
I certainly like that new players get a chance to test drive the factions before signing themselves up.

Particularly now there'll be TEN factions to choose from, sounds like a good idea!

Cheers,
DarkWhite

Scarab Sages 4/5 5/55/55/5 *** Venture-Captain, Australia—NSW—Greater West

I have some friends who I may have convinced to try Society, and I was just thinking through Character Generation and other questions.

Currently, there are various faction specific traits, but you need to know what faction you are going for before you can choose them. Do we know how that is going to be handled with the First Steps scenerios? Do they not get to choose them at all, can they leave a trait free, swap out a trait etc?

These scenerios come out before Gencon, is the new Guide going to be released before that (we are currently talking about doing character generation (and the online registration)on the 23rd July, and play through the first scenerio on the 30th. Will this timing work?

And, a question for my own character, will the additional resourses be updated for the Ultimate Combat before Gencon (as subscribers would hopefully have it before then)?

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