Annual State of the Pathfinder Society Campaign and the Release of Guide 4.3

Awesome stuff Mike!

Going to look over the Guide now...

Though I would like to hear more about Campaign Service Award Coin?

Is that similar to the Military Giving out coins for excellent service?

Kind of like a Coin reward to those that have added to and helped grow the Pathfinder Society?

Or is it something totally else?

I am impressed with all the links he had to build into that entry.

I am impressed with all the links he had to build into that entry.

Lol .. exactly ...

good information all around, looking forward to actually seeing Mike this year at conventions (ooo 3 of them) and for all the up-coming changes to the campaign

Wait, Mike's not coming to Con of the North in February? Laaaaame! ;)

Thank you for the the overview, and big-time kudos for the work that you, Mark and the rest at Paizo do! The improvements and overall forward-thinking that I have seen since Mike has come onboard have exciting to see. Here is to more excitement in '13!

Page 40: Removed the maintenance requirements for 5-star GMs.

Nooooooo!!! Now we will never get rid of Kyle as a 5 Star GM!

;)

I look forward to seeing you Master Brock at PaizoCon, although I wish we could have met when you were in the Bay Area last year. Oh well, maybe next year we can have you come make a California tour of both the Northern and Southern CA areas. :D

As Society Play is currently my only campaign, I look forward to all the changes and the expansions that are to come in 2013 and beyond. Especially since in 2013, I will have two characters who will (Sarenrae willing) be entering "Seeker" Status. Pretty stoked about that.

Hopefully the meds and the job are going to hold out to allow me to volunteer at Origins!

(nitpick, spell names should be italicized.) Thank you Mike, Mark, and everyone who volunteers to make this a wonderful experience!

Any chance of a changelog for the guide to organized play? It would make finding the changes (even the little ones) much easier.

Also, it would be great if the guide could be available outside of the paizo store. I mean a straight PDF download similar to the Additional Resources PDF. Requiring login means it's more difficult to get on mobile or untrusted devices, and it would be nice to be able to give out print copies of the guide to new/interested players without having my email address watermarked on there.

-edit- Hah! I should have looked more carefully. Guide 4.3 Changelog

Great update. Serious linkage!

Mike - Thank you for a bringing solid leadership and vision to the OP.

/raises obscenely large beer

Here's to another great year of Society Play!

~@~

Michael, I am hoping to make it to my first Paizocon to actually get the opportunity to meet you as I have had the opportunity to meet my area VOs. I am about to download the updated guide now and I am excited for the changes ahead. I also wanted to pass on how great this community has been to me over the past few months since I decided to get behind the screen as well as play. It has been very encouraging to participate in a campaign where, if you are stuck on something, help is only a post away. Thank you all and I am looking forward to my first full year of GMing.

Though I would like to hear more about Campaign Service Award Coin?

Is that similar to the Military Giving out coins for excellent service?

Kind of like a Coin reward to those that have added to and helped grow the Pathfinder Society?

Or is it something totally else?

They are very much like military or police challenge coins.

With the exception of extraordinary events (such as the recent community service events such as Toys for Tots events), I will only award these when I am at a location, convention, game day, etc... and observe this awesomeness occurring. Considering I'm planning to attend around 15 cons a year all over the world, this should give ample opportunity for people to earn one.

What are the requirements? You have to go above and beyond what I would do if I was in your shoes as a coordinator, GM, organizer, etc.... However, these are not limited to the VCs and VLs. These are offered to the player base at large. If I'm impressed, I award a coin. I want to award one of these coins to anyone who helps make PFS better in a new, unique, and/or different way.

I have seen several people that have gone way above, creating magnificent 3d terrain that attracts gamers from outside the PFS hall, draws them into the game itself, and gets them interested in trying out Pathfinder.. Another example is the few people that set up and ran their own Toys for Tots fundraising events without any prompting. They just scheduled and coordinated it, and in turn collected more than 100 toys over the weekend event for underprivileged kids. Several VCs and VLs got together and put together the GM 101 and Kid's Track lesson plans to improve the overall quality of PFS and attract new people to our awesome community. Those are just three examples I could think of off the top of my head. And no, they aren't retroactive ;-) You have to impress me starting in 2013.

That kind of time and effort are the things I'm looking for. There are no limits to how many I award each year. But, it takes a lot to impress me and if I award one, it will be a big deal. I will estimate 20-30 awarded each year max, and these are the rarest things that you will be able to obtain in PFS. Afterall, I am the only one that will have them in my possession and the only Paizo staff member that can award them.

Additionally, each coin will be stamped with a three digit number between 700-999. People who are awarded the coin may opt to change their PFS number to the three digit number on the coin. In 2008, at the dawn of the campaign, player numbers started at 1000. The numbers taken between 1-999 are numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 666, and 700. Those six belong to current or former Paizo employees. No one else has a number lower than 1,000.

Page 40: Removed the maintenance requirements for 5-star GMs.

Mike is going to institute the new 5-Star Maintenance Program at GenCon this August. It is going to be based on the 1st Edition D&D high-level Druid advancement system. You want to stay a 5-Star? Be ready to bleed for it.

Any chance of a changelog for the guide to organized play? It would make finding the changes (even the little ones) much easier.

Also, it would be great if the guide could be available outside of the paizo store. I mean a straight PDF download similar to the Additional Resources PDF. Requiring login means it's more difficult to get on mobile or untrusted devices, and it would be nice to be able to give out print copies of the guide to new/interested players without having my email address watermarked on there.

-edit- Hah! I should have looked more carefully. Guide 4.3 Changelog

When you download the guide, a PDF of the Changelog and the Quickstart Guide will be included.

Page 35: Under Alignment Infractions, added the following sentence: “However, ‘that’s just what my character would do’ is not a defense for being a jerk.”

That's actually page 36. ;-)

Hey, did you get that beer at KublaCon? :)

Seriously, Mike - thanks for making PFS awesome in your tenure, and I am confident that the ship will go to good places under your command.

PFS Guide 4.3 Errata wrote:

Page 40: Removed the maintenance requirements for 5-star GMs.

Mike is going to institute the new 5-Star Maintenance Program at GenCon this August. It is going to be based on the 1st Edition D&D high-level Druid advancement system. You want to stay a 5-Star? Be ready to bleed for it.

Begins to get herself ready for the wrestling match ....

eyeballs Baird over there

Doug Miles wrote:

PFS Guide 4.3 Errata wrote:

Page 40: Removed the maintenance requirements for 5-star GMs.

Mike is going to institute the new 5-Star Maintenance Program at GenCon this August. It is going to be based on the 1st Edition D&D high-level Druid advancement system. You want to stay a 5-Star? Be ready to bleed for it.

Begins to get herself ready for the wrestling match ....

eyeballs Baird over there

Also, all 5-Star GM challenges must be resolved at the San Pedro Sula Lodge in Honduras.

Thank you Mike for your continued vigilance in making PFS the best it can be and thank you for taking the time to listen to and respond to our feedback.

I like my odds versus the rest of you 5-star wimps.

Looks like we're locking up the Paizo server. I can't get my download. Way too many people interested in PFS. :-)

:-)))

Thank you Mike I wish you the best ( and of course also to resolve all the open points above) for 2013 !!!

See you at the Paizo Con Uk or elsewhere in Europe ? :-)

Congratulations Mike!

This is an impressive list of accomplishments. It must feel good to share how far this entire community has come. Thanks for your leadership!

Congratulations on your good work , and be sure that we in Portugal are willing to help you grow even more the PFS community.
Although you forgot to mention us in the new countries to PFS ...
;-)

Congratulations on your good work , and be sure that we in Portugal are willing to help you grow even more the PFS community.

Although you forgot to mention us in the new countries to PFS ...
;-)

My apologies. I knew there was one thing I forgot..... :-/

Great, the guide still doesn't address how arcane casters with spell books pay for getting new spells and writing them into their books.

Great, the guide still doesn't address how arcane casters with spell books pay for writing new spells into their books.

I will get it added to the FAQ when I have some time.

Great, the guide still doesn't address how arcane casters with spell books pay for getting new spells and writing them into their books.

I’m curious, as I’m just starting a Wizard, but is there a reason why this process has to be in the guide? Seems pretty self explanatory to me and the FAQ covers anything unclear for how loot and/or spellbooks work in PFS.

I would Love to See San Diego Comic Con on that List of Conventions you want to go to... but that's a big list all on its own lol. If you can make it the San Diego PFS would love to see you there sometime ^^

Nice job. Mike, Thanks for your leadership.

Seems pretty self explanatory to me and the FAQ covers anything unclear for how loot and/or spellbooks work in PFS.

No, it doesn't.

If it's a change from the core rules, then it should be in the guide. Not buried in some poorly worded FAQ.

Great stuff--bravo!

Two questions on the new updates:

1) I presume that if the scenario lasts long enough, that infrequent abilities such as 1/week abilities can be used more than once per scenario?

2) Does the new pregen equipment rule combined with the rule on splitting the cost of raise dead mean that essentially one person can die at a table with a level 7 pregen for little or no cash loss (since the level 7 pregens have enough gear to sell to pay for a raise)? If so, I suppose that would assuage people's concerns over the level 7 pregens somewhat, as that seems a substantial boon.

Thanks! See you at Paizocon.

And @Jiggy- see you at Con of the North!

Andrew Christian wrote:

Seems pretty self explanatory to me and the FAQ covers anything unclear for how loot and/or spellbooks work in PFS.

No, it doesn't.

If it's a change from the core rules, then it should be in the guide. Not buried in some poorly worded FAQ.

The FAQ seems pretty clear to me.

Can you elucidate why it is poorly worded?

Wow, a couple new faces coming up to Con of the North? Or do I know the faces behind RainyDayNinja and mln84?

They are very much like military or police challenge coins.

Thanks Mike for the Info! Hopefully this will help me get my PFS group to start volunteering again with me at the Local Fisher House.

I know it as a great enjoyment to put a lot of time and effort to help an Organization grow or to help that organization look good in others eyes by helping others or showing how fun it can be, but it is also nice to be recognized for that.

Have you thought about a similar program for VC/VL to submit something like an Award Package for outstanding local PFS volunteer, someone who has gone way above and beyond to help the Local PFS in some way? A 1 Person award per year per VC or VC/VL that is recognized by PFS Campaign Leadership?

Have you thought about a similar program for VC/VL to submit something like an Award Package for outstanding local PFS volunteer, someone who has gone way above and beyond to help the Local PFS in some way? A 1 Person award per year per VC or VC/VL that is recognized by PFS Campaign Leadership?

Yes. It is called the Volunteer of the Year award and is given out every year at PaizoCon.

Yes. It is called the Volunteer of the Year award and is given out every year at PaizoCon.

I Remember a Paizo Volunteer of the Year award that was given all at once 08-11 last year, But I don't remember a Pathfinder Society Specific one, when did I miss that?

Also though Close that is not what I was thinking about, was thinking about one more for a local level recommended by the VC for his/her area and recognized by PFS Leadership once a year for all the VCs.

I can imagine that might be a little difficult to oversee that though due to the many VCs you have now, so on rethinking that it may not be feasible.

What other division of Paizo is supported by volunteers as much as PFS?

I can't remember who won the award last time. What was that guy's name??

What other division of Paizo is supported by volunteers as much as PFS?

I can't remember who won the award last time. What was that guy's name??

I don't remember his name. What I do remember is he didnt care enough to show up and receive his award ;-)

What other division of Paizo is supported by volunteers as much as PFS?

I can't remember who won the award last time. What was that guy's name??

Doesn't many of those volunteer types end up working at Paizo... .)

Doug Miles wrote:

What other division of Paizo is supported by volunteers as much as PFS?

I can't remember who won the award last time. What was that guy's name??

I don't remember his name. What I do remember is he didnt care enough to show up and receive his award ;-)

I was there and took the award home. It's really too bad Paizo got the engraving wrong.

What other division of Paizo is supported by volunteers as much as PFS?

Well only one of the Rewards went to someone for specifically PFS related and that was I think Kyle, I know I saw him walking out with it...;)

Mr. Brock

Next Year convince Paizo to construct a "paizo mansion" in Indy.

Really Indy is lucky to have all the visits.

This year is really starting off on the right foot! Cannot wait!!! Lots of stuff to announce come Game Days.

Reworded the section for clarity and added the special title of Seeker for any Pathfinder agent who has achieved 12th level.

I leveled up? Hurray!

It's been said a lot already, but heaping on praise is never bad, right?

Well done, so far. I'm really looking forward to what the coming years bring.

The FAQ seems pretty clear to me.

What changed your mind? "I agree that the FAQ is written poorly"

Can you elucidate why it is poorly worded?

The FAQ entry is written along the lines of "Use the normal rules with one change. This is the change. Here's another massive unrelated change written in a way to suspect the person writing it didn't really understand the situation."

So one can interpret it two ways.

The first way is that the first line is factually incorrect, the text in the middle has no relevance to the context surrounding it, and the text at the end should be ignored.

The second way is that the first line is correct, the FAQ makes one change, and everything else in that FAQ is related to that change.

Since there are currently people ruling the first way, the FAQ needs to be clarified so that either it actually says what it means, or explicitly says that it does mean what it says.

Assuming it does mean what it says, and the FAQ only refers to spells from scrolls, then it doesn't really need to go in the guide because it's just clarifying how loot works. If they change it so that it does actually prohibit you from purchasing spell copying privileges, then it should probably go in the guide since that's a significant PFS-specific change to the normal rules.

Andrew Christian wrote:

The FAQ seems pretty clear to me.

What changed your mind? "I agree that the FAQ is written poorly"

Andrew Christian wrote:

Can you elucidate why it is poorly worded?

The FAQ entry is written along the lines of "Use the normal rules with one change. This is the change. Here's another massive unrelated change written in a way to suspect the person writing it didn't really understand the situation."

So one can interpret it two ways.

The first way is that the first line is factually incorrect, the text in the middle has no relevance to the context surrounding it, and the text at the end should be ignored.

The second way is that the first line is correct, the FAQ makes one change, and everything else in that FAQ is related to that change.

Since there are currently people ruling the first way, the FAQ needs to be clarified so that either it actually says what it means, or explicitly says that it does mean what it says.

Assuming it does mean what it says, and the FAQ only refers to spells from scrolls, then it doesn't really need to go in the guide because it's just clarifying how loot works. If they change it so that it does actually prohibit you from purchasing spell copying privileges, then it should probably go in the guide since that's a significant PFS-specific change to the normal rules.

If you are going to "quote" me, please link to the post where I said what I said, so that I can see the context surrounding what I said, and why I said it. Its hard to remember the circumstances surrounding an out of context 8 word phrase that I said an indeterminable amount of time ago.

That being said:

How can wizards, witches, magi, and alchemists learn new spells or formulae?

Pages 219–220 in the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook discuss how to handle a wizard’s spellbook, but Pathfinder Society makes one adjustment to these rules: a wizard does not have to purchase a scroll found during the course of a scenario in order to copy that scroll into her spellbook.

This seems incredibly clear. Use the rules in the book, except you don't have to purchase a scroll you find during the course of a scenario to put it in your spellbook.

The wizard only needs to spend the time, succeed on the appropriate checks, and spend the amount of gold listed on the table on page 219 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook.

Not sure how this is contradictory. This sentence is just qualifying the first sentence and giving you what needs to be done given you find a scroll in the scenario.

Keep in mind that the process of copying a spell from a magic scroll into a wizard’s spellbook removes the spell from the copied scroll, turning it into a blank piece of normal parchment.

Again, still clear. Just a sentence reminding you of the rule in the core rule book that when copying a scroll into your spellbook it removes the spell from the scroll.

The normal rules for finding items during the course of a scenario are that they can be used during the scenario but must be purchased after the scenario in order to be kept. This clarification for wizards and their spellbooks is the singular exception to the gear rules.

Again, not contradictory. Just a couple sentences clarifying that yes indeed the above several sentences generally breaks the rule on loot in PFS, but that it is indeed an exception to that rule.

An alchemist can likewise copy spells from scrolls found during a scenario into his formula book as detailed on page 28 of the Advanced Player's Guide. Similarly, a witch PC's familiar can learn spells from another witch's familiar or from scrolls found during the course of a scenario, as detailed on page 68 of the Advanced Player's Guide. Magi follow the same rules in copying spells to their spellbooks as wizards in all ways save that they use the magus spell list to determine if they may learn a spell, instead of the sorcerer/wizard spell list.

Not sure how this is unclear. Just language including APG and UM classes to the list of how to get spells from a scenario into their spell/formulae books.

If a wizard, witch, magus, or alchemist PC is adventuring with another PC who could teach them a spell, those PCs may exchange spells on their own terms as long as they make the proper skill checks and their trading of arcane secrets does not interfere with the flow of the game, at the GM's discretion.

Hey look, an additional way to get spells into your spellbook without having to purchase the scroll. Not sure how this is contradictory or unclear.

If you don't find a scroll of a given spell during the course of an adventure, you have to buy the scroll to learn it.

This seems clear. Just reinforcing that you can't just not buy a scroll, you have to actually find it in the scenario.

An NPC isn't just going to give you access to his spells for free, and purchasing a scroll of that spell represents the cost of gaining access to his spellbook.

How is this unclear? This is just giving justification language to why, when a scroll (or other PC) is not found during a scenario, you have to actually purchase it to copy a spell into your spellbook.

Any spell or formula learned must be accounted for on a scenario's Chronicle sheet in the "Conditions Gained" section.

Sentence indicating how to do the accounting for such a transaction.

The only thing I'd do to change the FAQ to make it even more clear than it already is, is change the word "scroll" in the first couple sentences to "scroll and/or spellbook".

So please, let me know how you feel this FAQ is unclear, so that we can work on cleaning the language up.

Please be very clear, descriptive and precise in what exactly is unclear and why it is unclear to you.

We can't fix the language to be more clear, if we feel it is clear, and you just say, "its contradictory and unclear and poorly written."

You see Steg, you see? This is why I didn't reply, I didn't want the thread hijacked.