Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play: Guide 5.0 and Changes to Organized Play

Monday, August 5, 2013

With Gen Con just 10 days away, I wanted to release the new and improved Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play today so everyone has an opportunity to review it and discuss it before Gen Con. With the help of the Venture-Captains and Venture-Lieutenants, we have added several much-needed changes that we think will improve your experiences in Pathfinder Society play.

Most notably, the following changes will go into effect on August 15 when Season Five kicks off at Gen Con:

There are quite a few other updates and you should reference the change log for a detailed list of all changes from version 4.3 to 5.0.

I look forward to seeing folks at Gen Con and am looking forward to an even more awesome campaign in the upcoming Year of the Demon. I sincerely appreciate everyone who provided feedback for the changes to the Guide and worked together to make our organized play the best it can be for the player base, GMs, coordinators, and Venture-Officers. Feel free to pull me aside at Gen Con to chat about any or all of the above changes.

Mike Brock
Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

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3/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

Well, I got the new guide just 5 minutes before my bedtime, so I was only able to look over the change log. But so far I like what I see...

Even more excited for my imminent 2nd GM star!

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/5

6 people marked this as a favorite.

“Additionally, when a player uses a free reroll, they may present their PFS membership card and receive an additional +1 for every GM star they have earned, for a maximum of a +5.”

Sounds good to me!

Shadow Lodge

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Well, here's a surprise: they included the wayfinder in the Guide, meaning you don't have to own Seekers of Secrets or the Inner Sea World Guide in order to buy one.

Awesome; I know a few players who'll be happy about that.

Also, bonus on the shirt/folio rerolls based on GM stars? Nice.

Silver Crusade 2/5 RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

RainyDayNinja wrote:

Well, I got the new guide just 5 minutes before my bedtime, so I was only able to look over the change log. But so far I like what I see...

Even more excited for my imminent 2nd GM star!

The biggest change I've come across in the newly updated guide so far is this one: If you own a copy of Ultimate Campaign, you can use the retraining rules to alter your character! It costs 1 prestige point per day of retraining required, so for a feat, for example, it's the listed cost (10 x your level x 5) gp plus 5 prestige points. For a full class level, it would cost you (10 x your level x 7) gp plus 7 prestige points, unless you're retraining into a class that "synergizes" with your previous class level, in which case it would cost the same as a feat.

I must say, this is super exciting! I can imagine a ton of uses for this once you get to a decently high character level... for example, perhaps at 1st level you really felt you needed Improved Initiative, but once you hit level 12 you realize that feat could have been better utilized as Spell Focus (Evocation)... you just spend some gold and PP and blammo! More powerful Sorcerer spells! :)

Grand Lodge 4/5

Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

Where's my Year of the Demon shirt?

1/5

Finally the wait is over!

Grand Lodge 4/5 Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

5 people marked this as a favorite.

One thing that did not get noted in the Changelog is the very last page. There is now an inventory tracking form. This should make optional GM audits much easier.

Grand Lodge 4/5 Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

1 person marked this as a favorite.
SCPRedMage wrote:

Well, here's a surprise: they included the wayfinder in the Guide, meaning you don't have to own Seekers of Secrets or the Inner Sea World Guide in order to buy one.

Awesome; I know a few players who'll be happy about that.

Also, bonus on the shirt/folio rerolls based on GM stars? Nice.

That is correct.

Grand Lodge 2/5 RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

9 people marked this as a favorite.

I like the new "out of subtier" gold system! Simple, clean, elegant... A single amount that you get if your PC isn't within the subtier played (regardless of if you were up or down). Less painful to be the good Samaritan and play down to make a legal table, those who play up (for the challenge!) still get extra gold to help cover extra consumables if needed, and those who game the system to play up for extra gold don't get so much extra and have less ammunition for trying to seduce new players into agreeing to play up. Looks like nothing but upside to me!

Grand Lodge 4/5 Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

TriOmegaZero wrote:
Where's my Year of the Demon shirt?

Soon

Shadow Lodge

Speaking of retraining rules...

If a character retrains out of an archetype that invalidates a class feature selection (such as if I were to retrain my gnome alchemist out of the saboteur archetype, which invalidates his mutagen discovery, as he'll have the mutagen class feature already), do they get to retrain said class feature as part of that, or must they do it separately, spending the 5 prestige and 10*5*level gp to do so?

Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/5 RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 8

Well done Paizo!

Paz wrote:

“Additionally, when a player uses a free reroll, they may present their PFS membership card and receive an additional +1 for every GM star they have earned, for a maximum of a +5.”

Sounds good to me!

Neat! Now I'm glad I printed mine out :)

Paizo Employee 4/5 Developer

Michael Brock wrote:
One thing that did not get noted in the Changelog is the very last page. There is now an inventory tracking form. This should make optional GM audits much easier.

What's more, there's far more space to write in your purchases, track expendables, and purchase as much or as little between scenarios as you need. When you fill up one Inventory Tracker, just print out a new one.

Using this sheet as a supplement to Chronicle sheets opens up some extra space on the Chronicle sheets, giving me considerably more room to add cool rewards such as new items and boons (or, in the case of Adventure Path/Module sanctioning, lots of room to pack in all of the goodies that come with the territory). The notes section on most Chronicle sheets (space permitting) also allows players and GMs alike to write in notes of accomplishments, goals, and other important and fun trivia.

Liberty's Edge 5/5

you must retrain each separately

Grand Lodge 4/5 Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

Michael Brock wrote:
One thing that did not get noted in the Changelog is the very last page. There is now an inventory tracking form. This should make optional GM audits much easier.

Also new artwork throughout, including at the top if each new chapter.

5/5

*rolls a 19*

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Rerolls with a +5 bonus: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Sczarni 4/5

Looks great. I'm excited about the changes.

Grand Lodge 1/5

After a quick review, I'd say that these changes as a set are really quite good and sensible. Changes tend to clarify, simplify, give players more options (retraining to a degree I didn't expect) and GMs more rewards for their service (bonuses on re-rolls and extra replay options). Kudos!

One small change to the changelog is that on the last bullet on the left column of page two:

Changelog wrote:

Page 27: Added a new subsection about Convention,.

Holiday and Quest Boons.

I think it should say Page 26, not Page 27.


Thank you so much for giving us the chance to retrain after level 1!

Grand Lodge 4/5

The new Faction traits are awesome! I especially love the Osiriani traits. Kudos to whoever wrote those.

The new Faction goals have me guessing. Why is Gloriana marching a force to Mendev? Is it to help... or something else? What is in the Sarkorian Sky Citadel? Who must the Sczarni neutralise? Suspense!

Paizo Employee 4/5 Developer

SCPRedMage wrote:

Speaking of retraining rules...

If a character retrains out of an archetype that invalidates a class feature selection (such as if I were to retrain my gnome alchemist out of the saboteur archetype, which invalidates his mutagen discovery, as he'll have the mutagen class feature already), do they get to retrain said class feature as part of that, or must they do it separately, spending the 5 prestige and 10*5*level gp to do so?

Ultimate Campaign (page 189) wrote:


To abandon an archetype, you must spend 5 days for every alternate class feature you already have from that archetype. At the end of the retraining, you lose the archetype's class features and gain the standard class features for the class.

It would appear that you would have to lose your alternate features. Once all of those are gone, it appears you become a standard alchemist at no further cost.

5/5

John Compton wrote:
and other important and fun trivia.

For use during the trivia contest at PaizoCon!

5/5

I love the artwork at the beginning of the regional coordinator's section!

Paizo Employee 4/5 Developer

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Andrei Buters wrote:
The new Faction goals have me guessing. Why is Gloriana marching a force to Mendev? Is it to help... or something else? What is in the Sarkorian Sky Citadel? Who must the Sczarni neutralise? Suspense!

I imagine we will discover more and more about each of these goals as the season goes on. I'm excited about each one; each faction has an interesting story to tell.

Grand Lodge

I'm wondering, for GM stars/replaying scenarios:

I become a 1 star GM, and opt to replay a scenario. Later, I become a 2 star GM: can I then replay 2 scenarios, for a total of 3 replayed? Or will I only be able to replay 1 additional scenario once I get 2 stars. Does this make sense?

Paizo Employee 4/5 Developer

Progdock wrote:

I'm wondering, for GM stars/replaying scenarios:

I become a 1 star GM, and opt to replay a scenario. Later, I become a 2 star GM: can I then replay 2 scenarios, for a total of 3 replayed? Or will I only be able to replay 1 additional scenario once I get 2 stars. Does this make sense?

I understand your question. Each star earned grants a single replay or "re-GM" opportunity; you do not gain N replay opportunities each time you earn your Nth star.

Grand Lodge 4/5 Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

Progdock wrote:

I'm wondering, for GM stars/replaying scenarios:

I become a 1 star GM, and opt to replay a scenario. Later, I become a 2 star GM: can I then replay 2 scenarios, for a total of 3 replayed? Or will I only be able to replay 1 additional scenario once I get 2 stars. Does this make sense?

You would only be able to replay one additional scenario for each star you earn. So in your example, if you had already replayed one scenario, and then gained a second star, you would earn one additional replay.

Silver Crusade 2/5

I'm really confused about Faction Missions moving forward...could someone provide a simple breakdown of what I do in each season?

Silver Crusade 4/5

Kyle Baird wrote:

*rolls a 19*

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Rerolls with a +5 bonus: 1d20+5 = 15

You realize, you have to take this lower number now right? Bummer for you ;)

All jokes aside, I am excited about these new changes, they are keeping up with the growing pains of the Society, and yet allowing us to keep the paperwork (and rules fighting with said paperwork) down. I also now have a reason to print and laminate my Pathfinder Society Card. :D

I DO LOVE THE INVENTORY WORKSHEET!!!
MAKE SEPARATE DOWNLOAD PLEASE!!!

Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—San Francisco Bay Area North & East

I like the changes (and the change log).

I see a potential problem with the retraining. Most additional resources, you have to have with you while you continue using the character. But re-training is a one-time thing (well, each time you re-train). So how long do you need to "own" the book for? Can I buy the book from Joe for a penny, keep it for the 20 minutes it takes to do the rebuild, then sell it back to him for a penny?

On the other hand, I wonder how many copies of Ultimate Campaign will be sold in the next 2 weeks? I know of at least one...

It seems the rules for selecting sub-tier are much more closely defined now. That should cut down on sub-tier bullying.

Are all of the tier 1-7 scenarios being retired now? I didn't see any language about them going away, but also none on how to use them.

Grand Lodge 4/5 Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Lady Ophelia wrote:


I DO LOVE THE INVENTORY WORKSHEET!!!
MAKE SEPARATE DOWNLOAD PLEASE!!!

Already requested it be placed under Player Resources.

5/5

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Lady Ophelia wrote:

I DO LOVE THE INVENTORY WORKSHEET!!!

MAKE SEPARATE DOWNLOAD PLEASE!!!

LINK

Scarab Sages 4/5

Alexander_Damocles wrote:
I'm really confused about Faction Missions moving forward...could someone provide a simple breakdown of what I do in each season?

I second this question. The section on adapting seasons 0-2 mentions that faction missions are no longer part of the success conditions, but it doesn't talk about how prestige should be awarded for those scenarios. Will additional "goals" be published for each scenario?

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Kyle Baird wrote:
I love the artwork at the beginning of the regional coordinator's section!

Oh cr@p! That looks like The Pope from our Venture-Captain dinner a few years back :-D


Pathfinder Maps Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

It is interesting to note that there doesn't appear to be any more decision on if the table should play up or down - the rules seem to cover most if not all of the variables and indicate on whether you should play up or down.

No more "discussions" (yes, let's use that term :)) about bullying to play up, forced play downs, etc..

I like it actually.

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

Pretty awesome, gentlemen. Kudos.

Biggest happy moment: the bonus to rerolls for the number of stars you earned. That was an awesome little surprise to find. Thank you. (-:

The Exchange 2/5

John Compton wrote:
Michael Brock wrote:
One thing that did not get noted in the Changelog is the very last page. There is now an inventory tracking form. This should make optional GM audits much easier.

What's more, there's far more space to write in your purchases, track expendables, and purchase as much or as little between scenarios as you need. When you fill up one Inventory Tracker, just print out a new one.

Using this sheet as a supplement to Chronicle sheets opens up some extra space on the Chronicle sheets, giving me considerably more room to add cool rewards such as new items and boons (or, in the case of Adventure Path/Module sanctioning, lots of room to pack in all of the goodies that come with the territory). The notes section on most Chronicle sheets (space permitting) also allows players and GMs alike to write in notes of accomplishments, goals, and other important and fun trivia.

Hmmmm...this is a very nice inventory sheet, but I have to ask---what if you've already been tracking things on an inventory sheet? Do you really have to copy them all over onto the new sheet or can you just get a GM to initial off on your old sheet and switch to the new one the next time you fill it up?


Why is pfs retraining twice as expensive?

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

4 people marked this as a favorite.
thistledown wrote:
Can I buy the book from Joe for a penny, keep it for the 20 minutes it takes to do the rebuild, then sell it back to him for a penny?

I surely hope you are kidding. It is ideas like this that force Mike to make rules that try to reduce the abuse of the system. Please do not try to "game" the system.

Explore! Report! Cooperate!

1/5 **

Love the inventory tracking form.

Regarding GM star replay: Page 20 states that "The GM Star Replay Credits renew each year on the first day of Pathfinder Society events at Gen Con." However, previous message board posts seemed to indicate this was not the case. Can we safely assume the guide is authoritative?

Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—San Francisco Bay Area North & East

I'm sad that the re-training rules don't cover traits. I understand that this is a failing of Ultimate Campaign and not PFS, but it seems strange that you can do these giant changes to everything, but not a half-feat trait.

The Exchange 2/5

Ferious Thune wrote:
Alexander_Damocles wrote:
I'm really confused about Faction Missions moving forward...could someone provide a simple breakdown of what I do in each season?
I second this question. The section on adapting seasons 0-2 mentions that faction missions are no longer part of the success conditions, but it doesn't talk about how prestige should be awarded for those scenarios. Will additional "goals" be published for each scenario?

Yes, I found this vague, as well. I saw there were season 5 faction goals, but if faction goals are no longer part of the prestige equation, then are these just flavor?

EDIT: I found it, I think, page 24 under earning prestige.

Liberty's Edge 5/5

CWheezy wrote:
Why is pfs retraining twice as expensive?

To limit the amount of retraining for power-mongering reasons.

Grand Lodge 4/5 Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

bugleyman wrote:

Love the inventory tracking form.

Regarding GM star replay: Page 20 states that "The
GM Star Replay Credits renew each year on the first day of
Pathfinder Society events at Gen Con." However, previous message board posts seemed to indicate this was not the case. Can we safely assume the guide is authoritative?

Yes

1/5 **

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Michael Brock wrote:
bugleyman wrote:

Love the inventory tracking form.

Regarding GM star replay: Page 20 states that "The
GM Star Replay Credits renew each year on the first day of
Pathfinder Society events at Gen Con." However, previous message board posts seemed to indicate this was not the case. Can we safely assume the guide is authoritative?

Yes

SWEET. I must now GM until my eyes bleed.

Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—San Francisco Bay Area North & East

Bob Jonquet wrote:
thistledown wrote:
Can I buy the book from Joe for a penny, keep it for the 20 minutes it takes to do the rebuild, then sell it back to him for a penny?

I surely hope you are kidding. It is ideas like this that force Mike to make rules that try to reduce the abuse of the system. Please do not try to "game" the system.

Explore! Report! Cooperate!

I've already bought my pdf from Paizo. But I know there's already problems of books being shared, and as a store coordinator I want to know how I can cut this problem off at the bud.

Shadow Lodge

John Compton wrote:
It would appear that you would have to lose your alternate features. Once all of those are gone, it appears you become a standard alchemist at no further cost.

Right, I understood that, but some archetypes open up new choices for class features the base class already gets.

In the example I used, the saboteur archetype replaces the alchemist's mutagen class feature. For my second level discovery, I took mutagen, giving me the base alchemist class feature of the same name.

Now, if I were to retrain out of the saboteur archetype, I'd once again get the standard mutagen class feature, making my second level mutagen choice invalid.

Would retraining out of the archetype include replacing those choices? Personally, I would think they would count as an "alternate class feature", rolling them into the archetype retraining and adding another five days to the process.

Silver Crusade 4/5

teribithia9 wrote:
John Compton wrote:
Michael Brock wrote:
One thing that did not get noted in the Changelog is the very last page. There is now an inventory tracking form. This should make optional GM audits much easier.

What's more, there's far more space to write in your purchases, track expendables, and purchase as much or as little between scenarios as you need. When you fill up one Inventory Tracker, just print out a new one.

Using this sheet as a supplement to Chronicle sheets opens up some extra space on the Chronicle sheets, giving me considerably more room to add cool rewards such as new items and boons (or, in the case of Adventure Path/Module sanctioning, lots of room to pack in all of the goodies that come with the territory). The notes section on most Chronicle sheets (space permitting) also allows players and GMs alike to write in notes of accomplishments, goals, and other important and fun trivia.

Hmmmm...this is a very nice inventory sheet, but I have to ask---what if you've already been tracking things on an inventory sheet? Do you really have to copy them all over onto the new sheet or can you just get a GM to initial off on your old sheet and switch to the new one the next time you fill it up?

What I plan to do with this inventory sheet, is to attach it to the Chronicle sheets! If they purchase anything during/before/after on the chronicle sheet then it goes with that said chronicle. Now how they want to keep it after that, is up to the player. But if an audit takes place, the player can show the GM where everyhing came from, just from their chronicle sheets attached to the master chronicle. I may make copies of it on both sides. :D

Liberty's Edge 5/5

The discovery choice is not an alternate class feature.

You'd have to retrain the discovery as well.

Scarab Sages 4/5

Other than still being a little confused on how to reward prestige, the changes look great. The GM star awards are nice bonuses, and should encourage a few more people to run games. I like that replay is stars per season. Now I don't feel like I have to save my replays until I have enough stars to cover eyes of the ten.

The prestige cost on retraining should prevent it from being abused. I was worried at first when retraining hitpoints wasn't excluded, but at 3 prestige per hitpoint, I can't imagine everyone will max out. Of course, additional resources could always still limit it further.

Looks good!

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