GMs' Characters and PPP

[Skeld]

I know some of this has been changing as of late, so I want to ask this to make sure I'm clear on the answer.

If I GM a PFS scenario and only muster 3 players, under PPP (Play, Play, Play!), I need to run a pre-gen so that we have a legal table of 4 characters.

Instead, can I run (as the GM) a personal PFS character (registered and legit) instead of the pre-gen?

I realize the answer here is likely "no," but I'd like to point out that running a personal character makes sense for some of the following reasons:
1) Under the updated GM credit rule, one of my characters would get credit for the scenario anyway.
2) The current pre-gens are only valid at discreet levels, such that if the players' characters are level 3, the GM pre-gen is forced to play up. [This might happen with a GM character as well, but the possibility of a better match is greater.]
3) The pre-gens currently lack options. Fighter, Cleric, Rogue, & Wizard are staples of an iconic adventuring party, but perhaps it would be more interesting to run an Alchemist to give the players a chance to see other classes in action.
4) A GM running a 1-shot pre-gen doesn't have anything invested in the pre-gen character. Consumables, life, death, etc. are not as much of a concern.

I know there are counter-points to what I've mentioned above, but I wanted to bring this up to get an answer and test the waters for any further changes.

-Skeld

[Dragnmoon]

There may be changes in the future, but currently your only option is to Play a Pre Gen.

[Dave the Barbarian]

Skeld,

My two coppers:
You are already getting credit for a character anyway, so the actual character doesn't need to make an appearence.
I have never had to use a Pre-gen to make a legal table, but I would guess that you would let the three players largely determine the actions of the pre-gen (within a limit) so I don't know if I would want the players running my character.
A GM has enough to focus on without worrying about their own PC, so I would say that this would be distracting for myself.
GMs should have anything invested in a pre-gen, so that may be a plus.

Good question. I have done this in the past in a home game. It worked ok, but I prefer to have the players take care of a pre-gen instead.

Dave

[Eric Brittain]

I have had to run several 3 person + a pregen tables.

I will usually assign the pregen to an experienced player so that I can focus on running the scenario.

[Dragnmoon]

I don't think there is any rule on How the Pregen is used, probably left to individual GMs to decide themselves.

[teribithia9]

Dragnmoon wrote:

I don't think there is any rule on How the Pregen is used, probably left to individual GMs to decide themselves.

Actually, the official rule is that the GM is supposed to run the pre-gen. p19 of the organized play guide. (but I must admit, in a home game, I let one of the players do it.)

One Character at a Time
You may only play one character during a specific scenario
session. You may have more than one active character in
Pathfinder Society Organized Play, but playing more than
one during a specific session is considered cheating. GMs
are allowed to play one pregenerated character during a
session, but only to make a legal table.

[Skeld]

Dave -

Good points. Even with a pre-gen, I wouldn't put a 4th character in the hands of the players whether it was a personal character or a pre-gen. In my experience, it opens the door to additional metagame thinking.

I GM'd the entirety of Savage Tide running a party NPC Favored Soul from levels 1-19. She was basically the party's front-line healer and, again in my personal experience, a GM running a character isn't distracting from the adventure at hand (after all, the GM runs a multitude of characters, this one just happens not to be an opponent of the party).

I can go either way. With the changes to GM credit and replay, I though it might be a valid point of discussion to bring up.

-Skeld