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Hi everyone,
I am new to pathfinder and pathfinder society. I am having some trouble trying to piece together exactly what books or pdfs I need to purchase to participate in a society event. I can't seem to find a clear description. The most up to date one i can find is in the FAQ.
According to this description, I do not need a physical copy of the core rule book. I just need to be able to "access" them which is clearly pointed out can be done via their prd. I would also need to purchase the Field Guide pdf. The guide to pathfinder society is slightly contradictory, but actually points to the FAQ as an explanation of this rule. Is "access" to the prd plus a pdf of the field guide enough? Do i need hardcover or pdf versions of both?
I also have a question regarding Additional Resources:
"One need not prove ownership of said material but they must be from a legally obtained PDF"
Does this mean I can purchase a pdf of Ultimate Combat and a friend could print pages from that book to use with his character?
Three friends and I are just getting into PFS and will be attending the events at Origins in two weeks. Just want to make sure we meet any prerequisites. $65 each for us to purchase physical copies seems like a high entry cost.
Thanks for any clarification you can provide.
Venture-Captain, Massachusetts—Central & West
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Hello, and welcome to Pathfinder and Pathfinder Society Organized Play.
If you're going to be a player, you just need the Core Rulebook, the Guide to Organized Play (free), and the Pathfinder Society Field Guide. If you're going to GM, you'd also need the Bestiary.
Yes, as long as someone has a copy of the materials that they are willing to let you use, then it would be legal. You can share.
Someone could purchase a legally obtained copy of Ultimate Combat and print it out to take to the table with them. If needed, the person can pull it out and verify things as needed.
Having your own copy is highly recommended, as if something gets changed or errata'd, your friend won't be playing with old notes. This will also help if you guys should get split up in different tables at Origins, somehow.
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Just to add that I consider the Field Guide to be "optional, but highly recommended" (despite it being on the "Core Assumptions" list). It provides great background and context to the campaign, but it doesn't necessarily contain rules items that your character would need (though certainly some PCs take advantage of the rules items in the book).
Particularly if you're a new player, I don't know that I'd worry about it right away.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Welcome to PFS! :)
The CRB and the Field Guide are things you're assumed to own (and so it's preferred if you do, even if only in PDF form), but since it's assumed, you don't have to bring them with you.
Anything outside of that, you need to have something with you; either a hard copy or a printout of the relevant pages from the PDF. As I understand it, the "you don't have to own it, but it needs to be legally obtained" just means "please don't pirate it". ;)
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The PRD is a great "official" reference, but it can not be used to "validate" a PFS character.
You do not have to own any books/PDFs, but you must have access to all the books with material you use for your character including familiars, animal companions, gear, etc. And that access, must be in a form that you may give to the GM so they can review the material.
It is assumed that you own/access copies of the Core Assumption, specifically: the Core Rulebook, the Bestiary, and the PFS Field Guide. So you don't need to bring them to the table, but if you need to reference something in them, it is not the GM's responsibility to lend you his copy. Along these lines if you play a class that uses something from the Bestiary such as a Summoner or Druid, etc. and you don't have the creature(s) stated out and do not have access to a copy of the Bestiary, you should not be surprised if the GM does not allow you to use that particular creature until you do have the information handy.
Lastly, all the material in the PFS Field Guide is part of the Core Assumption and as such it is assumed that you are familiar with it. Topics that are covered in that book do not need to be explained in scenarios or by the GM and there is a lot of good stuff in that book so you really should try to access a copy of it for PFS play. But don't let not having a copy stop you from playing PFS.
It is assumed that you own/access copies of the Core Assumption, specifically: the Core Rulebook, the Bestiary, and the PFS Field Guide. So you don't need to bring them to the table, but if you need to reference something in them, it is not the GM's responsibility to lend you his copy.
Not exactly. Paizo would really like all the players to own the Core Assumption material, but they expect a GM to own those three books so that they can run the game properly. Material in the Core Assumption is not reprinted in the scenarios, so the GM needs those books at the table at all times. Because of this, a player using something from the Core Assumption is not required to have that book at the table because it is "assumed" that the GM will have a copy and will know what is in the book, meaning the player does not need the book to prove what they are using from it is legal.
Does this mean I can purchase a pdf of Ultimate Combat and a friend could print pages from that book to use with his character?A legal PFS pdf would have a watermark with the owner's name and email. If you are at the same table it won't be an issue, but if you end up at different tables then your friends would need their own copies of any rulebooks they used to build their character.
An alternative would be to stick to material out of the core rulebook, so you don't need to worry about the need to buy additional sourcebooks.
You can loan it to your friend, but you can't give it them. You want to be really paranoid, any print-outs you may make from a pdf, you hand to your friend in front of their GM and then get them back at the end of the session. Oh, and don't make it a habit for multiple people to each buy one pdf and then share print-outs. Nothing will raise suspicions of pirating books more quickly than having multiple print-outs each with different email addresses on them.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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So you don't need to bring them to the table, but if you need to reference something in them, it is not the GM's responsibility to lend you his copy. Along these lines if you play a class that uses something from the Bestiary such as a Summoner or Druid, etc. and you don't have the creature(s) stated out and do not have access to a copy of the Bestiary, you should not be surprised if the GM does not allow you to use that particular creature until you do have the information handy.
Don, if a new player comes to my table with a pre-gen, without access to the Pathfinder CRB, are you saying that it's that player's responsibility to know all the rules?
I have understood that the "Core assumption" materials were things the GM needed to bring, precisely so that players could use that material without needing to bring the rules to the table. (That is to say, I agree with Enevhar.)
If they do, then I would recommend that we make available, at the very least, the spells that the pre-gen Ezren and Kyra can cast.
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So here is my understanding so far. There are two separate rules for Core assumption books and additional resource books.
Core assumption books: Honestly, i am still unclear on the rules for core books. Does each player need to bring their own harcover or printed watermarked pdf with them or are these rules assumed? Is a pdf on a tablet or comp enough? I do not need to bring the field guide or guide to organized play but am expected to have read them?
Additional resource books: Each player must have a physical copy of any pages used in the creation of their character with their own Personal Watermark at the bottom. *Although you can share a resource if you are both sitting at the same table?
Is this correct? The rules and even this thread don't really seem to have a single answer.
Since my intentions were called into question:
My intention is to understand the rules not to game the system. My gaming group and I have been largely rpg dormant with the exception of yearly trips to origins. I wanted to get more involved and the local pathfinder society events they are trying to build in my area seemed like a good choice.
I personally legally own the CRB in hardcover, Field Guide(pdf), and Ultimate Combat(pdf). I was more worried about my three friends than myself. I have made a character using my resources and wanted to assist them in doing the same. We are not attempting to pull items off the additional resource list beyond the one book i already own and i doubt my friends will even use it. It was a hypothetical used to better understand the rules. Your presumptions are mistaken.
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From the Guide:
Pathfinder Society Organized Play assumes that every player has the following resources. • Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook • Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Pathfinder Society Field Guide • Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play (this document) Unless noted otherwise in this guide, everything contained in the Core Rulebook and Pathfinder Society Field Guide is legal for Pathfinder Society play. Game Masters and players whose characters utilize creatures from an approved Additional Resource (see page 4) as companions or familiars are required to have that reference at the table. In addition to these printed materials, players and Game Masters are expected to be familiar with the official Pathfinder Society Organized Play FAQ at paizo.com/pathfindersociety/faq.
Every player should eventually own the Core Rulebook, Pathfinder Society Field Guide, and Organized Play Guide. Do I expect every player to own it for the very first game, or even their third game? Not realistically. People want to try the game out before they commit to purchasing a couple of books or PDFs and I understand that. That is a big reason the PRD is available.
After a few games, I hope a player would obtain his own set if they wish to continue playing PFS, whether it is print or PDF as that is the expectation. As an aside, if it is a couple that live under the same roof, or a set of brothers who always play together, or some such, they can share the books. Likewise, if it is two friends who play every table together, I don't have a problem with them sharing books. But, if they played at separate tables during the same slot at a game day or con, they would need their own copies at each table. And yes, a PDF on a tablet or computer is enough. I use a, iPad with all my watermarked PDFs when I GM a table at a convention.
The Core assumption is also there because we assume GMs will have the books listed above at the table so we don't have to reprint rules from those books into the scenarios themselves. If we use something from any other book, such as chase rules or a class from the APG, we would reprint those rules into the scenario.
What I'm not going to do is define every corner case of who should own watermarked pdfs or physical copies of books, and when they should be at a table or not. I think everyone is smart enough to read the above and understand what is printed in the Guide, and know if they are doing the right thing or trying to game the system. Please use common sense approach in making a decision.