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So I was ran through my first Season 5 scenario last night, #5.01 The Glass River Rescue, an adventure with 5 encounters. In this I learned that now the old "3 Encounters = 1 XP" no longer applies and it's "1 Scenario = 1 XP" (a new shift to me).
In the instance of 5.01 it leaves the players doing almost twice the encounters (and playing for almost twice as long, in an already tight time-block) for the same reward. In my opinion this is not a positive change for PFS. If anything a shift to rapid, 3 encounter scenarios playable in 3-4 hours would be better for us week night players, with modules and adventure paths available for longer sessions (weekends, holidays) or for night owl players.
I'm wondering what anyone else thinks?
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Scenarios have been pushing 5 hours+ since season 3. I no longer schedule less then 5 hour slots or go to cons with only 4 hour slots, too many times I don't finish.
Edit: you still get 1xp and any rewards from encounters you completed if you finish at least 3 encounters, even if you did not finish the scenario, that is still in the guide. You get fame based on if you completed the requirements for them. Almost always at least one fame is contingent on completing the scenario completely .
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Scenarios have been pushing 5 hours+ since season 3. I no longer schedule less then 5 hour slots or go to cons with only 4 hour slots, too many times I don't finish.
Understandable. In my area we try to have both weekend games, and importantly, weeknight games for family folk or those with weekend jobs. These longer scenarios can make for very late running sessions, especially if combat drags out.
It's interesting to me that the PFS Guide to Organized Play encourages us to not let the scenarios run past 5 hours, but then PFS starts putting out longer and longer scenarios which often push past that limit. Ouch!
Edit: you still get 1xp and any rewards from encounters you completed if you finish at least 3 encounters, even if you did not finish the scenario, that is still in the guide. You get fame based on if you completed the requirements for them. Almost always at least one fame is contingent on completing the scenario completely .
Thank you, this does offer some relief (I think someone was trying to explain this to me in a different thread but I was not getting it). At least that option is available for those who just cannot hanging when we have to go past hour 4 (or 5). Thank you!
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So I was ran through my first Season 5 scenario last night, #5.01 The Glass River Rescue, an adventure with 5 encounters. In this I learned that now the old "3 Encounters = 1 XP" no longer applies and it's "1 Scenario = 1 XP" (a new shift to me).
In the instance of 5.01 it leaves the players doing almost twice the encounters (and playing for almost twice as long, in an already tight time-block) for the same reward. In my opinion this is not a positive change for PFS. If anything a shift to rapid, 3 encounter scenarios playable in 3-4 hours would be better for us week night players, with modules and adventure paths available for longer sessions (weekends, holidays) or for night owl players.
I'm wondering what anyone else thinks?
Glass River Rescue does not have that many encounters.
I ran it in four hours, with the optional encounter, and plenty of time for role playing. That was with 6 players.
Compare to (now retired scenario) First Steps Part 2. That one had TWELVE encounters.
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So I was ran through my first Season 5 scenario last night, #5.01 The Glass River Rescue, an adventure with 5 encounters. In this I learned that now the old "3 Encounters = 1 XP" no longer applies and it's "1 Scenario = 1 XP" (a new shift to me).
Sorry, but when was this true? I started playing in Season 2 and it has always been true (since that time at least) that completing at least three of the encounters netted one XP. No XP for two or less, 1 XP for three or more. Just want to know what to tell any players I have at my table who are unaware of this.
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So I was ran through my first Season 5 scenario last night, #5.01 The Glass River Rescue, an adventure with 5 encounters. In this I learned that now the old "3 Encounters = 1 XP" no longer applies and it's "1 Scenario = 1 XP" (a new shift to me).Sorry, but when was this true? I started playing in Season 2 and it has always been true (since that time at least) that completing at least three of the encounters netted one XP. No XP for two or less, 1 XP for three or more. Just want to know what to tell any players I have at my table who are unaware of this.
** spoiler omitted **
It was never true, your understanding of the rule is correct.
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Glass River Rescue does not have that many encounters.
Just to clarify, you don't consider traps encounters? And an optional encounter, if run, is not an encounter in your eyes?
As far as I'm aware (thus far) both have always been encounters for XP purposes.
Sorry, but when was this true? I started playing in Season 2 and it has always been true (since that time at least) that completing at least three of the encounters netted one XP. No XP for two or less, 1 XP for three or more.
Edit: you still get 1xp and any rewards from encounters you completed if you finish at least 3 encounters, even if you did not finish the scenario, that is still in the guide. You get fame based on if you completed the requirements for them. Almost always at least one fame is contingent on completing the scenario completely .
Thank you, this does offer some relief (I think someone was trying to explain this to me in a different thread but I was not getting it). At least that option is available for those who just cannot hanging when we have to go past hour 4 (or 5). Thank you!
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Glass River Rescue does not have that many encounters.Just to clarify, you don't consider traps encounters? And an optional encounter, if run, is not an encounter in your eyes?
As far as I'm aware (thus far) both have always been encounters for XP purposes
What would lead you to believe that I don't consider those to be encounters? I included them in my list of encounters, above. (I also spoilered them, fwiw.)
I stressed the difference in type because I thought your focus was on time. Traps take almost no time in game. Optional encounters take zero time in game unless they are run. If your group is going over time, then you should not run the optional encounters. It is not the scenario author's fault that your GM ran over time and did so while running the optional encounter.
My experience with this scenario is different from yours: I ran it for a group of 6 players in 4 hours, with the optional encounter, and I did not feel rushed.
I do not consider 4 combats plus a trap to be very many encounters. I don't think I have seen any scenarios with 3 or fewer encounters. If you know of one, please share. I know of several with 6 or more.
Edit: I am sorry, I was not clear with my first post. When I said it doesn't have that many encounters, I was not intending to rebuff your claim that it has 5 encounters. I was trying to say that 5 encounters is not excessive. You know, as in "5 encounters is not that many." Rereading the posts, I understand the confusion, and I apologize for not being more clear.
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Edit: I am sorry, I was not clear with my first post. When I said it doesn't have that many encounters, I was not intending to rebuff your claim that it has 5 encounters. I was trying to say that 5 encounters is not excessive. You know, as in "5 encounters is not that many." Rereading the posts, I understand the confusion, and I apologize for not being more clear.
Yes, that was the part of your response I was addressing. No worries.
And you are very right, I had forgot that New Steps part 2 was a small dungeon with 12 encounters, so this is not as new a development as I had thought. (I've even been through that adventure, so have no excuses)
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Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento
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Mists of Mawangi, the fifth scenario published in season 0 has 5-6 combat encounters (depending on the PC's actions and the GM's understanding of a certain effect...)
Adventures have pretty much always had ~5 encounters, including puzzles, social encounters, combat, and etc.
(I ran Glass river with 7 players, at a Con, in 4 hours, including character intros because the players had never met each other, and a fair bit of back and forth on everything. No optional encounter though.)