10 "Specials" to get a 5th star...


GM Discussion

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5/5

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Steven Schopmeyer wrote:
Jeff Hazuka wrote:
Do most people not have a special before their first star?
Indeed, most do not, especially those who cannot attend conventions. Online conventions helped me get to ten as fast as I did. (My first GM table being a special also helped.)

It also depends on whether you choose to play or run the special. I've been to PaizoCons from 2009 on, and partaken in every special, but only *run* it this last one. So my first special credit was running Year of the Shadow Lodge 3 years after it came out. At the moment, I'm 3 games and 4 specials shy of meeting those prerequisites. And since I choose not to run Bonekeep...

Liberty's Edge 5/5

Starfinder Superscriber

Gotta jump in on the online cons!

1/5 5/5

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

So is it madness to try and get *all* of my specials done as the path to 1/2 stars?

4/5

Yes, because if you have ten specials you will be at one star.

1/5 5/5

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Eric Ives wrote:
Yes, because if you have ten specials you will be at one star.

I already have a table credit for a Confirmation run that *actually fired* at a convention, so running ten specials would put me at 11 scenarios if all I run are Specials... :)

Scarab Sages 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Netherlands

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TOZ wrote:

Also, volunteer for all the multi-table events, even if it is your first time GMing.

** spoiler omitted **

Its what I did :P

(luckily it was my first time GMing for PFS, not first time GMin in general)

4/5 5/55/55/55/5

Steven Schopmeyer wrote:
There are not enough 4 and 5 star GMs to run the number of tables GenCon hosts, so the requirements are waived for GenCon GMs.

I find that practice highly distasteful frankly.

4/5 5/55/55/55/5

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Also be aware of the other hidden 'gotcha' that your sign off for 5 star from a VC MUST be within the last 5 games. Anything older than that is rejected.

Don't find that out the hard way.

Grand Lodge 4/5

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Pathfinder Accessories, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Shifty wrote:
I find that practice highly distasteful frankly.

I find losing the Sagamore because we don't run as many tables of the specials as GenCon wants to be more distasteful.

4/5 5/55/55/55/5

I get why they went that way, but either a Special is special and has special requirements or it doesn't. Dispensing with the requirement for convenience to the campaign management yet being rigorous and inflexible to those not at GenCon is a bit rough - we have to labour under the arbitrary system and it can be a struggle to get the opportunity to get the special count up based on what we have to work with.

It's like lowering the barrier, but just for some people, and only when it suits.

I've had to suck up chaining Serpents Rise, but I had to go earn 4 stars to even really get started on my special count. Some dudes just rock up and get handed them.

Grand Lodge 4/5

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Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Pathfinder Accessories, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Investing in GenCon is not "just rocking up". Nor is prepping for and running three to four specials in one weekend "getting handed" them.

4/5 5/55/55/55/5

It's the same amount of work everyone else is going to have to do, just without the same hurdles.

My main beef is the application of the rules - either they are fixed or they aren't. They sure seem inflexible (and in some cases unwritten - like the VC reference) until such a time as they magically aren't.

5/5 5/55/55/5

BigNorseWolf wrote:
Hilary Moon Murphy wrote:

If you do volunteer for multi-table events as a new GM, please prep the heck out of them. Nothing is worse for a player than losing time at a multi-table special while the GM frantically reads the scenario, trying to figure out where you're supposed to be now. They're timed, so anything you can do to keep your players on track and ready would be great!

Hmm

I expect to be saying "close enough for state work" a LOT next weekend...

Expectations exceeded

Lantern Lodge 5/5

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Shifty wrote:

It's the same amount of work everyone else is going to have to do, just without the same hurdles.

Maybe my area is an aberration, but I've never had to run eight scenarios in four days with complete strangers with all manner of familiarity with the Pathfinder RPG, let alone Society or "current events" in-game. (Typically my players know the difference between a move action and a swift action, say.)

The 'hurdles' are not the same. They're higher at GenCon.

5/5

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Majuba wrote:
At the moment, I'm 3 games and 4 specials shy of meeting those prerequisites. And since I choose not to run Bonekeep...

Well I broke down and ran them, not too bad after all. Got the ten specials...

Shifty wrote:

Also be aware of the other hidden 'gotcha' that your sign off for 5 star from a VC MUST be within the last 5 games. Anything older than that is rejected.

Don't find that out the hard way.

Doh! And here I thought running dozens (a hundred?) of sessions for VO's in the past would do the job.

Ah well, no rush.

4/5 5/55/55/55/5

Majuba wrote:

Doh! And here I thought running dozens (a hundred?) of sessions for VO's in the past would do the job.

Ah well, no rush.

I got it sorted in the end :)

I have been running a lot of events locally now as a result, because the answer of 'so what are you going to do now you are 5 star?' has been answered by becoming the local VC and Overseering a bunch of multis.

Keen for my local community to get as many opportunities as I can assist them with.

4/5

Is there an easy way to see what the current list of specials are? And/or what your current count is? (I'm actually a bit more worried about getting to 50 different scenarios as I've run a bunch of modules multiple times) but as I'm getting on towards 125 tables soon (I think I'll get close to that in a month or two) I could get my 5th star sometime in 2017 - I think I've run 5-6 specials possibly more but not certain. And since I organize a weekly gamenight I could schedule a special or two (of the single scenario limited to 4star GMs (though as as Venture agent can I run a 5 star limited scenario?) if there is sufficient interest from my players.

4/5

actually just checked - I think I may have 9 specials (running 4 at gencon a few years ago helped and rerunning a bunch of the bigger ones at various local cons since has helped as well. So looks like now I have to count how many different scenarios I've run, schedule myself for one more special and get 32 more tables (currently at 118 but running one tonight..)

Scarab Sages 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Netherlands

Sadly, being a Venture Agent doesnt count as having extra stars.

If you want easy tracking you can add yourself to [url]pfstracker.net[/url]
While it doesnt track specials as a separate stat it does give you a clear overview of unique scenarios GMd.

Silver Crusade 4/5 Venture-Captain, Pennsylvania—Pittsburgh

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Yeah. I've started keeping a reference page on our local lodge's website of what the specials are and what it takes to run them, since the list is sometimes posted in a blog post and sometimes in a forum and it's never linked to from anywhere.

You still have to cross-reference and it won't tell you if you ran a special that is no longer special (4-EX for example). So it's definitely not a perfect system...

The Exchange 4/5 5/5 *

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber; Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber
Terminalmancer wrote:

Yeah. I've started keeping a reference page on our local lodge's website of what the specials are and what it takes to run them, since the list is sometimes posted in a blog post and sometimes in a forum and it's never linked to from anywhere.

You still have to cross-reference and it won't tell you if you ran a special that is no longer special (4-EX for example). So it's definitely not a perfect system...

Right. Some of the specials which are no longer (all of the former EX scenarios) still count for you if you ran them when they were special, even if they are not special any longer.

4/5

thanks - couldn't remember if Venture Agents got the star adjustment to run scenarios - I've run True Dragons (at Gencon when it launched - so I think that counts even though I can't rerun it currently?) - if it does count i think I'm at my 10 specials!

Siege of Diamond City 2x
Seige of Serpents (3x)
The Sky Key Solution (3x)
True Dragons of Absalom (1x - at GenCon)
Race for the Runecarved Key 1x

now for 50 different scenarios and my last 32 tables.... and the observed run as I get close to 150....

Scarab Sages 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Netherlands

Even though you can not currently run it, your GenCON run of True Dragons does count.

Liberty's Edge 5/5 **

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I'm currently stuck at the 'specials' requirement myself. What's the current status of multi-table specials in play-by-post?

For example, could I run three simultaneous tables of Year of the Shadow Lodge to create a legal event? Could I run four for Race for the Runecarved Key?

4/5 5/5 Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Tampere

Terminalmancer wrote:

Yeah. I've started keeping a reference page on our local lodge's website of what the specials are and what it takes to run them, since the list is sometimes posted in a blog post and sometimes in a forum and it's never linked to from anywhere.

You still have to cross-reference and it won't tell you if you ran a special that is no longer special (4-EX for example). So it's definitely not a perfect system...

I heard recently from my higher-ups that Maelstrom Rift has been moved to a normal 4- and 5-Star GM special, though I haven't seen confirmation on the boards.

Sovereign Court 4/5 * Organized Play Coordinator

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Ask and you shall receive! Here is the most current list of specials and their requirements. I'll ask Chris to make a link on the PFS page as well.

*****
Current scenario rules as of 1.26.17:

These scenarios may be run by any 4-star or 5-star GM or a Venture-Officer at any time. They also may be run by anybody at a convention. Any convention may schedule Bonekeep, as there are no table minimums.
Bonekeep Level 1: The Silent Grave (Levels 3–7)
Bonekeep Level 2: Maze to the Mind Slave (Levels 3–7)
Bonekeep Level 3: The Wakening Tomb (Levels 5–9)

These scenarios may be run anywhere, but only by 4-star and 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers may only run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to meet this requirement):
#6-98: Serpent's Rise (Levels 7 Special Pregens Only)
#7-98: Serpents’ Ire (Level 8 Special Pregens Only)
#7-99: Through Maelstrom Rift (Level 6 Special Pregens Only)

This scenario may be run at Tier 4 and above conventions by 4-star and 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers may only run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to meet this requirement):
None

This scenario may be run anywhere but only by 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers may only run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to meet this requirement):
#6-99: True Dragons of Absalom (Level 4 Special Pregens Only)

These scenarios may be run anywhere if they meet the listed table minimum, are playing the scenario simultaneously, and are in contact with each other:
3 tables
#2-SP: Year of the Shadow Lodge (Levels 1–11)
4 tables
#4-SP: Race for the Runecarved Key (Level 1–20)
5 tables
#3-SP: Blood Under Absalom (Levels 1–11)
#5-SP: Siege of the Diamond City (Levels 1–15)
#6-00: Legacy of the Stonelords (Levels 1–11)
#6-97: Siege of Serpents (Levels 1–11)
#7-00: The Sky Key Solution (Levels 1–11)

Note: For purposes of qualifying for these specials, you may add both Standard and Core tables add together. For example, if you had 3 Standard tables and 1 Core table for Race for the Runecarved Key, that would qualify as the 4 total tables you need to run the scenario.

These scenarios may be run at conventions if there are 6 or more tables playing the scenario simultaneously and in contact with each other. RVC approval must be received. To run the ACG component, an event must have at least 2 tables with 2 players each.
#8-00 The Cosmic Captive (Levels 1-11)

Liberty's Edge 5/5 **

Thanks Tonya. Does your 'at any time' supersede the old restrictions there used to be on play by post games for specials?

Liberty's Edge 5/5 **

Fun Fact: Upon further review, I'm already at 9 specials.

1x Pathfinder Society Special: Year of the Shadow Lodge (RPG)
1x Pathfinder Society Special: Blood Under Absalom (RPG)
1x Pathfinder Society Special: Siege of the Diamond City (RPG)
2x Pathfinder Society Special: Ruins of Bonekeep—Level Two: Maze to the Mind Slave (RPG)
2x #6–98: Serpents Rise (RPG)
2x #7–98: Serpents' Ire (RPG)

I'm at 10 if #3-16: The Midnight Mauler counts when I ran it in 2014. When did Midnight Mauler stop counting towards the 5 star special count?

5/5 5/55/55/5

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Oh sweet. When did through the maelstrom rift get bumped down to 4 stars?

Also, you may want to poke the tech department for whatever bug kept the bonekeeps from automatically becoming available for people with enough stars seems to be going on for the maelstrom rift as well.

Grand Lodge 4/5 Venture-Agent, Texas—Houston

Feral wrote:

Fun Fact: Upon further review, I'm already at 9 specials.

1x Pathfinder Society Special: Year of the Shadow Lodge (RPG)
1x Pathfinder Society Special: Blood Under Absalom (RPG)
1x Pathfinder Society Special: Siege of the Diamond City (RPG)
2x Pathfinder Society Special: Ruins of Bonekeep—Level Two: Maze to the Mind Slave (RPG)
2x #6–98: Serpents Rise (RPG)
2x #7–98: Serpents' Ire (RPG)

I'm at 10 if #3-16: The Midnight Mauler counts when I ran it in 2014. When did Midnight Mauler stop counting towards the 5 star special count?

Mid-2012, when it was re-issued from #2-EX to #3-16.

Liberty's Edge 5/5 **

Bah! I suppose I need one more special in that case.

Tonya, can you clarify what you meant when you said "These scenarios may be run by any 4-star or 5-star GM or a Venture-Officer at any time." I spoke with the online venture captain and he's under the impression that the play by post limitations are still in place.

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

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Shifty wrote:

Also be aware of the other hidden 'gotcha' that your sign off for 5 star from a VC MUST be within the last 5 games. Anything older than that is rejected.

Don't find that out the hard way.

Actually there are no hidden gotcha rules in the 5 star program. However, It is left up to the VCs to evaluate the candidates. So, if your VC wants to reevaluate a candidate within 5 of the target, that is their perogative, but it's not a universal program rule

Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8

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Based on my research:

  • Day of the Demon is exclusive before February 26, 2014
  • Cyphermage Dilemma is exclusive before February 28, 2013
  • Midnight Mauler is exclusive before February 29, 2012

Dark Archive 4/5 5/55/5 ***

Tonya Woldridge wrote:

Ask and you shall receive! Here is the most current list of specials and their requirements. I'll ask Chris to make a link on the PFS page as well.

*****
Current scenario rules as of 1.26.17:

These scenarios may be run by any 4-star or 5-star GM or a Venture-Officer at any time. They also may be run by anybody at a convention. Any convention may schedule Bonekeep, as there are no table minimums.
Bonekeep Level 1: The Silent Grave (Levels 3–7)
Bonekeep Level 2: Maze to the Mind Slave (Levels 3–7)
Bonekeep Level 3: The Wakening Tomb (Levels 5–9)

These scenarios may be run anywhere, but only by 4-star and 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers may only run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to meet this requirement):
#6-98: Serpent's Rise (Levels 7 Special Pregens Only)
#7-98: Serpents’ Ire (Level 8 Special Pregens Only)
#7-99: Through Maelstrom Rift (Level 6 Special Pregens Only)

This scenario may be run at Tier 4 and above conventions by 4-star and 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers may only run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to meet this requirement):
None

This scenario may be run anywhere but only by 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers may only run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a...

@Tonya- Can you also add in a little note on which ones cannot be run online as a PbP due to timing constraints and such.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Minnesota

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Feral wrote:

I'm currently stuck at the 'specials' requirement myself. What's the current status of multi-table specials in play-by-post?

For example, could I run three simultaneous tables of Year of the Shadow Lodge to create a legal event? Could I run four for Race for the Runecarved Key?

You are one ambitious GM, Feral!

Alas, we cannot allow you to run three or four simultaneous tables by yourself to create a special in PBP. If you want a multitable special to happen, you have to recruit other GMs to run with you. We only want people GMing one table in a special. We already have issues with GMs dropping in specials as it is. What if someone burns out who is running multiple tables by himself?

That said... We've also tried to put a bit of a tighter control on the scheduling of multitable events, trying to keep ourselves down to only 3 or so multi-table specials a year. Multi-table specials tend to eat up a ton of GM bandwidth, meaning that there is less variety of tables running when a special is on. Also, if multi-table specials run all the time, they're far less special to the participants.

We're doing a multi-table of Blood Under Absalom right now, and we'll be doing Cosmic Captive this Summer, with Siege of the Diamond Gate going this fall.

Does this make sense?

Hmm

Grand Lodge 4/5

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Pathfinder Accessories, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Looks like I better get someone ready for siege warfare then.

Silver Crusade 4/5 Venture-Captain, Pennsylvania—Pittsburgh

Thanks Tonya! Hope you can get that page built.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Minnesota

Tonya Woldridge wrote:

Ask and you shall receive! Here is the most current list of specials and their requirements. I'll ask Chris to make a link on the PFS page as well.

*****
Current scenario rules as of 1.26.17:

These scenarios may be run by any 4-star or 5-star GM or a Venture-Officer at any time. They also may be run by anybody at a convention. Any convention may schedule Bonekeep, as there are no table minimums.
Bonekeep Level 1: The Silent Grave (Levels 3–7)
Bonekeep Level 2: Maze to the Mind Slave (Levels 3–7)
Bonekeep Level 3: The Wakening Tomb (Levels 5–9)

Historically, Bonekeep was not open for PBP because it was meant to be run with strict time constraints. I will consult with Tonya and see if that has changed.

Tonya the Awesome wrote:

These scenarios may be run anywhere, but only by 4-star and 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers may only run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to meet this requirement):

#6-98: Serpent's Rise (Levels 7 Special Pregens Only)
#7-98: Serpents’ Ire (Level 8 Special Pregens Only)
#7-99: Through Maelstrom Rift (Level 6 Special Pregens Only)

Tonya, there used to be a requirement on Maelstrom Rift that it could only be run at conventions of 26 tables or more. Has this requirement now lifted?

Hmm

Silver Crusade 4/5 Venture-Captain, Pennsylvania—Pittsburgh

Michael Eshleman wrote:

Based on my research:

  • Day of the Demon is exclusive before February 26, 2014
  • Cyphermage Dilemma is exclusive before February 28, 2013
  • Midnight Mauler is exclusive before February 29, 2012

I'll certainly make a note of that myself...

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Minnesota

Gang, I just checked with Tonya.

Bonekeep is still not authorized for PBP because of the strict time constraints.

Hmm

Silver Crusade 4/5 Venture-Captain, Pennsylvania—Pittsburgh

Hilary Moon Murphy wrote:

Gang, I just checked with Tonya.

Bonekeep is still not authorized for PBP because of the strict time constraints.

Hmm

Just to be clear, this is true for every Bonekeep, right?

Sovereign Court 5/5 * Venture-Captain, Texas—Houston

Rycaut wrote:

thanks - couldn't remember if Venture Agents got the star adjustment to run scenarios - I've run True Dragons (at Gencon when it launched - so I think that counts even though I can't rerun it currently?) - if it does count i think I'm at my 10 specials!

Siege of Diamond City 2x
Seige of Serpents (3x)
The Sky Key Solution (3x)
True Dragons of Absalom (1x - at GenCon)
Race for the Runecarved Key 1x

now for 50 different scenarios and my last 32 tables.... and the observed run as I get close to 150....

Yes, GenCon ran specials count. :D

5/5

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
BigNorseWolf wrote:

Oh sweet. When did through the maelstrom rift get bumped down to 4 stars?

Also, you may want to poke the tech department for whatever bug kept the bonekeeps from automatically becoming available for people with enough stars seems to be going on for the maelstrom rift as well.

I also would like to get this available (as four- or five-stars).

Terminalmancer wrote:
Hilary Moon Murphy wrote:

Gang, I just checked with Tonya.

Bonekeep is still not authorized for PBP because of the strict time constraints.

Just to be clear, this is true for every Bonekeep, right?

All three Bonekeeps have the strict time limit.

Sovereign Court 4/5 5/5 ** Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden

Typical. I do have access to Maelstrom Rift, I think I even had access before it was bumped down from super-exclusive to four-star exclusive. I guess VO access trumps other things.

4/5 5/5 Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Tampere

Lau Bannenberg wrote:
Typical. I do have access to Maelstrom Rift, I think I even had access before it was bumped down from super-exclusive to four-star exclusive. I guess VO access trumps other things.

I have access to True Dragons, but not Maelstrom. Which is super weird since I don't have the stars required for True Dragons.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Minnesota

Since items usually get added to VO downloads by Customer Service on Wednesdays, I'm wndering if that's when most of you will see it. I also had access fo it as a VA. Minna, I have no idea why you don't see it.

This might merit an email with Paizo's Customer Service if you don't see it by Wednesday, folks.

Hmm

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

Minna Hiltula wrote:
I have access to True Dragons, but not Maelstrom. Which is super weird since I don't have the stars required for True Dragons.

Actually, as a VL you get a +1 to your star count to qualify for running exclusive content. So, you qualify as a 5 star and can GM both.

4/5 5/5 Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Tampere

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Bob Jonquet wrote:
Minna Hiltula wrote:
I have access to True Dragons, but not Maelstrom. Which is super weird since I don't have the stars required for True Dragons.
Actually, as a VL you get a +1 to your star count to qualify for running exclusive content. So, you qualify as a 5 star and can GM both.

Fun fact: I became a VL after that post. :D At that time, I was a lowly VA.

Liberty's Edge 5/5

Starfinder Superscriber

Woah, real-time updates.


Tonya Woldridge wrote:
Ask and you shall receive! Here is the most current list of specials and their requirements. I'll ask Chris to make a link on the PFS page as well.

Did this page ever get built? If so, can someone provide a link for it please?

Tonya Woldridge wrote:


Current scenario rules as of 1.26.17:

These scenarios may be run by any 4-star or 5-star GM or a Venture-Officer at any time. They also may be run by anybody at a convention. Any convention may schedule Bonekeep, as there are no table minimums.
Bonekeep Level 3: The Wakening Tomb (Levels 5–9)

These scenarios may be run anywhere, but only by 4-star and 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers may only run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to meet this requirement):

#7-99: Through Maelstrom Rift (Level 6 Special Pregens Only)

Is there some special assignment for the two I've left in the quote above? Because I've got Bonekeep 1 & 2 in my downloads, and I've got 6-98 and 7-98 in my downloads, but I do not have Bonekeep 3 and 7-99. Is there an additional requirement beyond 4-star status needed to have these added to your downloads?

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