What GM star level needed to purchase specials?


GM Discussion


What star level is needed to be able to purchase a current specials, i.e. 8-00, 7-99, 7-98? I'm more interested in the single table specials rather than the multi-table specials, in case there's a difference in star level needed. Is it 4-star GM only? 3-star? 2-star?

As a related question, if I cannot 'legally' purchase one of these because I'm not a sufficiently starry-eyed GM, but someone who is (or who GM'd it at a convention because they were begging for bodies, stars be damned, and thus has a copy) lends it to me: can I 'legally' run it and have it count towards the 10 specials requirements?

Shadow Lodge 4/5

There's no star requirement to purchase them, the scenarios are simply unavailable. If you're running something with a star requirement (7-99, 7-98, 6-97, 6-98, etc.), then no, you cannot legally run a table of the scenario without the requisite number of stars. Gencon and Paizocon(?) are the exceptions to that rule, simply because there aren't enough appropriately starred GMs to meet demand.

5/5

AkosPrime wrote:

What star level is needed to be able to purchase a current specials, i.e. 8-00, 7-99, 7-98? I'm more interested in the single table specials rather than the multi-table specials, in case there's a difference in star level needed. Is it 4-star GM only? 3-star? 2-star?

As a related question, if I cannot 'legally' purchase one of these because I'm not a sufficiently starry-eyed GM, but someone who is (or who GM'd it at a convention because they were begging for bodies, stars be damned, and thus has a copy) lends it to me: can I 'legally' run it and have it count towards the 10 specials requirements?

You can not run the single table specials without the appropriate number of GM stars (outside of things like GenCon when Paizo needs all the bodies they can get). Some are 4 star, some are 5 star, it is generally indicated on the product page...though not always.

When you acquire the stars, you no longer need to purchase them, they are added to your account as a reward (at least they have been in the past)...but I still don't have 7-99 so changes appear to be happening without really telling us about them.

The multi-table specials can be run by anyone with enough simultaneous tables to pull it off, and purchased by the general public one year after their release date. The newest multi-table special (8-00 now) can be requested directly from the Campaign Coordinator if you have an event that meets certain table requirements overall.

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

Sniggevert wrote:
When you acquire the stars, you no longer need to purchase them, they are added to your account as a reward (at least they have been in the past)...but I still don't have 7-99 so changes appear to be happening without really telling us about them.

#7-99 is a 16+ tables convention special only, as far as I know.

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

7-99 is Through Maelstrom Rift. Also known as We Be Elementals. As far as I know, it only has a star requirement. I got it added to my account. So Sniggevert should send an email to customer support.

Shadow Lodge 4/5 **** Venture-Captain, Ohio—Columbus

Tineke, It was added to your account because you are a Venture-Agent. We are getting all the scenarios in our accounts. I was also told that it has a table and convention requirement.

Even though it was given to us, we still cannot run it on normal game days.

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

Venture Agents dont count as a star higher for requirement of running specials, but I did get the 5 star scenarios added. So I figured it must have been an error that Sniggevert did not recieve it.

Its also not in the product description nor the product description thread:

link

So its a bit confusing, as the multi table specials clearly do state the requirements.

Edit: Serpents Ire doesnt state it either.

5/5

Yeah, I've "heard" various things about the new "exclusive" scenarios too...it's just I've never seen anything this year where Campaign "Leadership" has actually addressed the issue on the public boards as to what the standard is for these, or have it placed in the scenario description.

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

I think they issued a blanket rule for which VO rank equates to which amount of virtual stars and such, in the blog post where they also announced the creation of VA and RVC ranks.

5/5

Lau Bannenberg wrote:
I think they issued a blanket rule for which VO rank equates to which amount of virtual stars and such, in the blog post where they also announced the creation of VA and RVC ranks.

Yes.

RVC/VC is +2 stars, VL is +1 stars, VA is 0.

The question is what do you need to run the new "exclusives".

In 2015, they were called out as needing 4 stars for 6-98 (We Be Aspis) and 5 stars for 6-99 (We Be Kobolds), well before they were even released.

In 2016, a month and a half after release, it's still..."well, I heard", and "Oh, I heard this". Most indications are that it's supposed to be something other than just star qualifications, but there's nothing to actually point to to tell you what's right.

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

And the fact that I have We be Kobolds and We be Aspis (1 and 2) and we be Elementals added to my account, but Sniggevert who has five stars, has not.
Something is not going entirely as it should be.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/5

#7–98: Serpents' Ire can be run anywhere but only by 4-star and 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers only can run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to run).

#7–99: Through Maelstrom Rift can only be run at tier 4 or higher conventions (26 sessions or more) by 4-star and 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers only can run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to run).

#8–00: The Cosmic Captive can be run by any GMs, but only if there are at least 5 tables of the scenario running simultaneously at the event. (There may be other criteria for this one currently, but I am not sure).

The information on #7-98 & #7-99 came via an RVC. The info on #8-00 is my best understanding, which is why I included the caveat.

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

Oh, I seem to get everything added to my account, regardless of stars. I figured it was because as VA we're expected to sometimes provide printed copies of scenarios to people.

Grand Lodge 5/5 Regional Venture-Coordinator, Baltic

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Matt Lewis wrote:
#8–00: The Cosmic Captive can be run by any GMs, but only if there are at least 6 tables of the scenario running simultaneously at the event. You also need permission from your RVC.

Fixed that for you (minimum of 6 tables and permission from your RVC).

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/5

Auke Teeninga wrote:
Fixed that for you (minimum of 6 tables and permission from your RVC).

Thanks for the clarifications Auke; the scenario itself says 5 to 150+ tables (just to point out that I was getting the info from somewhere!)

Grand Lodge 5/5 Regional Venture-Coordinator, Baltic

Rei wrote:
Matt Lewis wrote:
#7–99: Through Maelstrom Rift can only be run at tier 4 or higher conventions (26 sessions or more) by 4-star and 5-star GMs (and ONLY them...Venture-Officers only can run it if they meet this requirement. VCs get a +2 and VLs a +1 to their star rating to run).
Holy... If there's no way to get around that table requirement, that scenario will literally never be run in this country. Wow.

I suspect that like other scenarios the restrictions will change in time (Bonekeep was also very restricted the first year (more restricted than tier IV for certain)).

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