Cottonseed Lodge (PFS2)

Game Master Redelia

Is there a spreadsheet already for GDXIII events?

The Gameday XIII Event Listing spreadsheet is now live!

You can’t sign up for games now, but you can see all the great tables that are being offered. We’ll update the listing every day or two, so keep an eye out.

HERE is the link for the Event Listing sheet

Remember, general signups don’t start until August 15, 2024!

I may or may not have Internet service at home. If I don't please pardon the delay in updates.

So with the new awakened animal I can have fun with it. There is no limit as to how small a tiny sized creature can be. The awakened animal can be any animal as long as it exists. DM, door is locked. Me, is it sealed at the bottom, in other words can I slip paper underneath? Dm yes. Me, okay I walk under the door. I’m a dust mite, those things are 1/100 of in inch of a quarter of a millimeter long. Yes dust mites exist, I might choose that for awakened animal.

I'm imagining a party with an awakened elephant who acts as an interpreter for their very quiet friend, an awakened dust mite.

I'm imagining a party with an awakened elephant who acts as an interpreter for their very quiet friend, an awakened dust mite.

Yeah it would be fun roleplaying it, I'll be a sorcerer so I can cast cantrips to amplify my voice, as far as combat, the DM can say well they see you because the equipment you're carrying glows or they see you for some other means.

That sounds like something better suited to a home game where the table can all be on the same page than hashing it out with a new table every time in organized play.

That sounds like something better suited to a home game where the table can all be on the same page than hashing it out with a new table every time in organized play.

That's why I'm asking about it first. There is no no written in the documents or on the website. It doesn't give limits as to what animal you can or can't be. I got the idea of being a microscopic bug after seeing invisible science on Snapchat, it show microscopic bugs on a Roman Noodle. So I'm probably the first to think of it. I researched them after seeing that video.

It certainly violates the spirit of cooperative play. If you bypass all the challenges by finding some loophole in the rules, you're going to ruin the fun for the rest of the table.

It certainly violates the spirit of cooperative play. If you bypass all the challenges by finding some loophole in the rules, you're going to ruin the fun for the rest of the table.

Not all of the challenges, just one or two. Every race or class has something that can bypass challenges. Also, locked doors don't happen very often in Pathfinder 2e, so it would be useful once every several adventures. Most Pathfinder 2e scenarios are outdoors or you go into one building if indoors. The bypass is a rare occasion.

That sounds like something better suited to a home game where the table can all be on the same page than hashing it out with a new table every time in organized play.

I agree with TriOmegaZero. If a build creates a bunch of extra work for a GM*, it's considerate to get their buy-in first. That's next to impossible in PFS. You might find it harder than usual to get that PC accepted into games because some GMs could be hesitant about dealing with that much unknown.

* In every situation, they need to consider what special treatment you need because of your size. Is it raining? Dusty? Windy? Are you in a crowd? What is a creature of your size actually physically capable of doing? Is nearly all terrain difficult terrain for you? Etc.

Side note, a microscopic critter with a speed of 20-30 feet per round is insane, like a cross between Ant Man and The Flash. It would be super fun to have a home game of all microscopic Awakened Animals.

I love the idea for a 'Bugs Life' campaign and think it could make for a hilarious game - magic sentient fungus and mites unite!

Mechanically though, all that happens is that you get treated as a Tiny creature at the table.

Enemies can see you just as easily as anyone else, and unless something specifies tiny creatures can pass through an obstacle then the mite can't.

You could be 1mm or 4'11" - the mechanics would be the same.

Similarly, despite being only 1mm, only four of you could fit in a 5' square by RAW.

May as well be a 4'11" wandering Glow worm.

I think this makes reference to an underlying idea that PFS/SFS GMs must accept any technically legal character at their table and they, simply, do not have to. In the same way that you can technically play the character, the GM can technically just walk away from the table. Be careful how far you are willing to push technically.

And to fellow GMs, while standing up for yourselves in such a way may feel a little icky, it can be a useful reminder that the role of GM doesn't reduce you below another person at the table. Sometimes players can forget that GMs do not have to GM.

A table without a GM is not a table. A table without a player is still a table. Gratitude and deference are appropriate social responses.

Apologies for the soap box.

Warah wrote:

I'm imagining a party with an awakened elephant who acts as an interpreter for their very quiet friend, an awakened dust mite.

Yeah it would be fun roleplaying it, I'll be a sorcerer so I can cast cantrips to amplify my voice, as far as combat, the DM can say well they see you because the equipment you're carrying glows or they see you for some other means.

Unless Paizo says no to being a microscopic bug in Pathfinder Society, I'm going to be one when I get Awakened Animal. Every locked door I'm going to ask the DM if the bottom is sealed or if there is a millimeter gap underneath. If there is a battle in the kitchen, I'll ask the DM is there any crumbs on the floor not sweep up, the crumb would only have to be a millimeter high for me to take cover.
Megaphragma mymaripenne is a flying insect 0.181 and 0.224 millimeters.
More Millimeter bugs.

Awakened Animal ancestry has the size entry of "Choose the size appropriate to your animal: Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large"

So even if you pick microscopic bug then the smallest you could be would be Tiny, which has its own advantages and disadvantages. In other words, no, you can't mechanically be microscopic in Society.

You could try to sell that to a home-AP game but honestly unless everyone else is a microscopic bug then it sounds like the sort of idea where the entire game would be revolving around you which is the antithesis of a collaborative story telling game IMHO

Similarly, i would encourage players to not spend so much time trying to figure out how to "beat" a cooperative and collaborative game like this. There are single player RPG's for that.

Yeah, I didn't consider the extra work it would be for the DM and you're right, even if Paizo allowed it the GM can say no. It does suggest bugs, but the example they give are bees, which are .2 to 1.2 inches. I'm sure others would pick beetles as well which would be appropriate.

I love the idea for a 'Bugs Life' campaign and think it could make for a hilarious game - magic sentient fungus and mites unite!

Mechanically though, all that happens is that you get treated as a Tiny creature at the table.

Enemies can see you just as easily as anyone else, and unless something specifies tiny creatures can pass through an obstacle then the mite can't.

You could be 1mm or 4'11" - the mechanics would be the same.

Similarly, despite being only 1mm, only four of you could fit in a 5' square by RAW.

May as well be a 4'11" wandering Glow worm.

Okay, that's fair, it wouldn't make sense but PFS doesn't always make sense, it does what is fair. So being 0.5 MM high is nothing more than flavor. It wouldn't give you extra benefits vs being 4'll". The Awakened Animal allows you to play any animal you want, the mechanics are all the same for whatever Tiny, Small, Medium or Large sized creature you choose, it is nothing more than flavor. PFS Awakened Animal is giving you the option to play your favorite animal. You could make up the animal, considering it is a game of fiction, like a flying dog, but you still choose a size and a heritage.

No, you have that backwards. The choice of animal is flavor; the size is mechanics, which you have to abide by in PFS. You can call yourself a tardigrade, but you have to interact with the world as a tiny creature.

I once asked about the possibility of a luminous sprite with a fruit bat mount but was told that wasn't allowed in PFS. Now I'm wondering if I get by with an awakened fruit bat summoner and an eidelon who looks like a sprite complete with wings. Would the eidelon have a fly speed as well as the bat?

Oh --- and his name is Bruce and he speaks with a Kiwi/Aussie accent. Going for the awakened koala Shifty? :)

Uplifted Awakened 11' Koala you mean...

Crikey!

When should we expect scenarios to drop for Gameday?

In the past, they've been all over the place (from the day after the scenario support deadline to the day after the convention was supposed to begin).

On a separate note, as I understand it, PFS is mandating that all characters switch over to Remastered (August 12). As I also understand it, there is no ownership requirement for PC2, that we can rely on Archives of Nethys. But I've noticed that Archives of Nethys has not updated to Player Core 2.

What is the PFS-approved way to break this logjam? Hope AoN gets updated before Gameday?

I note Pathbuilder is updated. The Remastered classes can be built, but there is text missing from Pathbuilder outside of anything designated as a class feature - the tidbit that I've noticed missing is the scaling on the alchemist's versatile vial damage. I've Remastered my alchemist using Pathbuilder, but I'm not sure what other text I'm missing.

I have all the information I think I need now, but I'm primarily asking for people who may still be waiting.

When should we expect scenarios to drop for Gameday?

In the past, they've been all over the place (from the day after the scenario support deadline to the day after the convention was supposed to begin).

Per a DM clarification from bigrin42, on or about August 26th.

It's not exactly a requirement that all characters switch to remastered. Your old characters can still use the original version of most things, but if the remastered books have used the same name for something, it's treated as errata and you have to use the new version. There are a few examples, such as oracle, where this makes a character pretty close to unplayable depending on the options you picked, so they need to update to remaster rules.

A character builder is probably the best tool right now. Here are a few ideas to get access to the book text while waiting for Nethys:

-you could purchase the PDF. (nice, because it helps support Paizo, but not an option for everyone)

-you could look over a friend's copy, or see if a local library has a copy of the book

-if it's just a few pages you need, you could look at a local gaming story at those pages

If none of those work for you, and you really need to see the rules more than your character builder has before playing the character, you unfortunately might need to use other characters for a little while while waiting for Nethys.

But... for many of us, we have no idea whether there is even a remastered version of our class/abilities.

We had this same problem with Player Core 1.

The general solution at the time was effectively allowing but not requiring "errata" since there was no way to actually access the always available rules. I can't imagine doing anything else currently.

Demiplane has the Player Core 2 rules up and available for free - you need to use the "Game Rules" navigation rather that the Library one though to get the free access.

The revised classes are included in the >classes< section.

It's not exactly a requirement that all characters switch to remastered. Your old characters can still use the original version of most things, but if the remastered books have used the same name for something, it's treated as errata and you have to use the new version. There are a few examples, such as oracle, where this makes a character pretty close to unplayable depending on the options you picked, so they need to update to remaster rules.

A character builder is probably the best tool right now. Here are a few ideas to get access to the book text while waiting for Nethys:

-you could purchase the PDF. (nice, because it helps support Paizo, but not an option for everyone)

-you could look over a friend's copy, or see if a local library has a copy of the book

-if it's just a few pages you need, you could look at a local gaming story at those pages

If none of those work for you, and you really need to see the rules more than your character builder has before playing the character, you unfortunately might need to use other characters for a little while while waiting for Nethys.

I think it is important for us to reference the guide when talking about the rules.

Remastered Classes and Other Remastered Options

Remaster Rebuilding and Removal of Pathfinder Training

and Errata Rebuilds

What I take away from this is that you can keep playing your existing class and can optionally rebuild the character. For other non-class options then you'd need to use the most current option, at which point I have a hard time imagining any GM is going to fault a player for not having the most recent text when the official SRD hasn't been updated.

No one should be benching their characters.

Except Alex specifically said that even class features reprinted with the same name are to be treated as errata and that oracles would likely be broken as a result unless they rebuild.

Remaster Clarifications post

That would still presume a GM would have access to the rules they are supposed to enforce.

Or should GMs also take a break?

I like the idea of the Remaster Rebuild, I got tired of being a certain race or class, figuring out certain races or even purchasable races weren't worth it. It Also says email any boons you want refunded.
Like one of my races is a Changeling Android, and I didn't like being a changeling. Also, I purchased Changeling when it did cost ACP. Do I have to wait for a refund to erase the purchased boon so I'm not stuck being a Changeling, or can I just no longer be a Changeling since it is now free.
The other is a Dhampir and that is still purchasable.

That would still presume a GM would have access to the rules they are supposed to enforce.

Or should GMs also take a break?

They are on Demiplane.

Like one of my races is a Changeling Android, and I didn't like being a changeling. Also, I purchased Changeling when it did cost ACP. Do I have to wait for a refund to erase the purchased boon so I'm not stuck being a Changeling, or can I just no longer be a Changeling since it is now free.

Questions like these are better asked over in the Organized Play forum.

But taking Half-elf has always been free, and we can't just stop being half-elves because we'd rather have the Versatile human heritage at some point in the future without following the rebuilding rules.

Remaster rebuild does allow it, though.

GM redeux wrote:

That would still presume a GM would have access to the rules they are supposed to enforce.

Or should GMs also take a break?

They are on Demiplane.

Demiplane is not an official source. The core assumption for using options is that ownership is not required as long as the rules are referenced from the official SRD (AoN). see Character options -> Using Options from the Core Sources

But my initial message is that I can't imagine a GM faulting a player for not having access to the most recent text when the SRD hasn't been updated. I am advocating for having some understanding that while the rules say one thing, it is not the most beneficial stance for organized play to be a hellknight here. Yes, the rules are available on demiplane but then you're just ignoring a different rule. GM's need to be able to look the rules up in the official SRD if players do not provide ownership with relevant pages.

I sincerely hope that the VO's are not advocating for benching players while waiting for AoN to update, and instead I think Pirate Rob has the right of it

We had this same problem with Player Core 1.

The general solution at the time was effectively allowing but not requiring "errata" since there was no way to actually access the always available rules. I can't imagine doing anything else currently.

When should we expect scenarios to drop for Gameday?

In the past, they've been all over the place (from the day after the scenario support deadline to the day after the convention was supposed to begin).

As promised, I got mine today.

At the moment, I'm waiting for an update to Pathbuilder 2e before I lock in my Remaster changes. I presume part of the process is to liquidate all our current assets then buy back what we want? I was thinking of dumping all the legacy items and spells.

At the moment, I'm waiting for an update to Pathbuilder 2e before I lock in my Remaster changes.

Unless you are waiting for specific errata, Pathbuilder should have been updated. If you're on an Android device and the update doesn't show up on the Google Play updates available page, go to the Pathbuilder page in the store and you'll have the option to update even though it doesn't show up on the updates available page.

I was able to update it within a day or two of PC2 coming out (single digit August for sure).

At the moment, I'm waiting for an update to Pathbuilder 2e before I lock in my Remaster changes. I presume part of the process is to liquidate all our current assets then buy back what we want? I was thinking of dumping all the legacy items and spells.

Remaster and Rebuilding Rules

Watery Soup wrote:

When should we expect scenarios to drop for Gameday?

In the past, they've been all over the place (from the day after the scenario support deadline to the day after the convention was supposed to begin).

As promised, I got mine today.

Me too.

Could I trouble someone to link how to get a refund for a boon, please. Been looking and can't seem to find it. Thank you.

Could I trouble someone to link how to get a refund for a boon, please. Been looking and can't seem to find it. Thank you.

see the rebuilding section here. Just share why (remaster rebuild/bought in error/etc) and the requested info.

many thanks

It has been a while for me, so I would like some clarification when it comes to the various Mentor Boons. I have tried looking but not in the correct places.

My character has the Combat Mentor Boon. The Boon reads that a player can receive up to 2 Boons just not from the same source.

(1) Do they have to be different types or just from different players?

(2) Can my character apply his Boon to multiple players?

(3) what is the base increase that all the Boons give? Someone said 10 HP, +1 H, +1 AC, +1 saves. Is that correct?

Sorry for the trouble. Posting it here in case others need the information as well as the Games start up.

Each player receiving a level bump can receive the benefit from up to two mentor boons. Other than needing to qualify for each, there is no limit I am aware of for how many mentor boons a character can offer to those getting a level bump.

Note that the wording of the mentor boons states that the character receiving the benefit must be lower level, preventing those receiving the level bump from providing mentor boons to anyone.

The rules in the guide are here.

As for what the level bump gives, it is more than what you listed.

Thank you

A PC can only benefit from two mentor boons.

They have to be different, but they don't have to be from different characters. Most characters will only have one, though.

Yeah, I only have a few characters that have more than one of the mentor boons. Needing to get to Liked in two different factions means it takes a while — part way through 4th level at a minimum.

Most of my characters get mentor boons from 2 different factions. Usually Horizon Hunters for the saving throw bonus since I start all my blobs in HH anyway. Then a second one from a faction more related to the character. That way if another player at the table only has one to give, then I have a second boon for a low lever character to use, or at least an option.

Do all reported games during this time get the Game Day bonus?

No, only games that are registered as Gameday and are reported through Gameday get the bonus.

Gracias