Mid-year Report of the Pathfinder Society Campaign

Monday, March 26, 2012


Illustration by Eva Widermann

Today is my six-month anniversary at Paizo. The time has flown since September 26, 2011. Usually, State of the Union/State/County/City addresses are given on an annual basis. In the future, I will most likely present this report at the yearly Pathfinder Society Members’ Meeting at Gen Con. However, this being my first year and with all the changes that have taken place, and in light of the goals set for the future, I thought it was important to give a report of how my first six months on the job have played out.

First and most importantly, I want to thank all of the Venture-Captains and Lieutenants, regional and convention coordinators, GMs, and people I use as a sounding board (you know who you are). Without all of you, I would not be able to achieve everything listed below and make Pathfinder Society as great as it is. I also want to thank all of our players and fans. Without you, I wouldn’t have an awesome job to come to each morning. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your efforts and support.

The Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign has already seen numerous positive improvements and changes. Here is a short list of things we’ve accomplished together in just six months:

We've addressed our leadership, our organization, our ground game, and our rules. And we couldn't have done any of it without all of you.

All that is great, but it's not enough. We're not done yet (which means that we all have more work to do). I'm excited about the future of the Society. In particular, the following items on my now-less-than-secret list excite me:

My goal is to meet as many Pathfinder Society players, GMs, and coordinators as I can face-to-face. I encourage you to introduce yourself to me at those conventions.

  • The plotline for Season 4 has been laid-out, and Season 5 has already been put into a rough draft.
  • We are looking at ways to make faction missions have a meaningful impact on the campaign and make more sense as presented in scenarios.
  • Improve our Retailer Support program, including upgrades to the website interface to make it more user-friendly for both retailers and customers.
  • Improve the GM Rewards program (we already made some adjustments to 5-star GMs as noted above).
  • I would like to see the creation of the three campaign documents that were discussed on the April 4, 2011 blog.
  • Expanding the Venture-Captain program to additional areas in North America, as well as increasing the number of Venture-Captains internationally.
  • Working with Paizo’s web team to implement a more user-friendly web interface for event coordinators.
  • Continuing to highlight international Pathfinder Society play through monthly blogs.

The last six months have been a great learning experience for me. I continue to transition from a regional coordinator mindset to one of a global campaign administrator. There have been some bumps in the road, but nothing that has proven insurmountable. I already knew that the Pathfinder Society community is smart, diverse, and very passionate. It is amazing how much energy and enthusiasm you all have for the game and it is very inspiring. Likewise, the people here at Paizo are some of the most creative and different-thinking people I've ever met. It's as amazing as you'd think it would be.

I will finish by letting everyone know that I will continue to do the best job I can to grow and improve the Pathfinder Society campaign. Sometimes I will make mistakes. But, when I do make a mistake, I will own up to it. As always, I am available for all of you to reach out to me with concerns, criticisms, thoughts, suggestions, venting, and ideas via email, private message, Skype, phone call, an in-person visit, carrier pigeon, written letter, message spell, pony express, contact other plane spell, or sending spell.

Mike Brock
Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: Eva Widermann Pathfinder Society
Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/5 **

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Great Blog Mike... But since you did not mention me in it, it is ultimately a Blog Fail... ;)

Edit: If you want I can make some suggestions where you can fit me in.. ;)

Grand Lodge 4/5

Dragnmoon wrote:

Great Blog Mike... But since you did not mention me in it, it is ultimately a Blog Fail... ;)

Edit: If you want I can make some suggestions where you can fit me in.. ;)

Who are you?

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/5 **

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Also, on the Art front... Paizo needs more art from Eva!

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/5 **

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Michael Brock wrote:
Who are you?

hmmm, Maybe I should stop my recent being "Quiet" in the Forums policy to remind you... ;)

I am the Guy that has not had a PC death by Kyle.

Anyway, good work Mike, looking forward to more good work to at least PaizoCon UK!

The Exchange 5/5

Dragnmoon wrote:
Edit: If you want I can make some suggestions where you can fit me in.. ;)

Can we get a dunk tank at PaizoCon this year?

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/5 **

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Doug Miles wrote:
Can we get a dunk tank at PaizoCon this year?

Now this is a Great Idea!

Liberty's Edge 4/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Dragnmoon wrote:
Doug Miles wrote:
Can we get a dunk tank at PaizoCon this year?
Now this is a Great Idea!

Yeah I'll pay double if Doug and Kyle get in it :p

Mike


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

Great job Mike! Looking forward to the future.

Scarab Sages

Mike ... great blog. It avoids the thing that is most common among reports like this. It isn't impersonal. It's very close to the game and to the players in it. But, it still has a very professional aire that lets us feel like you know what you're doing. The language is concise and objective-oriented. <teehee> You even used the marketing-jargon "to grow ... the Pathfinder campaign". </teasing>

I'm just gonna say, I can't find a spellcaster for message, ending, or contact other plane, I don't have a Ponly Express depot near me, I likely won't be seeing you for an in-person visit (not too many Cons for me), I don't know your address for snail mail ... and so, you're just gonna have to give me your Skype name. That's all there is to it. ;-)

1/5

Excellent post, Mike. I'm very impressed at how much has been accomplished already, and looking forward to more. :-)

Grand Lodge 1/5

Fantastic! Mike, you are a mover-and-shaker.

Grand Lodge 5/5

Love it. Keep it up! :)

1/5

Great post, and great work, Mike. You should definitely try and talk Lisa and Vic into sending you on a tour of Europe like the one Josh Frost did a while a while back. We'll give you a warm welcome in Denmark, and some tips on how to conquer the rest of Scandinavia (we have some practice, even though the Swedes beat us as much as we beat them.)

Liberty's Edge 3/5

Let me fix that for you by appending to the above:


  • unavoidably ruffled some feathers (while smoothing some others) in connection with doing all of the above; and
  • in general, acquitted myself quite admirably in performing the mostly thankless tasks involved in being the Campaign Coordinator for the Pathfinder Society.

That should about do it.

Grand Lodge 4/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.
W. Kristoph Nolen wrote:


I'm just gonna say, I can't find a spellcaster for message, ending, or contact other plane, I don't have a Ponly Express depot near me, I likely won't be seeing you for an in-person visit (not too many Cons for me), I don't know your address for snail mail ... and so, you're just gonna have to give me your Skype name. That's all there is to it. ;-)

You must not have enough PPs yet if you can't find someone to cast a spell for you. Need to work on that ;-) You can also set your Own Pony Express up. Just watch the Postman with Kevin Costner for a step-by-step guide.

Skype is mikebrockpfs

Mailing address is: Paizo Publishing, Attn: Mike Brock or Decemvirate, 7120 185th Ave NE, Suite 120, Redmond, WA 98052

Sovereign Court 5/5 Owner - Enchanted Grounds, President/Owner - Enchanted Grounds

As I have said before, it is refreshing that there is someone in charge who actually accomplishes the things they want to accomplish. More than anything else, that is your most impressive trait. You and Mark have, together, made quite a team.

Keep it up!

Liberty's Edge

Thank you for all the time and effort you put in. It's more than just a job; and we players appreciate your labor and accomplishments.

2/5

Mike, very informative and comprehensive blog! Thank you for taking time to put it together and of course for all the hard work you've done for us Pathfinder folks.

3/5

But what if we don't want to be a Pathfinder anymore...

(With apologies to Monty Python)

Venture-Captain: One day, lad, all this will be yours!
Pathfinder: What, the curtains?
Venture-Captain: No. Not the curtains, lad. All that you can see, stretched out over the hills and valleys of this land! This'll be your lodge, lad.
Pathfinder: But Miss Feathers --
Venture-Captain: Venture-Captain, lad. Venture-Captain.
Pathfinder: B-- b-- but Venture-Captain, I don't want any of that.
Venture-Captain: Listen, lad. I built this lodge up from nothing. When I started here, all there was was swamp. Other venture-captains said I was daft to build a lodge on a swamp, but I built it all the same, just to show 'em. It sank into the swamp. So, I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So, I built a third one. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp, but the fourth one... stayed up! And that's what you're gonna get, lad: the strongest lodge in these lands.
Pathfinder: But I don't want any of that. I'd rather--
Venture-Captain: Rather what?!
Pathfinder: I'd rather...
...just... sing!

Grand Lodge 4/5

Tangaroa wrote:

But what if we don't want to be a Pathfinder anymore...

Retire and create the Golarion Pony Express.

Or we could turn your character into a Gladiator type of character where he is imprisoned as a slave and used at the Grand Convocation for target practice.

Like the Eagles said, you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.....muwahahahaha

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/5 **

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Michael Brock wrote:
Like the Eagles said

*PFS Org Players in thier 20s or younger* Who? ;)

3/5

Dragonmoon, us players in their early thirties barely know who they are. Maybe he would have been better with a Skrillex reference.

In all serious, I find the following two items especially exciting:

Michael Brock wrote:

  • We are looking at ways to make faction missions have a meaningful impact on the campaign and make more sense as presented in scenarios.

  • I would like to see the creation of the three campaign documents that were discussed on the April 4, 2011 blog.

I look forward to seeing the implementation of the former without making convention organizers heads explode :D

Grand Lodge 4/5

Tangaroa wrote:

Dragonmoon, us players in their early thirties barely know who they are. Maybe he would have been better with a Skrillex reference.

Skrillex....is that a singing group or a cleaning product?

* Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

Michael Brock wrote:
Skrillex....is that a singing group or a cleaning product?

It's the new Dark Tapestry Faction!

And boy, what missions I shall write for them.

Edit: Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

Grand Lodge

Great post! Thanks for all the work that went into making it. Looking forward to meeting you at PaizoconUK. Most of all, I can not wait to join the new Dark Tapestry Faction!

Grand Lodge 4/5

Amazing work Mike. Kinda makes me giddy with delight to think what PFS is going to look like a year from now.

Lantern Lodge 1/5

Cool! Look forward to GEN-CON! yeah!

Shadow Lodge 4/5 Venture-Captain, California—San Francisco Bay Area South & West

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Jim Groves wrote:
Michael Brock wrote:
Skrillex....is that a singing group or a cleaning product?
It's the new Dark Tapestry Faction!

I initially read this as "... the new dark tapestry falcon".

Perhaps Mr. Groves' avatar picture was responsible.


Keep up the great work Mike.

Grand Lodge 4/5

3 people marked this as a favorite.

Thanks for the compliments but you haven't seen anything yet. This is just the beginning. I can't wait until some of the website improvements that are in the works (that I can't talk about) come to fruition.

I'm also excited to tell all of you about faction missions changes and goals and the like but we just aren't quite there yet........ As a hint, anyone who has played in my home campaigns know I am fanatical when it comes to tying side stories into main plot lines and my flow charts that go with it to keep everything straight.

Dark Archive 5/5 * Regional Venture-Coordinator, Gulf

I have a complaint, c'mon down to Megacon! :-)

Lobsteritas are on me Mike, great job.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/5 **

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Michael Brock wrote:
Thanks for the compliments but you haven't seen anything yet. This is just the beginning. I can't wait until some of the website improvements that are in the works (that I can't talk about) come to fruition.

Hey Mike if you ever feel the need to talk to anyone about what is coming up, you can always email me about them. I promise not to tell anyone... ;)

The Exchange 3/5

I love this post, Mike.

Most of all, I'm hopeful for the future changes to factions and the additions of story elements (plot lines!? yay!) into the campaign.

I look forward to having an NPCs and conflicts that lead my character to make choices and decisions based on who they are. Too much of this board is overrun by rules discussion, I'd love to have some meaningful and interesting NPC/story discussion as well.

Keep rockin' Seattle, Mike.

-Pain

p.s.

Robert Trifts wrote:
Let me fix that for you by appending to the above:
  • unavoidably ruffled some feathers (while smoothing some others) in connection with doing all of the above; and
  • in general, acquitted myself quite admirably in performing the mostly thankless tasks involved in being the Campaign Coordinator for the Pathfinder Society.

That should about do it.

+1.

Grand Lodge 2/5 RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

You're doing great, Mike! Can't wait to see what else you have in store!

Liberty's Edge 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Missouri—Cape Girardeau

Drogon wrote:

As I have said before, it is refreshing that there is someone in charge who actually accomplishes the things they want to accomplish. More than anything else, that is your most impressive trait. You and Mark have, together, made quite a team.

Keep it up!

Any idea of the source book for this Trait? I know some people who could use this one! :)

Lantern Lodge 2/5

Thanks for all the great work you have done. I now understand why you never have time to return calls! I was recently informed that I finally made Venture Lt for the Spokane WA area by Chris J.(and here I thought I had been working hard during these last six months to get the PFS in my area, it's nothing compared to what you have accomplished in this time frame)

Liberty's Edge

You're doing an awesome job, Mike. Thanks for all your hard work!

Scarab Sages

Michael Brock wrote:

You must not have enough PPs yet if you can't find someone to cast a spell for you. Need to work on that ;-) You can also set your Own Pony Express up. Just watch the Postman with Kevin Costner for a step-by-step guide.

Skype is mikebrockpfs

Mailing address is: Paizo Publishing, Attn: Mike Brock or Decemvirate, 7120 185th Ave NE, Suite 120, Redmond, WA 98052

O.O Holy crud!

Okay, the snail mail addie doesn't surprise me too much, but, I can't believe that you actually have a work-Skype! AND, you gave it to me/us!! You kind of rawk, dude.
(And I am prone to saying neither "rawk", nor "dude" without the most careful of evaluation in the matter.)

Oh, and I'd just as soon set up a Wayfarer's Union post than a Pony Express. ;-)

Grand Lodge 4/5

Thanks...I think.....

Silver Crusade 5/5

Dragnmoon wrote:
Michael Brock wrote:
Thanks for the compliments but you haven't seen anything yet. This is just the beginning. I can't wait until some of the website improvements that are in the works (that I can't talk about) come to fruition.
Hey Mike if you ever feel the need to talk to anyone about what is coming up, you can always email me about them. I promise not to tell anyone... ;)

He's got plenty of lackeys that are legally bound not to talk. You're not. Sounds like a loose end he'd need to "tie up" if he did email you...

*Sinister Music*

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/5 **

Thank you Mike for all the hard work you did and for making me very exited about the future of PFS!
No retreat, no surrender!

Liberty's Edge 4/5

Tangaroa wrote:

But what if we don't want to be a Pathfinder

We could have Kyle TPK the table and raise the PCs :)

Mike

Sczarni 4/5

Great job, Mike. And thanks! Really looking forward to next season and what it brings.

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