Faction Journal Cards

Fortunately GMing counts, so if you don't find a game for your third Dark Archive character, you can just GM something quick...

Is it possible to tick off two boxes with one action?

For The Exchange, if you roll at least 100gp on a day job check, can you cross off both the 100gp box and the 50gp box?

I would say no, because each card says once per scenario. That is of course unless the goal says that it doesn't prevent you from checking another box (i.e. Grand Lodge adventuring in other nations goal)and neither of those goals allow that.

Sebastian Hirsch wrote:

... I am happy, but quite surprised, that those fancy checkboxes... don't require any kind of GM oversight or even an initial.

The sooner Society can get into the habit of not requiring GM initials on sheets, the better. The honour system has always worked best, without the headaches. It's a game.

The honor system works, as well as it works right now, because we have tools to enforce it when necessary. Currently we have only a few ways to check those faction cards, essentially you can't have more checked boxes than you have chronicle sheets (excluding things like those novel chronicles), and even then checking the specifics is impossible ("I totally fulfilled that skill requirement, before I retrained...").

Obviously if someone whats to cheat, and changes GMs frequently, cheating isn't hard.

The rule is one check per adventure but The Grand Lodge looked like they might have an exception with the first goal. It sure sounds like you can possibly check off two boxes if you adventure outside of Absalom.

Muse wrote:

the lowest boon in Sovereign Court mentions "ranks in Diplomacy".... but my Bard uses Versitile Performance for his Diplomacy skill (so he uses his ranks in Perfrom Strings rather than Diplomacy)... can he use Versitile Performance to use his ranks in Perform? or does he need to start putting ranks into Diplomacy (which is will only use for this boon)?

Faction Cards wrote:

Possess a number of ranks in one of the following skills equal to your character level (minimum 4): Bluff, Diplomacy,

Disguise, Knowledge (nobility), or Sense Motive.

Or beeing the operative word, surely you could access one of those?

sorry, I guess I wasn't clear in my question.

The Boon/Reward, not the Goal.

the part in question reads - "Twice per adventure.... as though you had a number of ranks in that skill equal to your number of ranks in Diplomacy..."
so I have no ranks in Diplomacy, I have ranks in Perform Strings, which is the skill I use for Diplomacy. I could start putting ranks into the skill - but I will only be using these ranks for the Confidante reward/boon - as for all other Diplomacy skill checks I use Perform Strings.

Is that clearer? or did I confuse the question more?

Tsriel wrote:

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Tsirel wrote:

Just to clarify here, the only reason why I think it's poor timing is because this has been released so late in the season when this was expected back in January. Now it's April, so people realistically only have a few months to really make use of any of this.

Hmmm? You can keep earning on the current card as long as you want.

For as long as you completed an objective on the card prior to Season 7.

I think most players are going to play once in the next 5? months. Most factions have at least 1 low lying fruit to tick off a box.

3 1/2 months, actually. Gencon is the end of July this year.

Don't know that I'll get a chance to apply *all* of my cards before GenCon, but I'm not worried either way.

I am curious about what happens when the new cards come out. Can one character work on both cards simultaneously, or will you only be able to pick up the S7 card if you get rid of the S6 card.

I'm pretty sure I'll have to explain how the faction cards work to some players no matter when the cards are introduced - it won't get any easier if we wait until the start of season 7. In fact I think it's a bit easier to explain it now, when it's the only new thing, rather than as just one of the new introductions that will probably come at the start of the season.

Sebastian Hirsch wrote:

Muse wrote:

the lowest boon in Sovereign Court mentions "ranks in Diplomacy".... but my Bard uses Versitile Performance for his Diplomacy skill (so he uses his ranks in Perfrom Strings rather than Diplomacy)... can he use Versitile Performance to use his ranks in Perform? or does he need to start putting ranks into Diplomacy (which is will only use for this boon)?

Faction Cards wrote:

Possess a number of ranks in one of the following skills equal to your character level (minimum 4): Bluff, Diplomacy,

Disguise, Knowledge (nobility), or Sense Motive.

Or beeing the operative word, surely you could access one of those?

sorry, I guess I wasn't clear in my question.

The Boon/Reward, not the Goal.

the part in question reads - "Twice per adventure.... as though you had a number of ranks in that skill equal to your number of ranks in Diplomacy..."
so I have no ranks in Diplomacy, I have ranks in Perform Strings, which is the skill I use for Diplomacy. I could start putting ranks into the skill - but I will only be using these ranks for the Confidante reward/boon - as for all other Diplomacy skill checks I use Perform Strings.

Is that clearer? or did I confuse the question more?

I see, I might not be sufficiently familiar with the technical language concerning the faction cards just yet... and should have gone to bed 10 hours ago ^^.

The language in the versatile performance descriptions is, as so many things in the CRB, rather open to interpretation. That said, you are quite likely to be pretty good at knowledge check anyway, and you can still get the +2 bonus (even without diplomacy).

If I'm playing an AP in home game mode can I still check off a box if my non-PFS character meets a goal? I am thinking no...

Muse wrote:

Sebastian Hirsch wrote:

Muse wrote:

the lowest boon in Sovereign Court mentions "ranks in Diplomacy".... but my Bard uses Versitile Performance for his Diplomacy skill (so he uses his ranks in Perfrom Strings rather than Diplomacy)... can he use Versitile Performance to use his ranks in Perform? or does he need to start putting ranks into Diplomacy (which is will only use for this boon)?

Faction Cards wrote:

Possess a number of ranks in one of the following skills equal to your character level (minimum 4): Bluff, Diplomacy,

Disguise, Knowledge (nobility), or Sense Motive.

Or beeing the operative word, surely you could access one of those?

sorry, I guess I wasn't clear in my question.

The Boon/Reward, not the Goal.

the part in question reads - "Twice per adventure.... as though you had a number of ranks in that skill equal to your number of ranks in Diplomacy..."
so I have no ranks in Diplomacy, I have ranks in Perform Strings, which is the skill I use for Diplomacy. I could start putting ranks into the skill - but I will only be using these ranks for the Confidante reward/boon - as for all other Diplomacy skill checks I use Perform Strings.

Is that clearer? or did I confuse the question more?

I see, I might not be sufficiently familiar with the technical language concerning the faction cards just yet... and should have gone to bed 10 hours ago ^^.

The language in the versatile performance descriptions is, as so many things in the CRB, rather open to interpretation. That said, you are quite likely to be pretty good at knowledge check anyway, and you can still get the +2 bonus (even without diplomacy).

actually, no.

I was hoping that Versitile Performer would allow me to use my skill ranks from Perform Strings or Perform Sing... but I can see how this is a corner case, so maybe it is just falling thru the cracks.

If it was a Diplomacy Skill check I have a +20 (or even higher, with gimmicks I can get it above +25). But I actually don't have any ranks in the skill (and they wouldn't increase the skill even if I added ranks into it).

Per mentioning about the Silverhex Chronicles, can you tick off a box once you play enough of them to get 1XP on the chronicle sheet? If so, could you look at any of the quests you did to tick a box, or only the last one you completed? If the last one, can you hold off until you complete a quest that matches one of your goals even if you got sufficient for XP earlier on?

I would say it wouldn't work, since it specifies ranks needed, and Versatile Performance specifies that you use your total perform bonus in place of your other skill. It doesn't say you count your ranks in performance as ranks in the skill. If it did then you'd have a leg to stand on.

At 2nd level, a bard can choose one type of Perform skill. He can use his bonus in that skill in place of his bonus in associated skills. When substituting in this way, the bard uses his total Perform skill bonus, including class skill bonus, in place of its associated skill's bonus, whether or not he has ranks in that skill or if it is a class skill. At 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the bard can select an additional type of Perform to substitute.

Very excited about these. At least one of my characters who was on the fence will be taking advantage of this season's free faction switch thanks to these (my Witch is realizing Aaqir isn't as nearly much fun as Guaril was, and that he'd rather hang out with Zarta instead).

You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time
--------------
Good work on these guys—looking forward to seeing them in action.

Recover a cursed item during the course of an adventure without succumbing to its curse.

Usually a cursed item would be recovered by anyone in the party rather than an individual.

Does the Dark Archives member have to specifically pick it up/be affected to the point where they have to make a save? Or can anyone in the party pick it up?

If anyone in the party can pick it up, does the "don't succumb to its curse" apply to that person instead, and if they fail the save, the Dark Archives members don't qualify to tick it? Or is that a way around it - the party can recover the item and someone else can succumb to the curse?

The "For GMs" section suggests the loophole trick will likely work.

Duping.. erm.. convincing an underling to carry any items of a questionable nature for you seems very in theme.

We're going to need another timmy.

I'm not sure what prevents 'cheating' or error here.
A player can't have more boxes checked than they have XP/Scenarios/Chronicles... but otherwise the checks don't reference where they came from in any way.
I would assume these can't be applied retroactively... that all games prior to yesterday 'wouldn't count' toward these cards.

Is the GM really involved in any way with keeping track of these things?

Can I use these cards when playing a pregenerated character? I seem to remember that all premades are considered part of the Grand Lodge. Does that mean I can only work towards those goals and apply the credit to my own character if my own character is part of the Grand Lodge as well?

For an example: I'll be playing my first PFS game this week. I have a 1st level character made (allied with the Exchange), but I won't play her yet. Instead, I'll play Kyra. How would this work in terms of these new factions cards?

IIRC pregens belong to the grand logde, so you might be able have credit from a pregen get onto a grand lodge character but transfering to any other faction probably means you lose the credit.

Almost forgot, is there any reason, why an existing character could not convince a new character with 0 XP and Pp to switch factions?(Thus gaming the system.. a bit).

EDIT: Never mind, I obviously can't read..

Somewhat related though, I recall each character is entitled to one free faction change in Season 6. If a player now uses his free change, does that count, or must he spend PP for it to count as recruiting the character?

Has there been a definitive answer about how these interact with APs played in campaign mode? I'm guessing/hoping that it will work similarly to the Chronicle; as long as the PC the Chronicle applied to is of the appropriate Faction, and the in-AP character performed the act, then you just tick the box.

I'm not sure what prevents 'cheating' or error here.

A player can't have more boxes checked than they have XP/Scenarios/Chronicles... but otherwise the checks don't reference where they came from in any way.
I would assume these can't be applied retroactively... that all games prior to yesterday 'wouldn't count' toward these cards.

Is the GM really involved in any way with keeping track of these things?

if someone wants to cheat, they will cheat. It's life and it happens. If we put lines for a GM to initial, the person could just initial it himself and no one would be the wiser. The next GM won't know if it is an actual GM's initials or not. We are trying to go with the belief that the majority of people will just play nice and use these in the spirit they have been presented - another way to try to immerse the character into the world through accomplishing goals for their faction.

No, they can't be applied retroactively.

Has there been a definitive answer about how these interact with APs played in campaign mode? I'm guessing/hoping that it will work similarly to the Chronicle; as long as the PC the Chronicle applied to is of the appropriate Faction, and the in-AP character performed the act, then you just tick the box.

it is advised in the first sheet of the PDF instructions.

"Once per adventure that grants a Chronicle sheet and at least 1 XP—whether it is a Pathfinder Society scenario, a section of a Pathfinder Module, a Pathfinder Adventure Path volume, or other sanctioned content—you may earn credit toward one of the goals on the back of the card and check one of the boxes that precedes that goal; even if you fulfill multiple objectives, you can only check one box per adventure."

As long as a PC receives a Chronicle sheet applied to the appropriate faction, and the in-AP character performed the act, then you tick the box.

Per mentioning about the Silverhex Chronicles, can you tick off a box once you play enough of them to get 1XP on the chronicle sheet? If so, could you look at any of the quests you did to tick a box, or only the last one you completed? If the last one, can you hold off until you complete a quest that matches one of your goals even if you got sufficient for XP earlier on?

Yes, as per the instructions on the first page of the PDF, as long as you earn 1XP and a Chronicle sheet, you may apply it. Also, since Silverhex is six short adventures that form one full adventure, I don't have a problem with the player deciding which one box to check from the assortment of adventures just completed.

Mike, John, et al:

I have to say, I think this is a much better way to integrate factions into the various scenarios. Rather than specific little things the players need to do in specific scenarios, the goals are much broader, and characters can achieve the faction's goals a number of ways, instead of "..bring back X item."

I think it strikes a great balance, and, frankly, I think it enhances the flavor of the factions, rather than relegating them to just being "quest givers."

Nicely done!

Can I use these cards when playing a pregenerated character? I seem to remember that all premades are considered part of the Grand Lodge. Does that mean I can only work towards those goals and apply the credit to my own character if my own character is part of the Grand Lodge as well?

For an example: I'll be playing my first PFS game this week. I have a 1st level character made (allied with the Exchange), but I won't play her yet. Instead, I'll play Kyra. How would this work in terms of these new factions cards?

No. You have to play your actual character to check off a box for your character's faction.

Dark Archives wrote:

Recover a cursed item during the course of an adventure without succumbing to its curse.

Usually a cursed item would be recovered by anyone in the party rather than an individual.

Does the Dark Archives member have to specifically pick it up/be affected to the point where they have to make a save? Or can anyone in the party pick it up?

If anyone in the party can pick it up, does the "don't succumb to its curse" apply to that person instead, and if they fail the save, the Dark Archives members don't qualify to tick it? Or is that a way around it - the party can recover the item and someone else can succumb to the curse?

The "For GMs" section suggests the loophole trick will likely work.

I will chat with John and Linda today and we will decide which way this should happen.

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Tsriel wrote:

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Tsirel wrote:

Just to clarify here, the only reason why I think it's poor timing is because this has been released so late in the season when this was expected back in January. Now it's April, so people realistically only have a few months to really make use of any of this.

Hmmm? You can keep earning on the current card as long as you want.

For as long as you completed an objective on the card prior to Season 7.

I think most players are going to play once in the next 5? months. Most factions have at least 1 low lying fruit to tick off a box.

3 1/2 months, actually. Gencon is the end of July this year.

Don't know that I'll get a chance to apply *all* of my cards before GenCon, but I'm not worried either way.

I am curious about what happens when the new cards come out. Can one character work on both cards simultaneously, or will you only be able to pick up the S7 card if you get rid of the S6 card.

I believe we reached a decision on this but want to make sure I have it right before I give a definitive ruling. Let me chat with John and Linda later today and get back to you.

No, they can't be applied retroactively.

Totally understood but man I REALLY wish these had been out a few weeks ago when I played Slave Masters Mirror (my character would have qualified for 4 of the 6 conditions) :-)

These look excellent. Lots of flavor, boons are useful, best of all the boon benefits the entire party. Suddenly all my characters will feel part of a faction again.

Congratulations on this, you have surpassed yourselves

I think they are going to be really great for the campaign! Can't wait to start using them, and to hand them out to my coworkers, so they can experience a little more of what factions are supposed to be.

Now, if they were only formatted so that they'd print duplexed properly, so we could make them look professional!

These look great. Nice to have the factions matter again in play.

Nice job Mike and John!

Mike

These are great! Already got two tables of Core characters started on theirs last night when our store coordinator was kind enough to download and print them out for everyone. And they'll be great for our convention this weekend!

Darrell Impey UK wrote:

Has there been a definitive answer about how these interact with APs played in campaign mode? I'm guessing/hoping that it will work similarly to the Chronicle; as long as the PC the Chronicle applied to is of the appropriate Faction, and the in-AP character performed the act, then you just tick the box.

it is advised in the first sheet of the PDF instructions.

"Once per adventure that grants a Chronicle sheet and at least 1 XP—whether it is a Pathfinder Society scenario, a section of a Pathfinder Module, a Pathfinder Adventure Path volume, or other sanctioned content—you may earn credit toward one of the goals on the back of the card and check one of the boxes that precedes that goal; even if you fulfill multiple objectives, you can only check one box per adventure."

As long as a PC receives a Chronicle sheet applied to the appropriate faction, and the in-AP character performed the act, then you tick the box.

<3 <3 <3

My home campaign guys will love this :D

An idea about formatting.

I would like to see each faction page appear twice in the document. The first page as it appears now. The second page, swapping the top intro/reward sections and the bottom checkoff box section. For example, Dark Archive would appear on both pages 2 and 3. In this way I can print the pages back to back and then cut them apart creating two cards. As is, if I print them now manually back to back the text will be upside down on the back - not ideal.

Again, just an idea.

Are faction missions as part of scenarios now going to continue or is this a complete replacement?

Does the Chairperson Reward, from Exchange faction, maximum discount become 20% when it stacks with similar abilities?

I'm confused on why people mention using the cards for season 6 or 7. The cards don't expire, right? We can still keep using them in season 7?
And we can still use them for earlier season scenarios, right?

I'm confused on why people mention using the cards for season 6 or 7. The cards don't expire, right? We can still keep using them in season 7?

The organized play campaign will release additional Faction Journal Cards to reflect each faction’s evolving goals and its ties to the current season’s objectives. A PC joining a faction can only acquire the most recent version of a faction’s card; however, a PC who has checked at least one box on the earlier faction card may still continue to fulfill its goals and earn its rewards even into the new season.

And we can still use them for earlier season scenarios, right?

Yes, there is no restriction about what scenarios you can use. You can even use sanctioned modules and adventure paths.

AHHH Ok thanks! Totally missed that.

An idea about formatting.

I would like to see each faction page appear twice in the document. The first page as it appears now. The second page, swapping the top intro/reward sections and the bottom checkoff box section. For example, Dark Archive would appear on both pages 2 and 3. In this way I can print the pages back to back and then cut them apart creating two cards. As is, if I print them now manually back to back the text will be upside down on the back - not ideal.

Again, just an idea.

I had a very similar thought when I first saw these (though your suggestion is more comprehensive - I was just contemplating having a way to print a single card back-to-back). But then it occurred to me that I'll probably keep the faction card for a character in the folder with the character sheet, inventory tracking sheet, boons, chronicles, etc., so having a half-sized double-sided card would be less convenient than having both parts printed out as they appear in the PDF today. It might be called a 'card', but I'd just print it on normal paper, single-sided.

Do GMs plan on making a note on chronicles of when one of these tasks has been performed?

Do GMs plan on making a note on chronicles of when one of these tasks has been performed?

I don't.

Do GMs plan on making a note on chronicles of when one of these tasks has been performed?

I will if a player asks me to specifically, but beyond that, no.

Oh man, these came out just a week after I freed a whole bunch of slaves and prisoners...

So if you complete two objectives in the same scenario/module you can only choose one to check off?

Personally, I'm going to get my GM to write and initial on the chronicle sheet when I complete the objective. If it happens when I'm GMing I will do the same.

Do GMs plan on making a note on chronicles of when one of these tasks has been performed?

Honor system.

If someone makes a request and I'm not in a hurry because the store/Sagamore Ballroom is closing, I'd be happy to note it on the chronicle. I"ll probably ask my GMs to note it, myself.

But it's not necessary.

Do GMs plan on making a note on chronicles of when one of these tasks has been performed?

It depends, if it's a cool story I'll probably make a note. Some of my best chronicle sheets are where GM's made notes like "Paladin on a Leash" or "Completed Qadira Faction Mission of gathering hallucinogenic pollen for export".

I'll also make notes if the player's want me to.

I thought it might be fun to imagine what a Shadow Lodge version of this card would look like. This is an example (obviously not legal for play) card with some ideas of how the Shadow Lodge could work in Pathfinder Society. I’m pleased with the idea that it is an additional card, as you are a secret agent and a "cover faction"

Just for fun: Shadow Lodge Faction Journal Card

So if you complete two objectives in the same scenario/module you can only choose one to check off?

This is correct. The objectives and boons are meant to be spaced out over the course of a character's career (or at least over the course of 5–6 levels). Earning multiple checks over the course of an adventure would quickly fill in the card, earn the boons more quickly than intended, and mean that the character would have no further reason to continue participating in the faction's cause.