Starfinder Society, Paizo's Newest Organized Play Program

What happens if we already have 800 Pathfinder Characters?

Someone had to ask it.

Maybe some of those proposed changes to the boon system could be applied to PFS as well...

Anyway I am super amped for this. We will never run out of content again! Unlike with the core campaign which split things up to replay games we already played this looks like it will split things up by giving us new and exciting things to play!

Hopefully I can snag a seat at one of those Thursday tables to be a part of history...

Be a part of history...or be part of the future?

*Is only somewhat sorry*

Hooray!! Let's get to playing!

eddv wrote:

Maybe some of those proposed changes to the boon system could be applied to PFS as well...

Anyway I am super amped for this. We will never run out of content again! Unlike with the core campaign which split things up to replay games we already played this looks like it will split things up by giving us new and exciting things to play!

Hopefully I can snag a seat at one of those Thursday tables to be a part of history...

Be a part of history...or be part of the future?

*Is only somewhat sorry*

Darn you John Compton....

Rats. In space. With lasers.

How can this go wrong?

If we volunteer for Starfinder, will we get to see a copy of the rules before 8:00 am Thursday at GenCon? Or if the Starfinder hardcover is The Book for GMs at GenCon, will we see the rules before Wednesday afternoon?

OK, the logical answer is yes, but how much sooner? A few days, a week, a month? I still remember PFS Season 0 at GenCon with GM's running cold and learning the rules.

This is my big concern, too. I may skip this at GenCon this year for this very reason, and just run it at my local store the following month.

Congratulations, Tonya and Thursty!!! I am curious if the changes to the subtier system might make their way to Pathfinder Society?

Welcome Thursty!!
As for everyone else...
They have SUCH sights to show you...
:D

As the resident "champion" of advanced access to necessary materials for volunteers at Gen Con, be assured I will be following this issue very closely and poking Tonya on a regular basis in an attempt to get the maximum possible amount of time.

Will Thurston still have time to do stuff for Pathfinder now?

I want that "Zirnakaynin - City of Dark Elves" Campaign Setting! ;-)

Will the free RPG day game have a "space" chronicle? Otherwise Yay!

The Free RPG Day product is Starfinder: First Contact, a 16-page bestiary product full of alien life forms that showcase Starfinder rules while also being easily adapted for use in Pathfinder RPG. There's not a new adventure in Starfinder: First Contact, but that doesn’t preclude our providing other fun rewards for the event.

I still remember PFS Season 0 at GenCon with GM's running cold and learning the rules.

Odd. Season 0 used the 3.5 rules and the Beta was out before season one kicked in. Not much of a jump from Beta to Core Rulebook. A few changes but hardly running cold.

Maybe some of those proposed changes to the boon system could be applied to PFS as well...

The way in which we're handling boons in Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild represents a significant innovation in the system. We look forward to hearing participants' feedback to assess whether this is something we want to and can institute in Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild. In general, Starfinder Society has allowed us to apply our collective years of organized play knowledge toward designing a new campaign, incorporating positive developments and addressing any concerns from Day 1. Just as we've learned from Pathfinder Society how to organize Starfinder Society, we may also learn from Starfinder Society how to further improve Pathfinder Society.

Will Thurston still have time to do stuff for Pathfinder now?

Paizo employees are eligible to work as freelance authors on other product lines, which is how I've written for the Adventure Path, Campaign Setting, and Player Companion lines. Thursty's an accomplished author—a key factor in why we knew he was right for the job—and his role in Starfinder Society doesn't prevent him from writing more Pathfinder material as a freelancer. In fact, I'm sure I can convince Thursty to write another Pathfinder Society scenario.

*Schemes*

General Note: The team's reading over the questions you're asking, and we'll be answering what we can here. We'll also be answering more questions about any and all of Paizo's organized play programs on the upcoming Know Direction podcast (tune in and ask us live), and there's more information still that we'll be sharing in the coming months (including at PaizoCon).

Somewhat, but not directly related- will there be a Starfinder "PRD"?

I really like the idea of the more narrow level ranges for tiers.

I'm looking forward to giving this a try.

Hey everyone!

First off, thanks for the votes of confidence and support with taking on this new role as developer. I've spent a fair amount of time working with John Compton, Tonya Woldridge, Linda Zayas-Palmer, and Mark Seifter on getting up to speed with some of the internal processes for OP development. So a HUGE thanks to them for bearing with me on the learning curve.

John, Tonya, and myself have been working together on the OP side to build Starfinder Society from a concept, into a full Organized Play campaign. I'm really excited with what we're creating. Just today, before the announcement went live, I was in a meeting with the SFS team and James Sutter (Starfinder Creative director). During this meeting, we started locking in some of the major stories that we'll be following in our first Season. So a shout out to Sutter, for taking the time from his crazy work schedule to work with the Starfinder Society team; we're really striving to provide an Organized Play campaign that is a part of the setting that the Starfinder team is building.

That brings me to the rest of the Starfinder Team: Amanda Hamon Kunz, Jason Keeley, Rob McCreary, and Owen K.C. Stephens. A HUGE thanks to them for all their feedback, information dumping, and (most importantly) patience during the process of getting this campaign underway.

Now, along with John, I'll take some time to start answering some of the questions everyone has. Please note, some of these questions, we'll be waiting to answer, maybe on a certain Podcast that's happening in a few weeks.

Thanks again for the kind words, everyone!

Will llama-folk be a playable race?

EDIT: I love the way the timing of this post worked out.

Bruno grapple spaceship.

"Any chance there will be a Boon or some other means of transferring a PFS character to SFS?"

We're approaching Starfinder Society without any direct character crossover.

If we volunteer for Starfinder, will we get to see a copy of the rules before 8:00 am Thursday at GenCon? Or if the Starfinder hardcover is The Book for GMs at GenCon, will we see the rules before Wednesday afternoon?

Yes, those running Starfinder Society adventures at Gen Con will receive the necessary Starfinder rules in advance of the scenario downloads. Exact specifics on this will be provided at a later date.

Will llama-folk be a playable race?

Will drama llama be an option for bards?

I am a big fan of the tighter tiers but a bit sad that 12 is the maximum level (i was hoping for a higher maximum).

Edit for another question: Will the first adventure path for starfinder be sanctioned for organized play?

I am a big fan of the tighter tiers but a bit sad that 12 is the maximum level (i was hoping for a higher maximum).

I suspect that if SFS is a success, then higher tiers can be added.

Marco Massoudi wrote:

I'm sure I can convince Thursty to write another Pathfinder Society scenario.

*Schemes*

This street goes both ways now, Compton!

I'm sure I can convince YOU to write a Starfinder Society scenario.

*Schemes*

Bruno grapple spaceship.

Bruno's going to take a lot of damage. Bruno might not mind, but I figure he deserves a fair warning that trying to wrestle an immense starship that has heavy particle beam cannons could end messily.

GreyYeti wrote:

I am a big fan of the tighter tiers but a bit sad that 12 is the maximum level (i was hoping for a higher maximum).

I suspect that if SFS is a success, then higher tiers can be added.

With the people maybe reaching a maximum of maybe level 7 after the first season higher level content is more of a theoretical possibility anyway.

Cool. More Starfinder material.

Any chance there'll be a PDF subscription to the scenarios ready from launch?

We'll be able to provide details about any Starfinder Society subscriptions at a later date.

Swiftbrook wrote:

If we volunteer for Starfinder, will we get to see a copy of the rules before 8:00 am Thursday at GenCon? Or if the Starfinder hardcover is The Book for GMs at GenCon, will we see the rules before Wednesday afternoon?

Yes, those running Starfinder Society adventures at Gen Con will receive the necessary Starfinder rules in advance of the scenario downloads. Exact specifics on this will be provided at a later date.

What about players? If players don't have access to read the core book in advance, then GenCon will pretty much be nothing but pregens, since nobody will be able to make their own PCs.

Ideally, I'd like to see the Starfinder prd online at least a couple of weeks before GenCon, so players have a chance to read some of it and make their own characters.

I am a big fan of the tighter tiers but a bit sad that 12 is the maximum level (i was hoping for a higher maximum).

This new tier structure is meant to be expandable. 12th level was the benchmark that was set in Pathfinder Society, and the Starfinder Society team wanted to ensure that the same benchmark was met as a minimum for our campaign. Given the reduced number of monthly scenarios, it'll be some time before we need to consider adding in higher level play, but the method of doing it is baked into the new tier structure.

Congratulations to Mr. Hillman! I look forward to seeing this new system come together. ^_^

Viva la Thursty!

Welcome, Thurston!

We have such plans for this program, and there are some really great adventures coming up!

Ironically the thing I'm most excited for is the closing the gaps in the Class Tiers.

Also...so I wanna volunteer for my local lodge will SFS use the same lodges and staff as PFS?

Scribbling Rambler wrote:

Will llama-folk be a playable race?

Will drama llama be an option for bards?

Can I name my drama llama Obama?

Can we get the Starfinder Society logo into the Community Use Policy Packages as soon as possible so we can start using it?

Congrats Thursty! Are you moving to the US or staying in Canada?

Revs Engines. Dons Shiny Spandex. Draws Laser.

I am so ready for this!

Hmm

Why is August so far away? I've been waiting for this since they first announced Starfinder. Congrats to Thursty. His inclusion on the team has me even more excited!

Marco Massoudi wrote:

Will Thurston still have time to do stuff for Pathfinder now?

Paizo employees are eligible to work as freelance authors on other product lines, which is how I've written for the Adventure Path, Campaign Setting, and Player Companion lines. Thursty's an accomplished author—a key factor in why we knew he was right for the job—and his role in Starfinder Society doesn't prevent him from writing more Pathfinder material as a freelancer. In fact, I'm sure I can convince Thursty to write another Pathfinder Society scenario.

*Schemes*

I feel like all you'd need to do is hand Thursty an envelope with a coupon that said, "LIMIT 1: FREE-REIGN SCENARIO IN DRUMA" and you'd convince him.... ;-)

Will people who preorder the core rulebooks to be picked up at Gencon be able to download them prior to Gencon so we can build our own characters for the first sessions of Starfinder Society? Or will they be more like tutorial games with pregens?

Will GM credits/stars be shared between Pathfinder Society and Starfinder Society?

Has anyone on the Starfinder team ever seen Legend of the Galactic Heroes?

Confirmation that Starfinder is the same setting (in the future) is great news. Hope for Kitsune in Space. And learning more about some of those fascinating planets in the Pathfinder Cosmology. I always got a weird "Superman and Kryptonite" vibe from "Aroden and the Starstone"...ok, not really. But visiting Eox will be really exciting!

Has anyone on the Starfinder team ever seen Legend of the Galactic Heroes?

I have!

Will people who preorder the core rulebooks to be picked up at Gencon be able to download them prior to Gencon so we can build our own characters for the first sessions of Starfinder Society? Or will they be more like tutorial games with pregens?

I can't speak to the timing of PDF downloads. The best place to ask about that would be the Starfinder Operational Questions thread.

Confirmation that Starfinder is the same setting (in the future) is great news. Hope for Kitsune in Space. And learning more about some of those fascinating planets in the Pathfinder Cosmology. I always got a weird "Superman and Kryptonite" vibe from "Aroden and the Starstone"...ok, not really. But visiting Eox will be really exciting!

There might be kitsune in space, but because Eox is a major destination, I must warn you that the steps kitsune had to take to survive might not fit your classic nature-fox-people tropes anymore...

Somewhat more seriously, it's possible that kitsune still exist, but there's so much more delightful setting content to explore to highlight Starfinder's lore that it's far more likely that kitsune won't appear in the campaign unless we really want to tell a story about them--a tall order given so many of the fantastic alien species we have.

Fair enough. But in my opinion, there is always room for kitsune in space.

(Gnomes too!)

Hmm

Ooooooooooooooooooo!

I may have to start poking some of the UK folks about this :)

I just want a Pig

How will this work for GMs? Is there going to be a new series of stars to gain or is this one void of stars?

This is exciting news. ^_^ The new tiers, faction system, etc. sound really good.

And I was equally excited to hear about Thursty joining the SFS team, an excellent choice. :)

I just want a Pig

You can have all the pigs you want. You'll find them in the Starfinder Core Rulebook, listed as "space rations".

Also...so I wanna volunteer for my local lodge will SFS use the same lodges and staff as PFS?

Venture-officers are supporting all organized play, including SFSRPG, so that there is one point of contact for retailers, locations, and convention organizers. This doesn't mean they have to run Starfinder Society games, nor be the rules expert for their location. Venture-officers are organizers, first and foremost, and so might reach out to members of their community to be the "experts".

So...Can you spoil the factions yet? I assume vicious Hellknight Space marines are a thing? maybe some bad ass Solarion monks? Maybe an entire faction of just freed Androids who are sick of taking human crap?