Regional Support, Retail Support, and Promotional Boons Launch into the Stars!

Friday, September 8, 2017

With the successful launch of Starfinder Society at Gen Con 50, the team now turns its eyes on releasing Starfinder Society versions of the current Pathfinder Society programs. There is a lot of text to read, so I'm keeping my introduction short. All of the following text has been added to Paizo's organized play program Policies and Perks pages.

Updated Organized Play Regional Support:

• Program Goals: Encourage growth and support events that don't qualify for Paizo convention support.
• Qualifying Location: Any location with an associated venture-officer of any rank, from agent to regional coordinator.
• Qualifying Event: Any public event at a qualifying location.
• Pathfinder Society Program Dates: Yearly, starting in February and ending January 31 of the following year (effective 2017 dates are February 13 to January 31, 2018).
• Starfinder Society Program Dates: September 8, 2017 to January 31, 2019.
• Administration: Allocated by the Regional Venture-Coordinators.

Event Submission Process

1. Venture-officer (VO) plans an event, either one off or reoccurring, for their location.
2. VO completes a Support Request Form, noting which organized play programs running, and sends to their Regional Venture-Coordinator (RVC) to indicate interest.
3. RVC confirms VO status and confers with VO about implementing the program.
4. RVC adds event to the regional support tracker.
5. RVC sends a regional support package to VO. Package includes GM tracking cards, player boons, and a tiered GM boon.
6. VO advertises event as Regional Support Program qualified.
7. VO runs event(s) and provides rewards as applicable
8. VO reports on event statistics to RVC.
9. RVC inputs data on regional support tracker.
10. OPM reviews data and revises program as necessary.

Rewards

• Players have a 10% chance per game played at an event to win a boon, which is the same rate as a player at a convention. VOs will determine the method of boon distribution for their venue, after consulting with their RVC. Some suggested methods include rolling a 19-20 on a d20, earning a token each game played with each token increasing the likelihood of receiving a boon, or entries into a raffle.
• GMs earn a race boon with different levels of reward. If a GM runs 6 games at qualifying events, they earn Reward A. If they GM 12 games at qualifying locations during the program period, they earn Reward B. If they GM 24 games at qualifying events over the course of the program period, they earn Reward C.

Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Retail Incentive Program:

This program is designed to encourage players to reward retail locations that are providing space for Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild players. Locations utilizing the program should advertise its presence to their clientele. We realize that each location is unique, and has an overriding right to determine what is best for their business, so participation in this program is not mandatory. In cases where the specifics of the program don't align well with the retail's procedures (for example, if they don't provide receipts, or they run daily tabs), the event coordinator should work with the retailer to best approximate the intent of the policy.

Game stores and other retail locations are an important part of the Starfinder Society community, and it's important to support them so that they continue to provide support for Starfinder Society play. Under this program, players can redeem receipts in exchange for modest benefits for the entire party.

Redeeming a receipt simply involves showing it to the event coordinator, who marks the receipt to denote that it was used. A player can only use a receipt in this way on the day of the purchase, and only for an event at that venue. The receipt need not include Paizo products—any products the venue sells count as qualifying purchases. Players cannot acquire or redeem receipts during their own turn or during any player's encounter; otherwise, players can acquire and redeem receipts during play only when doing so does not significantly disrupt gameplay.

If the combined value of the receipts redeemed by players at the table exceeds $10, all of the characters at the table receive the ongoing benefit described below, and each character chooses one of the single-use benefits described below. If the combined value exceeds $50, you may use the enhanced version of the applicable benefits instead. (In countries that use currencies other than US Dollars, use approximate equivalents of $10 and $50; don't worry too much about figuring out the exact exchange rate.) The ongoing benefit lasts for up to 5 hours, and each character may use their chosen one-time benefit once in each scenario played during those 5 hours. Characters can only receive the benefits once during any 5-hour block. No matter how many receipts the players have, the table can never use the same benefit more than once during a game session; they can, however, gain both benefits during a session.

Ongoing Benefit (for all characters)

Harder to Kill: Reduce the number of Resolve Points required to stabilize by 1.
Enhanced Version: Reduce the number of Resolve Points required to stabilize by 2.

Single-Use Benefits (each character chooses one)

Cheaper Healing: Before the end of the session, you can use the benefit to reduce the Fame cost of purchases listed on the Basic Purchasing Plan boon* by 1 (minimum 0). Qualifying purchases include dispel magic, lesser restoration, make whole, remove affliction, break enchantment, greater dispel magic, restoration, regenerate, or raise dead.
Enhanced Version: Reduce the cost above the cost by 2.
*Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide page 27

Recover from Wounds: Anytime you spend a Resolve Point to regain Stamina Points through resting, you can recover 2 points of ability damage.
Enhanced Version: Increase the amount of ability damage recovered to 4.

Bonus Wealth: If you do not use the subsidized healing benefits above, you can instead choose to roll twice and take the higher result when rolling a Day Job check.
Enhanced Version: You also increase the credits you earn from the Day Job result by 50%. This does not stack with other boons that apply to Day Job checks.

The benefits gained from this program are in addition to benefits such as the Accessory Perks referred to in the Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide or on the Accessory Perks page.

Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Accessory Perks & Promotional Boons:

A character can only slot one Promotional boon, unless she has a special rule that overrides this (such as the Acquisitives Sponsorship Social boon).

Slotting Promotional Boons: A Promotional boon is slotted at the same point in a scenario when other boons are slotted. To slot a Promotional boon, the player must meet the prerequisites listed with the specific boon. These prerequisites most often include physical possession of a physical gaming accessory.

Name	Description
Promotional Bonus	Gain a once-per-session bonus on skill checks
Promotional Convention Support	Gain a once-per-session Hit Point boost
Promotional Record Keeper	Gain a once-per-session stamina regain or lower a starship skill check DC
Promotional Reroll	Gain a once-per-session reroll
Promotional Service Award	Gain a once-per-session boon swap

Promotional Bonus

You have brought an accessory that displays your visible support to Paizo's organized play program. This grants you a skill bonus based on the faction your accessory promotes.

Prerequisites: Bring and display a qualifying faction pin to the game.

Benefit: Once per session, while wearing a Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Faction Pin matching the faction your character currently champions, you may add 2 to any skill check. If you apply this benefit to one of your faction's favored skills, listed below, you instead roll 2d4 and add the result. For this roll you also treat the faction's favored skill as if you were trained, even if you don't have a rank in it.

• Acquisitives: Bluff and Profession
• Dataphiles: Computers and Engineering
• Exo-Guardians: Athletics and Intimidate
• Second Seekers (Luwazi Elsebo): Diplomacy and Perception
• Wayfinders: Life Science and Survival

Alternatively, once per scenario, while wearing a Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Faction Pin, you may add 2d4 to a Culture skill check. For this roll you also treat Culture as if you were trained, even if you don't have a rank in it.

Promotional Convention Support

You have brought an accessory that displays your visible support to Paizo's organized play program. This grants you a onetime boost of Hit Points during a scenario.

Prerequisites: Bring and display an authorized convention support item to the game.

Benefit: Once per session, as a standard action, you can heal a number of Hit Points depending on your Reputation Tier with All Factions. If your Reputation Tier is 0 or 1, you regain 1d8 Hit Points. If your Reputation Tier is 2 or 3, you instead regain 3d8 Hit Points. If your Reputation Tier is 4, you instead regain 6d8 Hit Points.

Special: You can only slot this boon if the scenario is being run at the convention associated with the authorized convention support item. For an item to be considered an authorized convention support item, it must have prior approval from the Organized Play team. Event organizers are encouraged to email organizedplay@paizo.com to verify the validity of convention items for this purpose.

Promotional Record Keeper

You have brought an accessory that displays your visible support to Paizo's organized play program. This grants you the ability to reduce the Resolve Point cost for a Stamina rest or to improve a starship-related skill check.

Prerequisites: Bring and display a Starfinder Player Character Folio to the game.

Benefit: You can use this boon, once per session, in one of two ways. The first option is to reduce the Resolve Point cost of resting to regain Stamina by 1 (down to 0 RP). The second option is to reduce the DC of any single starship combat check (including a gunnery check) by 4; this decision must be made before making the check.

Promotional Reroll

You have brought an accessory that displays your visible support to Paizo's organized play program. This grants you a onetime reroll during the session.

Prerequisites: Bring and display a qualifying t-shirt or messenger bag to the game.

Benefit: You can reroll a single d20 roll you make during the course of the scenario. You must follow all the reroll rules as listed on page 243 of the Starfinder Core Rulebook when using this reroll.

Special: When a player uses a free reroll, she may present her Organized Play membership card (available on their My Organized Play page) and receive an additional +1 for every GM nova she has earned, for a maximum of a +5. Note, this bonus applies to the higher result of the reroll, not just the second roll.

Promotional Service Award

You have proven your dedication to Paizo's organized play program. This grants you the ability to swap out a boon during a scenario.

Prerequisites: Bring and display a qualifying campaign service award (i.e. campaign service coin or Wayfinder).

Benefit: You can reroll a single d20 roll you make during the course of the scenario. You must follow all the reroll rules as listed on page 243 of the Starfinder Core Rulebook when using this reroll.

Alternatively, once per session, by spending ten minutes (including as part of spending a Resolve Point to regain lost Stamina), you can swap out any one boon for another boon that occupies the same boon slot. The boon you replace cannot be one with limited uses that you have already activated this adventure, though you can swap out a boon that you had to cross off your Chronicle sheet during play. You cannot use this ability to replace a slotted boon with a boon that uses up or take place during Downtime. You cannot use this ability if you've already used the reroll option provided by this boon.

Special: When a player uses a free reroll, she may present her Paizo Organized Play membership card (available on their My Organized Play page) and receive an additional +1 for every GM nova she has earned, for a maximum of a +5. Note, this bonus applies to the higher result of the reroll, not just the second roll.

This boon's second ability overrides the standard rule that once a boon is slotted it cannot be changed.

Until next time—Explore, Report, Cooperate!

Tonya Woldridge
Organized Play Manager