Origins and Gen Con Convention Offerings!

Friday, May 11, 2018

Over the past few months, we announced the launch of the new season of Starfinder Society at Origins Game Faire and previewed some of the PaizoCon 2018 organized play offerings, including our newest scenarios. Tickets for events at Origins and Gen Con went live this past week, so this week's blog focuses on offerings at those conventions.

Origins Game Faire

In prior years, Pathfinder Society at Origins focused on a mix of older season favorites with a sprinkling of the current season. This year, we've extended that idea across Starfinder Society as well. Given that Starfinder Society doesn't have the depth of scenarios, given that we are not even a full year into the campaign, this means we scheduled the entire Starfinder Society catalog. So if you haven't explored Absalom Station, sailed through the Drift, or met celebrity maven Zo!, now is your chance.

As Starfinder Society developer Thurston Hillman discussed in the Starfinder Launch blog, the limited release meant we hadn't finished the story of the Scoured Stars. So instead of launching a new season with a new theme, we are extending the Year of the Scoured Stars for another 12 months and pivoting the storyline with the release of interactive specialStarfinder Society Scenario #1-99: The Scoured Stars Invasionby veteran Society writer Mikko Kallio. Thurston finished up development on this adventure this week and from his reactions, players are in for a treat! Besides #1-99, we have two new scenarios debuting at Origins—Starfinder Society Scenario #1-16: Dreaming of the Future is a 4-part quest pack for character levels 1-4 (replayable with 1st level characters) and Starfinder Society Scenario #1-17: Reclaiming the Time-Lost Tear, a continuation of the season metaplot involving the First Seeker [elect] Luwazi Elsebo's mission to return to the Scoured Stars.

Pathfinder Society players have the opportunity to experience the next installment of the modular interactive special Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-99C: The Solstice Scar, version C on Friday night. Besides a selection of offerings from Seasons 0-8, Season 9 scenarios highlighting the Liberty's Edge, Concordance, and Dark Archive Factions are scheduled. In addition, each block a Paizo staff member is running a table of Pathfinder Society Playtest Scenario #1: Rose Street Revenge. That's so secret, there isn't even a product page made for it yet. If you aren't able to get tickets to one of the Rose Street tables, consider trying out a 2-hour Pathfinder Playtest Demo.

Origins attendees need to purchase a badge and then purchase tickets for each event they wish to participate in. Visit the Origins website for more information on attending the convention.

Gen Con 2018

The schedule at Gen Con is choc-a-bloc with offerings. The latter half of Pathfinder Society Year of Faction's Favor makes a showing, as well as the first three scenarios in the not-yet-announced Season Ten storyline. Thursday sees an encore run of the modular interactive special Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-99C: The Solstice Scar, version C. The interactive special Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-00: The Hao-Jin Cataclysm makes its debut on Friday night.

On the Starfinder front, Saturday night is the interactive special Starfinder Society Scenario #1-99: The Scoured Stars Invasion. Year of Scoured Stars is well represented, including the debut of Starfinder Society Scenario #1-20: Duskmire Accord 9 and Starfinder Society Scenario #1-21: Yesteryear's Sorrow.

Pathfinder Adventure Card Guild offerings include the PACG Open Tournament, the interactive special Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-00: The Hao-Jin Cataclysm on Friday night, and the launch of the newest Season (name to be announced at PaizoCon). Plus tables of prior season play!

Prior years saw Paizo staff participating in a wide range of panels and seminars in room 212 and this year is no different. While we haven't posted the schedule yet (something about a Playtest taking up quite a bit of time and attention) we are hoping to do so in the very near future.

In looking at ticket sales, we have sold out some events, including specific tiers in each of the interactive specials. I'm working with the Gen Con events team to reallocate our GMs from less sold events to sold out events and more tickets to sold out items should release shortly.

We still have a need for Starfinder Society and Pathfinder Society GMs! Volunteers receive benefits based on how many blocks they contribute. Rewards include 4-day badges, 1/4 hotel rooms in the downtown Westin, credit to paizo.com, a copy of a Paizo print product Interested? Check here for more information and to complete a volunteer questionnaire.

As with Origins, attendees at Gen Con must purchase a badge and then buy tickets for each game they wish to participate in. We will take generic tickets on a space available basis, so I encourage anyone to sign up for the games they really want. For more info, check the Gen Con 2018 website.

Whew! So many options, I'm glad I don't have to choose which to play! I'm looking forward to a bustling convention season and hope to see many of you at a convention soon!

Until next time—Explore, Report, Cooperate!

Tonya Woldridge


Organized Play Manager