The End is the Beginning

Monday, February 20, 2012

Last week, we announced the final batch of Season 3 Pathfinder Society scenarios, as well as the Season 4 scenarios debuting at Gen Con Indy in August. As of the writing of this blog, however, no one noticed the first signs of a slight change to the Pathfinder Society scenario release schedule that these scenarios represent. So, in honor of President's Day here in the U.S., let me illuminate you!

First, since PaizoCon 2012 will be taking place in the first week of July instead of the middle of June, we decided to delay the release of the June scenarios (#3–23 and #3–24) so that they debut at PaizoCon. Since these four scenarios will be out within a week of one another for their PaizoCon debut, they will serve as the traditional four June scenarios and will wrap up the Year of the Ruby Phoenix storyline and segue straight into Season 4's metaplot.

I know many people will notice that this means Season 3 has two fewer scenarios than anticipated. That observation is correct, but unavoidable. Convention season is incredibly taxing on the limited organized play staff we have here, and doing 10 scenarios and 2 mutli-table specials in less than three months simply proved too daunting a task, especially when the finish line (meaning release date) of each month's portion of those products was often at the start or middle of a month rather than the end, when our production schedule is designed to have new material available.

What this does mean, however, is that we're moving the release of Pathfinder Society scenarios from the last week of each month to the first week of each month beginning in September. So instead of waiting nearly two months between the four Gen Con scenarios and the two follow-up adventures in September, we'll have new material roughly every four weeks. That also means that our production schedule will be able to more easily handle the extra workload each summer, as our new material will already be ready for early July and August release.

So there's a peek at what's changing in the coming months, and we've got a few more things left to reveal before Season 4 kicks off, but it's still a good five months away, so we'll hold off for those. There's still a lot of Season 3 left, after all.

Mark Moreland
Developer

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Tags: Pathfinder Society
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5/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

this might be breaking my NDA, but in season four, all players will be given puppies each time they play a scenario. GM's get two puppies and a platypus as part of the revamped GM Rewards system. Also, funny hats will now be required by all, players and GM's alike, in the campaign.

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

Matthew Starch wrote:
this might be breaking my NDA, but in season four, all players will be given puppies each time they play a scenario. GM's get two puppies and a platypus as part of the revamped GM Rewards system. Also, funny hats will now be required by all, players and GM's alike, in the campaign.

I KNEW IT!!!

Not really.

Grand Lodge 5/5

Matthew Starch wrote:
this might be breaking my NDA, but in season four, all players will be given puppies each time they play a scenario. GM's get two puppies and a platypus as part of the revamped GM Rewards system. Also, funny hats will now be required by all, players and GM's alike, in the campaign.

What kind of puppy(ies)?

Who gets to decide if the hat in question is funny enough to count?
Is there someone I can appeal 'funny hat' related questions to if the GM shoots me down?
Does it have to be a new hat every time, or can the same 'funny' hat be used for multiple scenarios?
If I dont have a funny hat, and my friend brings two, can I borrow one of his?
Define 'hat' please?

Grand Lodge 4/5

godsDMit wrote:

What kind of puppy(ies)?

Who gets to decide if the hat in question is funny enough to count?
Is there someone I can appeal 'funny hat' related questions to if the GM shoots me down?
Does it have to be a new hat every time, or can the same 'funny' hat be used for multiple scenarios?
If I dont have a funny hat, and my friend brings two, can I borrow one of his?
Define 'hat' please?

The GM will decide, but players can appeal to their local VC as long as they submit a picture of themselves wearing the hat.

You can use the same hat as long as you're playing the same character. Each character will be required to have its own funny hat.

As long as you don't re-use the funny hat for another of your own characters, you may borrow a hat from another player (this is mostly in case you unexpectedly need to roll up a new 1st-level character and neglected to bring a spare hat).

Something you wear on your head or other fleshy protuberance above the level of your shoulders.

Liberty's Edge 5/5

godsDMit wrote:
Matthew Starch wrote:
this might be breaking my NDA, but in season four, all players will be given puppies each time they play a scenario. GM's get two puppies and a platypus as part of the revamped GM Rewards system. Also, funny hats will now be required by all, players and GM's alike, in the campaign.

What kind of puppy(ies)?

Who gets to decide if the hat in question is funny enough to count?
Is there someone I can appeal 'funny hat' related questions to if the GM shoots me down?
Does it have to be a new hat every time, or can the same 'funny' hat be used for multiple scenarios?
If I dont have a funny hat, and my friend brings two, can I borrow one of his?
Define 'hat' please?

If I wear the hat on my foot, does it count? I mean that's kinda funny isn't it?

Dark Archive 4/5

3 people marked this as a favorite.

How many tricks do the puppies start with? Do they count as "combat-trained"? Can I ride the puppies in a dungeon?

More important, can I sell my puppies on Ebay?

Can I "take 10" putting on my funny hat? Can a Magus wear two funny hats per round? Do monks get Flurry-of-hats?

Liberty's Edge 5/5

Evil Ernie wrote:

How many tricks do the puppies start with? Do they count as "combat-trained"? Can I ride the puppies in a dungeon?

More important, can I sell my puppies on Ebay?

Can I "take 10" putting on my funny hat? Can a Magus wear two funny hats per round? Do monks get Flurry-of-hats?

What if my hat gets sundered? Is it still valid if wear it while broken?


Gawd, I'm gonna die. Srsly. But in the spirit...

Can we trade our puppy for a kitten? Is it bad form to put the puppy up for sale on e-Bay? If we can get it to stay put, can the puppy count as a funny hat?

Sheesh. You guys are weirdos.

:)

The Exchange 3/5

6 people marked this as a favorite.

Dude! Wait! Can't we discuss this hat policy with the community before implementation?

I mean, I'm concerned with the power level these hats will add to the game...and completely unbalance the game in favor of those with two heads! Let alone those people with big heads.

::Glances sideways at DMoon::

In addition, I'm just not looking forward to long debates of about the alignments of said hats (crooked vs. straight, atilt vs. flat aligned?).

Maybe I should set up a survey so we can vote about the hat policy?

And what about the donkeys who play PFS? Is there a policy for asshattery?

I think we should move carefully on the hat issue.

-Pain

Grand Lodge 5/5

What if my puppy EATS my hat? Do I have to stop playing? If I finish three encounters, do I still get the experience for the chronicle?

If the puppy eats one of my dice, and then it is later...recovered...is it still legal for table use?

What if two people show up wearing the same hat?

Does a cowboy hat count as a funny hat if you arent actually a cowboy?

Does the puppy count as my 'one animal' for purposes of having multiple animal companions?

Grand Lodge 5/5

asshattery lol

Grand Lodge 4/5 *

Wow, not a single actual comment... Mark must be thrilled! ;)

Silver Crusade 5/5

Scott Young wrote:

Wow, not a single actual comment... Mark must be thrilled! ;)

Well, IMO that means people are accepting the fact that Paizo is doing what it can, and do not take the decisions lightly, or the decision really doesn't affect them (my boat) and thus are more entertained by "Asshattery".

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

3 people marked this as a favorite.

The VO's and M&M are deep in discussion how the Puppy/Hat rules will be applied and we should have it ready sometime in the near future. Until then, just continue to default to your table GM's decision and be prepared for table variation. If you are not prepared for different GM's to rule differently, then you should avoid building characters that depend on the Puppy/Hat rules as part of their schtick.

;-)

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

I am a Cat person...

Liberty's Edge 4/5

what kind of funny hat will Jason Bulmahn have to wear? What about Kyle? Will he get badges for his hat for PC kills? What if he kills my puppy can I get a new one? :)

Mike

Scarab Sages

Gah! What about people like me who are allergic to puppies?!
On another note, platypuses are exotic pets and require special licenses to own. Is Paizo going to be handing out these licenses as well with each platypus?

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

Can I show up just wearing the funny hat?

Scarab Sages

Dragnmoon wrote:
Can I show up just wearing the funny hat?

Only if it is otherwise legal in your area. I.e. playing at a strip club or on a nudist beach.

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
Deidre Tiriel wrote:
Only if it is otherwise legal in your area. I.e. playing at a strip club or on a nudist beach.

PFS NudeCon 2013!

1/5

From the Family Learning Channel:

Silly hats only

Scarab Sages

Dragnmoon wrote:
Deidre Tiriel wrote:
Only if it is otherwise legal in your area. I.e. playing at a strip club or on a nudist beach.
PFS NudeCon 2013!

*Thinks about some of the people I play with and shudders*

Silver Crusade 5/5

Deidre Tiriel wrote:
Dragnmoon wrote:
Deidre Tiriel wrote:
Only if it is otherwise legal in your area. I.e. playing at a strip club or on a nudist beach.
PFS NudeCon 2013!
*Thinks about some of the people I play with and shudders*

I think most of the people I play with that would make me shudder would have enough sense not to go to NudeCon...but then again I could be wrong. Either way, my scrawny white butt will not be there.

Grand Lodge 5/5

Dragnmoon wrote:
I am a Cat person...

I hear that cats are advocates for reinstating Play Play Play.


godsDMit wrote:
Dragnmoon wrote:
I am a Cat person...
I hear that cats are advocates for reinstating Play Play Play.

Don't believe everything you use Diplomacy to gather information about...

Silver Crusade 5/5

Alitan wrote:
godsDMit wrote:
Dragnmoon wrote:
I am a Cat person...
I hear that cats are advocates for reinstating Play Play Play.
Don't believe everything you use Diplomacy to gather information about...

Especially when you use Charisma as a dump stat.

NEW IDEA!!! Feed my players bad information when they fail their gather info rolls! Like obviously bad stuff, but enough to at least get a smile. Or a pity smile. Either way works for me.

Grand Lodge 5/5

I like the release schedule at least for season four.

But lately I been having some thoughts on Pathfinder Scenarios in general though from the Convention I just attended this last weekend. Basically it comes down to this. There is no incentive to really truly level characters any more past 5th level and even then not so much. Conventions and events in general do not run high level events because no one really signs up for them that much.

In my home event that I help coordinate I am having problems getting some of the newer players to level their characters up because they can and often do create new characters and they have so many of them... they just do not really want to level up further then maybe third level.

I almost have to fight tooth and nail to get some people to level up their characters that I have so far and they are getting upwards of 5th to 7th level right now. Which is a good thing for my home event when I can run one higher level table and two to three low level tables. But it is getting to the point now where I am almost out of the low level tiered scenarios and what that means is I will start to have to tun players away because they have played them before.

I pride myself on not having to turn people away and yet it is getting to the point I have to.

Now I am not blaming the people for not leveling nor am I blaming Paizo for not writing more scenarios or releasing more in general... I guess what I am asking is that we need to come up with some way to give incentive to level up the already created characters like back in the living campaign days and yet not leave the low leveled players behind as well as the new players.

Right now they just do not have that incentive.

What do you all think???

Liberty's Edge 4/5

Deanoth, I am not quite sure I understand your statements. In the convention here in Las Vegas, NeonCon, we have plenty of higher-level play, as well as lower-level play.

And, IMO, the incentive to level a character up is to reach some of the "sweet spots" of the character's build. Very few PC builds should peak at 3rd level.

I have never played using the slow track, as yet, although I have one character who I may do that with, once he hits 5th level, and gets all teh basic needs for a fully functional build (it is not that he isn't completely playable before then, but 5th level is where he gets the feat that lets him concentrate exclusively on his weapon of choice, instead of having to carry two weapons in his hands at the same time.)

Many builds tend to rely on higher-level feats, abilities or items to get to their sweet spot, so it may be that your players are not working on builds, but purely on RP. And there is plenty of interesting RP in the higher-tier scenarios, too.

If they really, really, don't like playing to even 4th level, maybe just burn them out with a marathon sequence of First Steps scenarios, and the Tier 1-2 modules...

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

godsDMit wrote:
I hear that cats are advocates for reinstating Play Play Play.

Oh, you're cruel. I heard Dragnmoon's head was finally starting to heal :-)

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

Deanoth wrote:
What do you all think???

Most of the conventions I have attended have at least a few high-tier slots offered. Depending on the size of the convention, all of them might not go off. I just got back from GM'ing three high-tier slots at GamiCon.

As far as the local group goes, I had that same problem myself. We had players with level 5-7 PC's that couldn't play them because most kept starting new PC's at levels 3-4. Finally, I just started scheduling a table of mid/high tier. That took away one of the low-tier tables and forced players to start playing higher or possibly get turned away due to now available seats. Eventually, we could nearly guaranteed a mid/high-tier table every week if we wanted/needed to.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/5

I really enjoyed the finale to last season's Shadow Lodge story arc, the 'Shadow's Last Stand' duology. Being tier 1-7, it was open to everyone, and it was great seeing several dozen tables at PaizoCon UK all playing through this finale simultaneously.

Therefore I was a bit surprised that there doesn't seem to be an equivalent for the Ruby Phoenix season of scenarios. #3-25 & #3-36 appear to be linked, but #3-26 is tier 7-11, so only open to a minority of players. Or am I missing something?

Having said all that, I'm really looking forward to season 4. Some of my current PFS regulars are veterans of the Curse of Crimson Throne AP (which I GMed), so more Varisian adventures are very welcome indeed.

Silver Crusade 5/5

Paz wrote:


Having said all that, I'm really looking forward to season 4. Some of my current PFS regulars are veterans of the Curse of Crimson Throne AP (which I GMed), so more Varisian adventures are very welcome indeed.

Did I miss an announcement of the season 4 story arc?

EDIT: Apparently so...I just saw the 6 scenarios to be released in August. Looks like fun.

2/5 *

Paz wrote:
Therefore I was a bit surprised that there doesn't seem to be an equivalent for the Ruby Phoenix season of scenarios. #3-25 & #3-36 appear to be linked, but #3-26 is tier 7-11, so only open to a minority of players. Or am I missing something?

I'm actually really disappointed in the Year of the Phoenix. It feels that theme was only selected so that it supported Paizo's Asian "Dragon Empire" products, of which I have no interest at all in. If they wanted to add a couple of asian scenarios, I'd be ok with that, just don't derail the entire campaign to focus on something meaningless (marketing). I hope the trend doesn't continue and PFS has a little bit more independent focus.

Silver Crusade 5/5

Jason S wrote:

[I'm actually really disappointed in the Year of the Phoenix. It feels that theme was only selected so that it supported Paizo's Asian "Dragon Empire" products, of which I have no interest at all in. If they wanted to add a couple of asian scenarios, I'd be ok with that, just don't derail the entire campaign to focus on something meaningless (marketing). I hope the trend doesn't continue and PFS has a little bit more independent focus.

I always take what they offer in PFS with a grain of salt. PFS is a giant marketing tool for Paizo, and really nothing else. It's there to generate buzz and money. No, this season I don't have a strong desire to play the dragon empires stuff, but I still support it because I support Paizo as a whole. I recognize that they will not please me every time, but they've been more on the mark than off with their products.

I can see why Jade Regent needed a major marketing push. It seemed kind of weak from the get go, but had a definite population segment seriously interested in it.

Just looking at their AP's, which every other product seems to spin off of and rating them 1-5 with 5 being I will play this eventually by god.

runelords 5
Crimson throne 2 (Most of my home players are playing this under another GM)
Darkness 1 (based on the fact I just did an underdark/drow homebrew)
LoF 4
CoT 3
Kingmaker 5
Serpents Skull 2
Carrion Crown 5 (playing now)
Jade Regent 1 (no interest in asian themed)
Skull & Shackles 5

So, I guess my rambling post's bottom line is "PFS is a marketing tool, and we need to keep that in mind, and that by playing it, we support our hobby, which needs us if we want it to stick around"

The Exchange 5/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

and I was so enjoying the Puppy/Hat discussions.

sigh. and no one even mentioned "re-skinning"... on second thought that may have been a good think.

returning you to your regular programming now.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

Jason S wrote:
disappointed in the Year of the Phoenix

To be fair, the Campaign Director changed at the outset of the season, so Mike may not have total insight into what the former one had in mind. Remember also that PFS is a marketing tool for the greater PFRPG product line. If the majority of their efforts this year were going in the direction of Asian-themed material, it only makes sense for them to support that through OP.

I have read/played/GM'd six of the season three scenarios but only one was related to the metaplot so I cannot speak to the quality of the writing. The Rube Phoenix Tournament module seems to represent the capstone of this season, but that would draw some ire due to its level range and how the new rules treat modules.

Grand Lodge 4/5

Bob Jonquet wrote:
The Rube Phoenix Tournament module...

Freudian slip, Bob?

Grand Lodge 5/5

nosig wrote:

and I was so enjoying the Puppy/Hat discussions.

sigh. and no one even mentioned "re-skinning"... on second thought that may have been a good think.

returning you to your regular programming now.

I directed a friend to this thread for the puppy/hat conversation. He was amazed there wasnt even a single reference to Team Fortress 2. :/

On topic, Im not really big into the asian setting myself, but Im not necessarily opposed to it being in there.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

Jonathan Cary wrote:
Freudian slip, Bob?

I haven't read/player the mod yet, but doesn't the opening scene have someone yell, "Hey y'all look what I can do...hold my beer"

Silver Crusade 5/5

I had to look up what a rube was to understand, and I suspect Bob may have had to as well, but I could be wrong. :P

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

Dan Luckett wrote:
I suspect Bob may have had to as well

Naw, I've been accused of being one, although I don't drink anymore :-)

Silver Crusade 5/5

ah, that explains it. I've been accused of being the opposite. A highbrow elitist prick. Though my accusers obviously haven't been to one of my family reunions. :P

Liberty's Edge 4/5

Bob Jonquet wrote:
Dan Luckett wrote:
I suspect Bob may have had to as well
Naw, I've been accused of being one, although I don't drink anymore :-)

It is simply amazing to me how some people go for the usually-unused (in my experience) dictionary meaning of a word, and others of us think of the much more commonly known (IMO) slang meaning of the word.

To me, Rube is part of "Hey Rube!" which is a warning cry, referring to outsiders attempting to strongarm their way into someone's goods/space/etc. (Look up circus & carnie)

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

Callarek wrote:
It is simply amazing...

Really? 'cause I have never heard rube used that way before. Perhaps it is not as "common" as you think. Or maybe I'm just more like the usually-unused dictionary meaning than I thought ;-)

Liberty's Edge 4/5

Bob Jonquet wrote:
Callarek wrote:
It is simply amazing...
Really? 'cause I have never heard rube used that way before. Perhaps it is not as "common" as you think. Or maybe I'm just more like the usually-unused dictionary meaning than I thought ;-)

Nah, it's probably because I read too much. ;)

Silver Crusade 5/5

Yea, I've never heard it used that way either, but then again I had to look it up. :P

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

Having just scoured the internet for Carnie slang when trying to come up with a title for the forthcoming Pathfinder Module Murder's Mark, I have the circus slang on my brain when the word comes up. Also, Rube Goldberg.

The Exchange 5/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I first ran across the use of the term in Heinleins "Stranger in a Strange Land" and it was the Carnie slang. "Hay Rube!" would get all the Circus Vendors to rush to aid their fellows...

Otherwise - I'd also figure it was referanceing Rube Goldberg.

4/5 ****

I remember Jonathan Tweet using it several times in Over the Edge as somebody not streetwise, easily fleeced. Although he also, and probably more frequently used burger to mean the same thing.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

nosig wrote:
"Stranger in a Strange Land"

I haven't read it since I was a kid, but just got an original text copy and plan to read it again soon. I will be watching for the "rube" reference.

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