Mr. Fred's page

Just to translate the previous post (don't shoot the messenger)

There is an issue in the solarian Pregen where the solar weapon is not into it
1st level : no information but Solar shot is decibed
the same with the level 5
----
I haven't checked the pregen sheet, but I know this is actually the case in foundry. I will contact the author to learn more about that

Jared Thaler - Personal Opinion wrote:

umopapisdnupsidedown wrote:

I would also like to see a provision explicitly allowing GM discretion for enemies to retreat or surrender when it makes sense for them to do so. It's written into some scenarios but not others.

This is already explicitly allowed, though it could be clearer. Morale is a part of the tactics section, and tactics are one of the things GMs are already specifically allowed to change if the existing tactics no longer apply due to player actions.

I would like greater clarity on this as it wasn’t clear to me how much leeway a GM had in calling a battle.

Actually you could run those scenario in the time if you switch to a pure mechanical approach (what I refer to the Hero Quest mode, with no connotations), where the game is mainly a tactical board game. some like it, other doesn't and consider the experience as not fun.

I'm planning my games on 5 hours slots (online) and most of the time I don't have to skip battles. This happens
- With adventures containing influence encounter, where players tends to spend lots of time on
- With some adventures like "Ukuja the First Wall" or "Island of the Vibrant death" ... sometimes it is just because players got unlucky and one of the previous battle last too long, or sometimes it is because there were too much encounters (which happens, as someone said above, authors are also humans).

I am sure I have also to improve my time management somehow

As a rule of thumb, outside convention, When I plan a tier 5 or more I organize it on 2 sessions of 4 hours, to ensure we have enough time. Between Rushing a battle with silly monster strategy or take the time to provide (some) tactical challenges to the players who are looking for it at the price of skipping another less important-to-the-story battle ...

We're getting slighting out of scope, but those are the guidelines I fell I am missing in the run as written.

BTW thank you for all your reaction, it's important we don't feel alone against this topic !!

Hello,
I am Glad that this discussion is opened as I've had a lot with Organized play GMs, be they Venture officer or GM. To start with I'd like to remind that this section about run as written should be read along with the GM Discretion section available here : https://lorespire.paizo.com/tiki-index.php?page=Guide-to-Organized-Play:-Pa thfinder-Society---Second-Edition#GM_Discretion .

This section provides guidelines and some freedom to the Game Master like rewarding roleplaying or creative ideas. Some of the players/GM I am discussing with are for instance frustrated that their life within of their character the society is not taken into consideration; i.e. if they have already encountered this creature, they should know some of their identified weaknesses (who can count all the battles against skeletton ;-) or if they have already visited Oppara, they should get a bonus with recall knowledge. I usually that it is "unfortunately" at their GM discretion and that they should try (but not insist).

In my games, I am quiet unconfortable with batles as I usually spend more time on social and investigation, it happens often that I have to skip encounters. I would expect a "good" rule regarding this
- Encounters without Treasure bundle and no direct impact on the plot (let's call them side encounters) -- Could be Skipped or played through story telling

But what about side battles with Treasure bundle ? Should I give them the TB or not , oes it mean that If I am late in my time keeping or just let the player have fun where that want to have fun, they should get a penalty in TB. Battles with a direct plot implication shouldn't be skipped, and though they can be easily identifiable, I wonder if we shouldn't tag them in the future to ensure that they happens always at any table)

I'd say that for the rest I do agree with the propose text !!

Hello, Shan't this scenario have the Godsrain Tag as well ?

I am glad to see the CUP back, and the FCP staying and be used for "small" profit use.

I hope there will be a good way for Paizo and its community to protect properly Paizo's IP

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you !!

Now May be I should check if this is the correct thread to provide feed-back for the erratum

Hello,
Unless mistaken, I haven't seen this discrepency on the Erratum related to the Suppressed condition. I've noticed a difference in it definition
- P112 : " A suppressed target takes a –1 circumstance penalty on attack rolls and takes a –10-foot status penalty to its Speeds."
- P255: "You take a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls and take a –5-foot status penalty to all your Speeds.

there's a difference in the penalty to speed (10 or 5 feet). if I remember well, during the field test the suppressed condition was errated from 5 to 10. So I guess the valid answer is "10 feet" :-)

I wish the FCP would extend Videos to tutorials and not only .. liveplay

A bit above your post Mark acknowledged that currently there is a gap in the FCP vs the CUP in allowing translations, and they are looking into options to make that available again.

Woooo this is so empathetic!!

So I’d really Appreciate we stick to those questions

This is so messed up. Mark, Paizo... a game lives and dies by its community. You can't just shut them out like this. This is worse than the OGL debacle, because this was done TO YOU first by Wizards. And now you're pulling something similar with Pathfinder's community? How is this remotely fair?

Orion, I don't think we should go on that direction, we are providing input to mark. I really think that we are missing a part of the CUP that facilitate non-monetized fan content that contributed to Paizo's successin the last years.

I wouldn't have adopted Paizo without those content and decided to contribute because the CUP allowed to do more. And I know I am not the only one by speaking with other players accross the world.

I really consider the FCP should take non-profit usage with more consideration and flexibility... somehow aren't we hidden marketting force for Paizo TTRPGs ?

Mark,
Early this morning, people in Europe learned about the replacement of the PCUP by the FCP. In my community, Pathfinder-fr, the last time I felt this level of despair and low morale was during the OGL-Gate. WOTC decided to change the game, ensuring every product would be released through their platform, giving them the final word on what is acceptable in a creator’s product. This was just one of many changes the OGL-Gate brought.

On Sunday evening, the developer team in charge of the Pathfinder 2e game system for Foundry publicly praised one of our members for her work. The next day, after reading the content of the FCP, we realized that all the work done by our volunteers, not only for our translation projects but also all our adoption initiatives, would have to stop or be considered illegal. The PCUP was replaced by the FCP without any notice—this is a cold shower.

With this announcement, I don’t know if Paizo botched its diplomacy check or critted on a demoralized check for our community, but all our volunteers are totally discouraged.

From your previous answer to Rectulo, I understand that you are not aware of the situation abroad. Briefly, our community has been actively working on the adoption of Paizo products since Pathfinder RPG was released, providing translations where there were none, generating game aids, and building a community through wikis.

Yes, English can be a showstopper in non-English speaking countries, to the point of being a factor of exclusion. Your partner in France, although doing a great job, has a huge backlog. Neither the Book of the Dead nor Guns & Gears are available, and the same goes for many adventure modules or most APs. They have to be selective in what they translate and publish.
Thanks to the PCUP, our translators deliver translations of PF2E Foundry compendiums usually within a month of their publication instead of selectively month or years later. This unofficial fan-based French translation cannot be used for any commercial ends.

We had a team ready to translate the Starfinder playtest and run numerous playtest sessions to raise interest and adoption of this new game in French-speaking regions, but this project is now at a standstill.

Here are a few use cases for which I would like to understand how to proceed under the FCP (considering how it worked under the PCUP). Please keep in mind that all these:
• Fan-made translations to bring adoption to new players who don't speak English. Using Golarion or Pact World lore is crucial to facilitate their later transition to commercial publications.
• Publication of community-written adventures for beginners, including a VTT module, usually set in Golarion or the Pact Worlds to ease the transition to mainstream publications. Of course, we could use Infinite, though it means removing all illustrations as they are AI-generated and ensuring we choose subjects that you “unilaterally” consider suitable.
• Publication of YouTube videos intended to explain how it’s played or to introduce potential players to Pathfinder or Starfinder. These are not “live play of game sessions,” but tutorials that would need to quote rules and lore, showing illustrations of Verces.
• Use of the translations to populate a rule-oriented Wiki.
I also wonder what translations would look like where nouns (your IP) are replaced by others to fit the FCP. Pathbuilder replaced the “Pathfinder Society Agent” feat with the “Guild Agent” feat, but still uses Abadar, etc. However, a translation where every noun is replaced would be confusing when it comes to helping people adopt Golarion. Looking at the result as a whole, it would just be plagiarism.

I appreciate the part of the FCP where fans can monetize a modest batch of their work, but for people who have been using the PCUP and spending hours providing free content, we have lost a lot.

I hope you will have the time to answer these questions, and I would really appreciate a second thought about people who have contributed to Paizo’s success as volunteers.

As far As I understand, we can still use previously allowed PCUP art for fan-based forums, youtube presentation, etc , as long as we don't monetize this at all ?
Right ?

Hum ... I feel a bit odd to have 2 flip-mat with the same name
we have now Basic Terrain and Basic Terrain (2024) , and then with the Space Station and Space station (2025), though the products are differents I really feel confused, I'd appreciate if you could think to other name or suffixes like "Second pack".
Using Second edition wouldn't be clever as those maps are edition-independant, aren't they ?

whish EU shipment will be early ;-)

awesome ... can't wait to get to know Dae as well !!

CalmCyborg wrote:

I don't see mention of Starship Combat so guessing this isn't going to be included in this playtest?

Also, should we expect the final version August 2025 or maybe sooner(hopefully)?

Final version of SF2E will be GenCon 2025's release, so it'll be around July/August next year. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

As for the Starship Combat, as of PaizoCon, Thurston and the rest of the Starfinder team are actively working on it, but from the sounds of it, we won't get those rules as part of the initial playtest, no. Likely it'd be either in a future playtest, or as part of one of the first expansion books. We'll just have to wait and see.

Wise enough, let's have an expansion with spaceships and mechas and mecha-spaceships :-)

I went through the AP yesterday evening and ... I was terrifically impressed by the story, and the idea behind !!

I won't have the time to run it and I hope I'll be able to run it on SF2 when Mecha rules will be available as it would be a pure waste not to live the story told by Mechageddon

Bravo la team !!!

Will it get the new-style cover (the one using the SF2 logo) ?

I can't wait for this one !! this the map missing to run Bluerise breakout again ^^

Indeed, I think the name should be re-evaluated as I had the very same thought about it

Though happy to get those !!

Some of my friends are already thinking this season will involve Tar-Baphon... I wonder why, though it might be interesting to see how this super-vilain will be impacted by the war of immortal.

I can wait to get this season, but not too long !!!!

BTW, Is Paizo considering premium VTT modules for this season ?

Congratulations !!

I hope Paizo will also put on the market a foundry module like for season 6 at Product Launch

I just found this page, is it so that now montlhy shipment information will be on the january thread ?

awesome !!

a dead planet Hatching ... That Reminds me of an episode of Dr Who with the moon Hatching, I love it and eager to run it

There is no way we could start right now ? ;-)

And of course, I am asking it and praying for it ... A Foundry module for this season ... Please !!!!

I have contacted customer support as this is the standard process in this case

Yes :-) Let's go to Jamelray !!

Is there any chance we could get high level updates between versions ?

BTW, is it considerred as AP#52 ?

Hi there, I was wondering how many of use would purchase VTT modules for this iconic AP and I thought that providing Paizo some insight could provide some decision making elements.
So if you could vote on the Frameadate poll

https://framadate.org/c9uCkNcDj22wiOFG

Mr. Fred wrote:

Regarding VTT, do you plan to offer a foundry VTT (or other VTT) for Scoured stars, like those awesome starfinder society scenarios modules I have been using ?

This product is not currently on our Foundry list, but, as always, let us know if there are people who wish to see it. Thank you.

I clearly and deeply wish to see it on your Foundry list !!

There must be Filler content as 12 SFS Scenarios represents 3 levels
Where the campaign's description is announcing a coverage from level 1 to 15.
Unless this is a first official AP where there are gap in terms of level.

I'll Buy it only if it is coming with a foundry module... and I am eager to read about this module coming along with the campaign's street date, even if I have to have module updates every month !!

@Redelia, is this classroom specific for PbP, meaning that if we consider ourselves as a seasoned GM, we could learn the PbP (or PbD) tricks and trips ?
Will this classroom take into consideration different levels in the English language for non-native english speakers ?

Hello
In absence of details, I wouldn't roll deception and let the PCs roll for Sense motive whenever they ask for. an alternative is to run deception roll each time the there is a statement about Barnaby telling lies.
Rolling that often dice, even in secret would hint the players and this is why I would not got that way.

Mr. Fred wrote:

Hello is this discount coming on top of Paizo advantage's ?

It does not stack.

So it is unfortunately no real sales for your subscribers, your Paizo advantage customers and Fans

Hello is this discount coming on top of Paizo advantage's ?

Regarding VTT, do you plan to offer a foundry VTT (or other VTT) for Scoured stars, like those awesome starfinder society scenarios modules I have been using ?

Hum, that is a significant increase !! especially for bigger books.
If I am not mistaken a book like Mwangi Expanse would switch from 49,99 to 79,99 which is quiete Huge.
I'd say, I am more concern on the impact it will have on Europe VAT regulation, involving lots of administrative fees on Paizo's shipments because we will have subscription shipment order over 150$ more often.

Actually, every bounty is quiet simple, the text are usually short and straight to the point.
I would recommend Bounty 6 : Road from Otari, that can offer lots of opportunity of roleplaying and a quiete basic (but not that basic) encounter

I've been looking within the book for a long time nad haven't been able to find wether each story was built for 4 players or 6 players; Usually most Starfinder modules considers 6 players if i am not mistaken

Hi all! Please remember to submit bug reports through the service portal linked on the landing journal entry or directly via this link: https://support.sigil-services.com/. That's the best place to make sure the developers see it. Thanks!

unfortunately, I tried to report an issue with one of the package, but when I click on "Submit your message" button, I get Json errors with a prompt to try later

Hello, Is there any discount foreseen if we had previously purchased the first asset pack containing 6-01 and 6-02 ?

Hi,
I just went trough the first playtest report that was made available https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sidw?Reports-from-the-Field-Starf inder-Second
and even if this look promising I am starting to fear that close combat characters won't have enough spotlights.

the 4 classes presented in the report, especially the operative and the soldat where describe as class that would focus on ranged combat. However, it would be unfortunate that starfinder 2e becomes a "ranged-battles" only systems.

In space fantasy stories, ranged battles are extremely frequent, though you always have close combattants that reach those ranged combattants forcing them to switch to close combat.

I really hope that the solarien won't be the "only" class with close combat capabilities but that the Operative and the Soldier will see a few options as well. Unless envoys will be THE close combattant ( : -) )

Still waiting for premium content and bounties to be updated :(

The Starfinder (SFRPG) brand has produced a huge amount of excellent adventure path and standalone module. I would say, to my humble opinion that this content is even superior to content found in Pathfinder 2 (PF2e) whose quality standards is already extremely High.

I haven't played Pathfinder 1 (PFRPG) , but I have seen lots of GM struggling in converting PFRPG adventure path to be able to run them in PF2e.

As we are early in the design phase of SF2e, I would like that the dev team to keep in mind the ability to convert former adventures to 2nd edition.

Providing,simple document with statsblock and loot for each AP/standalone module. Personally, I would willingly pay for them.

the Starfinder universe would be the same without a few of these scenario playable : Drift Hackers, Drift Crashers, Dead Sun, Attack of the swarm or even redshift Rally (for the example)

as of now, Precog or witchwarper have their own spell list. I believe that in Starfinder 2, they will keep their own spell list that could be a mix of multiple traditions.

I anticipate that the spell list proposed in SF2e will probably be rather different from the spell list in PF2e.
Of course you could use spells from PathFinder 2 in Starfinder 2 but what would be the intent ? Why learn a 3rd level spell like "fly", when everyone can purchase a jet pack ?

So Spells in Starfinder need to be useful in a space situation, Mystics are not priest, Technomancers are not wizard nor sorcerer (or even witch), the dev team has made it clear that there was no point in just transposing PF2e classes in SF2e but to create classes that fits with the settings. Technomancers are not just mage, they are expert at blending Magic and technology

On the other hand, even If I'd wish that class like precog and Witchwarper would be presenter in SF2E corebook, and may be they will disapear in 2nd edition (my favorite class is the precog)

Hey, it not because both games are compatible that they wont differ to adapt to the context

Long time ago, some games were all based on the same "compatible" system (I think it was name chaosium D100); RuneQuest, HawkMoon, Chtullu, ...
though they were using the same rule engine, the set of skills were adapted to each game context. we could also talk about the different book in the World of darkness (Vampire, WereWolf, Vampire, Changeling,...) using the same rules and 100% compatible.

I think that in the world of Starfinder, Magic is still present, Howerver, the distinction between Arcana, Nature, Occultism and religion is less important and will probably continue to be grouped under the label "Mysticism", leaving some space for Physical science, life science and piloting, the latest being more relevant in Starfinder settings.

Ok, some other skills could (or not) be renamed like
- Engineering to crafting (not fan of it, it's removing a part of the technological progress)
- Sleight of the hand into Thievery (yay !! )
- Culture into Society (I actually prefer culture)
- Sense motive moved to perception and thus not being a skill as such

I am not worried about those items, personally. The team behind SF2 is the team that has worked on drift crisis, they know and I think they enjoy Starfinder, its universe and the atmosphere that must be kept to ensure Starfinder 2 will provide the same experience as SFRPG

I hope, this is not related with the big event that was announced for PF2e's golarion.
in 323 AF, Zon Kuthon and Shelyn are still distinct deities and I wouldn't enjoy that events from the past suddenly change the lore in a future we already know.
I've heard rumor of Thorag being the god who would die in this event... and that would feel cheesy as Thorag is supposed to have stayed on Golarion to protect it after the planet disapearance, during the gap