My local players are always looking for nearby events, so feel free to send me message if you plan on having any conventions or weekend game day, and I will pass on the word.
First welcome to PFS and thanks for organizing and GMing.
Before I can suggest specific scenarios, I suggest that you first pick a particular season of scenarios that you wish to play. Each season typically has one overarching story with two or three set of main plot lines. The last three seasons (Seasons 3-5) have scenarios that have lead up and introduced the overarching plot for the next season.
The main overarching plots for each of the seasons are as follows:
Season 0: Introduction to the Society and Inner Sea Setting
Season 1: More Introductions / Rise of Shadow Lodge
Season 2: Year of Shadow Lodge
Season 3: Ruby Phoenix Tournament (Before and After the Tournament)
Season 4: Year of the Waking Rune (Cult of Lissla)
Season 5: Year of the Demon (Worldwound Crusade)
My suggestions for scenarios that introduce and progress the story for each of the seasons are as follows
Season 0
Spoiler:
00-01 Silent Tide, S00-04 The Frozen Fingers of Midnight , S00-05 Mists of Mwangi, S00-13 The Prince of Augustana , S00-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch, and S00-22 Fingerprints of the Fiend.
Season 1
Spoiler:
S01-29 The Devil We Know, Part I: Shipyard Rats, S01-30 The Devil We Know, Part II: Cassomir’s Locker, S01-41 The Devil We Know, Part III: Crypt of Fools, S01-48 The Devil We Know, Part IV: Rules of the Swift, S01-45 Delirium’s Tangle S01-35 Voice in the Void, S01-51 The City of Strangers, Part I: The Shadow Gambit, and S01-52 The City of Strangers, Part II: The Twofold Demise.
Season 2 Year of the Shadow Lodge
Spoiler:
For shadow lodge scenarios:
S00-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch, S01-45 Delirium’s Tangle, S01-51 The City of Strangers, Part I: The Shadow Gambit, S01-52 The City of Strangers, Part II: The Twofold Demise, S02-04 Shadows Fall on Absalom, S02-06 The Heresy of Man, Part I: The First Heresy, S02-07 The Heresy of Man, Part II: Where Dark Things Sleep, S02-09 The Heresy of Man, Part III: Beneath Forgotten Sands, S02-15 Shades of Ice, Part I: Written in Blood, S02-17 Shades of Ice, Part II: Exiles of Winter, S02-19 Shades of Ice, Part III: Keep of the Huscarl King, S02-20 Wrath of the Accursed, S02-21 The Dalsine Affair, S02-23 Shadow’s Last Stand, Part I: At Shadow’s Door, S02-24 Shadow’s Last Stand, Part II: Web of Corruption, S02-26 The Mantis’s Prey, S03-First Steps, Part I: In Service to Lore, S03-01 The Frostfur Captives, S04-14 My Enemy’s Enemy, and S04-23 Rivalry’s End.
For General Plot Line:
S02-01 Before the Dawn, Part I: The Bloodcove Disguise, S02-02 Before the Dawn, Part II: Rescue at Azlant Ridge, and S02-11 The Penumbral Accords.
Season 3 Ruby Phoenix Tournment
Spoiler:
Before the Tournament:
S03-03 The Ghenett Manor Gauntlet, S03-04 The Kortos Envoy, S03-09 The Quest for Perfection, Part I: The Edge of Heaven, S03-11 The Quest for Perfection, Part II: On Hostile Waters, and S03-13 The Quest for Perfection, Part III: Defenders of Nesting Swallow.
After the Tournament:
S03-12 Wonders in the Weave, Part I: The Dog Pharaoh’s Tomb, S03-14 Wonders in the Weave, Part II: Snakes in the Fold, S03-19 The Icebound Outpost, S03-20 The Rats of Round Mountain, Part I: The Sundered Path, S03-22 The Rats of Round Mountain, Part II: Pagoda of the Rat, S03-21 The Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment, S03-25 Storming the Diamond Gate, S03-26 Portal of the Sacred Rune , and S04-16 The Fabric of Reality.
General Plot Line:
S03-03 The Ghenett Manor Gauntlet, S03-07 Echoes of the Overwatched, S03-16 Midnight Mauler, and S03-24 The Golden Serpent.
Season 4 Year of the Waking Rune
Spoiler:
Waking Rune Arch
S03-25 Storming the Diamond Gate, S03-26 Portal of the Sacred Rune, S04-08 The Cultist’s Kiss, S04-10 Feast of Sigils, S04-12 The Refuge of Time, S04-20 Words of the Ancients, and S04-26 The Waking Rune.
Blakros Arch (Major Plot Line through all seasons and still ongoing):
S00-05 Mists of Mwangi, S01-35 Voice in the Void, S02-11 The Penumbral Accords, S03-07 Echoes of the Overwatched, S04-09 The Blakros Matrimony, S05-03 The Hellknight’s Feast, S05-14 Day of the Demon, SP Ruins of Bonekeep-Level 1: The Silent Grave, SP Ruins of Bonekeep-Level 2: Maze of the Mind Slave.
General Plot Line:
S04-07 Severing Ties, S04-09 The Blakros Matrimony, S04-11 The Disappeared, S04-13 Fortress of the Nail, S04-17 Tower of the Ironwood Watch, S04-18 The Veteran’s Vault, S04-19 The Night March of Kalkamedes, S04-21 Way of the Kirin, S04-22 Halls of Dwarven Lore, S04-24 The Price of Friendship, and S04-25 The Secrets Stones Keep.
Season 5 Year of the Demon
Spoiler:
Worldwound/Sky Citadel [ongoing]:
S02-08 The Sarkorian Prophecy, S04-17 Tower of the Ironwood Watch, S04-19 The Night March of Kalkamedes, S04-22 Halls of Dwarven Lore, S04-24 The Price of Friendship,S04-25 The Secrets StonesS05-02 The Wardstone Patrol, S05-09 The Traitor’s Lodge, S05-10 Where Mammoths Dare Not Tread, and S05-13 Weapon in the Rift.
Helping the Crusade (ongoing):
S03-03 The Ghenett Manor Gauntlet, S05-01 The Glass River Rescue, S05-03 The Hellknight’s Feast, S05-04 The Stolen Heir, S05-05 The Elven Entanglement, S05-06 You Have What You Hold, S05-07 Port Godless, and S05-11 Library of the Lion.
Destiny of the Sands/Other Faction Goals (ongoing:
S00-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch, S01-51 The City of Strangers, Part I: The Shadow Gambit, S01-52 The City of Strangers, Part II: The Twofold Demise, S02-23 Shadow’s Last Stand, Part I: At Shadow’s Door, S02-24 Shadow’s Last Stand, Part II: Web of Corruption, S04-13 Fortress of the Nail, S04-14 My Enemy’s Enemy, S04-18 The Veteran’s Vault, S04-23 Rivalry’s End, S05-06 You Have What You Hold, S05-07 Port Godless, S05-12 Destiny of the Sands Part 1: The Bitter Bargain, S05-15 Destiny of the Sands Part 2: Race to Seeker’s Folly, S05-16 Destiny of the Sands Part 3: Sanctum of the Sages.
I may be missing a few scenarios, but that should give you a good start on trying to figure of the plot of PFS. My advice is to try to with a few of the older seasons and get some of the background information, before playing the newest scenarios such as Destiny in the Sands.
There are two ways to play adventure paths: module mode and campaign mode.
In module mode, everyone brings a PFS character of the proper level and you run only the sections of the adventure that are listed on the chronicle sheets. After you complete the listed sections, you get a chronicle sheet with everything listed on it with only items the party did not find missing.
In campaign mode, the players make characters and play the adventure path as if it was a home game (aka only getting what they find,etc.). While the players are completing each book of the adventure path, there are assume to be running a pregenerated character through the listed module sections of that book. After the players complete the book (or the sections listed in the module mode), the GM gives everyone a chronicle sheet for that book's sanctioned areas. The players then apply the chronicle sheet to one of their PFS characters.
Regardless of the method of play, the event does need to be sanctioned on the Pazio website and everyone that played in it needs to have a PFS account.
So to answer your questions
1.) Yes, and you need to decide the mode of play.
2.) Technically yes, but the GM would need to sanction the event and include everyone that played through the adventure. Thus everyone would get a chronicle sheet and credit for playing the adventure path.
3.) You will need to create an event on Pazio's website, get an event number, and remember to track everyone that plays in the adventure path.
4.) The players would also have to have PFS accounts for you to officially to have run the adventure path.
My two favorite scenarios to GM are Day of the Demon and Red Harvest.
I like Day of the Demon, because the scenario is well written and goes a long ways in creating the haunted house on the hill type of feeling.
I personally really like the setting of Red Harvest, with the PCs actually having to travel to a far off land with unknown inhabitants. Also, all the foes are much more than your standard fighter or rouge.
A good place to start for low level characters would be with the Tier 1-2 Blakros Family Scenarios of
Spoiler:
0-05 Mist of Mwangi, 1-35 Voice in the Void, 2-11 The Penumloral Accords, and 3-07 Echoes of the Overwatched.
Those low tier Blakros scenarios eventually lead up to
Spoiler:
4-09 The Blakros Matrimony, 4-EX Day of the Demon, and 5-03 The Hellknight's Feast.
Season 5 scenarios also has the society asking other races to help with exploring the Worldwound. Earlier scenarios that deal with other race are
Spoiler:
1-37 The Beggar's Pearl and 2-13 Murder on the Throaty Mermaid.
Also, several of the season 5 scenarios deal with problems with the inner sea nations. Some of the earlier scenarios that dealt with these problems are
Spoiler:
0-07 Among the Dead, 0-13 Prince of Augustana, 0-24 Decline of Glory, The Devil We Know Saga (Parts 1-4) [1-29, 1-30, 1-41, and 1-48], and 1-49 Among the Dead.
I was wondering if it is possible to create a single, multi-day PFS event at two different locations? My region has a city with two game stores that are willing to donate their space for a mini-con, but neither store has enough space to host the event by itself. My solution would be to divide the events up between the two stores, so that we have enough space for the event and attendees would have a chance to visit both stores.
By the numbers, we are hoping for 21 table (5 time slots) event over a weekend (Friday thru Sunday). It should be noted that on a typical weekly game day, we fill four tables a session, so with a few players from out of town, this table count is doable.
I just wonder if I would have to create two events (one at each location) or can I just make one event (with plenty of instructions)?
I was reading PFS Guide and saw that Seeker characters (LV 12+) can only start a Seeker Story Arc at exactly 33 XP. So does that mean that if you play the Tier 12+ during a special with a 33 XP character, then that character will effectively be done with PFS play without a Seeker Story Arc.
Also, can Seeker Characters that have finished their Seeker Story Arc come back to play the Tier 12+ specials.
I am in the process of organizing the Seeker level play for my local region and just want to make sure I give my players the correct information.
I found the Inner Sea World Guide and the other regional books were useful only after I had played PFS for over a year. Those sources give lots of great information about the different nations, organizations, and races that come up in PFS play, which can then be used by GMs, or an experienced player in a group of newer players, to help set the tone of the adventure.
An example from last week, I was running a scenario based in Almas and explained to my players that this is the capital of Andoran. Almost instantly my players started to role play their characters a little more, like the Andoran faction PC started to act patriotic or the Taldoran faction PCs treated NPCs in a guff manner. These are small things in the overall scheme of things, but this little bit of role play can make a good session become great in the eyes of the players.
Ran Fangwood last Saturday and it took a full 8 hours. However, the PCs did take a fair bit of time discussing their next moves. A group that is kept on track should be able to finish the mod in much shorter time.
I recently GMed a scenario where all the PCs failed a reflex save from a breath weapon at the top of the first round of combat. Out of a party of 6 (not optimal) characters only one was left standing from the damage. It was very hard not to feel bad, but that is how the dice fell.The party had to retreat, which is a tactic that players need to remember is always available. Especially if the season 5 scenarios are going to be as difficult as rumors suggest.
With first steps II and III being phased out, what other tier 1-2 scenarios should be ran to introduce new players to PFS? I want to run scenarios that give the players a good overview of what sort of adventures are played in PFS.
My first choice would be #4-01 as an introduction to season 4's story, investigative encounters, and a dungeon crawl, but I don't have good choice for a third adventure.
Does anyone have a good choice for a third adventure to introduce PFS is new players?
Can spellcasters only get spells from other PCs or can they in general find any spell that they can cast to be available for them to scribe into their spellbooks between game sessions?
I had always wondered why some Chronicle Sheets have +2 Studded Leather on them for tier 7-8 and 10-11 scenarios. Shouldn't the players already have enough fame to purchase the listed item. Items made from special materials or unique items I understand could be on those Chronicle sheets, but not upgrade basic gear.
