Congratulations to all GMs who attained 5* status. Your dedication, and investment of time and money is appreciated.
A special congratulations to Chris, and big 'thank you' to her, Carol and all their minions for organising and running a throughly excellent ConTingency down in the New Forest a few weeks ago.
Much PFS was had by all :-)
Two interactives per year, with one available at UKGE 17 is much appreciated, so 'thank you' also to Tonya, John and the team for committing to this. I understand that they take a huge amount of staff effort to produce. Looking forward to hearing how it goes at PaizoCon and running this in Birmingham in June.
(In English in case anyone else has a similar question)
I don't believe that the database knows the difference between PFS scenarios, modules, APs and 'Evergreens'.
As I understand it, the reporting is largely for recording who played/GM'd what (perhaps a bit of where) and to track faction popularity. Chronicles are the authority for XP, etc, including fast/slow track. At this time, I don't think PaizoCon have the resources, desire or need to 'adjust' the database to the extant you might wish.
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M'envoye un mail si tu as des questions supplémentaire.
So happy to see the Order back with an AP marathon. Inspiring stuff once again. I will be following your endeavours with interest over the next 9 months.
I think he was referring to time as in availability. It's hard to find Core in most areas. It's pretty big in France and online, but I'm not sure where else it really flourishes.
Hmm
Minor Thread Derail:
Hmm, I'd be interested in why you think that it is big in France? Is this simply from looking at games planned on paizo.com, or have you got that from a different source?
Core is pretty much all we run in public locations in Paris, but that is because the our Lodge has only been at this for 6 months, and in building a regular game calendar with a mix of a few folks who have played everything, and a great deal of those who are new to PFS, and new to GMing, Core has made it easy to get things off the ground. Admittedly, it is also my preference for a single rulebook for GMing and a 'traditionalist' view of races and classes which contributes ;-)
However, we are starting to programme Standard games as more Players are comfortable with the core rules, are starting a second or third Character anyway and GMs (including myself) are getting comfortable with an expanded ruleset.
Ahh. Large finger-small phone syndrome. And I have exceeded my edit time. Could a kindly moderator remove my palm from my face by correcting my mistake. Even though PFS at Expo was indeed 'slik'.
Rob Silk, Venture Captain extraordinaire and grand master at 'Player Sudoku', led the organisation of PFS at UK Games Expo in Birmingham, which ran from Friday through to Sunday. He will have all the details about numbers and such, but personally I ran 4 slots of Pathfinder Society (The Bloodcove Disguise Pts 1 & 2, and Phantom Phenomena 1-6) and GM'd Richard Pett's multi-table A Taste of the Blight in lieu of a PFS special on Saturday night. This was supported in fine atmospheric fashion by world famous 'sound dude' Benjamin Loomes.
For myself, I had a great time, with many newcomers to PFS gracing my tables; hopefully not for the last time. I also had the chance to enjoy a few slots on the picturesque side of the GM screen, playing Rise of the Goblin Guild and Library of the Lion with Terry Thambipillai, and Veteran's Vault, right until Rob turned the lights out on Sunday, with William Cheung.
A big thanks to Rob for making me so welcome, putting up with me running Core games (probably for the last time at a convention!) and for 'opening the bottle' on Saturday night ;-) And thanks to the GMs for not killing Han and laughing at my appalling dice rolling (5 sixes in a row on a d20 in the last game, one of which was a t-shirt preroll!); cursed, I tell you, cursed I was...
I’ve just re-watched Tonya Woldridge and John Compton’s recent interview on Know Direction, where they mention, among many things, the Core Campaign. Tonya specifically mentioned a possible rebranding/initiative/brainstorming of the Core Campaign. As an avid GM and Player of PFS Core games in Paris, I thought I would put my thoughts out there for discussion, with the aim of giving the Pathfinder Society team some comments/anecdotal evidence/feedback on the subject. I'm looking for more of a discussion of enhancing Core for those who already play it, than perhaps getting Core to work where it isn't. I’m really interested in those who play or run Core in their areas, and if you feel any of the options below would enhance the experience for Players and GMs of all Levels of experience. I’ve not been playing PFS long enough to consider some of the longer term or indirect effects of the thoughts presented below, so would appreciate any insight there too.
Without going into a great deal of context as preamble, I started running PFS 6 or 7 months ago (at PaizoCon France), and have stuck with the Core Campaign for several reasons. The two main ones being: simplicity (ease of introducing new Players and simplifying my task as a GM who has spent the last 30 years running games using Frank Mentor’s basic D&D ‘rainbow’ books) and the ability to generate tables in a split community (a group of diehard PFS Players who have played almost every scenario available, but only in Standard, and a growing group of new Players, who have playing almost nothing). Core gives us all we need at present for the majority of our games.
Clearly, there will eventually be a point that some newer Players want more than is in Core, and will switch over to Standard, and plans are in place to deal with that evolution as it arrives. However, I feel the value of Core could be enhanced, and given more longevity by adding a bit of flavour. The challenge I feel it eventually faces is not that it has simply fewer options, but that it is rather bland when compared to what is available to connect it to the world of Golarian and the lore of the Pathfinder Society than that allowed by Standard. If the expectation of Core is that people will eventually switch across to Standard, I completely understand why commercially that is preferable. However, including more in-game Pathfinder Society themed options does not necessarily harm that transition; indeed it could make it smoother.
I’ve thought of four approaches to perhaps enhance the Core Campaign in terms of flavour and mechanics. I have also some thoughts on possible GM or Player Boons for Core adding some elements from outside the CRB in the same way that Race Boons do for the Standard Campaign, which was something John made a note to consider during the interview, but I will save that for another post. So for enhancing Core, very briefly:
A. CRB Core. Do nothing is always an option and should be considered. Don’t change anything about the key presumptions and books necessary to play Core. Perhaps future Chronicles could always look to include something of value to the Core Campaign (mainly minor equipment, possibly a spell, etc), without actually creating a large overhead of work. This currently happens as far as I can see in Season 7, although you get little value from the older seasons. Adds a (little?) more work for the team on a regular basis to consider Core when creating Chronicles. Does not change much with the theme of the Core Campaign. You still must own the books the extra content comes from.
B. Core+ (Guide). Use the Guide to add some additional options for the Core Campaign, as it currently does in allowing you to buy a Wayfinder or use Faction Traits without the requirement for additional resources owned . Given that it isn’t printed, I’m unsure if a handful of extra pages once a year creates extra cost, beyond the expenditure to create and layout the content. Perhaps themed minor mundane equipment could be added to the Faction writeup in the same manner as the Wayfinder (Blunt Arrows for Silver Crusade, Wrist Sheath for The Exchange, etc); perhaps the same for some vanities and Wayfinder enhancements. A (significant)? amount of work once a year for the team when the new Guide is published. Adds a little more in-game Pathfinder Society flavour to the Core Campaign. You would need no other books than the CRB to play as all additional elements would be in the Guide.
C. Core+ (Chronicle). Use scenario Chronicles (and I include Chronicle Boons from other sources such as Holiday Boons and Tales Boons) to add options to the Core Campaign. Use up any available space on the chronicle to add mundane equipment, vanities and other elements that would fit. Adds a (very significant?) amount of work on a regular basis to create each Chronicle, as well as consider the effect that adding each item has. Could add lots of Society flavour to the Core Campaign and would certainly make Chronicles very valuable to your Core Character. You must own the books the extra content comes from.
D. Pathfinder Society Core Campaign. Allow the three Pathfinder Society published Resources (Seeker of Secrets, PFS Field Guide and PFS Primer) to be added to the list of allowable resources for the Core Campaign. Although there is always the danger of ‘mission creep’ and petitions could be raised for other resources to be added too, I think these three naturally complement the Core Campaign without opening the door too wide to a Standard(-). They add the much needed Pathfinder Society flavour and lore, whilst retaining the very simple nature of the Core Campaign. Hopefully, it shouldn’t add a great of work for the team, since the Additional Resources document allows nearly everything in these books for the Standard Campaign, so I presume that the content is well balanced for PFS. You would need to own these books (mostly available on PDF only these days), but it doesn’t expand the resource requirement significantly if you wish to purchase a Vanity, learn a spell, buy an item or take a Pathfinder Society Archetype. Perhaps we may even get a new Pathfinder Society publication in the future to add to these illustrious three, which could take the Core Campaign into account from the outset.
I’m not advocating drastic change, nor the addition of huge amounts of extra content, I just feel the Core Campaign as it is at the moment would benefit from being enhanced a little with some the richness of Golarion and the Society. My personal preference is for Option D, as that seems like the least amount of work for the PFS team, given that the resources are already available, and has the greatest effect on the Campaign, but has a firm limit as the three additional resources are Pathfinder Society specific. I’d also like to draw attention to the Chronicle element of Option A, which could hopefully further enhance the Core Campaign in a relevant, limited and balanced way.
All brave souls who can handle a sword, know a spell or two, or indeed bring other less obvious skills to the party are welcome to apply for a Field Commission or a scholarship in the Pathfinder Academy, before being sent into the field in missions to support the Society’s goals.
What is the Shady Dragon Lodge?
A small, but growing group of English-speaking Pathfinder Society Players based in Paris. We run games in English (but will also have the odd game in French) and are a sub-group of the larger group who run games in French. To see what our play programme is like over the next few months, visit our Warhorn page. We run scenarios every second Tuesday evening or so at UChronies Games in the 15e of Paris. To learn more about Pathfinder Society in Paris, including how to get involved, contact the local Venture Officer at:
We are running an introductory evening for folks who have never played Pathfinder Society at UChronies Games from 19h00 on Tue 24 May. If you'd like to try it out, come along for an hour or so and run a pregenerated Character through a quest for the Pathfinder Society. All you need to bring is your imagination (and some luck with dice is always preferable!)
I already offered my congratulations to Florent, but wanted to do so again publicly; and not just because he is GMing our a 3 PCs + Pregen CORE party through Emerald Spire at the moment... ;-)
And thanks to Jeff for the shout-out, and for helping me out all weekend at my first convention, running the initiative and quietly advising Players completely new-to-Pathfinder on where to find skills, HPs, attack bonuses and damage on their shiny pregen sheets made my life easier.
Unfortunately work commitments mean I won't be able to attend any other cons until later in the year, but PaizoCon UK is already in the diary and leave booked :-) Now, what to run......???
Oh, and congratulations again Florent. Well deserved.
Thanks Tonya, that's great, and although I appreciate not intended, excellent timing for us :-)
WiseWolfOfYoitsu wrote:
One of our local players made a 'Recruitment Poster' from a picture found on DeviantArt. The artist is Setvasai on DeviantArt. I believe that SirGeshko was the one to originally commission the art.
Looks good. However, I'm not well versed in copyright or use of images from the Internet for public distribution save those contained within Paizo's Community Use Policy. Without derailing this thread (so happy to take a PM) is art by someone else, using art by someone on DeviantArt, all above board?
Admirable stuff Adam (DM OotAD as opposed to Adam (Developer)!).
Running one really long session with such an abundance of creativity and immersion to support the story is quite outstanding. To maintain this, over what will be 6 sessions in as many months, without a drop in GM or Player enthusiasm, commitment and quality of work is really quite impressive.
I note your namesake did its work again. In 28 hours of continuous play last weekend, I think we managed about 3 confirmed criticals (2 DM & 1 Player). There were plenty of 20s, but they all seemed to be followed by a 4 or the like. Thanks again for inspiring us to undertake something similar, though on a much smaller scale (both in terms of ambition and opponents!). Really looking forward to seeing the outcome of the Giantslayer Endeavour and your notes as you look back on what you've achieved.
I imagine it will all be a bit emotional when the last encounter is done at the end of module 6 :-)
So, inspired by the Order of the Amber Die's Giantslayer Endeavour, and looking for something special to do this Summer for my group, the ACCoA are going to have their own marathon session to start the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path.
We kick off at 8 o'clock on Saturday 1st August, and are going to finish with a BBQ lunch after stopping the game at midday on Sunday 2nd August. Hopefully we will be well through the first chapter by then, but how far we get is in Fate's hands, and how we continue is still to be discussed.
Although I've been working on this for a couple months now and I am pretty much done, I'm going to use this thread to post some of our preparatory work this week leading up to the game starting, and to highlight some community material we have used. Then the Players and I will update it throughout the weekend so you can follow our adventures if you wish. You will hear lots from one Player in particular as he has volunteered to be the 'Publicist'.
