Pathfinder Society Scenario #2-11: The Pathfinder Trials

Announced for May! Product image and description are not final and may be subject to change.

Wait is this finally multiple table special were things don't end up going wrong or is this regular con special? :O

So this is convention-only? Shame.

I assume we'll find out which conventions will have it?

Will this scenario never be available to the general public, or is it just exclusive until some time next year?

What's going to happen to this now that PaizoCon is cancelled?

Online tables?

Online tables?

It'll really depend on a lot of factors. This special was written with some, I'll call them "performance pieces" in mind, and we haven't really had a chance to see yet how much effort it's going to take to transfer this format to a virtual experience, or whether that kind of experience is going to do the things we want this adventure to do.

That's not to say we're not going to consider it or that it's not going to happen, but what a special looks like in a world where we don't have in-person conventions (particularly this specific special) is something we thought we'd have more time to consider and plan.

What is the reason for the $7.99 price tag?

Performance pieces, eh?

Sounds like a BLAST! I'm totally up for helping that happen online if it can. Otherwise, I look forward to helping up in physical space.

So this is *only* for level 1 PCs?

So this is *only* for level 1 PCs?

Correct. This adventure is essentially "Society training day", set in between initiation to the Society's colleges and graduation into full Pathfinder agent status.

So I'm confused.

It was slotted to be released in May 2020, but because of life events, it got pushed back to Octoberish. Now it's saying May 26. What's the story behind this scenario?

So I'm confused.

It was slotted to be released in May 2020, but because of life events, it got pushed back to Octoberish. Now it's saying May 26. What's the story behind this scenario?

It is indefinitely delayed until such time as we start having in-person conventions again. So the release date is projected for the next round of conventions, but until COVID is under control in the US, we can't guarantee when it will release. There are components of this adventure specifically tailored for meat space that won't translate to online play.

I would suggest that "The Pathfinder Trials" incorporate elements of the trials of Organized Play folks getting this scenario to table. There's a whole meta thing going on here that could be humorously exploited.

Surely, real-life "Pathfinder Trials" have already happened with Venture Captains, agents, and developers adapting to online conventions.

Do it!

Yrrej86 wrote:

So I'm confused.

It was slotted to be released in May 2020, but because of life events, it got pushed back to Octoberish. Now it's saying May 26. What's the story behind this scenario?

It is indefinitely delayed until such time as we start having in-person conventions again. So the release date is projected for the next round of conventions, but until COVID is under control in the US, we can't guarantee when it will release. There are components of this adventure specifically tailored for meat space that won't translate to online play.

I appreciate the reply. I haven't heard anything about it until just now. Thanks!

I would suggest...

As far as we know, the scenario is already done and ready to release. The only thing holding it up is the isolation. They usually don't make changes, especially not significant development changes after a product is completed.

I would suggest that "The Pathfinder Trials" incorporate elements of the trials of Organized Play folks getting this scenario to table. There's a whole meta thing going on here that could be humorously exploited.

Surely, real-life "Pathfinder Trials" have already happened with Venture Captains, agents, and developers adapting to online conventions.

Do it!

I would be perfectly happy to write an unofficial supplemental addendum doing just this, if Michael, Linda, James, and all other Paizoians involved would care to provide me with stat blocks for their real-life selves. ;-)

I have a convention coming up in Febuary. (On Heart weekend)

Will this be available then?

Any news regarding this scenario?

When we concepted The Pathfinder Trials, we planned for it to be a new-player friendly interactive that introduced key aspects of Pathfinder Society lore, releasing early in the PFS Second Edition campaign.

But then the pandemic happened. Instead of leaving this intro scenario on ice for an ever-increasing amount of time, we're going to convert it to a non-interactive scenario, to release as one of our two January scenarios. It will still be a level 1 repeatable adventure.

With a very 'have my cake and eat it too' mindset, I'm glad to see The Pathfinder Trials finally get released...but I hope the original concept of a new player interactive gets revisited when we're all allowed in the same room together again.

I am totally in favor of this!

Huzzah!

Cover updated.

I'm confused, is this now #2-11 as stated on the product page, or #2-12 as stated on the new cover?

2-11. We didn't bother updating the mockup cover a second time; the final cover will have the correct number.

Cover and map list updated!

Can a PC have a scenario or two under their belt (still at 1st level) and play this?

I found my answer in the recent blog:

We took the time needed to turn this product into a repeatable scenario geared towards new players and experienced (but still 1st level) Pathfinder players.

:'D Don't tell me that corona made us miss out on plush dragon prop... That would have been awesome

It looks like this scenario uses Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Noble Estate rather than Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Castles Multi-Pack.

It looks like this scenario uses Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Noble Estate rather than Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Castles Multi-Pack.

Thanks for pointing that out! It looks like the maps used were updated after I published the map list, my apologies. The list has been updated; for reference, this scenario uses the following flip-mats:

Has anyone corrected the treasure drops for this scenario? Reading the third encounter it says you get 1 treasure bundle for completing the first 3 waves (there are only 3 waves) and another 1 for completing the final combat. Even worse, the final encounter says you get 1 treasure bundle for each of the 4 combats that take place, but you only run 1 of the first 3, and then the final 1. So, it seems like there is no way for players to get all of the treasure bundles, which just seems to be written so wrong.

This was a fun module, but that last combat is a doozy. I can see it scaring away some new players to have that deadly of an encounter in a system they may just be learning for the first time.

The PDF for this adventure has been updated. If you have already downloaded this file, click the "Problems downloading this file?" link to fetch a fresh version from the server.

Changelog:

This is a worst 1st level adventure I have ever seen. Good concept, but 1st level characters are subject to massive damage, even with non-lethal damage.

TPK the party on the final fight, should have lost a character to massive damage.

I would have given 0 starts if I could have.

This is a worst 1st level adventure I have ever seen. Good concept, but 1st level characters are subject to massive damage, even with non-lethal damage.

TPK the party on the final fight, should have lost a character to massive damage.

I would have given 0 starts if I could have.

RE: Interventions

Well... that adventure is, without a doubt, the single worst Pathfinder Adventure I have ever played.

From now on I am playing Field Commissioned Agents. Because I don't want anything to do with any of those characters, in any adventure, ever again.

hahaha what jolly japes.

I cannot imagine who thought this was a good idea. People are going to buy this BECAUSE IT IS LEVEL ONE. Because it literally screams 'new players start here'.

And literal screams is what they will hear

I do think though there is no need to be spiteful towards characters(or writers. Because when you say things like that, it really sounds like you are being spiteful towards devs), I kind of treat society stuff like comic books: When there comes issue that doesn't make sense compared to overall, take it with broad strokes.

I have to say that this scenario was really enjoyable. AND, when I played it, my 24 hit point fighter got dropped in 2 hits in that final battle. Yeah, it's tough. It's supposed to be. If it's NOT challenging players lose interest. If your players want everything handed to them easily, well that's an issue for another conversation.

I enjoyed both playing and running this scenario. Players have to get creative and work together to overcome each challenge. Not every character will be built to overcome everything, so, again, players have to cooperate.

That's my pair of coppers, take it or leave it.

This product has been updated as of March 18. This is a significant revision which changes a number of encounters and brings the scenario more in line with what we believe the Pathfinder Society represents. GMs should download and use this new version and discard the old file.

I just want to thank the Organised Play team and developers for listening to the concerns, taking them seriously and somehow finding the time to make changes, which I know cannot have been easy and probably involved some hard decisions. Your willingness to hear feedback and act on it when needed is deeply appreciated and with these changes the scenario really shines as a great intro to Society play now, thank you all for your work and the efforts you take to ensure that players get the best experience they can. <3

This product has been updated as of March 18. This is a significant revision which changes a number of encounters and brings the scenario more in line with what we believe the Pathfinder Society represents. GMs should download and use this new version and discard the old file.

Does this mean that GMs who ran this previously should go back and change the reputation reporting if

Alex Speidel wrote:

This product has been updated as of March 18. This is a significant revision which changes a number of encounters and brings the scenario more in line with what we believe the Pathfinder Society represents. GMs should download and use this new version and discard the old file.

Does this mean that GMs who ran this previously should go back and change the reputation reporting if

** spoiler omitted **

No, we are not changing anything that happened. There is no way to evenly apply the changes to all games played under the older version. As a replayable scenario, players can play the updated version and get the updated rewards.

I'm glad to see the response folks have had to this revision, and I hope it runs much more smoothly at all of your tables.

The revision wasn't just the work of OP developers; it also took the efforts of Alex and Tonya, as well as editors, art team members, project management, and customer service. I appreciate the hard work everyone put in to make this possible. A revision on this scale isn't something we can undertake lightly, but this scenario's unique circumstances of production combined with its role as an introductory scenario made it worthwhile.

Holy crap, didn't realize this got a revision :O I think it is email worthy

But yeah, hopefully revisions help scenario and also turn reviews into more positive direction ^_^; I didn't find scenario as bad as most of the reviews, but I definitely saw were they were coming from, so I'm now interested in seeing how they fixed the glaring stuff

Wow, there are indeed lot of great changes, both difficulty wise to feel less punishing to newbies but also in making society much MUCH more friendly with less hazing involved :'D

The hazing should definitely be left back in 4709/4710. The Society has grown past that.