Pathfinder Lost Omens: Pathfinder Society Guide

4.70/5 (based on 3 ratings)
Pathfinder Lost Omens: Pathfinder Society Guide
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The Pathfinder Society is a globe-trotting organization of adventurers, scholars, and warriors all dedicated to exploration, collecting lost knowledge and treasure, and sharing it with the world. Lost Omens: Pathfinder Society Guide details everything players and GMs need to know about the Pathfinder Society, from the basics of membership, to the Society's various factions, to the various lodges littered throughout the Inner Sea region. This book is the go-to source for the history and lore of the Pathfinder Society and features new rules content including new equipment, wayfinders, and support for Pathfinder-related archetypes! A useful book in its own right, this helpful volume is a must-have for participants in Paizo's massive Pathfinder Society worldwide organized play campaign, and a great way to get involved in the international campaign!

Written by: Kate Baker, James Case, John Compton, Vanessa Hoskins, Mike Kimmel, Ron Lundeen, Dennis Muldoon, k. tessa newton, Michael Sayre, Clark Valentine, Tonya Woldridge, and Linda Zayas-Palmer

ISBN-13: 978-1-64078-278-5

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Pathfinder Nexus on Demiplane
Archives of Nethys

Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscription.

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4.70/5 (based on 3 ratings)

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5/5


I like the book, but I have nitpicks

4/5

So oki, this is both wonderful book for detailing lot of before undetailed venture captain and lodges while also working as recap book for events of 10 years of 1e society as well. It introduces new plot hooks we might see featured in 2e scenarios and we learn canonical outcome of some scenarios that haven't gotten sequels yet.

My main nitpick here is big omissions(such as Shattered Star being completely ignored despite you playing as pathfinders in that ap with Sheila Heidmarch being your quest giver, sooo you'd think Heidmarch's lodge's article would mention it due to what happens in Magnimar in that AP as result of Pathfinder actions.*), we still not learning fate of some Pathfinders(did Ospray ever got rescued from moon), some forgotten details are still forgotten (decemvirate member with "eyeless, red leather mask" appears to be forgotten as none of masks pictured have their design), some info appears to be error(text seems to confuse Conference Z secret think thank with Korholm Agenda secret conspiracy) and some feats being bit unclear or needing rework.**

*(Would have been cool opportunity to learn how pathfinder operation in ruins of azlant is going or have cameo/reference to abandoned lodge from council of thieves or learn how society's involvement in serpent's skull with eando kline being rescued. I can understand not all aps with some pathfinder involvement being referred to, but I'm kinda sad that aps with major pathfinder presence didn't get expanded upon either..)

**Watch and Learn feat has that its' prequisite giving you better version of its effect(since pathfinder agent dedication allows you to add your level to untrained skills)

But yeah, Lodge articles are wonderful and so is getting updates on lot of old faces :) It is worth getting for expansion on schools, lodges and new factions if you are interested in Pathfinder Society stuff


Another excellent addition to the Lost Omens line!

5/5

Got my digital copy of Lost Omens: Pathfinder Society Guide today and did my first pass. Verdict? I *love it*.

The stories, background, and lore bits are wonderful and full of flavor and the mechanical options are varied and exciting. I put this down with ten times as many character ideas in my head, thanks Paizo!

However, I am sad to report that while there is artwork of a pistol, there is no pew pew item available, and I believe every PFS Rogue is gonna have a deck of cards moving forward!


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Dark Archive

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Also bit confused if book is confusing Conference Z and Korholm Agenda?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

They do appear to be conflated.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I wonder if I forgot one example of "Aww man I'm sad this thing wasn't mentioned" from my review xP But yeah, I sure had lot of those, I blame me for being lore nerd :p

But yeah, it is really neat book, not as hype as lost omen legends is, but Lodge and Faction articles are really nice. It is kinda weird though how sometimes book really tries to avoid spoiling scenarios it is referring to despite at other times straight up spelling out what happened in them. Also it does completely ignore all APs with heavy pathfinder presence. Would have been kind cool to get expansion on some pathfinder society lore that is currently specific to aps... Like that one guy referred to in letter in RotR, that would have been nice call back xD


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

The Stiletto Pen does not mention a proficiency type. I'm guessing simple, as it is a dagger replacement, trading versatile for concealable and an increased price.

Other thoughts?

EDIT: Looks like the boarding weaponry are explicitly martial melee weapons.


Given that Cold Iron Blanch states that all members of the Pathfinder Society have access to it, do PFS players have access to it? The Blog explicitly notes several other passages that grant access through the text like that, but not that one.

Sovereign Court Organized Play Manager

6 people marked this as a favorite.
CorvusMask wrote:

I wonder if I forgot one example of "Aww man I'm sad this thing wasn't mentioned" from my review xP But yeah, I sure had lot of those, I blame me for being lore nerd :p

But yeah, it is really neat book, not as hype as lost omen legends is, but Lodge and Faction articles are really nice. It is kinda weird though how sometimes book really tries to avoid spoiling scenarios it is referring to despite at other times straight up spelling out what happened in them. Also it does completely ignore all APs with heavy pathfinder presence. Would have been kind cool to get expansion on some pathfinder society lore that is currently specific to aps... Like that one guy referred to in letter in RotR, that would have been nice call back xD

I wrote the Heidmarch Manor Lodge. From an author's perspective, ten years of lore is daunting when you are trying to pare it down to 3500 words, especially in such an active area of the world. So for me, I focused on points where the Heidmarches participation changed the Society, and left other pieces fuzzier. It doesn't mean Xin didn't happen or that it wasn't huge, but just more off-camera than on. But hey, this means there is more lore for another book in the future :)


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I just received this book today, and read in 3 hours!
I love it! 4.75/5 stars. The art for the frostfur goblin could have been better, but g$% d@%n Bjersig you magnificent bastard are looking good. So happy you included the Iceferry Lodge. The Saga Lands are the best Lands and needs more love.

Dark Archive

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Veldgarr Snowborn wrote:

I just received this book today, and read in 3 hours!

I love it! 4.75/5 stars. The art for the frostfur goblin could have been better, but g!* d@$n Bjersig you magnificent bastard are looking good. So happy you included the Iceferry Lodge. The Saga Lands are the best Lands and needs more love.

Remember to review the book if you love the book!

Paizo Employee Designer

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Veldgarr Snowborn wrote:

I just received this book today, and read in 3 hours!

I love it! 4.75/5 stars. The art for the frostfur goblin could have been better, but g$~ d++n Bjersig you magnificent bastard are looking good. So happy you included the Iceferry Lodge. The Saga Lands are the best Lands and needs more love.

The odds of Bjersig not making it into this book were incredibly slim! And agreed, our boy is looking clean, mean, and ready to lead in that new art (and Mahki's not too shabby either).


Pathfinder LO Special Edition, Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

A question or two: a prerequisite for the Pathfinder archetypes, in particular Pathfinder Agent, is membership in the Pathfinder Society. How does one become a member? This book talks about "initiates" being sent to Absalom for three years of training. I suppose an initiate is a member. But how does this work for beginning PCs? What's the rationale for "my just created PC is a member of the Pathfinder Society"? Will he have had the three years of training? What does that training give to the PC?

Paizo Employee Designer

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Ed Reppert wrote:
A question or two: a prerequisite for the Pathfinder archetypes, in particular Pathfinder Agent, is membership in the Pathfinder Society. How does one become a member? This book talks about "initiates" being sent to Absalom for three years of training. I suppose an initiate is a member. But how does this work for beginning PCs? What's the rationale for "my just created PC is a member of the Pathfinder Society"? Will he have had the three years of training? What does that training give to the PC?

If you're playing in organized play, your character is automatically a member of the Pathfinder Society in-world and has either already graduated from a School or was field commissioned and skipped that step.

If you want to use them in a home game on a brand new PC, then it's perfectly reasonable for your character to have graduated from one of the Schools. That gives them access to anything that requires them to have been trained at one of the Schools and becomes the explanation for where the character learned their adventuring skills. Doing it this way essentially makes it the step between Background: Pathfinder Hopeful (or whatever) and Class: Wizard, that is otherwise filled by whatever explanation the player feels like giving. A wizard had to study somewhere to be a wizard; attending the Society's schools is a potential answer to where.

You might also earn a field commission to the Society by helping one of their members in the field or travel to Absalom to try and obtain membership, either by attending the Schools and graduating or proving yourself to the organization through some significant archaeological achievement. Or you could even join the Society as an established adventurer and play out your three years of training as part of your story progression.

Much of this is covered on page 14 under Joining the Society.

Contributor

Field commissions are also an option!


Pathfinder LO Special Edition, Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

Hm. How did I miss that? :-)

Still, it looks pretty vague. Have to read it through.


Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Ed Reppert wrote:
A question or two: a prerequisite for the Pathfinder archetypes, in particular Pathfinder Agent, is membership in the Pathfinder Society. How does one become a member? This book talks about "initiates" being sent to Absalom for three years of training. I suppose an initiate is a member. But how does this work for beginning PCs? What's the rationale for "my just created PC is a member of the Pathfinder Society"? Will he have had the three years of training? What does that training give to the PC?

In addition to what others have said, the entry for Pathfinder Agent in the Lost Omens World Guide has a line reading "Access: You are from Absalom." As I recall, that line is supposed to let any character from that region handwave the Uncommon tag and non-mechanical prerequisites such as being a member of the Pathfinder Society (as it is assumed that being so near their main headquarters eliminates the need to roleplay you joining the Pathfinder Society in game).


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder LO Special Edition, Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

I would think that being from Absalom giving "access" to that Dedication just means that since the Society's HQ is right there, you can certainly knock on the door and ask to join, but not that you will necessarily be accepted — particularly given the hoops one would normally have to go through to get to that point. IOW it is not (or IMO should not be) simply a matter of "I live in (or near) Absalom, and I'm leveling up to level 2, so I can take Pathfinder Agent".


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I thought I recalled some discussion suggesting exactly that back when the Lost Omens World Guide came out. At the very least, the work needed to join the Society could be reasonably worked into the character's backstory.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder LO Special Edition, Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

Yeah, maybe. I've noted that there seems to be a lot of hand-wavium going on in Pathfinder. S'okay, give the customer what he wants, right?

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I mean is it really? Access for level 1 stuff for most parts means "You have to gain access to it through backstory". The people studying three years at school to gain their level 1 abilities aren't really level 1 yet before they graduate.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber

Overall I like the book - just confused with only four factions being mentioned, but had the faction leaders in the people of note section.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
Ed Reppert wrote:
I would think that being from Absalom giving "access" to that Dedication just means that since the Society's HQ is right there, you can certainly knock on the door and ask to join, but not that you will necessarily be accepted — particularly given the hoops one would normally have to go through to get to that point. IOW it is not (or IMO should not be) simply a matter of "I live in (or near) Absalom, and I'm leveling up to level 2, so I can take Pathfinder Agent".

These are the kind of progression things that the player and GM have

to work out together. It's not something that I would slam a door on
if something can be worked into the story.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber

Also, thanks for the tasteful Zarta art.


Pre question Background...I don't use Absalom as a world setting for my players - we have a home brew world based on English folk tales so all the creatures are more Scandinavian fey based than classical creatures. Part of the Laws of the island they are on is that all magical study takes place outside of the capital. This has lead to the establishment of several universities and museums in the outlying towns and cities. Being a Mythos fan, my players home base is in a town loosely based on Arkham where they work for the curator of the local museum (think if Indiana Jones worked for Miskatonic University) investigating cryptozoological sightings and folk tales. My question is are the society details and artefacts easily transferable to other world settings so they can be incorporated snuggly into a homebrew world?

Paizo Employee Organized Play Associate

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Definitely! The rules elements (viewable here) are setting-neutral and can easily be transplanted. While the Lodges and NPCs are tied to locations in Golarion, there's no reason that Iceferry Lodge couldn't exist in your world's frozen north, for example.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

So am I the only one that got the Lost Omens subscription and is still waiting on this book to even ship? I've contacted customer service twice now (once in November and once in December) and still haven't received a reply. I hate putting stuff like this here but I want to know if it is just me or if there is a supply issue with this product.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
jakjr15 wrote:
I've contacted customer service twice now (once in November and once in December) and still haven't received a reply.

Customer Service staff are far behind in their email responses. As of this afternoon they have dealt with emails dated Sept 4 and earlier. There are 2819 backlogged emails.

If you need help, follow these steps.

1) Post in the Customer Service Forum
Customer Service
a) State the problem clearly in the headline (Missing subscription: Lost Omens Pathfinder Society Guide)
b. Explain the problem.

2. Once you post, Do Not Bump Your Post.
Customer Service primarily works through the posts from oldest to newest. If you bump your post, you put yourself at the back of the line again.

3. Similarly, do not bump the post of someone with a similar problem. It's incredibly rude to bump someone else to the back of the line.

Wait patiently. They've recently hired new staff, and things are speeding up, but it still isn't as fast as they'd like.


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Poppet Familiars? Yay!


This is a great book. Enjoy the lore and all the new items. The only thing I think that needs to be errata to do things are watch and learn & remember your training. These two feats in each of their ways let you add your level to skills you are untrained in, but it really does not do anything due to the fact you are already getting this from the dedication feat that is a pre-req for it(Pathfinder Agent Dedication Feat).

Grand Archive

Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Andrew Johns 25 wrote:
This is a great book. Enjoy the lore and all the new items. The only thing I think that needs to be errata to do things are watch and learn & remember your training. These two feats in each of their ways let you add your level to skills you are untrained in, but it really does not do anything due to the fact you are already getting this from the dedication feat that is a pre-req for it(Pathfinder Agent Dedication Feat).

Take a look in the thread, and if it's not already posted there, you can post it!


Official Lost Omens clarification, errata, and FAQ thread

[EDIT] Someone posted it already it seems! Now we just have to wait and see.


Elfteiroh wrote:
Andrew Johns 25 wrote:
This is a great book. Enjoy the lore and all the new items. The only thing I think that needs to be errata to do things are watch and learn & remember your training. These two feats in each of their ways let you add your level to skills you are untrained in, but it really does not do anything due to the fact you are already getting this from the dedication feat that is a pre-req for it(Pathfinder Agent Dedication Feat).

Take a look in the thread, and if it's not already posted there, you can post it!


Official Lost Omens clarification, errata, and FAQ thread

[EDIT] Someone posted it already it seems! Now we just have to wait and see.

Thank you

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