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DarkWhite: I am really averse to swamping a new world with non core races. Give the game world some time to develop verisimilitude before we start messing with it!
- Metz who is very happy with Pathfinder's stance on Drow thus far...
My stance has nothing to do with whether or not I like Drow as a race, it is more that I am glad they are making decisions on what fits as a PC race in their world, contrasted with 4e where everything is allowed, and the average adventuring party now consists of a Gnoll, two warforged, a shifter and a Dragonborn when exploring the forgotten realms...
Hi _metz_ :-)
I think you mis-understood my suggestion. For the most part, I prefer Society games to be core-races only. But there are occasions when a non-core race can add something to the play experience.
Katapesh and Legacy of Fire has raised the idea of PC Gnolls in the minds of many players, and I happen to think that within the context of Katapesh, they're not a bad option, perhaps sharing the role of "outcast" enjoyed by half-Orcs in other regions. Maybe, given a short leash, Gnolls could appear as a limited PC option within Pathfinder Society - perhaps as a secondary character, only allowed within scenarios set in/around Katapesh, a specific story arc, or specially marked scenarios. One race per season within their own sandbox, would hardly spoil the campaign, it would throw a bone to those who like to break away from the core races.
My comment about half-Drow was tongue-in-cheek. I am confident that if Paizo release other races into organised play, that they will do so responsibly.
But the point of my post was more about character options, race being but one such option. It doesn't have to be a new race, Prestige Classes may be opened up post Season One. I am sure Paizo have other projects on the horizon - eg, regional sourcebooks (Cheliax, Osirion, Tian Xia, etc) could introduce prestige and/or base classes, or alternate class features. Any of these could be released as previews or play-test options within Pathfinder Society to lure players into GMing a few scenarios for these special options.
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Preferably a druid, monk, or a sorcerer.
Ummm... What?
Monks are the most item dependent PCs in 3.5. They require a monks belt, more stat boosters than any other class, a method for dealing with DR, more consumables than other classes, and all of this is based off circumstantial access? This is a VERY common statement about monks and it is plain wrong.
As to Sorcerers: Sorcerers require more items than a Wizard because they lack basic utility. A wizard can get a Boccobs, and do what it needs to WHEN it needs to. Sorcerers require lots of scrolls, as well as metamagic rods, just to match what a wizard can do. Add to that the fact that sorcerers typically cannot take as many defensive 'once a day' spells and their item requirements additionally rise because they cannot afford the spell slots in defensive methods. The wizard can cast greater mage armour/false life, the sorcerer may not necessarily be able to. Coupled with a lack of an ability to quicken spells when required, buffs must be running for longer or be in permanent magic item slots. Additionally the fact that Wizards can learn spells off each other is a great cash saver, something Sorcerers cannot match in utility.
Druids are one of the few classes that don't need many items, but are you saying that if we are DMs we all have to be druids? if so I don't exactly see that as a solution.
50% gold is asking for trouble. assuming that some classes 'need' less gold is asking for even MORE trouble. (As these assumptions are typically based on circumstantial hearsay)
Sorry if I come off as brusque, but in my experience this attitude that monks and sorcerers don't need items isn't actually based on play experience, and should in no way be used as a determinant for Gold allocation. Coupled with the fact that pushing DMs into one or two classes by virtue of a mechanics ruling on gold is not the right choice. Why should I play a monk just because of an arbitrary decision on Gold? DMs should not get an advantage, but they should also not get a penalty. Being forced to play a Druid strikes me as a penalty, contrary to what some folk think :)
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Preferably a druid, monk, or a sorcerer.[snip]
Druids, monks, and sorcerers need less gold than, say, fighters, rangers, and paladins. A fighter naked will most definitely lose.
I didn't include wizard, since a wizzie tend to need monays to scribe stuff into his/her book.
Sure, a monk works better with equipment, but it can work with less as well.
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snip
Try playing them in some old APL 14 mods or something, you will be shocked :) Even look at the Pregen monk characters in most D20 classics/other things, notice a lot of their wealth is in consumables like +5 Greater Magic weapon oils?
Any ways, we are getting off topic. Suffice to say we disagree. That's one vote either way :)
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A discount on PDFs or anything else that doesn't have to be shipped, or some really cool exclusive thing should be in order. (His character could become an NPC for another adventure, or maybe some special benefit like a title, lands, extra income, etc.)
Ah see now NPCs were some of the coolest things LG had ever done, but they're hard to implement in anything other than a cusory fashion.
I mus admit to having made an NPC to add in a couple mods I ran, the sort of sneaky informant types for Gather Info rolls and the like.
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In addition to whatever cool stuff a GM can get from the company, for Pathfinder campaign stuff I would suggest:1 pt. Any 50gp potion, 0 level scroll or a Special Substance (PH)
5 pts. One potion worth up to 300gp or a 1st level scroll
10 pts. Any one spell from Chapter 6 in the Guide to Pathfinder Society Oganized Play rules (pg. 21). The character may even have died in a TPK, as some other Pathfinder could have brought back some partial remains.That way a DM can recoup incidental costs for their character.
Problem is a player could use that to gain a mechanical advantage with his PC by just playing mods others have 'eaten' for him.
Again, it seems counter intuitive to deny GMs full gold and then build in a reward system to recover their losses... It is a broken system with a built in fix that doesn't work :)
If you just give DMs full gold then you can leave the rewards for promo mods, etc.
Full gold/xp 1 PP, for first time DMed, (assuming you haven't already played the game) and then accumulated promo points thereafter is what I think would work best.
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In addition, I'm considering creating two six month periods in a season that run August through January and February through July. If you, as a GM, are listed as the GM on 10 sessions in a given six-month period, you will receive a free "secret" scenario not sold elsewhere or otherwise given away. This gives you a rare ability to run these "secret" scenarios for your home group or at local conventions and should add some out-of-game prestige to the idea of being a career or part-time Pathfinder Society GM.
Is this a plan the majority of you could live with?
Looking forward to your feedback.
Here’s what I think should be added to the list as a bonus incentive beyond the two modules.
If you judge over half of the modules in the year you get a limited edition red Pathfinder t-shirt. On the front it says, “Appease me or die!” Then on the back it reads, “Just kidding! No wait, make a Fort Save.”
OK, so 65 pages later I make an ID to post.
It seems like a major complaint here is being unable to play or unable to play with your friends when you GM. I suppose there are two types of GMs then.
GMs that just want to run the game.
and
GMs that want to run the game and play the game.
So the ideas is to reward both types of GMs fairly. I find it rather difficult to reward GMs that just want to run the game. Perhaps special adventures as rewards. Adventures that are only given out when GMs meet certain milestones. (such as running a certain number of games or attending a certain number of events) What better way to reward someone who enjoys running the game than giving them more game to run!
Physical rewards are also ideal for a GM that just wants to run the game.
Tokens, Glass or plastic counters, and GM-screens are all rather "cheap" to produce items that can really help a GM out. On the higher end of physical rewards you may want to present Minis, artwork, or play-mats as rewards. (What it takes to earn these can be balanced out as needed)
For GMs that want to play with their friends as well as run the game. The options above would be available to them (and no less desirable). An addition to the above rewards GMs who want to play may run games to earn pregenerated character sheets. This although sacrificing some of the freedom their friends have with selection of gear and items, allows the GM to play with (and grow) a competent character that is balanced for the level its generated for. So as you GM more and more and your players rise in level, you'll always have the chance to pull out bob the fighter and head on over to an event with your pals to wreck some house.
I hope I helped!
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The 1 P. A. seems fair , as well as FULL gold.
Lack of access to the favors isn't much of a sacrifice, as most don't get used. (or haven't yet)
The concept of running 10 DIFFERENT scenarios in a 6 month period and
getting a reward sounds WAY COOL!! This will benefit those who just run.
Especially if it is a special scenario, or just some exclusive "crunchy bit".
As a long time gamer who is runing "tournament style" for the first time ever, I am impressed with PS, and the ease and adaptability of the system.
Being a player so far for this campaign and not having to DM (yet) I may have a slightly different perspective.
As we were kicking off PFS in Geelong we were fortunate enough to be able to get a few players along to Arcanacon where we met up with DarkWhite and Fox who were slightly more advanced than we were at the time. This enabled our players to get numerous games under their belts without having to eat any early modules. Due to this none of the Geelong guys had to eat a module for GeeCon. We then followed that by catching up again up with Darkwhite and co. at Conquest. (GO TEAM POWER ATTACK!!!)
Darkwhite on the other hand did not benefit from such mentors.
Hypothetically if Darkwhite, Fox and myself found ourselves at an international event. I would hate for my character to have an advantage over theirs due to the sacrifices they have made to make my groups (and many others I'm sure) experiences more fulfilling.
Dumbing a reward sytem down to protect a campign from a potential exploiter or two robs hardworking DMs like Darkwhite from being able to experience things at the high end.
And besides. Even if a person "eats" a "hard" mod to avoid PC death, (their loss in my opinion) that's still 4-6 players who have experienced it.
My vote would be full gold, full XP, 1 AP for eating (Assuming new mods remain at 1-2 AP)and no special bonuses from the chronicle sheet
I like the concept of a points/incentive sytem for running sessions. The secret mod for 10 sessions run is a good start. How about some form of GM exclusive garment upon reaching a certain milestone (say 30 reported sessions total)
Venture-Captain, Missouri—Cape Girardeau
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His DM Rewards ideas...
I run PF session 0 adventures for my FLGS, in order to help garner interest in the upcoming Pathfinder RPG. The owner purchases the PDFs that we run. So who benefits from your plan?
As a DM, obviously I (and my character) would benefit from all the season 1 sessions I "eat", but who would gain the ability to "cash in" their points for bonus PDFs? Me or the purchaser?
Just a question...
A GM should be able to play in a module he has run. Be able to have his char advance based on the games ran, so he can play with his players if another GM runs a game. I don't want to GM all the games and then get a chance to play but my char is level 1 and everyone else is level 5.
This is my opinion as well. I'll wait to see what turns out but unless I can play in the same modules I have DMed before, I probably won't run them at all.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6
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I missed the start of this thread, but....
I'd like to see a judge get 1/2 an xp point and 1/2 a faction point for every adventure they eat. Along with level-appropriate gold for the PC they put it on. That gives the judge some incentive to eat an adventure, but makes it not as good as playing it (and with zero risk to the PC, it shouldn't be).
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I missed the start of this thread, but....
I'd like to see a judge get 1/2 an xp point and 1/2 a faction point for every adventure they eat. Along with level-appropriate gold for the PC they put it on. That gives the judge some incentive to eat an adventure, but makes it not as good as playing it (and with zero risk to the PC, it shouldn't be).
Still suffers from the following problem: If one GM eats, say, 10 scenarios so his friends can learn to enjoy Pathfinder, then one of the group decides to take a turn, the GM is half the level of everyone else. Half the level=not as much fun. Nobody wants to stand out of the way and let the "big boys" take care of everything.
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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All right, two questions:
1) There are not currently rewards for eating scenarios. There probably will be, come GenCon. If so, they probably won't be retroactive.
In September, if I eat a Season 0 module, will there be some reward? Or does it need to be a Season 1 scenario?
2) Let's say I already have a 5th-Level PC. I eat nine different scenarios, running them mostly on the 6-7 tier.
So, I can either advance the 5th-Level PC to 8th Level, or else I can now bring in a 4th-Level PC.
How do I figure out how much loot the PC gets? If I decide to bring in a new character, should he get loot appropriate for 1st, 2nd and 3rd characters, or for the 6-7th level characters at my table? What can I spend that loot on? Equipment from modules my PC has never encountered? From only the last three modules I'd eaten?
If my 4th-Level PC starts out with 0 faction prestige, and faction prestige determines most of what a PC can buy, he's going to be well behind the equipment level of his colleagues, for his entire career.
Look for answers to your questions in v2.0 of the guide book.
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Fairly soon, there is a good chance that I'm going to at least occasionally DM Pathfinder organized play scenarios.
As a DM, with my home games, I've always brought along a PC (NPC?) of my own that gained as much XP and loot as everyone else. When/if the campaign switches to another DM, I'm not at a disadvantage. Also, I enjoy it.
So to answer your question, for Pathfinder organized play, I'd like to see the option of doing this as well. At a minimum, I'd like to see DMs get full XP and GP rewards for the scenario which they could add to one of their characters (of a suitable level) of their choosing.
That's what I'd like to see anyway.
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So far, I'd have to say I like what Josh has offered. I don't have a problem with the half gold, since theres no risk of dying involved as well as not using up resources. And I'm sure I won't miss the special stuff from most of the mods. I'm also interested in the secret mods that might become available if I GM often enough to qualify. But, I also would be very interested in some sort of free swag, perhaps though at a lower rate of acquiring such things, say gm'ing 30+ mods in a certain period of time. Or having two eat 60% of the mods available that year. I'm not sure what numbers would work best, but keeping costs down for Paizo I'm sure is a must. As for the swag involved, I'd look forward to shirts, tokens, mini's, maps, etc... Anything that would be useful as a GM or that I could show off to signify my devotion to Paizo and the Pathfinder Society.
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Regional Venture-Coordinator, Gulf
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I like the idea of a secret mod.
Would a secret mod allow actual campaign benefits?
Josh one more thing, how about love for SR GMs that run conventions?
For big ones I am often too busy at registration to DM, per se. I try and play them all, but I have not counted myself as eating the mod as long as I don't look at them. (Thank you hands free Knkos printing)