Advice needed for GM running Season 0 Scenarios

[Odzmye]

I'm getting ready to run my first Season 0 scenario, and I wanted to ask the consensus for advice. I know that these were first written for "the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game" 3.5, and converting the data seems rather simple. What I'm concerned with are any points that I may have to adapt the actual encounters, both from a statistical PoV as well as role playing. For example, if there is an encounter where the difference between Spot and Listen would make a significant difference, how should I handle this?

I intend on running either #1 Silent Tide or #7 Among the Living. Having recently been at a table to witness the fun/carnage of #5 Mists of Mwangi (thanks for the fun time Doug!) at Origins, I was inspired to go back and look them over again.

Any advice would be helpful.

YiS, Odz

[Cactus-Jack]

Welcome to running games fro Pathfinder Society!!

Running season 0 scenarios isn't as complicated as it looks. The preference is for GMs to use the 3.5E Monster Manual monster stats as written. If you want to go to the effort of using the Bestiary stats that is fine, however pay close attention to the CR rating of the Pathfinder monsters, as many have changed. If the CR rating in the Bestiary is the same as the Monster Manual version there should not be any problems. If the Bestiary CR is higher you should probably stick to the 3.5E version.

As for skills that have been combined into one (Listen, Spot & Search into Perception; Hide and Move Silently into Stealth; and Tumble and Balance into Acrobatics, for example) use the Pathfinder skill for characters and one of the old skills for the NPCs.

I find it fairly easy to explain Search, Spot or Listen as Perception and giving a verbal / role playing note explaining which sense is used. For example, if a character has a chance to hear a troupe of hobgoblins advancing on their position at night, i have them make a Perception check and explaining to those that make the DC that they hear footsteps or something knocked over outside of their line of sight.

Another thing that may be necessary is CMB and CMD. It is pretty easy to calculate on the fly if you don't have time to figure it before you GM.

Lastly make sure you read through the New Pathfinder Society Guide 4.0 as to how earning Prestige has changed for the older seasons. Season 0 scenarios now earn 2 Prestige Points. (No it is not retroactive to previously run/played scenarios).

Good luck and remember to have fun above all else.

[Jason S]

Cactus-Jack wrote:

+1

Also note that season 0 scenarios are extremely easy. I just played Silent Tide, with a second level group with six players (APL 3) playing up, and we completely destroyed subtier 4-5 in 3 hours. It was a complete joke and super easy (but still fun).

I'd play up just to make it interesting.

[Chris Mortika]

I would take Jason's advice with a grain of salt.

Many of the adventures that are were super-hard have been retired. (But some others have not.)

The PFS directions for Season 0 scenarios is pretty clear: use the 3.5 version of the monsters. If you use Pathfinder versions, several will be weaker, but others will be substantially more powerful. It's not easy to see just how before running some combats.

Several Season 0 adventures have a lot of undead; good-aligned clerics mop up undead in Pathfinder. On the other hand, a lot of Season 0 adventures have evil-aligned clerics. Channelling negative energy is a good strategy in many cases, which the 3.5 edition tactics sections don't accommodate.

[Jason S]

Chris Mortika wrote:

Several Season 0 adventures have a lot of undead; good-aligned clerics mop up undead in Pathfinder. On the other hand, a lot of Season 0 adventures have evil-aligned clerics. Channelling negative energy is a good strategy in many cases, which the 3.5 edition tactics sections don't accommodate.

We didn't have any clerics, but everything in Silent Tide goes down in 1 hit, even at subtier 4-5, especially when doing 15 damage per swing and the opponents having an AC of 12/14.

The best judge of any scenario is the GM of course, who sizes it up first. Not all season 0s are that easy, but Silent Tide definitely is.

[Chris Mortika]

Oh, no doubt. "Silent Tide" ought to be a cakewalk for most. "Among the Living", though, is pretty deadly.

I suppose my point is that the danger levels of Season 0 modules is all over the board.

[Odzmye]

Thank you all very much for your input.

After reading everything over, I have decided to run 'Among the Living' first, since it's the more difficult one. My logic is I can play the NPC's 'dumber', making the encounters a tad easier. Since we will have a full group of 6, I may not have too. I can then take more time to read over 'Silent Tide' and perhaps scale it up a bit in terms of setting and tactics so the one shot guys are a bit more imposing.

The only negative observation I have thus far, after preliminary reads - 10ft/sq?!?! Dammit, now I have to Photoshop new 5ft grid lines... grrrr... I hope this is corrected in the re-issue.

Thanks again folks!

[theshoveller]

'Among the Living' has the issue that the villains are based around 3.5 abilities, rather than Pathfinder ones.