We want to start, but where? Is "In Service to Lore" a good choice?

[Linuo]

Hello everyone,

I, as GM, and many Players want to start a PFS Community. I want to master next week, but I'm a little bit overwhelmed, there are so many Scenarios, Options, Quests and so on.

So I chose In Service to Lore to start the PFS Scenarios. But the second and third part is "retired." Why? And can I use them, or is it a bad choice for the beginning (with the 7th season in mind?)?

Thanks!

[robertness]

First, thanks for starting a PFS group and stepping up to game master.

In Service to Lore Parts 2 and 3 can't be played for PFS credit. They were banned due to a combination of outdated faction information and difficulty in translating 3.5 to Pathfinder.

If you want to follow up with the theme of new Pathfinders establishing their reputations in the Society, I'd recommend playing The Confirmation (5-08) and The Wounded Wisp (6-10). These also have the benefit of being "evergreen" scenarios which can be repeated for credit with first level characters - an advantage when your group gets in influx of new players or another member of your group volunteers for GM duty.

Past those two, chose whatever scenario is appropriate to the character levels your players have that sounds interesting to you as GM.

[Linuo]

Thank you very much!

I will buy 5-08 and 6-10, they sound very interesting. But one question remains:

The seasons have a Story arc, isn't it a little bit confusing if I play something from season 5, than season 6, than season 3 and so on?

Isn't it better if I stay in one season?

(Sorry, newbie questions ;) )

[BretI]

I agree that The Confirmation followed by The Wounded Wisp makes an excellent set of starting scenarios. They are my choices when starting up a new character because they are balanced for level 1 characters and I can replay them.

Another possibility is Silverhex Chronicles. This one requires that everyone play pre-generated characters, is also replayable, and allows people to come and go. It is a set of six quests, with rewards scaling based on how many of the six you complete. This has the advantage of allowing someone to come in, play one or two of the quests, and still get some credit. It is also free, unlike the two scenarios listed above.

At conventions in our area, we usually have one table reserved for quests as a pick-up any time we have someone interested in trying Pathfinder Society Organized Play.

We Be Goblins is also extremely popular, requires that you play pre-generated Goblins (a race not normally allowed), can be replayed, and is free. Note that We Be Goblins Too and We Be Goblins Free have to follow the normal rules with respect to replay -- most people can't replay for credit.

[BretI]

Linuo wrote:

Thank you very much!

I will buy 5-08 and 6-10, they sound very interesting. But one question remains:

The seasons have a Story arc, isn't it a little bit confusing if I play something from season 5, than season 6, than season 3 and so on?

Isn't it better if I stay in one season?

(Sorry, newbie questions ;) )

There will be some confusion, but people just learn to roll with it. Keep in mind that not all scenarios released in a season are tightly tied to that season's main goal.

[Matthew Morris]

If you replay confirmation, I recommend brand new PCs go through the following arc:

Master of Fallen Fortress (you're not Pathfinders, but you save one)
Confirmation (you 'graduate' to being full Pathfinders)
Wounded Wisp (Your first 'real' mission)

[Woran]

Matthew Morris wrote:

If you replay confirmation, I recommend brand new PCs go through the following arc:

Master of Fallen Fortress (you're not Pathfinders, but you save one)
Confirmation (you 'graduate' to being full Pathfinders)
Wounded Wisp (Your first 'real' mission)

I can also recommend this sequence.

Master of the Fallen fortress will greatly help explain mechanics to new players, as there is a little bit of everything in there. Confirmation and Wounded Whisp will build on that knowledge.

Altough PFS does have seasons, you can play everything you want without a real order. Things might get a bit weird here and there. But not overly so. Just select what you think is fun to GM and what your players will enjoy.

[Silbeg]

exactly.

One caveat -- I would go with The Confirmation first, and just skip Master of the Fallen Fortress. It is just and old school dungeon crawl, and does not have any real PFS story-telling to it.

Perhaps as your second or third scenario, put in something that starts to tell a story. I always like #5 Mists of Mwangi -- partly partly because it has been converted to Pathfinder, partly because it is the start of the Blackros story threads, and partly because it is a fun scenario.

I'd avoid We Be Goblins, just because it isn't something you should expect out of PFS (playing goblins). If you want some fun goblin RP, do #3-01 Frostfur Captives or #4-01 Rise of the Goblin Guild.

[Paz]

If I was planning to introduce a group of new players to PFS (and had no other constraints) I would go for:

Two from the following:
The Confirmation
The Wounded Wisp
We Be Goblins! (if it looked like it would help hook the players in to Pathfinder)

I'd then go for a normal, recent tier 1-5 scenario for their third game, to introduce them to the 'standard' way of doing things and some of the recent content. 'From Under Ice' would be a good choice at the moment I think.

[nosig]

Woran wrote:

Matthew Morris wrote:

If you replay confirmation, I recommend brand new PCs go through the following arc:

Master of Fallen Fortress (you're not Pathfinders, but you save one)
Confirmation (you 'graduate' to being full Pathfinders)
Wounded Wisp (Your first 'real' mission)

I can also recommend this sequence.

Master of the Fallen fortress will greatly help explain mechanics to new players, as there is a little bit of everything in there. Confirmation and Wounded Whisp will build on that knowledge.

Altough PFS does have seasons, you can play everything you want without a real order. Things might get a bit weird here and there. But not overly so. Just select what you think is fun to GM and what your players will enjoy.

While I really like Fallen Fortress (a lot), it is a very bad idea to run it first.

1) it only awards 1 Prestige Point, so it means no CLW wands for the players first TWO games, and one of those is combat heavy MotFF has a lot of combat.

2) it kills PCs in the final encounter especially if they go into it damaged (and with no CLW wands due to zero XP PCs, they are likely to have very limited healing).

3) it's an older mod, written for 3.5 rules. (And First Steps was NOT written for 3.5 rules).

4) it's got a swarm in it...not something I would wish on starting PCs....

I would recommend First Steps first....

[TriOmegaZero]

First Steps is also a fine choice to play, so don't be afraid to run that.

[Auke Teeninga]

nosig wrote:

Master of the Fallen Fortress

3) it's an older mod, written for 3.5 rules. (And First Steps was NOT written for 3.5 rules).

It is written under the Pathfinder ruleset. It even has Advanced Player's Guide pregens. And if the young template is applied correctly most combats aren't even that dangerous.

[Auke Teeninga]

First steps is still good.

I would use the fan made changes to the introductionary texts you can find here.

Also don't change any of the (seriously flawed) tactics in the final fight. At that time the Pathfinders are supposed to be working as a group versus a bunch of criminals just doing their own thing.

(The only near TPK I had with ISoL were a group of expert players with really high initiatives that decided to go after the spellcaster first. THey missed, got hit by the color spray, most failed their saves and the rest was taken down by the barbarian. The pathfinders all woke up without most of their gear and had to report back to Ambrus Valsin that they managed to succesfully complete all missions, but got robbed on the way back, so had nothing to show for it! (except the 2PP))

[Linuo]

Many thanks! I now feel much more comfortable. I was very suprised how nice this community is.

I hope the first session will be a lot of fun. I read Confirmation and that sounds great to start with. There are so many interested Players here that I will try first Steps 1 with another group (with the new introductionary Texts!).

[Matthew Morris]

Steven Schopmeyer wrote:

First Steps is also a fine choice to play, so don't be afraid to run that.

it also works in the 'real pathfinders' sense.

First Steps: you're not quite agents yet.
Confirmation: you're getting your shot at being agents
Wounded Wisp: And your first mission as agents.

[Nimrandir]

For my money, the order of the replayable scenarios is pretty malleable. Master of the Fallen Fortress can make a solid 'final test' for level one PC's. When I ran it last, I had three 0-XP characters and three 'experienced' Pathfinders.

I had Ambrus Valsin send the non-newbies to the Wounded Wisp to pick up some Society hopefuls so they could track down that idiot Forsend who charged into the Fortress without support.

[Linuo]

Thanks a lot (again).

Now a new Question arose:

I wanted to fill out the form for a new Character, but I don't know what to write in two spaces:

Special Abilities: Should I write down my feats here?
Occupation: What can I take? Any Craft or Profession?

Thanks a lot!

[Nimrandir]

The Special Abilities section is where I usually list my racial and class abilities. I also put my traits there, though they should probably go in the Feats section.

You don't technically have to have a profession. You could list most anything that wouldn't be considered evil. My fighter's is listed as 'Smasher of Bad Guys'. Putting skill ranks into a Craft or Profession (or Perform) skill lets you make Day Job checks at the end of scenarios, which can be nice at low levels.