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So I'm thinking of becoming the newest DM in my local Pathfinder Society group. Back when I used to play D&D and AD&D in the 80's, I was the main DM for our group. But I just got back into RPGs for the first time in over 20 years, so I haven't run a game in that long. I've been playing with a good PFS group for the last 2 months, and figured I'd try my hand at running an adventure now and then, rotating with the other DMs in the group.
My biggest question is how to pick an adventure to run. Does it matter what season I pick? I'm assuming "retired" adventures are out of the question. I've heard that some of the older adventures don't have faction missions for all 10 factions. In our group, the DMs have in the past assigned faction missions from different factions for those characters whose factions don't have one in that adventure, occasionally with unintended consequences, since they don't always fit the personalities of the characters.
We're a small group, so I'll have to email everyone about what adventures they've played in the past to avoid those. We've pretty much got two groups of characters in our group. The "regulars" who are there almost every week have level 4 characters (possibly level 5 by the time I run my first adventure). Those who aren't there as often are still at levels 1-2, and those at higher level have recently decided we'd create second characters at level 1, so we can still adventure with those lower level guys. The good news is that I pretty much already know all the players and characters in the group, so that should help with running a game for them.
Any suggestions for adventures, or other info I should know about?
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Welcome back to GMing! :)
A note on the faction missions for older scenarios:
There is actually a rule in place telling you which mission to give to a PC of a newer faction. I don't have the list memorized, but it's in the Guide to Organized Play.
With that in mind, it really doesn't matter what scenarios you pick. Try something that just sounds fun!
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I was in a similar situation to you about a month ago, so I can try to advise. The First Steps trilogy are all simple to run, but they require level 1 PCs, so may not be suitable for your group. From experience, 'Silent Tide' is a simple scenario to run (converting it from 3.5 took no effort at all); I gather from feedback here that 'Slave Pits of Absalom' is also easy to GM. Really, it depends on what other people have already played.
In terms of assigning faction missions in old scenarios to PCs in the new factions, the rules are on page 24 of the PFS Guide. When I had to do this, I tried to help with the suspension of disbelief with explanations like 'the Lantern Lodge were complicit in the plot that Qadira were involved in, so completing this mission is in your mutual best interests' or 'Shadow Lodge operatives are dealing with a Chelaxian expert in an attempt to bring down the Decemvirate'.
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Exciting news, indeed!
I'm working towards also throwing my hat in the PFS ring and running some PFS sessions at our local gaming store. Besides a heapin' helpin' of enthusiasm and some patience (as well as the Core RB, access to all the other books and the PFS guides and dice).....is there anything else y'all would recommend that I have before I dive in?
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I run a small weekly game at my local game store.
I use an excel spread sheet to keep track of who has played what scenario when.
One one side, i listed all of the scenarios. along the top of the spread sheet, i listed each player.
Then i listed the dates of who has played what scenario and i place the dates on the spread sheet.
I have a dividing line between the modules people have played, and the ones no one has played.
So If i want to run something, all i have to do is pick a scenario from below that dividing line, and pick a scenario....this way i know no one has played it.
I hope this helps
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Fromper, I would advise against running Season 0 scenarios to start. Converting from 3.5 is not difficult, but it is one more small thing to worry about when you are beginning.
Sticking with a Tier 1-5 scenario is usually easiest, and I would avoid multi-part adventures for a first go (except for maybe the Intros).
Because you mentioned it, from pg 24 of the Guide:
For Seasons 0-2
Grand Lodge uses Osirion faction missions
Lantern Lodge uses Qadira
Sczarni uses Taldor
Shadow Lodge uses Cheliax
Silver Crusade uses Andoran
Other than that, have fun! And thanks for GMing!
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Hey Fromper, thanks for becoming a GM!
I second what Neil says - avoid the Season 0 ones, they're usually easy to use as-is but you may run across something that is wonky mid-scenario. I would suggest using something from Season 3, since the faction missions etc. all cover the new factions, the Chronicle sheets are easier to use, etc.
#3-01 "The Frostfur Captives" is a great intro scenario - Tier 1-5, a mix of role-play and combat, and good good fun. One of my favorites of all time.
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Well, just getting back to looking at picking a scenario. Every scenario mentioned in this thread so far has already been done by my group, so I need to pick something else.
Since the "regulars" are mostly up to level 5, other than my level 4 character, and some of them should hit level 6 before it's my turn to GM, I figured I'd pick a level 5-9 adventure to run at tier 5-6. Then I read the rules on applying GM credit and realized that my level 4 character could easily be left behind that way. I would get a tier 5-6 chronicle for him, but not be able to apply it until advancing to level 5 by playing.
So now I'm looking at level 1-7 or 3-7 scenarios. I'd probably run them at tier 6-7 and give my level 4 character a tier 3-4 credit for it. I just hope they're not too tough for a level 5/6 group.
There's actually a con coming up in February that most of the regulars are planning to go to, and most of the season 3 adventures are scheduled to be run there. So I'm looking at seasons 1 and 2 to pick an adventure to run at the local group. Any recommendations?
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There's actually a con coming up in February that most of the regulars are planning to go to, and most of the season 3 adventures are scheduled to be run there. So I'm looking at seasons 1 and 2 to pick an adventure to run at the local group. Any recommendations?
I really liked the Bloodcove Disguise and Rescue at Azlant Ridge (they're Part I and Part II of a storyline, but can be played separately). You could try those.
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I really liked the Bloodcove Disguise and Rescue at Azlant Ridge (they're Part I and Part II of a storyline, but can be played separately). You could try those.There's actually a con coming up in February that most of the regulars are planning to go to, and most of the season 3 adventures are scheduled to be run there. So I'm looking at seasons 1 and 2 to pick an adventure to run at the local group. Any recommendations?
http://paizo.com/products/btpy8h6n?Pathfinder-Society-Scenario-211-The-Penu mbral-Accords
http://paizo.com/products/btpy8gtv?Pathfinder-Society-Scenario-213-Murder-o n-the-Throaty-Mermaid
Both are amazing modules, I recommend them both. MotTM is a more freeform RP centric scenario, and can be a blast with the right group.
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We actually made up a list of what scenarios everyone in our group owns/has run/has played in the past, so we know which ones are "open" for us to buy and run with everyone. We're a small enough and new enough group to do that. I actually saw someone recommend a spreadsheet to keep track of which players have played which scenarios, which may become necessary soon, as the group is planning to do some recruiting over the next month or so, especially right after the holidays.
But in the mean time, once I saw the list of which adventures were unplayed by the whole group, there were a bunch of level 1-7 adventures from season 1 that looked like possibilities, as well as others from other seasons, of course.
I ended up buying The Pallid Plague, as mentioned in the spoiler thread about that one. I'm glad I picked that one, as it looks like a really fun and interesting adventure. I don't like basic hack and slash adventures, so that one is exactly the type that I'd love to play or run. I'll highly recommend it to other new GMs, though I haven't actually run it yet, so my opinion might change if things go wonky during play.
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It looks like I might be GMing for the first time this coming Monday. We're going to be short on people, due to the holidays, so I've decided to save The Pallid Plague for when we have a full table, because the details of that adventure seem like it could be tougher than most for a smaller group.
We're either going to have 3 or 4 people for this game. If the newbie to the group shows up, then it'll be 4 people at level 1. If the newbie doesn't show up, then we'll probably play with the level 5 characters of the 3 people who are there. They've got 2 companion animals that help with combat, so I think even with only 3 of them, they could probably handle the combat in most subtier 4-5 adventures. But I may throw in a level 4 pregen to help them out if whatever adventure I buy looks tough.
Comparing notes with the group to see what adventures they've played/run before, and what we're planning to play in the foreseeable future, I've narrowed down my choices to these adventures from season 1:
#37: The Beggar's Pearl
#33: Assault on the Kingdom of the Impossible
#55: The Infernal Vault
Anyone have opinions on running any of these with such a small group? Or should I just roll 1d3 to choose. :p
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I want to start up a chapter of the pathfinder society but I will be living in a foreign country. I will not have access to a game store. How can I get a location and a group together
This might be of use.
We built the one of the biggest PFS chapters (dang you Brock and your Georgia chapter!) using the approaches here:
Painlord's Guide to PFS Coordination
I hope that helps.
-R