Boons for non PFS play.

[andromada369]

First off I don't play in PFS nor do I plan to in the foreseeable future.

However I came across this thread where boons were mentioned.

1. What the heck is a boon?
2. Is there really any use for them outside PFS?
2. If so, are the old boons available for download?

[Pirate Rob]

The boons we're talking about are things like:

You may now play a Tiefling. (Tieflings aren't normally a legal choice)

While there are some other things like a free weapon proficiency or +2 to perception, there's not much use for them outside of organized play.

If you want to reward your players for their behavior you don't need a sheet of paper that says they can play the exotic race because they buy the pizza, you can just let them play the race.

[godsDMit]

1. A boon is a special bonus the chronicle (a paper record of having played a session) awards the character or player.
Certain ones give access to an additional trait, immunnity to a disease or poison, proficiency with a weapon, etc. The one you liked to would give the player the option of using a race that appears outside the Core.
2. Not really.
3. The only boons you can download are the ones that are linked to the Pathfinder Tales novels, and even with those, you have to have a GM sign off on it, after showing them that you own a copy of the appropriate novel. Other than that, they are awarded at specific places and times.

[andromada369]

Well for example I've read that some of the most powerful boons where handed out with the Eyes of Ten trilogy and the Beginner Box Bash, which also had a nice gm boon from what I read. And if I can't download the old boons is there at least a list of what they where? It's just my curiosity just won't leave me alone until I find out.

[Pirate Rob]

http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/resources has the Pathfinder Tales boons down at the bottom.

[Mourne]

I don't know about the Eyes of Ten boon, but I know the Beginner's Box boons include a free res and a racial boon. Again, these are nice things for PFS, but for a home game they're not really needed. Since in PFS things are played on a strict don't mess with the rules system, the boons give players wiggle room with the rules. But in a home game, the players can do whatever you as a GM allow (play non-core races, suddenly are given a blessing from their god and revived, get some benefit for a backstory, etc.).

[Helaman]

Some boons are GREAT (free raise dead), some are Good (play an Assimar etc), some are decent (access to skill as a class skill and attack damage bonus on a certain class of monster) and some are 'ok', like a one off save bonus against something.

Some on the otherhand, are a complete waste of paper, and left me feeling a bit disappointed ... like giving me a one time use to the team work feat LOOKOUT (sucky in itself compared to other boons... and even compared to other teamwork feats) BUT IT ONLY WORKS IF ADJACENT TO SOMEONE WITH THE SAME BOON or TEAMWORK FEAT.

Odds of having someone in the group have that same chronicle are VERY low if you are in mixed organised play and not very local or home games and virtually NONE for someone having that feat - No one wants it. As to actually being NEXT to such a person in a surprise round?

May as well buy a scratch lottery ticket.

[godsDMit]

If it was me, Id rather get an extremely situational boon than get no boon Id get otherwise. That might just be me though. :/

[Helaman]

Beats a poke in the eye with a blunt stick but only just.

[JohnF]

Helaman wrote:

Some on the otherhand, are a complete waste of paper, and left me feeling a bit disappointed ... like giving me a one time use to the team work feat LOOKOUT (sucky in itself compared to other boons... and even compared to other teamwork feats) BUT IT ONLY WORKS IF ADJACENT TO SOMEONE WITH THE SAME BOON or TEAMWORK FEAT.

Well, that's true of almost all the teamwork feats (hence the name). I think that lookout is one of the more useful teamwork feats for some characters. I'm lucky enough to usually play in the same scenarios as my wife, who is currently running a rogue (while I'm playing a monk). Being able to go early in the surprise round, or to get a full attack with all the rogue extra damage benefits, can make quite a difference at low levels.

I've picked up a couple of boons. One of them might come in handy at any time - it's a one-time guaranteed success on any skill I have no ranks in.

[Chris Mortika]

Hi, John. That's a fantastic boon. At Who's Yer Con, there were a number of players poo-poohing it, but, people, it gives you a guaranteed success. Not a roll of "20". A guaranteed success.

"My fighter has a Charisma of 8 and no ranks in Use Magic Device. He's going to activate this artifact that can --under normal circumstances-- be activated only by the High Priest of Abadar."

"I have no ranks in Jump, but I'm going to jump up this 50-foot cliff face."

Really, it's an amazing boon.

[Helaman]

Agreed - that boon ROCKS.

[Helaman]

JohnF wrote:

Helaman wrote:

Some on the otherhand, are a complete waste of paper, and left me feeling a bit disappointed ... like giving me a one time use to the team work feat LOOKOUT (sucky in itself compared to other boons... and even compared to other teamwork feats) BUT IT ONLY WORKS IF ADJACENT TO SOMEONE WITH THE SAME BOON or TEAMWORK FEAT.

Well, that's true of almost all the teamwork feats (hence the name). I think that lookout is one of the more useful teamwork feats for some characters. I'm lucky enough to usually play in the same scenarios as my wife, who is currently running a rogue (while I'm playing a monk). Being able to go early in the surprise round, or to get a full attack with all the rogue extra damage benefits, can make quite a difference at low levels.

I've picked up a couple of boons. One of them might come in handy at any time - it's a one-time guaranteed success on any skill I have no ranks in.

So neither of you have Teamwork feats [tick] but you happen to be married to a gamer (thats really rare mate and you both play in the same games most of the time [tick] so can use the boon.

Thats pretty damn circumstantial. You won the lottery, and I don't mean the boon... its in having a wife that shares your hobby.

[JohnF]

Helaman wrote:

You won the lottery, and I don't mean the boon... its in having a wife that shares your hobby.

I suspect that shared interests goes a long way towards explaining why our marriage is measured in decades.

There are quite a lot of role-playing couples around here (stop sniggering at the back there - you know what I mean). In fact several of the local PFS officers are accompanied to conventions by wives and other family members who play (and, quite often, judge).

In our case my wife got tired of sitting at home one night a week while I went out to play D&D, so she decided to come along and see what it was all about. She thought it looked like fun, so she rolled up a character. Later on, when I took over as DM for one of the games, we ended up hosting (and providing dinner beforehand for several of the players).
That was more than a few years ago (and 3000 miles away from where we now live), but we've recently got back into gaming after a long hiatus.