First Steps Faction question (split from product discussion)

[Matthew Morris]

here

Player Nate wrote:

My question, I don't know if it'll be best asked here, or in a general discussion of the Pathfinder Soceity, but I couldn't find a like-worded version of this:

I'm new to the PFS, and I'm scheduled to play my first session on June 16 at a local game store, but the only two groups are running "Shipyard Rats," and since that scenario is not part of the intro, and thus requires a Faction Trait, am I able to create a new character whenever I do get a chance to run the Intro series so that I can gain the full benifits at least once for one character? Or is that once I pick a Faction Trait, all of my characters have to be associated with the corresponding Faction?

First, welcome to the boards, Nate.

Yes, you would have to have a faction for Shipyard Rats (Rey suggests Shadow Lodge, while Mayim says "Go Taldor!").

That being said, no you are not limited to all your PCs being 'stuck' with one faction. As the line above shows, Rey is Shadow Lodge, while Mayim is Taldor. Both are run by me.

Side question, where on Earth are you? Might be other games going on.

[DM Player Nate]

I am in Florida. I know one game shop has a regularly scheduled Thursday evening group, but their in Tier 6-7, if I remember correctly, and the June 16 session is the first time I'll actually be playing in the Pathfinder Society.

I DM on Friday Nights with a home group, and play Monday nights and alternate Saturdays with the same.

It was just the faction thing was kind of different, and I wasn't sure. Because I have a Bard (Archeaologist Archetype), a Fighter, and a Magus (Bladebound Archetype) I'm trying to decide between, but the idea that I might be relegated to one Faction made me kind of leery. I want the Bard to Osirian, but the Magus and Fighters would (probably) be Andoran.

But is Shadow Lodge? I don't remember that one in the Pathfinder Society Guide.

[Eric Clingenpeel]

First off, make sure you have the most up-to-date version of the Guide. Last August they expanded on the Factions and added five more.

As Matthew mentioned picking a faction (which is different from a faction trait btw) for one character has no effect on previous or future characters you may play. I for one have 10 characters one in each faction.

Traits are just one benefit of specific factions. Do you use traits in your home game? They were introduced in the Adventure Paths and formally introduced into PFRPG in the Advanced Player's Guide. Each character gets two traits, and there are different categories of traits (Basic (Combat, Faith, Magic, Social), Campaign, Regional, Race, Religion, Faction, Equipment, (I'm sure I'm missing some)). Faction is only one category of traits and each faction has special traits that you can only take if you're from that faction. You are not required to take a faction trait from your faction if you do not want to. Its an option, not a requirement.

Anyway, just wanted to clear that up as from your first post you seemed slightly confused by them.

[DM Player Nate]

Ah, I did not realize there was an expanded/updated Guide. But regardless of whether or not I want a Faction Trait, I have to select a faction?

But really, I just wanted to know if I was forced into a faction no matter what I played, if I played a different character from a different Tier 1-2 Scenario.

Because I want to play the Intro Trilogy, but I also want to get as much experience as I can as a player prior to DMing it myself.

[Vinyc Kettlebek]

If you play in any session other than the intro series you must have a faction chosen for that character before beginning the game.

The intro trilogy is the exception that allows you to go all three scenarios, getting a feel for each faction, before making a selection at the end of part 3.

If you find that your first pick isn't working with the feel of the character you can change factions. You could end up changing factions multiple times throughout the life of your character, but there is a penalty for doing so.

[kinevon]

Make sure you have the most current version of the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play (currently v4.1, 4.2 expected before GenCon)

[Enevhar Aldarion]

DM Player Nate wrote:

Ah, I did not realize there was an expanded/updated Guide. But regardless of whether or not I want a Faction Trait, I have to select a faction?

But really, I just wanted to know if I was forced into a faction no matter what I played, if I played a different character from a different Tier 1-2 Scenario.

Because I want to play the Intro Trilogy, but I also want to get as much experience as I can as a player prior to DMing it myself.

Yes, a Faction is required at the start of any scenario other than the First Steps trilogy. And yes, at the end of part three, you will have to choose a faction for that character. No, a Faction trait is not required. The only limit on traits, other than needing to be legal for PFS play, is that they cannot be from the same category. And yes, you could have 10 different characters and each be from a different Faction. And last, First Steps can be replayed for credit. So if for some reason you wanted to, you could play 100 different new characters through the trilogy and they would all get credit and a chronicle.