I've been playing D&D for years, and Pathfinder ever since it came out, but I'm just starting in PFS. My main question is, how difficult will it be to play a CG rogue in the Sczarni faction? I've heard a lot about how 'morally ambigous' they can be and really want to know if it's possible to retain a CG alignment within the faction or if it's going to require passing on half the faction missions. The second character I'm creating is a LN wizard who will join the Shadow Lodge faction.
Thanks in advance for the advice!
If your goal is CG, why do you want the Sczarni faction in the first place? Knowing that might help answer your question.
Also, welcome to PFS! :)
I mostly want the Sczarni faction for a roleplaying kind of aspect- I plan on playing a half-elf with Varisian as the human half who traveled extensively with Varisian caravans until joining the Pathfinders. I think the Varisian background fits quite well with the Sczarni faction (the extended 'family' and the favours), but at the same time, I don't want to be handicapped by the choice, which is why I wanted to know how feasable it is to play CG in that faction.
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As a GM, I'll tell you that you might have some issues with a few faction missions. Most of their acts are neutral at best, quite a few are evil, and some are evil enough that if it weren't an explicit faction mission, you'd get your character evil'd right out of the society.
If you roleplay your character, and stick to you CG alignment, you'll definitely be missing some PA, probably roughly one every 3-4 scenarios, just because your character would have moral qualms about it. And some will definitely cause party strife.
Sidenote: I feel like I should go ahead and state that as a GM, I really don't like the Scarzni, and that bias may show through. Faction objectives that would otherwise remove characters, and faction objectives that make a party slam square into the No PvP rule....it is just all bad in my book.
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Yeah, I can't see playing a good aligned character in Scarzni. I remember one adventure where the Scarzni in our group had to cut out someone's tongue, while leaving him alive, apparently to make an example of the guy for the rest of the scumbags or something.
I was playing a LG cleric in the Silver Crusade in that adventure. My character is lawful good, not lawful stupid, so she knew the Scarzni guy had some sort of shady business with that NPC, but she was willing to leave the room and give them some privacy, knowing it was none of her concern. Of course, she just assumed they needed to talk and/or exchange material goods or money of some sort. My cleric never did learn that the Scarzni Pathfinder's dealings with the NPC were so violent. In fact, I stepped out to go to the bathroom while this was going on, so I came back to find the whole table laughing about something, and they didn't explain it to me until after the adventure was over.
Remember, "cooperate" is one of the key code words of the Pathfinder Society, both in the game world and the real world, so these types of things shouldn't lead to PVP situations.
But again, I can't imagine anyone with a good alignment, or even a lawful one, joining the Scarzni. I'm actually making my first Scarzni character now, and I'm going true neutral alignment, but that's also how I envisioned the character from the start.
Well, if it's that bad, then I guess it'll be the freedom fighting/ anti-slavery Andorans for my rogue. Too bad, I actually kind of liked the idea of working with the shadier (but NOT evil) side of the Pathfinders.
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The Shadow Lodge is only about as shady as your local union. I haven't seen the shadow lodge doing anything really underhanded. They are suitable for a good player, certainly, but perhaps lacking in the rogue sense. Taldans can often use rogues, as can Andoran. Cheliax is often underhanded, and often quite hilarious.
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Since it hasn't be mentioned yet, playing a character that is opposed, entirely or in part with your faction is not a bad idea. It's actually a great wealth of roleplaying goodness and character development. If you're a murdering thief, you fit perfectly with Sczarni. Wow, what a totally original character. .
But if you're a roguish fellow with good intentions, Sczarni is even better. Imagine the fun you can have RPing out being torn between doing what you know is right, and the allure of wealth and power. My GF plays a Chelish paladin, and she's had some great moments like this (being a paladin, she always sides with her class, but you get the idea).
