Hello. I'm new to PFS. I've wanted to play it for some time and now I have the chance.
The biggest con in Finland (RopeCon) takes place this weekend. They have PFS. I want in.
I've red most of the PFS rules. I've made me a character. But that's where my preparations end and the questions begin. I have to register my character, correct? Do I need to bring reference material to the con (I've not used anything outside CRB)? What else, besides a healthy bag of dice, do I need?
Mind you, I GM PF so I think I know RAW pretty well. But not the PFS stuff.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: Everyone's cheering for some scenario called "Blood Under Absalom", which is going to take place in the con. As I've understood, BUA cannot be played unless certain conditions are met so this is like once in a lifetime opportunity. Can I play BUA with a Tier 1 character?
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- Yes, you must register your character(s) on the website. You can do this under 'my account', about half-way down the left-hand side of the page. Make a note of your character number(s) and take them with you to every PFS game you play.
- If you have used material from a source other that the Pathfinder Core Rules, the Guide to Organised Play, the Trait Reference Document, or the Guide to the Pathfinder Society you must bring the source in question with you. Otherwise, you're good to go.
- If you can, take a mini with you to represent your character as well.
- Blood Under Absalom can be played by a character of any level. You will be organised into a table of other characters of roughly equivalent level to play the scenario.
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Venture-Captain, Arizona—Tucson
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When participating in organized play games, you cannot be sure that you'll have a balanced party. You may find yourself at a table that lacks an arcane caster, a healer, a "meat shield", or some other important role. Keep that in mind when building your character: Make them robust and versatile, not a "one-trick pony".
Buy some means of healing as soon as you can. Even a couple of potions or scrolls can make a huge difference if you find yourself at a table with no healer. Characters can pick up a wand of cure light wounds or infernal healing for 2 Prestige Points after their first adventure.
If you prefer very specialized characters, you might prefer to build two characters, making them fit different niches in the party. One would then become your primary PC and the other one can be pulled out if your party is missing something important. When I began, my first PCs were a deranged Elvish Archer-Monk and a smooth-talking Taldan Rogue.
That's a lot of good advice! Thank you! For Taldor!
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Hargoyle,
I would like to suggest reviewing the following (if you have not yet done so):
http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/pfsproducts/pfsFreeProducts
Some other helpful resources (pregens!) are here:
http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/playerResources
Finally, I use the following in prepping spells/etc. and find them to be an excellent (and free) resource:
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/
Here are some of my suggestions after running a convention table:
- Register with PFS and have your number handy at all times.
- Download (and print) the Guide to Organized Play.
- Download (and print) the Pathfinder Field Guide OR purchase the book.
- Roll a character and register it
- Use page flags (or post-it notes) on all pages using a spell or ability you have. (I have mine divided by color: Ezran, green. Valeros, red. etc.)
Since you may suddenly find yourself at a table with four wizards or six people who ALL want to be a rogue, I think it's useful to have pregens handy:
- Download (and print) ALL core iconic pregens at ALL levels (Cleric, Fighter, Wizard, Rogue)
- Go to the PRD and print off /each/ spell, ability, piece of gear [alchemist's fire, acid flasks, etc.] listed on the character sheet for each of the pregens, so you know exactly what that stuff does.
Regardless of whether you are playing your own character or a pregen, as a GM I love to see the following:
- Character sheet in sheet protectors (plastic covering)
- All spells and/or abilities on a separate sheet in a sheet protector
- Wet-erase markers
- Post it notes
- List of common conditions (so if I say "dazed", you know what this means)
- Starburst (or other 1" candy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starburst_%28candy%29)
- Pens/pencils
DIFFERENT color dice are helpful! You can roll attack, crit confirm, and damage together to speed up play.
Having a miniature is also very handy.
You could really sum up my advice as follows:
Be prepared to have at least one character (either custom or pregen) for all four iconic classes so you can fit in at any table, and have all the character's feats/spells/abilities in a quick reference for yourself and the GM without having to dig through the book. Have fun and be yourself. ^_^
Forgot to mention the use of the candy: I use them for persistent area-effect spells (silence/darkness) or conditions (fire/acid) or for changes in elevation (fly, spider climb). As they are 1"x1", they fit nicely on a miniatures grid and all of the Paizo/GameMastery Flip-Mats.
You may also want to have index cards for conditions (dazed, blinded, sickened, etc.), which I forgot to mention.
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-part of the fun of PFS is the faction missions. A wide variety of skills may help. If you want to play Grog the beauty school drop out with 1 skillpoint per level, do so, but if you're on the fence between Grog and someone with skills go with someone with skills.
-Magic items are insanely available: if you are a magic user you can can snag an entire library worth of scrolls for "just in case" spells.
-on that note, don't be afraid to build around a custom weapon. You can get a custom made +1 Kobold bane shocking burst manriki gusariikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari from your faction if that's what you're using: you don't need to get reaaaly lucky looting a body.
-Have an equipment list, and a longer shopping list of things to buy after your first scenario ready to go.-alchemists fire. Alchemists fire. Do not leave home without it.
Robert and BigNorseWolf, thanks, that's a lot of good advice! Though Robert, I have to admit I kinda wondered about the Skittle thing before I red your later post. But then again, Skittles are good! Never too much good candy at the gaming table!
Also, Ropecon for me is over. And it was great! No, beyond great! Made a new thread about my experiences, check it out!