Faction changes with insufficient prestige

[Mekkis]

One of my characters is considering a change of faction. He's currently second level, with 4 prestige and 6 fame.

If, hypothetically, he decided to give Ambrus Valsin the middle finger, and apply for Shadow Lodge membership from Grandmaster Torch, what happens?

"So, I've decided that the Ten doesn't care about the lowly members of the Pathfinder Society. I'd like to help expose the Decemvirate's ploys and work for the benefit of the members /of/ the society."

Torch.. "I'm sorry. It seems that the Grand Lodge doesn't owe you enough favours. You'll need to work for them more before I'll allow you to tear up your membership card and join us. Oh, and you should do it quickly, before you get more experienced in your skills: the membership fee is higher, you see... See you around."

Is this really how it plays out?

[Sniggevert]

Mekkis wrote:

One of my characters is considering a change of faction. He's currently second level, with 4 prestige and 6 fame.

If, hypothetically, he decided to give Ambrus Valsin the middle finger, and apply for Shadow Lodge membership from Grandmaster Torch, what happens?

"So, I've decided that the Ten doesn't care about the lowly members of the Pathfinder Society. I'd like to help expose the Decemvirate's ploys and work for the benefit of the members /of/ the society."

Torch.. "I'm sorry. It seems that the Grand Lodge doesn't owe you enough favours. You'll need to work for them more before I'll allow you to tear up your membership card and join us. Oh, and you should do it quickly, before you get more experienced in your skills: the membership fee is higher, you see... See you around."

Is this really how it plays out?

Pretty much. You have to have the prestige in order to spend it on favors (including change of faction).

[Gnoll Coward]

Mekkis wrote:

One of my characters is considering a change of faction. He's currently second level, with 4 prestige and 6 fame.

Has your character played any scenarios/modules as 2nd level?

[Maggie Missile]

Considering his fame he has probably not played his character as 2nd level yet, in which case he can change everything about his character at 1st level except his number.

[Mekkis]

He has played a scenario at second level. That is why this might come up. It doesn't really make sense to for the New Faction Leader to force you to work Better with the Old Faction Leader in order to have Permission to switch...

[Thorkull]

Don't think of it as spending prestige with the old faction, think of it as *losing* all your prestige with the old faction. The prestige you keep basically represents the good things the new faction has heard about you. If you don't have enough prestige to make the switch, it means you haven't done enough good things (in the new faction leader's view) for the new faction to accept you, so you can't switch.

[Akeela Valerian, the Wolf]

Jonathan Cary wrote:

Don't think of it as spending prestige with the old faction, think of it as *losing* all your prestige with the old faction. The prestige you keep basically represents the good things the new faction has heard about you. If you don't have enough prestige to make the switch, it means you haven't done enough good things (in the new faction leader's view) for the new faction to accept you, so you can't switch.

This.

Plus, quite frankly, your new "employer" (Shadow Lodge) will to some extent look at this potential "employee" and say "Why isn't he with his old employer?" and "I don't know anything about this guy" until he has proven himself to some extent. Thus, needs more PA spent to have proven himself.