Sanctioned Module level question

[EvilWriter]

I have a number of local players of various levels who want to play a sanctioned module. Unfortunately, the lowest player and the highest player are three levels apart. The way the rules are written in the PFS guide, you cannot play a sanctioned module if the lowest and highest members of your table are more than two levels apart.

Is there any leeway on this, given the desire to let as many people play the game as possible? I understand the desire to keep the challenge level balanced for all players, and to avoid powergaming, but the one level up or down restriction is remarkably restrictive given the normal level drift that happens in a PFS campaign, and will prohibit my players from playing a sanctioned module like they wanted to at this stage. Do I have any options to include everyone?

[Paz]

If the module is sanctioned for levels 3-5 say, then there's no leeway in letting a 2nd-level character play. However, you do have plenty of options:

- Have the player of the highest or lowest level PC play a pregen so that everyone is in the three level 'band' needed for a module.
- Have the player of the lowest level PC play some scenarios to catch up, with the player of the highest level PC using a different character. Then play the module.
- Instead of a module, play a series of linked scenarios (e.g. the Quest for Perfection), where there's usually a larger level spread possible.

The tiers set for sanctioned modules are to prevent them breaking down; if they were taken away, you could use PCs two levels higher than assumed (cakewalk) or two levels lower (deadly). I shudder to think how a 2nd-level PC would fare in 'the Midnight Mirror'...

[Fromper]

Paz nailed it.

I'd say the best bet is to have the highest level players take on a couple of scenarios using pregens or new low level PCs in order to give the lowbies a chance to catch up.

[kinevon]

Or, as also mentioned, depending on your players' PC levels, some of them could use module-level appropriate pregens instead of their normal PCs, and use the chronicle either as stored credit, if their PC was lower level, or to start a new PC at 2nd level, if their PC was higher level.

Pregens are available at 1st, 4th and 7th levels. This allows a groupd to play any module that is rated from 1st to 8th level.
L1 - 1-2, Pregen 1sts
L2 - 1-3, Pregen 1sts
L3 - 2-4, Pregen 4ths
L4 - 3-5, Pregen 4ths
L5 - 4-6, Pregen 4ths
L6 - 5-7, Pregen 7ths
L7 - 6-8, Pregen 7ths
L8 - 7-9, Pregen 7ths

Level 9 & higher modules are not amenable to PFS legal pregens, unfortunately; and there are no longer any other options, now that the grandfathering for Ruby Phoenix Tournament has ended.

The Free RPG Day module, Dawn of the Scarlet Sun, also has a set of 5th level pregens available, but they can only be used for that specific module.