PFS Policies on Tablets at the Table

[rknop]

For online games, the whole process outlined clearly doesn't make sense. As an online GM, I'll tell characters to cross off the boon themselves. (I haven't actually had a character try to use a one-use boon at a table I've GMed yet, but that's what I would do.) And, I'm already somebody far towards one side of being anal, in that I ask players to send me copies of the chronicle sheets for online games; most online GMs don't even do that. (I also strive to give fully-filled-out signed sheets at the end, instead of just doing the common practice of sending players signed sheets with just the "GM only" parts filled out.) But, even for me, all that back-and-forth seems absurd.

On the other hand, I do think it's reasonable to ask a player to have a physical copy of a chronicle sheet at the gaming table. It's generally going to be easier for GMs to read and deal with, and to pass around, than even tablets. It's just a matter of common standards and expectations. It's not asking very much to have the printout of a chronicle sheet at an FtF game, so just do it. It's much easier than (say) having printouts of every single page describing every single non-CRB spell that a high-level wizard has; there, because of the potential volume involved, I would advocate strongly for the player being able to show the PDF on his tablet, rather than requiring the printouts at the table. (Honestly, I'm not sure what the current ruling is on that.)

[kinevon]

Don Walker wrote:

rknop wrote:

Don Walker wrote:

Scanned copies of Chronicle sheets are fine at my tables, but if the player does not have the hard copy originals they don't get to use any one use boons or anything else that must be crossed off.

I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to forbid that. Some players play online, and get chronicle sheets in digital format; there ARE no hard-copy originals.

If you don't treat the chronicle sheets that those online players get as full chronicle sheets, then you're not respecting the full PFS. Yes, of course, the players have to cross them off, and they could cheat-- but, honestly, people could cheat anyway. So, trying to avoid the cheating by disallowing legitimate chronicle sheets is not going to be effective, and you're violating PFS rules as a GM.

Actually, when players get digital copies of a Chronicle sheet from the GM for online play, they are supposed to print them so they have a hard copy stack.

If, as a GM, I can't cross off a particular boon and initial that I did, the player will not get the benefit of that one use (or limited use) boon.

Don, do you have a rules citation for this practice, or is this a house rule for your tables?

I don't remember seeing any requirement like this in either the Guide or Additional Resources, but would love to know where it is so I can improve my rules adherence.

[勝20100]

Rather than the GM crossing the boon on the printed out digital chronicle sheet, doesn’t it make more sense to write it used in the new chronicle sheet the GM will give at the end of the game?

The player should still cross the original digital CS but if he doesn’t (forgets or cheats) there’s still a trace of the use somewhere.

[Serum]

To my knowledge, the Guide doesn't say anywhere that the GM is the one who is supposed to cross off the boon and sign the sheet, anyway.

[Quendishir]

I read everything for the scenarios off my tablet. Because of this, I have no issues with character sheets being on tablets and the like; however, if players are playing Angry Birds, of showing random clips on YouTube, I'm going to put my foot down and tell them they need to bring a paper copy of everything from now on until they can learn to behave themselves.

[yosemitemike]

A GM that is having problems with a player being distracted by a device certainly has more than two options with one of them being to tell the player to put the distracting device away or find another table to play at. If the problem is boring GMing, the player shouldn't have a problem with that.