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In PFS we assume that all characters are commissioned pathfinder field agents.
Which back ground do you generally prefer for your characters: one where they trained in the Grand lodge to earn their commission or one where they were awarded a field commission?
Did your character study and work for 3 years in a University/ boarding school type of setting the Grand lodge provides for its initiates?
Are there other initiates your character knows from your training?
Did your character spend time studying under Marcus Farabellus Master of Blades or Aram Zey Master of spells, or Kreighton Shaine Master of Scrolls (history etc)?
What sort of test did your character have to go through for his Confirmation to become a full Pathfinder agent?
Or did your character earn a field commission? What was he doing? Whose bacon did he save?
I am curious which background do you prefer? Or does it simply depend on the character you are making?
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depends on the character. One was a proper student. 2 field commission. One i have not really thought about.
My best example of field is my character that is the re-creation of my Blackmoor campaign character. I did not so much remake him as make a fun story of how he walked into Blackmoor's resident spaceship crash and out of Numeria's having been seriously level drained in the process. Some oddity he brought out with him got recognized when he stumbled into civilization and when he tried to sell it to the pathfinders they ended up bringing him in
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I tend to play a lot of divine characters, and to be honest, I really don't like the Pathfinder Society, too much. So field commission is a way to kind of get around that, to a point. It allows for the character (whose first allegiance is to the faith, not the Society), to have been requested specifically for the abilities they bring, and doesn't have the same sort of moral quandary/breaks that being a typical pathfinder would in their ingrained split loyalties, (when mechanically that's not really a choice for some classes). That and I've already gone through "boot camp" in real life, and I just didn't find that aspect of the Pathfinders that cool, in my opinion.
Especially when it comes to the actual game mechanics. Clerics, Fighters, and Paladins (for example), all get crap skills and 2+Int skill points. Flavor-wise they just went through multiyear, intense and focused training. But, they are still stuck with a lot of non-Pathfindery skills, and still not really able to take a lot of skills that they should have been heavily trained in. So field commission just makes more sense.
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Having studied at the Lodge makes sense for some of my characters, most seem more likely to have just fallen in to it.
I would like to see this aspect emphasized more - maybe creating a small boon depending on which tract you took
Academy grads could get a small bonus to knowledge or cha checks when in Absalom or interacting with Venture captains,, or linguistics bonus.
Field commissioned could have a small bonus to survival, perception or other physical skill.
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Dragnmoon we= the writers of PFS scenarios. I can't think of a PFS scenario that doesn't start with a briefing by a venture captain or close associate of the society. The scenarios may begin just as you enter some ruins, but there is always mention of a briefing where a VC gave the player characters, pathfinder field agents, a mission that they are being sent on.
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Dragnmoon we= the writers of PFS scenarios. I can't think of a PFS scenario that doesn't start with a briefing by a venture captain or close associate of the society. The scenarios may begin just as you enter some ruins, but there is always mention of a briefing where a VC gave the player characters, pathfinder field agents, a mission that they are being sent on.
Sorry I read that wrong... I thought you were talking about that we all assume we became Pathfinders through Field Commission, which is a different subject.
What you are talking about is the it is assumed we are all Field Operatives/Agents
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I doubt that one background is "better" than the other. It will depend on the nature of the character's history. Based on the nature of the characters that I have seen, a slight majority would be from the "formally trained" group than the "field commission" group, but that is just my experience. I'm sure others will have experienced something different.
Personally, I have registered nine characters. Of those, four would be formally trained, the rest would be field commissions.
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For me more lawful characters fit better with the academy. More chaotic characters fit better with the field commission.
My roguey druid is RPed as very unfamiliar with the outside world and very much a doe eyed fanboy of pathfinders. 3 years in training would have ruined that, so I went with field commission. A hermean public education, sleeping with pathfinder chronicles under his pillow, and druidic training do for a formal pathfinder education.
My tengu archer inquisitor was canonically field commissioned by running masters of a fallen fortress.
My dumb as a post sorcerer probably had a good 5 years to graduate.
there's no way my gnome cleric of the lantern king would have paid attention to ANYTHING for 3 years strait- I think he just saw a bunch of people standing around to go on an adventure and started walking in the same direction they did.
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I would say that of my four characters, three would actually be academy trained.
Silbeg, the rogue, made his way to Absalom to make his fortune in the Pathfinder Society. He was recruited by the Andoran action even before entering the academy through his contacts in the Caydenites, since he is a strong believer in freedom.
Magnus, Paladin of Abadar, is the only son of a failing Taldan noble family. Partially, he wanted to make a pilgrimage to see the Star Stone (his family once worshiped Aroden... they still pay him homage, but have switched their patron to Abadar). Partially, he needed to make contacts to improve his families plight. However, rather than joining the Taldoran faction, he chose the Silver Crusade, as they more closely matched his Paladin's creed.
Munny, Lawman of Abadar comes from Alkenstar. He spent many years as a shieldmarshal outside patrolling near the city, when he was recruited by the Shadow Lodge to help keep an eye on things inside of the Society. As he was due for re-enlistment, he chose to muster out, and he and Vera (his ever present companion), joined the society, taking on a field commission due to his years of experience.
Angelo Gaius Cassius Fierro is an unusual case. His parents, in order to promote the family, entered into a diabolical pact, resulting in his birth 4 score and four years ago. For the first fifty or so years of his life, he enjoyed the status his noble and diabolical birth gave him... however, as his parents passed on, his status as the heir to the family was challenged, and he was barely able to escape with his life. He fled first to Osirion, where he spent several decades as a student in the academies, to learn the art of the arcane. From there, probably after annoying one too many instructor, he was sent to Absalom to take training in the Grand Lodge. One hopes this arrogant Wizard has learned his lesson.
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Field commissions seems to be a much more rich source of character background stories than the whole 'I scrubbed chamberpots for three years before they let me hold a Wayfinder!' schtick. None of my characters have a back story which involves being trained at the Lodge in Absalom. The closest is a girl who was groomed by her mother to be accepted by the Society, but even she spent her developmental 'training time' in Alkenstar, not Absalom.
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How does the field commission work?
There's a few different possibilities.
Canonically in masters of the fallen fortress, you invade the place, save a pathfinders life, and he offers you a job on the spot.
You can also discover something independently, and the society will take that as proof that you know what you're doing. (and they probably figure if you don't, natural selection will take care of that)
Generally even your first scenario assumes you're already an agent. You don't have any XP before then, so how much can you have done to earn that field commission?
You did something to wind up a fighter/ wizard/rogue instead of a peasant.
Is the Grand Lodge training supposedly where you learn your class abilities? Or is it on top of that? Special Pathfinder training?
The character I'm putting together definitely picked up the bulk of his skills and has some "adventuring" background before contacting the Society, but a little training on what the Society expects from its members wouldn't be a bad thing. He wouldn't stand for too much, I expect.
I don't think I've ever had it come up in play. Play what you want to play, Mike Brock has said they're moving away from the boarding school hazing approach anyway.
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Before Seeker of Secrets came out explaining that all Pathfinders studied at the Grand Lodge first, with the rare exception of some being given field commissions for doing something noteworthy, I assumed the Society was more like a social club that focused on exploration and rescue missions than an academy and subsequent para-military force. I had 2 characters, an Andoran Human Paladin of Iomedae and a Chelaxian Human Ranger who was dark, moody, and borderline sociopathic. He was modeled after the monster in No Country for Old Men.
Once I read Seeker of Secrets, I had to figure out how to align my Neutral Ranger with this now much more organized Society. I eventually decided to play him as a Chelaxian spy who has infiltrated the Society. Since there is no mechanic to actually do this, it is just background flavor to help me direct his actions. Mechanically, he does the missions and works with the party. It's just his internal perspective that's ... bent.
The rest of my, now 15, characters have all gone through the Grand Lodge training. Most have GM credit from the three Intro scenarios so I can start playing them at level 2. Most are still level 2 or 3.
Developer
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The forthcoming Pathfinder Society Primer Player Companion will offer several new feats for characters with either background. Look for more on the transition from not-yet-commissioned field agent or Pathfinder-in-training to full-fledged member in a new Intro scenario before the end of the year.
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I must admit, I don't normally consider this (and I damn well should) when I create my Pathfinder characters. I normally draw upon something i have read recently and see how I can tailor an experience around it.
The only character I have which went through the whole Pathfinder training in Absolom (at least in my view) was my Wizard Rahtotep, who did it because A) He wanted access to the Pathfinder repository of knowledge B) He planned on becoming a desk jockey (until they lumped him with fieldwork). I have always also tried to play him as very prudish and reserved who has gradually opened up as he has been exposed to people like Miss Feathers.
I think the more Chaotically aligned characters out there, the training in Absolom does not make a whole lot of sense. Certainly my Shadde-Quah Barbarian would never of joined had it been training in Absolom.. his was definitely a field commission
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That would be an interesting take. Use the training to explain characters starting with GM credit.
Field commissions start playing at level 1.
I would go the other way with this. I would say that the characters that received "book learning" (i.e., Grand Lodge training) were the 1st level characters without any experience, while the GM credit characters were the ones "discovered and recruited" in the field. They've seen some real action, be it in their own adventures, defending their villages, whatever. They are noticed by a Pathfinder, and seen to have certain skills, and brought into the Society. These characters have "real world" experience, and thus aren't starting "fresh".
The forthcoming Pathfinder Society Primer Player Companion will offer several new feats for characters with either background. Look for more on the transition from not-yet-commissioned field agent or Pathfinder-in-training to full-fledged member in a new Intro scenario before the end of the year.
Looking forward to that! Would be great to have some feats (or traits) that show the "color" of being trained by the Grand Lodge, etc. It would make sense that there would be some advantage to having spent a few years in training, while their counterparts are out there learning by doing.
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My main issue is trying to find a fairly believabe reason, especially with field comissions, why certain individuals would want to be part of an organization thats all about hiding discovered knowledge, instigating political instability, breaking laws and taboos, and has a terrible (deserved) reputaion world wide, (outside of metagame handwaving).
But I do agree, it makes a lot more sense to me that the ones with actual experience and more book learning (Clerics, Wizards, DM credit, etc), would be more in line with field comission, while others would make more sense as trained agents.
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My main issue is trying to find a fairly believabe reason, especially with field comissions, why certain individuals would want to be part of an organization thats all about hiding discovered knowledge
They publish pathfinder chronicles, which disseminates an awful lot of information. They hold onto the big stuff its true, but they do publish a large amount of archeological, natural, historical, and magical research. Its like wanting to join a university for its resrearch even though you know they won't tell you how to build a doomsday machine... unless you get into the inner circle of course.
instigating political instability, breaking laws and taboos
Hey, you need to get into the tomb somehow...
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Although the volumes of the Pathfinder Chronicles themselves are intended only for the eyes of Pathfinder agents, there are unaffiliated adventurers, crooked scholars, and ambitious antiquarians who track down stray volumes and use them as maps to adventure.
As per the Inner Sea World Guide, chronicles are not intended for use outside of the Society.
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Whereas I'd think that book learning would make more sense for trained agents, while the intuitive classes would be more likely to be field commissions.
I can't really see the Barbarian learning his skills in a classroom.
It may depend on what you think they're learning. Are they learning their class abilities? Or do they already have those when they join and they're taking special Pathfinder training that doesn't have any real mechanical representation.
I was kind of thinking more along the lines of how some classes (to a point) need to devote larger portions of their life in training for their class than others. A farm boy might pick up and practice with a wooden sword to later become a Fighter or Barbarian, (simplistic generalization), and a Oracle/Sorcerer sort of learn that they can do minor magical stuff and sort of learn as they go. Cleric and Wizards on the other hand, are generally seen as spending a great amount of their youth being trained in their class abilities, and while yes, metagaming anyone can just multiclass into any other class with no restrictions, flavor-wise for example, Monks typically go through years of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplining prior to hitting level 1.
So what I was saying is, in my opinion, and its just my opinion, is based more on that train of thought. It's not universal, nor is it even official.
In the 3.5 PHB, it had a generalized breakdown on classes and starting ages, which represented the amount of training it took. For Humans it was:
Barbarians, Rogue, Sorcerer= 15 +1d4 years
Bard, Fightr, Paladin, Ranger= 15 +1d6 years
Cleric, Druid, Monk, Wizard= 15 +2d6 years
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Seeker of secrets makes it sound like they're distributed at large in a few places.
The greatest of their exploits live forever in the form of
the Pathfinder Chronicles, a multi-volume series of chapbooks
published by the order’s inner circle in Absalom and
distributed throughout the world by members of the Society.
The first-ever volume of the Pathfinder Chronicles is
published in Absalom, and quickly becomes popular among
adventurers and the curious aristocracy
ahhh down further it says
For this reason, Pathfinders
attempt to keep distribution of the Pathfinder Chronicles to
members of the Society alone.
Drat. My druid may have to self publish..
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It's because not many copies of the books are made, and they are specifically designed to sort of be a like a yearly intercompany news letter, showing what has been done recently, new tricks of the trade, and to honor those that the Decem. actually lets be known. Occasionally the books make it to the black market, where a lot of the collectors, richer people with a taste for reading adventure, and non-affiliated adventures find them interesting for their own needs. I want to say that each Chronicle only actually publishes about 100 copies, with second hand copies being made in the black market for those willing to pay.
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Yeah, I was thinking of the same breakdown.
Which is why it seemed strange to me that you suggested the less training classes would be the ones getting Society training and the more trained classes wouldn't.
Similar to how the military handles specialists like doctors. They have a great need for them, and because their civilian ed and training takes a lot more devotion and stufy, they typically try to get them after that training, rush them through officer training so they can do their job, rather than having them go through boot camp, then the full officer training, then jump in as an army doc. The Fighter, Rogue, barbarian, etc, a lot of their initial (class training) would also be similar to the generic Pathfinder training, but the need for Clerics and Wizards, is just to great a need to simply put them through everything, especially when the training will be counter intuitive to their later roles and previous training.
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Didn't read the whole thread, but I definitely have characters who wouldn't sit still long enough for 2-3 years of official training. Most of them, in fact.
On the other hand, I have one character whose whole back story is that he was freed from slavery as a child by an Andoren Pathfinder, who brought him back to Absalom. He then spent the ages of 9 through 15 working as a valet to various Pathfinders at the Grand Lodge, learning anything that anyone would teach him, becoming an official field agent at 16 years old. So incorporating the official training described in Seeker of Secrets into his story works perfectly.
