GM credit and characters in PbP games

[rknop]

You can only play one character in one scenario at a time. So, if you have a character in a PbP game, you can't play that same character in another PbP game until the first completes, and you can't play that character in a FtF game until the PbP game completes.

All of this makes sense.

Where I get confused is with GM credit. If I complete a game and get GM credit, can I apply that credit to a character currently in a PbP game? If so, I would "hold" the chronicle sheet and apply it to the character after that chronicle sheet that the character receives once the PbP game completes.

It seems to me that this should be an OK thing to do. I did do it once, but then I read somewhere that you aren't supposed to do that. Since then, I've been careful to apply any GM credit I get to characters that aren't currently in the middle of a PbP game.

What's the official rule? If I've got a character in the middle of a PbP game, and I finish another game as GM, can I use the GM chronicle sheet on the character in the PbP game after the PbP game is complete?

[Paz]

A similar question was asked HERE; it's been flagged for FAQing a dozen times, so hopefully it will get a response.

Currently it's not 100% clear, but the best information in the Guide is as follows:

GtPFSOP v4.3 wrote:

When you choose to take a Chronicle sheet for GM credit, you must decide which of your characters receives the Chronicle sheet when you fill out the tracking sheet for that table. You must apply Chronicle sheets in the order they are received. The only exception is when you hold a higher-tier Chronicle for a lower-tier character.

Since you received the GM chronicle first, you'd have to apply it first. But you can't, as the PC is currently 'locked' in a game.

[Derek Weil]

Ok, I'm in the same boat - I have two characters in PbP games, but if the PbP games I'm GMing end sooner, where does the credit go? You apply them in order received, but if all your characters are locked in games, do you need to create a new PFS character to dump your credit into? I read the other thread - I see it's not clear. Maybe I should delay reporting the online scenarios until certain games end?

[Paz]

Derek Weil wrote:

Ok, I'm in the same boat - I have two characters in PbP games, but if the PbP games I'm GMing end sooner, where does the credit go? You apply them in order received, but if all your characters are locked in games, do you need to create a new PFS character to dump your credit into?

From the way the Guide is currently written, I think so. You don't have to take credit on this 'session' of course; you could GM it again and take credit later.

Quote:

I read the other thread - I see it's not clear. Maybe I should delay reporting the online scenarios until certain games end?

Be aware that the players in your game will have the same problem with their PC being locked, and may get annoyed if you delay the issuing of chronicle sheets and reporting...

[Amsheagar]

From just reading this form and not the other one, it would appear that any credits for the GM would be applied to your character in the PhP game, after that game is finished.

I have come to this conclusion because of Gencon 2012, where i was able to retire my main character. But while i was in the middle of the 3 part game, I was able to play that character in the special. I was not able to apply the credit from the special to my main character until after the retirement games were over.

[N N 959]

Amsheagar wrote:

From just reading this form and not the other one, it would appear that any credits for the GM would be applied to your character in the PhP game, after that game is finished.

I would agree that this needs to be the rule. The Guide which Paz quotes was not written with PbP in mind. Applying those rules to situations that were not contemplated when the rule was written can lead to folly.

PbP should not be penalized because of the format. GMs should be allowed to apply to the credit to any viable character, regardless of whether that character is locked in a game, because if this were all face to face, none of your characters would be locked. The GM credit should apply at the end of the current scenario.

[GM Lithrac]

I agree with you NN959, if the rule prevented GMs from applying credit to characters they were playing at the same time, I know I would stop GMing right there and then. If given a choice between playing and GMing, I would play any day.

By the way I have a question which is linked to the matter at hand. For the PbP games' date on the Chronicle Sheet, should we write down the date we started the PbP, or the date we finished?

[Kludde]

For applying DM credit I've always followed this (legalistic) reasoning:

- GM credit is applied just like pregen credit: you must apply it as soon as you have legal character available
- Having a character in game makes that character unavailable for applying credit (not limited to PbP, also holds for APs/modules)
- As soon as that character emerges from the game (and is eligible to receive credit) the credit must be applied.

In contrast to pregen credit, GMs have the luxury to choose the character they apply the chronicle to, so I suppose you can assign that tier 7-11 chronicle to a level 2 character, even if you have a level 7 available.

I always write down the date the game finished. Shouldn't it actually be the date that the chronicle was applied (so, game finishing date for PbP games, but the date the chronicle was applied for GM credit and high-level Pregen credit)?

[AxeMurder0]

I am always extra careful and do not apply gm credit to a character currently in a pbp.

I am not 100% sure that this strictness is required but in organized play I error on the side of caution whenever possible.

Something to remember in these discussions is sometimes thete is a difference between what the rule says, and what it should say.

Should people be allows to apply gm credit to a character in a game, waiting for it to end to apply the sheet? Absolutely.

Can they do so under the current rules? I don't think so, but I'm not confident enough to definitevly tell people no, they can't do that.

[N N 959]

Robert Hetherington wrote:

Something to remember in these discussions is sometimes thete is a difference between what the rule says, and what it should say.

One of the great things about PFS is that John Compton and Michael Brock are focused on what makes sense. They recognize that the rules are a means to an end, not an end in and of themselves. The point of any PFS rules is to facilitate the experience of playing PFS.

What are the pros and cons of preventing a PbP GM applying their GM credit to a character who is currently locked in an scenario, but only having that credit applied after the character completes the scenario?