A bunch of questions about PFS including Playing a Merfolk in PFS

[Lumos de Fortuno]

So I was wondering if you can play merfolk in PFS and whether or not a lvl 1 merfolk character could get a Seafoam Shawl starting so as to get access to the fins to feet spell.

I don't know if its allowed (I've only played once or twice at conventions outside of normal at home games), but I'd really like to play a merfolk sea witch with the Seasinger racial trait. The other class that really tempted me was the Sea Singer Bard.

BTW, so is 12 like the level cap for PFS? Do you not have scenarios for people that are higher levels? I'm just wondering because the DM rewards talks about you get 1 XP towards your character for each game you DM and its 3 XP per level, and to become a 4 star DM is 100 games, that's level 34 right there, or two level 12s and a lvl 10.

[Lumos de Fortuno]

Wave Warden is also really tempting.

[Nefreet]

You'll want to check out the Additional Resources document. It's kind of the go-to guide for anything outside of the Core Book.

Regarding Merfolk, it has this to say:

Additional Resources wrote:

In Chapter 3, nothing from the changelings, duergar, gillmen, merfolk, samsarans, strix, svirfneblin, and vanaras entries are currently legal for play.

[Nefreet]

Also, be sure to read up on the most recent Guide to Organized Play. It is a long read, but it will answer most basic questions regarding playable races and how to construct a character.

As for the "level cap", scenarios are only issued in the level 1-11 range. There is a "retirement arc" of 4 scenarios that will take you from level 12 to 13.2

Beyond that you can use content from Modules and sanctioned Adventure Paths, sprinkled with Convention specials, to level your character to exactly 20.

The XP you earn from GMing is the XP of the scenario, module, AP, or special that you run.

[Lumos de Fortuno]

So does that mean extra stuff is not legal (like wave wardens and alternate racial traits) or merfolk all together?

Man, I was SO excited about this character.

[Lumos de Fortuno]

depressing. And the races from Faerun aren't available either or I'd just play a half aquatic elf. I'm heading to bed and I'll go through all the allowed races later but are there any really fun seafaring or aquatic races legal for play?

[Nefreet]

Since the Wave Warden is only found in Chapter 3 of the ARG, in the Merfolk entry, it is currently not legal for play.

If you attend a Convention, or check out this thread, you might be able to score an Undine race boon. Undines are most likely the closest you'll ever come to playing an aquatic race in PFS. Race boons are a sort of certificate that allows you to make a character of said race, whereas normally they would not be a legal option. Race boons are one of the perks to showing up to Conventions.

[Nefreet]

Lumos de Fortuno wrote:

And the races from Faerun aren't available either or I'd just play a half aquatic elf.

Yeah. Different fantasy world, different game.

Though you can be a half aquatic elf, technically.

Advanced Race Guide wrote:

Water Child: Some half-elves are born of elves adapted to life on or near the water. These half-elves gain a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks, can always take 10 while swimming, and may choose Aquan as a bonus language. This racial trait replaces the adaptability and multitalented racial traits.

[Viskous]

Bastards of Golarion has Aquatic Half-elves (Shoreborn).

[Nefreet]

I need to pick that up.

[Viskous]

It's an interesting book, though I was hoping for a bit more like the Aasimar and Tiefling books.

[Lumos de Fortuno]

OK, so the merfolk section from Advanced races isn't legal, what about the Merfolk from Amazing Races? The two entries are apparently pretty different.

[Starglim]

Lumos de Fortuno wrote:

OK, so the merfolk section from Advanced races isn't legal, what about the Merfolk from Amazing Races? The two entries are apparently pretty different.

Amazing Races is a third party product and highly unlikely to be sanctioned for PFS (I won't say it's impossible).

More briefly, check Additional Resources.

[Skeld]

Forego PFS altogether and you can play whatever you like (as long as you GM allows it).

If PFS is the only gaming available to you, then I am sorry.

-Skeld

[Nefreet]

Lumos de Fortuno wrote:

OK, so the merfolk section from Advanced races isn't legal, what about the Merfolk from Amazing Races? The two entries are apparently pretty different.

The dark blue colored sections of my posts above contain links to two documents that can answer this and many other basic questions. You can use the Search function on each, since I can understand their size can be daunting to new players.

As a general rule, if nothing is listed in the Additional Resources document, then the source is not legal in Society. Third party material will most likely never become legal, since PFS is a marketing campaign for Paizo.