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I will be running a module at the start of next month.
It will be run in two parts, one in the morning one in the afternoon.
I want to give the players a chronicle at the mid-day break for the partial play and then replacing it at the end of the module with the chronicle for the full play.
I think this will help the lowest level people maybe gain a level (given that the end encounters can be challenging in any module) and it will allow the characters to purchase stuff with found treasure in the module.
My question is: Since we are essentially playing it all in one day, is giving that chronicle at the half-way point legal?
Given that there are rules for partial play credit of a module, I think it likely is... but maybe isn't.
A cursory look didn't find an answer to this question. Thanks!
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Players don't get to gain xp partway through a module played as part of PFS.
There is no mechanic for taking away chronicles from players, and any given character may only have 1 of any given chronicle sheet.
In the event a player could not play the second half of the module you would however give them a chronicle sheet then following the rules in the OP guide.
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Note: playing a module in PFS at the lowest level possible can be tough.
A level 3 module generally assumes you will have leveled to 4 by the time your meet the BBEG, so being only level 2 at that point could be rather deadly.
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Note: If they have the time and access, they can use money acquired during the module to go shopping during the module. Any money spent would have to be noted on the chronicle they receive at the end, but they can use some of the money accrued during the course of play.
Time and access assumes that they have the time to go back to town, and that the town is big enough to have items for sale there.
That will vary from module to module. And the module itself might include notes on purchasing during the module.
Venture-Captain, Netherlands
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Sadly, that is not allowed, and it what makes modules so deadly.
I always warn players that if they want to play a module, they must be at the appropriate level or higher (for example, if a scenario is for lvl 3-5, I tell them they have to be 4 or 5). Otherwise they should count on being killed. Of course, some of the really tactical players love the challenge...
What Kinevon is right. If the module allows it, they can go shopping halfway trough, so they can buy consumables suitable for the module. Not all modules allow it tough. Ruby Phoenix Tournament and accursed halls indeed do, but for example, its impossible to do in the Godsmouth Heresy.
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What I have done in the past (Potentially illegal I guess) is give the players a chronicle sheet after the first session. Say I am running the game one week and then will be again on the next. That way if the player can't make it back unexpectedly, they still have their chronicle and everything works out just fine.
If they do make it back, I grab their chronicle from their dirty little hands and then hand them a fresh one at the end. While I guess there is no "Mechanic" for taking a chronicle sheet... I kinda just do.
I was talking with my VC recently and he asked if it was legal, I didn't really know - just assumed it was due to the partial credit for module rules. He didn't know either, seemed like maybe it could be.
I get that not all modules allow for purchases midgame - that was really just kind of an after thought - but the xp I think is the more important thing. Given that these modules were designed for the players to gain xp as they progress through it and be at a higher level at the end than they are at the beginning... it seems very backwards to NOT give xp during the game.
You are essentially setting players up to fail. If it's not legal, maybe it should be.
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What I have done in the past (Potentially illegal I guess) is give the players a chronicle sheet after the first session. Say I am running the game one week and then will be again on the next. That way if the player can't make it back unexpectedly, they still have their chronicle and everything works out just fine.
If they do make it back, I grab their chronicle from their dirty little hands and then hand them a fresh one at the end. While I guess there is no "Mechanic" for taking a chronicle sheet... I kinda just do.
What would you do if a player had leveled based on their partial chronicle sheet, purchased equipment or had applied another after it?
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I don't think you're setting up players to fail by not giving them XP. The players just need to be aware that modules are generally tougher than scenarios due to assumed leveling that takes place in the module.
Unfortunately, modules were not made for Pathfinder Society and as such were not made with PFS characters in mind. The fact that they are sanctioned at all is super awesome as it gives more opportunity to play our characters. I feel it's too complex of a system to introduce mid-leveling.
If we did allow mid-level ups, where would it be? It would have to be uniform for each module where exactly gaining the XP takes place so that we can have a uniform experience for all players, and a lot of modules aren't even set up to do something like that. Take Masks of the Living God, as that module can go in wildly different directions depending on what the party does, and really wouldn't have a good "Gain XP" portion of it.
As well, if there's 2 additional points where players get XP, there would need to be possibly 2 different breaks in the game to allow various party members to level up their characters. While it may work for your case where you have a pause in the gameplay, a lot of gamedays are scheduled in a very public setting where the module is supposed to be done in one day.
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If we did allow mid-level ups, where would it be? It would have to be uniform for each module where exactly gaining the XP takes place so that we can have a uniform experience for all players, and a lot of modules aren't even set up to do something like that. Take Masks of the Living God, as that module can go in wildly different directions depending on what the party does, and really wouldn't have a good "Gain XP" portion of it.
Why? I don't think there is any rule in Pathfinder Society that says the players are supposed to have a uniform experience. I'm pretty sure the Guidebook specifically says that is not the intent of Pathfinder Society.
There doesn't need to be a "portion of the game" where it happens. But I imagine that if you are playing a module for 8 hours, at some point you will take a break. Why not just do it there?
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Why? I don't think there is any rule in Pathfinder Society that says the players are supposed to have a uniform experience. I'm pretty sure the Guidebook specifically says that is not the intent of Pathfinder Society.
There doesn't need to be a "portion of the game" where it happens. But I imagine that if you are playing a module for 8 hours, at some point you will take a break. Why not just do it there?
Sorry, I don't think I phrased what I was trying to say correctly.
By "uniform experience," I meant in terms of the mechanical nature, such as literal experience points for their characters. I am aware that no two tables will have an identical playing experience.
The problem with not having a specific point in the game where characters level (if they are to do so, since not everyone will get the correct XP) would be exactly where you draw the line. One GM may say that the characters get 1 XP for the first fight and another XP for the second fight, and then the 3rd one is obtained by completing the rest of the module, which the module potentially having a total of 15 fights. While this sounds wholly unrealistic, I'm entirely sure a GM would do so to try to get the characters to the appropriate level for the module as quickly as possible. There would need to be provisions in line for this to prevent such things from happening, and as such they don't currently exist.
But I imagine that if you are playing a module for 8 hours, at some point you will take a break. Why not just do it there?
It still is going to eat up time, potentially extending the length of the break by a substantial amount. I have a player who can take up to 2 hours gaining one level with his character (and has done so before...mostly being indecisive of how to level). Breaks are typically spent getting food and socializing, not leveling up characters, and it takes players varying amount of time to complete it.
And the rushed atmosphere of it could cause players to make binding character choices that they didn't want to make or regret doing.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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What would you do if a player had leveled based on their partial chronicle sheet, purchased equipment or had applied another after it?
I don't understand the question.
If it were my question, I would be wondering what you'd do if, between the first session (with the partial rewards) and the second, the player had gone to a different table with the same PC and earned XP or Fame.
By rights, I suppose the answer would be: that player can never play the resolution to the module under PFS rules, without burning a GM star-reroll.
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It's against the rules to give a Chronicle mid-module. Sorry.
I can see that, I suppose I shifted the topic from "is this legal?" to "why isn't this legal."
I won't be giving out a chronicle at the mid-point of a module (though I have done it in the past when broken up over multiple sessions).
I suppose, my point is that modules are designed with the intent for players to gain a level over the course of the game. I am saying - why not make it an option that the GM could allow players that XP so they could potentially gain a level and reduce the number of tpks?
Certainly there are some issues with this:
(1) it takes people time to level (come with a leveled up version ready to go).
(2) People could potentially "level out" of the module (they don't apply the chronicle until after the module is complete).
(3) They play in another game between module sessions (don't let the do it, and don't let them finish the module).
(4) Other concerns I can't think of at this moment. (Think Damn you!)
since I got the answer to my question pretty quickly I commandeered my own thread to answer a different, but similar, question.
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What would you do if a player had leveled based on their partial chronicle sheet, purchased equipment or had applied another after it?I don't understand the question.If it were my question, I would be wondering what you'd do if, between the first session (with the partial rewards) and the second, the player had gone to a different table with the same PC and earned XP or Fame.
By rights, I suppose the answer would be: that player can never play the resolution to the module under PFS rules, without burning a GM star-reroll.
I thought that might be what he was asking, but didn't want to waste time answering something that wasn't useful to the conversation.
I think the "you don't get to finish the module" answer is correct.