Any help on these would be greatly appreciated.
1. Will stores be receiving a free copy of the add-on and adventure decks as they come out? Based on initial interest, we are going to have to use two of our store's base sets. Add in the cost of the add-ons and future adventures, the profit from the initial class deck purchases is negated by the ongoing cost to support the OP.
2. It says in the book that we will provide temporary pathfinder #'s to those attending. How would I do that?
3. Will there be prize support for this? Promos that can only be obtained through the OP?
Thanks in advance!
Some of this would need an official word, but I'll answer what I can:
1. From what I know, the free base set is all that stores will get. I would say that your best bet to continue having organized play throughout the season without any out-of-pocket costs to the store is to hope one of your players will get especially into the game and be willing to buy his/her own base set and corresponding Adventure Decks as they come out. They could then run future events at the store while your free base set will be open to play the intro scenarios and first six OP scenarios of the season for new players getting into the game and experienced players starting new characters.
2. Go to My Pathfinder Society and click on the GM/Event Coordinator tab. Then click on the button to reserve Pathfinder Society Cards.
3. This will definitely need an official word to answer. So far, the only prize support I know of is convention based. I don't know if Paizo is planning to provide stores with prize support as well.
|
Some of this would need an official word, but I'll answer what I can:
2. Go to My Pathfinder Society and click on the GM/Event Coordinator tab. Then click on the button to reserve Pathfinder Society Cards.
You do need to set up at least one event in order for that Reserve button to appear. Initially, I had no option to Reserve Pathfinder Society Cards until I set up my first event.
I would contact customer service about promos as I know one store near me got promos but not sure if it was from the distributor or from Paizo (it looked like it was from Paizo).
As far as the cost ... I know that a few of the players from OP have purchased base sets as well as add-on and adventure deck 2 so they could play at home. I think Paizo is hoping that this happens more so that they'll play the adventure path at home and the organized play in the store(s). And make sure you've gotten your free base set for signing up as a retailer!
But what if nobody does buy a base set? We have completed 5 weeks and have yet to sell any despite how much everyone is enjoying the scenarios.
We average between 8 to 12 each week? The costs to maintain these sets through the entire OP adventure path would exceed any money our store made from the initial sale of the class decks. This does not sound like a successful model.
Hopefully they'll buy other things too, even if they don't buy a base set. Like maybe the miniatures that are coming out in the spring. Or maybe some of the Skull and Shackles dice. Or perhaps the dual deck box. Or sleeves.
Also, I think (from what I can tell anyway) that it is allowed for you to have a small fee for playing. Even if you just charged $1 per night, with 8 per week it wouldn't be long before you had enough to cover the wholesale cost of a base set or more adventure decks. If I was a player and you told me that you would only use what you charged me to add to the PACG night, I'd have no problem paying it.
I'm not a store owner, nor do I have any insightful knowledge to the legal workings of organized play, but that seems reasonable to me.
I don't believe it is Paizo's intention to force stores into providing the Adventure Decks for organized play. I would say just be up front with your customers that if they want to continue playing, they will need to contribute to the organized play system or there will be no more OP scenarios after the first six since you won't have any of the other Adventure Decks.
Another thought (like what Hawkmoon said), if none of your players want to take on the event coordinator role and buy their own base set and Adventure Decks and use it to run scenarios, I'd say ask for donations from the players for the Adventure Decks, again emphasizing that if you don't have the future Adventure Decks, there would be no more OP scenarios offered. If you have somewhere between 8 to 12 regulars who play the Pathfinder Card Game OP, each one would likely only need to contribute one or two bucks each month to get you enough money to buy the Adventure Decks at cost. You could have a posting that you would update every now and then listing how much has been donated and how much is needed for the next deck.
Have you gauged your customers on whether or not having an event fee would be feasible for them? Tell them the fee would go towards buying the packs for the scenarios because they aren't free. It doesn't have to be a big fee if you're popular enough to have to get 2 base sets. Also, they may not have thought about the option of buying a base set for home games.
I believe you're allowed to charge a fee for an OP event. It really depends where you live as to whether or not you need to do so; we have a lot of dedicated volunteers in my area that are willing to shell out for base sets and packs to support an event (especially for PFS RPG); but you may not have this. And most people at an event if they're not casual will consciously buy stuff from the store that they frequent because they know that if they don't the store will die and they don't get to do any events at that store.
The biggest advantage to me for local game stores is that they engage their community; people who have the disposable income (and if they're attending an event every week, they do), if engaged, should be willing to support local stores. YMMV though.
Here are some threads for stores charging in PFS: here, here, and here. Costs for PFS are probably slightly lower, but stores that do have to run a lot of tables can and do charge for it.
Pluvia33's alternative of having the community fund is also really good. They're presumably willing to shell out for the class deck itself, which means they're willing to invest significantly enough that a few extra dollars here and there won't hurt. I don't think the store should go out of pocket to provide this type of thing.
Owner - Griffonest Games
|
Here are some threads for stores charging in PFS: here, here, and here. Costs for PFS are probably slightly lower, but stores that do have to run a lot of tables can and do charge for it.
Pluvia33's alternative of having the community fund is also really good. They're presumably willing to shell out for the class deck itself, which means they're willing to invest significantly enough that a few extra dollars here and there won't hurt. I don't think the store should go out of pocket to provide this type of thing.
I appreciate all of the input from everyone. I am the tournament organizer for PACG at Prime Time. I have been supplying my own copy of the game for use in the store.
Thanks for the links. If anything, those posts illustrate what a fickle crowd gamers can be. Some point out that they have no problem paying while others stand opposed because they already purchased books (or class decks)from the store and feel entitled to play there.
Perhaps it is my background with TCG's that make me hesitant to charge while offering nothing in return. I am also hesitant to rely on others to faithfully show up at the store each week with their copy of the game (not to mention that using my copy in the store prevents me from truly using the base set for the scenarios contained in that box - it can be a pain taking apart and reconstructing decks).
While some of our employed members might have no problem contributing, paying each week might be a deal-breaker for some of our younger members.
Promos or other incentives might ease that pain of charging to play.
Chief Technical Officer
|
We do send promo cards each month to distribution; if you're not getting them, please contact your distributor.
That said, the promo cards are not specifically tied to OP, and we have no current play to do promos exclusively for OP. Part of the reason for that is that we're committed to ensuring that whether you play PFSACG in stores, at home, or at a convention, the experience will be at the same level. The only exception to that is that retailers get the scenarios A) for free and B) before people playing at home.