Starting PACG locally from scratch


Pathfinder Adventure Card Society


4 people marked this as a favorite.

I'm trying to get a weekly PACG game at my FLGS. I've talked with the manager of the store and he is willing to do whatever I need to support it. Where do I start? I currently own S&S and have only played it partway through Wormwood Mutiny. I already know I love this game. How different is OP from the original game? I don't have a coordinator nearby from whom I can learn. This is completely from scratch.

I need help if you can offer advice.


Silversmith, if you want to start OP at a store, you can go to region coordinator page and ask the Venture Captain in the area closest to you how to get support. If an ACG oriented Venture Lieutenant is closer to your area, they'll probably direct you to them. Since the store owner is willing to help, they have access to all the scenarios and if you ask them they can print out the scenario for you before your session.

Every player will need a class deck to play in PFSACG (which is PACG OP). Also, read over the PFSACG Guide to familiarize yourself with how to build an OP deck, how Tiers and deck upgrades work, etc.

Please don't hesitate to ask more questions once you've read the guide.

Grand Lodge

If your local gaming store has not signed up with Paizo yet, they can do so here. Make sure they check off the options for the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game and organized play. They should get a confirmation email and a coupon to order a free copy of the current base set. This will also set them up to receive the OP scenarios which are separate from the AP scenarios that the set comes with.

Since the season has been winding down, you may need to talk to customer service about what needs to happen to get the set and scenarios.

Also go over what zeroth_hour has stated above.

But don't be discouraged if there isn't a Venture Officer near you. You can still do this alongside your game store.

Adventure Card Game Designer

Zeroth and Theryon have put you on the correct path. The current season is based on Wrath of the Righteous, but we're about to launch Season of the Runelords. If you've got S&S and want to run Season of the Shackles, once your store's retailer account is set up they'll have access to all PFSACG scenarios.

The folks on these boards are excellent and can certainly guide you to success, but if you need anything official please do contact us at customer.service@paizo.com.


Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Also note that stores can get a free base set and adventure decks for the purpose of running Organized Play, which can make the sales pitch a lot more palatable for them -- they are no longer giving up on any profit they could have made by selling an extra set in order to facilitate the game. It also frees you up from having to buy all the base sets to run various seasons, although I'm not sure if the free base set deal is only for the current season or if it applies to past seasons as well (Tanis, could you answer that? Also with respect to RotR since that base set was released ages ago?)

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

3 people marked this as a favorite.

Retailers running the Adventure Card Guild get a code that gets them a complimentary copy of the current season's Base Set. We'll be making the switch to make that apply to Season of the Runelords as early as next week.


Ok. The store is signed up and on the list. Now what do I need to do to be able to coordinate the guild and run the games at the store? Or at least make it easier.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

In no particular order.

1. Advertise. Nag all your friends to show up, have the store employees put up a flyer at the checkout counter and tell people who buy PACG products about it.

2. Run demo scenarios. This gives people that are unsure of the game the ability to check it out without needing to invest money into it or make a time commitment. Pick a couple of different times that work for you or someone else familiar with PACG to run through the demo scenario for the OP Season.

3. Bring premades. Ideally the store can help you out on this one if you don't already have a bunch of class decks, but it's what it says. Look at the list of premade characters and bring them along with you. This is especially important for the demo scenarios, but can also be nice once you get going to help new people get into it and try it out. Instead of needing to purchase their own class deck, they can borrow a premade from you for the night (and give it back to you after they're done, of course).

4. Bring extra Pathfinder Society numbers. You can generate a bunch of PFS numbers for people that don't yet have them, and hand out the cards to people after the session. This lets people play without needing to register here before playing (although they still need to register with that number afterwards).

5. Offer incentives. This one's entirely on the store to do, but they can maybe offer an incentive to entice people to play. For example, maybe there's a drawing each week for a $5 store credit (names based on who attended that week) or all/certain PACG items are 10% off on the nights that scenarios are run.

6. Sleeve the cards. Not a requirement but it helps the longevity of the cards, especially on potentially grungy tables or when beverages are accidentally spilled.

7. Prepare the box in advance. If you know the scenario, you can prebuild the location decks and such so everything is ready to go immediately, saving a bunch of setup time.

8. Know who is reporting. If the store is reporting, make sure they get a list of players so they can report it online (there should be a sheet for that floating around somewhere, but they'll need the player's Pathfinder Society #, character #, which scenario was played, success/fail, if the character died, and what rewards and card upgrades were taken). If you're reporting, make sure you get all of that info and report it promptly (ideally within a couple days of the session).

9. Print extras. Give each player a copy of the scenario, or at least print out a handful of extras so that more people can refer to it during the game. This helps people remember wonky scenario rules a bit better. You don't need to print the full pdf each time, only the scenario page (saves on quite a bit of paper, especially for stuff that is only needed once or once per adventure such as the adventure path, adventure, and chronicle sheets).

Scarab Sages 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Washington—Spokane

Silversmith:

First, I would ask the store to notify you once they start getting the ACG Scenarios. Once they start getting them, you will need to work with the store on getting them either printed or a way to get access to the scenario you are planning to run. Then plan your first game or have a time when you can run demos of the Adventure Card Game. If you run demos, make sure the store has a stock of the class decks and have at least one on hand of your own. Run the demo and talk about the Pathfinder Society Adventure Card Guild. Let interested players know that they will need a class deck to participate and what is in the class deck (this is a great time to break out the class deck you have on hand for reference). If players at your demo day purchase a Class Deck, help them to build their deck. Also, let them know where to find the Guide to the Pathfinder Adventure Card Guild. Then plan your next game with your interested group and post your event (or post your demo day before hand) on Paizo.com. Once your event is posted, all of your reporting materials will be available (reporting sheets and temporary Pathfinder Society ID cards).

Good luck on your events and let us know if you have any more questions.

Sovereign Court 4/5 * Organized Play Coordinator

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Silversmith wrote:
Ok. The store is signed up and on the list. Now what do I need to do to be able to coordinate the guild and run the games at the store? Or at least make it easier.

Hi!

Download the new PFS Guide for Adventure Card Guild. It has the organized play specific rules. The new guide should be up next week. Guide

Contact your local Venture-Officer, as suggested in above posts. They can walk you through setting up events, getting session reporting sheets, and how to input the information into our online system. If you don't have a local Venture Officer, email me at pathfindersociety@paizo.com and I will walk you through the above items.

Have fun! The more you enjoy the game, the more others will want to play.

:D


Thanks. Tonya, the nearest Venture-Officer is over an hour away. With my work and family schedule it would not be convenient to go to them. I would love to have someone walk me through getting this off the ground. I may attempt to contact the nearest anyway and will definitely email you.

I don't currently have any class decks but will get one at least. I am planning to run demos before the OP starts. Probably base scenarios out of S&S since that's what I have.

As for Pathfinder Society numbers, how do I generate extras? I guess I should join huh?

The store has a fairly active community for Magic, YuGiO, and X-wing, so I know they can bring in people if there is interest. They also offer incentives like discounts for those things so I'm pretty sure they will support me well.

Thank you all for your help.

Adventure Card Game Designer

You'll need to join the Pathfinder Society to get PFS numbers, so do that. :)

For S&S demos, this demo scenario has an accompanying free deck upgrade as a reward that people can use in ACGuild play.

The Guide Tonya linked above also has great info on exactly how to run an event. I highly recommend it.


The store got its message from Paizo to order their copy of the base set. However it is for Wrath of the Righteous. Can they get RotR instead since that season starts soon or are they limited to WotR?

Grand Lodge

You can have them call Customer Service (on Tues, they're closed tomorrow) and talk to them. I did mention this to Tonya and I was worried that the free base set was going to be Wrath of the Righteous (instead of Rise of the Runelords).

Customer Service should be able to help. The number is at the bottom of the page.


I'm following this thread and I finally just have to ask: where is your local store? I doubt it is near me (northern Delaware) but I'd still like to know. When I travel for work I check to see if there is one near where I'm staying.


Dalton, GA

Grand Lodge

Wondering if there's third printing of RotR coming? It's great they're doing a OP season with it, but from what I've read I'm not too excited about buying a base set that's known to be filled with so many errors that there's a whole errata deck that's officially produced... perhaps a third printing with updated rules and so forth (tiers, etc) would be a good idea.


Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Moonshadows wrote:
Wondering if there's third printing of RotR coming? It's great they're doing a OP season with it, but from what I've read I'm not too excited about buying a base set that's known to be filled with so many errors that there's a whole errata deck that's officially produced... perhaps a third printing with updated rules and so forth (tiers, etc) would be a good idea.

No, there is not. (linked post by Vic was made after the Season of the Runelords announcement, so that did not change things)


I know this is probably in the guide, but since I read it and didn't remember reading this I'll ask it here. Will each table require a copy of a base set? This seems a little obvious but thought I better ask in case interest is higher than 4 people. I suppose I could run Shackles and Runelords simultaneously on 2 tables since I have that set already.


Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Yes. You can run 6 to a table with the character addon deck as well

Grand Lodge

skizzerz wrote:
Yes. You can run 6 to a table with the character addon deck as well

That. You need a base set for each table of players. For up to four players, you can use just the base set. For 5-6 players you will need to include the Character Add-On deck as well.

If you plan on running Season of the Shackles and Season of the Runelords on two separate tables, just make sure you print up the correct chronicle sheets for the players along with the scenarios.


The store tried to order the base set today and the code they were sent was for free shipping for the base set at retail instead of a free copy of the base set. The manager sent an email to customer service. I am demoing the game for him next week. Going to do the skull and shackles demo Tanis linked above I think.

Community / Forums / Organized Play / Pathfinder Adventure Card Society / Starting PACG locally from scratch All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in Pathfinder Adventure Card Society
Some beginner questions