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You are correct. While the exact cast varies by season, you are currently able to make characters of any core race, one of the four elemental races (ifrit, oread, sylph, and undine), or a kitsune, nagaji, tengu, or wayang. You can make characters of other races by acquiring boons, generally gained by attending or GMing conventions.
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Partially correct.
Certain races require Boons of some sort to "unlock" and make available for play. There is no "play through a campaign to unlock", however. Most race boons are a reward for GM'ing at conventions, though there are certain exception methods to obtain a character of non-standard race.
Currently Ratfolk is only available through the aforementioned GM Boon.
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no, new conventions and events can give out ratfolk boons still (as far as I'm aware) It's like there's 10 boons options for GM a convention, and any one convention will have 2 of those options for the GM's to choose from. So if the convention requests that one of those boons be ratfolk then they'll likely get ratfolk boons to offer as an option.
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If you get some other boon you don't want, you might be able to trade it physically or here with someone who has a ratfolk boon. It may also end up a reward in a scenario or become legal in a future season. Other than that, not much else you can do about it.
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Or find someone who is trading/giving away a Ratfolk. (I have given away the two I got so far...).
On the other hand, you can currently, for a limited time, create several races outside of the Core races - for example a Wayang (check them out, they are a little like a Eatfolk).
the Non-Core races seem to get rotated out every year or two. So if you want to start an Elemental Blooded PC for example (or a Wayang) - right now you can. But next year? maybe not.
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They seem to be rotating GM convention boons every 3 months or so. I don't think Ratfolk is currently being given out (EDIT: Though it was earlier in the year), and I don't think conventions get to request which GM boon they receive. That may be different for the player/random boons that are handed out. If you look on the Boon Trading thread, what the current GM boon is and when it should change again is being tracked more closely.
There are many people willing to trade on the Boon trading thread. Usually the boons to unlock a certain race trade for boons to unlock a different race, but not always. My suggestion would be, once you're comfortable enough GMing, to try to obtain whatever the current GM convention boon is. If you don't want to play a character of that type, see if you can trade it for a Ratfolk.
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They seem to be rotating GM convention boons every 3 months or so. I don't think Ratfolk is currently being given out (EDIT: Though it was earlier in the year), and I don't think conventions get to request which GM boon they receive. That may be different for the player/random boons that are handed out. If you look on the Boon Trading thread, what the current GM boon is and when it should change again is being tracked more closely.
There are many people willing to trade on the Boon trading thread. Usually the boons to unlock a certain race trade for boons to unlock a different race, but not always. My suggestion would be, once you're comfortable enough GMing, to try to obtain whatever the current GM convention boon is. If you don't want to play a character of that type, see if you can trade it for a Ratfolk.
Sometimes the "unlock a certain race" boon will be traded for one or more OTHER boons, depending on what a person wants. I for example, will normally trade away my Race Boons for interesting/fun/more useful boons to add to existing PCs.
Venture-Captain, Minnesota
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So... what you're saying is that there's no actual way for me to be able to play a Ratfolk, since the conventions/events where it was available have passed? That's... actually really lame.
Kiesman, I have to say this because maybe it will make you a bit happier. Starting after August 17th, organized play will be launching Starfinder. I got to preview the game a bit at PaizoCon, and I must say that it looks awesome.
In Starfinder, Ratfolk will be one of the core races. So in two short months, you'd be able to play an adorable ratfolk in organized play. It would be in the science fantasy universe rather than the fantasy one, but it would still be a ratfolk.
I hope this helps.
Hmm
PS I started PFS the week after aasimars were retired. I never thought I'd get one. Then the stars aligned one fall when I volunteering at a convention and they offered aasimar boons again. Hang in there!
Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden
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I had an unrelated question. When you go to a PFS event, do they only play the pre-built campaigns for that event? Or are the DMs allowed to write their own one-shot style campaigns?
PFS itself is only the pre-built scenarios, but it's a good place to meet other people interested in starting a home campaign.
The big idea behind PFS is that you can play the same character, everywhere in the world, with everyone. However, to make that work people do have to play with the same rules. And using the same scenarios, with the same challenges and possible rewards, is part of that. Otherwise you'd get grumbling like "the other GM gives us more treasure" and all that.
Sometimes it feels a bit limiting, but on the other hand I've met a ton of new people and played all over the country so I think it's a fair price to pay.
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Venture-Captain, Netherlands
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So then... How many different scenarios are there in each season? With weekly games, wouldn't it not take very long to finish them all and not be able to play your character any more? Or are a lot of the scenarios multi-session stories?
Most of them last about 4/5 hours. One scenario = 1XP
3XP is level up.We are currently in season 8 (there is also a season 0), and there are about 25 scenarios in a season. As they keep releasing scenarios, it will take you a while to catch up, even if you play once a week.
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More than 22, usually. There were 29 in Season 7, not counting the specials. We're already on 21 for season 8 with a couple of months to go. So with a couple of hundred scenarios already existing, plus the repayable scenarios, and the sanctioned modules and APs, even playing weekly there should be plenty to last for a while.
And yes, you can play any of the scenarios that have not been retired. Only a handful have been retired, mostly from season 0.
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So then... How many different scenarios are there in each season? With weekly games, wouldn't it not take very long to finish them all and not be able to play your character any more? Or are a lot of the scenarios multi-session stories?
We're wrapping up Season 8 of organized play, having begun in "Season 0" (when PFS was using old 3.5 rules as a playtest). Each season has about 24 Scenarios ranging from levels 1 to 11, with a handful of specials where you can play unique pregens or engage in a multi-table interactive outside of the normal style of play. The Pregen Scenarios apply credit to one of your existing characters, even though they weren't played. There's also a few "Quest" series, which are related 6 part mini-scenarios intended to help folks get introduced to Pathfinder & PFS.
Scenarios almost never retire and are always available for play. The only ones that have retired were Season 0 scenarios that just don't work in Pathfinder itself. You also aren't expected the necessarily play then in order of release; the few that exist as a series warn you ahead of time if you need to play them in order.
A quick count from the products page shows 344 scenarios total. You can also get PFS credit for playing through most printed adventures and AP Installments (either w/ PFS PCs & or in "home game" mode to apply credit to a PFS character).
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If you've not yet gone to your first game and both you and your g/f are pondering starting to play PFS, I'd recommend outreaching to the local VO and let them know about your interest. While nuggets of awesome can often be found on the Paizo boards, they aren't very reflective of most of the real experience of PFS. I know that many areas / lodges also try to accommodate newer players, so it may be that your area has a new player night where things are a bit slower-paced for questions and the expectation that new folks will need some guidance on.
I know that when I started PFS a several years ago (also with my g/f), board chatter was actually what kept me away from PFS for a time. Like everything else on the internet, it's kind of like reality, but no real substitute. Fortunately (or unfortunately for my wallet) I ended up getting sucked in with my very first PFS game.
PFS is very different from home games. In many good ways and not a few bad ways. It's just ... different.
All that said, welcome!
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There are pre-generated characters that you can play at an event and apply the credit to a character you make. This might be a good option to start because there are a fair amount of rules related to making a character. First is that you have to own the book, either physically or a marked PDF.
They should have the Pregen when you go to play.
Where and when are you looking to play?
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Flutters guide for absolute newbs
PFS chat find games and ask questions in real time
Flat rolling surfaces map for finding meatspace games.
anyone know if TPKON absolom drift will be rat or monkey?
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, and they hold weekly games every Monday at a game shop called Game Knight. I've gone there for many other events and weekly game nights.
I would suggest contacting yer local VCs, Dave Baker and Leesa Coombs. They can help with any questions you may have.
Minnesota looks forward to meeting you at Jim Con in November.
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To pm the bird:
Up top, right click "my account" and hit "open in new page"
Sign in its a sensitive area
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Clicky that little box there.
Hit save changes all the way at the bottom
Your pages should now have a little envolope icon at the top of the page, in the middle.
Right click on nefreet, open in new tab
Under all those stars of his click " send private message"
Most boons can be sent via scanning.
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, and they hold weekly games every Monday at a game shop called Game Knight. I've gone there for many other events and weekly game nights.I would suggest contacting yer local VCs, Dave Baker and Leesa Coombs. They can help with any questions you may have.
Minnesota looks forward to meeting you at Jim Con in November.
That would be me.