Glyph Hero Point Clarification

[Andrew Pratt 840]

There are two instances in the society guide that mention this namely

"Players who have earned GM glyphs can hand out one additional hero point per Glyph at the start of the adventure when boons are slotted. But no player can receive more than 1 hero point this way per adventure."

Adventures are earlier defined Quests, Scenarios, Adventure Paths, and Adventures.

Later the guide says "When playing (not GMing) a scenario, they can distribute a number of Hero Points equal to their number of glyphs to the other players at the table. Distribute these Hero Points during the portion of the scenario in which players are slotting boons. A player cannot gain more than one Hero Point from the table’s GM glyphs."

This limits their use from Quests, Adventure Paths, or Adventures. Which is correct? Normally you would fall to the rule of more specific but these aren't more or less specific than each other. I've seen it played both ways when playing quests, and would just like to know if we can get some clarification.

[Nefreet]

Andrew Pratt 840 wrote:

Adventures are earlier defined Quests, Scenarios, Adventure Paths, and Adventures.

I'm not sure whether this is an actual quote, but "Adventure" is the term used to describe something you are receiving PFS credit for. "Adventure" is a catch-all term that includes sanctioned APs and all Quests and Scenarios, but there are no actual "Adventures".

Andrew Pratt 840 wrote:

Later the guide says "When playing (not GMing) a scenario, they can distribute a number of Hero Points equal to their number of glyphs to the other players at the table. Distribute these Hero Points during the portion of the scenario in which players are slotting boons. A player cannot gain more than one Hero Point from the table’s GM glyphs."

This limits their use from Quests, Adventure Paths, or Adventures. Which is correct?

Currently there is no method available for playing an AP with PFS characters; you play it as a homegame, with whatever rules system you wish, and just receive PFS credit for doing so. So it makes sense that the Guide doesn't cover Hero Points during an AP.

And since Quests are so short, with typically just an Encounter, a Hazard and a Skill Challenge, I can see the potential for doubling Hero Points there to be unbalancing.

I'll bet your local groups just did a speed read and took away from it that anytime you sit down at a table, you get to hand out extra Points.

(but it's also such a minor detail. If it happens somewhere, and the GM says "Yep!", it's probably not worth arguing at the table about)

[NielsenE]

I think 'Adventures' with a capital A is the new term for modules. While adventures with a lowercase a is the generic term for any playable content.

And as Nefreet says, both Adventures and Adventure Paths are run under campaign-mode/home game rules, so there's no interaction with the guide. Though I've often given the player's with glyphs the ability yo give out extra hero points, when I've been running those.

For quests, I would like to see an explicit clarification, I think its correct that you didn't get bonus hero points there since they're short. But I haven't run quests at tables with players with glpyhs yet so I haven't had to look too deeply into it.

[Blake's Tiger]

Scenarios with a lower case s is also colloquial for any one-shot.

So, yes, clarification, please.

[Andrew Pratt 840]

Honestly, I don’t care one way or the other. I seriously doubt that an additional hero point will make much of a difference in a quest since they are so short, but I’ve played with many groups and it is inconsistently applied. Even still, I played a quest at a table of 5 this weekend where we all had a glyph or two. Passing out hero points took time itself. My issue is more that I’ve seen the discussion come up at a number of tables, and while it is cordial and non-argumentative a discussion always happens which takes a few minutes out of each game. It wouldn’t be that bad except quests are meant to be short and typically run long as it is. Eliminating unnecessary rules discussion should be a priority in those situations.

Maybe it’s all moot since Quests are being turned into Bounties, but I suspect that will need clarification too.

[Silbeg]

I will say that any time I have run or played Quests I have gone with the more liberal interpretation (the first one).

Reward the GMs regardless of whether a Quest or Scenario. Since Bounties will be different, I am going to assume there are no boons... but there _might_ be this. We'll have to wait and see!

[redeux]

In season 2 the guide was updated and changed the language from allowing them to be passed out during "scenarios" to instead being passed out during "initial hero point distribution" which occurs under any "adventure" (which is includes quests and bounties)

GM Reward:

Quote:

During initial Hero Point distribution, GMs receive Hero Points equal to their glyphs to distribute to the table. A player cannot gain more than one additional Hero Point from glyphs.

So GM Glyphs occur during Initial Hero point Distribution. When is that?

During The Adventure

Quote:

During the Adventure

Each adventure typically begins with a briefing, either in the form of a letter, a meeting with a venture-captain, or an offer of a job by an employer.

Hero Points: Immediately after that briefing, the GM will distribute initial Hero Points. Rules for Hero Points can be found on Page 467 of the Core Rulebook. Some rewards, such as GM Glyphs, Campaign Coins, and Order of the Wayfinder provide the players with extra Hero Points at this time.

School Consumables In a Pathfinder Society Scenario, your character also receives gifts from their friends and connections before leaving on missions. At this point, you can select your free consumable item or items from the list below. You can choose a consumable from a level lower than yours if you wish.

If not used by the end of the adventure, the item is returned to the character’s contacts. If you neglect to choose an item, you receive the default choice of a healing potion of the appropriate level. Consumable items for Pregens are already included in their character sheets and do not gain additional consumable at this step.

So Hero point distribution occurs during an adventure. What qualifies as an adventure?

Adventures

Quote:

[[big block of text that includes quests/bounties]]

You'll also notice that "During an adventure" specifies that school consumables are given out specifically during "Scenarios". What I find interesting about the school items is that it mentions specifically scenarios where they are granted, but then the 2nd paragraph says "if not used by the end of the adventure". Yes, scenario is a type of adventure, but seems odd to say that instead of "if not used by the end of the scenario." So it still isn't super clear what the intent is here, but it seems that while gm glyphs moved from "scenario" to "adventure" then it probably was an intentional to move school consumables specifically to "scenarios"

TLDR - As of Season 2 my understanding is that GM Glyph Hero points can be passed out in both quests and bounties. But you only get school items in scenarios

[Gary Bush]

I am little lost. Is your question about Hero Points or is it about school items? The two are not the same.

You only get school items for scenarios.

[redeux]

To be clear, I do not have a question. The questions in my post are to walk through how to find the answer to OP's question now that season 2 has an updated guide. My TLDR answers OP's questions.

[Nefreet]

Clarification on Bounties would be nice. They didn't exist when this thread was first started.

I've encountered GMs who allow Hero Points during Bounties, GMs who don't allow Hero Points during Bounties, GMs who allow Hero Points during Bounties (but not GM Glyph Hero Points), and GMs who allow both Hero Points and GM Glyph Hero Points.

One GM who allowed Hero Points, but not GM Glyph Hero Points, rationalized his decision because "You can't slot Boons during Quests", but you don't need to slot a Boon to hand out GM Glyph Hero Points.

Personally I'm fine with no Hero Points but consistency would be great.