Applying GM Chronicles


Pathfinder Society

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 **

I can't seem to find this in the new PFS2 Guide. What are the current rules for apply GM boons to a character? Do I still have the option of applying a high level Chronicle to a first level character? If so, what does that give them? If I apply it to a character who isn't high enough level yet, does it apply as soon as they reach that level, or can I wait till it reaches the higher tier?

2/5 5/5 *****

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Found the link: GM Rewards

The GM assigns the chronicle using the same rules as playing a pregen. You then apply the chronicle once the character is the appropriate level.

The Exchange 4/5 5/5

Eric Nielsen wrote:

Found the link: GM Rewards

The GM assigns the chronicle using the same rules as playing a pregen. You then apply the chronicle once the character is the appropriate level.

That does seem to be the intention. The problem is it doesn't actually say "using the same rules as a pregen" anywhere. And even if it did, that doesn't answer Bill's question about what tier rewards he can apply to a held chronicle.

(The PFS1 rule was that you had to apply the chronicle as soon as you reached the lowest subtier of the chronicle. If you became eligible for multiple chronicles at once you could choose the order to apply them in. Which means if you had a bunch chronicles to apply at once you might be in a higher subtier for the last chronicles you applied. Now the rule is "chronicles are applied in the order they were played," but presumably that ends with the same result: you get the rewards for the tier your character is when the chronicle is applied.)

Dark Archive 4/5 Venture-Captain, Online—VTT

Kevin Willis wrote:


(The PFS1 rule was that you had to apply the chronicle as soon as you reached the lowest subtier of the chronicle. If you became eligible for multiple chronicles at once you could choose the order to apply them in. Which means if you had a bunch chronicles to apply at once you might be in a higher subtier for the last chronicles you applied. Now the rule is "chronicles are applied in the order they were played," but presumably that ends with the same result: you get the rewards for the tier your character is when the chronicle is applied.)

Certainly for many years now the rule was exactly the same in PF1, it has not been choose the order for at least 5 seasons, I couldn't find any earlier Guides to check.

Season 5-8 Guide wrote:
You must apply Chronicle sheets in the order they are received.
Season 9-10 Guide wrote:
Apply the credit for eligible adventures in the order in which they were played.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/55/5 ****

Eric Nielsen wrote:

Found the link: GM Rewards

The GM assigns the chronicle using the same rules as playing a pregen. You then apply the chronicle once the character is the appropriate level.

I read this to mean when the GM baby starts to take flesh, you apply at the appropriate level. So if I had a GM baby with 16 xp on 4 chronicle when I start to the build the character and applying the credit, the first 3 would be at 1st level (getting 14 gold per chronicle), but when I apply the last chronicle, I would be 2nd level and get 22 gold for chronicle.

Now that I have applied a the chronicle, I can not longer assign a 1st level chronicle to the character. So I couldn't apply a bounty to it.

I hope I am doing it right because I have some characters that would be wrong.

Sczarni 5/5 5/55/5 ***

That's how I've been doing it.

It's how PFS1 worked and how SFS works, so if that's not how PFS2 works, it needs to be clearer.

I understand though that things can be different, and shouldn't be assumed to be the same, so I guess more words would be better.

2/5 5/5 *****

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Yup, I think we're all saying the same thing, maybe with slightly different words (and I only see one place where those differences would change things)* see the spoiler for the digression.

I'm pretty sure we just need to find where we need the guide updated and it would be be fairly non-controversial. The whole point of stronger formalization of assign versus apply was to help with these type of cases.

Tiny Nuances:

Application order isn't strictly assignment order. As a GM you could assign 1-01 (tier 1-4), 1-09 (tier 3-6), 1-10 (tier 1-4) as the first three chronicles to an unbuilt GM blob. As soon as the character is built, you would apply 1-01, and 1-10. 1-09 is still held until the character reaches level 3 (or higher).

As a code algorithm:
Scan over your unapplied chronicles
..if the character is in the level range for the chronicle
....apply it
....if applying it causes you to level
......restart the scan (an older, previously skipped one, might now be in tier)
....endif
..else
....skip it
..endif
endloop

2/5 5/5 *****

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

If OP was asking if you could still assign a tier 3-6 chronicle to a level 1 character and apply it immediately. Yes:

Applying Credit wrote:


Pregenerated Characters: Chronicles assigned to a brand new or 1st level characters can be applied immediately to the character at 1st level, or held until the level of the pregen. Chronicles assigned to characters of a level higher than 1st level, must be held to the level of the Pregen.

Pregen chronicles applyed to 1st level characters gain the following limitations:
Award Treasure Bundles/Gold as if the earning character was 1st level.
Characters do not benefit from any boons or item unlocks until the character reaches the minimum Chronicle level
Downtime applies as to the 1st level character the chronicle is applied to.

source

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 **

Thank you all. That was most helpful.

Grand Lodge 4/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento

Kevin Willis wrote:

[

(The PFS1 rule was that you had to apply the chronicle as soon as you reached the lowest subtier of the chronicle. If you became eligible for multiple chronicles at once you could choose the order to apply them in. Which means if you had a bunch chronicles to apply at once you might be in a higher subtier for the last chronicles you applied. Now the rule is "chronicles are applied in the order they were played," but presumably that ends with the same result: you get the rewards for the tier your character is when the chronicle is applied.)

No, as far as I am aware, that was *never* a rule. Chronicles have always been apply in order earned once eligible.

4/5 ****

Nefreet wrote:

That's how I've been doing it.

It's how PFS1 worked and how SFS works, so if that's not how PFS2 works, it needs to be clearer.

I understand though that things can be different, and shouldn't be assumed to be the same, so I guess more words would be better.

There is , unfortunately, a word count limit on the guide. It is not a formal count, there is no fixed number, but it is more in the form of every time someone says "oh the guide? That's too long, I didn't read it..." I get asked if I can make the guide any shorter... (okay, it isn't quite that exact, but you get the idea.)

That said, if you have specific additional verbiage you think will help, I will see what I can do.

Grand Archive 4/5 ****

If the question is "can GMs apply a higher level GM chronicle to a level 1 PC?" the answer is yes, but that choice should be made when the Chronicle is assigned.

4/5 ****

Gary Bush wrote:
Eric Nielsen wrote:

Found the link: GM Rewards

The GM assigns the chronicle using the same rules as playing a pregen. You then apply the chronicle once the character is the appropriate level.

I read this to mean when the GM baby starts to take flesh, you apply at the appropriate level. So if I had a GM baby with 16 xp on 4 chronicle when I start to the build the character and applying the credit, the first 3 would be at 1st level (getting 14 gold per chronicle), but when I apply the last chronicle, I would be 2nd level and get 22 gold for chronicle.

Now that I have applied a the chronicle, I can not longer assign a 1st level chronicle to the character. So I couldn't apply a bounty to it.

I hope I am doing it right because I have some characters that would be wrong.

One last observation. The character is not "level 1" until you finish building it. So until it is built the *only* chronicles it is eligible for are things like Race boons, and other AcP chronicles that do not have a level.

Since you apply all eligible chronicles, in the order they are recieved, that allows race boons to "jump the que" and be applied first.

Sczarni 5/5 5/55/5 ***

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Gary's correct, but in his example, he could just change who the credit was reported to once he realized the character was no longer eligible for the Chronicle.

I imagine that could happen in a case where he incorrectly thought his GM baby had 8xp, then he ran an impromptu Bounty at the store, reported the game while he was still there, then went home to apply the Chronicle, and had forgotten about that Pathfinder Trials game he ran last week that pushed his character up to 12xp.

Gary could then rectify what happened by just editing the session and assigning the Chronicle to a different character number.

It just gets messier for someone playing a lot of Pregens and not paying attention to their record-keeping, but then again that's why the Guide now says it's the player's responsibility to keep good records.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/55/5 ****

Nefreet wrote:

Gary's correct, but in his example, he could just change who the credit was reported to once he realized the character was no longer eligible for the Chronicle.

I imagine that could happen in a case where he incorrectly thought his GM baby had 8xp, then he ran an impromptu Bounty at the store, reported the game while he was still there, then went home to apply the Chronicle, and had forgotten about that Pathfinder Trials game he ran last week that pushed his character up to 12xp.

Gary could then rectify what happened by just editing the session and assigning the Chronicle to a different character number.

It just gets messier for someone playing a lot of Pregens and not paying attention to their record-keeping, but then again that's why the Guide now says it's the player's responsibility to keep good records.

I may or may have had to do this. My memory is clouded on this topic.

What was the question again?

:)

Kidding aside, it is a real issue that GMs need to be aware of when they assign chronicles.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

Richard Lowe wrote:
Certainly for many years now the rule was exactly the same in PF1

Any and every update to the rules should be an independent entity and not depend on knowledge of any past history. We have players dropping in and out all the time and they cannot be expected to know what happened yesterday. I'm not saying the current GM credit language is in error, just that it should be as complete and through as possible even if that means it is longer. More information is almost always better than less, especially if the reason for making it shorter is nothing other than convenience. The new Guide is excellent for all its embedded links which makes it far more useful than previous versions. Personally, I think the table of contents could be better, but its certainly the best Guide we've ever had.

Grand Archive 4/5 ****

Secret tip. I you click "no tabs" onbthe front page of the guide, it turns into a table of contents...

Also, fingers crossed, but by PaizoCon We are hoping to finally get the glossary updated.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

That's better, but it still has the floating reference box that covers half a page height (column) down the middle of the page that covers the tables, but that's a minor irritation given the functionality of the rest of the Guide.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

I just noticed there is now a login option on the org play site. What is that about?

Grand Archive 4/5 ****

It is how the people who are updating the site get in to make the updates. I will probably move it off the front page at some point here.

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