Venture-Captain, Nebraska—Bellevue
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LO Mwangi Expanse is new. So maybe I'm missing something. But it looks like sanctioning needs one minor add.
Some of the rare ancestries now sanctioned have a potentially frustrating gap in starting languages. The Conrasu, for example says the following: you get the following starting languages - Mwangi, Rasu
You get Additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it is positive). Choose from Celestial, Elven, Iruxi, Sylvan, Terran, Utopian, and any other languages to which you have access (such as the languages prevalent to your region).
Now there's a sidebar that talks about Mwangi being the common tongue in the Mwangi Expanse. (Rather than Taldane, the language we all know as "common"). So the "languages prevalent to your region" probably doesn't include Common/Taldane.
So it seems like there is no means for someone to build a character of these ancestries with Common/Taldane. Which means there is a distinct possibility of sitting down at a table with someone whose character can't speak to any of the other characters at the table. That's not useful in Organized Play where we can't predict our table-mates.
Given that these ancestries require a significant ACP expenditure to qualify as an agent of the Pathfinder Society, it should include free training in Common/Taldane. Story-wise, we all train at the Grand Lodge in Absalom. Surely there's opportunity. I'd suggest a small update to sanctioning to clarify that. Unless someone else can point out where that happens in the rules somewhere else.
Organized Play Associate
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Good news, this rule already exists! From the Guide to Organized Play's Character Creation Appendix:
All Pathfinder Society characters are literate and speak Common (Taldane) as well as any other languages granted by their ancestry.
My first draft of the sanctioning did call it out, but it was pointed out to me (correctly) that doing so could feel othering for characters from the Expanse, so we removed it. But yep, this rule already exists, every Pathfinder knows and speaks Common.
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Venture-Captain, Nebraska—Bellevue
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Good news, this rule already exists! From the Guide to Organized Play's Character Creation Appendix:
All Pathfinder Society characters are literate and speak Common (Taldane) as well as any other languages granted by their ancestry.My first draft of the sanctioning did call it out, but it was pointed out to me (correctly) that doing so could feel othering for characters from the Expanse, so we removed it. But yep, this rule already exists, every Pathfinder knows and speaks Common.
Went back to the guide and found that comment about common goes back at least a few editions. Thanks for point that out. I missed that, probably because it hasn't been relevant until recently.
In going back through the guide, I found this nugget:
During their training, Pathfinder initiates attain a certain level of proficiency and background knowledge. To represent this, by default all pathfinders start with Pathfinder Society Lore as a trained lore skill. If they would already start with Pathfinder Lore skill from their background, they gain either Academia Lore or Scouting Lore as trained skills.
When did that get added? The free skill tables for the Schools still list Pathfinder Society lore as an option (for all except Field Commissioned). Seems like that's a redundant schools choice if everyone gets it for free already.
Venture-Agent, California—Silicon Valley
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In going back through the guide, I found this nugget:
During their training, Pathfinder initiates attain a certain level of proficiency and background knowledge. To represent this, by default all pathfinders start with Pathfinder Society Lore as a trained lore skill. If they would already start with Pathfinder Lore skill from their background, they gain either Academia Lore or Scouting Lore as trained skills.When did that get added? The free skill tables for the Schools still list Pathfinder Society lore as an option (for all except Field Commissioned). Seems like that's a redundant schools choice if everyone gets it for free already.
They streamlined character creation for those who don't want to learn everything. Default is Pathfinder Society Lore, but you can choose a different lore from your school instead if you want.
You don't get both.
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Venture-Captain, Nebraska—Bellevue
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They streamlined character creation for those who don't want to learn everything. Default is Pathfinder Society Lore, but you can choose a different lore from your school instead if you want.You don't get both.
So in the character creation rules it states:
- All Pathfinders speak Common- All Patfhinders are trained in Pathfinder Society Lore
But I'm supposed to recognize that the first is always true, but the second really says only if you choose it as your school's free skill?
Again, to go back to what the guide says currently:
During their training, Pathfinder initiates attain a certain level of proficiency and background knowledge. To represent this, by default all pathfinders start with Pathfinder Society Lore as a trained lore skill. If they would already start with Pathfinder Lore skill from their background, they gain either Academia Lore or Scouting Lore as trained skills.
Some pathfinders spend more or less time studying at the Pathfinder Academy. This is represented by the additional "Schools" options in Additional Character Options.
The bold emphasis is added. But this sure seems to imply that the schools represents "additional" training above and beyond the standard given in the preceding sentences. If the intent is you don't get both, the guide sure doesn't clarify it well.
Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Turku
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"Characters who have ties to a school or who are field commissioned receive a bonus lore at first level. (This replaces the Pathfinder society lore that all agents gain by default.) At 5th level they also gain a bonus skill feat."
It states in these additional options that the bonus lore replaces the pathfinder society lore that all agents gain by default.
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Venture-Captain, Nebraska—Bellevue
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I appreciate the feedback on both the original topic and the new. As we begin to restart in-person games, we're seeing more new players. I'm having to relearn how to teach the concepts of organized play in general and PFS specifically. I've been doing some thinking on that, but it perhaps deserves its own thread.