Initial Considerations Before Starting a Game at a FLGS?

[Harles]

So I'm trying to get my FLGS on board for letting me run some games there - since there has been no RPG opportunities since COVID. We're debating D&D vs PF2 (and Adventurers League vs PFS). I know these boards will have a strong preference for PF2 (and I would also prefer running that system), but I have some considerations maybe you can help me talk through...

1) Likely we won't be able to have 4-5 hour sessions due to the hours of operation of the shop. Most of the content available for PFS would be too long for me to run there. (I know there are Bounties/Quests, but I would run out of those in a couple months.)

2) Would it be preferable to try to run "drop in" AP campaigns like Abomination Vaults as opposed to PFS scenarios - considering I probably wouldn't be able to complete them in the allotted time?

3) Can you "shorten" scenarios to fit in your allotted time?

4) Would it be better to just not use any type of Organized Play if I can't do it "properly?" (For instance, a few years ago when I attempted PFS games there with PF1, I don't think anyone registered their characters. They just wanted to play a game.)

5) In general, have any of you had similar experiences and suggestions?

[Jared Thaler - Personal Opinion]

Harles wrote:

So I'm trying to get my FLGS on board for letting me run some games there - since there has been no RPG opportunities since COVID. We're debating D&D vs PF2 (and Adventurers League vs PFS). I know these boards will have a strong preference for PF2 (and I would also prefer running that system), but I have some considerations maybe you can help me talk through...

1) Likely we won't be able to have 4-5 hour sessions due to the hours of operation of the shop. Most of the content available for PFS would be too long for me to run there. (I know there are Bounties/Quests, but I would run out of those in a couple months.)

2) Would it be preferable to try to run "drop in" AP campaigns like Abomination Vaults as opposed to PFS scenarios - considering I probably wouldn't be able to complete them in the allotted time?

3) Can you "shorten" scenarios to fit in your allotted time?

4) Would it be better to just not use any type of Organized Play if I can't do it "properly?" (For instance, a few years ago when I attempted PFS games there with PF1, I don't think anyone registered their characters. They just wanted to play a game.)

5) In general, have any of you had similar experiences and suggestions?

1. If you were running a game every other week, at 30+ quests and bounties, you have over a year of content. Even running every week, that is still 6 months to get people settled in. (while bounties are *nominally* an hour, 2 bounties in 2 hours always seems to be a super tight fit. You might be better off running each bounty at 2 hours and just throwing in extra roleplay to fill.)

2. It might make a good segue after you run out of bounties. You might also look at the various one shots.

3. You cannot shorten scenarios (at least not consistently. Some scenarios, with the right party, can take under 3 hours.) You can adjust run time on APs and stand alone adventures. (Provided the whole story gets told. I often cut "filler" encounters from APs.

4. That is certainly an option. It all depends what you and your players want.

[roll4initiative]

Do you need to play at your local FLGS? I have had to run games at gamer friendly bars/pubs & coffeeshops, public libraries, and even at players' homes.
(Bonus if the game is on the backyard patio on a beautiful summer day).

If you do manage to organize PFS games on a regular basis, be sure to get in touch with your Regional Venture Captain about you becoming a Venture Agent.

Best of luck in your endeavors!

[Harles]

roll4initiative wrote:

Do you need to play at your local FLGS? I have had to run games at gamer friendly bars/pubs & coffeeshops, public libraries, and even at players' homes.

(Bonus if the game is on the backyard patio on a beautiful summer day).

If you do manage to organize PFS games on a regular basis, be sure to get in touch with your Regional Venture Captain about you becoming a Venture Agent.

Best of luck in your endeavors!

Thanks for the best wishes!

My community is pretty unique that we don't have any gamer friendly bars or pubs. Like most businesses, our coffeeshops likewise have very limited space and hours. Players homes - well, we don't really have the gaming community to do that, and I figure that a public space would be a good way to get foot traffic that I wouldn't have coming into my house on a regular basis. ;)

The public library ... well, I'm in a weird situation because I'm a manager at our town's only public library, and if I were to host an event it would become a "library event" and would be under additional scrutiny and institutional control.

The positive news is that the FLGS is expanding hours and gaming space soon, so we're going to be able to do a 4-5 hour weekly game on the weekend starting in June. (Meaning I should be able to run regular PFS scenarios.) I hope it goes well.

[roll4initiative]

That's wonderful! Congratulations on being able to host at your game store!

I am in a large city (Denver, CO) so finding space to game isn't much of an issue.

Again, Congrats! Let us know how things go.

[Harles]

I have a few of the Season 1 PFS scenarios from a Humble Bundle. Are those still legal to play? Are there especially good (or bad) adventures I should be aware of?

[Pirate Rob]

All of the Pathfinder2 Scenarios are legal to play.

My favorites from season 1 are:

#1-02: The Mosquito Witch (1-4)
#1-03: Escaping the Grave (1-4) (There's also potentially a sequel coming out in season 4)
#1-05: Trailblazers’ Bounty (1-4)
#1-07: Flooded King's Court (1-4)
#1-19: Iolite Squad Alpha (3-6)
#1-20: The Lost Legend (3-6)

There are scenarios with problems but the only real stinker in my opinion is #1-21: Mistress of the Maze (5-8).

[Watery Soup]

1. Seconding the "1-hour Bounty/Quest in a 2-hour time slot" suggestion. I usually plan for 1.25-1.5 hours.

2. One idea I have toyed with is splitting a "4-hour" scenario into two 2-hour chunks. Would require players to bring the same characters for both sessions and lock the character in between. It would work for some groups and not others.

3. Several of the "4-hour" scenarios run longer than 4 hours.

4. My Season 1 favorites are 1-12 (Burden of Envy) and 1-18 (Lodge of the Living God). I am definitely in the minority on 1-18, it seems like a lot of people dislike it. And it runs super long.

My kids prefer brainless fighting, so 1-04 appealed to them. It wasn't my favorite but I admit it's a good starter scenario.

[Harles]

I know this should be an easy answer, and I swear I've looked at the Guide, FAQ, this forum, and Google.
How much XP from Society games to level up?
(I thought I remembered 12 from somewhere - but I'm not sure.)

[NielsenE]

Leveling Up in in Player Basic's for PFS2.

[Harles]

NielsenE wrote:

Leveling Up in in Player Basic's for PFS2.

Thanks for that. The strange thing is, I can find it with your link, but I can't "reverse engineer" where you found that. Looking under Player Basics, etc., this information just isn't on there.

[Online Guide Team Lead - JTT]

Harles wrote:

NielsenE wrote:

Leveling Up in in Player Basic's for PFS2.

Thanks for that. The strange thing is, I can find it with your link, but I can't "reverse engineer" where you found that. Looking under Player Basics, etc., this information just isn't on there.

It should be shortly after "After the game"

If you still can't find it

Please contact me at:

Spoiler:

Discord: FLite#7088
Or
Email: [e-mail]

So we can figure out why it isn't showing up on your device.

[Harles]

Well, this is been discouraging. After setting up, preparing, and promoting the PFS event at the local game store, I've yet to host a table with more than 3 players. For our last session, not a single person showed up (I waited 45 minutes).
I'm left wondering if people aren't ready to game in-person yet, if they don't have interest in this system, or what other factors may be in play.
I'm so discouraged that I plan to finish out this month and then see what else I can do down the road.
Thanks everyone for the advice and assistance.

[Mark Stratton]

Harles wrote:

Well, this is been discouraging. After setting up, preparing, and promoting the PFS event at the local game store, I've yet to host a table with more than 3 players. For our last session, not a single person showed up (I waited 45 minutes).

I'm left wondering if people aren't ready to game in-person yet, if they don't have interest in this system, or what other factors may be in play.
I'm so discouraged that I plan to finish out this month and then see what else I can do down the road.
Thanks everyone for the advice and assistance.

It is easy to become discouraged. I have started up Organized Play in a few stores. Some take off right away, some need sometime, and others never quite get there.

But if you can have a table with a regular group of 3 people, that’s a good starting point. Maybe one of them can bring a friend next time. Or maybe if the store owner is interested, they could sit and play - that’s what happened in my current store, and when players of other games saw him playing PF2, they started playing, too.

So, while it’s easy to become discouraged, don’t. It just takes some patience, a little word of mouth, and some luck.

[cavernshark]

For what it's worth, I'm in a relatively healthy org play region and even we have had some fits and starts with in-person play. So I'd just echo that if you've got 3 people showing up even semi-regularly in the store that's a good place to be.

[Terevalis Unctio of House Mysti]

Paizo has has supports for FLGS that host PFS events if I remember correctly?

[Silbeg]

There is the Retail Incentive Program, where the players get benefits for spending money at the store