I was told playing for no credit is "heavily discouraged", why?

[Oni Shogun]

Why is it supposedly heavily discouraged? If some people want to play but the only stuff going on is adventures that they've already played and are not replayable and don't want to pay boons to replay again or maybe don't the points and the table has room, then why not? Isn't it less work for the GM after the game if they don't have to fill out more sheets for chronicles or whatever? Was my local Venture Captain mistaken on it being heavily discouraged?

[Monkhound]

As per the Lorespire:

Quote:

Replaying for no credit: This is only allowed if the alternative is for the table not to play. Players must record any items or resources expended and can be given a blank Chronicle for this purpose. This is an exception to the rule that you cannot assign more than one copy of a single adventure's Chronicle to a given character.

So it's not that it's discouraged, it's simply not allowed unless there is absolutely no other option and the table would otherwise be cancelled.

[Oni Shogun]

That's not what my local PFS is saying. They said its to avoid stuff like metagaming by someone whose already played the adventure or taking a seat from someone who hasn't played. Thing is that can already be done, you just have to pay for a replay.

[Oni Shogun]

Monkhound wrote:

As per the Lorespire:

Quote:

Replaying for no credit: This is only allowed if the alternative is for the table not to play. Players must record any items or resources expended and can be given a blank Chronicle for this purpose. This is an exception to the rule that you cannot assign more than one copy of a single adventure's Chronicle to a given character.

So it's not that it's discouraged, it's simply not allowed unless there is absolutely no other option and the table would otherwise be cancelled.

There's definitely been quite a few games canceled because too few players and nobody wanted to play something they already played and have to pay for it with boon points.

[Squark]

Oni Shogun wrote:

Monkhound wrote:

As per the Lorespire:

Quote:

Replaying for no credit: This is only allowed if the alternative is for the table not to play. Players must record any items or resources expended and can be given a blank Chronicle for this purpose. This is an exception to the rule that you cannot assign more than one copy of a single adventure's Chronicle to a given character.

So it's not that it's discouraged, it's simply not allowed unless there is absolutely no other option and the table would otherwise be cancelled.

There's definitely been quite a few games canceled because too few players and nobody wanted to play something they already played and have to pay for it with boon points.

Calling in reserve players to play for no credit at last minute is... awkward. It exists in theory, but in practice, unless you're at a Convention you probably don't have enough time to get people. I guess if you knew some people wanted to play an adventure that probably wouldn't get enough eligible players to go off normally you could put out a call for people to backfill a table in advance, but predicting that will happen is tricky.

[RedOrca]

I think the only ways to play a normal scenario for no credit are:

• 1. Be the second player at a table that would have otherwise only had one player and one GM.
• 2. Be the second or third player at a table that's too high level for pregens where everyone agrees to play hard mode.
• 3. Be the fourth player at a table that's too high level for pregens that would have been run in hard mode, but only if the other players didn't agree to hard mode.

You can't play for no credit as the fourth player at a 1-4 table, for example, because the table could continue without you by adding a pregen.

The rules also seem worded to avoid obvious exploits. You can't put up a 7-10, but intentionally allow only one player (who is asked to reject hard mode) just so three other replayers can play for no credit. It's intended as a last resort, not a regular occurrence.

And as for why the rules aren't more loose? If anyone could play for no credit at any table that had less than four players, it's not much different from having no replay rules. Veteran players would be encouraged to wait around smaller tables for a chance to fill in for no credit, rather than spend replays or form their own table.

To be clear, I think the current replay system doesn't accomplish its goals very well and would prefer that it change, but I don't think leaving obvious exploits is the answer.

[Oni Shogun]

But Starfinder has free replays for all though?

I'm also running into problems with GMs running games I've already played that aren't replayable and the table also doesn't have enough players. So yeah, I actually would be needed to play to keep the game going. We aren't "calling in" people like one person suggested.