All participants in Paizo Organized Play must adhere to the Paizo Organized Play Code of Conduct and the Organized Play Community Standards—read through them and uphold them at all Organized Play events and sessions.
Community Code of Conduct
The version of the Paizo Organized Play Code of Conduct posted on paizo.com is the official version and takes precedence in the case of any conflict with the version below, which is reproduced here for convenience.
Paizo Organized Play, encompassing Pathfinder Society (PFS), Starfinder Society (SFS) and Pathfinder Adventure Card Society (PACS), is an inclusive social event open to everyone, where we intend that all participants may enjoy gaming in a fun and safe environment. Participants are expected to respect their fellow players and work together to create positive and memorable experiences. While conflict between characters may arise, at no time should a player or Game Master (GM) feel excluded or threatened at the table. The Paizo Organized Play organization reserves the right to refuse participation to any person for inappropriate or illegal conduct. All refusals of participation from Organized Play must be accompanied by a reason, duration of refusal, and criteria for rejoining organized play activities.
Inappropriate conduct includes, but is not limited to: the excessive use of foul language, physical or verbal aggression/intimidation, lewd conduct, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, slander, stalking, or harassment/discrimination based on age, disability, ethnicity, gender or gender expression/identity, race, religion, sexuality, or any other reason.
Complaints under this policy should be brought to the Event Organizer or a Venture-Officer, who will work to resolve the issue or escalate the issue to the next level within the PFS organization. As an alternative, issues may be reported to the Organized Play Coordinator (OPC) via email at organizedplay@paizo.com. Issues will be resolved at the lowest level possible within the Organized Play organization. In the case that escalation is necessary, the OPC is the final arbiter of any dispute arising from application of this policy.
Illegal activity needs to be escalated to proper authorities such as convention organizers, facility security, local police, or other appropriate organizations. Event Organizer or Venture-Officers are available to assist participants with contacting local law enforcement, providing escorts, or otherwise help participants feel safe for the duration of an event.
Paizo recognizes that there may be themes included in the Organized Play campaigns that result in uncomfortable situations at the gaming table. If content within a scenario or another character at the table presents cause for concern, we request players identify the issue to the Game Master either vocally or by passing a note. We ask that GMs help the table respect attendees’ sensibilities and reduce/redirect problematic themes once identified. If a participant has been asked to stop any problematic behavior, they are expected to comply immediately, or will be asked to leave the table.
Once again, the intention of Paizo Organized Play is to provide a fun and inclusive gaming environment. The above policy is in place to help further that goal. By joining any Organized Play table, participants are agreeing to the terms and conditions of Paizo Organized Play.
Acceptable Content
Paizo Organized Play games use the Pathfinder Baseline from page 486 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook . Circumstances such as venue restrictions, table composition or player needs can require additional adjustments to the baseline. GMs are encouraged to choose alternate descriptions, utilize Lines and Veils, or incorporate X-Cards as described on page 485 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook to provide the best gaming experience possible.
The version of the Pathfinder Baseline published in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook is the official version and takes precedence in the case of any conflict with the version below, which is reproduced here for convenience.
The Pathfinder Baseline
You might find that your players don’t have much to say on the topic of objectionable content, and just assume that general societal mores will keep the most uncomfortable topics out of the game. That’s not always enough, as that approach relies on shared assumptions that aren’t always accurate. The following is a set of basic assumptions that works for many groups, which you can modify to fit your preferences and those of the other players.
- Bloodshed, injuries, and even dismemberment might be described. However, excessive descriptions of gore and cruelty should be avoided.
- Romantic and sexual relationships can happen in the game, but players should avoid being overly suggestive. Sex always happens “off-screen.” Because attempts at initiating a relationship between player characters can be uncomfortably similar to one player hitting on another, this should generally be avoided (and is entirely inappropriate when playing with strangers).
- Avoid excessively gross or scatological descriptions.
The following acts should never be performed by player characters:
- Torture
- Rape, nonconsensual sexual contact, or sexual threats
- Harm to children, including sexual abuse
- Owning slaves or profiting from the slave trade
- Reprehensible uses of mind-control magic
Villains might engage in such acts, but they won’t happen “on-screen” or won’t be described in detail. Many groups choose to not have villains engage in these activities at all, keeping these reprehensible acts out of mind entirely.
Do Not Cheat
Maintain the integrity of the game. Cheating behaviors include, but are not limited to, falsifying rolls, forging records, using unapproved resources, not owning the sources used by your character, and lying to GMs and Event Organizers. Participants caught cheating will be barred from Paizo Organized Play events for an amount of time dependent on the severity of the offense. Repeat offenders will be banned from all Paizo Organized Play activities.
Keep Good Records
Paizo Organized Play uses a combination of character sheets, Chronicles, and record trackers to chart character progression. GMs and Event Organizers rely on these documents to keep the campaign honest, fair, and fun for everyone. It is your responsibility to maintain accurate records. Always bring either paper or digital copies of your character sheet and supporting documentation such as Chronicles and record trackers of any character you wish to play to Paizo Organized Play events. If using paper copies, we suggest keeping them all together in a binder, with a folder for each character.
If you cannot produce the supporting documents for your character, the GM can ask you to play a pregenerated character instead.
No Character-versus-Character Combat
In keeping with the “Explore, Report, Cooperate” motto of the Starfinder and Pathfinder Societies, engaging in non-consensual character-versus-character conflict is prohibited. Players must obtain the consent of other players before taking an action that would intentionally include another Player Character in a damaging effect or other or harmful effect (such as effects that impose negative conditions).
Some examples include casting a harmful spell on another Player Character or an area that includes them, throwing a weapon with the explode property that would deal damage to another Player Character, or moving closer to another Player Character while surrounded by a harmful emanation in a way that exposes them to its effects.
This rule does not apply in situations where a character is not acting of their own free will, such as if they’re being mind-controlled by an NPC and forced to attack a fellow Starfinder or Pathfinder.