Hero Points: At the beginning of an adventure, each PC receives 1 Hero Point. During play, GMs are expected to follow the normal GM guidelines and hand out additional Hero Points at a rate of approximately 1 Hero Point per hour of play. GMC pg. 57, CRB pg. 507GM Core page 57
Core Rulebook page 507
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Secret Checks: Unless a scenario says otherwise, GMs are free to choose how to handle secret checks PC pg. 405, CRB pg. 450Player Core page 405
Core Rulebook page 450
(click to close) on a check-by-check basis and adapt based on the mood and pacing of the table.
If players rolling their own secret checks use information that their characters would not have to determine their actions, then remind them their characters would not have that information and encourage them not to use it. See Running Secret Checks for further discussion.
GM Discretion
As a Pathfinder Society GM, you have the right and responsibility to make whatever judgments, within the rules, that you feel are necessary at your table to ensure everyone has a fair and fun experience.
This does not mean you can contradict rules or restrictions outlined in this Guide (including the requirement to Run As Written), a published Pathfinder RPG source, errata document (like the Pathfinder FAQ and Errata), or official FAQ (like the Pathfinder Society FAQ) on paizo.com. What it does mean is that only you can judge what is right for your table for cases that are not covered in those sources.
Some examples of GM discretion include the following:
- Creature tactics that have been invalidated by the players' actions.
- Situations or player actions not covered by the rules.
- Unclear rules.
- Terrain or environmental conditions described in the adventure but not given mechanics.
- However, mechanics that are included cannot be altered.
- Reactions of NPCs to good roleplaying, and the effect that has on the outcome of the encounter.
- Alternate or creative skills used to bypass or overcome traps and skill checks.
- DCs and results of a check are part of the mechanics and cannot be changed.
- Aspects of the scenario’s description and story as appropriate for the players at the table as described in "A Welcoming Environment." GMC pg. 6, CRB pg. 485GM Core page 6
Core Rulebook page 485
(click to close) - Changes required to comply with the Acceptable Content provision of the Community Standards and Expectations.
- Creative solutions presented by players to overcome obstacles.
- Moving plot points missed by players to encounterable areas.
- This does not include moving missed Treasure Bundles except those bypassed with a creative solution as below.
If a particular issue comes up repeatedly or causes a significant problem in one of your games, please raise any questions or concerns on the Organized Play GM Discussion forum where Venture-Officers, members of Paizo’s Organized Play team, or fellow GMs can help you resolve it.
Errata and Adventures
If an errata or clarification changes how an ability works in an adventure, follow the current rules. If that means that the ability no longer works with how NPC tactics are written, modify the tactics as best you can to incorporate the changes.
Visit the Organized Play adventures errata forum for official errata and clarifications to Pathfinder Society adventures.
Death and GM Discretion
Given the dangers characters face once they become Pathfinders, character death is a very real possibility (and a necessary one to maintain a sense of risk and danger in the game). However, GMs are asked to consider the player's experience when deciding whether to use especially lethal tactics or target a character in extreme danger of death, especially when the player is new to the game.
Creative Solutions
Sometimes during a game, your players might surprise you with a creative solution that the adventure did not anticipate. Rewarding the creative use of skills and roleplaying makes games more fun for the players. If your players find another solution that resolves or bypasses an encounter, give the PCs the same reward they would have gained by resolving the encounter as the adventure anticipated.
The Pathfinder Society never wants to give the impression that the only way to solve a problem is to kill it.
It is also possible that the PCs will kill an NPC with an important piece of information or destroy a critical clue. Unless the scenario specifically instructs you to withhold that information, you are free to improvise an alternate way for the information to survive and reach the PCs.
For additional discussion and examples, see Advice for Running