Guide to Organized Play: Pathfinder Society (Second Edition)

Single Page Layout

Current Version: 6.01
10 September 2024

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Introduction

Greetings, Pathfinder!

Welcome to the Guide to Organized Play: Pathfinder Society (Second Edition)!

The Guide is the home for campaign rules specific to the Pathfinder Society (PFS) organized play campaign. The Guide is available in the form of this website or as a single page. To print or get a PDF of the Guide, follow the link.

The Guide has been reorganized into the same organizational structure as the Starfinder Society Guide. Both Guides now have the following sections:

• Core Guide: the rules everyone needs for PFS Organized Play
• Player Options and Tools: additional rules players can choose to use
• GM Options and Tools: additional rules GMs can choose to use
• Supplemental Materials: reference materials, including lists of current and retired Boons

Resources

• Remaster rules for Pathfinder Society (2e) play

• Pregenerated Characters

• Character Options allowed for Pathfinder Society (2e) play

• FAQ / Errata updates and revisions to Pathfinder (2e) rulebooks
  • includes Remaster updates to PF2 Legacy (pre-Remaster) books

• Organized Play regions
  • contact a Regional Venture-Coordinator (RVC) for help finding games and more

Quick Links

• Single-page Guide
• Print or get a PDF

• PFS character creation
• Supplemental Materials (boons, backgrounds, retired options, etc.)

• Pathfinder Provisions (pre-adventure consumables)
• Completing Chronicles (for GMs post-adventure)

Recent Changes

full change log

• 10 September 2024 — v6.01
  • Added reference & link to new PFS adventure errata forum in the following places: Introduction; GM: Preparing & GM: Running; Supplemental Materials
  • Remaster Rules: Corrected crystal dragon entry
  • Core Guide > Playing an Adventure > After the Adventure: Added Series 2 Quests to pre-calculated Earn Income table
  • Supplemental Materials > AcP Boon List: Updated World Traveler text per blog post

• 30 July 2024 — v6.00
  • Restructured entire Guide

Campaign Rules Outside the Guide

• Pathfinder rules online - Free and officially licensed
• Pathfinder Society Character Options - What options from each book you can use & which books you need to own to use them

• Pathfinder FAQ & Errata - Clarifications and changes to published books
• Pathfinder Society Errata - Clarifications and changes to Pathfinder Society Scenarios
• Pathfinder Society FAQ - Clarifications and rulings for the Pathfinder Society campaign

• Paizo Organized Play policies - Community standards, event & retail support, playtesting
• Paizo Organized Play Accessory Perks & Promotional Boons - Small bonuses for related merch

See you on the Open Road! Explore, Report, Cooperate!

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Core Guide

Welcome to Pathfinder Society

Pathfinder Society (second edition) (PFS) is a worldwide fantasy roleplaying campaign set in the World of Golarion during the Age of Lost Omens. As agents of the Pathfinder Society, a legendary league of explorers, archaeologists, and adventurers headquartered in Absalom, you dedicate your life to discovering and chronicling the greatest mysteries and wonders of an ancient world. Pathfinder adventures range from exploring the dark alleys to engaging in political intrigues to embarking on far-flung travels to exciting locales.

Pathfinder Society (second edition) uses Paizo’s Pathfinder Second Edition ruleset and Lost Omens setting under the campaign leadership of the Paizo Organized Play Team. This guide presents the information you need to participate in this exciting, dynamic campaign. Welcome to the Pathfinder Society!

What is Paizo Organized Play?

In a Paizo Organized Play campaign, your character adventures in a shared setting with thousands of other gamers worldwide. Anyone can host games at homes, game stores, libraries, conventions, and online, as long as they report the adventure’s results afterward. Reporting earns participants campaign rewards and player actions influence the fate of the world of the game.

As part of the Organized Play experience, you can take your character to any Organized Play event in the world, allowing you to join a game with friends and strangers alike with ease. After each adventure, your characters grow stronger and carry their rewards with them to the next adventure, even if your fellow players and Game Masters (GMs) change between adventures. The experience is uniquely immersive, as the diverse range of players, GMs, and characters provide incredible depth. The campaign is also a great way to meet other gamers and play regularly without needing to schedule events with a single set of people as you might for a more traditional game.

Paizo Organized Play campaigns include the Pathfinder Society (second edition) , Starfinder Society , Pathfinder Adventure Card Society (legacy), and Pathfinder Society (first edition) (legacy) campaigns.

Registering for Organized Play

To ensure you have access to all the tools and benefits available to players, you need an Organized Play number and an account on paizo.com . To create an account, visit paizo.com/organizedplay and click on the “New Players Create an Account” button.

If you are unable to acquire an organized play number online, ask your Event Organizer for help.

Where to Find Games

Each community uses their own game scheduling process. Common platforms used in scheduling games include:

• The Paizo Event Calendar
• The Online Region Discord
• Meetup
• Warhorn

Organized Play Forums

Join the vibrant Pathfinder Society online community by participating in the official Pathfinder Society forums . Ask questions! Compare character builds! Discuss! Find events! Your feedback helps us improve our program, so drop by and tell us what we can do to enhance your organized play experience.

Key Terms

What is a Player Character?

To participate in an Organized Play game, you need a Player Character (or PC). You control your character, who will be one of the protagonists in the game's story and can directly interact with the objects, characters, and events within the adventure. You can use a pregenerated character or create your own using the rules in Pathfinder Society Characters below.

What is a Game Master?

A Game Master (GM) is the person who presents the story, adjudicates the rules, and establishes the parameters of the player’s exploration. A GM’s duty is to provide a fair and fun game for all involved, including themselves. GMs receive credit as if their character had played the adventure as well as other recognition as thanks for volunteering their time to run events.

What is an Event Organizer?

An Event Organizer sets up Organized Play games and ensures they are reported accurately. At smaller events, including tables at most game stores, there is no separate event organizer and the venture officer handles those duties. Separate event organizers are more common at conventions and other large events.

What is a Venture-Officer?

A Venture-Officer is a volunteer for Paizo Organized Play responsible for a specific geographical region, online lodge, or other area of responsibility. They set up and assist with regular Organized Play events in their area. They are also responsible for responding to any player concerns in their area, reporting concerns to higher ranked officers as needed, and ensuring accurate data reporting.

What are Achievement Points (AcP)?

Achievement Points (AcP) are currency used to purchase Boons (in-game benefits) on paizo.com. You earn AcP by participating in and reporting Paizo Organized Play games. Details about Boons and AcP are found under Player Options and Tools.

Campaign Rules Sources

The rules of the campaign are found in this Guide and the other rules documents listed below. When additional rulings are needed, they will be published in forum or blog posts on paizo.com and later added to one of the campaign rules sources.

The campaign rules sources are:

• this Guide
• the Character Options page
• the Pathfinder Society FAQ page

Pathfinder Society Characters

Most Pathfinder Society Scenarios and Quests require the use of a Pathfinder Society character or Pathfinder Society Iconic Pregenerated character.

Resources and Access

The Character Options page explains which options are approved for Pathfinder Society play along with resource ownership rules (that is, what books you need). Remember, if a character option is reprinted with the same name in any Remastered rulebook, you must use the new version as if it were errata.

Players can choose options their character has Access to in any Paizo-published books or supplements they own. Players residing in the same household can share owned resources. Ownership of the Core Sources is not required to choose options from the Core Sources (see the Character Options page for the list of Core Sources). In that case, reference rules from the official online source, the Archives of Nethys .

Some options within the game have a rarity trait of uncommon, rare, or unique. Options without a rarity trait are considered common. ^{PC pg. 11, CRB pg. 13}Player Core page 11
Core Rulebook page 13
(click to close) Unless otherwise specified, you have Access to all common options (subject to the normal resource ownership rules).

Boons and Chronicles can grant access to options not accessible in Pathfinder Society play by default. If a character gains Access to an option, then that option is freely available to that character. They can purchase or choose it as usual, but it does not become common.

Your characters are members of the Pathfinder Society on Golarion, so they have Access to all options that require membership in the Pathfinder Society.

Iconic Pregenerated Characters

You can use a pregenerated character (or pregen) based on one of the iconic characters (an Iconic Pregen). Playing an Iconic Pregen can be useful when time is short or you want to try out a character class. You can choose any of the Iconic Pregens without owning the associated source.

You can download the Iconic Pregens or request them from your Event Organizer. See Applying Credit for additional rules for Chronicles earned by playing an Iconic Pregen.

Character Creation

Creating a character for Pathfinder Society play follows the steps in the Pathfinder Player Core with a few additional Pathfinder Society-specific rules and benefits.

Character Sheets

There is no standard character sheet format required. Character sheets must be legible, clear, and reviewable by the GM. Blank character sheets for Pathfinder can be found at:

• Paizo.com (printable)
• Hero Lab Online (digital)

Character Creation Remastered

The Pathfinder 2e Remaster features a number of updates and revisions, including some which impact character creation.

Remastered Classes

Characters created 15 November 2023 or later whose class is reprinted in any Remaster rulebook must use the reprinted version of their class.

Characters with at least one game reported prior to 15 November 2023 can be built and continue their progression using the version of their class in the Core Rulebook or other Legacy (pre-Remaster) rulebook. Once such characters earn 12 XP, they cannot use the Remastered version of their class without rebuilding. (Reminder: characters with less than 12 XP can be freely rebuilt.)

To rebuild a character from a Legacy to a Remaster version of a class, see Rebuilding on the Remaster transition page.

Other Remastered Options

If a character option other than the entire class is reprinted in a Remaster book and the option has the same name, use the new version as if it were errata. No retraining is necessary.

If a character option has not been reprinted, characters can select and use the option as previously printed.

Wizards using the Core Rulebook version of their class can treat spells that had their spell school removed as part of the Remaster as if they still have their original spell schools. They must otherwise fully update spells that have been reprinted in Remaster books. Such wizards can learn new spells printed in Remaster books, but they can never treat a spell as having a spell school if it did not have one pre-Remaster.

Character Creation Guidelines

Follow the standard steps ^{PC pg. 17, CRB pg. 19}Player Core page 17
Core Rulebook page 19
(click to close) with the additions below.

1. Create a Concept

Your character is a member of the Pathfinder Society, so they must be able to work with any other Pathfinder and abide by the Society’s motto: “Explore, Report, Cooperate.”

2. Start Building Attribute Modifiers

Pathfinder Society characters can use the standard attribute boosts and flaws for their ancestry or the alternate ancestry boosts. Your character can also take two additional attribute flaws to gain one additional attribute boost as described below.

Voluntary Flaws

You can elect to take two additional attribute flaws when applying the attribute boosts and attribute flaws from your ancestry. If you do, you can also apply one additional free attribute boost.

These attribute flaws can be assigned to any attribute you like, but you can’t apply more than one flaw to the same attribute during this step unless you apply both of the additional flaws to an attribute that is already receiving a boost during this step. In this case, the first flaw cancels the boost, and the second flaw decreases the attribute modifier by 1.

Likewise, as an exception to the normal rules for attribute boosts, you can apply two free attribute boosts to an attribute receiving a flaw during this step; the first boost cancels the flaw, and the second boost increases the attribute modifier by 1.

For example, a dwarf normally gets an attribute boost to Constitution and Wisdom, along with an attribute flaw to Charisma. You could apply one attribute flaw each to Intelligence and Strength, or you could apply both flaws to Wisdom. You could not apply either additional flaw to Charisma, though, because it is already receiving dwarves’ attribute flaw during this step.

3. Select an Ancestry

Ancestry follows the normal rules ^{PC pg. 41, CRB pg. 33}Player Core page 41
Core Rulebook page 33
(click to close) with minor modifications to adapt to the languages of Golarion.

Always Available Ancestries

Players have Access to the common ancestries in the Player Core as well as to the uncommon nephilim (formerly aasimar and tiefling) and changeling versatile heritages. Nephilim and changeling characters have Access to one additional language (see Languages below).

The following ancestries are also available provided you own a copy of the corresponding source book:

• kobold, ratfolk, and tengu from the Advanced Player’s Guide
• poppet from Lost Omens: The Grand Bazaar

Note: the leshy and orc ancestries are common ancestries in the Player Core and therefore are freely available.

Uncommon Ancestries

Your ancestry is one of the first things you pick about your character and it is not possible to retrain your ancestry as you might retrain other options. Unless an uncommon or rarer ancestry is on the always available list above, the only way to select it is with a Boon that allows you to create a new character of this ancestry. Not every ancestry has an available Boon.

Note that characters who rely on void energy healing (that is, undead or undead-adjacent PCs) can gain items that provide void energy healing in place of standard healing items in some circumstances. See Void Energy Healing.

Home Region

When you create a character, you can decide where they have come from, including their ethnicity, ^{PC pg. 63, CRB pg. 430}[|Player Core page 63 ]
[|Core Rulebook page 430 ]
(click to close) nationality, and region of origin. ^{PC pg. 31, GMC pg. 146, CRB pg. 420}[|Player Core page 31 ]
[|GM Core page 146 ]
[|Core Rulebook page 420 ]
(click to close) These choices might allow your character to take certain character options (subject to the usual Access conditions). For instance, humans of Jadwiga ethnicity descend from the witch-queens of Irrisen, and they can take the Irriseni Ice-Witch feat to represent this connection. Similarly, characters from the Broken Lands have access to the Aldori dueling swords that are iconic to that region.

For nationality, choose one nation (such as Varisia or Taldor). You are considered a citizen of that nation. For the purpose of fulfilling prerequisites and Access conditions for uncommon character options, you are treated as being from that nation as well as the larger region in which it’s found, (such as the Saga Lands for Varisia or the Shining Kingdoms for Taldor).

A list of regions of origin and the items they grant access to is included in the Pathfinder Society FAQ . More information on the nations of Golarion is available in the Lost Omens: World Guide.

If your character is of mixed ethnicity or comes from multiple regions of origin, then for the purposes of game balance, you choose one ethnicity and one region of origin that your character can use to satisfy prerequisite and access conditions for character options. This affects only the character options you can select, and in no way limits your character’s identity or story.

The World Traveler Boon allows you to change or expand your character’s origin for the purpose of qualifying for character options, to reflect their life experiences.

Languages

All Pathfinder Society characters are literate and speak Common (Taldane) as well as any other languages granted by their ancestry. All Pathfinder Society characters have access to all common and uncommon modern regional languages. Pathfinder Society characters are not limited to the 9 regional languages in the "Regional Languages" table. ^{PC pg. 34, CRB pg. 432}Player Core page 34
Core Rulebook page 432
(click to close)

All Pathfinder Society characters begin with one additional regional language.

Nephilim characters have Access to one additional language (choose among Chthonian, Empyrean, Daemonic, or Diabolic) and changeling characters have Access to Aklo. These languages must still be learned following the usual rules.

4. Pick A Background

In addition to the backgrounds allowed by the Character Options page, players who participated in the Pathfinder Society (first edition) campaign have access to special Pathfinder Society Legacy Backgrounds.

5. Choose A Class

Pathfinder Society characters begin play at level 1.

6. Finish Attribute Modifiers

Follow the normal rules in the Player Core / Core Rulebook.

7. Record Class Details

All Pathfinder Society characters get free training in Pathfinder Society Lore (sometimes referred to as Pathfinder Lore). Otherwise, Pathfinder Society characters follow the standard rules for Class Details.

8. Buy Equipment

All characters in Pathfinder Society begin with the standard 15 gold pieces (150 silver pieces) that can be spent on starting gear. For a quick start, see the quick equipment packages (formerly class kits), prebuilt selections of gear tailored to each of the core classes. ^{PC pg. 268, CRB pg. 289}Player Core page 268
Core Rulebook page 289
(click to close) Further information on purchasing equipment is in Purchasing Guidelines.

9. Calculate Modifiers

Follow the normal rules in the Player Core / Core Rulebook.

10. Finishing Details

Introduction Notes: The beginning of Pathfinder Society games includes character introductions, so consider making a few notes on your character’s appearance, personality, and pronouns to share with other players. The World of Golarion and the Lost Omens: Character Guide both contain information on the campaign setting you can use for this purpose.

Age: Characters must be at least young adults to be accepted as members of the Pathfinder Society.

Other Organization Membership: Through the course of your character’s adventures, you might meet influential members of other organizations and have the opportunity to learn from them. The Secondary Initiation AcP Boon allows you to gain membership in an organization and access to its character options.

No Unholy PCs: Pathfinder Society characters cannot be sanctified unholy. Since alignments have been removed from Pathfinder as of the Remaster, this is the spiritual successor to the previous rule forbidding PCs with evil alignments.

Deities and Philosophies

Characters can worship and gain mechanical benefits from any deity listed in the table of gods in the Player Core (beginning on page 35) or detailed in Lost Omens: Gods and Magic so long as they follow the deity’s listed divine sanctification rule and the deity is not limited or restricted. (See the Character Options page for whether a deity is limited or restricted.)

Characters can revere deities they do not worship. Revering a deity means that your character might do things like wearing the deity’s holy symbol, attending the deity’s religious services, or performing other acts of obeisance that aren’t rewarded with spells or divine powers. A character can revere as many deities as they wish, but can worship and receive power from only one.

Some deities, such as Rovagug or Urgathoa, require their followers to be sanctified unholy; since Pathfinder Society characters cannot be sanctified unholy, these deities cannot be worshiped to gain benefits. Characters can also be agnostic, atheist, or can follow the tenets of philosophies ^{LOGM pg. 94}[|Lost Omens: Gods & Magic page 94 ]
(click to close) rather than deities.

Note that a number of deities will die during 2024 as part of the War of Immortals event. For more information, including on gaining a free rebuild if the deity your character worships dies, see Deity Death Rebuilds.

Pantheons

Characters can also follow pantheons ^{LOGM pg. 92}Lost Omens: Gods & Magic page 92
(click to close) instead of specific deities, in which case they gain the benefits of the pantheon as a whole. Pathfinder Society characters must choose a patron deity when following a pantheon. They can use both their patron deity and the pantheon as a whole to satisfy access and prerequisites, but not any other deities in the pantheon individually. For instance, a character could worship the Godclaw, with Iomedae as their patron deity, in which case they could take options related to both Iomedae and the Godclaw, but this wouldn’t automatically allow them to take options related to Torag, Irori, Abadar, or Asmodeus.

Edicts and Anathema in Society Play

To allow a wide variety of characters in Pathfinder Society play, the rules around edicts and anathema are slightly relaxed. All characters can participate in Pathfinder Society adventures without running afoul of their deity’s or classes’ edicts and anathema. Assume the Society has ensured that attempting to perform the primary objective of an official Pathfinder Society mission by itself will not cause a character to fall out of favor with their deity.

Likewise, while edicts are valorous actions praised by a deity, a character does not need to perform their deity’s edicts to the exclusion of other activities or if doing so would prevent the smooth progression of play at the table.

An anathema in Pathfinder Society is always personal. The actions of one PC at a table can never cause another PC at the table to fall. However, other characters are welcome to express their disapproval provided it does not interfere with the progress of the game.

Remember that edicts and anathema exist to create roleplaying opportunities at the table for your character, not to be used by the GM or players to pressure others at the table toward specific styles of play.

Pawns

In Encounter Mode, each PC is represented by a pawn. Each other creature controlled by a PC whose location outside their PC’s square affects the encounter is also represented by a pawn. PCs cannot place more than 2 pawns per adventure, including their own.

Creatures that do not count toward this pawn limit:

• Familiars
• Temporary creatures who last no more than an encounter or two
• Creatures who stay in their controller’s square during combat

For in-person games, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game uses maps with a standard 1-inch grid to determine movement and tactical positioning in combat. You need a physical representation of your character to use on the grid. Paizo produces a wide range of Pathfinder Pawns and also works with Reaper Miniatures and WizKids to offer a wide variety of gaming miniatures so you can find just the right figure for your character.

For digital play, use a digital image. Ask your GM for their preferred image format and size.

Purchasing Guidelines

At character creation and between adventures, you can purchase items according to the rules below. The same rules apply during an adventure as long as you are in a settlement with at least 5,000 residents.

* item levels not applicable to AcP purchases unless otherwise specified

Players still follow the normal resource ownership rules (see the Character Options page).

Characters have Access to items on adventure Chronicles applied to that character. Weapons and armor found on Chronicles can be upgraded following the normal upgrading rules.

Any basic equipment weapon or armor your character has access to can be purchased in a precious material version, provided you have Access to weapons or armor made of that precious material. The weapon or armor must still meet any requirements for using that precious material.

Infamy can reduce a character’s effective level when purchasing items.

No PC to PC Exchanges

In Pathfinder Society play, you can never permanently transfer items or gold between PCs, but you can lend items to another PC for the duration of an adventure. Borrowed items are returned at the end of the adventure in whatever condition they are in at the end of the adventure. This means a PC cannot buy, sell, trade, or donate items to another PC. This rule does not affect the ability of PCs to pool their gold for removing afflictions.

Spellcasting Services

All Pathfinders have access to spellcasting services related to condition removal at any Pathfinder lodge. Spellcasting services are always automatically successful, but never critically succeed. If a spellcasting service requires a counteract check it must be purchased at one spell rank higher than the effect it is counteracting; the check always succeeds. Costs for spellcasting services can be found in Spellcasting Service Costs, and GMs are required to use these costs unless the scenario specifies otherwise.

Spells

Any prepared spellcaster can work with tutors at the Grand Lodge, using the Learn a Spell activity to learn any common spells or spells they have Access to. This adds no additional material cost beyond the standard cost for the Learn a Spell activity. Having Access to a scroll does not grant Access to the spell, but a character with Access to a scroll can buy a copy of it and learn the spell from it.

Spell schools have been removed from the game as part of the Remaster. With the exception of Withdrawn Items, you can still purchase or choose pre-Remaster items and abilities that rely on the existence of spell schools to function. However, Remastered spells do not have spell schools, so the usefulness of these options will diminish over time.

Formulas

The Pathfinder Society sells formulas to its agents for all items the agent has Access to with the exception of items that have a number restriction on purchasing them. Items with a number restriction, including Unique Items, are so esoteric that the Society does not own the formula and so complicated that it is not possible to reverse engineer the formula even with a legendary degree of skill.

Applying and Transferring Runes

The Pathfinder Society has a specialist at the Grand Lodge who can apply or swap out runes for agents in good standing. This service is free, and requires no check, but is only available before the adventure briefing or once the adventure is complete, unless stated in the adventure. Only the service of transferring the rune is free, however. Characters must still pay the 10% materials cost and provide any required runestones.

Selling Gear

All gear is sold back for half of the gold the character originally paid. Equipment that was purchased as part of a bundle, such as a class kit or a magic weapon, can only be sold back as part of the same bundle, and all parts of the bundle must be sold. Partially used consumables cannot be sold back. Rebuild Boons that state kit values are an exception to the half price resale rule.

A pregenerated character's gear can never be sold, although there is an equivalent discount for removing conditions from pregens at the end of an adventure. See After the Adventure and Spellcasting Service Costs for details.

Recording Purchases

All purchases must be recorded on a Chronicle Sheet or on a separate record tracker.

Rebuilding Characters

When rebuilding your character in any way, you must describe all changes on your next Chronicle Sheet. You can never create a character using Rebuilding or Retraining that you could not build without it.

Level 1 Free Rebuilds

After playing a new character, you might find aspects of your character you would like to change. Don’t worry! Until you play a game in which your character starts with 12 or more XP, you can freely rebuild any aspect of your character. This counts as building the character for Boons that apply when you build a character. If this would change the character’s equipment, you can sell back equipment at 100% of the gold paid. This otherwise follows the rules for Selling Gear. The character retains their Reputation earned and character number.

Retraining at Level 2+

For retraining options available once your character reaches 12 or more XP, see Player Options: Retraining Characters.

Remaster Rebuilds

On November 15, 2023, all characters with at least one game reported were granted one free full rebuild. This rebuild must be used before December 31, 2024. A second rebuild of this type will not be granted following the release of Player Core 2. See Remaster Rules > Rebuilding for details.

Deity Death Rebuilds

A number of deities will die during 2024 as part of the War of Immortals event. Dead deities do not provide mechanical benefits. Any character using a character option that explicitly receives power from a deity who dies automatically receives a free rebuild, which does not expire.

Note that the Core 20 deity who will die no longer provides mechanical benefits as of 1 August 2024 (see more information on the Paizo blog (spoiler) ). Other deities who die during the War of Immortals event will no longer provide mechanical benefits as of 1 January 2025.

Rule Changes

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is a living game, meaning sometimes game elements change over the course of a PC’s career. However, if you begin playing an adventure before the effective date of a rule change, you are not required to use the updated rules for that play of the adventure. Similarly, if a convention or other gaming event begins before the effective date of a rule change, you are not required to use the updated rules for adventures run as part of that event.

If a rule change modifies an element of your character, you could be eligible for a partial rebuild. See Errata Rebuilds for more details.

Playing an Adventure

Once you have created a character or selected a pregen, it's time for the main event: playing an adventure!

About Adventures

There are two types of adventures written for the Pathfinder Society campaign:

• Pathfinder Society Scenarios: 4–5 hour adventures, each a single episode in a continuing story.
• Pathfinder Quests: shorter adventures often used as introductions to the game.
  • Quests #1-13 (Series 1) run about 1 hour
  • Quests #14 and up (Series 2) run about 2 hours

Rules for additional types of adventures can be found in GM Options: Additional Adventures.

Level Ranges

In a typical home game, the PCs are all the same level and face challenges tailored to their level. In Organized Play, more flexibility is necessary so characters of different levels can participate smoothly in the same adventure. Each adventure lists the character levels that are eligible to play it, as well one or more level ranges within the adventure.

If an adventure has more than 2 level ranges, each table must choose 2 adjacent level ranges for that adventure. Only characters whose level falls within those two level ranges can play at that table. This rule is primarily applicable to multi-table interactive special Scenarios.

GMs adjust the adventure for the character levels at the table before play begins using the rules for Challenge Points.

Scenario Tags

Pathfinder Society adventures use a set of tags (labels) to highlight properties of the adventure as follows:

• Exclusive: Scenarios with this tag have running requirements outside the standard one table environment. Scenarios with this tag include specific rules on who is eligible to run it and where and how it can be run.
• Faction: Scenarios with this tag address the listed Faction's goals and often grant additional reputation with that Faction.
• Glyph: Scenarios with this tag contribute to the GM fifth Glyph requirements.
• Metaplot: Scenarios with this tag are directly connected to the season’s ongoing storyline.
• Repeatable: Players and GMs can receive credit for Scenarios with this tag an unlimited number of times, though characters can still only receive credit once for a given Scenario.

Legal Table Size

Pathfinder Society adventures are written for four to six PCs.

Maximum Table: Tables cannot have seven or more players.

Minimum Table: A GM can run a table with two or three players in some situations. In those cases, all four-player adjustments written into the adventure still apply. See Table Size Scaling for details.

Before the Adventure

Before the game starts, choose a character to play. This can be one of your existing characters or a pregenerated character (pregen), but it must fall within the allowed levels for the adventure. If you choose a pregen, you must also choose an existing character of lower level, a first level character, or a brand new character to assign credit to. You can also choose a Faction to represent.

Assigning Credit

The GM will provide a sign-in sheet to record your character’s name, Organized Play ID, Character Number, level, Faction, and advancement speed as well as any contact information the GM needs to send your Chronicle to you. Faction and advancement speed are optional and can be left blank.

If you are playing a pregen, use the character number of the character who will receive credit for the adventure. At this point, the Chronicle for the adventure is assigned to that character.

One Character per Adventure

You can have as many active characters as you want in Organized Play. However, you can play only one of your characters during a specific adventure.

One Adventure per Character

A character can only take part in one adventure at a time. From the time the character begins an adventure to the time Chronicles are issued, that character cannot be involved in any other adventure. Characters engaged in play-by-post are considered busy and cannot be used in another game while the play-by-post is running.

Replaying Adventures

By default, each player can receive up to two Chronicles for a given adventure: one for playing the adventure and one for running the adventure as the GM.

You can play each adventure once, although you can replay certain adventures using the rules below. You can GM each adventure as many times as you like, although you can only receive one Chronicle for GMing a particular adventure. GMing an adventure contributes to GM rank status (earns GM table credits) and earns Achievement Points even when it does not award a Chronicle.

Ways to Replay

There are several ways to replay adventures:

• Adventures with the Repeatable tag: Adventures with the Repeatable tag can be played any number of times, with a different character each time. Unlike other adventures, they also grant a Chronicle every time they are GMed.

• Granted and purchased Replays: All players are granted 2 Replays after their first game. Each January 1st, GMs are granted 1 additional Replay for each Glyph they have earned up to that point. Additional replays can be purchased from the AcP Boon Store on paizo.com . Players must have or purchase a Replay prior to completion and reporting of the Scenario they are replaying.
  
  Granted and purchased Replays can only be used on adventures that grant 4 XP or fewer. Each granted or purchased Replay allows you to play an adventure you have already played as though that adventure had the Repeatable tag. You cannot use a Replay to gain an additional GM Chronicle.

• 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.

Rules for Replaying

One Chronicle per Character: Each character can only earn one copy of a Chronicle for any single adventure. You cannot replay an adventure for credit with a character that has already received credit for that adventure.

Notify the GM: Inform the GM that you have already played the adventure or run it as a GM. Although GMs are asked to be flexible, the GM maintains the right to deny running the adventure for you if they feel uncomfortable running the event for players who have foreknowledge of the story.

No Spoilers: When you are replaying an adventure, avoid spoiling the adventure’s plot or using insider information to affect gameplay. Doing so can be grounds for the GM to remove you from the table. In general, be mindful in separating player knowledge from character knowledge, and if you are uncertain how to proceed, speak privately with the GM to determine the best course of action.

Reporting and Rewards for Replaying

Replays of repeatable adventures or using granted or purchased Replays earn rewards for the playthrough normally; that is, they earn a Chronicle and the same rewards a first-time player would earn. They get access to any Boons and items on the Chronicle, as well as currency, XP, and Reputation, all subject to the outcome of the adventure.

When reporting an adventure replayed using a granted or purchased Replay, the GM checks the “Consume Replay” box next to the character’s information so they earn full credit.

GMs do not record or report Organized Play numbers of players replaying for no credit.

During the Adventure

Mission Briefing

Each adventure typically begins with a briefing, either in the form of a message, a meeting with a Venture-Captain, or a job offer from an outside employer.

Hero Points: Immediately after that briefing, the GM will distribute initial Hero Points. ^{PC pg. 413, CRB pg. 467}Player Core page 413
Core Rulebook page 467
(click to close) Some rewards grant players additional initial Hero Points; these rewards include GM Glyphs, Campaign Coins , and Order of the Wayfinder recognition. Remember, you can have a maximum of 3 Hero Points at a time. ^{PC pg. 413, CRB pg. 467}Player Core page 413
Core Rulebook page 467
(click to close)

Purchasing Equipment: This will also often be the last opportunity your character has to purchase any needed equipment during the adventure.

Pathfinder Provisions

In a Pathfinder Society Scenario, your character also receives consumable provisions from the Pathfinder Society. Pathfinders receive one of the following healing potions, based on the character’s level at the beginning of the adventure. You can choose a different item from the Pathfinder Provisions table instead of the healing item if you wish. You can choose an item from the character's level or any lower level.

If not used by the end of the adventure, the item or items are returned to the character’s contacts.

Note: Pregenerated characters do receive Pathfinder Provisions.

Note: Scrolls marked with an asterisk (*) can be chosen at higher levels, heightened to an appropriate level for the character. For example, a 5th-level character could receive a 3rd-rank scroll of heal.

Table: Pathfinder Provisions

Void Energy Healing

Any time a Pathfinder Society NPC or allied NPC provides a healing potion or heal spell (as a casting, wand, scroll, effect of a boon including promotional boon, or other similar effect), a PC who relies on void energy healing can receive an oil of unlife ^{GMC pg. 258, APG pg. 258}GM Core page 258
Advanced Player's Guide page 258
(click to close) or harm spell ^{PC pg. 334, CRB pg. 343}Player Core page 334
Core Rulebook page 343
(click to close) of an equal spell rank instead.

The player must make this request at the time the healing is supplied. Treasure found during the adventure and gifts from NPCs not affiliated with the Pathfinder Society are unaffected.

Treasure

You will typically find items during play. These items are available for use during the adventure and often appear as purchasable items on Chronicles.

Your party will also find or earn Treasure Bundles (TBs) during play, simplified units that represent an even share of the adventure’s rewards and scale with your level. Most scenarios are designed to award 8 Treasure Bundles, with 2 bonus Treasure Bundles available through exceptional play. See Concluding an Adventure for details.

Once Per Adventure Options

Character Options that can be used less often than once per day can be used once per adventure in Pathfinder Society play.

Crafting

Characters are not able to craft items during an adventure. The only permitted crafting happens during Downtime (see Downtime Crafting).

Run As Written

The Paizo Organized Play program strives to provide a fun, engaging, consistent experience at all tables. GMs are required to run Paizo Organized Play adventures as written, which means:

• No changes to major plot points and interactions
• No addition or subtraction to the number of monsters other than scaling directed by the adventure
• No changes to the DCs or results of hazards or skill checks defined in the adventure
• No changes to the mechanics of the adventure, including penalties due to weather, terrain or hazards
• No changes to armor, feats, items, skills, spells, statistics, traits, or weapons
• No changes to the mechanics of player character options
• No banning of legal character options

Beyond the above, GMs are encouraged to make choices that would result in the most enjoyable play experience for everyone at the table and that emphasize PCs are the heroes of the story. (See GM Discretion for discussion and examples.)

Ethical Infractions and Infamy

Players are responsible for their characters’ choices and are subject to consequences resulting from those choices. Infamy represents a character’s reputation for performing evil or criminal actions. Some Scenarios will call out specific actions that will cause one or more PCs to gain Infamy. A GM can also assign Infamy for evil or criminal acts not specifically called out by the Scenario.

Warnings: The GM must warn the Player that their act will earn Infamy. This warning can be in character or out of character but must be clear to the player. If the PC goes through with the action, they earn the point of Infamy.

Effects of Infamy: Each point of Infamy reduces a PC’s effective level by one for purposes of purchasing gear.

If a character ends an adventure with 3 or more Infamy, that PC’s membership is revoked and they can no longer play in the campaign. The character must be marked dead when the table is reported.

Infamy is not for player actions. Players who commit or describe character actions in violation of the community standards are subject to disciplinary sanctions outlined in the community policy.

Reducing Infamy: A PC can purchase the Untarnished Reputation Boon with AcP to reduce their Infamy by 1.

Major Infractions: Characters who become Wantonly Evil by performing vile actions deliberately and without motive or provocation cannot reduce the value by spending AcP and are retired from the campaign when they reach 3 Infamy. This measure is a last resort; players must try to play their characters in ways that are within the bounds of acceptable Pathfinder behavior, even if their characters have gained some Infamy.

If a character is retired for reaching 3 Infamy, the GM must report the issue to their local Venture-Captain or Regional Venture-Coordinator. (See Violation Enforcement Procedures for more information.)

Only in-game actions earn Infamy. Code of Conduct violations earn players table sanctions.

After the Adventure

After the game, you and your GM will complete some brief housekeeping steps.

Issuing Official Chronicles

After every adventure, the GM issues each player a Chronicle to document the rewards earned by a PC during a particular adventure.

Each Chronicle includes a summary of the adventure; indications of any choices made along the way which could impact the future of the campaign; and a log of rewards earned while exploring. It also provides areas for notes, purchases, and the acquisition/removal of conditions.

GMs must use the Chronicles included in the adventure or the adventure's sanctioning documents. GMs cannot create their own custom chronicles. Changes made to increase accessibility for the GM or players, such as enlarging the text to improve readability, are permitted and encouraged and do not invalidate Chronicles.

Record-Keeping

Organized Play characters rely on good record-keeping to ensure accurate information while playing. Most commonly, players track purchases, Downtime, and other notes on their Chronicle Sheets. However, you can use other tracking methods such as spreadsheets, text documents, or tracking software. If you use another tracking method, you must ensure all the data on each Chronicle is reflected in your records.

Regardless of your tracking method, you must keep copies of all Chronicle Sheets. Your Chronicle Sheets for a particular character must be available for review at all games that character plays in.

You can choose to keep their records digitally or in paper files. If stored digitally, you must be comfortable with GMs handling your device while reviewing records. If in paper files, all pages must be carried to games.

Ongoing Effects

The Pathfinder Society takes care of its members by removing most ongoing non-permanent negative conditions and repairing agents’ damaged (but not destroyed) gear to the condition it was in at the start of the adventure. These services are free and automatic.

Some effects are not removed for free and require special attention. They are detailed below.

Ongoing Afflictions

During an adventure, a character might gain afflictions or harmful conditions such as curses, diseases, poison, or death.

All permanent afflictions must be cleared from the character before the end of the adventure. The following conditions are not automatically removed and must be cleared from the character before the end of the adventure or the character ceases to be available for Organized Play and must be marked dead on the Chronicle and when reporting the game:

• Death
• Permanent negative effects, including polymorph or petrification
• Permanent curses

Affliction removal applies to pregenerated characters. Any unresolved afflictions on a pregen carry over to the Pathfinder Society character receiving credit for the adventure. If that means the character would be marked dead, they are marked dead immediately.

Removing Afflictions

Other PCs can use their spells, feats or class abilities to assist characters in recovering from negative effects. They can also contribute consumables or gold, but are not required to. Characters can always use gold earned during the adventure to clear conditions. Condition removal purchased using AcP or gold automatically succeeds as long as success is possible.

Costs for removing conditions and the discount for removing conditions from pregens are found under Spellcasting Service Costs.

Players can also use the Second Chance AcP Boon (to clear death) or the Pathfinder Condition Removal AcP Boon (to clear all other conditions.) When it is not feasible to purchase these Boons immediately after the game, GMs are encouraged to work with players to ensure that the Boon is purchased in as timely a fashion as possible, and not immediately mark the character “dead” as above.

Ongoing Spell Effects

All permanent or ongoing spell effects end at the end of the adventure, just after resolving negative conditions, with the exception of secret page^{CRB pg. 367}Core Rulebook page 367
(click to close) and continual flame^{CRB pg. 326}Core Rulebook page 326
(click to close) / everlight.^{PC pg. 329}Player Core page 329
(click to close) A character can carry over one casting of secret page and one casting of either continual flame or everlight to their next adventure.

Record any ongoing spells, including in your record the spell's rank and the Organized Play number and Character ID of the caster. Spells replaced by subsequent castings, counteracted, or otherwise lost must be recorded as expended (typically, crossed off).

Adventure Rewards

Your character earns a variety of rewards for completing the adventure.

Chronicle Boons

Once completed, some adventures grant access to Boons. These Chronicle Boons will be noted on the Chronicle and can be accessed on the Boons tab of the My Organized Play page on paizo.com .

Chronicle Treasure

Unlike a traditional game in which the PCs would divide recovered magic items and other treasure among themselves, Pathfinder Society awards each participating PC a share of gold based on their respective levels. Rather than divide up items unequally, PCs have equal access to purchase any special treasure found, represented by the items listed on the Chronicle. See Purchasing Guidelines for complete purchasing rules.

Experience Points

Each time you play an adventure, your character receives experience points (XP). Typically, you gain 4 XP for completing a Pathfinder Society Scenario and 12 XP for completing an Adventure Path volume.

Reputation

Reputation is a measure of how influential your character is in the Pathfinder Society. See Factions and Reputation for more about how Reputation works.

Downtime

Not every Pathfinder works for the Society full time. Some are trained artisans, professionals, or performers and earn extra income between missions. Scenarios and Quests grant two days of Downtime per XP earned. Bounties are missions the PC undertakes during their Downtime and thus grant no Downtime. Other adventures grant the Downtime listed in their sanctioning document.

Downtime is spent in Downtime units of up to 8 days at a time. If a character earns 8 days or fewer of Downtime, it is spent in a single unit. If they earn more than 8 days, the character spends units of 8 days, one at a time, until 8 or fewer days remain, then spends the remaining days as a single unit. Multiple different activities can occur in a single Downtime unit, but you can only ever roll once for a given activity in any given unit.

For most PCs, Downtime will be spent Earning Income by rolling a Crafting, Performance, or Lore check and consulting the table below. Some abilities or Boons allow other types of skill checks to Earn Income (for example, Bargain Hunter ^{PC pg. 252, CRB pg. 258}Player Core page 252
Core Rulebook page 258
(click to close)).

Complete any other Downtime activities (crafting, retraining, etc.) before beginning Earn Income checks. Make one skill check for each Earn Income Downtime Unit (including units where you complete multiple activities, such as spending 7 days retraining and then 1 day Earning Income). Checks to Earn Income do not carry beyond the Downtime unit In which the check was made.

If a Chronicle is assigned but not immediately applied (see Applying Credit), then wait to calculate downtime until the Chronicle is applied.

Players are responsible for rolling and recording their own Downtime activities and results and can choose not to do so if they prefer to simplify play. Alternately, for players seeking more in-depth Downtime, the full set of Downtime rules appear in Player Options and Tools.

Table: Earn Income Pre-calculated

* On a critical success increase your PC level by 1 to determine results, to a minimum level of 3.

Applying Credit

Normally, Chronicles are applied as soon as they are issued. Apply all Chronicle rewards, Downtime, and ongoing effects and conditions to the character. This must be done before the character’s next game.

When a Chronicle is applied, the following things happen in order: earn adventure gold, complete Downtime, then earn XP. Downtime occurs before leveling up, which affects alternate Downtime options including crafting. Items can be purchased at any time when not playing an adventure, so characters can level up before making purchases, which affects what items are available.

Chronicles earned by playing a pregenerated character have a few additional rules:

• Pregen Chronicles assigned to a brand new or 1st-level character can be applied immediately to the character at 1st level or held until the character reaches the pregen's level. Chronicles assigned to a character above level 1 must be held until the character reaches the pregen's level.
• Pregen Chronicles applied to 1st-level characters gain the following limitations:
  • Award Treasure Bundles/gold as if the earning character was 1st level.
  • Characters do not benefit from any Boons or item unlocks on the Chronicle until they reach the lowest level allowed to play the adventure.

Once a PC reaches the level of one or more of their held Chronicles, those held Chronicles are applied immediately in the order in which they were played. Complete Downtime and earn all rewards on one Chronicle (following the order above) before applying the next Chronicle. Downtime checks use the skills of the character who is receiving credit for the adventure at the time the Chronicle is applied.

If a Chronicle grants more than 4 XP, apply it 4 XP at a time, including the associated rewards. All credit and rewards from a single Chronicle must be applied before applying another Chronicle.

Applying credit in batches can advance a character multiple levels. The character’s level cannot exceed the level of any Chronicle applied to them, so any out-of-level Chronicles applied are lost.

Leveling Up

Characters advance 1 level for every 12 XP they earn. Characters who are eligible to level up must do so immediately. Pathfinder Society XP is a running total and is not reset when you level up.

Being a Game Master

Paizo Organized Play games need more than characters and players–they need GMs to run the game!

GM Basics

Running Paizo Organized Play games is similar to running a home campaign with a few house rules established by campaign leadership. In addition to this section, familiarize yourself with the other sections of the Guide. You need to know what players know, what their expectations are, and how their characters are created, played, and advanced.

Who Can Be a Game Master

Anyone with a valid Organized Play ID can run Organized Play adventures. Local groups and the campaign as a whole benefit as the pool of game masters increases. The Venture Officer network provides support and guidance for all GMs and potential GMs. If you are not sure how to contact your local Venture Officer, contact your Regional Venture-Coordinator from the Organized Play regions list .

Duties of a Game Master

As a Paizo Organized Play GM, you have the following duties:

• Communicate with your local Event Organizer.
• Prepare an adventure to offer, including gathering the necessary supplies such as maps, miniatures, and reference materials.
• Provide a welcoming environment for players.
• Deliver session results to players via established recording mechanisms.
• Report the results of the game:
  • Ask your Event Organizer what reporting process they use.
  • If you are also the Event Organizer, report games directly on the paizo.com My Organized Play page.

Where to Buy Adventures

Paizo Organized Play adventures, including Scenarios and Quests, are available for purchase at paizo.com. They are usually released during the last week of each month. Current production rates include one or two new scenarios each month for each active program, with additional Organized Play content released periodically throughout the year. These adventures are written expressly for use in the Organized Play campaigns.

Paizo also produces additional adventures written for more general use. See Additional Adventures for more about these products and how to use them in Organized Play.

Preparing an Adventure

Because adventures are written for a variable number of characters across a range of levels, GMs need to adjust the adventure to their table as below. In addition, when preparing an adventure, remember that the Organized Play adventures errata forum houses the official errata and clarifications to Pathfinder Society adventures.

Table Size Scaling

Pathfinder Society adventures are written for four to six PCs. However, a GM can run a table with two or three players in some situations. In those cases, all four-player adjustments written into the adventure still apply. Make the following adjustments:

• Adventures with a minimum level of 5 or lower: can be run for a table of two or three players by adding Iconic Pregens at the appropriate level to meet the minimum table size of four PCs. The GM can either play these characters themselves or have one or more players play them, provided the player or players agree. Iconic Pregens are available for 1st, 3rd, and 5th level. See Calculate Challenge Points below for details on adding Iconic Pregens.
• Adventures with a minimum level of 6 or higher: can be run for a table of 3 players, but only if all players at the table agree. A "hard mode" playthrough like this is expected to be satisfying, but remember that adventures are designed for a minimum of four PCs. Players and GMs are cautioned that playthroughs on "hard mode" will be more difficult than normal.
• All levels: If there are still not enough players even with these adjustments and there is a player available who has already played the adventure, they can join the table, playing for no credit.

Challenge Points

The GM adjusts each adventure before play begins, following the steps below:

Calculate Challenge Points

To calculate the number of Challenge Points the party represents, take the following steps:

1. Record the lowest allowed level for a PC to play at this table of the adventure. For example, in an adventure written for PC levels 3-6, the lowest allowed level is 3.

2. Record each PC's level.

3. Convert each PC's level to Challenge Points. The number of Challenge Points that each PC contributes is based only on their character level. Use the following table:

Table: Challenge Points

For example, level 1 is the lowest level PC allowed at an adventure for levels 1-4. In that case, a 2nd-level PC is at the lowest allowed level + 1 and therefore contributes 3 Challenge Points. A party of five PCs levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 4 would contribute 2, 3, 4, 6, and 6 Challenge Points, respectively.

4. Add up the party's Challenge Points.

5. Add pregens (if needed). If your table has fewer than 4 PCs, use the following chart to determine what level of pregens to add, and how many additional Challenge Points.

Table: Adding Pregens

* This table is only legal if all players at the table agree. While we expect this "hard mode" playthrough experience to be satisfying, we want to caution you that, as the adventures are designed for a minimum of four players, they will be more difficult than normal.

Determine the Level Range

Parties with up to 15 challenge points always play in the lower level range. Parties with 19 or more always play in the higher level range.

Parties with 16-18 play in the higher level range only if they have 4 or fewer PCs. If they have 5 or more PCs, they play in the lower level range. This allows small parties of high level adventurers to play in the higher level range, while large parties of low level adventurers play in the lower level range.

Mentorship and PC Level Bumps

To provide low level players a more fun and fair experience, PCs at the lowest allowed to play the adventure (such as a 3rd-level PC playing in a Level 3–6 Scenario) gain a temporary boost when playing in the higher level range called a "Level Bump," to represent the higher-level PCs’ mentorship and support. Apply the following adjustments:

• Increase every DC the PC has by 1.
• Increase the attack modifiers, attack damage, spell damage, saving throw modifiers, skill modifiers, Perception modifiers, and AC of the PC by 1.
• Increase the total hit points of the PC by 10 or by 10%, whichever is higher.

Apply the relevant adjustments to the PC's animal companions, eidolons, and familiars as well. If a value is already increased by applying the adjustment to a PC (such as a familiar's save modifiers and AC), do not increase the value a second time. Remind higher-level PCs to apply any Mentor Boons they might have purchased as well.

These adjustments are less beneficial than gaining a level, yet they provide the PC more survivability and more opportunity to contribute to the adventure experience, reducing the degree to which higher-level PCs might overshadow these less experienced Pathfinders.

Adjust the Adventure

Once you’ve determined the level range and Challenge Point total, apply the proper modifications to the adventure to provide a fair challenge.

Level Range: Nearly all encounters list two different sets of creature statistics, one for each of the two level ranges the adventure is designed for. The adventure often also refers to important skill checks and saving throws in room descriptions or during events, listing one DC for the lower level range and one for the higher level range. In each of these cases, use the numbers, creatures, and other information listed for the selected level range.

Scaling: Within a level range, the scenario will also contain instructions for adjusting the difficulty of the scenario based on the total Challenge Points. These scaling instructions are generally found in "scaling sidebars" but might also be in the text of the room description or encounter.

Early Scenarios: Some early scenarios were written before the Challenge Point system was fully developed. If you are GMing Scenario 1-00 through 1-11 or Quests 1, 2, or 5, consult "Converting Early Scenarios" in the Supplemental Materials.

Running an Adventure

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. 507}GM Core page 57
Core Rulebook page 507
(click to close)

Secret Checks: Unless a scenario says otherwise, GMs are free to choose how to handle secret checks ^{PC pg. 405, CRB pg. 450}Player 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. 485}GM 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

Concluding an Adventure

Once the game is finished, issue Chronicles to the players and GM.

Filling Out a Chronicle

The sections of a Chronicle are detailed below. Sections marked with an asterisk (*) include some element that GMs must address before players leave the table, either by filling it in themselves or asking the players to fill in the appropriate information. Players can fill out other sections between sessions.

Table: Sample Chronicles by Season

• (A.) Adventure Name/Number: Preprinted on the form.
• (B.) Character Name: Name of the hero who took part in this adventure.
• (C.) Character Number:* Unique identifier for the character played, including the player's Organized Play ID and the character's number.
• (D.) Partner Code: A unique code that identifies the Chronicle that can be used by third parties to reference the Chronicle.
• (E.) Adventure Summary: A brief summary that can include checkboxes to help remind you which choices you made during the adventure.
• (F.) AcP Pointer: Where to find Achievement Point totals on paizo.com.
• (G.) Treasure Access:* Uncommon or high level items found during the adventure.
• (H.) Variable quantities:* Quantities that depend on character’s level or successes during the adventure, such as treasure, Reputation, etc.
• (I.) Event Name:* Name given to the event on paizo.com. This can be useful when the event number is incorrect or illegible.
• (J.) Event Number:* Unique identifier for the event where the game was played; provided by the Event Organizer.
• (K.) Date:* Date the adventure was completed.
• (L.) GM Number:* The GM's Organized Play ID.

GMs are no longer required to sign or initial any part of a Chronicle, even though earlier adventures include boxes for that.

GMs are encouraged to add notes to Chronicles about interesting events that occur during the adventure.

Remember that certain permanent afflictions (including death), if not cleared at the end of an adventure, require a character to be marked as dead on the Chronicle Sheet and reported on paizo.com as dead. See Ongoing Effects for the list of those afflictions and options for removing afflictions, including limited exceptions.

Treasure Access

The GM must cross off the high level range items on the Chronicle Sheet if the party did not play in the high level range. The GM also must cross off items that the PCs did not encounter.

Variable Quantities

Advancement Speed: Players can use the slow advancement option, which they are expected to note on the sign in sheet. In this case, divide the Experience Points, Reputation, and Gold from Treasure Bundles described below in half; do not round. Slow advancement also awards half Downtime days, but the player is responsible for their own Downtime.

Experience Points (XP): Each Scenario awards 4 XP. Each Bounty or Quest (Series 1) typically awards 1 XP, while each Series 2 Quest (#14 and up) typically awards 2 XP.

Typical Adventure Rewards

The table below summarizes the typical rewards for completing each type of adventure. Check the Sanctioning Document for each adventure for details, including any variations.

Series 1 Quests are designed as roughly one-fourth the play time and rewards of a Pathfinder Society Scenario. Series 2 Quests are designed as roughly half the play time and rewards of a Scenario.

Table: Typical Adventure Rewards

Treasure Bundles

At the end of a scenario, the GM counts the Treasure Bundles (TB) the party found. The value of a Treasure Bundle depends on the level of the character earning it. Most scenarios are designed to award 8 Treasure Bundles, with 2 bonus Treasure Bundles available through exceptional play. See Advice for Running for further discussion.

The chart below gives the value of individual Treasure Bundles and pre-calculates the most common values.

Table: Treasure Bundles

Reputation: Each adventure lists how much Reputation to award, with typical amounts in the table above. If the player did not choose a Faction to represent, they gain the Reputation with the Horizon Hunters. Scenarios with the Faction tag often award additional Reputation with the named Faction(s) for completing their goals.

Fame: Adventures in Year 1 granted Fame as a spendable and trackable currency. As of Year 2, adventures no longer reward Fame. Fame was replaced with Achievement Points (AcP) for all games played after the beginning of Year 2 (31 July 2020), including tables of Year 1 Scenarios. If the Chronicle has a section for Fame, cross it off.

GM Chronicles

Game Masters earn GM table credits and Achievement Points each time they GM an adventure. You can earn a Chronicle for GMing once per adventure (unless the adventure has the Repeatable tag), typically the first time you GM the adventure. If you GM an adventure but do not take a Chronicle for it, report the game on paizo.com using your Organized Play ID number as usual, but leave the character number blank.

GMs have a few special rules for assigning and applying Chronicles:

• Chronicles earned by GMing must be assigned to characters when received.
• Chronicles earned by GMing provide full rewards. This includes 100% of all money, XP, Reputation (including any bonus reputation), Downtime, and access to items and Boons.
• A GM's character receives credit for the level range they are in when the Chronicle is applied, regardless of the level at which the GM ran the adventure.
• GMs can choose not to receive a Chronicle for any game they run, deferring it to a future run.
• GMs can assign Chronicles to characters currently playing another adventure. In this case, apply the Chronicle after the character completes their current adventure.
• Chronicles earned by GMing and playing count equally for the One Chronicle per Character rule.

When a Chronicle is assigned to a character who is below the lowest level allowed to play the adventure, treat it as if the GM had played a pregenerated character at the lowest level allowed to play the adventure.

The GM can choose any combination of checkboxes / Boons / rewards that could have been earned by a player. The GM is not limited to the results of the players at any particular table; however, they must select rewards that could have been earned during a single play of the adventure.

If the adventure requires players to choose among Factions to receive bonus Reputation, the GM must also choose one; GMs do not earn Reputation with each Faction that could be chosen. The GM's choice can be different from their players' choice.

Special Cases

The following rules are unlikely to come up at most tables. Many of them ideally never come up. They are included here for when they are needed.

Campaign Leadership

The people with the authority to issue rulings for the Pathfinder Society campaign are:

• Alex Speidel (Organized Play Coordinator),
• Shay Snow (Pathfinder Society Developer), and
• Josh Foster (Pathfinder Society Developer).

Clarifications from other campaigns and their campaign managers do not apply to the Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign unless confirmed by one of the above individuals.

Rules Variations

From time to time, players might encounter different rules sources with minor variations in the rules. In general, the most current English-language printing of the rulebook in question is the definitive source. For this Guide, the most current printing is the English version on this webpage.

Errata Rebuilds

The following guidelines allow players to update or convert existing characters to use the most current rules. Campaign Leadership might allow additional changes in the case of specific errata.

Class Features and Archetype Abilities: If an errata or FAQ changes an attribute modifier-dependent feature of a class or archetype, you can rebuild your character to its current XP. You can keep the same equipment or choose to resell any equipment that augments the altered ability score at full price.

If an errata or FAQ changes one of your character's class features for which there are multiple options (such as a bard’s muse), you can switch that class feature to a different one that your character would have qualified for at the same level when they first received the class feature. Any abilities that have the removed feature as a prerequisite can also be altered in the same manner.

If an errata or FAQ changes a class or archetype so that you no longer have proficiency with a given weapon or armor type, you can sell back any affected equipment at full price. You can also swap out any feats directly associated with the affected equipment.

Feats: If a feat changes or is removed from the Character Options page, you can replace the feat and any other feats that have the modified feat as a prerequisite) entirely with another feat for which you meet all the prerequisites. If any of the feat’s changes directly reference one or more pieces of equipment you own (such as the weapon selected for the Unconventional Weaponry feat), you can sell back that equipment at full price.

Items: If the price of an item increases, you must sell back the affected equipment at its original full price. So long as you have enough gold, you can repurchase the same item at its updated cost.

Spells: If the rank of a spell changes, you must retrain the altered spell, replacing it with another spell of its original spell rank. You can also retrain one spell of the altered spell’s new rank, but only in order to learn the altered spell. You must sell back any items that use that spell at their current full price based on the spell’s old rank.

Community Standards and Expectations

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.

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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. ^{GMC pg. 7, CRB pg. 486}GM Core page 7
Core Rulebook page 486
(click to close) 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 ^{GMC pg. 7, CRB pg. 485}GM Core page 7
Core Rulebook page 485
(click to close) to provide the best gaming experience possible.

The version of the Pathfinder Baseline published in the Pathfinder GM Core is the official version and takes precedence in the case of any conflict with the version below, which is reproduced here for convenience.

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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 campaigns 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, 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, using abilities with an area of effect that would deal damage to another PC, or moving so that another PC is affected by a harmful emanation surrounding your character.

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 PC.

Dealing with Problems

While hopefully rare, sometimes out-of-game problems happen. See the policies below and check with your local Event Organizer or Venture-Officers for guidance.

Dealing with Cheating

Cheating is rare, and it can be a rather heated topic. If you suspect that a player is cheating, it’s always a good idea to take a step back and consider the possibility that they are instead making an honest mistake. Inaccurate numbers on a character or mistakes on a Chronicle are far more likely to be math errors than deliberate cheating. When you see these issues, keep an open mind and work with the player to resolve them. Other issues are more clear-cut, such as lying about the results of a dice roll or the contents of their character sheet or breaking the rules even after being informed of what they are.

If you believe a player is cheating, record the Organized Play number of that player and ask them to leave your table. Afterward, send an email to the Organized Play staff at organizedplay@paizo.com, including the player’s number and as much detail as you can remember about the situation.

Dealing with Distractions

No game table is completely free of distractions. However, if something (like an electronic device) creates an ongoing distraction, a GM can request that the player put it away or police their use of the device (such as not also using a tablet computer to play a video game). If the device continues to be a distraction, the GM has the right to ban that particular item for the duration of the game.

Dealing with Interruptions

Sometimes players lose access to their character sheet, whether due to device issues, drink spills, or something else entirely. If a player can no longer use their character sheet for any reason, they can use an Iconic Pregen for the remainder of the adventure and apply the adventure rewards to their original character.

Sometimes circumstances prevent a player from completing an adventure altogether. Reasons include—but are not limited to—personal emergencies, device battery issues, venue problems, and bad timing.

To mitigate the impact on the table, GMs can exercise their discretion by adjusting the adventure's level range or scaling to accommodate the remaining players, bringing in the Iconic Pregen that most closely resembles the lost PC, or postponing the game until all players are able to complete the adventure. This GM discretion can include recalculating the game’s Challenge Points following the usual rules.

When a GM applies one of the above remedies, rewards for all players are based on the lowest level range played during the adventure.

If a player leaves the table and the game continues, the GM is asked to make reasonable efforts to provide a Chronicle Sheet to the player as soon as possible. The player receives 1 XP per hour played for Scenarios (up to a maximum of 4 XP). They otherwise receive rewards based on the party's actions up to the point when they left the game, including Reputation for completed tasks, Treasure Bundles found, and Chronicle Sheet-listed items found.

Exception: In the (hopefully rare) case of a medical emergency (defined as a player needing immediate, unexpected, professional medical treatment), that player’s Chronicle is filled out as if they had played the full session and they earn the same benefits as the rest of the table.

Violation Enforcement Procedures

If a player is removed from a table for violating the community standards or a character is marked “dead” due to Infamy, then it is the responsibility of the table GM or Event Organizer to advise their local venture-officer of the situation. The GM or Event Organizer will advise the player of the report and provide the player with the venture-officer's contact information so the player can present their side of the issue. Rules infringements will be kept on file, as continued violations will result in suspension of Organized Play membership.

Characters reported as Wantonly Evil must also be reported to the Organized Play Coordinator (organizedplay@paizo.com) to advise them of the situation. Be sure to include the player’s name, Organized Play number, and email address.

(See Ethical Infractions and Infamy for more about Wanton Evil.)

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Player Options and Tools

My Organized Play

Every registered Organized Play participant has a record on paizo.com . You can access this information by direct link or by visiting paizo.com , hovering/clicking on the My Account at the top right of the screen, then selecting Organized Play. There are several tabs on your account page:

• Summary: A list of your GM rankings, all registered characters, and character Reputation totals. You can create new characters by selecting the desired type at the bottom of the screen.
• Sessions: A chronological list of all your games, which you can sort using the criteria on the left.
• GM/Event Coordinator: A list of points you have earned (such as AcP and GM table credits), a list of events you are coordinating, and a button to create new events.
• Boons: A list of all currently available boons in each program. See the Player Rewards section below for rules on Boons.

If you find an error in your session list, send an email to orgplayreportingerrors@paizo.com with details and any supporting documentation you have for the correct data.

Player Rewards

In addition to adventure rewards, players can also choose to use the optional rewards systems in this section.

Achievement Points

Players earn Achievement Points (AcP) by participating in and reporting Paizo Organized Play games. AcP is an online currency used to purchase character Boons. Each Organized Play program has its own separate pool of AcP. The Boons tab of your My Organized Play page lists AcP Boons available for purchase.

Events are given different multipliers for the base AcP earned based on number of games played, regularity, and so on. Current event classifications are:

Table: Event Type and AcP

Table: Typical AcP Rewards

* Not all Adventures and Adventure Path volumes award 12 XP. See individual sanctioning documents for details.

Advancement Speed

Players can choose before each adventure to play the scenario on slow advancement speed. Playing an adventure using slow advancement earns half the rewards (not rounded) of standard speed, including experience points, Reputation, gold, and Downtime days. You can use either the full Downtime rules or the abbreviated Downtime rules.

Boons

Boons are small in-game rewards distributed for a variety of reasons, including playing certain adventures, attending events, and supporting charities. Boons must be stored or recorded alongside your adventure Chronicles and presented to GMs on request.

Achievement Point, Chronicle, and Game Reward Boons can be found on the Boons tab of your My Organized Play page. To purchase a Boon, select a character from the dropdown list, then click the purchase button of the desired Boon. A list of purchased Boons appears at the bottom of the page, including a link to download a PDF copy of the Boon sheet for each Boon.

Boon sheets are part of your records, stored with your Chronicles in either digital or physical form and available for inspection.

Boons have no cash value. You cannot sell a Boon to another player.

You can only apply one copy of any Boon to a character unless the Boon states otherwise.

By contrast, as a player you can earn more than one copy of some Boons. The following rules are the default for how many copies of a Boon a player can earn:

• Chronicle Boons are earned by completing adventures. You can earn up to two copies of each Chronicle Boon, one as a player and one as a GM. You can use Replays to earn additional Chronicle Boons.
• AcP Boons are bought with Achievement Points (AcP). Unless otherwise specified, you can buy as many copies of AcP Boons you qualify for as you can afford.
• All other Boons limit you to one copy each.

As usual, specific rules override general rules, so the text of an individual Boon takes precedence over the default rules above.

The supplemental materials to this Guide include lists of Achievement Point Boons (including Faction Boons) and retired Boons. Unless otherwise stated, Boons that are no longer available for purchase ("retired") can still be used in play.

Types of boons include:

• Achievement Point Boons: Players earn Achievement Points (AcP) by participating in and reporting Pathfinder Society games. AcP can be used online to purchase Boons.
• Advanced Boons: A Boon with the Advanced trait is typically more powerful than other Boons. Characters can only benefit from one Advanced Boon during an adventure.
• Chronicle Boons: Some adventures award an additional Boon. Once the game has been reported on paizo.com, players and GMs can download the Boon from the Boons tab of your My Organized Play page and apply it to the character that received credit for the adventure.
• Fame Boons: Fame was a currency earned during Year 1 which has since been replaced with Achievement Points (AcP). Boons can no longer be purchased with Fame, but boons purchased with Fame before January 1, 2021, remain valid. A small number of Boons were retired instead of being converted to AcP boons; they are reproduced in Retired Rewards for reference.
• Game Reward Boons: Certain in game accomplishments (such as reaching a certain level of Reputation with a Faction) grant a reward. Games must be reported on Paizo’s website to meet these requirements. Once a character has met the requirement, the Boon can be assigned and downloaded from the player’s Boons tab.

Free Wayfinder Boon

All agents who have gone on at least 2 missions are awarded a free wayfinder, available by downloading the Wayfinder boon in the Achievement Points Boon store (Boons tab of My Organized Play ). You can also purchase a wayfinder using the Inherited Wayfinder Boon.

Boons That Unlock Over Time

Some Boons allow players to unlock access to character options over time by checking boxes after meeting the criteria. The following additional rules apply to such Boons:

• Adventure Completion Boons: These are Boons that allow you to check one or more boxes after completing any adventure. After completing a given adventure, you can check off the relevant number of boxes on any one of these Boons. Note the Boon affected on the Chronicle for the adventure.
• Downtime-donation Boons: These Boons require the PC to spend Downtime. PCs can check boxes on only one of these Boons per day of Downtime, and cannot use Downtime spent on the Boon for other purposes (such as retraining, Downtime Crafting, or Earn Income).

For the purpose of checking off boxes on the Boons above, treat adventures that grant more than 4 XP as Adventure Path volumes.

Legacy Background Boons

Certain character backgrounds represent unique character hooks for connecting your characters more closely to past (or ongoing) storylines. These backgrounds are unique to the Pathfinder Society campaign.
PFS1 Legacy: For each of the 11 seasons of the Pathfinder Society (first edition) campaign, you can unlock a special legacy character background by completing five or more of that season’s scenarios. Once unlocked, a player can use a PFS1 legacy background for any number of characters.
PFS2 Season 3: There are also 7 character backgrounds tied to one of the Pathfinder Society (second edition) Season 3 plot arcs. Each of these Boons costs 4 AcP and gives a single character Access to a special background.

See PFS Legacy Backgrounds for full text of these Boons.

Factions and Reputation

Factions have existed within the Pathfinder Society since its founding. Each Faction supports its agents working within the Pathfinder Society. Agents’ allegiance is first to the Pathfinder Society, followed by any Faction allegiances. In fact, most Factions within the Pathfinder Society actively cooperate despite their differing goals.

Factions List

Each currently active Faction is listed below. The name of each Faction links to a page with additional details, including current Faction leader and goals.

Envoys' Alliance : “Strength in Community”
The Envoys’ Alliance is dedicated to the membership of the Pathfinder Society, focusing on recruiting new members and supporting existing members.

Grand Archive : “Chronicling the Past”
The Grand Archive is dedicated to scholarship, seeking out, documenting, and sharing the archeological findings and scholarly work of the Pathfinder Society.

Horizon Hunters : “Glory Lies Over the Horizon”
The Horizon Hunters are dedicated to exploration and telling the tales of their exploits.

Radiant Oath : “A Light in the Shadows”
The Radiant Oath is dedicated to altruism, focusing on acts of compassion, the cause of good, and the benevolence of the Pathfinder Society.

Verdant Wheel : “Truth Sprouts from the Ashes”
The Verdant Wheel is dedicated to nature and its preservation, with an expansive and inclusive sense of what forms that preservation can take.

Vigilant Seal : “Protect, Contain, Destroy”
The Vigilant Seal is dedicated to protection, focusing on responsible exploring and ensuring dangerous items and entities are neutralized one way or another.

Faction Reputation

By representing a faction during adventures or participating in adventures vital to a faction’s interests, a character gains Reputation with the represented faction. The greater a character’s Reputation the more respected and influential they are with that faction. Characters can represent more than one Faction in their career, but only one per adventure. Some scenarios grant bonus Reputation with particular factions; this doesn’t prevent characters from choosing to represent a different Faction.

Pathfinder Society uses the Reputation subsystem^{GMC pg. 200, GMG pg. 164}GM Core page 200
Gamemastery Guide page 164
(click to close) with the following modifications:

Table: Reputations

Reputation in PFS does not use negative values. Major infractions earn Infamy.

Character rewards unlocked by Reputation are found on the Boons tab of your My Organized Play page.

Faction Boons

Factions make certain Boons available to their agents at the appropriate Reputation Level. Agents who qualify can purchase these Boons from the Boons tab of My Organized Play using Achievement Points.

For the full text of all Faction Boons see the Achievement Points Boon List in Supplemental Materials.

Accessory Perks

The version of the Accessory Perks policy posted on paizo.com is the official version and takes precedence in the case of any conflict with the summary below.

Paizo Organized Play offers in-game benefits to players who show their support by bringing and displaying visible accessories. Qualifying accessories must be:

• produced by Paizo and sold on its webstore; or
• produced by a licensed partner of Paizo and visibly promote Paizo, Pathfinder, Starfinder, or associated properties.

Event organizers are permitted and encouraged to expand the definition to include merchandise that directly promotes a particular convention while at that convention. Merchandise that exclusively promotes other companies or intellectual properties does not qualify for these perks except for such convention merchandise.

Qualifying accessories include a wide range of Paizo products (excluding rulebooks and adventures), from t-shirts to dice to board games. See the full policy for details on qualifying accessories and their benefits for each of the Organized Play programs.

Retail Incentive Program

The Retail Incentive Program (RIP) rewards players with benefits for their characters when they patronize retailers who provide space for Organized Play activities. Purchases made at the location within a stated time period are added together by table and unlock benefits at different levels for the next game played, including some that reduce the severity of failures. Implementation methods vary from store to store and are posted for attendees to review. For more information, read the full policy and consult your Event Organizer for details.

Group Purchases

Players are permitted to pool their money to purchase items or spellcasting services for use in the current adventure. If the PCs buy an item using pooled money that they do not use during the adventure, one PC can purchase the item at the end of the adventure by reimbursing the other PCs what they paid into the pool. If no PC wants to purchase the item, the PCs must sell the item back for half value, reimbursing each PC half of what they paid into the pool. The rule against PC-to-PC exchanges does not apply to these group purchase reimbursements.

Retraining Characters Level 2+

Once you begin a session as a second level character, you still have multiple options for changing your character’s choices. You cannot use Rebuilding (for level 1 characters) or Retraining to build a character that could not be built without using either of those two tools.

Complete Retraining: There are two AcP Boons which allow characters to clear and retrain character decisions from all levels. Evolving Destiny is for characters with 47 or fewer XP (level 4 or lower). Career Change is for characters with 48 or more XP (level 5 or higher). For more information on purchasing either, see the boon text .

Partial Retraining: For rules on only retraining certain character options, see Downtime Retraining.

Additional Downtime Options

For rules on using Downtime to Earn Income, see Adventure Rewards. Other rules for using Downtime are found below.

Slow Advancement and Downtime

Playing an adventure on slow advancement earns half the rewards (not rounded) of standard speed, including Downtime days.

Hirelings and Downtime

Hirelings can complete Downtime tasks for you, but this uses up your Downtime days. Therefore, you cannot aid them, they cannot aid you, and you cannot have your hireling do one thing while you use your Downtime days to do something else.

You can use either the hireling's skills and feats or your skills and feats. You cannot use both, except for a character's feat that modifies a hireling's abilities (Hireling Manager, for example).

Downtime Crafting

You can spend your Downtime to craft following the rules for crafting equipment on pages 236-237 of the Player Core with a few modifications. It is assumed that between adventures, you have access to the tools and workshop necessary to craft equipment. Equipment crafted between sessions is marked on the Chronicle or on a separate record tracker.

Use DCs from the DCs by Level table ^{GMC pg. 53, CRB pg. 504}GM Core page 53
Core Rulebook page 504
(click to close) with the following adjustments:

• Common: None
• Uncommon: Apply the hard modifier from the DC Adjustments table ^{GMC pg. 53, CRB pg. 504}GM Core page 53
  Core Rulebook page 504
  (click to close)
• Rare: Apply the very hard modifier from the DC Adjustments table ^{GMC pg. 53, CRB pg. 504}GM Core page 53
  Core Rulebook page 504
  (click to close)

A few other limitations on crafting:

• Characters can Craft uncommon or rare items only if they have Access to the applicable formulas.
• Crafting requires that you spend 2 days in preparation before making Crafting checks (or 1 day, if you have the item's formula). Crafting tasks can be continued across as many Downtime days/units as necessary to complete the item.
• Characters can stop crafting and pay the remainder of the cost required to finish the item at any time.
• Only one crafting project can be started during a Downtime unit.

Downtime Retraining

Using Downtime to retrain character options ^{GMC pg. 440, CRB pg. 481}GM Core page 440
Core Rulebook page 481
(click to close) works as written with a few clarifications:

• Some items are changeable for free, such as name, gender, appearance, or other cosmetic designators.
• Changing a selectable class feature takes 28 days.

If characters earn enough XP to level up while still in the process of retraining, they can choose options legal for their new build, though the ability is not usable until the retraining is complete. An option being retrained is lost at the time the new option becomes usable.

Spellcasting Service Costs

Use the standardized costs of spellcasting services below in place of the more general published table. ^{PC pg. 295, CRB pg. 294}Player Core page 295
Core Rulebook page 294
(click to close)

Condition Removal Spells

These spells require a counteract check as written, but that check automatically succeeds when you purchase a casting. The spells must be cast one spell rank higher than the spell rank of the originating effect. They automatically succeed in removing the condition. Each purchase removes one effect from one source, so it might be necessary to buy multiple castings.

* Each casting of dispel magic removes one spell effect.

** Each casting of clear mind, sound body, or sure footing removes one effect causing one of the following conditions: blinded, clumsy, dazzled, deafened, enfeebled, fleeing, frightened, grabbed, paralyzed, sickened, or stupefied.
Heightened (4th) Add confused, controlled, drained, immobilized, or restrained
Heightened (6th) Add doomed or petrified
Heightened (8th) Add stunned

*** The Pathfinder Society provides castings of cleanse affliction to clear poison and disease from PCs at no cost at the end of every mission. This free service does not include removing curses. When you purchase a casting of cleanse affliction, you can use it to remove one curse on a creature or allow a creature to rid itself of one cursed item. Removing a curse requires a casting at spell rank 4 or higher.

PC Level Dependent Spells and Rituals

The cost of these services depend on the level of the target:

*The atone ritual has an additional cost of 30 days of Downtime spent engaged in a task chosen by your deity. For the purpose of PFS play, the atonement is considered to be complete when the ritual is cast, but the character must still spend its subsequent 30 days of Downtime atoning and cannot use that Downtime for any other purpose.

**The resurrect ritual has 3 different prices depending on the amount of the body present:

• Body present and relatively intact:
  • Does not remove negative conditions present at time of death
  • Target returns clumsy 1, drained 1, and enfeebled 1 for 1 week; these conditions can't be removed or reduced by any means until the week has passed.
• Only a small portion of the body present:
  • Does not remove negative conditions present at time of death.
  • Target returns clumsy 1, drained 1, and enfeebled 1 for 1 week; these conditions can't be removed or reduced by any means until the week has passed.
• No body part present:
  • Does not remove negative conditions present at time of death.

***The raise dead spell does not remove negative conditions present at time of death. Its target returns clumsy 2, drained 2, and enfeebled 2 for 1 week; these conditions can't be removed or reduced by any means until the week has passed.

Characters With Disabilities

All characters have access to the following assistive items regardless of sourcebook ownership:

• cane ^{PC pg. 293, LOGB pg. 67}Player Core page 293
  Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 67
  (click to close)
• crutch ^{PC pg. 293, LOGB pg. 67}Player Core page 293
  Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 67
  (click to close)
• probing cane ^{LOGB pg. 67}Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 67
  (click to close)
• splint ^{LOGB pg. 69}Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 69
  (click to close)
• support ^{LOGB pg. 69}Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 69
  (click to close)

• traveler’s chair ^{PC pg. 293, LOGB pg. 70}Player Core page 293
  Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 70
  (click to close)
• wheelchair ^{PC pg. 293, LOGB pg. 70}Player Core page 293
  Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 70
  (click to close)
• impulse control module ^{LOGB pg. 71}Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 71
  (click to close)

• corrective lenses ^{PC pg. 293, LOGB pg. 70}Player Core page 293
  Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 70
  (click to close)
• hearing aid ^{PC pg. 293, LOGB pg. 67}Player Core page 293
  Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 67
  (click to close)
• prosthesis ^{PC pg. 293, LOGB pg. 69}Player Core page 293
  Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar page 69
  (click to close)

Note: items are listed above by their names in the Player Core sourcebook. Player Core drops the word "basic" at the beginning of item names that included "basic" in Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar.

The Society provides these items to PCs who need them for free and replaces them at no cost if they are lost or destroyed. The items are provided at character creation or at whatever point in the character’s adventuring career they become necessary. These assistive items have an effective price of 0 gp for the purposes of resale.

Blind Characters

Characters that are blind from birth or are otherwise permanently sightless cannot detect anything using vision. They automatically critically fail any Perception checks based on vision, are immune to visual effects, and can’t be blinded or dazzled. However, such characters do not have the blinded condition.

Blind characters who either can’t or choose not to remove their blindness hone their other senses. They are not off-guard to creatures that are hidden from them (unless they’re off-guard to them for reasons other than the hidden condition), and they need only a successful DC 5 flat check to target a hidden creature. Normally, such characters can’t remove their blindness later; if they somehow do, they lose these benefits.

Visually Impaired Characters

A permanently visually impaired (but not blind) character takes a -2 or -4 penalty to Perception checks that rely on vision (player’s choice). Wearing corrective lenses negates the -2 penalty or reduces the -4 penalty to a -1 penalty.

Deaf Characters

Characters that are deaf from birth or are otherwise permanently without hearing cannot detect anything using hearing. They automatically critically fail any Perception checks that require hearing and are immune to auditory effects. However, such characters do not have the deafened condition.

Deaf characters who either can’t or choose not to remove their deafness gain additional benefits. They have enough practice to cast spells and activate magic items without issue, but if they perform an action they are not accustomed to that involves auditory elements, they must succeed at a DC 5 flat check or the action is lost. They gain the Sign Language feat ^{PC pg. 262, CRB pg. 266}Player Core page 262
Core Rulebook page 266
(click to close) for free at character creation, and they can take the Read Lips feat ^{PC pg. 261, CRB pg. 265}Player Core page 261
Core Rulebook page 265
(click to close) even if they do not meet the prerequisites. Normally, such characters can’t remove their deafness later; if they somehow do, they lose these benefits.

Hearing Impaired Characters

A permanently hearing impaired (but not deaf) character takes a -2 or -4 penalty to Perception checks that rely on hearing (player’s choice). Wearing hearing aids negates the -2 penalty or reduces the -4 penalty to a -1 penalty.

Characters With Missing Limbs

A character missing an arm and who is not wearing a prosthetic cannot use two-handed weapons and items, and must use two actions if an Interact action would require two hands, at the GM’s discretion. If a character missing a leg or foot is not wearing a prosthetic or using a crutch, their speed has a 10-foot penalty.

Characters With Other Mobility Restrictions

A character who is unable or finds it difficult to walk on their own can obtain a wheelchair or traveler’s chair for free at character creation or at whatever point in the character’s adventuring career they become necessary. An impulse control module can also be added to the chair for no cost if required.

Playtest Rules

These are the general rules for Pathfinder Society Playtests. See each playtest announcement for any rules specific to that playtest.

Playtest Period

Each playtest runs for a specified period. Once this period has expired, players can no longer use the options being playtested until their publication in a future Paizo product.

Playtest Characters

Playtest options can be accessed by creating a custom character using the rules presented in the playtest document. This character functions as a pregenerated character.

Creating a playtest character: Depending on the level range of the adventure, the player can use a 1st-, 3rd-, or 5th-level character created using the eligible playtest options and the following guidelines:

• 1st Level: The character can be made using the character creation rules in the Character Creation section.
• 3rd Level: This character follows the same rules as above, except that instead of 15 gp starting gold, they can select one 2nd-level and two 1st-level permanent items. In addition, the player can spend up to 25 gp on other available equipment.
• 5th Level: This character follows the same rules as above, except that instead of 15 gp starting gold, they can select one 4th-level, two 3rd-level, one 2nd-level, and two 1st-level permanent items. In addition, the player can spend up to 50 gp on other available equipment.

The Guidelines for Treasure for New Characters and Choosing Items ^{GMC pg. 61, CRB pg. 510}GM Core page 61
Core Rulebook page 510
(click to close) apply to these equipment choices.

Credit: Choose which of your characters will receive the credit at the beginning of the adventure. Chronicles earned for playing a playtest character follow the same rules as for Chronicles earned by playing a pregenerated character.

Boons and Other Character Options: For the playtest character to take a character option that would normally require a Boon, the playtest character must have all of their credit assigned to a character that has access to that character option.

GM Opt In

Because playtests use additional rules that some GMs might not be comfortable with, each GM must opt-in for playtest characters to be used at their tables. Please consult your GM prior to the game!

Current and Past Playtests

This list contains all previous playtests. Make sure to check the dates to see if a playtest is still ongoing.

Battlecry! Playtest 

29 April to 21 June 2024
This playtest included the commander and guardian classes. The character must take a playtest class, and cannot take archetypes.

War of Immortals Playtest 

1 September to 2 October 2023
This playtest included the animist and exemplar classes. The character must take a playtest class, and cannot take archetypes.

Kineticist Class Playtest 

8 August to 5 September 2022
This playtest included the kineticst class, published in Rage of Elements. The character must take a playtest class, and cannot take archetypes.

Dark Archive Playtest 

''20 September to 29 October 2021
This playtest included the psychic and thaumaturge classes. The character must take a playtest class, and cannot take archetypes.

Guns & Gears Playtest 

5 January to 5 February 2021
This playtest included the gunslinger and inventor classes. The character must take a playtest class, and cannot take archetypes.

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GM Options and Tools

GM Additional Guidance

Certain circumstances you might encounter as a GM benefit from extended discussion.

Running Secret Checks

In Pathfinder Second Edition, some checks, such as checks to Recall Knowledge, have the secret trait. Secret checks fall into two broad categories. The first category includes checks that characters do not know exist, such as a check against a hidden threat that the PCs did not notice. The second category includes checks for which players would gain significant extra information that their characters would not have if they knew how well they rolled. Recall Knowledge checks are the broadest type of checks that fall into this category. Characters that critically fail a Recall Knowledge check gain false information, so if players know that they rolled very low, they might have trouble avoiding metagaming. Similarly, if the players all rolled low on a check to Seek, they might find themselves tempted to metagame and have everyone roll again because they know that there is likely something that they didn’t find.

The secret trait is a tool to help separate character knowledge and player knowledge, but, as listed in the secret check rules,^{PC pg. 405, CRB pg. 450}Player Core page 405
Core Rulebook page 450
(click to close) GMs can at any time allow their players to roll their own results on secret checks. Some Scenarios will make recommendations, such as directing GMs to keep a particularly pivotal check’s results hidden or to let players roll a string of checks in the open to keep gameplay moving. Unless a Scenario says otherwise, GMs are free to choose how to handle secret checks on a check-by-check basis. GMs can keep all secret checks secret, have players roll all secret checks, or adapt on the fly based on the mood and pacing of the table. If players rolling their own secret checks do metagame—that is, use information that their characters would not have to determine their actions—then remind them that their characters would not have that information and try to steer them away from using it. In general, it can be useful to have players roll their own checks if there are many secret rolls in one section, and useful to roll for the players if you suspect that there will be a strong temptation to metagame or that the extra information of the result could negatively impact the experience for players at the table.

Running Treasure Bundles

In the course of completing a Scenario, characters are likely to encounter, if not acquire, all 10 Treasure Bundles as part of overcoming challenges and inspecting their surroundings. That said, a non-linear adventure might include encounter areas (and treasure) the PCs miss entirely, and there might be small portions of treasure that a group would overlook entirely (such as hidden in a concealed room). As a result, even a capable party might not secure all 10 Treasure Bundles. Taking into account the free consumable items granted to PCs at the beginning of adventures, the wealth earned by Pathfinder Society characters is slightly higher than the published standard. ^{GMC pg. 61, CRB pg. 510}GM Core page 61
Core Rulebook page 510
(click to close) That means that although missing a Treasure Bundle stings, it is accounted for in the campaign.

However, awarding fewer than the maximum Treasure Bundles is not a punitive tool. Unless recovering a Treasure Bundle is tied to succeeding at key skill checks or making key choices, PCs who overcome an encounter with creative solutions earn the same reward they would have earned by defeating that foe in combat. Adventures call out special exceptions, such as treasure only accessible if the PCs investigate a particular secret door or agree to an NPC’s proposal. If the PCs’ actions allow them to bypass the area or encounter where they would have the chance to recover the treasure, it’s okay to relocate the opportunity to a later point with similar requirements to recover the treasure.

Example: The PCs are supposed to attack a keep, and they successfully trick the guards into escorting the PCs to the final encounter with the evil warlord rather than fighting their way in. By tricking the guards, the PC not only skip the guards fight (which has 2 Treasure Bundles associated with it) and never have a chance to pick up the easily-discovered magic wand in the guardroom (1 additional Treasure Bundle), but they also skip a fight with a minotaur (who guards coins representing 2 Treasure Bundles). The PCs receive credit for these rewards anyway; they overcame the guards encounter, bypassed the minotaur, and would have easily recovered the treasure afterward.

However, escorting the PCs through the keep also means the PCs neither explore the side rooms nor have a chance to find the secret vault where a golden chalice is hidden (1 Treasure Bundle). Finding this vault would have required a PC Searching during exploration and succeeding at a DC 20 Perception check, and the room’s rewards cite that the PCs only receive this reward if they find the room and recover the chalice. In this case, the PCs are given a fair opportunity to find the chalice anyway, such as the secret door and room being relocated to the warlord’s throne room with the same Perception check DC.

Reviewing Chronicles

If time permits, GMs and Event Organizers can spend a few minutes reviewing players’ Organized Play records at the start of an event slot. These reviews can happen for a variety of reasons. For example, you might need to learn what a character did in previous adventures, or you might want to verify the records' accuracy.

When you are looking over the players' records, if you notice anything that seems amiss, you can ask the player to explain any potential errors. Remember that errors are far more likely to be honest mistakes than intentional cheating—and that it is possible that they are not errors at all. When you ask the player about a potential error, speak with the player calmly, nicely, and with an open mind. The player might have simply made a mistake—or you might have made a mistake in your understanding of their records.

Remember that the game is supposed to be fun, so waste as little time as possible on drama and spend as much time as possible providing an exciting, action-packed adventure for your players.

Resolve any issues as fairly as possible. For example, if the character selected an option that they did not have Access to, let them pick another option to replace it; if they paid a discounted price for an item in error, let them pay the additional costs to meet the full purchase price; and so on. If you believe a player is cheating, ask your Event Organizer for assistance. If you are both the Event Organizer and the GM, use your discretion on how to proceed.

Adjustments to Early Adventures

Some early scenarios need adjustment to fit the final form of the Challenge Point system. See Converting Early Scenarios for details.

GM Rewards

Paizo Organized Play rewards GMs for volunteering their time to run events. See the GM Chronicles section for additional rules and benefits of GM Chronicles. GMs also receive rewards based on the number of adventures they have run and reported.

GM Achievement Points

GMs receive Achievement Points (AcP) every time they run an adventure, whether it is repeatable or not. In addition, they receive double the AcP they would have received for playing that adventure.

GM Table Credits

GMs receive “table credits” for every table they run and report. These credits determine how many Glyphs a GM has. Each Scenario earns 1 table credit. Each Adventure Path volume earns 3 table credits. Other products grant varying amounts of table credits.

GM Glyphs

The Pathfinder Society offers a GM rank system that uses Glyphs to represent the activity and experience of a given GM. A GM can earn up to five Glyphs. Earning Glyphs 1-4 requires a certain number of table credits; earning a 5th Glyph has additional requirements. The total number of table credits for each Glyph is as follows:

Table: GM Glyph Ranks

GMs receive the following rewards based on the number of GM Glyphs they have earned:

• For each Glyph earned, players who have GM Glyphs receive an additional initial Hero Point to distribute to the table. A player cannot gain more than one additional Hero Point from Glyphs.
• For each Glyph earned, GMs receive one additional Granted Replay each January 1.
• GMs with 4 or 5 Glyphs might be able to run exclusive or limited release content.

Fifth Glyph Additional Requirements

A GM must accomplish the following to qualify for their fifth Glyph:

• Earn 150 GM table credits.
• Run 50 different adventures.
• Run 10 or more adventures with the Exclusive or Glyph tag. Except for multi-table interactives, a particular adventure can earn credit for a maximum of 3 of those 10.
• Complete 3 evaluation games, each in the presence of a different Qualified Evaluator (a Venture-Captain, Regional Venture-Coordinator, or Paizo Organized Play staffer) using the Organized Play rubric.

If no Qualified Evaluator is willing or able to evaluate a GM due to unreasonable travel requirements or similar reasons, the GM can contact their Regional Venture-Coordinator. In such cases, their RVC can designate a 5-Glyph GM, a Venture-Lieutenant, or other trusted community member as a Qualified Evaluator for that GM.

Organized Play Rubric

To fully experience the benefits of peer review and feedback, we recommend the following observation schedule:

• 0–10 GM table credits: You are starting your GM adventure. Thank you for GMing!
• 11–49 GM table credits: Use the rubric to get a feel for Organized Play best practices. Consider having a fellow GM sit at your table and give feedback.
• 50–99 GM table credits: Ask any Venture-Officers at your tables to do a rubric evaluation to give feedback as if it were an evaluation game.
• 100+ GM table credits: Receive 3 formal evaluations from 3 different Qualified Evaluators.

GMs need a better than average score to pass an evaluation. For example, they could have one criterion rated "exceeds expectations" and the rest "meets expectations" and qualify. They could also have one rated "does not meet expectations," two "meets expectations," and two "exceeds expectations" and qualify.

A GM cannot complete more than three evaluations in a weekend. A GM that fails to meet the criteria can wait three months and try again.

Additional Adventures

In addition to the adventures written for Pathfinder Society, some other Paizo adventures have been sanctioned (approved) for Organized Play credit. Since these adventures are published for a wider audience than the Pathfinder Society campaign, there is typically a downloadable sanctioning document with Chronicles and any special considerations for Organized Play.

Sanctioned Adventures

• Pathfinder Adventure Paths : Multi-volume campaigns that take dozens of game sessions to complete. Many Adventure Paths are sanctioned for use in the Pathfinder Society campaign.
• Pathfinder Adventures : Stand-alone adventure books that take one or more sessions to complete. Many Adventures are sanctioned for use in the Pathfinder Society campaign.
• Pathfinder Bounties : Short one-hour adventures aimed at introducing new players to the game or representing what characters do between Pathfinder missions. All Bounties are sanctioned for use in the Pathfinder Society campaign.
  • All Pathfinder Bounties are repeatable.
  • Bounties do not grant Downtime.

Modes of Play

The Pathfinder Society rules of play are customized to work with Pathfinder Scenarios and Bounties and are not necessarily applicable to other sanctioned adventures. Adventures run using these customized rules are referred to as “Society Mode” in the rest of this document.

“Adventure Mode” is used for adventures not specifically designed for Organized Play. This mode allows the GM more freedom to adapt those adventures, including running the adventure in Pathfinder using GM house rules and the ability to alter encounters and statistics found in the adventure.

If Paizo has released an official conversion of a sanctioned adventure to another game system (such as the Pathfinder Kingmaker Bestiary (5e) or Pathfinder Adventure Path: Abomination Vaults (5e)), GMs and players can play these adventures using those rules and earn credit as if they had played it using Pathfinder rules. Adventures that have not been converted by Paizo in this way must be played using standard Adventure Mode rules.

Character Types

Most Adventure Mode sanctioned products can be played with any character; some products include pregens, and players are encouraged to play those characters for an optimal experience.

Any adventure that can be played with a PFS character can also be played with an Iconic Pregen. When playing an adventure using a PFS character, the Chronicle must be assigned to that character.

Story Pregens are characters released with an adventure. They often contain ties to the adventure's backstory. Campaign Characters are characters that are designed according to the GM's house rules.

Table: Mode of Play by Adventure Type

* To provide the same level of experience, we strongly recommend that GMs who chose to use Campaign Characters work with their players to tie those characters into the adventure backstory.

Sanctioning Documents

Each sanctioned adventure comes with a freely downloadable sanctioning document located on the product’s description page on paizo.com. This document contains the rules for running that adventure, as well as Chronicles awarded for completion.

Read the sanctioning document carefully, as it might modify the adventure's rewards. Specific information in a particular sanctioning document always takes precedence over the general information presented in this Guide.

Unlike Scenarios and Quests, Chronicles for other sanctioned adventures are assigned at the completion of the adventure.

A group can complete an adventure when it is not sanctioned. If it later becomes sanctioned, the GM is allowed and encouraged to issue Chronicles to all interested players. These Chronicles are applied as if the group had completed the adventure on the date the Chronicle is issued. Such Chronicles must have an accurate issue date (that is, they cannot be backdated) and cannot be applied such that they retroactively affect other Chronicles.