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.