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:
    • Follow your Event Organizer's reporting process.
    • If you are also the Event Organizer, report games directly on the paizo.com My Organized Play page.
    • We encourage you to report games on the My Organized Play page as soon as possible. Try to report games no later than a week or two after they are completed.

Where to Buy Adventures

Paizo Organized Play adventures 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 Starfinder Society adventures.

Table Size Scaling

Starfinder Society adventures are written for four to six PCs. However, a GM can run a table with two or three players in some situations. 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.
  • 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 play for no credit at the table, even if the character they use has already received a Chronicle for this adventure.

Adjusting Difficulty

Encounters in Starfinder Society Scenarios are balanced for six PCs of the lowest level for that adventure (for example, six level 1 PCs in a levels 1-2 adventure). Each encounter also contains Easier and Harder adjustments in a sidebar. GMs use their best judgement and adjust encounters accordingly based on the number of PCs, their level, and the players’ experience level.

There are no rigid rules on when to use these adjustments. A party of six high-level PCs might seem like the ideal case for the Harder adjustment, but if the players are all relatively inexperienced, the standard difficulty could be best. In most cases, a four-PC party of low-level characters would use the Easier adjustment, but there are situations where the GM or players prefer not to apply it, such as if all players are experienced and want a challenge.

A GM’s goal is for the players to complete the adventure and feel as if they have overcome obstacles to do so. Attempt to run games which are neither extremely easy nor extremely hard; cakewalks are not the desired experience, but neither are consistent TPKs. GMs can alter their adjustments partway through an adventure based on the PCs’ performance, using different adjustments for different encounters.

See Permitted Table Adjustments for guidance on additional adjustments and GM discretion in balancing difficulty.

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. PC pg. 405Player Core page 405
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Secret Checks: Unless a scenario says otherwise, GMs are free to choose how to handle secret checks PC pg. 397Player Core page 397
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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.

Permitted Table Adjustments

GMs are empowered to make certain limited adjustments at their tables.

GM Adventure Adjustments

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, but are empowered to make adjustments to suit the table and ensure all players have the best possible experience.

GMs must:

  • Ensure players experience all major plot points and NPC interactions (excluding optional or bypassed encounters)
  • Run combat encounters without substantially increasing difficulty, except as dictated by the scenario
  • Maintain the presence and functioning of skill checks, subsystems, and similar challenges, while allowing for creative player solutions

GMs can:

  • Adjust obvious typos or errors in a scenario
  • Use alternate maps (or areas of provided maps) for encounters
  • Reskin enemies to avoid phobias or for personal preference without altering mechanical traits

GMs must not:

  • Change player-facing armor, feats, items, skills, spells, statistics, traits, weapons, or any other mechanics of player character options
  • Disallow legal character options
  • Add new encounters or NPCs with mechanical weight or influence
GM Discretion

As a Starfinder Society GM, you have the right and responsibility to make whatever judgments you feel are necessary—within the rules—to ensure everyone has a fair and fun experience at your table.

This does not mean you can contradict rules or restrictions outlined in this Guide, a published Starfinder RPG source, errata document (like the Starfinder FAQ and Errata), or official FAQ (like the Starfinder Society FAQ) on paizo.com. It does mean that only you can judge what is right for your table in situations not covered in those sources.

As the GM, you are empowered to make changes at your discretion including the list below. Note that the actions listed are explicitly allowed, but this is not a complete list of every possible situation that could require GM discretion. You can make changes including:

Table Rulings

  • Interpret situations or player actions not covered by the rules.
  • Interpret unclear rules.
  • Determine the effects (if any) of terrain or environmental conditions described in the adventure but not given mechanics.

Content Adjustments

  • Change aspects of the scenario’s description and story as appropriate for the players at the table as described in "A Welcoming Environment." GMC pg. 6, CRB pg. 485GM Core page 6
    Core Rulebook page 485
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  • Make changes to satisfy the Acceptable Content section of the Community Standards and Expectations.
  • Modify creature tactics when invalidated by errata or official clarifications

Responses to PC Actions

  • Modify creature tactics when invalidated by PC actions.
  • Interpret reactions of NPCs to good roleplaying, including effects on the outcome of an encounter.
  • Interpret the use of alternate skills or creative solutions to bypass or overcome traps, skill checks, and obstacles.
    • DCs and results of a check are part of the mechanics and cannot be changed.
  • Move missed plot points to areas where they can be encountered.

Unless an encounter is marked as optional, it is required. This does not prevent players from circumventing encounters with clever play. Otherwise, the only generally valid exceptions are due to time constraints: a venue closing imminently or a convention slot ending.

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.

Death and GM Discretion

Given the dangers characters face once they become Starfinders, 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 Starfinder 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.) Boons: Special rewards unlocked for playing the scenario. Also contains instructions regarding Achievement Points..
  • (G.) Treasure Access:* Uncommon or high level items found during the adventure (if used in the campaign).
  • (H.) Variable quantities:* Quantities that depend on character’s level or successes during the adventure, such as treasure.
  • (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.

Variable Quantities

Experience Points (XP): Each Scenario awards 4 XP.

Credits: At the end of a scenario, the GM awards the PCs credits based on their character level. A character always earns these credits for completing the adventure.

The chart below lists the credits awarded for each character level.

Table: Credits Awarded
Level Credits
1 140 cr
2 220 cr
3 380 cr
4 640 cr
5 1,000 cr
6 1,500 cr
7 2,200 cr
8 3,000 cr
9 4,400 cr
10 6,000 cr

GM Chronicles

Game Masters earn GM table credits and Achievement Points each time they GM an adventure. You can earn a Chronicle for GMing every 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 credits, XP, 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.