Welcome to Play-by-Post for Paizo Organized Play
While signed in, go to the Organized Play tab to request an Organized Play number. If you have been provided a number at a convention or game store you can register it here using the PIN provided. �This number is important, you will use it when you register for games.
Once you have registered, you can access your personal OP information through either the Organized Play tab or My Account tab.�You will be able to download and print out your Organized Play ID Card.�You can also register your characters for each of the campaigns.
Select the campaign you want to register a new character for.
On this occasion we will be using the bottom bar for PFS2.
You will be assigned a character name based on your name. Change it to what you want your character name to be. You will be able to change it again until you have used that alias 10 times to post in the Paizo forums. �Select a faction, we will discuss those in a bit. You can change this later if you wish. Save your character at this point.
In the drop down of My Account is My Profile which will bring you to the above set of tabs. Campaigns is an important tab and an easy way to find the lodges and games you are involved with. �To add a lodge or game to your Campaigns you need to post in the Gameplay thread. Often you will be asked before the game starts to “dot in” or “ninja dot”. This means you post something small like the word dot, then delete it immediately. You avoid cluttering the thread but you add that game to your campaigns and can easily find it.
Here I have gone to the gameplay thread of Flaxseed On Deck and I prepare to post in before deleting.
You can also choose which name you use when I post.
It’s a good habit to preview your text before posting, particularly once you start formating them. ��It is also a good habit to copy anything other than the simplest small texts as sometimes the system will glitch and then you can easily recreate your post and try again.
To “dot in”, immediately after posting, use the delete button in the top right. You have a limited time to edit or delete any post you make.�When deleting you will be asked if you are sure, use the new delete button in the bottom left.
Once you have posted or “dotted in” to a game, it will be added to your campaigns. It will be associated with the alias you used for that first post. If you initiate the campaign then the system will recognise you as the GameMaster.
The first game here is one I am running. The second is one that I “dotted in” using the character for that game.
The Flaxseed lodge has links to current events, so I recommend adding it to your campaigns even if you do not intend to play PFS1.
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society play come under the auspices of the Organized Play Foundation and as such many of the resources are moving from Paizo.com to OrganizedPlayFoundation.org.
One of the most important documents you should be familiar with is the Pathfinder Society Guide to Play.
This provides information on the basics of making a character, what material is allowed in Society play and what the extra benefits are for your character being a member of the Pathfinder Society.
If you forget where to find it you can use the link in from your campaign page in the Cottonseed Lodge.
To remind yourself of formatting code click the button below the regular text box.
This is what will show when you click the button.
Here is what that code would look like in a forum post.
Headers for your character are very important and should be updated throughout your game. Your GM will refer to them often to determine the outcome of various actions and your teammates can quickly check if you need healing or other treatment.
General instructions for headers.
A specific example of where to enter the information so achieve the header in the example above.
An avatar, picture to represent your character, is also important. Your posts are less likely to be overlooked and it makes it easier for everyone to track who is who. �To select an avatar go back to where you registered your character (My Organized Play) and click edit. Then find the Character Image Change button. That will open up an array of images to select from. You can filter the images to reduce the choices, though sometimes you will miss one that would be a good fit.
Don’t worry about using an image that someone else has. If two players have selected the same image for their characters and are in the same game, one of them can temporarily change theirs to avoid confusion.
There are many ways to format a character sheet. This is just one example. The most important thing is to have your character’s information presented in a way that you and the GM, and sometimes other players, can find and read easily. You do not need to make each character sheet exactly the same way. You will likely change how you do things as you find what works best for you.
Keeping information you wish to or need to share with others toward the top of the character sheet makes life easier for all. This one starts with a brief introduction and background, something other players and the GM may be interested in. It is followed by several spoilers with basic information that is used each game. The third spoiler is for game specific information, what consumables you have selected form your school, items you pickup in game, and the like. It will be cleared for each new game.
The final spoiler is Botting Instructions which we will cover separately.
When we open those spoilers, this is what it looks like.
How do we get there? When you open your sheet and click edit, there is an about box to type into. This is where the bulk of your character goes.�
It is good practice to save after every small section you type as the system will frequently time out or possibly glitch and it is very frustrating to lose all your work. �
The example below shows only a small portion. You can see the code used to make the spoilers, bold, and italics. �
Note: Each code starts with [code] and ends with [/code]. The spoiler code is closed off screen with [/spoiler]. �
The opening of the spoiler code is a little more complex as it includes naming the spoiler. You can have unnamed spoilers but that is not advised for your character sheet.
Sometimes a GM will request specific formating. Please respect these requests. Having your GM being able to quickly access the information they need keeps the game flowing more smoothly. Your GM may be running multiple Play-by-Post games simultaneously, so being able to rely on their players to have the information formatted for consistant accessability can make a huge difference and may even determine if they will continue to provide that level of service to the community.
Below is one example of a GM request. You may need to change or reorder your information occasionally to meet their needs. You can always change it back later if you desire.
Botting Instructions
What are botting instructions and why do we need them?�
What should botting instructions contain?
They can be very simple with a few dice expressions included for your most common actions or much more complex, covering almost all situations. One way to do this is to start with a few instructions and add what you find you are using more often. ��Having a brief guidline is very good for anyone who may bot you so they know your character’s priorities and how likely they are to use limited resources. Two examples follow:
Botting instructions continued
Your character’s most common attacks are some of the most frequently used botting instructions both by you and others.
Here is an example of a melee attack with a greataxe. There are two options listed for the second attack, the one selected would depend on whether the conditions for the sweep effect applied.
Here’s what those look like after posting them:
Sometimes you may add botting instructions based on what is commonly happening in a particular game. The following was written when playing with a character that was frequently providing Inspire Courage and had added Magic Weapon to this character’s fist.
Botting instructions for spells and skills can also be useful.
Providing information on what a spell does will help the flow of the game.
For PFS2 it is important to note the character’s proficiency level with each skill as sometimes a minimal level of proficiency is required for success.
All of your character’s basic information should also be included in one place, even if portions are also shown elsewhere. When abilities or equipment are sourced from somewhere other than the core rulebook it is good to include information on where to find it. You will see a great deal of variety in how each character’s information is presented. As long as it is relatively easy for the GM to review, and to find what they are looking for, and as long as you, the player, can find the information you need readily, then it should be acceptable.
Some players follow this information with spoilers that contain a list of all the scenarios played and/or a list and details of all boons recieved.
1
2
3
4
If you use Hero Lab Online to generate and manage your characters, you can easily transfer that information to your Paizo Forum character sheet.�
A great tool to know of is Archives of Nethys. Here you can look up information on any of the Paizo campaigns. Make sure to select the campaign you are interested in by clicking on it under the main title.
Pathfinder Society
If you are participating in Organized Play, your character is a member of the Pathfinder Society (or Starfinder Society). What does this mean? Mostly it means that you will be sent on missions with other Pathfinder agents. How you conduct yourself and how well you succeed at those missions will affect not only your rewards but your reputation.
How does one become a Pathfinder agent? Most take the traditional route of applying for and being accepted into formal training where they study the basics of all three schools: Scrolls, Spells, and Swords. They may also undertake some more advanced training, usually specializing in one school. Some, however, may be more experienced adventurers offered a field commission. (More on that later.)
How does this affect your character initially? You have three points to allocate to the schools to reflect your elective studies. Most will allocate all three to one school to reflect the nature of their character. When that character is about to undertake a mission, they can select a single consumable item to requistion for use during that adventure. They may select that consumbable from any school in which they have allocated at least one point or from the “all schools” list. If they have at least two points allocated to a single school, that character will also start with a bonus lore skill, chosen from a list of three associated with that school. Later they will also gain a bonus skill feat. If all three points are allocated to a single school then they may select a second consumable.
Details can be found in the Guide to Play, in the Player Basics section.�http://www.organizedplayfoundation.org/encyclopedia/pfs2edplayer-basics/
Factions
Another decision to make as a new Pathfinder is which Faction you would initially like to champion. Details on the factions can also be found in the Guide to Play http://www.organizedplayfoundation.org/encyclopedia/pathfinder-2-0-factions/
The faction you champion will usually be chosen to best fit the personality or cause of your character. Your intial champion boon is free. This will be the faction you gain the most reputation with. However, you will sometimes find your character on a mission that is particularly important to another faction. In that case your character may gain bonus reputation with that faction in addition to the repuation they gain with their selected faction. They do not need to have a particular faction champion boon to gain the bonus reputation.
It is wise to track the reputation accumulated with each faction as well as your character’s total reputation with all factions.What does reputation do for your character? As you accumulate reputation you can spend some of the fame you have also accumulated to buy additional boons. The amount of reputation you have accumulated determines what tier level boons you may purchase. More details about Faction Boons may be found in the guide http://www.organizedplayfoundation.org/encyclopedia/pathfinder-2-0-faction-boons/
It is also possible for a character to gain infamy through their actions or inactions. Your GM must warn you that what you propose will gain infamy so that you have the option to choose differently. Should your character gain infamy they will find that it is more difficult to make purchases and gain favours. It is possible to spend fame to reduce infamy.
Boons
What are boons? They are a grant or reward of something special on a permanent, temporary, or limited use basis. This can include access to building a character using an uncommon ancestary, such as an Iruxi. Or It could be access to a feat that is included in a specific adventure. Maybe it is a reaction or benefit that may be used a limited number of times, or access to an uncommon item. It may also be the opportunity to purchase an item of a higher level than your character is normally allowed to purchase.
Why so vague? Why not give specific examples? Many boons come from chronicle sheets earned for completing adventures. We are asked to avoid making such “spoilers” public.
How else can I obtain boons? The simplest way is through the fame and reputation you earn. We touched on this when discussing factions.
There are specific faction boons and “All Factions” boons. Each group have boons available at various tiers. The tier your character has access to is determined by the amount of reputation they have accrued. For All Factions it is the total amount of reputation. Otherwise it will is based on the repuation with that specific faction.
In general you can earn 1 Fame and 1 Reputation for successfully completing a quest. Upto 4 Fame and 4 Reputation depending on your level of success for completing a scenario, and potentially more for longer adventures.
Achievement Points
Another thing earned by completing adventures for PFS2 is Achievement Points or AcP. It is the player rather than the character who earns AcP and these points are earned for each game completed and reported through the system in Paizo. GMs earn more points than players and various events provide higher levels of points. Events are categorized as Standard (home games, regular local groups, etc), Premier (conventions that qualify for Organized Play support), and Premier Plus (Paizo sponsored events or where the Organized Play Foundation has an official presence). A chart of these rewards can be found in the Guide to Play. http://www.organizedplayfoundation.org/encyclopedia/pathfinder-2-0-organized-play-basics/
While the system is currently under construction, you will be able to track your Achievement Point on the Sessions tab of My Organized Play.
To purchase a boon go to the Boons tab, select the chacter you wish to purchase the boon for, find the boon you wish to purchase and click the purchase button.
You can find a list of Boons you have purchased further down the page.
The selection of boons availabe using AcP will vary at different times with some being available for only a limited time. More details can be found on the Paizo Blog. https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sh3w?February-Update-Achievement-Points-Stars
Here is what we expect will be availabe for the first selection:
How do I use these boons?
�Like most things in Pathfinder second edition, boons have tags or traits. These can affect how a boon may be used. In general you will be given an opportunity to “slot boons” shortly after your character receives their mission briefing. Generally you have five slots available, 3 general slots, 1 faction slot, 1 advanced slot.
A faction slot may only be used for a faction boon and a faction boon may only be slotted in a faction slot.
An advanced boon may only be slotted in an advanced slot though an adanced slot may be used for a general boon.
There may be other restrictions to consider, such as you may only have one promotional boon slotted. As with other specific PFS2 rules the details can be found in the Guide to Play. If in doubt, ask your GM.
Boons with the slotless tag do not require, nor occupy a boon slot.
How to find a game
The most common place to find a game is in the appropriate lodge on the Paizo forums. For PFS2 that is the Cottonseed Lodge. Some games come about just from the discussion and chatter, other times a GM will post something specific in the recruitment thread.
This is an example of a recruitment post. The link may lead to the campaign recruitment thread where you would post your interest and give any basic details of your character, a spreadsheet with specific information cells to complete, or some other method the GM has chosen to gather information on potential players.
Always let the GM know if you are a new player, both so they can provide extra guidance and so they can ensure it is an appropriate game for you. Some GMs will provide priority for one or two new players to join their table.
Hopefully the GM will also provide information about their expectation for posting frequency and anything else that is relevant. Don’t hesitate to politely ask if you have any questions or concerns. It is much better to open a conversation early than to run afoul of mis-matched expectations.
May I play this adventure?
Ideally a recruiting post will let you know what level of character is appropriate and any tags associated with that adventure. If not, you may need to look for that information. Every Paizo adventure (scenario, quest, etc) has a product page. The easiest way to find it is to use the search function. Just type in the name of the adventure you are looking for.
The first result is likely to be the product page. The listing will look similar to this...
Click the title and that should take you to the product page...
Here you can find what level characters may play this adventure and also important tags. Two of the most common tags are faction tags (indicating that one or more factions may have a special interest in the outcome) and the repeatable tag.
Normally, you the player, may only play an adventure once for character credit. The Repeatable tag means that adventure may be played multiple times, each time with a different character.
The other thing the product page provides is a basic idea of what the adventure is about. This allows you to decide which character of yours is likely the most appropriate.
Now you have found a game, you know it is appropriate, you have contacted the GM per their instructions, you have your character profile ready to go. What happens next?
Often at the beginning of the game, once the players have been decided, the GM will gather information they will need to provide chronicle sheets later, and to report the game when it is complete. The will also need to determine the character levels being played as that affects the challenges faced during the game.
This information may be gathered in any number of ways. Some GMs have a slide that the players fill in the information. Others will use a speadsheet, or even a fillable form. What ever method they use they are likely to ask for your player name, character name, player and character numbers, and the faction your character is championing this game. They may also ask what chronicel number this will be, and the starting XP, Fame, Gold, and starting Reputation with the slotted faction. If it is relevant they may ask for the starting Reputation with one or more specific factions if there is a possibility of a bonus being granted.
Many GMs will also ask for your Earned Income check, Downtime check, or Day Job at the beginning of the game. Others will gather that toward the end.
In PFS2 you may use Crafting, Performance, or any Lore check to potentially earn income during downtime between games. If you have the requisit training, equipment, and formulae you may attempt to craft items during your downtime. The number of days your character has available to do this is dependent on the type of game just completed. A quest provides 2 days of downtime, a scenario provides 8 days of down time. If your character was field commissioned rather than school trained, they have 50% more downtime which helps to compensate for the other benefits they miss out on.
Posting in character�Finally, you are ready to start the game! Let’s look at some of the conventions for PbP gameplay and posting. �
An additional hint: read other players posts, take note of what you like and adopt it within your own style.