Chronicling a Tale or Two

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Just a week ago we sanctioned seven new modules for use in Pathfinder Society play. With a continuing effort to strengthen the entire program, as well as to continue tying up lose ends, Prince of Wolves and Master of Devils have now been incorporated into the Pathfinder Society.

Because of the differences between reading a novel and playing a game, there are specific rules needed for using sanctioned content from a Pathfinder Tales novel during play and we'll be providing a Chronicle sheet for players to use with their characters. The Chronicle sheets are available for download on the product page for each novel.

Sanctioned novels you ask? How do you sanction a novel? Because Pathfinder Tales novels are stories first, there is no easy way to sanction items, spells, feats, or other special abilities whole cloth. Therefore, the Chronicle sheets use the following rules.

  1. Only items, feats, boons, or abilities found on the Chronicle sheet are legal for play.
  2. Each player must have a copy of the Chronicle sheet with his or her character at all times.
  3. In order for the Chronicle sheet to be considered legal for play, the player must show to the GM a copy of the Pathfinder Tale novel, either in printed or digital format.
  4. A Chronicle sheet may be applied to each character the player currently has or creates in the future.

GMs are advised to work with players to make the sanctioning of Pathfinder Tales Chronicle sheets easy and fast. As long as the player has a copy of the book, she should be able to use the Chronicle sheet just like any other.

If you would like to learn more about the Pathfinder Tales line, please visit paizo.com/pathfinder/tales or your local bookstore. Other novels in the line include Winter Witch by New York Times best-selling author Elaine Cunningham, and the forthcoming Death’s Heretic by James L. Sutter.

Mike Brock
Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator

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Tags: Pathfinder Society Pathfinder Tales
Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/5 **

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I see them on the Product page, I am assuming to be added soon to the Additional Resources page?

Contributor

Dragnmoon wrote:
I see them on the Product page, I am assuming to be added soon to the Additional Resources page?

Patience grasshopper.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/5 **

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Liz Courts wrote:
Patience grasshopper.

You have met me right?... ;)


They are now on the additional resources page (which was actually being updated when you posted ;D).

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/5 **

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By the way, Love the Undead Beacon. That could be fun to play out..

The Exchange 5/5

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Dragnmoon wrote:
By the way, Love the Undead Beacon. That could be fun to play out..

Although is that supposed to be a 6 foot radius, or 60 foot radius?

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

Kyle Pratt wrote:
Dragnmoon wrote:
By the way, Love the Undead Beacon. That could be fun to play out..
Although is that supposed to be a 6 foot radius, or 60 foot radius?

Yes, 60-ft. radius. We'll get that fixed as soon as possible.

Grand Lodge 5/5

Mark Moreland wrote:

Yes, 60-ft. radius. We'll get that fixed as soon as possible.

There's also a small blip in the directions; in the How to Use section, bullet three. It references "Plague of Shadows" rather than Prince of Wolves.

1/5

verdigris wrote:
There's also a small blip in the directions; in the How to Use section, bullet three. It references "Plague of Shadows" rather than Prince of Wolves.

Yea

"In order for the Chronicle sheet to be considered legal for play, the player must show to the GM a copy of Plague of Shadows, either in printed or digital format."

Grand Lodge 4/5

Fixing these now. Thanks for pointing them out.


Dragnmoon wrote:
By the way, Love the Undead Beacon. That could be fun to play out..

I read this as "Undead Bacon," which could be awesome to play but still kinda creepy. Maybe next Gobboween...


So, just so I'm understanding this correctly, a player gets a benefit if they own one of these novels?

Owning the novel is the only prerequisite for the benefit though?


Give Paizo the moolah,
bonus for yoolah!

Just like the t-shirts. Though you still need to buy the gear with gold.

Sczarni 4/5 RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

Wolf Munroe wrote:

So, just so I'm understanding this correctly, a player gets a benefit if they own one of these novels?

Owning the novel is the only prerequisite for the benefit though?

I think the intent is that the prerequisite is *reading* the novel. However, there's no way to enforce that, so owning the novel is the next best thing :-)


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber
Tamago wrote:
I think the intent is that the prerequisite is *reading* the novel. However, there's no way to enforce that, so owning the novel is the next best thing :-)

This.

Scarab Sages 1/5 5/5

Nickademus42 wrote:

Give Paizo the moolah,

bonus for yoolah!

Just like the t-shirts. Though you still need to buy the gear with gold.

Ahhh....now I understand...I was wondering how the Chronicle would tie in. Actually, I think this is a nice idea, expecially when coupled with Holiday Boons like Jestercap. It's a great way to make the game come to life and make it more of a living/breathing thing and generate some excitement. Something along the lines of "I read about this in the book and experienced a taste of it -now I can play it and deepen the connection." I cant imagine this generates all that much money so Im not offended by it as a blatant cash grab - but I do think it helps make the world more "real".

Grand Lodge 4/5

Talwynor wrote:
Nickademus42 wrote:

Give Paizo the moolah,

bonus for yoolah!

Just like the t-shirts. Though you still need to buy the gear with gold.

Ahhh....now I understand...I was wondering how the Chronicle would tie in. Actually, I think this is a nice idea, expecially when coupled with Holiday Boons like Jestercap. It's a great way to make the game come to life and make it more of a living/breathing thing and generate some excitement. Something along the lines of "I read about this in the book and experienced a taste of it -now I can play it and deepen the connection." I cant imagine this generates all that much money so Im not offended by it as a blatant cash grab - but I do think it helps make the world more "real".

Blatant cash grab is pretty strong wording. I send cases of 48 novels to conventions as free give aways. I've sent out fourteen cases in the past month.

I like to think of it as your character read a Pathfinder Chronicle, read that story in it, and was able to glean a little knowledge for future use.

The Exchange 2/5 Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16

No doubt some people will buy the book, or borrow it and read it (hopefully read it after they borrow it) for the chronicle, but it's certainly not a huge incentive. It strikes me as nice enough to make the book just a touch more appealing... but not so interesting I would buy a book I'm not already interested in.

I certainly don't see gobs of people running out to buy the book just for access to a high end magic item and a fairly specific boon.

It's a nice way to get people more interested in Golarion.

PS: I am also intrigued by the concept of Undead Bacon... would it just flop around on the plate or actually attack you?

Grand Lodge 4/5

Dennis Baker wrote:

No doubt some people will buy the book, or borrow it and read it (hopefully read it after they borrow it) for the chronicle, but it's certainly not a huge incentive. It strikes me as nice enough to make the book just a touch more appealing... but not so interesting I would buy a book I'm not already interested in.

I certainly don't see gobs of people running out to buy the book just for access to a high end magic item and a fairly specific boon.

It's a nice way to get people more interested in Golarion.

PS: I am also intrigued by the concept of Undead Bacon... would it just flop around on the plate or actually attack you?

It waits until you swallow and then gains the same qualities as a rot grub.

The Exchange 2/5 Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16

Oh mai...

O.O

I will never view bacon quite the same again.


This reminds me of the time I put potted meat as an item that my PCs found. They were low on supplies so they grabbed a few.

Turns out, it was troll flesh...

Liberty's Edge 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Missouri—Cape Girardeau

Michael Brock wrote:

Blatant cash grab is pretty strong wording. I send cases of 48 novels to conventions as free give aways. I've sent out fourteen cases in the past month.

I like to think of it as your character read a Pathfinder Chronicle, read that story in it, and was able to glean a little knowledge for future use.

As one of the receivers of a case of novels, I can gladly say everyone who attended Brewfest 2011 qualifies to receive the Prince of Wolves Chronicle... once they have read it! So far, I have yet to be disappointed in a Pathfinder novel.

Liberty's Edge 4/5

Michael VonHasseln wrote:
Michael Brock wrote:

Blatant cash grab is pretty strong wording. I send cases of 48 novels to conventions as free give aways. I've sent out fourteen cases in the past month.

I like to think of it as your character read a Pathfinder Chronicle, read that story in it, and was able to glean a little knowledge for future use.

As one of the receivers of a case of novels, I can gladly say everyone who attended Brewfest 2011 qualifies to receive the Prince of Wolves Chronicle... once they have read it! So far, I have yet to be disappointed in a Pathfinder novel.

Oddly enough, I received Prince of Wolves as a freebie, not sure if it was from a convention, game store, or former VC. Just finished it. And the only reason I finished it was because a friend was repairing my Nook, so I only have a limited supply of hardcopy books available.

The Chronicle? Amusing. The book? Not so much. Maybe I am too much of a gamer, and it is a game-related book, so I hold it to too much of a game-based bias.


Mike Brock wrote:
With a continuing effort to strengthen the entire program, as well as to continue tying up lose ends, Prince of Wolves and Master of Devils have now been incorporated into the Pathfinder Society.

...

1/5

Michael Brock wrote:
Fixing these now. Thanks for pointing them out.

Hey, Mike. While you are at it, have someone run spell check again...Intimidate is spelled wrong near the end of the boon description in the PoW chronicle. There may be more such errors, but it's been a long day and I can't quite tell if it's just my brain transposing or disappearing the letters.


Michael Brock wrote:

Blatant cash grab is pretty strong wording. I send cases of 48 novels to conventions as free give aways. I've sent out fourteen cases in the past month.

I like to think of it as your character read a Pathfinder Chronicle, read that story in it, and was able to glean a little knowledge for future use.

I meant no offense with my comment. I actually prefer cash grabs when done tastefully. I watched TSR go down, so I'm all about supporting the company. And while I don't really expect anyone else to do the same, I will be buying (and reading) every single book you make a chronicle for as well as enjoying the holiday ones. I probably won't buy a single item from them, but it's the thought that counts and it's good to know you guys (and gals) are thinking outside the box for ways to make Society play interesting.


Callarek wrote:
The Chronicle? Amusing. The book? Not so much. Maybe I am too much of a gamer, and it is a game-related book, so I hold it to too much of a game-based bias.

I haven't played any Pathfinder Society so don't have any first-hand experience with boons or Pathfinder Society Chronicles. I really like Prince of Wolves though. I really enjoyed reading it. Not sure what you mean by "game-based bias," unless you mean it deviated too much from game mechanics.

I have Master of Devils in my reading queue, but I'm trying to finish the novel I'm reading right now first.

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

Wolf Munroe wrote:
I haven't played any Pathfinder Society ...

And why ever not? ;-)

Scarab Sages 1/5 5/5

Michael Brock wrote:
Talwynor wrote:
Nickademus42 wrote:

Give Paizo the moolah,

bonus for yoolah!

Just like the t-shirts. Though you still need to buy the gear with gold.

Ahhh....now I understand...I was wondering how the Chronicle would tie in. Actually, I think this is a nice idea, expecially when coupled with Holiday Boons like Jestercap. It's a great way to make the game come to life and make it more of a living/breathing thing and generate some excitement. Something along the lines of "I read about this in the book and experienced a taste of it -now I can play it and deepen the connection." I cant imagine this generates all that much money so Im not offended by it as a blatant cash grab - but I do think it helps make the world more "real".

Blatant cash grab is pretty strong wording. I send cases of 48 novels to conventions as free give aways. I've sent out fourteen cases in the past month.

I like to think of it as your character read a Pathfinder Chronicle, read that story in it, and was able to glean a little knowledge for future use.

I hope you didnt misunderstand me - I dont think money was a motivation (and I wouldnt be offended it it was). I think these are a great idea.

Grand Lodge 1/5

Am I missing something? How do you "play" a novel or has someone converted the novel to a scenario?

4/5 ****

Helaman wrote:
Am I missing something? How do you "play" a novel or has someone converted the novel to a scenario?

Roll a d20 every once in awhile while reading?

There is no "playing" of these. Just showing up with the book and the chronicle sheet to get a flavorful boon and access to a unique item. (Neither seems particularly powerful but clearly some people are very excited at the flavor)

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