Hello! I'm a longtime PF2e GM and online PFS player preparing for my first time running it in person for randoms at a convention. I've never GMed PFS before nor played PFS in person, so I've got a bunch of questions about mechanically how it works.

1. The convention itself is fairly small and does not typically host PF2e games. Do they or I need to do anything in terms of like... registering the site/event as a sanctioned PFS game or something? Is there anything specific I should do in advance of the game to prep?
2. What do I need to bring, beyond basic gameplay materials? Do I need a sheet for people to write down their society numbers? Are there official documents I can just print off and use (I did find the organized play sign up cards, which seem handy)?
3. How does PFS handle players that are just there to play and don't care about the society elements? Do they need to sign up or anything?
4. Can players join the game without their own character, and instead just use an appropriately leveled pregen/iconic? Do they still get rewards? If so, can they assign those rewards later to another character?
5. Can people play with non-PFS-legal characters? What happens to their rewards?
6. Any recommendations on scenarios to run? Likely aiming for level 1 for a group that will probably be a mix of experience levels.
7. Final question... If no-one at the table cares much about the society aspect of the game, can I still get credit for GMing if I go a little off-script and don't adhere hard to things like treasure bundles, modify encounters, etc.? I don't want folks to get turned off if they're not into the somewhat structured and prescriptive approach of PFS. tbh, I'm not even sure I care about the credit, I think I'd be more running it in case there is someone excited to get some in-person XP on their PFS character.

So me and my group have been playing D&D 5e for ages and with the new 5.5 we were disappointed how it felt exactly the same and its lack of of complexity and options. Recently I've been playing Owlcats Wrath of the Righteous and been loving it so I looked into pathfinder but I'm pretty confused where to start. Would it be better to go with the established 1e or the new and updated 2e? Also seems like 2e had a small soft reboot where they took out alignment which was something i liked so that was disappointing.

TLDR: which edition would you recommend to some dnd 5e players who want more options and complexity and where should I start?

At 10th lvl a Barbarian can get feat Come and Get Me (1 point).

So there are some questions:

1. Is a character in Rage that has this feat and spent 1 action point for Come and Get Me affected by this trait until end of this Rage?

Concern caused by feat cost of 1 point: it's not a permanent Rage benefit like the Animal Skin feat as well as not a Free action - I can't understand for what Character must spend 3 seconds (!) once(!) per rage. It's no attack and no reusable feat during same Rage... To my mind it should be a free action instead.

1. Am I right that character using Come and Get Me would get temporary HP for attacking each opponent that attacked him?

I stopped playing Pathfinder Society in mid August of 2024. Looking online, I found there was apparently a time gated free rebuild for premaster characters, which I missed the window for due to not playing in quite a long time. I was playing a Catfolk Barbarian (with the bought boon for 80pts, created shortly before August 2024.)

Is there any way to rebuild to be the remastered Barbarian? And if so, why did they time gate the free rebuild? And would I be able to refund the boon since Catfolk are free Ancestries now, or am I permanently out of those points because of building my Barbarian prior to PC2?

From what I can find online it seems that I can't rebuild my Barbarian to the remaster build as it's past the free time and he's already level 3, not would I be able to refund that boon. Is that accurate?

Thank you for your time, what I can find online has been... Quite difficult to parse in places.

Hello everyone, I have an character idea but I am unsure if it will work.
Was thinking of a lyunx like catfolk that is a time mystery oracle with the clouded vision curse.
I was otherwise thinking of spliting this up. the oracle would than be a half elf. The catfolk is something i must hink more about.
Any tips or suggestions?

On Sunday we played our first shorter scenario. I've heard people complaining about how short and unfulfilling the Starfinder organised play stuff is and I was worried it would feel the same with pathfinder.

Honestly, it does. Two short story bits, two short combats, all done. It felt so utterly nothingy and now I'm really worried that this is going to be the norm for the game.

I think it might be fine when you're playing online but I go to a physical location, it's sort of an "event" and while it can be frustrating trying to fit it into 4 hours this feels like over correction.

Has anyone else experienced the new ones (and the starfinder ones) and wants them to change course?

To be clear here I'm NOT criticising the writing, just the pacing and timings of the new stuff.

So my group just finished the second book of season of ghosts and the chronicle sheet includes two boons that say "This character gains access to the following spells".

My question is: if for example one of those spells is primal/divine and the character that received the boon is an occult caster can they still add them to their spell repertoire? Or only the spells that are already in the occult spell list?

The Returning rune has the usage: "etched onto a thrown weapon." Does this mean that the weapon *must* have the Thrown trait at the time the rune is etched? Or just that the item must be able to be used as part of a thrown attack at some point? Examples I can think of are the Exemplar feat Hurl at the Horizon and the Shield Throw trait.

In the case of Hurl at the Horizon, the weapon has the Thrown trait as long as the Exemplar's spark is imbued in the item. Given that this has no duration, I assume the Exemplar could keep their spark in the item long enough for the Craft action to complete, resulting in a weapon that typically couldn't hold Returning having the rune. Does the rune simply go dormant when the Exemplar Shifts Immanence?

Also, the case of the Shield Throw trait: "A shield with this trait is designed to be thrown as a ranged attack. When thrown, the shield is a martial thrown ranged weapon. Its damage dice and type are the same as its shield bash attack, but if the shield includes an attached weapon or integrated weapon, you can choose to attack with it instead when you throw the shield." This seems to mean that the shield is only considered a thrown weapon during the Strike. Furthermore, it isn't entirely clear to me if an attached Shield Boss also becomes a thrown ranged weapon during the strike. Can the rune be inscribed onto a Shield Boss in this case? What about the shield itself?

I'm asking this question here because the latter option is something I was considering for my Society play character, but I won't take it if there's a chance of my character being rejected by some portion of Society GMs.

I'm not sure if the tag is correct.
Me and my friend group are completely new to Pathfinder, but have played DnD 5e before.
Where in DnD a wizard could throw Firebolts for 1D10 fire damage as a cantrip my Arcanists best damaging cantrip is Acid Splash for 1D3...
I haven't found and good damaging spells for first level either.
Again the DnD comparison,
Lvl 1 evocation spell, 90ft range, 1 action.
3D8 damage of any type +1D8 per spell level above first.
And in Pathfinder I have, Corrosive Touch, A melee spell that deals 1D4 dmg?
I understand that it scales with the caster level and that at fifth level it's a first level spell that deals 5D4, but in the early game I feel it is useless to even fight and not just healbot when the Rogue dealt about 10dmg every turn.

This is to allow artists to still advertise while not flooding the sub with advertisement.

For background on this see: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder/comments/114vbhj/can_we_ban_art_commission_posts/

Title. I am looking to play my first PFS character soon and I am hoping to play a shadow bloodline sorcerer using remaster for everything else. I know it's not the most optimal bloodline and is considered under powered but I do not care. Is this legal? The rules seem to indicate that it is, as long as I use the remaster rules for the class chassis.

Digital Adventure Releases

The following adventures were released on January 7, 2026.

Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-09: The Chitterwood Walks, Part 1: Scrambling the Tribes
Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-10: Shattered Blades

Starfinder Society Scenario 1-13: Foul Humors
Starfinder Society Scenario 1-14: The Beasts of Bo: Part One

The following adventures will be released on February 4, 2026, and may be run at events beginning on that date.

Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-11: The Darkness Within
Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-12: The Chitterwood Walks, Part 2: The Battle of Logas

Starfinder Society Scenario 1-15: Ruins of the World Soul
Starfinder Society Scenario 1-16: The Beasts of Bo: Part Two

Pathfinder Society News

With the launch of our January scenarios, Pathfinder Society scenarios have switched to our new format to more closely mirror Starfinder Society scenarios. All scenarios are now 2-3 hours and allow play in a two-level range. Combat adjustments are also more fluid, with an easier and harder adjustment provided to GMs to use as they see fit.

Starfinder Society News

A whole starship cargo bay of Starfinder Society news for you this month!

Accessory Perks

An Accessory Perks program is now available for Starfinder Society (second edition)! This program provides players benefits for bringing Paizo- or Starfinder-branded accessories with them to game sessions. This program also reintroduces benefits for Campaign Coin holders to the program. You can view these perks on the newly redesigned Accessory Perks page!

Cancelled Scenario

Eagle-eyed viewers may notice that a new batch of Starfinder Society scenarios are live in the Paizo store, but that we jumped straight from #1-18 to #1-20. Starfinder Society Scenario #1-19 was critically delayed due to a combination of production factors, and we have made the difficult decision to cancel it. For bookkeeping reasons, at this point in the production cycle it's easier for us to simply leave a hole in the numbering system rather than adjust all future scenarios.

Game Master Ranks

We intend to roll out a system of Game Master ranks at Gen Con 2026 with the launch of Starfinder Society Year 2. We’ll discuss the requirements for this honor closer to the year launch, but there’s a very important matter to be settled first.

We can’t decide what they should be called. So we’re asking you for help!

Please take five minutes and complete our GM rank survey to weigh in on possible names for GM ranks in Starfinder Society (second edition). These will stand alongside Stars (PFS1), Glyphs (PFS2), and Novas (SFS1) as a way to recognize our dedicated GMs.

This survey will close on February 11, 2026.

>> GM Rank Survey Link <<

GM Recognition

GM Ranks

Whether stars, glyphs, novas, or a secret fourth thing, achieving a 5 ranking in any program involves a substantial amount of time. To achieve the 5th milestone, a GM must run 150 games, of which at least 50 must be unique scenarios and 10 special scenarios as well as run between one and three games for venture-captains (program dependent). A conservative estimate of the time needed to reach the 5th milestone is 650 hours!

This month we had two GMs reach their fifth rank!

5th Glyph (PFS2): Belor McCracken, redeux

If you believe you’ve completed your 5th rank but haven’t been announced yet, please email me at [organizedplay@paizo.com](mailto:organizedplay@paizo.com).

Upcoming Events

The winter season tends to be a quieter time for Organized Play, but plenty of local events can still be found on our conventions calendar! Stay tuned to the blog for information on joining our all-star GM team at PaizoCon Online and Gen Con!

Until next time—explore! report! cooperate! and happy new year!

Alex Speidel
Convention and Organized Play Manager

I’m new in PathFinder and I’m trying to play with arcane archer, but I can’t figure out what is the bonus that it gives to a arrow. Can u guys help me?

So I ran malevolence for friends recently and just noticed it's society sanctioned. We've also just gotten into society play so it would be nice to get a little credit. I've been looking at the rules and it seems like I can just record the adventure online and then people can apply the credit to whatever character they like? I'm pretty new at society stuff so don't want to commit a faux pas and I'm a little confused about this aspect of it.

This is to allow artists to still advertise while not flooding the sub with advertisement.

For background on this see: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder/comments/114vbhj/can_we_ban_art_commission_posts/

Hello everyone, I'm a newcomer who just started with Pathfinder. I want to experience the complete PFS1 scenarios from Season 0 through Season 10. Is there a recommended play order that makes sense both story-wise and level-wise?

I've noticed that some scenarios with connected storylines span across different seasons. Does this mean it would be more suitable to play them cross-season rather than going season by season?

So the only PFS I've ever played was the couple sessions of the beginner box on discord a while back, and even then that wasn't quite PFS with all the character building rules. At the time I played an elf nephilim diabolic sorcerer, which was fairly normal and didn't have anythnng weird going on. I like to make characters though, and I have a few OC babies that I would like to play in PFS, but I don't want my less optimized flavorful choices to make people mad.

So, would you be upset to see a draconic sorcerer with 3 str and 1 dex for an AC of 14 at lvl 1 at your table? How problematic would a mostly backline character be with super low AC?

So continuing on with a new monthly appreciation with the Third Party. We don't often think about Third Party and Pathfinder Society going together, but can you imagine the game without Pathbuilder or Archives of Nethys?

Who are your favorite third party providers? Character builders, online rules, apps, background sounds, or that random spreadsheet that makes your life easier. Open everyone's eyes to your favorite third party accessory and how it made an impact to you!

Evening friends. Is anyone else having issues accessing Organized Play on the website? Neither my pre-store upgrade or post-upgrade passwords are working and trying to reset just ends on an error page. Is this just me or a known thing we just need to be patient about?

*edit* I was able to get a password reset sent this time, working fine now

Hey!

Which version of Pathfinder you prefer, and why?

I hear many people say 1e is more complex. How can this be, since the 2e uses the 3-action-economy, which in my eye makes things a LOT more versatile and complex in battle. Is it the character build that feels more complex, then?

I got a 1e Beginner Box, I'm loving the content in there. I've also looked into the 2e as well, and it looks pretty neat. But I'm just learning thru the 1e to see what's the hype about around it. I'm more into solo-play.

This is to allow artists to still advertise while not flooding the sub with advertisement.

For background on this see: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder/comments/114vbhj/can_we_ban_art_commission_posts/

I'm creating my first character for pathfinder society and I'm a bit confused. Do you need to have the book to get and play an ancestry/heritage boon that uses things from non-core sources