10-98 "Champion" and "Soldier" ?


Organized Play

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Liberty's Edge

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Forgive me if I've missed it, but I can't find anywhere describing what the difference between Champion and Soldier tables is for 10-98. Since the special is apparently all lottery, I'd like to make sure I know what I'm signing up for. :-O

Paizo Employee Organized Play Developer

"Champion" is essentially the "hardcore mode" where death is a very real possibility for your character(s).

"Soldier" is geared more towards standard PFS difficulty levels.

Both modes share the same early story, but there will come a point where it branches and you experience a different part of the story depending on whether you chose Champion or Soldier.


John Compton had mentioned stuff about bringing multiple characters/etc on that podcast a while back - are we going to find out more information on the special before we have to choose one in the lottery?

Paizo Employee Organized Play Developer

Ninjamancer wrote:

John Compton had mentioned stuff about bringing multiple characters/etc on that podcast a while back - are we going to find out more information on the special before we have to choose one in the lottery?

I believe Linda and Tonya have been discussing adjusting the event descriptions to convey that information, but I'll ask Linda to pop into this thread as she'll have more information on the topic than I currently have available.

Grand Lodge Developer

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Soldier is a little bit harder than a typical Pathfinder Society Special. Champion is a full-on Hard Mode.

Here's the deal with other characters. We'll be announcing this more through other channels very soon.

You can bring up to three additional PCs of level 5-20 to the game. These PCs are called Aid Characters. Aid Characters can generate more powerful aid tokens, and they can also participate in special Aid Missions. The higher level the Aid Character, the better they are likely to do at challenges.

The only thing you need to bring for an Aid Character is that PC's most recent Chronicle sheet, fully filled out. You may want to bring their character sheets too, particularly if you don't remember the characters that well and you'd like to roleplay them a bit. Aid characters must be your own PCs. If you don't have enough PCs, you can use pregenerated characters instead, though they are less effective.

You may have heard from previous discussions of the idea of changing which PC you are playing mid-session. That is no longer part of the scenario.

EDIT: Answered Bob's question below. What I meant to get across is that you can't use another player's PCs as Aid Characters.

Grand Lodge

Linda Zayas-Palmer wrote:
Aid characters must be your own PCs

So if a player has only one character in level range (the one actually playing the scenario) they cannot use pregens as their 'aid' characters?

Silver Crusade

I'm stoked to come out of retirement one last time.


Ok. So one primary level 16 and three level 16 aid characters for me then. Now to decide which one to actually play. Definitely going for Champion.


Is there any limitation on the level of the aid characters (maybe based on the level of the playing character)?

For example: I play a level 7, but my aid characters are 11, 12 and 16.
Would that be legal?


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Am I right in assuming the special is replayable in the other version?

This will be a tough choice, don't want to leave the Soldier tables underpowered.

Dark Archive

Majuba wrote:

Am I right in assuming the special is replayable in the other version?

This will be a tough choice, don't want to leave the Soldier tables underpowered.

I expect the answer will be no. As I understand the scenario the difference will not warrant a replay.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber
GreyYeti wrote:

Is there any limitation on the level of the aid characters (maybe based on the level of the playing character)?

For example: I play a level 7, but my aid characters are 11, 12 and 16.
Would that be legal?

I have the same question.

I have higher level characters, but would prefer to play at a lower tier and use the higher ones for aid, if that is allowed.

Grand Lodge Developer

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GreyYeti wrote:

Is there any limitation on the level of the aid characters (maybe based on the level of the playing character)?

For example: I play a level 7, but my aid characters are 11, 12 and 16.
Would that be legal?

Yes, that's legal. There are no further limitations other than that the aid characters need to be level 5+. So it would also be legal if your aid characters are level 5, 7, and 20.


On April 26, Linda Zayas-Palmer wrote:
We'll be announcing this more through other channels very soon.

When and where is this announcement expected to happen? The roll-out of the special being a lottery event has not been very clear, and I'm not sure what to expect. In the past, I could be sure of playing the special - I would just sign up and pick the tier I wanted to play at, and table assignments would be based on how many characters of each tier were signed up. With the number of seats for each tier pre-assigned to lottery slots, I'm not sure how this is going to work.

Given that it's a lottery event, it seems possible I won't get to play in the special, which is a big change from other years, and other cons. And it seems I now face the choice of playing the character (and associated Aid characters) I most want to play for the last special of PF1, or trying to game the system and pick a tier where I have the greatest chance of winning the lottery. It may well be that there are enough slots assigned (upwards of 200 counting the >level 11 tables) and this isn't an issue - but it sure would be nice to have this system explained a bit so folks can sign up appropriately.

And if it already got posted and explained somewhere, forgive me - and point me to the post, please!


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Hey Khel - the special has been lottery for about three years now. The only difference is that they've broken up the tiers this year (and maybe last - I didn't play that one), as preassigned.

Also - you can assign a value to *all* the tiers - you'll only get one.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

Wait, I need to rank several Tiers now? If I just sign up for one and don't get it, I'm out of the Special


Majuba wrote:
Hey Khel - the special has been lottery for about three years now.

Wow, I have no recollection of that at all, but that doesn't mean it isn't so. As you say, the lottery selection was not broken into tiers before.

And it's true, I can assign a value to all the tiers - it just complicates a few things, like trying to play at a table with my son (who wants to play a particular character, and thus a particular tier), and trying to organize a table of players in advance, as I've done in previous years, without knowing what tier any of us will get in the lottery. I usually reach out to folks to organize a table and we decide on a tier to play at, as I do at many cons, particularly for the special.

Ah, well. I'll figure something out. I wonder if they'll release a list of who won at what tier, so there's some chance of organizing before we all arrive at PaizoCon. And I wonder when the announcement of more info will happen, since we're only a few days from the lottery run at this point.

Grand Lodge

So, I live in a remote area and this will basically be my first opportunity to play a Pathfinder Society character. Obviously, my character is not going to be able to reach 5th Level before the Special. Does that mean I can't play?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

You'll be able to play a 7th level pregen, but it won't be very fulfilling. You're basically walking into the final episode of a ten season show. But it will at least give you a taste of what you've been missing!


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Still specials are a lot of fun and I'd encourage playing in it, even with a pre-gen!

Silver Crusade

So weird question. I am running the 5-8 Tier of 10-98, is there any group that I could ask questions about the special before Paizo? Pretty decent at running, but I want to make this pretty smooth for people.


Oriklad wrote:
I am running the 5-8 Tier of 10-98, is there any group that I could ask questions about the special before Paizo? Pretty decent at running, but I want to make this pretty smooth for people.

The Paizo Organized Play page has a link to the Slack page where you can request to join both the Paizocon Tips and the 10-98 groups.

Silver Crusade

Thank you. Will have to look at it from home, since work doesn't like the organized play page due to being labelled as Gaming.

Grand Lodge

Thank you TriOmegaZero and NielsenE. Due to work and family and my remote location, this will be the first time playing Pathfinder Society as well as the only time I play until I go to another con. I know that the special is the end of Season 10 and I know that I won't be able to connect things like regular PFS players will. In fact, I'm wondering if I should skip it just to give more regular players a better chance since they have more invested in this. I've never played in an event like this though and I was kind of thinking it might be a once in a lifetime experience for me as I probably won't get to go to these things every year.

Shadow Lodge

Zagig -

Never miss specials. Even if you don't know the whole plot they are are a really cool experience.


Zagig wrote:
Thank you TriOmegaZero and NielsenE. Due to work and family and my remote location, this will be the first time playing Pathfinder Society as well as the only time I play until I go to another con. I know that the special is the end of Season 10 and I know that I won't be able to connect things like regular PFS players will. In fact, I'm wondering if I should skip it just to give more regular players a better chance since they have more invested in this. I've never played in an event like this though and I was kind of thinking it might be a once in a lifetime experience for me as I probably won't get to go to these things every year.

even if a special was your first experience to PFS I'd still strongly suggest going to it - it's a pretty amazing spectacle

Lantern Lodge Customer Service & Community Manager

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Khelreddin wrote:
I wonder if they'll release a list of who won at what tier, so there's some chance of organizing before we all arrive at PaizoCon. And I wonder when the announcement of more info will happen, since we're only a few days from the lottery run at this point.

For each event listing you can open the linked title to it's unique page. If you get into a particular event, you can then start a discussion thread on the event (that feature works this year!) and see if the others who're also registered for it want to connect. We don't publicly post what attendees get into what event as that leads to some significant safety and privacy concerns.


My highest level character gets to play 1 more module before he is level 12. I have been waiting a long time for the right module to come along and I think I finally have. :D

Grand Lodge

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My g/f and I have paired 11.2 XP characters who will be “retiring” by playing 10-98 at Gen Con

Dark Archive

I see that there are tables for 7-8 and 10-11: Could a a Lvl 9 character play up or down?

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
aSingleHelix wrote:
I see that there are tables for 7-8 and 10-11: Could a a Lvl 9 character play up or down?

Normally you can play them in either tier. If you are planning to play the higher, I'd recommend geting a few additional tables on them before the special, particularly if you plan to go the Champion route.

Grand Lodge

This scenario is already going to be slightly harder than a standard one so I would strongly suggest if you have a level nine that you play down to 7-8, maybe champion mode. If you do decide to play the 10-11 subtier, I would take CigarPete’s advice and at least be 9.2 so you’re as close to 10 as possible and even then avoid champion mode.

The Exchange

If you have a character that was retired (for example due to actions in a certain seeker scenario) and cannot be played in a society game anymore are they able to be used as an aid character?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

I would guess no.

Grand Lodge Developer

Adenai wrote:
If you have a character that was retired (for example due to actions in a certain seeker scenario) and cannot be played in a society game anymore are they able to be used as an aid character?

PCs you bring as aid characters need to be alive and legal for Pathfinder Society play.

The Exchange

Linda Zayas-Palmer wrote:
Adenai wrote:
If you have a character that was retired (for example due to actions in a certain seeker scenario) and cannot be played in a society game anymore are they able to be used as an aid character?
PCs you bring as aid characters need to be alive and legal for Pathfinder Society play.

Unfortunate but understandable


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

ISSUE: dropped 12-13 Soldier, added 15-16 Soldier. Event (in the list) shows I'm added, event schedule shows 12-13 again (it was gone, pretty sure).
Fixed - either a timing thing on it's own, or big thank you to web team.


Khelreddin wrote:
And it's true, I can assign a value to all the tiers - it just complicates a few things, like trying to play at a table with my son (who wants to play a particular character, and thus a particular tier)...

So, just as I feared, my son and I, and a friend flying in to play with us, are all at different tiers for the special, and only one of us in the tier we had hoped to play. I know I can attempt to trade, and will try to do so, but I do wonder if Paizo can rearrange the table distribution given what the demand seems to be. It looks like there are empty seats at higher and lower tiers, that could be assigned to the more popular tiers - which definitely looks like 10-11. As I write this, there 42 empty seats at the 5-6 tier, and 47 at the 12+ tiers. I expect that a handful of those are being saved for walk-ins (which is a whole 'nother issue, and a separate thread), but that is still a lot of empty seats.

I still don't get why the lottery for the special was done by tier, and am pretty frustrated with the way it has played out.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Khelreddin wrote:

So, just as I feared, my son and I, and a friend flying in to play with us, are all at different tiers for the special, and only one of us in the tier we had hoped to play. I know I can attempt to trade, and will try to do so, but I do wonder if Paizo can rearrange the table distribution given what the demand seems to be. It looks like there are empty seats at higher and lower tiers, that could be assigned to the more popular tiers - which definitely looks like 10-11. As I write this, there 42 empty seats at the 5-6 tier, and 47 at the 12+ tiers. I expect that a handful of those are being saved for walk-ins (which is a whole 'nother issue, and a separate thread), but that is still a lot of empty seats.

I still don't get why the lottery for the special was done by tier, and am pretty frustrated with the way it has played out.

Agreed - I'm glad I didn't try to coordinate a group like I did last year.

As for the reason, the main benefit I can think of for breaking out tiers before muster time would be to make it easier for GMs to prepare. Shifting the # of tables based on demand could have been done before lottery results were released, though, and still accomplished this goal.

I'm also trying to trade into the most popular tier. So I'll second your request to re-distribute the tables now, if possible!


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I would also like to trade out my 5-6 tier for a 10-11.
If Paizo is listening, please shift the #'s to create more 10-11 tier tables. <3

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I'd also love to find a couple 10-11 tier seats, and not interested in the Champion tier.

Liberty's Edge

Sorry for reposting but figured this spot is read more.

Are the premade characters the standard PFS pre-mades prevent only ones? I hope to have my 1st lvl 5 by game time so I will have 0 and characters and may even not have my 1st by then.

Community / Forums / Paizo / PaizoCon / [PaizoCon 2019] Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-98: Siege of Gallowspire (for levels 5-6, SOLDIER) - Sunday evening, 7:00-11:59 pm All Messageboards


LeSigh wrote:
Khelreddin wrote:

So, just as I feared, my son and I, and a friend flying in to play with us, are all at different tiers for the special, and only one of us in the tier we had hoped to play. I know I can attempt to trade, and will try to do so, but I do wonder if Paizo can rearrange the table distribution given what the demand seems to be. It looks like there are empty seats at higher and lower tiers, that could be assigned to the more popular tiers - which definitely looks like 10-11. As I write this, there 42 empty seats at the 5-6 tier, and 47 at the 12+ tiers. I expect that a handful of those are being saved for walk-ins (which is a whole 'nother issue, and a separate thread), but that is still a lot of empty seats.

I still don't get why the lottery for the special was done by tier, and am pretty frustrated with the way it has played out.

Agreed - I'm glad I didn't try to coordinate a group like I did last year.

As for the reason, the main benefit I can think of for breaking out tiers before muster time would be to make it easier for GMs to prepare. Shifting the # of tables based on demand could have been done before lottery results were released, though, and still accomplished this goal.

I'm also trying to trade into the most popular tier. So I'll second your request to re-distribute the tables now, if possible!

From my experience over the last two years, mustering by tiers is a lot easier to do for both GM's and mustering volunteers than on the day as people walk in. It is still possible to coordinate. We have managed to get 3 tables from memory pre-organised for the top to tiers among people I know. Granted, we started organizing this months ago via Facebook chat as some of us are travelling transpacific, but I feel your pain.


I've got a question about this event...

I only play a handful of PFS games per year, exclusively at cons. I only have two PFS characters, and neither of them is above level 3. (This is the only PFS game on my PaizoCon calendar, so I won't have a chance to level up before then.)

I have signed up for this event (Soldier 5-8)...

Will there be an option to play a pregen for this event?

Or should I drop my registration and try to find/run a pick-up game in that time slot?

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Yes, you'll be able to play a level 7 pregen.


I am still hoping that they open up some additional 10-11 soldier which seems to be the tier everybody is looking for.

Being forced to either play in another subtier (and another character) or playing champion although i am not interested in that hardmode bs makes me really unhappy.

Liberty's Edge

Are the pre-gens the standard pathfinder pre-gens or specific/special. In case I need 1 as main and/or aids I would like to know the character some.


Darrell Lunari wrote:
Are the pre-gens the standard pathfinder pre-gens or specific/special. In case I need 1 as main and/or aids I would like to know the character some.

They will almost certainly be the standard pregens. They only do special pregens when it's something unusual, like the scenarios where the characters are all Aspis agents and everyone is playing a pregen.

Grand Lodge

If the table plays Standard PFS, can an aid character be from Core PFS?


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
GreyYeti wrote:

I am still hoping that they open up some additional 10-11 soldier which seems to be the tier everybody is looking for.

Being forced to either play in another subtier (and another character) or playing champion although i am not interested in that hardmode bs makes me really unhappy.

In case they haven't seen this conversation, I started a new thread to highlight this request. I encourage everyone who wants to see more 10-11 Soldier tables (or a re-balancing of Special tables in general) to post there.

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