New Group: Where to start?


Curse of the Crimson Throne


Hi!

After following the Superstar competition my appetite has been whetted and I believe I found a way to start a new group (fellow parents/neighbors who just might be outgoing enough to become good roleplayers ;-)) for some good ole-fashioned D&Ding.

I registered for the Curse of the Crimson Throne Adventure Path and desperately look forward to the first product being shipped (looking forward more to the PDF, shipping to Germany is 4d7+8 days. Duh.).

Now, to start with a new (and relatively inexperienced to newbie group), what AP do you suggest I start with? And if it is CotCT, what besides the AP modules would you suggest I need to go along with it? The amount of Pathfinder materials is getting a bit "unwieldly" (lacking a word for "not easy to keep track off anymore").

Thanks for your help,

Arne Reuter
www.warlordccg.de

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

Arven wrote:

Now, to start with a new (and relatively inexperienced to newbie group), what AP do you suggest I start with? And if it is CotCT, what besides the AP modules would you suggest I need to go along with it? The amount of Pathfinder materials is getting a bit "unwieldly" (lacking a word for "not easy to keep track off anymore").

"Unwieldy" is, I believe, the correct word to use in this situation. It seems every time I check the site there's another new subscription tempting me.

As for supplemental material, I think that running either RotR or CotCT would be fine for a beginner group. You might want to ease them into playing the game before committing them to a full 20-level adventure path. Try one of the simple, low level GameMastery adventures like D0, D1, or TC1. This way everyone can get used to the mechanics and feel of a game before creating a character they could potentially spend several years with.

If you do go with CotCT, I would suggest getting the Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Korvosa and the Harrow Deck, which plays a large role in the AP.

I am getting ready to dive into Golarion myself and am in a similar situation of trying to ease players into the new world (as well as PRPG alpha rules) so let me know how things go! Best of luck!

The Exchange

I would probably do a module before I went fully into an adventure path.
Something like Crown of the Kobold King or something to get the new players acclimated with some of the rules, classes and races. Then they can restart the 'real' adventure either keeping their previous characters or trying out another option. They are new so they will probably be anxious to try out multiple class/race combos and giving them a chance to is a good idea.

Sczarni

Fake Healer wrote:
I would probably do a module before I went fully into an adventure path.

I agree with the above posters: do a module or two first. D0 is a free download. If you are going to try CotCT, make the characters create detailed backgrounds. You want them to like playing their characters, and to do that you need to include their backgrounds in what is going on (running CotCT on these boards and we are 33 posts in, and haven't even started the adventure proper yet) if ou want to see this in action here


Ok. When i tried to answer last night the server went away (at least for me).

All of the groups (except my wife) have never touch an RPG before. They are all 30+ and time is at a premium. I _extremely_ appreciate the idea of an adventure path that gives me as the DM _all_ the information I need at my fingertips, including getting the party together and have an overall story arc that gives me memorable climaxes (story-wise ;-)).

That being said I have a feeling that my future players will need story to make them feel at home (by now everybody is used to new style TV series on DVD that allow you to follow an overall story arc).

While I have heard good things about the Kobold adventure, I feel like its stand-alone nature will make it impossible for me to integrate it into any story arc (it might have been easier for Rise of the Runelord, would it?).

So, with that information, what can I do?


Last night we had our first session.

* A caravan guard caught up in a scam and left stuck with a charge for murder (by Gaedren)
* An orphan from the orphan house run by nuns of Cayden Cailean who had lost a friend to Gaedren and who is good at sneaking out of the orphan house (well, now they let her anyway)
* Her best friend from the same orphan house, not as good sneaking, but a lot better at covering the tracks with her magic
* A young acolyte from the temple of Cayden Cailean who had duties in the orphan house before and is mad at Gaedren because so many waifs have turned up missing and presumed dead.

They are still in the fishery, with most of the upper level cleared out.

Most memorable moment:

Hookshanks, previously charmed, comes charging out of an obscuring mist into Yargin's room where the acolyte just tackled Yargin into unconsciousness after he messed up dear fighter Gunter. Gunter is standing with the back to the door and clearly is up for some hurting. Marouka the acolyte shouts a warning and lunges for Hookshanks with her rapier, but it gets caught in Gunter's torn shirt and she more or less ends up helplessly in his arms.

I ask whether he'd like to go for something cinematic and he just continues the motion and whirls around, ready to use his club on the gnome (none of the heroes have armor or decent weapons yet, save the acolyte). But that one is already down, having been knocked out by the acolytes whirling feet.

:D

So, we had a great start and pretty much everybody is looking forward to the next session.

Back to my original plight.

Assuming that playing all adventures provided in CotC it will not be enough xp to get up to par with the required levels consistently.

Are there any additional (low-level) adventures that drop nicely into Korvosa without the need for travel?


Arven wrote:

Assuming that playing all adventures provided in CotC it will not be enough xp to get up to par with the required levels consistently.

Are there any additional (low-level) adventures that drop nicely into Korvosa without the need for travel?

Well, it sounds like it was a fun game, which is the whole point. I'm running Rise of the Runelords currently. If time is a resource you don't have, you may just want to assign enough XP at certain points to make sure the PCs are at appropriate levels. This allows you to save time from tracking XP, and writing new encounters to help the PCs catch up. Though, with the monsters in the back of each PF, they can be very easy to add in certain places of the adventures. For example, I'm pretty sure my group will encounter a devil fish sometime when they get near water.

I did go through the Runelords path and tally total XP, so I had an idea of where my group should be at certain milestones. I haven't done it with Edge of Anarchy yet, but maybe someone else here has beat me.

I hope this helps and that the game keeps going well for you.


Crown of the Kobold King, with its kid plot hook, will perfectly fit into your path as a side adventure later on down the line.

Sczarni

Arven wrote:


Back to my original plight.

Assuming that playing all adventures provided in CotC it will not be enough xp to get up to par with the required levels consistently.

Are there any additional (low-level) adventures that drop nicely into Korvosa without the need for travel?

As someone else stated, Give out Roleplaying Bonus XP every once in a while when they act out a scene exceptionally well. or a little bonus XP for innovative solutions to problems. I've included a bar scene in my CotCT before they met the fortune teller, during which the fighter played a game of Knivesies while the PCs were all watching the Harrow-Reader's shop. This gave them a good time to roleplay and understand each other's characters and future roles in the group.


Thanks guys, all three posts helped!

Helping Kids out? An incentive for three women players, two of them mothers of little kids, their characters all based around an orphan home.

I can't imagine how that could work. ;-) ;-) ;-).

And of course, since we don't have that much time, we can just play the adventure path and adjust XP. What an easy fix.

Dark Archive

I tried RotRL with a group of N00bs. They didnt take to it. we got nearly through skinsaw before everyone decided to call it quits. No, Ive started them on CotCT, and it's going much better.

I'd actually say that RotRL is a good campaign if you want to wow experienced players. it's got a classic structure, with a hidden BBEG from an ancient time seeking to come back, Ogres, Goblins, Ghouls, and Giants, plus old-fashioned massive dungeons with their own ecologies. All classic, old-school themes and aspects of D&D. But, once you start playing, you see how different it is. The goblins are toothy little chittering menaces, the ogres are deformed backwoods murderers, the giants are like native americans, and ride dire mammoths and dire bears, and the BBEG is just a 21st Level Human TRansmuter. The main villian has an absolutely heartbreaking story behind her that will deeply disturb people if you present it right. Newbs wouldnt get all this.

CotCT, on the other hand, seems very noob friendly. The plot is fairly straightforeward, there's a clearly established setting to play around in, and that setting is very fun. There's an in-game reason for everyone to get together, as sixth-sense-style reveal at the beginning, lots of interesting mini-dungeons that will keep players on their toes, plenty of chances to rest, and all-in-all, is just much more noob-friendly. people are more-or-less forced to roleplay from the very beginning

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2013 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2011 Top 16

With CotCT if you're short on XP between adventures the Guide to Korvosa is ideal to flesh out the relationships between your PC's and the various NPC's they meet. Just like in RotRL building on the relationships with NPC's will invest your Players in wanting to keep Korvosa safe. Edge of Anarchy and Seven Days to the Grave have some little side trek suggestions sprinkled here and there...

Scarab Sages

Jodah wrote:

I tried RotRL with a group of N00bs. They didnt take to it. we got nearly through skinsaw before everyone decided to call it quits. No, Ive started them on CotCT, and it's going much better.

I'd actually say that RotRL is a good campaign if you want to wow experienced players. it's got a classic structure, with a hidden BBEG from an ancient time seeking to come back, Ogres, Goblins, Ghouls, and Giants, plus old-fashioned massive dungeons with their own ecologies. All classic, old-school themes and aspects of D&D. But, once you start playing, you see how different it is. The goblins are toothy little chittering menaces, the ogres are deformed backwoods murderers, the giants are like native americans, and ride dire mammoths and dire bears, and the BBEG is just a 21st Level Human TRansmuter. The main villian has an absolutely heartbreaking story behind her that will deeply disturb people if you present it right. Newbs wouldnt get all this.

CotCT, on the other hand, seems very noob friendly. The plot is fairly straightforeward, there's a clearly established setting to play around in, and that setting is very fun. There's an in-game reason for everyone to get together, as sixth-sense-style reveal at the beginning, lots of interesting mini-dungeons that will keep players on their toes, plenty of chances to rest, and all-in-all, is just much more noob-friendly. people are more-or-less forced to roleplay from the very beginning

I'm an experienced role player, 15 years, and I'm currently playing RotRL. My group is on the last mod of the AP, and I would have to agree with Jodah. RotRL seems to be more geared towards experienced players.

I'm next in line to GM for my group in CotCT, and from what I've read so far it seems fairly predictable. Especially for players that have done & seen alot of adventures. I'm definately going to have to add or twist a few things just so my players can't cut corners or "cheat" the AP, but that is a part of gaming. All in all I love the work that Paizo
does, and you couldn't have a better resource then these threads when brain freeze occurs. Whatever anyone of you do, please don't play some watered down version of d&d. Stay with the people that actually have a love for the game, and not so much the almighty dollar.Boycott Hasbro!
(_)3CHEERS!
Sorry, sometimes I rant on.

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