This is just a suggestion; multi-part scenarios should only have three chapters, IMO. Here's why...

1) Time - Paizo can only produce scenarios so fast. By the time a fourth parth is announced, mostg players have played multiple scenarios in between and forgotten the main story/plot leding to a lack of cohesion and relevance.

2) Leveling - Having run Devil We Know: Parts 1 & 2 back in October of last year, I never expected further story arc development. The players that went through those adventures have leveled up those characters and are no longer eligible with those characters to take part in further chapters. The luckiest of those players will be able to play Part 3, before turning level 8 and miss out on Part 4 when it is released... and since a player can't replay scenarios, no FUTURE characters of those players can experience the whole story. To make it worse, if it is essential to play Part 3 before Part 4, none of my long-time players will EVER be able to play it, since they as players have already played through the previous scenarios with other characters.

3) Continuity - With the scenarios set in sequential order, and no chance at replay, the final chapter is a lose for those players whose characters have moved on. Perhaps if each scenario had twaken place in a different tier level range (Part 1 & 2 level 1-7, Part 3 & 4 level 7-11), this could prevent that (see above).

Just some thoughts that came to mind this weekend, while ploting out Pathfinder Society activity for February into March at our FLGS. These points come from the viewpoint of multiple PF GMs, all long-time players and experienced Organized Play GMs.

Hmm, good points. It can be tricky.

But the intro to Parts 1 and 2 both say that while it's best to play them in sequential order, you don't have to. Haven't checked what Part 3 says, but I bet it's the same.

Plus if you start part 1 with a 7th level character, you'll level out before you get to part 4 anyway. But if you set it up where the scenarios are at different Tiers, a character who starts at 1st level won't have enough levels to play in a higher tier range Part 4 if they want to do all 4 parts of Devil We Know in a sequence.

So I think that this interwoven ones will be more appealing when they're all available (i.e., say in Season 2 when a new player/character can look back and say, "cool, let's run this 4 part series.") On the other hand, if they're memorable and fun, it should be pretty easy to get a refresher course on the plot and importance of any previous ones.

Part 4 will be in April, so it's not that far away.

How about multi-part scenarios are only released in the months that they put out more than two. Then you could have the entire 3 or 4 part scenario to play in the same month. You would be much less likely to play other scenarios in between that way if you play them as they are released. Of course, if you are not playing the multi-parters til after all the parts have been released, then you could play the entire sequence over a single weekend.

All good points.

I rather like the idea of at least one story arc that takes place through multiplt tier ranges... almost like consequences for the involvement of the Pathfinder Society into the affairs of others. Look at it this way...

A low level group face an adversary early in their career and get lucky. But later on, those same adventuers are challenged by that adversary (or a follower, all grown up) to thwart another plot (tier 5-9). The adversary has grown in skill, but the players have some new tricks up their sleeves as well.

Josh has said that in the future, multi part scenarios are going to all come out on after another in concurrent months

Yup, what Cpt_Kirstov said.

I'll also add that Tier 12 arcs will play out in 4 scenarios over a given year since they're not dependent on leveling and I need to spread them out to keep the low-level scenarios current for players.

I'll give you some examples of tentatively scheduled arcs from June on:

June: The City of Shadows Part I & II (and no more after that)

August: "B" arc Part I & II (and no more after that)

September: "G" arc Part I
October: "G" arc Part II
November: "G" arc Part III

Feb '11: "F" arc Part I
Mar '11: "F" arc Part II
Apr '11: "F" arc Part III

and so on.

September: "G" arc Part I
October: "G" arc Part II
November: "G" arc Part III

"G" as in "Against the Giants" I fervently pray. Who can name all three in the series? Without the internet! (And include a disclaimer for the greenhorns so they don't think those are the actual PFS titles, I can see the confusion spreading already...)

"G" as in "Against the Giants" I fervently pray.

Your prayers are unanswered, I'm afraid. And the fact that you're praying for anything around this arc is amusing, but I won't share the punchline until I announce the scenarios. ;-)

Your prayers are unanswered, I'm afraid. And the fact that you're praying for anything around this arc is amusing, but I won't share the punchline until I announce the scenarios. ;-)

Is it in Rahadoum?

Doug Doug wrote:

"G" as in "Against the Giants" I fervently pray.

Your prayers are unanswered, I'm afraid. And the fact that you're praying for anything around this arc is amusing, but I won't share the punchline until I announce the scenarios. ;-)

Hm, praying not doing any good? Maybe the "g" stands for gods, as in "Against the Gods"?

Is it in Rahadoum?

That as going to be my guess.

-Skeld

Joshua J. Frost wrote:

Your prayers are unanswered, I'm afraid. And the fact that you're praying for anything around this arc is amusing, but I won't share the punchline until I announce the scenarios. ;-)

Is it in Rahadoum?

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe.

** spoiler omitted **

The beans. You have spilled them.

-skeld