I ran this tonight as part of an ongoing arc of The Devil We Know run for my local PFS game night. We've played them all in a row and will finish off with Pt IV next week.
Unlike some other posters here, I know how to use Some PDF Image Extractor and so I showed up with a large blown up map of Cassomir with its map key stripped off the map (along with blown up maps of all the other levels too), trimmed and taped together at 1"=1" scale.
Yes, the module should have provided this to you without having to jump through those hoops -- but it wasn't a big deal to extract the map file without the key and get it printed off for the players. An oversize map makes the puzzle aspect of the module play more smoothly, too. (Recommended: Extract the map using Some PDF Image Extractor, resample the dpi of the image to 300 in GIMP, resize and print off using legal size paper using the 2x2 poster print option. Carefully trim and tape together the 4 quadrants of the map for the best results.)
Together with the handouts, the whole puzzle experience in the module was great. Awesome, even. I would go so far as to say that this is the best puzzle based PFS scenario published as of this review. (Some may prefer the more tournament style mod in Rebel's Ransom - but I think Crypt of Fools is a better overall experience.)
I can well see how for some groups, the puzzle aspect of the module could go wrong and could prove to be ugly. It really does depend on the group you are running it for. But my PFS players were into it and they absolutely loved it.
Other Points
The Crazed Painter is an awesome NPC and was a lot of fun to roleplay.
The combats were actually nicely balanced for my party of 3 x 1st level and 2 x 2nd level PCs. Even still, the final boss was dangerous and downed one fighter and almost downed the Barbarian, too. It was touch and go in just the right amounts to be a perfect boss fight at low tier.
The maps were interesting and the combat they produced was varied. It might not have been perfect, but for a PFS module? Damned fine.
There were some connectivity issues which I filed down a bit and added some putty to do some bodywork and smooth over the connections between the modules. I think I did this reasonably well and my players seem pleased with the results.
There is no question in my mind that this module was the strongest in the four part Devil We Know arc and I will be VERY happy to run this module again. To date, easily the best PFS Scenario I've run or played in.
I did not parse the Chronicle sheet carefully for rewards and if Doug Doug has some problems with that, I won't disagree with him.
Still, the overall balance between RP, Puzzles and Combat was perfectly struck. We played the module to its conclusion in 3.5 hours and all the players were VERY pleased with the module and enjoyed it immensely.
I do object to the second Andor Faction mission which will tend to spoil the overall campaign arc feel to the module series if you allow it to have in-game effect. I permitted the faction mission to succeed and then advised the players of what was going on anyway as I think the overall player experience is more important. (They can divorce that information from their PC's minds if required). I was really not a fan of this faction mission. One of the worst I've seen outside a Season 0 mod in terms of its potential effect on the enjoyment of the overall story of the module.
End Result:Crypt of Fools is just a DAMNED fine module. I would award it only 4.5 stars if the ratings allowed me to do so, but voting low and going with 4 stars seemed to be a bit parsimonious, especially in light of some of the other reviews' too low scores for this great PFS scenario.
I ran this twice at Gencon 2011 and have mixed feelings on the module overall.
Both times that I ran Sewer Dragons, it was at the higher tier. In both cases, the players at my table were all experienced and nobody was playing a pre-gen. Most PCs were at level 7 (two were at level 8). If you have ever run a PFS scenario for level 7 at Gencon, you will know that not having a single pre-gen at the table is a rather rare occurrence. To have it happen twice in a row was very unusual. I think the module suffered for it, especially with a table of six.
The reason for this is straightforward: with a table of six experienced Pathfinders at level 7 (or 8), the combat throughout the module was not challenging at all. Worse, the combat was not terribly interesting, either. The sole exception to this was when a PC fell down the chute and found himself fighting a pair of Otyughs in the dark on his own until the rest of the party could come to his assistance. In both cases, the victims of the chute had high ACs, so they were easily able to stand against the pair of Otyughs without too much trouble. Had a relatively low AC character fallen down the chute instead, matters may well have gone otherwise.
Had the module been played at a higher tier with half the table playing pre-gens, it might be that the combat in the module might have had a very different feel. However, against a table of 6 experienced players who knew their level 7 characters’ capabilities well – the PCs just steamrolled through the opposition without even breaking a sweat.
On the plus side, the roleplaying elements in the module are uniformly excellent and these encounters are the greatest strength of the module. The first major encounter with Creeley Greeves may be solved by either combat or roleplaying and I thought this provided a nice balance to the module, overall. The surveillance part of the module which leads to the first roleplaying encounter at the Opera House with the King’s daughter, Yiddlepode, had a nice “vibe” to it and i would recommend that GMs play up on this “sneaky-Pete” element of the mod to provide the rogue a chance to shine. The roleplaying possibilities with the King and later Yiddlepode in the Epilogue were also very entertaining. Big thumbs up for these encounters as I love doing Kobold voices! The players clearly enjoyed all of these encounters.
My expectation is that the combat in the module will play much better at lower tier than it does at the higher tier. I would guess that the combat elements in the module were developed primarily with the lower tier in mind; Kobolds are obviously better foes for lower level characters. Many PFS scenarios play better at certain tiers than they do at others -- and my hope is that this module is no exception to that rule.
As I enjoyed the roleplaying aspects of the module so much, I will certainly run this module again for a lower tier group and update my review at that time. With a table of four or five PCs at level 3-4, this might prove to be a great module.
I am very encouraged by the comments from the other reviewers (so far) who have each suggested the combat in the module was deadly at lower tier. A great combat challenge with the great roleplaying opportunites the module already provides could EASILY make this a five-star module. As it stands, I can't go there (yet) based on the combat at higher-tier for all of the reasons stated above.
I would happily play one of Ogre's modules again and I look forward to the next chance to do so.
Dungeons of Golarion is a rare product in the Campaign/Chronicles setting sourcebook line, in that it truly has something for every GM.
The book presents six encounter locations featuring dungeons, each with a sample map, an overall suggested larger layout for the dungeon complex, a detailed history of the site, and discussion of thematic monsters and encounters. The large overview maps of the "mega-dungeon" allow you as the GM to fill in those details by adding/plugging in your own dungeons/maps of your own design (or from another adventure product). The result is a hybrid of official and custom material -- all while keeping the adventure site on theme and in accordance with the overall "official layout" of the overall larger dungeon layout.
While the locations can be adapted for any homebrew campaign, the locations presented within Dungeons of Golarion will also be of use to those running many of Paizo's APs due to their locations and themes. Not to be left out, those who have home brewed campaigns featuring the City of Absalom (which lies at the hub of Pathfinder Society play), there is a dungeon locale near the Great City as well.
The product tries to walk a thin line between providing official material and inspiration for dungeons within Golarion, complete with maps and suggested layouts, while at the same time providing adventure hooks and oodles of elbow room for homebrew GMs to add adventures of their own choosing, unfettered by the design constraints of others.
For the most part, Dungeons of Golarion succeeds in achieving that goal and executes on the product theme almost flawlessly.
If you run a homebrew Pathfinder campaign, I urge you to run (not walk) -- but RUN -- to your local FLGS and purchase Dungeons of Golarion. Outside of the hardcovers published by Paizo and Golarion, this is the best soft cover non-AP product that Paizo has yet produced for Pathfinder GMs. I expect to see this product nominated for an Ennie in 2012.
Verdict: Pathfinder GMs should buy this 64 page book without hesitation, confident that at some point (or indeed, many points) in the future that the book will provide their campaigns with a box of variable size into which the GM may pour their own sand and just PLAY. The result is the best GM focussed, non-AP product that Paizo has yet released. You want this book - go buy it.
Rating: ****1/2 stars
Reviewer: Steel_Wind Co-Host of Chronicles: Pathfinder Podcast on d20 Radio
Please note that Realm of the Fellnight Queen is the feature module reviewed in Episode #011 of Chronicles:Pathfinder Podcast. The podcast recommends some changes to the module, as well as one very significant restoration to the original module submission which, in the opinion of the podcast hosts, is absolutely vital to successfully running Realm of the Fellnight Queen.
In addition to the review, a Web-extra .pdf featuring the two Paizo Blog posts from March of 2010 and a never released random encounter table for the Fellnight Realm will be released a few days after the podcast on D20 Radio . The .pdf also features three new encounters and monsters in the basement of Queen Rhoswen's palace, complete with three new monsters.
Okay so here's the thing: there are a lot of purchases of GenCon related gear that you might make in your lifetime. Hats, T-Shirts, Coffee Mugs. Even a courier bag, hoodie or backpack.
I'm sure all of those items might be cool; handy even.
But none of them beat the sheer utility and convenience of the Gencon Badge holder. I've had mine for 7 years now. And it was totally worth the money at $10. Why? Because for five days of every year, the Gencon badge holder becomes the single most useful item in the world that you own. As a badge holder, it's flawless. In fact, just wearing one instantly shows that you are at least a mid-level Gencon attendee and deserving of some respect -- if not deference. The badge never twists around and it always faces the correct way. You never have to "show" your badge while wearing one of these. It works perfectly as a badge holder. Con staff never hassle you to "show your badge" when you are wearing one of these.
But that's not the real point. The real utility of the badge holder is its function as a wallet. August in Indy is hot and shorts tend not to be the best place to keep your money, hotel key card and other credit cards securely if you want to actually...KEEP those things. I spend enough money at Gencon without adding "lost money" to the reasons I go home with less of it. The pockets in a pair of shorts are often suspect and there is always a concern that your money is not remaining in your pocketses as you hastily reach for cash in a packed Exhibit Hall.
The Gencon Badge Holder solves all of this at a stroke. The badge holder is, in fact, a wallet that hangs around your neck. You can't lose it -- and your money is always where you know where it is. And it carries your badge in style.
They sell these things at the Con for $10. At $3.95, it's a steal. Totally useful, this minor piece of essential gaming gear will last you AT LEAST a decade of Gencons. That's 40 cents per Gencon. 8-10 cents per day of Gencon.
You can't buy a single damn thing as useful as this for 8 cents a day.
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