I'm a little confused here. I bought the book through Paizo. I've been waiting for the pdf to become available on Paizo. I've been checking "My Downloads" on Paizo daily for it.

It seems to me that you're saying I'm either not going to get it (because I bought it through Paizo), or that I'm going to have to log into this Bytes Interactive website to get the pdf.

I think they're trying to avoid a repeat of the minor fiasco of when the Tome of Horrors Complete PDF was available to the Paizo customers before those who bought it directly from Frog God Games.

Mactaka wrote:

Dr. Johnny Fever wrote:

Chuck, out of curiosity, just how big is the Slumbering Tsar master pdf? Are we talking 200 - 300 mb? Larger?

454mb

That's a hefty file, but still oh-so-worth it. If only the link would show up. I wonder if the Bytes Interactive guy that's gonna upload this thing can feel my voodoo pins...

sorry all, i didn't read the question correctly. i didn't even know there would be a single file. the number i quoted was the sum total of all the individual pdf's 1-14.

I really like the formatting of the hardcover better than the PDFs. Having the maps appear in-line (rather than appendiced) is very nice. Also I like the grouping of monsters (there's so many, it feels like I bought a bonus Bestiary!)

Though it is a bit weird that 180 pages are spent on printing every map in the book three times. :-/

Hey, whatever, I'm satisfied. Now just to figure out how to get a group to run through this monster...

Though it is a bit weird that 180 pages are spent on printing every map in the book three times. :-/

I agree, it is weird. However, we asked the fans, and that is what they wanted, and it did not increase the cost of the book. So its utility is greatly improved, and I think it's a win for everyone. Anyway, that's why we did it as strange as it seems.

Hmm... If we subscribed via froggodgames (and got the pdfs as they were released) will we get the large compiled pdf uploaded to bytes interactive?

And the whole thing? FANTASTIC :) ~ thank you for a very fun adventure.

Hmm... If we subscribed via froggodgames (and got the pdfs as they were released) will we get the large compiled pdf uploaded to bytes interactive?

And the whole thing? FANTASTIC :) ~ thank you for a very fun adventure.

We are waiting for the Bytes Interactive, A+ Downloads person to come back from vacation so it can be uploaded. Chuck has informed us the file's been sent.

Just wanted to say it was a great idea to print the maps in the back for the simple reason of now a time pressed GM has a ton of maps to choose from and customize for a homebrewed adventure. I'm using the the tunnel map on pg. 820 tonight for a Kingmaker game to flesh out the 3rd part before the PCs get to Vordakai's tower. Saves me a lot of time!

Just got my copy (Adelaide, Australia) from Paizo (un-numbered - was late to the party).

Like several others before me I foolishly placed this on my book shelf, where it proceeded to devour my other RPG books!

Cunning sales plan Paizo/FGG, now I have to re-purchase all my rulebooks.
:)

Not sure if this was brought up anywhere but, what is the XP advancement track that is used in Slumbering Tsar?

I assume the fast track, but possibly medium?

Not sure if this was brought up anywhere but, what is the XP advancement track that is used in Slumbering Tsar?

I assume the fast track, but possibly medium?

I wondered that too, but then I realized: it's a sandbox. You choose how fast you want to go through it. Think about it, the plotpoint to "leave the Desolation" is "kill the tar dragon." How quickly do you want your PCs to get there? Fast? Medium? Slow?

It's not really required go anywhere in the Desolation at all except to gain levels and treasure. The majority of the City is also optional (though you do have to cover it in more detail than either of the other two places). You don't even have to visit the upper two-thirds of the Citadel at all if you only are pursuing the main quest.

How much do you want to "cut ahead to the good stuff" versus "savor everything Greg has written"? There's no right answer.

srd5090 wrote:

Not sure if this was brought up anywhere but, what is the XP advancement track that is used in Slumbering Tsar?

I assume the fast track, but possibly medium?

I wondered that too, but then I realized: it's a sandbox. You choose how fast you want to go through it. Think about it, the plotpoint to "leave the Desolation" is "kill the tar dragon." How quickly do you want your PCs to get there? Fast? Medium? Slow?

It's not really required go anywhere in the Desolation at all except to gain levels and treasure. The majority of the City is also optional (though you do have to cover it in more detail than either of the other two places). You don't even have to visit the upper two-thirds of the Citadel at all if you only are pursuing the main quest.

How much do you want to "cut ahead to the good stuff" versus "savor everything Greg has written"? There's no right answer.

Really, I'm more worried about the PCs xp growth outpacing the adventure. If I run it as Fast track when it was written with Medium in mind, the PCs will become more powerful earlier than maybe was intended.

My suggestion would be to go with the Slow XP progression. Then, when it feels like the right time and they do not have the appropriate level, you can just give them a story XP boost.

From another thread regarding the maps included with the hardcover, is Paizo going to make the full PDF available for download? (Do they have have it?)

In that hardcover there are player-versions of maps that would be good to handout but those versions aren't with the individual files. I could always try to use a copier machine but printing from PDFs would be better.

Once the full PDF is available on Paizo's servers, I'll send out an email notifying customers of the update.

I have a question on how to run this module.

PCs are going to die. A lot. More than there are backup NPCs to take over. How do you recommend that I handle equipment for new PCs? If I were running this in 1st ED, I just wouldn't bother with loot, but in 3rd ED, the Christmas-Tree is needed to be able to handle challenges effectively, especially at the levels this module runs at.

I'm worried that a new character who comes in and simply purchases his loot based on some sort of WBL calculation will come in with an unnatural synergy that places him as more powerful than the PCs who have been relying upon the treasure found in the module. (Which can trigger the degenerate "let's all suicide so we can loot up" mindset.)

When PC-death happens in a home game, I usually come up with a custom solution and audit loot on a case-by-case basis. However, I feel it's going to happen so often in this module that I'm going to need a "policy" to handle this sort of situation. (Sure, I'll make exceptions to the policy, but I want some sort of common starting point.)

Greg, since you designed the module deliberately with this feature, maybe you've thought through this situation already. (And you just know a lot about balancing dungeon-crawls in general.) Let me know your thoughts please!

Thanks in advance.

Posted from Disney World--
Erik I left it very open to the individual GMs to tailor to what would fit their group. In general my players just worked to have their PCs resurrected. In the cases where they did not and did not use the NPCs provided, I let them roll up a new PC one level lower than the party and equip them as normal. This was not overly pleasing to my players, so they avoided the temptation to do the suicide strategy as you mentioned. If I had gotten the sense that they were trying to abuse the situation, I would have either limited starting equipment (which I did in the case of one PC who was a rescued captive) or destroyed the deceased PC's equipment (which I also did in one case involving an elder black pudding).

When/if I'm ever able to run this, I will probably have my PC's new characters be able to get a couple basic items fitting their class, then have them roll randomly for the rest. My group has an unhealthy love for random tables though..

After a bit of confusion I have my hard copy, signed and numbered, and it's fantastic. I couldn't be happier and I'm hopefully going to start running it soon.

(insert advertisement for potential Redmond, WA peoples interested in some deadly gaming)

I'm not completely satisfied with my plan for dropping the adventure into Golarion. I'm hoping some of you awesome people will be able to give me ideas (either modifications to what I've got below or wholly new suggestions) to make my brain meats less hurty.

Currently the best I've thought of is several hundred (or more) years before the current setting books, in north-eastern Varisia. I'd basically plop Bard's Gate over Kaer Maga and have Tsar be in the Cinderlands, near the Wyvern Mountains. The Forest of Hope would replace one of the other forests, Ashewood or Sanos Forest. The change in time gets me some leeway for changing and removing settlements and trade routes, and allows worship of Aroden (something I've always thought would be one of the neatest parts of a historical Golarion game).

Speaking of the pantheon, I'd replace Iomedae with Muir, remove Urgathoa so that Orcus can rule as lord of the undead, and add Thyr as an ally of Aroden, Abadar, and Muir.

I want to get straight to The Camp and the bulk of the adventure, so I'm going to start at level 7 and give the players WBL (with some restrictions) to equip their characters.

Again, ideas would be awesome. I'd also be interested to hear what other GMs are doing for putting this campaign in Golarion or any other world.

After a bit of confusion I have my hard copy, signed and numbered, and it's fantastic. I couldn't be happier and I'm hopefully going to start running it soon.

(insert advertisement for potential Redmond, WA peoples interested in some deadly gaming)

I'm not completely satisfied with my plan for dropping the adventure into Golarion. I'm hoping some of you awesome people will be able to give me ideas (either modifications to what I've got below or wholly new suggestions) to make my brain meats less hurty.

Currently the best I've thought of is several hundred (or more) years before the current setting books, in north-eastern Varisia. I'd basically plop Bard's Gate over Kaer Maga and have Tsar be in the Cinderlands, near the Wyvern Mountains. The Forest of Hope would replace one of the other forests, Ashewood or Sanos Forest. The change in time gets me some leeway for changing and removing settlements and trade routes, and allows worship of Aroden (something I've always thought would be one of the neatest parts of a historical Golarion game).

Speaking of the pantheon, I'd replace Iomedae with Muir, remove Urgathoa so that Orcus can rule as lord of the undead, and add Thyr as an ally of Aroden, Abadar, and Muir.

I want to get straight to The Camp and the bulk of the adventure, so I'm going to start at level 7 and give the players WBL (with some restrictions) to equip their characters.

Again, ideas would be awesome. I'd also be interested to hear what other GMs are doing for putting this campaign in Golarion or any other world.

I do not know where it would fit best but when I was running a Necroworld themed game I stuck it just above the Malgorian Mountains in Varisia. I stuck Tomb of Abysthor in the Fogscar Mountains and Rappan Athuk in the Sanos forest.

I substituted Reme for Magnimar and Fairhill for Sandpoint. I just added Bards Gate along the Yondabakari River.

I want to get straight to The Camp and the bulk of the adventure, so I'm going to start at level 7 and give the players WBL (with some restrictions) to equip their characters.

Again, ideas would be awesome. I'd also be interested to hear what other GMs are doing for putting this campaign in Golarion or any other world.

I would suggest doing WBL and NOT giving them restrictions. (Although what I'm doing from a story perspective is to have them have "found" the items they want in their previous adventuring life rather than being able to purchase.) This adventure is a meat grinder as it is - I'd recommend letting them start with what they want (as it's not likely to help anyway :) ).

As for what I'm doing, I'm simply using the Necro World (based on Tsar's intro and the Bard's Gate sourcebook). Fitting it into Golarion is a square peg in a round hole for me. I'm also using the Tsar/Bard's Gate pantheon instead of the Golarion one.

I placed Bard's Gate at the far eastern edge of Taldor and placed the camp, the Desolation and Slumbering Tsar just off the map. I set it roughly during the time that Iomedae was running the war against the Whispering Tyrant and the two front war is partially the cause of the troubles the Army of Light had in the Desolation. I set Thyr and Muir as gods with an eastern influence, Bard's Gate being the farthest west they were worshipped, and I had them as allies of Aroden. When Iomedae became a goddess and Aroden died, Thyr and Muir faded into the background with few worshippers as Iomedae gained in influence across Golarion.

Others have suggested placing the Desolation in the Worldwound.

Basically any reasonable explanation works. It's your world. You can change it as you see fit.

I placed Bard's Gate at the far eastern edge of Taldor and placed the camp, the Desolation and Slumbering Tsar just off the map. I set it roughly during the time that Iomedae was running the war against the Whispering Tyrant and the two front war is partially the cause of the troubles the Army of Light had in the Desolation. I set Thyr and Muir as gods with an eastern influence, Bard's Gate being the farthest west they were worshipped, and I had them as allies of Aroden. When Iomedae became a goddess and Aroden died, Thyr and Muir faded into the background with few worshippers as Iomedae gained in influence across Golarion.

Others have suggested placing the Desolation in the Worldwound.

Basically any reasonable explanation works. It's your world. You can change it as you see fit.

This is more or less what I have done with a few changes.

I hope this is useful. I appreciate the creative effort to place the Necro world in Golarion and look forward to more of these efforts.

Cheers!

Tried to find answers within this thread but tbh, it was filled with too much chatter and it was a case of TLDR past the first 150 posts.

My question is- how well goes this adventure path fit into Golarion, if at all.

My second question is- if you're not a big fan of Orcus, how feasible is it to replace him with another deity?

My third question is- is the 15th chapter essential to bring the campaign to climax or is it more of a "bonus" section, fun but not necessary?

Thanks in advance.

1 - People are fitting the adventure into the Golarion setting, some have expressed that it isn't too difficult and there are suggestions in a few threads that talk about what gods equate to other gods.

2 - Shouldn't be hard at all to replace Orcus with another evil being of great power. The only thing in the adventure that would be specifically tied to Orcus would the level that takes place in the "Wand of Orcus" in the enormous statue-dungeon-building. Any staff, rod, weapon or whatnot could substitute that level out. (The Mace of Flapdoodle, the Staff of Belkor, The Pommel of Pazuzu).

3 - The 15th chapter is a teaser chapter to the adventure "Sword of Air". It's not even intended to be played by the characters who made their way through The Slumbering Tsar Saga, but with fresh, low-level characters.

Thanks for the prompt responses Chuck. I'll likely be purchasing this book then, before my senses kick in and remind me I have too many games already.

A further question- i've read the first chapter is suitable for 4 to 6 players. What number of characters and point buy does the Saga assume? 15 point buy and 4 characters?

The saga assumes characters rolled up with 4d6 and the lowest dropped (obviously very swingy, and a 15-pt. buy should be no problem). It works equally well with 4 or 6 PCs, but it'll be really tough if there are only 4.

Would five PC's on 20 point buy be a pretty reasonable compromise?

Do encounters tailor to the number of players at all?

Question for Greg: I'm about to start running ST in 3 hours. I don't think they will get there, but how are the characters expected to traverse the Chaos Rift?

I know there is a certain spot for going to the bottom, but all the other varying depths are a hard distance to reach on the 'y-axis'.

Am i missing something?

Here some help

There might be a few other ways but that was on the top of my head.

Here some help

** spoiler omitted **

There might be a few other ways but that was on the top of my head.

Hm.

Question for Greg: I'm about to start running ST in 3 hours. I don't think they will get there, but how are the characters expected to traverse the Chaos Rift?

I know there is a certain spot for going to the bottom, but all the other varying depths are a hard distance to reach on the 'y-axis'.

Am i missing something?

It's no cake walk. By that level I expect PCs will be able to climb and/or fly reasonably well (my guys did a lot of group feather falls) and, if not, have the resources for building to achieve those proficiencies. The Chaos Rift is as much an environmental hazard as it is a number of encounter areas.

Would five PC's on 20 point buy be a pretty reasonable compromise?

Do encounters tailor to the number of players at all?

The CRs of the individual encounters are accurate, which are based off of parties of 4 I believe, so they should give you an idea of what your group with 5 can generally handle.

Honestly depending on how you want to run it, I think you can do as many or as few PCs as you want. My group ran from 5-6 PCs (most of the time) to as many as 14 PCs for parts of it, and it remained challenging throughout simply by adjusting my style and (sometimes) encounters to fit the group dynamic (14 PCs slowed things down really badly, though, so I don't recommend it).

I'm angling my questions so I can avoid having to modify encounters too much basically, i'll be running it via PbP if I do so and I want to keep my prep time minimal so my existing games don't suffer too much.

Seeing as the product has such a brutal reputation, suspect 4/5 PC's on 20 point buy should be ok.

I would think so. I always give the "modify to taste caveat" because groups and GMs run things differently, and one guy's cake walk is another guy's death trap. But, yeah, I think you'd generally be okay at that range. I hope you have fun with it. :-)

I've purchased the .pdf's- i'll be recruiting for the game in a month or three on these forums I expect, assuming my uni schedule is as light as I hope it is. I'll let you know how it plays out in PbP if I do find the time :).

Just finished my first session of GMing Slumbering Tsar. A staggering 8 hours of gameplay.

Suffice to say, a lot of fun for everyone so far!

Any news on when the compiled PDF will be available?

Any news on when the compiled PDF will be available?

For FGG purchasers, it is. I just logged into my existing account and found it.

If you bought it from God Frog Games it is already available at A+ interactive.

I don't know if you bought it from Paizo.

I had planned to run a different module/campaign setting for me Wednesday gamers. However, I might ask if they will consider tackling this monstrosity. That will keep us going for a couple of years.

Looking forward to starting this on Sunday!

Thanks for the replies Anguish and Shem, but yeah - I got it from Paizo.

Just made sense for me due to shipping with my AP sub (saving money), and the original discounted price (saving money).

With 20/20 hindsight, and knowing what I know now, I could have just got it with my Rappan Athuk kickstarter pledge (for cheaper).

Not that I am dissatisfied with Paizo mind you.

But yes - My original question relates to when the compiled PDF will be available via Paizo.

Seems a long delay as I understand the people who purchased from FGG have had access to it for some time now.

Frog God subscribers have had access to the individual chapters for a while, but not the compiled book pdf. That only became available last week.

Frog God subscribers have had access to the individual chapters for a while, but not the compiled book pdf. That only became available last week.

'

A week can seem like an eternity to a fan. =)

Shouldn't be hard at all to replace Orcus with another evil being of great power.

Shouldn't be... but why would you tempt the ire of the great one with such blasphemy?

Chuck Wright wrote:

Shouldn't be hard at all to replace Orcus with another evil being of great power.

Shouldn't be... but why would you tempt the ire of the great one with such blasphemy?

That's his problem, not mine.

:D

I just don't understand how the pdf still isn't available here if it has been available for a week at other places. We paid for it the same as any other group of people.

That's the difficulty of buying one companies product through another companies storefront.

I agree. It also makes the company that does not provide the material to the other company look bad.