Getting started with Kingmaker


Kingmaker


I discovered Kingmaker yesterday morning thanks to a recommendation on Enworld. I looked it up, spent literally several hours going through the tons and tons of community support that has developed for it, and fell deeply in geek love with what I saw.

The next step is figuring out exactly what I need to really get started. I quickly had $150 worth of stuff in my shopping cart (thanks to non-mint sales on some things and pdfs on others, otherwise it would have topped $200), and decided that $150 was waaaay too much to spend on a product I haven't even started running yet.

So, I ask of those who have run it successfully, what do I really need? Obviously, the first module, The Stolen Lands. And the map folio looks to be indispensable. While ordering those, I went ahead and got the second module as well to save on shipping and also to help me know some of the upcoming things that I should try to foreshadow while running the first module. So those are what I have already ordered. But what else is worth spending the coin of an already sadly-depleted wallet?

Items I've considered, and decided to let wait for at least a while are:

- Kingmaker Part 3: The Varnhold Vanishing
- Kingmaker Part 4: Blood for Blood
- Kingmaker Part 5: War of the River Kings
- Kingmaker Part 6: Sound of a Thousand Screams
- Book of Friends and Foes: Assassins in the River Nations
- Book of Beasts: Monsters of the River Nations
- Pathfinder Chonicles: Guide to the River Kingdoms
- Book of River Nations: Complete Player's Reference for Kingdom Building
- Pathfinder Paper Minis - Kingmaker Adventure Path Part 1: "Stolen Land"
- Pathfinder Paper Minis - Kingmaker Adventure Path Part 2: "Rivers Run Red"
- Pathfinder Paper Minis - Kingmaker Adventure Path Part 1: "The Varnhold Vanishing"

How strongly would you recommend getting parts 3-6 before running part 1 in order to avoid creating conflicts and also in order to facilitate foreshadowing of future events? I guess it kind of depends on how flexible they are when it comes to avoiding conflicts. I've read that they are deliberately vague in some areas for that reason. It also depends on how many major things get tacked on without previous mention, like Nyrissa. If it's just a few, then I can probably glean enough info from forums to foreshadow it without even understanding quite what it is I'm foreshadowing. If it's a bunch, then I should get them and read the whole set before starting part 1.

Have you found any of those other supplements to be indispensable to running a good Kingmaker?

Are there any important ones I've missed?

Thanks!
Marshall


I'd say first get #1 and #2. #1 because of neccessity, and #2 because that's the one where the Kingdom rules are introduced, which is what the Adventure Path is ultimately all about.

Eveything else is really strictly optional.


How much you need to get now is really up to you imho. Personally, if you already have a group (or are preparing one that is just about ready to go), I would say get volumes 3-6 just so that you know a) where everything is going and b) what things you might want to change and thus, possibly need to foreshadow. However, I also think that you can likely get by with just PDF copies, particularly if your play area supports either a laptop or tablet. You can always print out individual pages that need to be handed to the players.

If; however, you are merely attracted to Kingmaker, but don't have a group ready to go or have even started trying to get one organized, or need to wait to finish the current campaign, etc. then truly everything after #2 is completely optional for now. After all, why buy 6 volumes when you might not actually get the group to use them?

In any event, I would say that everything but the 6 adventures that make up the path is absolutely optional. The path should be able to run just fine without all the extras. The extras are like the sprinkles on top of the cupcake. They might make it a little prettier, but its still a cupcake without the sprinkles.


Parts 3-6 are really useful for improved foreshadowing, I think. But you can probably get by with PDFs.


Let's keep it simple:

YES wrote:
- Kingmaker part 1-2
MAYBE (later) wrote:
- Map folio
NO (coz on budget) wrote:

- Kingmaker Part 3: The Varnhold Vanishing

- Kingmaker Part 4: Blood for Blood
- Kingmaker Part 5: War of the River Kings
- Kingmaker Part 6: Sound of a Thousand Screams
- Book of Friends and Foes: Assassins in the River Nations
- Book of Beasts: Monsters of the River Nations
- Pathfinder Chonicles: Guide to the River Kingdoms
- Book of River Nations: Complete Player's Reference for Kingdom Building
- Pathfinder Paper Minis - Kingmaker Adventure Path Part 1: "Stolen Land"
- Pathfinder Paper Minis - Kingmaker Adventure Path Part 2: "Rivers Run Red"
- Pathfinder Paper Minis - Kingmaker Adventure Path Part 1: "The Varnhold Vanishing"

I myself got by perfectly with the 6 parts, and the map folio because it was nice to use. Speaking of which, if you're really looking not to spend too much money, get the PDF and print them out yourself. Sure you'll lose on the colour, but it's cheaper. Then, after running KM for more than 4 years (still not finished btw :p), you can buy the books as a memento.

All those other things: nice, but definitely not must-haves.

Scarab Sages

I recommend in order:

-Map Folio of the Stolen Lands
-Books 1-6

Prior to UCam coming out, I would have said that JBE's BoRN: kingdom building was essential. It is still very excellent material, but less useful since the rules have changed now somewhat. Definitely use this or Ultimate Campaign to guide your Kingdom Building.

Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to the River Kingdoms

Other material that I found extremely useful:

- Kingmaker Forums here. There are numerous add-on material, extra events, side adventures, expansions of existing encounter, etc here, enough to overwhelm you. Pick and choose and they appeal to you. I hesitate to name names in fear of leaving anyone out.

-Module: Realm of the Fellnight Queen. This module really belongs in the Kingmaker campaign IMHO.

If you go heavy on the politics, I recommend any of the Song of Ice and Fire adventures from Green Ronin at a minimum for idea mining. I had great success running Wedding Knight as a prequel for my players.

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