GMing Season 8 quest, Honor's echo

[VampByDay]

So I decided to prep the Honor's Echo quest line, for pathfinder society. My area has quite a few newcomers and I thought it would be good for an introduction, but man, there are some problems.

First off, several of the reviews online are right, a party of four pregens with no extra equipment vs a level 3 Druid, her animal companion with 3 attacks a round, and another guy thrown in the mix is just CRUSHING. Plus that Giant scorpion in the third quest is nothing to sneeze at either. When I played it he dropped Me (playing Oloch, the only healer) in one hit and the GM even forgot about the poison.

Any suggestions on how to make this not so punishing on new players?

P.S. anyone else notice that if anyone who's not LG so much as picks up the sword, they instantly die? Oops!

[GreySector]

See Tonya's post about first level characters and negative levels bestowed by intelligent items.

[VampByDay]

Michael Eshleman wrote:

See Tonya's post about first level characters and negative levels bestowed by intelligent items.

That takes care of one part, but not the others. Ideas?

[Disk Elemental]

What's there to resolve?

That quest, as written, is obscenely deadly.

If you want to pull your punches, have the animal fight defensively (for -4 to hit), or move around so as to never get a full attack.

[Douglas MacIntyre]

maybe ensure the players know they can carry the reward items around and use them to keep alive?

"As the PCs play though quests, they gain resources and allies that can assist them in future quests. At the beginning of each adventure, check each PC’s Chronicle sheet and use the GM Reference Sheet on page 41 to determine what the PCs have acquired. As long as at least one PC has an Evidence or Resource box checked, all PCs gain its benefit."

[Douglas MacIntyre]

we found the catacombs burst damage to be the worst of these... down and blasted is really tough!

[VampByDay]

Hey, I'm back with another question. I'll be GMing Honor's Echo quite a few times in the next month or so. We all know how nasty it can be, so I was wondering if I could get some help maybe making it not horrendous for newer players.

What Pregens PCs are best to run this? That way I might reccomend (NOT FORCE) PCs to try some pregens that give them the best fighting chance.

Seems like Seelah has a good AC, HP, and to hit. Kyra and has a good Diplomacy score, is always good, Quinn can find traps and make knowledge checks (and identify potions) . . Anything else? Crowe has a surprisingly good AC when not raging? Lem's bardsong makes everyone better. Hakkon?

Any other suggestions?

[VampByDay]

Reading through the quest again, it seems like this is what's needed:

A couple of really tough, high-AC people for the nastier fights. Seelah, the cavalier? Hayato?

Most certainly a healer. Kyra seems the best at level 1.

Really good Diplomacy. Lem? Who has the best Diplomacy among the level 1 pregens?

"Blade" requires people to either cover a lot of ground quickly or do something else to get the scorpion's attention. Plus the absurd DC 25 survival. The hunter could pew pee at ranged, cover this role, and her wolf could do well in the other combats?

Also, after 'Blade,' do the PCs get to keep the sword until the end of the quests?

[William Ronald]

Has there been any ruling if people can use their own first level characters for Honor's Echo or are 1st level pregens the only allowable characters?

[Terminalmancer]

Yes. You can play your own characters. See:

https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo5lk35?Monthly-Roundup