The initial volume of the Against the Aeon Throne Adventure Path releases this month, marking several changes to the Starfinder Adventure Path format, some permanent, some more experimental. Firstly, as many of you know by now, Starfinder Adventure Path is becoming a monthly product! We'll be delivering new adventures, new articles, and new creatures to you every 30 days or so until someone makes us stop. Heck, it's worked pretty well for Pathfinder all these years, so I think we'll probably be fine. We have a lot of exciting campaigns and stories that we want to share with you, so we hope you'll join us for this journey among the stars.
Illustration by David Melvin
Secondly is our exploration of a shorter campaign length. Both Against the Aeon Throne and the following Adventure Path, Signal of Screams, are presented in just three volumes, giving groups a chance for a somewhat extended experience in the Starfinder universe without having to commit to a full six-volume campaign, which can usually take at least a year to play. When we decided to double our production of adventures, we also thought the change would be a good opportunity to experiment a bit with the format. And the plots and themes we wanted to work with at the time seemed to lend themselves to shorter arcs. Thus, the three-volume campaign was born!
These shorter campaigns let us explore a slightly more focused narrative, much in the same way a Pathfinder Module tells a complete, self-contained story. We can really hit the most important plot points with big, splashy encounters and not have to worry about sustaining that level of energy over six adventures. While the six-volume campaign is great for telling epic, sweeping tales, these shorter adventures allow us delve into moments that might affect the characters on a more personal level. However, that doesn't mean the fate of the galaxy won't be at stake!
That isn't all we're trying out over the next several months. While the beginning of Against the Aeon Throne is for new 1st-level characters, the first adventure of Signal of Screams is for 7th-level characters. This will mark the first time an Adventure Path won't begin at 1st level! That being said, if your group isn't comfortable with starting at 7th level, then we made sure that the two Adventure Paths dovetail nicely into one another. Once you've finished with Against the Aeon Throne, you can transition right into Signal of Screams. Sure, there will be a slight change of tone in the adventures, but if your group doesn't mind the shift, then you should go for it!
Illustration by Mark Molnar
As these adventures get released, we are very interested in hearing your feedback about the changes. How do you like the three-volume format? Are six-volume Adventure Paths too long for your group? Would you like to see more content that starts at higher levels? Or do you prefer the dangerous thrill of those first few levels? Let us know!
And don't worry, the Starfinder Adventure Path line returns to the usual six-volume campaign in February of 2019 with Dawn of Flame!
Jason Keeley
Developer
