Dully noted. Having only just recently finished Book I and a few pages into Book II, I'll see what the most likely outcome is and readjust the XP totals for just AV alone and possibly with OT mixed in.
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If your XP list is correct, clearing all combat encounters will award far too much XP to keep the characters in the 1-10th, attaining 11th after the AP is complete level range. Completing all the side quest grants an additional 650 XP, granted the chances of that happening are slim as some quest assume the players do not attack on sight or kill a creature before it can surrender to give its quest but that will still award them close to half a level. Chp - XP
02 - 1220 03 - 1580 04 - 1100 05 - 1220 06 - 1300 07 - 1140 08 - 2280 09 - 3040 10 - 1100 Total = 15,080 Side Quest = 650 100% = 15730 Normal Progression = 15th lvl Slow Progression = 13th lvl Possibly adjusting the Slow Progression to Slower Progression at 1300 XP per level, and assuming the group will not complete all the side quest, this will put a group of four at 11th lvl, halfway to 12th. This does not address that there is not enough XP in the beginning to keep up. Possible increase side quest XP rewards for first chapter. Adding Troubles in Otari. Chapter 1 Lvl 2
Total = 1030 Chapter 2 Lvl 3
Total = 1040 Chapter 3 Lvl 4
Total = 1000 All Chapters Total = 3070 This assumes introducing quest when the party attains the appropriate level and is back in town. Each of these chapters provides enough XP at the Average Progression. Combining them with their respective chapters to level in AV, far too much XP even at the Slow and Slower Progression. Dividing the XP awards in half during these portions would not award enough XP at the Slower Progression. Possibly Divide all XP in respective AV and OT chapters then increase Story XP Awards after each TO chapter. AV Chp2 1220 + OT Chp 1 1030 = 2250/2 = 1125
AV Chp3 1580 + OT Chp 2 1040 = 2620/2 = 1310
AV Chp 4 1100 + TO Chp 3 1000 = 2100/2 = 1050
This is without taking into consideration any side quest completed in AV at this point, which equal 240 XP. If side quest in AV is completed, remove equivalent XP from corresponding chapter. Easiest solution, Milestone leveling. Adding as much content as you would like. The extra treasure in coin, magical gear, the story and experiencing the adventures themselves should be reward enough. I was hoping to use XP, as I wanted to see how playing P2e without Milestones would be like. With this, I feel I will have to adjust so much and that defeats the purpose. All the above work (which I really hope is correct) also does not address that I usually have 6 players. This would grant them even more XP per encounter when I adjust them. If I have 5 players I will usually leave them alone, though if all 6 are present I will adjust them for either 5 or 6 depending on how Under/Over budget I am. Hazards I leave alone as I have no clue how to adjust them for larger groups and is probably something that does not need adjusting.
I personally am going to go with a mix depending on the state of the windows. Any window not stated as broken requires an Athletics check to open without breaking it. B10, B13 windows are broken. No shutters. B14 is cracked and missing a few panes of glass. Broken shutters/missing shutters. D5 has two windows to the east missing panes of glass. Mostly broken shutters. A6 states that you can see a figure in the windows of C12. Two windows missing shutters. The inside cover maps only shows one X, though you can see some windows appear broken. C5 and C7 appear this way though the room descriptions do not state this.
I just finished reading Malevolence this afternoon and I'm really looking forward to running this. As I was reading it, I was already going over in my head how I would present some situations and encounters. I need to go through all my pawns and miniatures to set aside for this adventure, though I have plenty of time as my group is still in Chapter 1 of The Slithering. One thing Im considering is if I should present my players with a sort of mini Player's Guide. I always give them the initial set up for any adventure, especially if they're making new characters that are starting at higher levels. We finish Age of Ashes, then did Plaguestone which was easy enough as that starts at 1st, but with The Slithering, I gave them some background on things they might have been doing previously before the adventure started and where they were headed and a vague why they were headed there. I plan on doing the same with Malevolence but I'm also wondering if I should include some suggestions on Skills, especially specific Lores. It's a given that a group should try and cover their bases on Arcane, Religion, Occult, Nature and Society. I'm debating on suggesting Art Lore, Astronomy Lore, Desna Lore, Library Lore, Pharasma Lore, and Psychopomp Lore. Thoughts? The only thing that stood out to me about the adventure itself, the fight with the Undead Brain Collector in D6. That is a very small areas for a Large Creature and 4-6 adventurers. I wasn't exactly sure where it would be sitting there waiting. At the top of the stairs would be a bit cruel for others to try and force their way to get into the room.
I'm aware, and from what I've seen in the past, usually those collections are out by the time Book III or IV are out, but at the moment, there isn't even an option to preorder SoT Pawn Collection.
I keep checking to see when the SoT Pawn Collection will be up for pre order. I figured once FotRP Pawn Collection came out, it would be announced but still nothing. Any news on when or is this the end of the pawn collections?
Like you and yours, my group wasn't new to P2e when I ran it for them. I believe we were on Book IV of AoA (we recently finished and I'm currently working on a quasi review/highlights of our favorite and least favorite parts) and one of the players was out of state for two weeks and I decided to run that so they didn't miss too much. It was a simple but fun adventure. Fairly fast paced. For others wanting to run it and you know you'll be sticking with P2e,I recommend getting Troubles in Otari and Abomination Vaults (at least the first book) as it gives a lot more detail on the town and you can get them to really know it and the other townsfolk. If you run Abomination Vaults after Menace and Troubles you can have those characters be other Adventures the new ones see and hear about and be possible replacements when they reach those levels or higher. That was my idea at least when I was going to run AV. While most of the group was excited to play through a mega-dungeon, one or two expressed their dislike of them and when I mentioned I would be willing to run Strength of Thousands instead they all seemed interested, except one. They're still interested but we're looking forward to a huge dungeon.
Thank you. I was sure it worked from abilities with any of the magical tradition traits but at the same time didn't make that much sense, since they weren't really spell-like abilities from past versions of ttrpgs.
Does Spell Devour consume and heal from abilities like a Dragons Breath Weapon or damaging auras?
I recommend a Champion. There is some stuff later on that just hits really hard and any sort of mitigation goes a long way on keeping the group alive.
Ever since P2E and AoA came out I told my group that I probably was not going to allow other books that release to be used as this AP was not written with those books in mind and wanted to maintain balance. With the release of APG I'm starting to wonder if I'm being too strict and possibly killing any excitement that they could have for new material knowing I won't allow it. I had told them that after this AP I was going to open it up to everything that had come out up to that point. We are currently on Book IV and while they are having a tough time with some of the battles, they are having fun. I am beginning to wonder if I should go ahead and lift this restriction to allow everything now. Part of me likes restricting future content as it forces them to use what they are given and be creative and look forward to eventually using those books, but that is something that is probably a year away. Thoughts?
Name of PC: Rune
The Cleric heals the group but then falls a round later. One of the golems moves down the stairs looking for the Sorcerer who is Invisible. Sorcerer cast Passwall underneath the golem, which fails their check not to fall down to the sixth floor. This buys time for the Monk to finish off the other golem. The original golem comes back, easily jumps over the hole made by Passwall. Monk is soon to be surrounded by the remaining Poisoners and the final golem but books it. Sorcerer grabs the figher who has already failed one Recovery Check and is now at Dying 2, breaks the window behind him and falls backwards out casting Feather Fall as a reaction. Taking two rounds to fall gently to the ground the Fighter continues to fail their Recovery Check and dies just as they land on the ground. Heroically the Sorcerer cast Dragon Wings, waits a round Dimension Door and appears behind their Chromatic Wall, sees the Poisoners manacling the Cleric and starting to carry them away. Sorcerer cast Color Spray, all fail with one critical failing their saves. Sorcerer goes through their Chromatic Wall, grabs the Cleric and flies out the window before the golem can react.
Name of PC: Valston
I had held off Kelleni and Coalnasher due to how close to death the party already was. My dice were on fire and the players were feeling the burn. The Bard for whatever reason decides to look into the room where Kelleni is. The rest of the party is looking around, examining the cauldron and the portal trying to figure out what the scorch marks mean. We're still in turn-based mode so everybody gets to do something. I've had to adjust to this play style since some players get over zealous and try doing too much while others want to do something never get a word in. Bard looks in, is out of actions and I describe the room and Kelleni, all warty and in mid sentence complaining about how she isn't part of the negations and should storm in there when she spots the Bard. She puts on a toothy grin and sways her hips while she walks towards this handsome fellow. She tells him he looks absolutely delicious and bites him. Takes damage and crit fails the save vs Abyssal Plague. She drags him over to a corner where next round he fails Recovery Check and dies. From this and a bit of meta from the Ranger, he goes to see what the Bard is doing. Same thing, runs out of actions as he gets into the room, Kelleni bites him and he goes down fails save vs Abyssal Plague. We had to pause there for the night as it was well past our normal time.
Felix - Half Elf Nomad Rogue Lvl 1 - Hellknight Hill - Warg Wandered off alone down a hall and near the former court room where the warg found him and killed him with a couple of regular hits then a critical. The warg then proceeded to drag his body out and away from the citadel, never to be seen again. The party found the spot with a lot of blood and drag marks but were unable to follow once they got outside. Celembar - Seer Elf Martial Disciple Universal Wizard Lvl 2 - Hellknight Hill - Wight Brought down by one of the wights in the secret room. The party was not get to him in time before he bleed out. The party along with nearly all the people he helped save from the burning Town Hall gathered to give thanks and help cremate his body. The next three deaths were a result of running around the entire mine. I didn't have everything attack them all at once but they were way over their heads and refused to run. Akuma - Half Orc Former Criminal Enforcer Monk 6 - Cult of Cinders - Mokele-mbembe The Barbarian and the Rogue opened the cage hoping to lead it to destroy everything else but of course they could not calm the creature down. It started to attack them and Akuma could not get away from the mokele-mbembe and was eaten. Grumary - Brumblebrasher Goblin Fey Sorcerer 6 - Cult of Cinders - Charau-ka Butcher Verin - Half-Elven Cleric of Sarenrae 6 - Cult of Cinders - Charau-ka Butcher Grumary and Verin finally decided to retreat but did not want to leave each other behind. Verin cast Sanctuary on Grumary and moved back while telling her to not attack and just run. Grumary tried to slow them down with an attack despite her warnings, failed and was brought down as the Charau-ka Butchers charged them both. After a couple weeks of having retreated back to Akrivel and "finding" new adventurers, the Barbarian and Rogue found nothing left of their former party members except a few tattered ribbons of flesh being cooked on the ends of the charua-ka's tridents.
I usually have four to six players in my game. I ran the Hellknight Hill as is
Some encounters I could nearly double the amount of mobs present, or just make what is already there, Elite. I'm debating on which way to go. More mobs means a lot more attacks coming their way with huge Hit Point pools. Elite mobs mean harder to hit and way more chances on top of the already high chance of the players being critically hit. I know some areas it just makes sense to just make the mobs Elite as there just isn't enough room for seven or more mobs, but on a usual basis I'm curious which path I should typically try and stick with.
I am having this same issue and cannot see any way to change this option. I went ahead and started the subscription but would like to ensure I'm starting with AP 145 Hellknight Hill.
I'm not making them have a child, I want them to play as a child ten years before the AP starts and just becoming adults not long before it begins. They might not have been born in Kenabres but they've grown up there for a decent amount of their youth.
I've been tossing around the idea of running a short adventure set about ten years before the events of The Worldwound Incursion happen. I was thinking of having each character no matter what race create a child that's at least ten years or so younger than adulthood and run some stuff that helps set up the major NPC and factions of the city that from what I can tell aren't all that well established if the players aren't already familiar with them to begin with and take the time to explain them in the heat of all that happens in the midst of the destroyed city. I'm here to pilfer ideas from people to see what could be fun but also help set up a connection for the players to really care about what happens to not only the city but also its people.
I thought about this while reading the adventure and though that if any of the players tried this they would probably lose the tracks once they get near town, but then I though more on it and didn't think that they would go that close to town with a load of skeeletons, but I guess if they coverd it and gave anybody who looked the least be curious an icy glare they should be fine.
Though I would love for it to be out now, I have until next week before I even start. Can't wait to see what goodies are inside though. |