 
Sign in to create or edit a product review. This is one scenario is worth every hour I poured into a level twelve character. The story is phenomenal, but get the BEST GM you can find and it will blow you away. The combats are extremely religious but the plot is the real kicker here. At the end of this scenario, my paladin (and I) almost had a nervous break down. Play this scenario and you will never look at PFS the same way. I have played this scenario at teir 8-9. I have not read this nor have I GMed it. The GM was good and tried his hardest to make it a challenge. I would rate this at a 4.5, so I'll over shoot. Pros Setting: So we are in the thick of season 5, Mendev, world wound. Same stuff. However, this might be the best dungeon crawl I have played in the society. Role Play: Despite it being a dungeon crawl, the paradoxical nature of one set of creature (you will know them when you see them) can provide an interesting and complex role play. Or you can try and just stomp them. Encounters: So no mundane races. More monsters the better. The Demons were unconventional and the last encounter is well done. Prize: A holy hand grenade of Antioch...sign me up. The boons are well thought out. Mission: This. More of it. beating the end boss is not enough and for once in the players life it matters if you are good. Con Puzzle: I know, everyone is ranting about this. Despite this fact it was a fantastic puzzle, yet the mechanics were flawed. I have played this scenario at tier 10-11.I have read it and ran it at a convention. We ran out of time, but that was less of the scenarios fault and more of people not wanting to compromise on issues. I would rate this at a 4.5 This was written by Steve Miller, who I met at Gen Con 2012. He was one of the judges I remembered the most with his use of outside material. Spoilers abound
Spoiler:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>& gt;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pros Role Play: So, you have to deal with an angel, which is challenging, especially for morally gray people who covet there spell slots from their magic items. It was good fun and baffling to the players that an Angel was even there. This is something that needs to be done, but rarely happen and it was one of the most risky but rewarding parts of the scenario. As a "gate keeper" he is a fore of disequilibrium, which is highlighted and contrasted with the fact that they are going to a shrine of Lissila. Well played. Encounters: All the encounters were interesting, challenging and engaging. High level wizards are no joke, the knight was a suprising house, I thought people would just blow through him, however, he almost tpk them. The Boo is a threat but I really wish it was drain instead of damage. I want to thank everyone right now for the more monster centric I have ever seen in the society. I am quite pleased Traps: I liked the wheel of Fortune, even if the player who got a boon from it was upset. Prize: I don't know what Paizo is doing, but Admiral Ackbar would have something to say about this, and people are biting hook line and sinker. A fantastic boon. Faction Missions: Weird to Hilarious, Taldor can have a great RP experience, Osirion, like always has the wackiest. As a member of the Silver Crusade my faction mission was pretty sweet. Meh: Setting: Varisia, as if you couldn't of guessed in a season 4 scenario. Wyvern Mountains. Nothing really special. Mission: Simplistic, which isn't bad, but the encounters is what makes this scenario shine Con: Mooks: There are way too many of them in the finale fight with six people, I would suggest maybe only 3 and bumping them to level 9. Make them cavaliers, inquisitors or something other than standard fighters. I wish to see more Inquisitors, Cavaliers, Summoners , and Magus. Spell selection: So I liked a lot of his spell selection, however, a quickened Glitterdust is far more powerful than a quickened acid arrow. I would have appreciated black tentacles and I am sadden by the fact that most of the season 4 stuff has stayed away from it.
In conclusion, Steve Miller has done great service to Paizo, by making a memorable and tough scenario which is on my top five favorites. I look forward to the next scenario he comes out with. I have played this scenario at teir 6-7. I have not read this nor have I GMed it. The GM was average, he didn't softball which was nice. I would rate this at a 4.5 Pros Setting: This was my first romp through the Sanos forest and it was delightful. Gnomes! Fey! Undead! The characters were great, the lush gnome was freaking hilarious, along with Readywhipple or whatever, he was a blast. Role Play: Sandboxish, Yes. Readywhipple provides all the entertainment you need for a game. Encounters: Bravo Paizo, Bravo. These fights are becoming the real deal. Sure we had a fighter with an AC of 31 so nothing could touch him, however, Will saves suck. Tons of interesting monsters, with niffty tactics. Not a single freaking lame human/elf. Hats off guys. Prize: What a wonderful boon. This is great, and rewarding, even if I can't use it on the character. However, this is the type of incentive to allow characters to create history. You guys are getting really good. Mission: This. More of it. beating the end boss is not enough. Con Faction Mission: I was SC. It was a huge let down, and sort of. "Find the cookie". I have GM this scenario at teir 1-2. I have not Played it. If I could, I would give it 4.5. Pros Setting: I can always count on the Blakros to bring the flavor and it has been brought'n. After some time role playing, going to the Tower is a great change of pace. The entire story is rich and engaging with few logical hang ups. Excellent job with the flavor. Role Play: Encounters: Traps/Haunt: Cons Classes/Arch Types: Prize: I have played this scenario at teir 1-2. I have not read this nor have I GMed it. The GM was poor since he soft-balled most encounters. Pros Setting: The area oozed with flavor, it was interesting juxtaposition with a Jungle temple in the arctic area. The verdun culture/area is still somewhat new so kudos for lore for an area. Also using their pantheon was cool too. More please. Fights: So the fights had the possibility of being pretty awesome but the GM soft-balling killed all challenge. I believe Classes/Arch Types: Wow, there was a dizzying amount of different classes and arch types. We need more of this I am glad the Ninja made its debut. Cons Role Play: Yeah sandbox, the GM needs to work here if they try diplomacy. Encounters: So every time I go into a scenerio and I hear "aspis consortium" I am thinking "wow a bunch of human-esqu fights, no wonder or amazement" no suprize here, not a single monster. Seriously out of the last three games I have yet to fight a real monster. Traps/Haunt: So here is the thing with traps/Haunts, they need to effect the person for the rest of the scenario, dealing damage is not the type of thing a trap should do and if it is, it should have a chance of killing them or maiming, I suggest you should use poison to stagger somebody for the rest of the encounter. The haunt had great lore behind it just more substance to the actual effect. Prize: So one one would think that after tromping around a verdun temple, you might get a bonus to knowledge religion checks when dealing with Verdun stuff. Not so here, I believe every chronicle sheet should have something neat and flavorful. Major disappointment I have only played this and have not GMed it nor read it. I played it at 6-7 Teir. Pros: Setting: Let me start out by saying the setting in this is super disturbing and wonderfully flavorful. When you start to go down that hallway, you really see what evil does and I am glad they don't sugar coat it. Did anyone else think of the neverending story when they saw the area? Traps: Congrats! you made a trap that can really hurt, we need more of this. Auto damage is awesome, and makes people think, "Hey maybe ditching trapfinding on my rogue was the worst idea ever." Fights: At this level the writer did right by punishing players for not having consumables and multiple weapon types. Bravo. Some people will complain, but that is because their GM softballs them. BBEG: This fight was an epic battle, I will never forget it. The author used terrain, lighting, mobs to make this a sick combat that most people will cry foul, but I don't care, it is what should be expected. People coming into this fight with consumables appropriate for their levels shouldn't have to hard of a time. Everyone else should weep. An item bought with PP: What a great idea, no let me rephrase that, EXCELLENT IDEA! Making it a non coveted item spot (Neck, headband or belt) was also a great idea. Cons Monsters: Would it kill the world to add a troll? or an Ogre? What about a giant Scorpion or a Sphinx, a mummy would have been nice. I mean Stone Statues are kewel but we need more monsters, sure the end boss had a bunch of different things but it is not the same. Aspis Con need to talk to their Human Resources to enlist more monstrous creatures. This is what hurt the overall star rating. Role Play: Yeah not really applicable, standard sand box. This also hurt the star rating The Special Item: Ok kudos for making this item purchasable by pp but 15?! or 6,000 gold, sorry totally not worth it. Overall great job! I played this last night and was disappointed. The last one was really kewel and the the idea of a Boon was super kewel. This is rated from a player perspective, and I understand, some GMs run these cold and it has an effect on the sessions. Pros- The Boss fight was better then the last one but was odd and the entire time I was thinking "Was this needed?" The Roleplaying in this mod has some excellent potential, but I blame our DM for not being a good inprov. You can do a lot here and the end was a great surprise. Cons Most of the fights were a breeze and they weren't the slightest challenging. The variety of opponents were horrible, seriously, why can't the aspis consortium have a Naga or something, that huge lake should of been a major fighting ground. The Boon, seriously? ONE time use? Super Lame. The End Boss? Who the heck was she? Why is she of Importance? I played this 3 weeks ago and I thought it was really good. The whole idea of going to a demi-plane is very interesting, though puzzling at the same time. The monster selection was good and enjoyable and the puzzles and traps were unique. The end boss fight is super weak, which was a big disappointment. The Canid Carcanet is a sweet item...if it didn't cost 15000 gold and take up a neck slot. Honestly who is going to buy this? Please stop making items that compete with neck/headband/waist. Cut it by 10,000 and make it a broach and I think I would buy it. |
