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Dark Continent

I've posted this outline for an Adventure Path at my blog. There are no stats or maps, just the layout for the main encounters and background.

I'd appreciate any comments. If you use any of the ideas here in an adventure, please let me how they worked out.

I just got back from a low-key, work-related party, which featured a party game. I just suddenly had the thought, “Would it be possible to make an RPG party game?”

Okay, after everyone finishes spewing their Mountain Dew on their computer screen.

Really though. I haven’t thought all this out (obviously) and may post more later, but I thought I'd throw this out now and see what everyone else thinks.

Please don’t post, “Go play 4e!”

The party game edition would need really quick, easy character creation, but with plenty of choices and some character variation. Combat would also have to be really simple, quick, concise, and definitive. It would also likely need to work without miniatures and a grid map, so heavy battlefield tactics would be discouraged. There would need to be character social interaction rules, but they should be quickly resolvable with a dice roll, on the assumption that people at a party are not going to want to heavily get into character (unless they’ve been drinking heavily).

Actually, these rules need to be learnable and playable by people who may be half-drunk, so also all record keeping for characters, monsters, and NPC’s needs to pretty simple as well. In a similar vein, characters will probably need some “fate-like” points that can be played in case they do something dumb in the first encounter that would otherwise get them killed.

I haven’t played or seen any of the Pathfinder Society scenarios, but from what I’ve heard, this might be the kind of adventures that might work in this kind of setting. Something that could play inside of four hours, give the players a more than reasonable chance of success, no “shopping at the bazaar” during the adventure, just straight-up adventuring (fighting, parleying, puzzle solving), and a clear objective. Consider all these games to be one-shots, no leveling up. Characters would be created at the appropriate power level for the adventure. Perhaps the idea of levels could be dispensed with altogether in some fashion.

Bottom line. Paizo creates “Pathfinder RPG: The Party Game” edition, a small softcover book. And then sells lots of easy to run, scenario pdf’s for the game on their website. They make lots of money and RPG’s become a mainstream, fad rage at parties everywhere.

If you've ever heard Paul Tevis' "Have Games Will Travel" RPG podcast, you know he's not into D&D. Imagine my shock after listening to this episode. Anyway, he's got some good insight into the game. Check it out.

http://www.havegameswilltravel.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=362126

The purpose of this thread isn’t to take a trip down Memory Lane. The introduction to Pathfinder states that the rules would work well for any type of game. What kind of adventures do you like to run or play? Also, how do the rules, as they are, enhance or get in the way of playing your favorite types of adventures?

There are no right or wrong answers here. Just say what you like and maybe this might influence the game design more to your liking. List any pre-packaged adventures if you want.

(Anyone from Paizo is welcome to chime in too, with your favorites and favored type of play.)

I’ll start: I like lots of action, fast-paced, dramatically-oriented combat. I don’t like haggling over or deciphering rules, and I’m not above fudging in the name of making a better a story.

That said, the most memorable parts of an adventure tend to be the interactions between characters and NPC’s. The hokey-ier, the hamm-ier, or the funnier the better. This is all about character though. I don’t bring out the dice for this. I tend not to make dice rolls unless hit points are potentially immediately involved, or to resolve some specific skill use.

(And long walks on the beach, holding hands. This sounds too much like a Playboy bio. Feel free to ignore my example in writing your own reply.)

After reading the Epic levels synopsis on the D&D website, the ability for characters to resurrect themselves jumped out at me. What would be the best use for this ability?

Player fratricide.

Okay one possible scenario, the characters have joined the cult of Tharizdun. Neutral, evil, and dedicated to destruction. However, the characters have all founded different factions within the cult with their own agendas. Each faction is trying to one-up the other to get the mad god's favor.

So here you go. The voice from beyond calls forth with a mission. An insane mission. The players take on the mission in their own unique ways, while simultaneously trying to sabotage the others from completing it first.

DM's, think of the amount of time you'll save on the preparation of monsters and foes. Players, imagine all the XP you'll get killing immortals over and over again.

Somebody please try something like this and post a play report.