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I'm getting ready to run my 8 and 11-year old through their very first true Pathfinder campaign. To give them a good introduction to the game, I'm trying to come up with the most traditional, trope-filled series of adventures as possible, so they have a good foundational idea of what Pathfinder (and the D&D tradition) is about. I was hoping you all might help me come up with some items for the checklist I am assembling.

So far, here's what I've got:

•Start out in a tavern with some rat-slaying in the cellar
•Fighting goblins in a forest
•Exploring a ruined temple filled with undead
•Fighting trolls and lizardfolk in a swamp
•Exploring a wizard's tower full of illusions, puzzles, and a mimic
•An underwater sidequest with merfolk and sahuagin
•A foray into the underdark with drow
•A gelatinous cube at some point
•A dragon at some point

What are some other classic dungeons, adventures, encounters etc. I should include for their first real adventure? Thanks in advance for the input!

So I’m undertaking a project to make a set of monster tokens using my own artwork. Right now I’m looking at doing about 50 monsters, and 20ish PC/NPC drawings. Since it’s obviously going to be extremely time consuming to generate that much art, I want to start with the most popular, common, iconic and often-used monsters in Pathfinder / traditional high fantasy.

Does anyone know of a good list of monsters sorted by popularity or something similar? If not, I’d even take straight up recommendations that I could compile in a poll-like format. I’ve started putting together my own tentative list, but I feel like I’m missing a lot.

Thanks in advance for any input!

I’ve been a GM only for a LONG time and I may have the opportunity soon to finally play a PC. I’m drawn to kind of unorthodox, unique character concepts and I’ve come up with one I really like, but I’m not used to rolling a char so I’d like advice on whether or not this build could be effective. Here goes:
Human
Ranger 1 (Possibly Falconer archetype?)
Monk / Zen Archer 3
Oracle / Ancestor Mystery 16

Stats (20pt buy)
STR 10
DEX 16
CON 10
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 18 (16+2 racial)

Concept is like a barbarian shrine maiden from the arctic whose village was wiped out by undead. She’ll start by taking levels in Ranger and Zen Archer, then progressing to my favored class of Oracle. I’d like to take the Ancestor Mystery from UM because it’s thematically great for my character, and it has really appealing revelations (ancestral weapon spirit bow!).
As far as my role in the party, I would be artillery/support, raining arrows from afar while buffing and healing my teammates. 1st level in ranger would give me armor / weap proficiencies, plus I was interested in taking the falconer archetype to get a companion even if he remains wimpy, just for utility / RP purposes. Three next levels in zen archer would load me down with archery feats: Perfect Strike, Weapon Focus, Point Blank Master, 2 bonus feats, plus fast movement (useful if I don’t want heavy armor; may take this with the fleet feat to get speed up to 45) and some nice starting saves. Then I would proceed to my favored class of Oracle, and take the ancestor mystery to get useful revelations like ancestral weapon, blood of heroes, storm of souls, et al.
I think this looks really fun to play, but I’m not used to being in a PC’s shoes and want to make sure there are no gaping flaws in my idea. I don’t expect to be maxed out the wazoo, but I would like to be useful. Does it make sense for me to take a level in ranger? How is the falconer archetype (I don’t have ultimate combat yet so I don’t know the specifics other than that it gives a companion at level 1)? What would be a good backup melee weapon to carry?
I guess any feedback advice would be greatly appreciated… thanks in advance!

I've noticed that many of the APs have been set in Varisia, at least partially (RotRL, CotCT, Jade Regent, etc). Now I'm hearing that the AP after Jade Regent will again revisit the Magnimar area. Is there a reason why this region is leaned on so heavily in the APs when there are so many other relatively undeveloped countries around the Inner Sea?

I'm guessing this has probably been asked before, but I couldn't find it in a messageboard posting. Apologies in advance if this has already been addressed! Thanks!

(Spoilers galore ahead)

Hi all,

I've been GMing for a while, but it's all been custom campaigns I've put together. Been with the same group of players (high school buddies) since mid 90's. Recently my group and I decided to try Rise of the Runelords because of all the good things we had been hearing about it.

I know I don't have a lot of experience with running premade campaigns, but we're about halfway into the Skinsaw Murders (Foxglove Manor) and I just feel like I'm having a hard time keeping the group's interest with several sections. I feel like I'm out of my element, like something just isn't clicking like it should be.

Some context. I guess my PCs aren't really into a whole lot of RP and theatrics; I had a really difficult time at the beginning establishing Sandpoint because my players just weren't interested in a whole lot of NPC banter. I read the AP as putting a lot of emphasis on establishing the major players in town during Burnt Offerings, but my PC's felt like the initial Swallowtail Festival was kind of aimless w/the speeches and whatnot, and not having a clear direction until the goblin attack. I ended up kind of railroading them until the glassworks, and then they got frustrated with all the time spent exploring empty rooms therein. Seems to be a pattern in dungeon design with of a lot of empty, seemingly pointless rooms, like in Thistletop. The murder investigation went well at the start of Skinsaw, but now that we're in the Foxglove manor the PC's are complaining that every room they go into is predictable, with a haunt mechanic that they have to roll for, and there are just so many rooms that by the end of the session, despite how flavorful the text was, the players were fatigued by the repetitive and predictable nature of the haunts.

I'm not complaining about the PC's or the AP, I'm just questioning my own GMing and wondering if I'm not really running the AP right. I know I should be kind of tailoring the adventure to my players, but I don't want to leave out the important flavor text and development. Has anyone else experienced similar issues with a group / the RotRL AP? I just want to know if there's something I can do to make it a better experience for everyone, instead of the slog that it kind of feels like during some parts.

Thanks in advance!