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Sign in to create or edit a product review. I both played and ran this one via play-by-post, so I cannot speak to timing issues experienced when playing it live. However, I did not find it to be overly long (with a skippable combat at the beginning, there is only one required combat, and it is very easy). The main part of the Quest is a combination of talking to people and sneaking around and such followed by a subsystem skill challenge. A key point that might have influenced at least one other review is, it is not expected that the players complete everything. So check your completionist impulses at the door, is my recommendation. Overall, I thought this Quest has an interesting setting, some neat characters to meet, and mechanics that are appropriate for what they are trying to accomplish in the story. I'll probably run this one again in the future, the story and setting are worthy of revisiting from time to time. As far as I can tell, This is by far the least difficult Series 2 Quest so far. Some people might like that, some people might be put off by it. I thought the pacing of the obstacles (number of points required for each) was appropriate, it kept things snappy and the infiltration never got bogged down. I wasn't really sure the obstacles were correctly labelled as "group" or "individual," but I essentially ran them all as group obstacles (the last is written as individual but makes no sense as an individual obstacle). My group had a zillion Edge Points from the preparatory stage, and I think they only failed one or two checks anyway. I learned afterward that it is recommended to increase Awareness Points after every obstacle, so maybe a complicating encounter would have been triggered by my players at some point. But it probably would not have fit with what was happening at the time and it would not have been particularly challenging or interesting, either, so it felt appropriate to inadvertently skip. The final encounter was over in one round, with some good dice rolls. I do think I had several of them flee because it would make no sense for them to stick around and get slaughtered. I enjoy the infiltration subsystem and would love to see more of it. I respect what this Quest is getting at. And to be fair, sometimes just steamrolling things is fun...So, in the end, three stars for fun, but this Quest probably won't be in regular rotation for me. ![]() Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-07: A God Falls Where Magic FailsPaizo Inc.![]() Our Price: $8.99 Add to CartHas a fun encounter, but maybe not the one you think...![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I have only played this one so far. I'll update my review after I GM it. For me the highlight of this scenario was one of the battles. It is not that often one gets to fight against opponents with interesting personalities. Also helpful was the fact that my GM really roleplayed the opponents well. I found that encounter to be interesting and innovative, and I appreciate the work that went into developing it. The skill check portion was also interesting, though I can see how it might be a bit long. I suspect the final fight might be very challenging for some parties but it wasn't too bad for ours...So I really won't comment much on that. Also on the positive side, this one seemed to run a bit short. Compared to some of the recent marathons (which are great scenarios, mind you, just long) this one felt refreshingly snappy. ![]() Pathfinder Quest (Series 2) #20: The Dacilane Academy's Show Must Go OnPaizo Inc.![]() Our Price: $4.99 Add to CartA nice all-ages adventure, a bit long maybe![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I enjoyed running this adventure. Some old friends, some new faces, and a good story. The story doesn't have as much for adults as Winter Queen's Dollhouse, which is some pretty heavy material under the surface. This one is lighter, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. There are a couple of "teaching moments" (about concepts like consent) for kids and adults alike, if that's of interest. Mechanically, the only section I didn't really love was a "three successes before three failures" skill challenge, which took a bit of time to resolve and I was already running pretty late. Run time was just about exactly three hours with six players at high tier. ![]() Pathfinder Society Scenario #4-06: Signal from the Electric LaboratoryPaizo Inc.![]() Our Price: $8.99 Add to CartAn absolute joy for roleplaying![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() There are so many interesting characters and stories in this scenario, I really loved those aspects of it. I ran it via play-by-post (high tier), at a rather slow pace, and I felt that it was extremely rewarding. This really allowed time and space to roleplay, and to actually take the time for the characters to understand the narrative. Mechanically there's really nothing special or peculiar about this scenario (and nothing really wrong with it, but the gamemaster will have to decide how to deal with one encounter). There are some interesting creatures to fight. Where the scenario really shines is in the story and the characters. But it's not easy on the gamemaster to keep the presentation coherent, so I definitely would not recommend going into this one without a decent grasp of how the different plot elements fit together. This scenario is a bit long...But it's worth it. It has one of the most fun and innovative encounters I've had so far in PFS, both as a player and GM. I waited for a month or two, looking forward to running it for my local group, and it was completely worth the wait. It does have a trigger warning which should be heeded, and some pretty dark material. But I liked the encounters, liked the opponents, and enjoyed the characters involved. The setting was also interesting. Just one thing I recommend: for opponents that are "people," I recommend having an explicit fleeing or surrender threshold. One of my beefs with PFS is that Pathfinders murder people with startling frequency and everyone's just okay with it. Makes more sense if people run away or surrender. As for BBEG, undead, slimes, constructs and such, that doesn't matter to me as much...But the underlings working for BBEG? Yeah they don't get paid enough to die. I will likely happily replay this one, because I enjoyed the scenario and the story. The strongest points of this one were the theme, the characters, and the narrative. I especially loved that some player characters got a chance to shine in ways they usually might not (and can't wait to play it with my deckhand!) I strongly encouraged my players to choose what I felt were the missions that focused on the narrative or introduced new characters. One recommendation I have would be to mark those on the player handouts so players can prioritize them. Two other innovations I liked were: one of the maps (a player remarked, "this is the first time I've ever seen an encounter like this," and I agree!) Super cool; and, combats counted as 2 successes in reporting, which respects the fact that they take longer. (My table still struggled to finish even one though...) Players remarked that they appreciated the emphasis on diverse non-combat encounters, and I agree with that too. One recommendation for future specials: maybe "less is more?" Three acts seems like it might be the sweet spot...? Still want enough content for repeated play throughs though, to be fair. (Loved the continuation of the various innovations from PFS2 4-99). I've run all of the PFS2 specials and this is definitely in my top two. I'm looking forward to running it again, and will hopefully get better at it. And looking forward to playing it, too. One slight modification of my prior review: there is a required combat where the opponents fight until destroyed, with no option as-written to spare them or even really talk with them. Given who they are (I won't spoil it), I would have preferred an option to not kill them. Or at least, if they had a surrender/"wake up and smell the coffee" threshold, that would have been highly preferable. Also, I don't necessarily agree with "crank up the difficulty"; Having nearly TPKed in a special, let's just say that TPKing would not be special. When I played this, my GM combined some of the encounters, and it was...Quite challenging. So when I ran it for a party that was fragile, I was a bit careful and let them take time to heal (and Barnaby was just bored). The final encounter can get pretty dangerous if the dice go poorly. The scenario can run long, too, with a lot of combat: it took me five hours for a party of five at the lower end of high tier. ...But the setting and the characters are very worth it! The town of Deadhaven is very creatively put together, with fascinating culture, and some outstanding characters. I hope we get more than the brief glimpse into this place that we had in this scenario. I've now run this two or three times and played it as well. I was very much looking forward to running it for my regulars, and the game did not disappoint. They had played the season 3 mini-arc that is a prelude to this scenario, so I was happy to finally run it for them. It did take a full five hours, so the game ran a bit longer than I had hoped, but it was worth it. There are a few harrowing parts of the scenario, but the heroes can have some help from a friend, which might ease the more difficult bits. I encouraged my players to avoid asking for help unless they felt like they really needed it. I agree with other reviewers that some of the DCs are higher than expected, but not unreasonable. Also of note, the final encounter can be a pretty difficult fight, but it's not super impossible, just satisfying. This scenario has an interesting structure, giving players the opportunity to pick their preferred tasks. Each group feels interesting to run it for and play it with. My one major issue is the required chase. It's also interesting, since there are some forks in the path. But when each obstacle requires chase points equal to the number of players, it pretty much inevitably bogs down into a death march of just begging the dice for decent rolls. (A player pointed out that with a party of 6, the chase requires a whopping 48 successes. There's really no way for that to not become a quagmire.) I would prefer more dynamic chases with fewer chase points per obstacle. It's also worth noting that this scenario "feels" better doing only three of the tasks rather than four. Four tasks plus all the required bits and pieces seems to drag a little bit. This scenario is grim and cinematic (it really takes off with a literal bang at a certain point), and I love those parts of it! It's on my list of scenarios for a new player, to set the scene for the year 3 metaplot arcs, but it's not the first one I'd run for them. I also don't agree that repeatables need variable content—I'm happy with a good story, and this scenario has that! At first I did not love this scenario. But now I've run it a number of times and played it at least once, and I have to say—it's earned its spot on my "must play" list for new players. It's a simple but solid introductory scenario with some skill checks, some fights, and fun characters. Anyone who does any of the year 4 metaplot mini-arcs will appreciate playing this one first (and maybe replaying it later to catch little details you missed). Also, this scenario can run fast, and that's a good thing. Loved the premise of this one. Loved the story. Love it for the potential it has! Combat, combat, combat, combat, combat. A few skill checks sprinkled here and there, a diplomatic encounter or two (if you're lucky!) Mostly just combat though. And some interesting ones, but the repetitiveness wears one down a bit. Still, five stars for the idea and the creativity behind the story, just would love to see a greater diversity of tasks and roleplay. ![]() Pathfinder Society Special #3-98: Expedition Into Pallid PerilPaizo Inc.![]() Our Price: $19.99 Add to CartSolid, I suppose![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() This was the first special I ever ran, and it's okay. I'd like to go back and give it another try, to see if it picks up a bit. It's solid, not really remarkable but not bad either. My players enjoyed it. I do wish there was more diversity of tasks and roleplay—areas where the newer special shines. I've run this one about five times so far, and played it once, and I have to say—I don't really get tired of it. It has the epic feel of King in Thorns but with some great innovations and polish. To me, this is a great special. There are a few well known issues with it (missing bits and pieces) that might never get officially updated, or they might. But overall this special combines great characters with an evolved structure and mechanics, and I hope it will be a template for specials moving forward. ![]() Pathfinder Society Scenario #4-05: The Arclord Who Never WasPaizo Inc.![]() Our Price: $8.99 Add to CartGenuinely moving![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The story of this one is genuinely moving and sweet. That's what sticks in my mind, both as a player and as a GM: this one made me feel the feelings. I also think it's an interesting and novel structure for a PFS2 scenario. This scenario is on my "must play" list for players new to Pathfinder Society Organized Play. As another reviewer wrote, whatever it once was, is not what this scenario is today. The scenario encourages creativity and critical thinking, has some good roleplaying elements, and has some decent and interesting fights, too. It's a good introduction to the Master of Scrolls, Spells, and Sandwiches...Err, Swords, as well. I agree that it can tend to run long, especially with the encore. I used to encourage the encore, now I am more ambivalent about it because it can turn into too much of a good thing. What more needs to be said about this "classic" scenario? I agree with the comments that it can be a bit challenging to run in places, but it's not insurmountable with adequate preparation. A great early effort for a PFS2 repeatable scenario. To me, anyway, it evokes the feeling of a particular Studio Ghibli film (you probably know the one I'm referring to). There's just one thing that really bugs me about this scenario: the antagonist's(?) name is one syllable from the word for "criminal" in Japanese. However, for the most part, the antagonist is NOT a criminal (and I never choose to run the variation where they are, because it's the least interesting one). So I confess that I change their name when I run this. I also pick different names for the village. Arcadia is a great place for adventure, and this is a lovely little scenario. I enjoy #1-06 Lost on the Spirit Road, but it has its issues that make it a little challenging to run. Protecting the Firelight feels like a great evolution of the repeatable. In some ways it feels like what Lost on the Spirit Road was trying for, but with some nice innovations and a bit more polish. I particularly love seeing the return of familiar faces, and the chance to make new friends. The skill challenges are fun, with plenty of nice roleplaying opportunities. The fights are nicely done, with the final battle especially being suitably epic, challenging, fun, and rewarding. I hope we see lots more of the characters and the setting! You like fights? This scenario has fights. Lots of fights. A couple of satisfying and intriguing ones, even. Before I ran it, I heard it would run long, and I can confirm that it ran pretty long (if memory serves, I think I was at around five hours, with five players at the higher end of low tier). There was an interesting combat in the middle, both in terms of the layout and the enemies' abilities. The final combat was satisfyingly challenging with some novel elements. I enjoyed that final battle both when I played the scenario and when I ran it. I suppose I wouldn't have minded dropping one or both of the other fights (though I enjoyed the first one) and having more of a chance to explore the setting. Overall a good effort, and a scenario I can see myself enjoying again. This adventure is a lighthearted little jaunt that, for the most part, is decent fun. I loved the colorful characters in this scenario, and the "flavor" of the setting (literally, it turns out). Goblins, kobolds, chicken, what's not to love? The Chase subsystem, actually. Don't love it. For me it pretty much just turns into rolling until we get enough chase points. Occasionally something interesting pops up but that's the exception rather than the rule. I would love some more dynamic, less monotonous chases. There have been a couple of decent chases in season 5, but the one in this scenario was probably my least favorite. Colorful, just not my cup of tea. Other than that, a solid scenario and I hope we see more of the characters. I enjoyed this one as a player, but a few things required some consideration and care when I ran it. For one thing, I told my players to pay special attention to the influence section because they might not have many chances to influence people. I also told them to "remember your mission(s)" when deciding who to influence. When I played it, we didn't really have a problem with the final encounter. But when I ran it, my players were not as fortunate and it dragged a bit. They eventually got through it though! One thing my players noticed was that the most natural way of handling one part of the final encounter didn't really have the damage output to actually get the job done. They still managed, just not in that way. All in all, a scenario with interesting characters and a few cool innovations. I hope we see at least a couple of the characters turn up in the future. I enjoyed both playing and running this scenario. It was nice to return to the Blackwood Swamp and check in on some old friends. There are also some new characters with nice potential, I hope we see more of them! Just be aware: it runs long, because there's a lot of material to get through. My run clocked in at 5 hours 30 minutes, a full 60-90 minutes longer than usual. But it's a solid scenario, so no regrets. ![]() Pathfinder Quest (Series 2) #16: The Winter Queen's DollhousePaizo Inc.![]() Our Price: $5.99 Add to CartAn enjoyable opportunity to roleplay, plenty here for adults![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I won't spoil exactly what the dollhouse is in my review, but once I sorted that out, it made playing the whole thing deeper and more meaningful (especially if one is familiar with some of the lore and politics of Irrisen). I enjoyed the opportunities to roleplay with interesting and compelling characters, and I especially appreciated the opportunity for non-combat resolutions. This Quest is indeed appropriate for all ages, but I find there's plenty in here for adults, as well. This is a lighthearted adventure intended to introduce some new characters and catch up with old friends. It accomplishes those goals, at least for me. My local players like some of the characters we've met before, so of course I'm happy for them to have a chance to meet again. I recommend running some season 3-4 stuff so your group will be familiar with some of the NPCs, before running this one. It definitely increased my enjoyment.
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