wayne62682's page

I'll take another look at the pre-PF APs, but most of them didn't appeal to me that much. I can rule Legacy of Fire out because the players aren't big into middle eastern/arabic flavor.

I'm probably going to be using Pathfinder as my new rules set for my gaming group (possibly), but to be honest I'm not quite sold on the current Pathfinder APs (Council of Thieves seems like too much roleplay, Kingmaker seems too abstract without a real goal), and I've heard that AoW is the "best" of the 3.5 APs as far as the feel. I have the Shackled City book and that path is cool as well, and Savage Tide was interesting, but AoW seems to have most of the classic stuff that I enjoy - evil plot involving an evil god that the PCs get to fight at the end :D

Since plans for an AoW book were squashed due to 4E's release, exactly how many issues of Dungeon would I need to be able to run this? 12? Would I also need the "Worm Food" articles from Dragon, or are they optional? For that matter can I even still GET the old issues or are they out of print now? I'm trying to price out what it would cost because if it's going to be hundreds of dollars for a couple of magazines, to be honest it's not worth it.

I would not EVER go back to rolling for stats. The reason is simple:

When I sit down to create a character, I have an idea in my mind of what I want to play. I come up with a concept, and then flesh that out into race/class/abilities. Rolling for stats takes that control away from me. If I want a somewhat strong, charismatic, agile Rogue and I roll poorly, guess what? My concept is ruined. I cannot make the type of character I want for no other reason than luck. It's even worse in the "bad old days" of AD&D where classes had certain arbitrary restrictions placed upon them.

In short: Rolling for stats TELLS you what you CAN play. Choosing stats via point buy lets YOU decide what you WANT to play. In a game I play for my enjoyment, I will pick the second one every single time.

It's the same reason why I as a player and GM prefer well thought-out campaigns with very strong themes and very strict guidelines about what characters mesh well with it. The players and GM should cooperate in order to tell a story; the GM should come up with a theme and tone to the game (approved by the players, of course) and the players then should create characters that fit into that theme. For instance if the GM and players decide the campaign is going to involve courtly intrigue and plots against the throne, the players should make characters which will fit into that theme. There can be some deviation, but the worst kind of player to have is the kind who, in a scenario like that, will make an anarchist barbarian character and then complain that they can't do anything, when if you ask me it's THEIR fault in the first place for making a character that didn't fit the tone of the game.

Thank you!

Also as an aside, is it difficult to convert the earlier ones to full Pathfinder? I imagine it would just be maybe some NPC abilities.

I hope I'm posting in the right place. I'm going to try and convince my friends to try Pathfinder (we've played 4E [I've played every version of D&D up to and including 4E], and are now experimenting with Warhammer Fantasy RPG, plus I have a friend I am dating who has played 3.5 previously). My main reason for this is the beautiful Adventure Paths as I'm not very creative myself when it comes to thinking up adventures.

Anyways here is my question: I know that all of the existing APs are compatible with Pathfinder as Pathfinder itself is an improved D&D 3.5. However, which of the APs is the first one that's actually made for Pathfinder itself (i.e. which one was designed using Pathfinder rules, not 3.5 rules, to limit the conversions/additions)?

I'm going to come up with synopsis of each AP, provided I can get them to agree to try Pathfinder instead of 4E, and see which one appeals the most to them, but I need to know which are actual Pathfinder APs instead of the 3.5/pre-Pathfinder APs.

Thanks much!

My Dungeon #144 never arrived either, but I had moved right around when it shipped so that might be the cause of it (I probably wasn't fast enough changing my address hehe)

Sorry guys, I also seem to be missing Dragon #352 - again because of my moving around that time.

My Dungeon #144 never arrived either, but I had moved right around when it shipped so that might be the cause of it (I probably wasn't fast enough changing my address hehe)

#140, 142, and 143 all arrived but I've never gotten #141 (December 2006).

Just reading through the adventure.. it seems diabolically hard in some points.. how four 1st levels can deal with some of these things is beyond me.. I assume that they are supposed to get 2nd level before the end, but facing a creature with 42hp and the "boss" encounter being a CR5 and CR3 together.. seems like the encounters are _designed_ to be insanely difficult. I noticed the same thing in both of the other APs as well.. it's like playing a videogame on Hard mode. However I have not worked out the encounters mentally to see how it works in practice.. just going by the CR/EL guidelines, this adventure is a killer.

I was hoping it would arrive yesterday, but nothing :( So I guess it's waiting until Tuesday... stupid lazy post office.

Well, mail just arrived.. still no #139 :(

Arrgh the suspense is killing me... I want it now so I can see if I am going to plot a coup to overthrow the current DM's FR game! WHY DO YOU TORMENT ME SO?!

... Okay, I'm calm now. Deep breaths... seriously though, I hope it arrives soon..

Basically it is for the reasons others have described.. people play Chaotic Neutral to play a character with no morals who has no qualms about sticking the beggar with his sword or refusing to save the princess unless they're paid a vast amount of money. Sometimes you get a good one (i.e. Han Solo type), but most of the time it's just an excuse to play borderline psychopathic evil.

My group sadly has CN as its favoured alignment.. the games we play routinely are "not evil, just not good" with selfish characters who take quests not because they're heroes but because of the money they'll get from it.

I read the intro to the Shackled City path and it looked pretty good, so I ordered the hardcover book. I'm very impatient though and can't wait for it to arrive... so I have some quick questions to see if it would be good to run for my group.

1) It's a complete campaign, right? Meaning when they finish the last adventure, they've saved the world or whatever and are mighty heroes the bards will sing songs of for years to come? Plus if I recall its 12 adventures that take the PCs from level 1 to level 20? Like the old "Night Below" campaign of 2nd edition (well kinda.. NB I think was level 16 or so)?

2) What's the basic premise (no spoilers, please!)? I recall reading somewhere (I don't remember where, though) that the "shackled" part of the name meant you couldn't leave the city for some reason??

3) Just how killer are the adventures? I've read varying things that place the lethality from average to nearly a TPK per adventure. Are the adventures challenging (on average)? Very hard?

4) For those of you who have/had run this, what's the preferred chargen method? Does the book mention chargen at all?? I was thinking a 28 point buy (although most of my players dislike point buys because *gasp* it puts them on equal footing! The horror!).

5) The campaign is "generic" so takes place in Greyhawk, I assume? Is it very difficult to place it in Forgotten Realms or somesuch game? I know there are threads on this.. just asking for a general answer here I'll probably keep it in Greyhawk for simplicity's sake, although my players are used to FR.

6) Not quite SC related, but if I'm keeping it in Greyhawk, what's the greyhawk equivalent to the FR Campaign Setting (you know, has details about the land and gods and such). Living Greyhawk Gazetteer?

Thank you all for the replies.. and please excuse the n00bish type questions.