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Pathfinder Adventure Path #74: Sword of Valor (Wrath of the Righteous 2 of 6) (PFRPG)

4.20/5 (based on 13 ratings)
Pathfinder Adventure Path #74: Sword of Valor (Wrath of the Righteous 2 of 6) (PFRPG)
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Chapter 2: "Sword of Valor"
by Neil Spicer

The Wrath of the Righteous Adventure Path continues with “Sword of Valor,” by RPG Superstar Neil Spicer. The PCs, now invested with righteous mythic power, are poised to become the greatest heroes of this seemingly endless war against the demons of the Worldwound… provided they can succeed at their first mission. The citadel city of Drezen was once a symbol of the First Crusade’s triumph against the Worldwound, yet when a larger horde of demons attacked, they shattered Drezen’s defenses and captured both the citadel and the crusaders’ symbol of power. Can the PCs help lead an army north to reclaim Drezen and recover this potent relic, or are they marching their comrades and followers to a gruesome demise?

This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path continues the Wrath of the Righteous Adventure Path and includes:

  • “Sword of Valor,” a Pathfinder RPG adventure for 6th-level characters with 1 mythic tier, by Neil Spicer.
  • An exploration of the ways cultists stitch themselves to demonkind, by Jason Nelson.
  • A hoard of legendary relics lost to horrors of the Worldwound, by Ron Lundeen.
  • The search for a rogue demon hunter in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Robin D. Laws.
  • Four new monsters, by James Jacobs, Jason Klimchok, Jason Nelson, and David Schwartz.

Each monthly full-color softcover Pathfinder Adventure Path volume contains an in-depth adventure scenario, stats for several new monsters, and support articles meant to give Game Masters additional material to expand their campaign. Pathfinder Adventure Path volumes use the Open Game License and work with both the Pathfinder RPG and the world’s oldest fantasy RPG.

ISBN–13: 978-1-60125-568-6

"Sword of Valor" is sanctioned for use in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. The rules for running this Adventure Path and Chronicle sheet are available as a free download (1.6 MB PDF).

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscription.

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Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at store@paizo.com.

PZO9074

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Mass combat mythic goodness

4/5 —

The plot of this module is pretty straightforward: you have an army and need to take the city of Drezen and recover an artifact, the Sword of Valor (actually a battle standard, not a sword). That's it, as easy as it gets. There is an atmosphere of post-battle wasteland in the area, a feeling of chivalry and epic glory in the air. The crusade against the demons invading the worldwound is an ideal setting for paladins, knights and the such.

It's a pretty nice adventure with a mixture of linear plots and open choices. Some encounters look really difficult but the mythic rules enable some crazy stuff so I trust the authors on this. The final guy has three +16 attacks... but again, the PCs should be 9th level with 3 mythic tiers at that point.

This adventure assumes the use of two additional rulebooks in the Pathfinder Roleplaying game line on top of the core rulebook. If you are not using either the Mythic rules from "Mythic Adventures" or the mass combat rules from "Ultimate Campaign", you will need to retool the module quite heavily.

In my opinion, although the mythic rules are important, for the actual play, the use of the mass combat rules is more so. The reason being that there are quite a few army vs. army encounters. If you don't intend to use those rules, you will have to replace them for something more fitting and that will take time on your part. Something similar happens with the mythic rules. If you don't use them, the mythic-level encounters will be much tougher. The book suggests to use the fast advancement track in that case.

My rating: 4 stars. A couple of things detract from the overall score but it's a top-notch product. The rulebook dependence might be an issue for some potential buyers, though.

Read my full review here

Introduction to Mass Combat

3/5 —

This adventure is based on mass combat, it could have been great but falls short of what it could have been. When i first looked at the description I imagined something like the seige of helms deep from Lord of the Rings, or Assault on Kings Landing from a song of ice and fire but i suppose my expectations were too high. The mass combat rules accomodate only a single player and that leaves me coming up with another way to entertain the other 3-4 players while 1 of them is commanding.

The Good:
Interesting idea to give command of an army to players and the addition I loved the NPCs presented but my players arent quite as fond of them as the ones presented in the first one with the exception of the bard, Nurrah. Finally an introduction into the worldwound and plenty of nasty encounters to throw at them and alot of shiny items that borders on "loot porn." Mass combat rules are cool at least. The mythic bad guys in this game are very fun to use and if their stats are reworked then they are very deadly and challenging and more to what a mythic challenge should be like.

The Bad:
The mass combat rules should have included multiple armies or skirmishes to insert during a battle. It was exciting for the player in command of the army but everyone else was bored. I put some other stuff for them to do but there was only so many before we just needed to finish the mass combat or abandon it. At one point the army was reduced to a single hit point and at least half of my players breathed a sigh of relief because they thought they can finally ditch the army they were given and the army's commander felt like her shiny new toy was taken from her. So either all players should get their own army, no one should or have something to make the other players feel equally as important to the war. But it mostly feels like it was in there just to sell Ultimate Campaign because looking ahead, after the second module mass combat is not touched again. A series of encounters and optional encounters keeping track of "siege points" based on completed tasks would have been a much better way to do it.

On an unrelated note the wealth per level i dont think is taken into account of the pre written encounters leaving an average party significantly stronger than most of their adversaries. The railroad here also gets very wide allowing more freedom but little choice in the direction of story progression.

Final Verdict: 3 stars. It was a fun adventure but sharing many of the same faults as the first adventure in that it was heavily railroaded, the challenges were a little too easy and the mass combat was just not very enjoyable.

Oh, and the hard copy book could have just been a bad batch but it was falling apart within a week. After returning it for a new one it had the same problem where the glue that holds the pages together would not hold up to actual use.

The only book contain mass combat

5/5 —

Poor Quality Book - Resolved..!

5/5 —

My son is GM'ing this AP and bought the 2nd book, Pathfinder Adventure Path #74: Sword of Valor (Wrath of the Righteous 2 of 6) at one of our local game stores in Spokane, Merliyns. In fact he had to order it.

He ran the 2nd session in it last night and the pages are falling out already! Regardless of the quality of the adventure, the quality of the book itself is REALLY BAD!!! One would think of you pay $20+ for a book it would last at least long enough to play it through once.

It is now May 20th that I edit this review posted May 14th.

About 2 hours after I posted the review on the 14th, I got an unexpected and unasked for email from Paizo Customer Service, saying they read my review and would have another Sword of Valor book in the mail to me by the end of the day.

The next day I got an email from Jeff Alvarez himself, telling me he had seen my review and giving me the name/email of the Customer Service manager to contact if I had any further problems.

We received the new Sword of Valor book in the mail yesterday afternoon, and after opening it and flexing it the book is in much better condition that the original one purchased.

While we still have not finished the adventure to give it a proper rating, I will change my rating here to 5 Star for the SUPER Customer support from Customer Service and Paizo's upper management.

I am really impressed, that with today's global corporations, Paizo cares about one individual customer enough to resolve a small problem with such efficiency and speed. With this kind of support they have my business for life!

Once more into the breach

4/5 —

This is the second adventure in the adventure path, and it offers a unique and refreshing experience for the heroes of the newest crusade -to lead their own small army of paladins into the worldwound, in an attempt to conquer a fortress and retrieve a powerful artifact.

The adventure is essentially two different parts. In the first, the awesome part, the PCs lead their army, and have to tackle not only the usual assortment of monsters and villains that every PC does, but also the responsibilities of leading a hundred soldiers. In addition, a possible traitor in their ranks makes things even more interesting. This part does a great job of telling a story of the PCs rising in significence, from the almost incidental saviors of Kenabres to mighty heroes who's deeds will be written in the books of history.

The second part of the adventure is a dungeon crawl. Though it's most certainly a solid one, it feels like a step down after the mass combats involving hundreds that the adventure started with.Most of the dungeon is, I feel, not really necessary. Once the PCs go down into the basement level, though, things become much more fun and unique.

The bottom line is that this adventure reads fun and looks fun to play. It's doing something that was never quite done before in an AP, and it pulls it off very well. An excellent adventure that is maybe a bit weakened by a bit too long of a dungeon crawl in the end.

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Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Adam Daigle wrote:
Brimoraks. :)

Explains the odd height differential. I Guess that makes more sense than Mythic Minotaur Hordes with Equal parts Flaming Swords and Dwarfism.

Makes a less awesome post-crusade tavern story though. "There I was! Hip deep in mini-minotaurs! All of them wielding flaming swords! When Suddenly I succeeded on my Knowledge: Planes Check and realized they were actually Brimoraks!"
Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber

I'm guessing the dwarf on the cover is staunton vhane, the antipaladin.........
Shadow Lodge
Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

>Impatiently taps foot< Is it here yet? Is it here yet? :D
2 people marked this as a favorite.
Neil Spicer wrote:
Cry havoc! And let slip the dogs of war!

Since this is Sword of Valor, shouldn't that be 'let slip the Blink Dogs of war'?

Do the PC's gain mythic level 2 in this book?

What mythic level do the PC's end up with at the end of the AP?
The Exchange
stuart haffenden wrote:

Do the PC's gain mythic level 2 in this book?

What mythic level do the PC's end up with at the end of the AP?

PCs end up as level 20 characters with 10 mythic tiers by the end of the AP, which leaves them 5 books to attain 9 mythic tiers (beyond the first that they got in the end of book 1). That means at least a single mythic tier per adventure, with most of them having two.

It's a safe bet that the PCs will attain a mythic tier once during the midsection of the adventure, and another one for completing it, so tier 3 by the end.
RPG Superstar 2009, Contributor
Lord Snow wrote:
It's a safe bet that the PCs will attain a mythic tier once during the midsection of the adventure, and another one for completing it, so tier 3 by the end.

Your bet isn't just safe. It's assured.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
Lord Snow wrote:
stuart haffenden wrote:

Do the PC's gain mythic level 2 in this book?

What mythic level do the PC's end up with at the end of the AP?

PCs end up as level 20 characters with 10 mythic tiers by the end of the AP, which leaves them 5 books to attain 9 mythic tiers (beyond the first that they got in the end of book 1). That means at least a single mythic tier per adventure, with most of them having two.

It's a safe bet that the PCs will attain a mythic tier once during the midsection of the adventure, and another one for completing it, so tier 3 by the end.

In fact I would expect the characters to reach level 20 tier 10 somewhere in the middle of the last adventure. So 1 tier in the first and last adventure, and 2 in 2-5. Otherwise you don't actually get to play with those top level/tier powers.

Silver Crusade
Neil Spicer wrote:
Lord Snow wrote:
It's a safe bet that the PCs will attain a mythic tier once during the midsection of the adventure, and another one for completing it, so tier 3 by the end.
Your bet isn't just safe. It's assured.

Ah, the hubris of the adventure writer... :)

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4
2 people marked this as a favorite.
uriel222 wrote:
Ah, the hubris of the adventure writer... :)

Nevertheless, if this was Vegas I'd put a C-note on Spicer. He's always the favorite to win!

Why do the development people at Paizo always insist on putting demons into EVERY adventure path? Give me hordes of goblins, orcs, gnolls. ogres, giants! Maybe I am old school, but I sure miss the good old modules from D & D 1st and 2nd edition!
1 person marked this as a favorite.

There've been goblins in a lot of the Adventure paths. Rise of the Runelords, Shattered Star, Jade Regent, I think Council of Thieves, all had them. Not to mention the two free goblin adventures. Giants less so, but they played a big part on a Shattered Star and Reign of Winter adventure. Orcs have dotted the adventures, and gnolls really only played a big part in Legacy of Fire. Personally, I'm kinda sick of goblins.

Funnily enough, fighting demons is pretty old school when it comes to DnD modules.

It would be weird if an AP themed on fighting a demon lord and closing a rift to the Abyss (maybe?) didn't feature a lot of demon fighting...

goblins, orcs, gnolls. ogres, giants

Talking about OVERused.

I'm glad other creatures shine in Pathfinder, all those overused creatures get overused in D&D Next probably, so if you really love overused creatures D&D next is Tha Place Ta Be!
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Orcs overused in Pathfinder? I have a hard time thinking of an adventure that has orcs in significant numbers.

I actually would like to see Orcs used a bit more. They don't see a lot of face time in the adventure paths admittedly. Only one I can really think of is Curse of the Crimson Throne. And even then, they were a minor part of Scarwall.

But we are veering away from the topic at hand.
Zaister wrote:
Orcs overused in Pathfinder? I have a hard time thinking of an adventure that has orcs in significant numbers.

I mean Ors get overused everywhere, in games, in Tolkien, in D&D, in whatever.

Except for Pathfinder, and i'm happy for that, I kinda hate overused creatures. I do not hate Orcs tho, its lovely to have stupid creatures around that serve as cannonfolder for more important and interesting creatures.

But still i'm happy pathfinder doesn't follow the path of overusedness the rest of the world seem to travel.
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Tolkien invented them, as his main antagonist race. You can hardly count that as "overuse".

It was just a silly example, they get overused in games and D&D
The Exchange
Neil Spicer wrote:
Lord Snow wrote:
It's a safe bet that the PCs will attain a mythic tier once during the midsection of the adventure, and another one for completing it, so tier 3 by the end.
Your bet isn't just safe. It's assured.

Meh. Who are you to say?

RPG Superstar 2009, Contributor
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Lord Snow wrote:
Neil Spicer wrote:
Lord Snow wrote:
It's a safe bet that the PCs will attain a mythic tier once during the midsection of the adventure, and another one for completing it, so tier 3 by the end.
Your bet isn't just safe. It's assured.
Meh. Who are you to say?

Apparently, a designer full of hubris. ;-)

The Exchange
Neil Spicer wrote:
Lord Snow wrote:
Neil Spicer wrote:
Lord Snow wrote:
It's a safe bet that the PCs will attain a mythic tier once during the midsection of the adventure, and another one for completing it, so tier 3 by the end.
Your bet isn't just safe. It's assured.
Meh. Who are you to say?
Apparently, a designer full of hubris. ;-)

(I was actually aware of that, just in case that wasn't clear).

If I already have your attention, I was wandering - will the adventure make use of the troop rules from Reign of Winter #5, or exclusively of the mass combat rules?
RPG Superstar 2009, Contributor
Lord Snow wrote:
If I already have your attention, I was wandering - will the adventure make use of the troop rules from Reign of Winter #5, or exclusively of the mass combat rules?

Can't speak to that. It's for James to comment on. I just figured it was fair game to at least field the question about the mythic advancement for you.

Paizo Employee Creative Director
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Hawkwind7026 wrote:


Why do the development people at Paizo always insist on putting demons into EVERY adventure path? Give me hordes of goblins, orcs, gnolls. ogres, giants! Maybe I am old school, but I sure miss the good old modules from D & D 1st and 2nd edition!

1) We don't.

2) I quite like demons.

3) Demons ARE old school.

4) This is the first Adventure Path we've done that's this focused on demons since Savage Tide.
Paizo Employee Creative Director
Neil Spicer wrote:
Lord Snow wrote:
If I already have your attention, I was wandering - will the adventure make use of the troop rules from Reign of Winter #5, or exclusively of the mass combat rules?
Can't speak to that. It's for James to comment on. I just figured it was fair game to at least field the question about the mythic advancement for you.

It will not. I considered incorporating the troop rules into the adventure, but when I was working on developing this one many months ago, the troop rules were not yet out and they were still untested. This adventure uses the mass combat rules from Ultimate Campaign instead for its mass combat battles.

James Jacobs wrote:
It will not. I considered incorporating the troop rules into the adventure, but when I was working on developing this one many months ago, the troop rules were not yet out and they were still untested. This adventure uses the mass combat rules from Ultimate Campaign instead for its mass combat battles.

Shouldn't be too complicated for those of us who want to include the troop subtype in the campaign to create our own stat blocks. :)

Paizo Employee Creative Director
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Heine Stick wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
It will not. I considered incorporating the troop rules into the adventure, but when I was working on developing this one many months ago, the troop rules were not yet out and they were still untested. This adventure uses the mass combat rules from Ultimate Campaign instead for its mass combat battles.
Shouldn't be too complicated for those of us who want to include the troop subtype in the campaign to create our own stat blocks. :)

True enough. Maybe someone will be friendly enough to post a few sample stat blocks to this thread even! (hint hint!)

So anyone get there download yet? Inquiring minds want to know how Shax stacks up to Xoveron
Shadow Lodge
Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Still in pending limbo :'(

... I've gotten my notice.

And been so busy I haven't been able to look at it.

I got my email this morning saying it's ready for download, and will be downloading them now. I'm using my ability to sit and concentrate on my new Mythic goodies for two days as a silver lining to the fact that I crashed my bike this morning (the whole "I'm barely injured apart from some heavy bruising to my left leg" thing is also a fairly significant silver lining).

I'll post again once I've had a look at Shax and done some comparisons.

wow just got it

spoiler:

Just glancing at it now, but the "blood command ability" of Shax is pretty brutal. I approve

Grand Lodge
3 people marked this as a favorite.
Adventure Path Charter Subscriber

If you liked Irabeth & Anevia from chapter 1, you'll also like Aron & Sosiel in chapter 2.

Got my shipping email! Woohoo!!!!
Silver Crusade

Shax... Is scary.

Oh wow. Shax is simply beautiful, in a really horrifying way. Command Blood... I can see that causing some cries of despair amongst my players.
Paizo Employee Creative Director
3 people marked this as a favorite.

Yeah...

Shax's command blood ability is one of those that had me cackling like a super-villain when I wrote it. I'm happy to say that so far ALL the demon lords seem to have at least one of those powers.
James Jacobs wrote:

Yeah...

Shax's command blood ability is one of those that had me cackling like a super-villain when I wrote it. I'm happy to say that so far ALL the demon lords seem to have at least one of those powers.

I'm not surprised. Hell, just reading it had me cackling. So, mission accomplished on that one.

What does command blood do?

Is Shax higher or lower CR than Xoveron?

What level is Staunton Vane and does he still have a giant wasp fiendish servant?
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Answers for Lawful GM:

Spoiler:
1.) Different effects, like making you choke on your own blood, blind you, make you drop your stuff. Although Shax has to choose which effect is in place.

2.) He's CRE 28, so one CR above Xoveron.

3.) Antipaladin 8/Champion 2 and yes.

More!

What levels and classes are Aron and Sosiel and do they have a relationship.

Is Queen Galfrey still Human Paladin 15 and does she get a write up?

What class, level and race is "the traitor" and is she revealed?

I want a regular enemy that commands blood, not a lord, I hope to see one in the future, maybe a kyton or so. Or can Sangudaemons command blood I forgot!

What are the regular monsters in this book?
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
Lawful GM wrote:

More!

What levels and classes are Aron and Sosiel and do they have a relationship.

Is Queen Galfrey still Human Paladin 15 and does she get a write up?

What class, level and race is "the traitor" and is she revealed?

More spoilers:

Spoiler:
1.) Rogue 5/Low Templar 1 and Cleric of Shelyn 6 and yes.

2.) No write-up, but it seems we'll get one on module four.

3.) Bard 8 Halfling and yes.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
Gancanagh wrote:

I want a regular enemy that commands blood, not a lord, I hope to see one in the future, maybe a kyton or so. Or can Sangudaemons command blood I forgot!

What are the regular monsters in this book?

Thoxel Demon, Man-Eating Animal (template), Vescavor Queen.

2 people marked this as a favorite.

There are man-eating cows in this book. TICK FAN APPROVES.

"That cow's tasted human blood! She's a man-eater!"

"I ain't never seen a cow eat a guy that fast."

"The two strange men who just now tried to kill us were eaten by a cow and that almost makes sense to me."

"MOOOO."
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:

There are man-eating cows in this book. TICK FAN APPROVES.

"That cow's tasted human blood! She's a man-eater!"

"I ain't never seen a cow eat a guy that fast."

"The two strange men who just now tried to kill us were eaten by a cow and that almost makes sense to me."

"MOOOO."

I love The Tick, and was also incredibly pleased to see the man eating cows.

The cartoon gave me one of my all time favourite word plays, in the Multiple Santa episode. When you see the swarm of Santas barrelling down the canyon, all yelling Ho Ho Ho... and the Tick's immediate response is "IT'S A YULE TIDE!"

What are the Thoxel Demon and Vescavor Queen like?

Please tell me the Vescavor Queen has something to do with bees or wasps! Its in the name a bit.

Thoxel Demon is a demon formed from the souls of traitors and deserters. They infiltrate armies using their ability to alter self and cause problems in the ranks.

Vescavor Queen is like a mix of all kinds of nasty insects and vermin all rolled into one. Hard to explain.

Stuck in pending limbo still. It seems like my luck with subscription shipping has always fallen on the "You'll get it last" side of the die.

I wonder if they ship in order of when you subscribed? If that's the case, then it's probably because I only started my subscription with RoW. So I can probably expect my PDF to unlock sometime next week if that's the case.
Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I don't think that's the case Unruly, as I started with Shattered Star, and most of the time get my notice on Wednesdays, but this time I got it on Monday (for the first time! WOOO!)
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