paizo.com Recent Reviews of Starfinder Adventure Path #29: The Cradle Infestation (The Threefold Conspiracy 5 of 6)paizo.com Recent Reviews of Starfinder Adventure Path #29: The Cradle Infestation (The Threefold Conspiracy 5 of 6)2024-01-20T00:51:41Z2024-01-20T00:51:41ZStarfinder Adventure Path #29: The Cradle Infestation (The Threefold Conspiracy 5 of 6): Not very high highs, but no low lows either (4 stars)Nullpunkthttps://paizo.com/products/btq023fg?Starfinder-Adventure-Path-29-The-Cradle-Infestation2021-12-06T19:56:56Z<p><b>Starfinder Adventure Path #29: The Cradle Infestation (The Threefold Conspiracy 5 of 6)</b></p><p>I ran this for a group of 4 casual players as part of the adventure path.</p>
<p>DISCLOSURE: We skipped the entirety of part 1 for reasons I laid out in my review of <a href="https://paizo.com/products/btq021bu?Starfinder-Adventure-Path-28-The-Hollow-Cabal" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the previous chapter.</a> In hindsight, I would have cut the last part of the previous book and instead run part 1 of this one as written, because it looks like a lot more fun than the fairly straight-forward dungeon crawl in book 4.</p>
<p>Still, there was plenty left to enjoy of this book. Part 2 is a fun set piece where the party gets to walk into a location, taking in the scenery, and then fight their way back out. </p>
<p>Part 3 is another dungeon crawl, but a brief and entertaining one with some intriguingly horrifying locations. </p>
<p>Because of the way the PCs are thrown into the situation, the scenario does not really allow the party to take a long rest all the way through part 2 and 3. My players were weary enough of the situation to be economical with their resources. But a group of more forceful players may need to be reminded about the fact that they are a long way from getting help and behind enemy lines and should be careful not to blow through their powers too quickly.</p>
<p>All in all, this is a solid entry in the AP. There were no encounters that felt like filler in part 2 and 3 and the atmosphere was tight. From the looks of it, the sandboxy part 1 would have added to the fun. Given the fantastic first book and some of the truly out-there encounters and locations in the previous books, nothing in here stands out enough to warrant a five star rating, however.</p>
<p>But any group going through the AP is not going to be disappointed by this.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, speaking of the AP: There is a big revelation for the PCs at the end of this. I have to say it's not pulled off to the greatest effect and it also leaves a lot of blanks for the GM to fill in. In fact, only one PC's revelation really matters for the rest of the AP and the rest are just dangling plot hooks for the GM to expand on as they see fit. As a lazy GM who buys adventures to have the work done for him, I was very disappointed by this. As a player, I think I would have been irked to just be a sidekick to the one PC that actually matters for the story. Fortunately, none of my players felt like that and were fine with (or even curious about) the barebones explanation I whipped up for their characters. </p>
<p>Some people may feel like this should shave a star of the adventure's rating but given that we still had a great time and my players are all eager to start book 6, I don't think it impacts the party's enjoyment of the AP as much after all.</p><p><b>Starfinder Adventure Path #29: The Cradle Infestation (The Threefold Conspiracy 5 of 6)</b></p><p>I ran this for a group of 4 casual players as part of the adventure path.</p>
<p>DISCLOSURE: We skipped the entirety of part 1 for reasons I laid out in my review of <a href="https://paizo.com/products/btq021bu?Starfinder-Adventure-Path-28-The-Hollow-Cabal" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the previous chapter.</a> In hindsight, I would have cut the last part of the previous book and instead run part 1 of this one as written, because it looks like a lot more fun than the fairly straight-forward dungeon crawl in book 4.</p>
<p>Still, there was plenty left to enjoy of this book. Part 2 is a fun set piece where the party gets to walk into a location, taking in the scenery, and then fight their way back out. </p>
<p>Part 3 is another dungeon crawl, but a brief and entertaining one with some intriguingly horrifying locations. </p>
<p>Because of the way the PCs are thrown into the situation, the scenario does not really allow the party to take a long rest all the way through part 2 and 3. My players were weary enough of the situation to be economical with their resources. But a group of more forceful players may need to be reminded about the fact that they are a long way from getting help and behind enemy lines and should be careful not to blow through their powers too quickly.</p>
<p>All in all, this is a solid entry in the AP. There were no encounters that felt like filler in part 2 and 3 and the atmosphere was tight. From the looks of it, the sandboxy part 1 would have added to the fun. Given the fantastic first book and some of the truly out-there encounters and locations in the previous books, nothing in here stands out enough to warrant a five star rating, however.</p>
<p>But any group going through the AP is not going to be disappointed by this.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, speaking of the AP: There is a big revelation for the PCs at the end of this. I have to say it's not pulled off to the greatest effect and it also leaves a lot of blanks for the GM to fill in. In fact, only one PC's revelation really matters for the rest of the AP and the rest are just dangling plot hooks for the GM to expand on as they see fit. As a lazy GM who buys adventures to have the work done for him, I was very disappointed by this. As a player, I think I would have been irked to just be a sidekick to the one PC that actually matters for the story. Fortunately, none of my players felt like that and were fine with (or even curious about) the barebones explanation I whipped up for their characters. </p>
<p>Some people may feel like this should shave a star of the adventure's rating but given that we still had a great time and my players are all eager to start book 6, I don't think it impacts the party's enjoyment of the AP as much after all.</p>Nullpunkt2021-12-06T19:56:56Z