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Pathfinder / Pathfinder Society / Season 2: Year of Corruption's Reach

Pathfinder Society Scenario #2-00: The King in Thorns

3.70/5 (based on 3 ratings)
Pathfinder Society Scenario #2-00: The King in Thorns

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A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1–8 (subtiers 1-2, 3-6, 7-8).

In the jungles of the Mwangi Expanse, a large group of Pathfinders stands ready to travel beyond a magical gateway whose mysteries stymied a group of the Pathfinder Society's founders. What lies beyond the doorway is also the crux of the plot of an ancient evil fey, the Thorned Monarch. Will the Pathfinders unlock lost fey magic, restore buried secrets from the Society's history, and purge the world of the Monarch's evil, or will they fall before the fey's minions and tricks?

Written by Kate Baker and Dennis Muldoon

Scenario tags: Metaplot

[Scenario Maps spoiler - click to reveal]

The following maps used in this scenario are also available for purchase here on paizo.com:

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

PZOPFS0200E

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3.70/5 (based on 3 ratings)

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King sized combat

3/5 —

King is a combat scenario with a few skill checks.

I ran King at subtier 7-8 with a very strong group with no time limit. It took over 7 hours. Most of the scenario is fine, but parts (D and J) feel especially difficult, but I think during a special you'll just run out of time. It's unlikely that Qxal will die unless the GM plays Qxal sub optimally (which just happens to be the recommended tactics). At this subtier, I found combat with Qxal has the potential to be extremely tactical (which I liked), but tactical combat doesn’t please everyone.

I’m also running King at subtier 1-2 and 3-4 and will update the review when I do. At these subtiers, I feel King is mundane, but it will be easier to complete the special on time.

At subtier 7-8, there were a lot of huge creatures, creature types I don’t usually use, so it will be a little harder for GMs to source minis, but it could be a treat for the players.

At subtier 7-8, the scenario was well written, but I found that it took longer to prepare than usual. Everything from the unusual minis, multiple special abilities, multiple spells (Ex. Qxal has 31 unique spells, many are high level), and uncommon rules. Even during the preparation phase, there is the potential for getting free items, but most players don't know what they do, so as GM I created a handout to explain what they do, so we didn’t have to slow down the session looking them up. As a player, it's something different, but it did take a lot of extra time as GM.

I didn’t like how all of the skill checks in Charting a Course all came at once. It would have been better to intersperse them between (or at the start) encounters.

I found most of the NPCs to be irritating, and the dialogue between encounters to be cheesy and unneeded. I wish there were less Pathfinder leaders speaking, it’s confusing for the players and doesn’t really add anything to the scenario. Using they/them for Qxal is just confusing and not needed, luckily he’s not a big part of the scenario.

”Detailed rating”:

Length: Extremely Long (7 hours).
Experience: GM at subtier 7-8 (10 challenge points).
Sweet Spot: Subtier 7-8. The other subtiers feel like very mundane combat encounters to me.
Entertainment: At subtier 7-8, it did feel epic and important. (8/10)
Story: The story needs to be explained by either the GM or a handout at the start of the scenario, to set the context of the scenario. (4/10)
Roleplay: Very little. (3/10)
Combat/Challenges: A better use of terrain than most scenarios. (6/10)
Maps: Good use of flip maps. (7/10)
Boons: You can download a very good boon, 50% off raise dead. (10/10)
Uniqueness: I like scenarios with important choices to make, or something memorable. The only thing memorable about King is Qxal, and if you follow the tactics, isn't memorable at all. (3/10)
GM Preparation: For a combat scenario, it took a lot more time than expected.

Overall: A straightforward combat scenario with a good boss combat at subtier 7-8. (6/10)

3/5 —

A fantastic inaugural special to the new edition!

5/5 —

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Paizo Employee Webstore Coordinator

Just announced!

Please note: while this page currently says "will be available Aug 4," our system fails to specify that the date is Aug 4 2021 because this is a special.
The Exchange
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Was super excited and now I'm bummed Katina!

The waiting is the hardest part!
Dark Archive
Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Is that what Qxal's real body looks like or some of it's minions? :D
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

This sounds ultra cool
Katina Davis wrote:

Just announced!

Please note: while this page currently says "will be available Aug 4," our system fails to specify that the date is Aug 4 2021 because this is a special.

Really? Dang. I have been gathering the society modules all year and thought I could string together the main-arc ones for a quick month's worth of adventures. Guess that's not happening for a minute...

Grand Lodge
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

:D

I have heard this is repeatable with different characters in different tiers. Is this true?
Scarab Sages Organized Play Developer
Cypher1 wrote:
I have heard this is repeatable with different characters in different tiers. Is this true?

Yes. There are three different versions of this adventure (a 1-2, a 3-6, and a 7-8), each of which will be reportable under its own designation. So technically it's not "repeatable" in the way that's normally defined, but you can play each version of the adventure once with a different character at each tier.

Is it a multi table special or can it be run with one table
Grand Lodge
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
nick gray 117 wrote:
Is it a multi table special or can it be run with one table

Multi-table special.

Katina Davis wrote:

Just announced!

Please note: while this page currently says "will be available Aug 4," our system fails to specify that the date is Aug 4 2021 because this is a special.

Haha. I had been coming here over the past several weeks hoping this would be available in time for this Sunday's game and just now read your post. (I'm guessing I probably can't get it ready within 4 days when it releases in 2021.)

Sovereign Court
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Harles wrote:
Katina Davis wrote:

Just announced!

Please note: while this page currently says "will be available Aug 4," our system fails to specify that the date is Aug 4 2021 because this is a special.

Haha. I had been coming here over the past several weeks hoping this would be available in time for this Sunday's game and just now read your post. (I'm guessing I probably can't get it ready within 4 days when it releases in 2021.)

Not with that attitude you can't. ;)

All jokes aside, super bummed to see this won't be available until next year since both the gf and I play characters from the Mwangi Expanse and I feel like this would be great character building for both of us. At least it's something to look forward to at next year's Gencon!
Grand Archive
Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Maar the Volcano Monk wrote:
Harles wrote:
Katina Davis wrote:

Just announced!

Please note: while this page currently says "will be available Aug 4," our system fails to specify that the date is Aug 4 2021 because this is a special.

Haha. I had been coming here over the past several weeks hoping this would be available in time for this Sunday's game and just now read your post. (I'm guessing I probably can't get it ready within 4 days when it releases in 2021.)

Not with that attitude you can't. ;)

All jokes aside, super bummed to see this won't be available until next year since both the gf and I play characters from the Mwangi Expanse and I feel like this would be great character building for both of us. At least it's something to look forward to at next year's Gencon!

Next year at GenCon, the multi table special that will be played will be the new one made for next year, not this one. This one was played at GenCon Online 2020, and it will be purchasable only next year so that it can stay exclusive to selected Conventions that ask for it.

Paizo Employee Organized Play Associate

The PDF for this scenario has just been updated on paizo.com and is available for download. Change log:

Spoiler:
* Year name fixed on cover
* Paizo Org Play logo added to cover
* Fame removed
* AcP text added to chronicle sheet
* Success thresholds increased
* Typo fixes

2-00 (1-2)
Changed Pages: cover, 2, 5, 7, 8, 18, 20, 24, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40, 42
2-00 (3-6)
Changed Pages: cover, 2, 5, 7, 8, 19, 21, 24, 47, 48, 49, 52, 53, 55
2-00 (7-8)
Changed Pages: cover, 2, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 23, 37, 38, 39, 43, 42, 45
Grand Lodge
Alex Speidel wrote:
The PDF for this scenario has just been updated on paizo.com and is available for download.

Alex, you’ve posted this in a couple places in the forums, but I don’t see any way to download the PDF. Katrina Davis said at the top of this thread the scenario won’t be available until August 4, 2021. What’s the real deal?

There's people that already have access to this Scenario, but for the general public, the Scenario is going to be available August 2021.
Paizo Employee Organized Play Associate
Franz Lunzer wrote:
There's people that already have access to this Scenario, but for the general public, the Scenario is going to be available August 2021.

This; anybody who's run it at a convention has access now and therefore needed to be informed of the updated PDFs.

Michael Sayre wrote:
Cypher1 wrote:
I have heard this is repeatable with different characters in different tiers. Is this true?
Yes. There are three different versions of this adventure (a 1-2, a 3-6, and a 7-8), each of which will be reportable under its own designation. So technically it's not "repeatable" in the way that's normally defined, but you can play each version of the adventure once with a different character at each tier.

So if you’ve already played it at a given tier can you then play that same tier with a different character?

Paizo Employee Organized Play Associate
Cypher1 wrote:
Michael Sayre wrote:
Cypher1 wrote:
I have heard this is repeatable with different characters in different tiers. Is this true?
Yes. There are three different versions of this adventure (a 1-2, a 3-6, and a 7-8), each of which will be reportable under its own designation. So technically it's not "repeatable" in the way that's normally defined, but you can play each version of the adventure once with a different character at each tier.
So if you’ve already played it at a given tier can you then play that same tier with a different character?

Nope (without some other replay mechanism). You can play it a total of thrice (once per level range), with a different character each time you play.

Grand Lodge
1 person marked this as a favorite.

The Spark of Life boon says "check the box next to this boon to reduce the gold or material cost of a raise dead ritual to restore you to life by 50%." Since raise dead is a spell, not a ritual, is it supposed to be 50% off the spell or a resurrect ritual?
Vigilant Seal

Is this not available as a PDF?
Paizo Employee Organized Play Coordinator
Filbert Badgersmith wrote:
Is this not available as a PDF?

It is currently available for purchase as a PDF.

This worth the normal 4 xp correct?
1 person marked this as a favorite.

The links to the maps on this page don't seem to match the names of the maps?
Paizo Employee Organized Play Coordinator
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Yeah, they sure don't. Thanks for the heads-up, I'll put it on my list to fix.
Radiant Oath

Does this count as an "Exclusive" for the purposes of 5th Glyph requirements?
Paizo Employee Organized Play Coordinator
2 people marked this as a favorite.
Dr Blitz Krieg wrote:
Does this count as an "Exclusive" for the purposes of 5th Glyph requirements?

Yes, all specials count.

Sovereign Court
Alex Speidel wrote:
Dr Blitz Krieg wrote:
Does this count as an "Exclusive" for the purposes of 5th Glyph requirements?
Yes, all specials count.

Should this product page and the PDF be updated to reflect this?

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