Pathfinder Society Scenario #4-15: In Glorious Battle

Glorious is a combat scenario with a few skill challenges, that runs long (5 hours). Our session was at subtier 9-10.

Glorious is an enjoyable scenario, with opponents that have powers that you don’t see much at lower levels but get used repetitively at high levels. Some of the monsters were also used repetitively. I'll agree with another review in that rare higher level creatures could have been used, creatures not seen at lower levels. The last combat had a few stages and unique events each round, which made the scenario more unique and enjoyable.

There were two skill challenge sections. I didn’t find them particularly memorable and I thought that they were a little too inclusive with skills. (The results matter however). If someone wants to use a non-intuitive skill for a skill challenge, players need to put in a little effort and be creative on why the skill could be used. In practice at conventions, skill challenges that are too inclusive are just roll offs using one of your best skills, with no creativity or problem solving involved. Yawn.

Overall: A good and sometimes unique combat scenario that is appropriately challenging. (7/10)

The defense mini-game is really nice. Super happy to see that instead of the overused influence system.

Battles feel epic and glorious. A suitable adventure for high level characters with cool callbacks and use of existing locations and NPC. Unfortunately the fights are repetitive with only basically 2 sets of enemies (zombies or wights) reused over 4 encounters.
(Here's the zombie encounter with a friend. Here's the wight encounter. Here's the zombie encounter, here's the wight encounter with a friend) Although escalating environmental encounters in the final encounter help redeem it by upping the danger and providing a sense of urgency.

Interesting background that is completely inaccessible to PCs is also a ding against.

All that said suitably epic and enjoyable, but the encounters lack variety and the backstory doesn't come out.

I ran this twice, high tier, 22 and 19 CPs. I liked it. Once went like a wheeze. The other was more challenging for the players. (I know why the difference, but won't tell, sorry...).

Not very complicated for the players, rather straightforward. definitely more combat than role-play.

Some strange decisions in the scenario, such as NPCs that take up space and have no impact on the adventure. puzzling. Maybe something was removed at the last minute and these NPCs became non longer useful?
Not super impressed with the lack of variety in the choice of bad guys. Diversity (in monsters) would have been better.

For the GMs, however, the scenario is not straightforward. And can even be complicated at times. Tracking all the conditions, for everyone, requires some preparation.
Also, a number of 'things' have the incapacitation trait and that needs to be kept in mind.
Also, it runs long. Without the optional encounter (thanks for making it optional, btw), it ran 4h30 and 5h. I recommend GMs take it out (it is not particularly interesting, anyway).

The skill challenge is a great example of a very good one. (even if it makes the GL's life difficult, in terms of tracking the consequences).

Overall, a good high level scenario.

I played and GMed this.

A very combat heavy scenario. If you have an anti-undead character you will enjoy this.

Now for some minor nitpicks which prevent this from being a 5 star.
During the beginning you get introduced to some NPCs (from Knights of Lastwall) that don't matter at all for the scenario and I have honestly no idea why they are even mentioned. Also the combats feel repetitive at times (fighting the same enemies over and over again) and adding all the bonuses and penalties from the preparation part felt a bit too time-consuming to be fun.

Overall I think cutting one of the 4 combats and replacing it with a some more roleplaying/skill challenges would have been better as would be a bit more of variety in the opponents.