I have both the PDF and the hard copy of RotRL. Have I just missed it or is there a calendar for the world? Will there be a timeline for the adventure paths or do you not contemplate side adventures?
I guess the long and short of it is will timeframe be important?
Creative Director
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I have both the PDF and the hard copy of RotRL. Have I just missed it or is there a calendar for the world? Will there be a timeline for the adventure paths or do you not contemplate side adventures?
I guess the long and short of it is will timeframe be important?
We've posted a calendar for our world over on our blog; we didn't have it invented in time for inclusion of dates in Pathfinder 1. As for timeframe, though, we're keeping that vague and up to the GM to decide. Certain adventures are scheduled to start at certain times (Burnt Offerings begins on the first day of Autumn, for example, while Hook Mountain Massacre takes place at the onset of winter), but for the most part we're leaving the actual timing to each GM. Some groups enjoy fast-paced campaigns, while others find it silly that a 20 year old can become 20th level inside of 3 months.
Personally... I do expect most groups to have side adventrues during the course of the campaign.
Personally... I do expect most groups to have side adventrues during the course of the campaign.
But not GameMastery sidequests 'cause they're, you know, 3,000 miles from Varisia.
Seriously, though, I give a big hurrah! for this stance because I'm one of those who think levels 1-20 should take years. I also prefer a campaign where not every single thing the PCs encounter relates to the single big bad. I'm looking forward to a campaign that introduces clues early on but a year or more can pass before they're picked up again. Especially once I get an eyeful of the rules for running the keep. (The empire building aspect of Farshore was my absolute favorite part of Savage Tide)
I just posted a calendar over in this thread for anyone interested.
Seven Swords of Sin is also situated in Varisia.
--Erik
o-KAY, I was JOKING!
It was a pill to swollow with the first batch of mods coming out all disconnected, but as more titles are being announced and I'm seeing them build on each other, I'm really starting to appreciate the way Paizoworld is growing.
So far from the very little i am seeing, this world is shaping out to be fresh an vibrant. I was wondering whther to get into Forgotten Realms, but then i realised how much lore is out there, and how many time the same nations are re-used and have set histories, rivalries hatreds blah blah blih blah,...
now I can start a campaign in a new world, and still be able to keep up wih the lore and such, so if a PC asks what happened 30 years ago in such and such, i actually can answer.
anywyas a bit off topic, but yeah, cool job!
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Seriously, though, I give a big hurrah! for this stance because I'm one of those who think levels 1-20 should take years. I also prefer a campaign where not every single thing the PCs encounter relates to the single big bad. I'm looking forward to a campaign that introduces clues early on but a year or more can pass before they're picked up again. Especially once I get an eyeful of the rules for running the keep. (The empire building aspect of Farshore was my absolute favorite part of Savage Tide)
I completely agree and I try and work my campaigns around the time factor. I add in downtime between missions (from weeks to years). In fact the campaign I was running came to a nice spot to walk away from. When it resumes, I will pick up a year after the last arc. I think much of the problem is too much xp is awarded for fighting monsters. The last session of The Whispering Cairn awarded the PC's 800+ exp for three encounters! And there are 5 players at level 1. (BTW this is all on the core d&d rules not the adventure) I've thought of halving all exp awards. In that case I can also hand out roleplaying xp like I prefer. This could help. But yeah, I want to see characters actually "grow up" as the campaign goes on.
I also agree with not every mission has to relate to the big bad. I generally skip around in my games. Use stuff I made, use adventures from dungeon, use other adventures I picked up. I don't know that there is any one path I'll stick to fully. Not because they are bad, but just because I think it puts my own flavor in when I use what I need from said adventures. Hell, I sent my party on a item gathering mission which had nothing to do with the "big bad". They thought they were gathering spell components for a raise spell. In reality they were gathering stuff for a magical ale! (Some of the party laughed when they found out. Others were pissed. It was awesome!)
But yes, I agree with more downtime = more better all around.
I've thought of halving all exp awards. In that case I can also hand out roleplaying xp like I prefer. This could help. But yeah, I want to see characters actually "grow up" as the campaign goes on.
I'd likely get lynched by my group if they found out I was slowing their character advancement any (we don't get to play that often and it can be a long haul to even level 3).
An idea I've toyed with (but haven't really thought out to its full impact) is to give xp for profession or crafting skills that can be used exclusively to increase their levels in NPC classes like expert or adept. I'm pretending this is how NPCs actually gain levels without fighting kobolds, and I think it would be a nice benefit to PCs who spend the time between adventures doing "domestic" stuff.
The end result is that time can pass between adventures and the PCs have a chance to earn some extra skill points and hit points for gaining another level. Of course I want to keep these extra levels out of the formula for adventuring XP and CR calculations and such (otherwise they'd actually be penalized for taking another level of 'expert'), but I haven't quite done the math to see how gamebreaking it'd be to have a wizard 6/adept 4 acting as a level 6 character (fer instance).
Fletch wrote:
"An idea I've toyed with (but haven't really thought out to its full impact) is to give xp for profession or crafting skills that can be used exclusively to increase their levels in NPC classes like expert or adept. I'm pretending this is how NPCs actually gain levels without fighting kobolds, and I think it would be a nice benefit to PCs who spend the time between adventures doing "domestic" stuff.
The end result is that time can pass between adventures and the PCs have a chance to earn some extra skill points and hit points for gaining another level. Of course I want to keep these extra levels out of the formula for adventuring XP and CR calculations and such (otherwise they'd actually be penalized for taking another level of 'expert'), but I haven't quite done the math to see how gamebreaking it'd be to have a wizard 6/adept 4 acting as a level 6 character (fer instance)."
Fletch,
If you try this keep us posted how it goes. I used to run a 1st edition C&S campaign and one of the neat things about that system was you got experience for living basically. You'd get say 1ep x your level a day. I had a very slow growth path for the PCs, so the group never complained much if there were a couple of game months between episodes.