I am currently running my group through RoTRL. And one of the players in my group wants to DM the 2nd pathfinder AP. Because of this I am staying out of the forum for that AP, and trying to learn as little as possible about it. This player is concerned that because I have DMed RoTRL I will have secret game breaking world knowledge that may ruin the fun of the 2nd campaign. Is this a legitimate fear?
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The adventure paths (the first three espescially) are rather self-contained even though they all take place in Varisia. My group is doing the same thing (I'm DMing RotRL, friend and player of RotRL is DMing CotCT) I'm generally of the opinion anyone good enough to DM an adventure path ought to be good enough not to metagame, and since I taught all my players how to play and DM, I frequently like to check things over just to make sure they don't confuse something (at least for my two newer DMs).
One of my DMs ran a dungeon as having room 1 connected to room 2 connected to room 3. That was a railroad of fun >.>
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I don't think there's any fear needed.
First, the APs don't happen in the same parts of Varisia.
Second, even though there might be cross-refenrence between the themes of both, I don't think the 2nd AP will be about the same subject. (Or at least, Ihope it wont be about the same quest again, because players who play through both will no find it very interresting to do the same thing again...)
Third, most of the specific knowledge about the areas visited in the 2nd AP will be detailed in future products. Have him decide what you can read. For exemple, don't read the Guide to Korvosa or at least have him read it first so he can select what is player's knowledge and what is DM-only knowledge.
Last, but not least, player's knowledge and character's knowledge is always a problem. What player has never flipped through the monster manual and doesn't have a general idea of strengths and weaknesses of most common/cool monsters? Does that mean a DM should allow that his players always make the most advantgeous move against each monster, just because they know how to beat it, even though their character could never have heard of them? So even if you know a couple things you shouldn't, I guess you can tell him you intend to roleplay correctly and put aside your knowledge. I've seen someone from Paizo staff (JJ?) tell us he's playing one of the Dungeon's AP he knows probably better that his DM. But his DM changes a couple things here and there and it's still fun for him and for his DM...
One warning: There was a mention that PF#6 will contain a few pages about the 2nd AP's story line, so you will want to avoid that part...
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Saying that because you ran RotR you might know too much about next AP is like saying because you DM'd adventures in the Forgotten Realms you can never be a player their because you know too much.
You have no clue what is in the AP - only some general world background and history that most players have not been exposed to.
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Saying that because you ran RotR you might know too much about next AP is like saying because you DM'd adventures in the Forgotten Realms you can never be a player their because you know too much.
You have no clue what is in the AP - only some general world background and history that most players have not been exposed to.
I have been playing in a group of 3 DMs, we alternate issues of PF (so we each DM 2 adventures per PF path) even though they begin planning their part before the adventure finishes.... we never feel like one person knows game breaking information. if you want to play it safe, put a couple of skill points into knowledge:history or Knowledge: local
Well, just stay away from the Crimson Throne synopsis in #6 (Spires of Xin-Shalast) and you shouldn't have much gamebreaking knowledge.
Combine that with a mature approach to roleplaying and metagame knowledge, and there should be no problems whatsoever.