I'm interested in the Pathfinder APs and the Pathfinder RPG. I've been playing D&D since 1E AD&D, but I am completely unfamiliar with Pathfinder. I've flipped through some issues of Dungeon and Dragon from time to time, but I really don't know much about Paizo.
How does an AP work? Does it take characters from level 1 to high level, and then you start over at level 1 with the next AP? Or does this change from AP to AP?
I'm wondering if I want to start a Pathfinder AP campaign, whether I need to go back to AP#1 and move forward sequentially. Also, looking at the first AP it looks like you go from level 1 to 14 or 15 pretty quick. Is each monthly release designed to be completed within that month, or do groups usually lag behind the Paizo output?
In summary, where the heck do I start?
:)
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I'm interested in the Pathfinder APs and the Pathfinder RPG. I've been playing D&D since 1E AD&D, but I am completely unfamiliar with Pathfinder. I've flipped through some issues of Dungeon and Dragon from time to time, but I really don't know much about Paizo.
How does an AP work? Does it take characters from level 1 to high level, and then you start over at level 1 with the next AP? Or does this change from AP to AP?
I'm wondering if I want to start a Pathfinder AP campaign, whether I need to go back to AP#1 and move forward sequentially. Also, looking at the first AP it looks like you go from level 1 to 14 or 15 pretty quick. Is each monthly release designed to be completed within that month, or do groups usually lag behind the Paizo output?
In summary, where the heck do I start?
:)
An Adventure Path takes your players' characters from level 1 to level 15/16 over the course of six issues.
How fast the adventure progresses depends upon how often you play, and how long each of your sessions are, adn your play styel, and...
As each Adenture Path is self-contained you can start with issue 1, or 7 or 13 (when it comes out).
Pathfinder write good adventures, everything else grows from their. For a taster you could try downloading the free pdfs of the Rise of the Runelords Players Guide and the Curse of the Crimson Throne Players Guide. Or perhaps with the free adventure Hollow's Last Hope.
Director of Brand Strategy
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First off, welcome!
How does an AP work? Does it take characters from level 1 to high level, and then you start over at level 1 with the next AP? Or does this change from AP to AP?
Essentially, an AP can be looked at two ways: a series of (in this case 6) adventures which are all independent but tell an overall story, or a single adventure broken up into parts. It's a great deviation from the delve format, and allows for a much broader plot to develop over the course of a campaign. An AP is designed to take the same characters (if you're lucky) from 1 to whenever the path ends. If you want to continue with these characters, you can, but there's no published adventure for them to continue the story. Each AP is separate from the rest, so your next AP would be set somewhere else, and begin again with 4 new PCs at first level.
I'm wondering if I want to start a Pathfinder AP campaign, whether I need to go back to AP#1 and move forward sequentially. Also, looking at the first AP it looks like you go from level 1 to 14 or 15 pretty quick. Is each monthly release designed to be completed within that month, or do groups usually lag behind the Paizo output?
You can do the APs in any order. The Paizo editors have specifically written them so that none of them affect the ability to run others. There are Easter eggs in the later APs that refer back to earlier ones, but beyond that, they can be run however you want. How quickly you complete a given adventure really depends on how much side-questing or roleplay your players take time on, and how often you meet, how long you play, etc. The adventures are generally around 50 pgs a piece, so they can take some time. I personally find it easier to be a bit behind in running them, as it allows you to see where the AP is going beyond the one issue in front of you, to allow for foreshadowing and such. Again, though, how you run it depends on a lot of things.
I would suggest getting the pdf of Pathfinder 1: Burnt Offerings. It will familiarize you with the format of each issue and introduce you to the first AP as well as the world of Golarion. If you think it might be an AP you could run, then I'd say go with it! Curse of the Crimson Throne, which is wrapping up next month, is also great. So you might try out Pathfinder 7: Edge of Anarchy as well.
Best of luck, and enjoy! The Pathfinder stuff is a ton of fun!
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I'm interested in the Pathfinder APs and the Pathfinder RPG. I've been playing D&D since 1E AD&D, but I am completely unfamiliar with Pathfinder. I've flipped through some issues of Dungeon and Dragon from time to time, but I really don't know much about Paizo.
How does an AP work? Does it take characters from level 1 to high level, and then you start over at level 1 with the next AP? Or does this change from AP to AP?
I'm wondering if I want to start a Pathfinder AP campaign, whether I need to go back to AP#1 and move forward sequentially. Also, looking at the first AP it looks like you go from level 1 to 14 or 15 pretty quick. Is each monthly release designed to be completed within that month, or do groups usually lag behind the Paizo output?
In summary, where the heck do I start?
:)
Each AP is a single campaign that takes the characters form 1-16+ level.
AP1: Rise of the Runelords is featured in issues 1-6 and AP2:curse of the Crimson Throne is in issues 7-12, AP3: Second Darkness starts in August and will be in issues 13-18.
You dont have to play Rise of the Runelords before you start another or even at all, my group started with CotCT last month and we just started Seven Days to the Grave.
Thank you, everyone!
I downloaded Hollow's Last Hope. All of the info you've provided is great. Looks like Paizo puts out high-quality products (based on what I've seen here, and both the paper and art quality and content of the materials I saw at the store).
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The old Dungeon AP's (Shackled City, Age of Worms, and Savage Tide) all went from levels 1-20 over the course of 12 monthly issues.
The Pathfinder AP's (Rise of the Runelords and Curse of the Crimson Throne) span levels 1-15ish over the course of 6 monthly issues.
In my experience, once you complete an AP, starting a new AP it level 1 is the norm. You can certainly plan for adventures beyond the end of the campaign.
Play at your own pace. For example, the group I DM started Savage Tide in September 2007. Right now, we're half-way through Chapter 7 (of 12 chapters). That's a pretty aggressive pace for us.
As far as where to start, it probably easiest and makes the most sense to start at level 1, chapter 1. There's certainly nothing stopping you from starting with chapter 2 or something else. The only real concern would be that you're starting in the middle of the story.
Hope that helps.
-Skeld
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How does an AP work? Does it take characters from level 1 to high level, and then you start over at level 1 with the next AP? Or does this change from AP to AP?I'm wondering if I want to start a Pathfinder AP campaign, whether I need to go back to AP#1 and move forward sequentially. Also, looking at the first AP it looks like you go from level 1 to 14 or 15 pretty quick. Is each monthly release designed to be completed within that month, or do groups usually lag behind the Paizo output?
The AP starts at level 1 and will run groups to ~ level 15 depending on their choices. Each adventure path is 6 issues of the Pathfinder monthly books.. You can tell which adventure is which when browsing by looking at the color of the covers (currently issues 1 and 7 start the current pathfinder adventure paths, and issue 13 will start the third in August)
Each Book averages about 10-12 hours of play time. So you can gauge that for the speed of the level progression. From experience, most groups are starting PF5 about now, so it's taking about a year for the average group to go through the 6 month path.
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First, welcome to the boards.
Second, regarding Teter, The Postmonster General - NEVER make eye contact with him. Not only will he take it as a challenge to his dominance, but his gaze attack can drive you mad (MAD I TELL YOU). He also has the power to get "creative" with your avatar (just ask Kobold Cleaver).
Third - Lilith is the Demon Queen of Victuals - NEVER forget that.
Fourth - Don't even think about beating Heathy's post count. It can't be done without the concerted effort of all the gods.
Fifth - I'm a friendly zombie. You can trust me. Seriously.
Sixth - Show respect to THE MONA, for he has many ninja minions with which he may smite thee with his unholy wrath.
That should do for now.
Pathfinder rocks!!!
No, no, no. Those aren't good at all for newbie questions.
You have to ask stuff like "What is the difference between HP and Spells?" or "Can I play a Dwarf AND a Cleric at the same time, or do I have to play a multiclass Half-ling for that?" How else could we mock you and say stuff like: "OMFG NOOB STFU".
;-)
Humour aside (for a second), welcome to the boards.
How does an AP work? Does it take characters from level 1 to high level, and then you start over at level 1 with the next AP? Or does this change from AP to AP?
So far, they all started at level 1. The first one goes to something like 16, I don't know how far AP2 will go, but I guess it will be something similar.
Nothing is set in stone, but they will probably all start at level one in the near future (and let me tell you, they pull it off just fine).
The ending will probably also be around 16ish for the time being.
It's totally possible to have an AP again that goes from 1 to 20, or 5-20, maybe even a completely epic one.
I'm wondering if I want to start a Pathfinder AP campaign, whether I need to go back to AP#1 and move forward sequentially.
An AP works best if you get all issues of one AP and run them in line. You could get specific parts and run them without getting the rest.
The different Adveture Paths aren't related by more than a couple of threads, which are more easter eggs than necessary bridges. You can start with Curse of the Crimson Throne (#7-12), or with Second Darkness (#13-18).
For example, Rise of the Runelords has a connection with Curse of the Crimson Throne, but it's quite behind-thescenes (players will probably not get it, and characters almost certainly won't, since you usually don't play the same for both APs)
Also, looking at the first AP it looks like you go from level 1 to 14 or 15 pretty quick. Is each monthly release designed to be completed within that month, or do groups usually lag behind the Paizo output?
It all depends on how fast you play, how long, how often. Right now, we more or less are a whole AP behind (#9 is out, and we finished with #3), but we started late and had a slow start.
The old Dungeon AP's (Shackled City, Age of Worms, and Savage Tide) all went from levels 1-20 over the course of 12 monthly issues.
The Pathfinder AP's (Rise of the Runelords and Curse of the Crimson Throne) span levels 1-15ish over the course of 6 monthly issues.
While Dungon used to present the Paths in 12 issues over PF's 6, I think the content is the same.
Each Pathfinder is 96 pages long, and about half of it is the adventure itself. That makes about 300 pages worth of AP. I'm too lazy to get my Shackled City hardcover, but the adventure part of it was about that long, too, if I recall correctly.
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While Dungon used to present the Paths in 12 issues over PF's 6, I think the content is the same.The old Dungeon AP's (Shackled City, Age of Worms, and Savage Tide) all went from levels 1-20 over the course of 12 monthly issues.
The Pathfinder AP's (Rise of the Runelords and Curse of the Crimson Throne) span levels 1-15ish over the course of 6 monthly issues.
Correct. Valid point.
-Skeld