New CotCT Campaign - Questions

[Karui Kage]

Hey all, I will be starting a new CotCT campaign in a few weeks and had some questions before I began.

We plan to use the new Pathfinder RPG rules. Hopefully the Beta, that being due out in August (I believe), but the Alpha 3 will suffice if the Beta is not available. In regards to PRPG:

1. Has anyone tried PRPG with CotCT? I heard it was recommended to use the new class/race rules with only the heroes, and not bother using them with anyone else. How has that turned out for people? Have any significant complications arisen as a result of using the rules?

2. I will likely be doing Point Buy for this campaign. Being a Paizo campaign, and reading into it some, I imagine it will be deadly as my players and I both expect. There will only be 4 adventurers, so I am debating giving them the Epic starting point buy of 25. This doesn't seem too bad, one of my players would likely go with the following starting array: 16,16,14,12,10,8. Doesn't seem too powerful, and with only 4 adventurers in a Pathfinder AP, they will probably need it. What has everyone else been using?

3. This is a bit in regards to backgrounds. The rogue of the party will be half-elven, and wanted to go with the 'abused orphan' bit in regards to Lamm. He will have escaped into the water, nearly drown / been eaten by the alligator / or a shark, before being rescued by someone else near the water. The question is, who? I wanted to make it someone who will play out in the campaign as well, and my first thought was the King of Spiders. I'm wondering though, why? It would definitely be cool for the encounter with him to be a bit different if someone had an attachment to him, but would he really rescue an orphan? If not, who would? Also, he wants to have a parent or two of his be people they meet during the campaign, and while I could certainly make them up as well, I was wondering if there were any elves (one or two) that would fit this perfectly.

Thanks for the advice!

[tbug]

Karui Kage wrote:

If not, who would?

Blackjack! :D

[Rechan]

Karui Kage wrote:

The question is, who?

My first thought?

Grau Soldado. He pops up often, and often needs help. Great hook.

Karui Kage wrote:

my first thought was the King of Spiders. I'm wondering though, why? It would definitely be cool for the encounter with him to be a bit different if someone had an attachment to him, but would he really rescue an orphan? If not, who would?

If the KoS did this, it would be a move of pragmatism, one that would benefit him. Namely: To train a thief loyal to him, who would stick by him. He wouldn't just save the PC and let them go - they would owe him for a long time.

[Golbez57]

We have 5 players, all of their characters created using Alpha 3 rules--with the exception of the halfling rogue retaining the bonus to Intelligence rather than Charisma. We didn't like that change.

They used the Epic point buy, which was quite comparable to the 3.5 32 point buy they'd used when we only had Alpha 2. Like you, I know that Paizo creates some challenging adventures, so... the exceptional ability scores will come in handy.

They've been dominant in three of the four encounters so far, and are ready to bring the hurt to Verik Vancaskerkin tomorrow night. Only the quartet of imps gave them trouble.

As for your half-elf rogue's rescuer... hmmm... I'm inclined to favor a later-villainous NPC, as well, for that touch of noir.

Spoiler:

I like Glorio Arkona in the role you described. Sure, he'd be most likely encountered in Old Korvosa, but "Edge of Anarchy" describes Lamm as having squatted in any number of safehouses. For our campaign, the character that was formerly a Lamb was under Lamm's thumb when he was holed up in the basement of a brothel in Dockside in Old Korvosa. At this point, Glorio would still be just gradually building resources in his eventually murderous bid for power in his family, but still wearing the face of a rougish friend to the downtrodden.

I don't have any immediate thoughts on an elven parent, but the "Guide to Korvosa" does state that many bored female nobles have participated in trysts with the elves who live in South Shore.

Good luck with your campaign!

[Cpt_kirstov]

tbug wrote:

Karui Kage wrote:

If not, who would?

Blackjack! :D

the thing with that is that part of the 1st big scene is dependant on blackjack coming back after a long hiatus. I have a similar player in my play by post, he was found beaten o the edge of death -9hp by the halfling servant of one of the book shop owners (I forgot which) he now lives above the shop, and aspires to free Lamm's Lambs and turn them into a legal information gathering and bounty hunting group, sharing any funds they gain equally

[Karui Kage]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, they've been great.

On the note of PRPG mechanics, how have people felt about the experience tracks? Is the Fast one (that being the closest to the current XP track) good enough to keep up with the pace of the AP?

[tbug]

Cpt_kirstov wrote:

tbug wrote:

Karui Kage wrote:

If not, who would?

Blackjack! :D

the thing with that is that part of the 1st big scene is dependant on blackjack coming back after a long hiatus.

True enough. Maybe I should have asked how old the PC was before making the suggestion, and how old he was when he escaped from Lamm. If the ages are right then Blackjack would work, but if the PC is still really young and was fairly old for a Lamm when he escaped then clearly that's not going to suggest the hiatus that the scenario demands.

Good catch!