Starting ROTR at 3rd level?


Rise of the Runelords

The Exchange RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32

I've a group of 6 with 3rd level characters who are currently halfway through another adventure but it's turned out less interesting than we'd hoped. I'd like to start ROTR but can't decide whether to start with part 2 and figure out connections to a certain bad guy noble type another way, or to start at the start. That would mean a lot of tweaking to keep it challenging but the story would be all the better for it.

This group plays for a full weekend every 3 months and just started new characters the last time. They want to do SOMETHING/ ANYTHING with these characters, and I want to run a Pathfinder camapign. How do we satisfy both these needs?

Any tips or thoughts?


I would make a world where they fight thru swarming hordes of exploding midgets diametrically opposed to living origami monsters made out of giant sheets of magical paper, which turn into flaming balls of death when they contact the swarms of combustible midgets. The setting would be a rocky landscape devoid of life except for small frogs that can sustain you eternally as long as you have at least 10 them duct taped to your body at all times... problem is they are very slippery.

I would have no plot, hand out gummi bears instead of treasure after encounters, and play Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" on repeat in the backround while running the campaign.

That or I would just start from the second adventure path from one of the pathfinder chronicles...and make something up as a reason why they are there.

If it's a hard choice, you can always flip a coin.


They might survive Skinsaw - though it is supposed to be for 4th-level characters, you have 6 players, not 4, so it might work out.

Otherwise, you might want to run a short version of Burnt Offerings to get them to 4th level.

Spoiler:
I suggest they come to Sandpoint for the Swallowtail Festival and beat back the (for them easy) goblin attack. (Maybe cut a wave or two from the attack) Have them be the town heroes and run some non-combat encounters (including the one with the amorous shopkeep's daughter and the Boar Hunt), but not the one with the commando in the closet.

Then run the Sandworks event with Tsuto (but with less goblins), ignore the catacombs of wrath, and finally send them to Thistletop.

In thistletop, leave out the druid and many of the goblins in the top floor.

Do that and maybe reduce XP gains a bit, and it should work out.


KaeYoss wrote:

They might survive Skinsaw - though it is supposed to be for 4th-level characters, you have 6 players, not 4, so it might work out.

Otherwise, you might want to run a short version of Burnt Offerings to get them to 4th level.

** spoiler omitted **

See I would definitely start at Burnt offerings but go the other way, beef it up

Spoiler:

I would create a tougher tsuto and nualia and maybe a 'tough guy goblin' sheet ie 2nd level warrior but other than that the main tweak i would make would be to max out major npc's hps

the swallowtail festival add a few goblins and give a few of them alchemists fire to throw at the party - they are meant to be pyro's. power up the mounted goblin by giving it another level of something and max hp's and a warchanter in the group

-run the grocery store encounter & the hunt, dont know about the commando

- run the glassworks as written but add some tough guy goblins (keep them crazy)and give tsuto a couple of extra levels

- the wrath caverns are fine, maybe keep another sinspawn up your sleeve to join any fights that are too easy

Most importantly tell the group that because they are higher than expected level they will not be getting as much exp as normal-- then dont level them up until after it has finished and you can leave the rest alone (the reason i would improve Nualia is I have read on these boards she seems a little weak)

they should only be 4th level when they start skinsaw


Werecorpse wrote:


See I would definitely start at Burnt offerings but go the other way, beef it up

I agree with Werecorpse -- beef it up.

Spoiler:

All of Werecorpse's suggestions are great. Parties of third level characters are not going to find the Swallowtail Festival or the Glassworks very challenging.

You might actually consider making the Boar Hunt something challenging. I know a couple GM's on the board who advocated turning the boars into real monsters (like infernal dire boars or such).

For the Catacombs of Wrath I would give the sinspawn a level or two of barbarian -- they are wrathful.

Third level is a good starting point for Thistletop.

CJ

The Exchange RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32

Thanks - starting at the start is the way to go. I'll beef up the gobboes, add plenty more, and have fun!

Would you swap any monsters for higher level beasts instead of just pumping the hitpoints and giving out class levels?


I wouldn't beef anything up. If you beef up Burnt Offerings, you'll get stuck beefing up the rest of the path.

What I would do is have a discussion with my players and tell them that the adventure path is more fun if we start at the beginning, but I understand that they want to keep their old characters. With that in mind, I'm freezing XP until they "catch up" in the adventure.

e.g. If they're frozen at 6500 xp, then they don't start progressing until they've earned 6500 xp in Burnt Offerings.

The trade-off is that the early encounters will be less of a challenge, but I don't really see that as too much of a problem. If your players want something in return (and they usually do), you can make up for it with extra money or magic items.

Walt

The Exchange RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32

Well, they've voted and they definitely want to keep the characters.

I think I'll just have them arrive in time to see the last party die defending Aldern from a horde of goblins or something. After that it's straight to Thistletop. Saves a lot of hassle.

I'm not totally familiar with the whole story yet. Am I missing anything vital if I start here? He's the only major link to part 2, right? I can have that ranger chick survive helping him too, since she comes back later.

The whole wrath cavern bit can wait, right?

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
carborundum wrote:

Well, they've voted and they definitely want to keep the characters.

I think I'll just have them arrive in time to see the last party die defending Aldern from a horde of goblins or something. After that it's straight to Thistletop. Saves a lot of hassle.

I'm not totally familiar with the whole story yet. Am I missing anything vital if I start here? He's the only major link to part 2, right? I can have that ranger chick survive helping him too, since she comes back later.

The whole wrath cavern bit can wait, right?

Spoiler:
You could have the PCs follow the retreating goblins into the glass works and find the caverns. They are pretty tough. I had a party of 6 3rd level PCs and they still had problems with the caverns. It took them 3 tries to defeat the boss in the cavern and one PC got taken below -10 after a surprise round plus one round against another NPC.

I think that with minor beefing, you could make Runelords work.

My party of second level is quite challenged by part 3 of the first AP. Run some solid opposition, and beef up the early encounters, and you'll be okay.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

[moved to Rise of the Runelords forum]]

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

carborundum wrote:

Well, they've voted and they definitely want to keep the characters.

I think I'll just have them arrive in time to see the last party die defending Aldern from a horde of goblins or something. After that it's straight to Thistletop. Saves a lot of hassle.

I'm not totally familiar with the whole story yet. Am I missing anything vital if I start here? He's the only major link to part 2, right? I can have that ranger chick survive helping him too, since she comes back later.

The whole wrath cavern bit can wait, right?

Spoiler:

The Catecombs of Wraith are actually unneccesary for the plot of the Adventure Path. It does provide some useful infomation and magic items for the later part of the Adventure, but it is not needed. (It would be one of those related side adventures like they are doing in Second Darkness).

As it is, if you don't modify the rest of the adventure, the party would still be close to where you want to be for Part 2: The Skinshaw Murders.


I find Paizo stat blocks to be a little tough for my group. My players tend to concentrate on roleplaying hooks and don't really optimize their characters the way they could. I tend to give them a little boost when they're starting out. For CotCT, for instance, they started as aristocrats of up to level three (their choice) and it worked out just fine. For RotRL they either had +3 or +4 LA and all the goodies that came with it. These campaigns are both working out fine.

In other words, I say just go for it. :D


David Jackson 60 wrote:

I would make a world where they fight thru swarming hordes of exploding midgets diametrically opposed to living origami monsters made out of giant sheets of magical paper, which turn into flaming balls of death when they contact the swarms of combustible midgets. The setting would be a rocky landscape devoid of life except for small frogs that can sustain you eternally as long as you have at least 10 them duct taped to your body at all times... problem is they are very slippery.

I would have no plot, hand out gummi bears instead of treasure after encounters, and play Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" on repeat in the backround while running the campaign.

HAHAHA. Funny as hell!!!!!!!!!

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