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Can someone give me a rundown on the AoW AP? I would like to have an idea how the entire path sort of goes before I run it. I just downloaded and printed out the first 3 parts, and I have another 1, maybe two in the actual mag, (as well as the Dragon stuff). Feel free to give spoilers if needed, my players will not see this.
Additionally, I am going to allow PHB 1 and 2, and the Complete Books for character creation, as well as Spell Compendium. Is there anything I should probably house rule or disallow in any of these books? Or suggest the group have?
Anyways, thanks in advance.
Try this:
Spell Compendium has a few "buggy" spells in it, but you probably already know about them. Make Spell Compendium spells the "reward" for good players. Clerics who actually roleplay their faith may receive "special blessings" that allow them to prep SC spells. Wizards might find scrolls to learn, or if they make nice with other wizards, to trade.
PHB 2 doesn't really have any issues.
As for the Complete's, aside from things like hexblade, samurai, and swashbuckler being weak base classes, the only things you need to watch out for are Radiant Servant of Pelor and the Entropomancer prestige classes.
RSoP because its an undead heavy game, and the cleric who goes into it becomes a living weapon against them, and a high powered one. Its like showing up to a barbecue with a flamethrower: a little bit awesome, a little bit overkill.
Entropomancer is the big investment, big payoff class, as at the very end of the campaign, the PCs will get access to a Sphere of Anhillation, and the extra benifits of being an Entropomancer (especially immunity to Spheres!) makes that character suddenly a walking NUKE. Not kidding. Especially if they do a small dip into some arcane casting to use the Talisman of the Sphere that is found fairly early on (the discovery of which might spark interest in the class, actually).
Beyond that, not too much problems to be had with your material. Assuming a party of four, and a 30-32 point buy, you should have PCs who will have some closs shaves but (assuming decent teamwork and cooperation) will ultimately make their way to the end of the campaign, and to victory.
Any problems without a Rogue?
The first chapter will need a rogue. I used a factotum as an NPC. After the first chapter traps show up here and there, but not enough to advise a group to have a dedicated rogue.
I am currently running it now. I also gave my PC's 8 extra hp. I still had to fudge dice, but I kept rolling 20's. I don't know what the hp would have done for a normal session.
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Aside from traps, is there any reason that not having a rogue might be a specific problem?
It's been a house rule that anyone with ranks can try to disable device or pick locks, regardless of DC, and that you can take a feat to get any skill as a class skill (for all your levels), so it is more likely that they will do this than go Rogue is why I ask.
Creative Director
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There aren't a lot of traps in Age of Worms, but there ARE a lot of situations where having a character with a lot of skills will come in VERY handy... particularly the Charisma skills in some parts of the campaign (Bluff, Sense Motive, Intimidate, Diplomacy).
The main thing that a rogue will be frustrated with is the fact that undead play a huge role in Age of Worms. I STRONGLY suggest using the Pathfinder RPG rules for sneak attack if you run AoW as a result—let the rogue use sneak attacks on pretty much every foe except for incorporeal ones, actual true elementals, and oozes.
That or allow/throw in some of the Magic Item Compendium goodies that can give you the ability to sneak attack undead. I beleive there are some gloves with times/day usage, and a truedeath weapon crystal. Theres a thread currently running about the crystals, and the pros and cons.
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I am currently running AoW as a pbp game; the group is about half way through Whispering Cairn.
There’s no rogue in the group, or other PC who can easily find traps or pick locks (the party consists of a fighter, wizard, cleric, druid/barbarian and ranger). So far the lack of rogue has not overly hurt them.
One thing to keep in mind using splatbooks. The campaign is designed with little or no splatbook rules in them. This can lead to overpowered parties if the players know the combination to shoot for. I recently saw an 8th level minotaur monk/monster of legend/fist of the forest that was tougher (AC 47) and hit harder than a 20th level character (something like 16d8 per attack), it was disgusting. So just watch out for those broken combinations and munchkin players that will exploit them. When I prep a game I will put together a player's guide that giver the player's options I have chosen from the various supplementary material out there. This includes classes, feats and optional rules that I feel will not break the game and enhance the feel of the campaign. Other than specific selected material I allow only the core rulebooks and (limited) psionic's handbook. Doing this I have never had a problem with broken characters.
For rouges there is, I think, a feat that I can't quite remember what it is caller or what book it is in, but I believe it's called Undead Hunter and is in Libir Mortis that allows a rouge to gain sneak attack against undead.
Of course, this doesn't really address the OP. The Age of Worms Overload has a great synopsis of the story.
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I was kind of hoping for a short one, but ya, I've seen it. And thanks all, for that. As far as Rogues go, I particularly like the Exp. to Castle Ravenloft rogue variant. It allows limited Sneak Attack against Undead. I don't recal exactly, but I want to say 1/2 the d6 pool + 1d6. It is a class feature for being a LightBringer Rogue, and I want to say they give up Trap Sense at 3rd Level for it.
As for the Prophecy, it's laced throughout the various adventures. Go through the Handouts available for each one and you'll get a pretty good idea of the whole thing. If you want a complete one you can fashion it yourself to suit your campaign.
Make sure your players have a healer. I normally eschew the classic "four-role" party model but this is a good one to have it in. If your players don't have a Cleric, Healer, Favored Soul, or at least a Druid with them, they will die early on and often. The combats are brutal, knock-down drag-out fights. The alternative is a cart of healing potions.
If you have access to Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, really look at creating a Lightbringer party. The prevalence of undead, Kyuss' nature, and many of the themes of the adventures would suit that really well. It also helps whatever the PC's choose to be more effective in the fray.