My group and I recently switched back to 3.P and after reading about the Kingmaker AP I am itching to run it. The problem being, now I have a pack of ravenous PC's that want to start playing this month. Anyone have suggestions on what I could do to sate their thirst for adventure while I "patiently" await the print of Kingmaker?
Primarily I have three concerns
1. Appropriate starting location
2. Not throwing a curve ball to get them into the Kingmaker storyline.
3. Not giving them too much xp/loot before the AP ships while still giving them something.
I had an idea of just having them deal with some bandits/monsters from the "low level adversaries" thread in a hodge podge of encounters around their village/city leading into their involvement of the main storyline.
Thoughts?
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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If you've read up on Kingmaker, you know that it takes place in an area of disputed territory between Brevoy and the northeastern part of the River Kingdoms. You could certainly start them off in either of those areas, or even in the eastern steppes leading off toward Casmaron, or even in Galt - maybe they are refugees from the purges there and trying to seek their own fortune in the River Kingdoms by getting away from home.
If you're not familiar with that corner of the map, it's a pretty woodsy area with rivers and such, so in a pinch you could certainly transplant the Crypt of the Everflame over there instead of placing it in Nirmathas. Depending on how long and how often you play and how quickly you move through stuff, that might be enough to tide your group over until KM #1 comes out. Crypt has some loot in it but not titanic amounts, and it's easy enough to scale back if you want them a little leaner heading into KM.
As for not throwing them a curveball, I'd probably just gently steer them away from "selfish bastard" or "doesn't like dealing with people" PC personalities. In an AP about having the opportunity to build and rule a kingdom, at least some of the PCs probably need to have some people skills.
Also, outdoorsy characters will have good opportunities to shine. Exploring in the boonies will probably call for good Survival skills at least, and probably things like Climb, Ride, and Swim that often get ignored in other campaigns might come in handy.
James has said that, among other things, common adversaries in the AP will include trolls (humanoid (giant)), bandits (probably mostly human, given that is the general trend of Golarion), and fey. I would suppose a fair number of animals and plants are likely to crop up as well, given the outdoorsy setup. So, to the extent that those general comments from James & Co can be your guide, spells, items, favored enemies, languages, knowledge skills, etc. that focus on foes of those sorts should come in handy.
As for how to get them ready for the first adventure of Kingmaker, that really shouldn't be a problem. The whole AP, and the first adventure, Stolen Land, in particular, are set up as a sandbox and exploration kind of setup that can accommodate a party of 2nd level characters as easily as a party of 1st level ones. The only real fixed set points in the adventure are the very beginning and the very end. The one at the beginning you might want to beef up a little if PCs are 2nd level, but even that may not be entirely necessary. By the time they get to the end of the adventure, it'll all even out.
This is a HUGE help!
I apparently have a lot more reading to do on this AP,I am just getting into Golarion as a setting and Pathfinder in general (although a long 3.5 player). thank you for all the information.
Also, with Guide to the River Kingdoms coming out now, you might want to pick up a copy of that and mine it for some adventure seed ideas. The "Stolen Land" location of Kingmaker's first adventure will take place somewhere between Pitax and Mivon on the River Kingdoms map, close to the border with Brevoy.
Personally, if I were you, I'd start the PCs in Brevoy. Give them a small adventure in that location. Then, by the time you hit the Kingmaker AP, you'll have a built in reason for them to get involved in the "Stolen Land"...particularly if the adventure you weave for them has them venturing close to the border with the River Kingdoms while in service to someone important back in Brevoy.
Just my two-cents,
--Neil
Only a small piece of advice...
If you start an adventure path with only 1/2 parts released you may have problems with NPC's and general info on where/what is in store long term for your players.
Far better to have the whole story available, imo.
Well I can try and distract my PC's with something shiny or a set of spare keys...
Only a small piece of advice...
If you start an adventure path with only 1/2 parts released you may have problems with NPC's and general info on where/what is in store long term for your players.
Far better to have the whole story available, imo.
I wasn't worried about that at all. Until you said it. I was really looking forward to running the AP as it came out, so that I would be discovering it and as excited by it as it progressed as my players were.
Now I'm sad.
I had a similar reaction, but my group only plays once a week if we are lucky (grad school, work, thesis research issues) I’m not horribly worried about it. I still plan on running it as it comes out, I was a player in a Dragonlance campaign that was run as it was printed and it was one of my favorite canned-campaign experiences.
I think I would suffer a bit if I had EVERYTHING available to me from the get go. Impatience... what a horrible flaw, I don't even get an extra feat from it =/
Only a small piece of advice...
If you start an adventure path with only 1/2 parts released you may have problems with NPC's and general info on where/what is in store long term for your players.
Far better to have the whole story available, imo.
I wasn't worried about that at all. Until you said it. I was really looking forward to running the AP as it came out, so that I would be discovering it and as excited by it as it progressed as my players were.
Now I'm sad.
Sorry! It's only my preference.
If you're happy with it I'm sure your players will be!
I apparently have a lot more reading to do on this AP,I am just getting into Golarion as a setting and Pathfinder in general (although a long 3.5 player). thank you for all the information.
Also, to get you started, Pathfinder wiki can help, Here is the Brevoy article, the nation Niel suggests starting in above,Here is the river Kingdoms, where the adventure path takes place.
Here is the river Kingdoms, where the adventure path takes place.
anarchists, unused to kings...
I suppose it will look a biot like this then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o76WQzVJ434
When trying to impress royal command on the masses... :D
Wiki Ad- Thanks, I have been killing my work day on the wiki already :)
Ikki- If there is a chance to slip in some highly knowledgeable peons among the rabble that could be entertaining.
Come on! Hurry up! Why isn't it March yet?! I need Kingmaker right now.
I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about running this AP. It'll be my first AP, and my first campaign using the Pathfinder rules, and my first campaign in Golarion. A whole lot of firsts and a different sort of campaign add up to a great big OH EM GEE.
I could just 'SQUEE!' really I could.
You can always run one of the Pathfinder Modules or Pathfinder Society Scenarios. Many of them are generic enough to fit into any place.
I could... but I have to finish my Forgotten realms campaign first! :D Should be done in a couple of weeks, and THEN Pathfinder/Golarion/Kingmaker all the way.