Module or Scenario?

[hnlockwood]

Here's the situation. I have a group of gaming friends whom I only get to see once or twice a year, and we play a few short adventures. I am likely to run one, and I'm looking for something that will take 6-8 hours to run. I'd like it to be quite self-contained.

My big question is: should I go for a Module or a Scenario? I'm aware that Scenarios are part of the organised play system, but none of the others have played Pathfinder before and I'll be leaving Society out of it for this one.

Recommendations on people's favourite modules etc. are not essential, as I'm likely to browse a lot anyway, but feel free to chip in.

Many thanks!

[Cpt_kirstov]

The PFS scenarios are made to last 4 hours - they have about 5 encounters in them. Along with enough meat and potatoes around it to make it fun. The modules are about twice as long as the scenarios. I have run some of the modules in 6 hours, but the roleplay possibilities prevent many of them from being competed in this time period for many roleplay heavy groups.

Are you starting @ level 1? Do you know how much the party is hack&slash vs roleplay?

The problem with the pathfinder society scenarios is that they can run under time, especially if you have a good group. Some run at 2 hours if you have a party of the correct makeup. I would suggest either one module (possibly preparing some of the later encounters to be quicker in case you are short on time) or 2 PFS scenarios.

[hnlockwood]

Cpt_kirstov wrote:

Are you starting @ level 1? Do you know how much the party is hack&slash vs roleplay?

Not fussy about level, but that's likely to be decided by committee. The Saturday game for our weekend is going to be L8 DnD (3.5), so I don't want to do the same thing too much.

As for the roll/role balance, it's mostly hack-and-slash with out-of-character banter. The fourth wall is gone, and we're working on breaking the fifth :)

[Krome]

Society Scenarios are great for hack-n-slash. There is VERY little roleplaying in them at all. There is SOME, but darn little. So that might work well for you.

Modules, what I have seen so far, tend to have lots of ways to solve them, and have a good amount of social encounters. There is plenty of hack-n-slash too. You can probably reduce the social encounters and roleplaying parts to a quick monologue and be done with that part. Also modules tend to explore the setting more- a great way to get to know Golarion.

For a quick hack-n-slash game with buddies I would suggest PFS Scenarios myself.

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Go with Crypt of the Everflame, as it was designed to intro people into the new Pathfinder rules.

[hnlockwood]

Enevhar Aldarion wrote:

Go with Crypt of the Everflame, as it was designed to intro people into the new Pathfinder rules.

Many thanks for all the advice, folks, and I'll see what people think about playing Pathfinder rather than DnD. If I can get them to try it, I reckon they'll like it.

I'm just looking at Paizo products because I've come to trust the production values, rather than because I'm tied to Pathfinder for this occasion :-)

[hnlockwood]

Enevhar Aldarion wrote:

Go with Crypt of the Everflame, as it was designed to intro people into the new Pathfinder rules.

I just got back from my weekend's gaming. I took Crypt of the Everflame and its sequel, Masks of the Living God. Both were exceptionally well-received, and they were fun to DM as well. Top marks!