Quick AP question

[wayne62682]

I hope I'm posting in the right place. I'm going to try and convince my friends to try Pathfinder (we've played 4E [I've played every version of D&D up to and including 4E], and are now experimenting with Warhammer Fantasy RPG, plus I have a friend I am dating who has played 3.5 previously). My main reason for this is the beautiful Adventure Paths as I'm not very creative myself when it comes to thinking up adventures.

Anyways here is my question: I know that all of the existing APs are compatible with Pathfinder as Pathfinder itself is an improved D&D 3.5. However, which of the APs is the first one that's actually made for Pathfinder itself (i.e. which one was designed using Pathfinder rules, not 3.5 rules, to limit the conversions/additions)?

I'm going to come up with synopsis of each AP, provided I can get them to agree to try Pathfinder instead of 4E, and see which one appeals the most to them, but I need to know which are actual Pathfinder APs instead of the 3.5/pre-Pathfinder APs.

Thanks much!

[hogarth]

wayne62682 wrote:

Anyways here is my question: I know that all of the existing APs are compatible with Pathfinder as Pathfinder itself is an improved D&D 3.5. However, which of the APs is the first one that's actually made for Pathfinder itself (i.e. which one was designed using Pathfinder rules, not 3.5 rules, to limit the conversions/additions)?

Council of Thieves is the first, Kingmaker is second, and on deck is a snaky serpent thing.

EDIT: ...called Serpent's Skull, apparently.

[wayne62682]

Thank you!

Also as an aside, is it difficult to convert the earlier ones to full Pathfinder? I imagine it would just be maybe some NPC abilities.

[Erik Freund]

Unless you're quite anal-retentive, you'll find you can just use the 3.5 APs straight without conversion. The CMB/D thing is the only area that you'll have to pause at.

I mean, you really don't need a full-on conversion to tell you that "Hide" got rolled into "Stealth." ;-)

Now, as far as APs go, careful that Council of Theives is very roleplay heavy (the 2nd book deeply so) so you'll have to decide if that's your group's preferance.

An ultra-quick synopsis:

Rise of the Runelords: very classic, very traditional, but very good, can be dark/gruesome at points
Curse of the Crimson Throne: mostly urban-based, heroic, introduces some additional mechanics
Second Darkness: Drow! Very combat-heavy, possibly the least popular AP
Legacy of Fire: fast-paced, genie-themed action, last of the 3.5 mods, and possibly only one that's not "dark"
Council of Theives: strictly urban-based, very high RP, first of the PF rules
Kingmaker: wilderness-based, very sandbox/freeform, rules for going sim-city as you become king
Serpent's Skull: Indiana Jones! Go through a jungle and find a lost city - with pirates!

[Dark_Mistress]

My group has run them just fine with out conversion. Other than figuring out the CMB/D the rest can pretty much be run as is with little problems.

[Ryzoken]

Just be sure to have a spare 3.5 MM on you if you run one of the 3.5 AP's. Not all the 3.5 critters made it to the PF Bestiary and there's been a couple occasions where I've been caught unprepared in running LoF.

I'd also like to take a moment to promote Legacy of Fire, as it's an amazing AP. Pay special attention to the secret plot behind the BBEG's plan, it's worth it.

[Aberzombie]

Ryzoken wrote:

Pay special attention to the secret plot behind the BBEG's plan, it's worth it.

What, you mean where he's planning to get back at Mary for cheating on him with Paul, by locking them both in a shipping container headed for Guam?

No, wait! That's my soap opera.

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

I'm running Curse of the Crimson throne with Pathfinder PCs. I rarely convert anything over, and my players are often challenged by the adventures as written.

[Xzarf]

I am again going to toss in a word for Shackled City. Great AP and should be pretty easy to convert on the fly. It is one of the best stories in an AP that I have found.

[Dragonchess Player]

Xzarf wrote:

I am again going to toss in a word for Shackled City. Great AP and should be pretty easy to convert on the fly. It is one of the best stories in an AP that I have found.

IMO, Savage Tide was the best of the Dungeon APs.

Shackled City has a lot of interesting ideas, but the story itself is somewhat disjointed and the AP is a serious meat-grinder. If the GM puts some extra effort into developing Cauldron's NPCs (and the PCs actually spend time interacting with them), that can add depth to the setting, but it's not really integral to the AP.

Age of Worms can also be a meat-grinder in places, but is a tighter story and has one of the best 1st-level adventures ever in "The Whispering Cairn." The lack of a single "home-base" over the course of the AP (depending on which adventure they're in, that could be Diamond Lake, the Free City, or even Redhand) means there's less continuing interaction between the PCs and NPCs as the story progresses, however. It's also a homage to many of the classic 1st Ed AD&D adventures and the Greyhawk setting.

Savage Tide combines many of the "best" techniques from Shackled City (a cast of returning NPCs to interact with) and Age of Worms (stronger story and central theme, homages to classic adventures). Some people don't like the pirate/sea-faring elements, though.

[dmchucky69]

I'm running my actual in-person group through CoCT and I've been toying with doing the actual conversions. Because of things like AC changes, additional feats and such, it might be worth converting the monsters to Pathfinder. But I'm not sure if I want to take the time to do so.

Do you all think that the monsters as 3.5 critters will be as much of a challenge as is, for the more powerful PF character classes?