|
Is there any reason why the pathfinder society scenarios couldn't be used in a non-society campaign, using the full pathfinder rules, as a sort of big ongoing Adventure Path?
I know they weren't produced with this in mind, but it seems to me that 50+ scenarios on you have a large Chronicler based AP here with lots of story development, the opportunity to let players choose their own scenarios to a degree, the intrigue that Factions brings, and so on.
Would this work ok? And am I right in saying that the rules-limitations are not scenario-breaking, per se, but simply a matter of player balance?
Richard
|
I'd have to say a big yes. I was just talking to James Sutter at PaizoCon about what a quality work the PFS adventures were.
The advantages are that you have bite sized, one night adventures that could be expanded to what ever length you want. Add or remove what ever you want, and have plenty of story arch to keep you busy for a long time. Some missions could be side treks.
On the other hand, you might like it so much that you might go PFS.
|
It depends on how connected you want your adventure path to be. If you are okay with a disjointed, loosely themed "path" (like an 80s action TV show, with the same characters from week to week but a self-contained story each episode), then you could run a Pathfinder Society AP like this.
If, instead, you're looking for a more tightly connected story, as is the case with the currently published adventure paths (like a TV mini-series or a tightly plotted drama like 24), then using the Pathfinder Society scenarios will require an awful lot of work. You could mine them for ideas, and try to pick ones that are thematically linked (such as, use the ones set in Absalom only), but it would require developing a lot of "connective tissue."
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
|
I think it could be a blast, particularly if the PCs have some say in which missions they're assigned. There are now a couple of good continued-storyline adventures, which would help tie the campaign together.
Two concerns: treasure is placed in PFS missions with the understanding that the players always sell everything for half price and split the proceeds. If they decide to keep equipment, they may be over-equipped for their level.
Also, the "shadow war" among factions is sort of fun in the OP environment, but it hangs on some strong suspension of disbelief. (How do these people keep finding out about all my missions before I do? How do they keep getting notes to me, no matter where I am? What happens if I just keep the gold trade bars for myself, instead of using them as a bribe?) I can imagine easy problems cropping up in a campaign with more continuity, more grounded in a realistic game environment.
There are no rules anywhere that says you cannot use the scenarios in a regular home campaign. The only thing you and your players need to remember is that if any of you ever decide to join the Pathfinder Society, you should be honorable and honest and not play in any of the scenarios that have been used in a non-PFS home game.
|
|
Thanks for the answers. Just to follow on:
Presumably, the scenarios are balanced treasure vs EL wise. I mean, at the moment my players tend to sell most of their loot anyway.
Am I right that these "retired" adventures are only retired from the PFS sense? If I was to start a campaign this way, it would make perfect "story" sense to go back to #1.
Is there any problem with having more than one PC in the same faction? Do they fight over the PAs or can more than one PC get them?
I'm planning somewhat ahead here, since I'm probably a year away from finishing our current dual-AP campaign. However I like the idea, as a GM, of one-session episodes in an ongoing world-spanning campaign with factions in it.
I also like to use a slower level progression rate (5 sessions per level), and I have to take into account the fact that I have 8 players in my group.
Just as an aside, in terms of crafting items, I like the PFS restriction on buying, but I feel that limiting crafting completely is a little unrealistic for me. Within the context of this campaign I'm thinking of allowing the item craft feats with the following changes: (1) all items take 1 day each to make, (2) items are made for their book price, not half the book price, (3) a failed craft check results in the loss of half the book price in materials.
Richard
|
|
Am I right that these "retired" adventures are only retired from the PFS sense? If I was to start a campaign this way, it would make perfect "story" sense to go back to #1.
The retired modules are not valid for reporting. If you have previously purchased them they are still in your downloads however.
In order to avoid possible future conflicts with players who might decide to play officially in PFS, it might be best to actually ONLY run the retired modules. There are only 5 at the moment so you'd run out of material pretty quickly.
Is there any problem with having more than one PC in the same faction? Do they fight over the PAs or can more than one PC get them?
No problem there at all. If 1 PC from a faction completes the mission all faction members get the PA.
I'm planning somewhat ahead here, since I'm probably a year away from finishing our current dual-AP campaign. However I like the idea, as a GM, of one-session episodes in an ongoing world-spanning campaign with factions in it.
As mentioned there are several multi-part adventures in Season 1, but if you wanted to put in the legwork ahead of time you could try to tie some of the faction missions together, or straight up alter the faction missions to help you achieve this goal. Also you could try to cherry-pick the module by location stuff out of the wiki to find areas you really want to run your adventures in and then create a bit of sinew to tie them together.
I also like to use a slower level progression rate (5 sessions per level), and I have to take into account the fact that I have 8 players in my group.
In PFS play it's 1 XP per mod and 3 XP get you a level. If you are going to rule core rules instead it'd just be a matter of reworking the math for the level gain you want and then spread that across the encounters in a given module.
What you are asking is totally doable but is going to require GM work to pull off. If you are up for it, have fun and let us know how things turn out! If you aren't, maybe you guys should just play straight PFS :)
EDIT: Per Josh's clarification below.
Retired scenarios are still available for purchase. They now have several warnings that they're no longer legal for Society play.