I'm planning on starting the Adventure path pretty soon and i was just wondering what precautions or twists that other DMs have taken with this adventure path.
Also i was wondering how your party compositions have worked out in Smugglers Shiv
Usually a thread like this one would be in the sub-forum dedicated to the adventure path in question. I would suggest that you try asking there instead.
I took away all their starting equipment when they shipwrecked. Really changed the tone. They weren't "an adventuring party" anymore, but people knuckling down to survive. Made finding any scrap of crap a real treasure, and the PCs felt like they "earned everything."
Also, whenever I didn't roll a random encounter at night, that's when I instead subbed in a "fluff only" encounter (ie nightmare, green glow, etc). So something happened every night.
Haven't run past book 1 though.
I ran three sessions before cracking the book of the ship voyage, including running a 1st level adventure in Ollo as a sidequest. I have a very small group (three PCs and they're all 'support' classes) and figured letting them shipwreck as 2nd level characters wouldn't unbalance the game. It hasn't by the way, and it enabled the PCs to get to know each other and the NPCs better before the shipwreck.
Also, hilarious antics with breaking into Aerys's room and finding mysterious books. They still haven't figured her deal out and they've been on the island for five days (in-game).
One of my players also doesn't feel emotion so well so I go for more surprises in my horror.
I ran three sessions before cracking the book of the ship voyage, including running a 1st level adventure in Ollo as a sidequest. I have a very small group (three PCs and they're all 'support' classes) and figured letting them shipwreck as 2nd level characters wouldn't unbalance the game. It hasn't by the way, and it enabled the PCs to get to know each other and the NPCs better before the shipwreck.
Also, hilarious antics with breaking into Aerys's room and finding mysterious books. They still haven't figured her deal out and they've been on the island for five days (in-game).
One of my players also doesn't feel emotion so well so I go for more surprises in my horror. ** spoiler omitted ** Screams all around!
We also have a 3 person group consisting of a barbarian, a magus (playtest version), and bard/fighter. We've made it through the first book with only a couple speed bumps so I'd say it's going well.
I ran three sessions before cracking the book of the ship voyage, including running a 1st level adventure in Ollo as a sidequest. I have a very small group (three PCs and they're all 'support' classes) and figured letting them shipwreck as 2nd level characters wouldn't unbalance the game. It hasn't by the way, and it enabled the PCs to get to know each other and the NPCs better before the shipwreck.
Also, hilarious antics with breaking into Aerys's room and finding mysterious books. They still haven't figured her deal out and they've been on the island for five days (in-game).
One of my players also doesn't feel emotion so well so I go for more surprises in my horror. ** spoiler omitted ** Screams all around!
Did you run a home brew adventure or did you use one from a Dungeon mag, etc.? Would you mind posting the details? Thanks!
@Simon Lagrande -- How did you make the transition from book 1 to book 2? Saved by a boat alerted by the lighthouse or did you use another escape route?
Fred
We captured the lighthouse then moved all of the NPCs down there and had them work on it while we went to the last section. By the time we got back the lighthouse was working and we signaled in a ship to pick us up. We haven't started book 2 yet.