Hello all!
I'm currently working on my own hombrew world for my players and recently ran a game that feels like its starting to die out...
So what I'm wanting to do for the next game in my world is write up n adventure path like the ones published by Paizo.
My only question is where should I start? It feels a little overwhelming but I feel that taking the AP stance on homebrew could produce a much more fluid, polished game.
What do you guys think? Any advice?
Thanks!
You could always ask your players what they might like to see and go from there.
If you're not opposed to spending a little cash, I suggest the following invaluable tools in my arsenal.
The Tome of Adventure Design
GameMastery Guide
Ultimate Toolbox
I don't understand; what is the difference between writing up an Adventure Path and writing up a bunch of encounters and/or plot points that relate to one another? I'm not being cheeky and not trying to offend, just wondering what you're trying to achieve here Bru-dawg.
My advice would be:
1. Find out what your players want. Why's the current game dying, what did they like about it, what DIDN'T they like.
2. Once you know your audience well...ignore them. At least at the outset. Put aside what they want, grab a sheet of paper and write an opening scene.
3. Look at your opening scene and extend it. If the scene is just "4 PCs meet in a bar" that's ok; just expand on it a bit. Why are they there, what kind of bar is it, where is the bar located, and how do the other patrons feel about the PCs?
4. Go back to what your players want, and fill in a few plot hooks. If you've got a couple guys that are all action and battle, but one wants structure and the other wants random chaos, throw both into this scene. For example: you might start in a bar which erupts into a fight. Mid-fight however, a future villain of the campaign simply "appears", materializing from the crowd, perhaps by stealth or magic, and does something wicked - murder, theft, inflicts a curse, etc. The PCs are left some minions to deal with as the villain conveniently escapes (at 1st level a mid-level villain has PLENTY of ways to make this a reality) and thus: both guys have their needs met.
From there it's really just a matter of building the narrative. Look around for inspiration from your players, friends, favorite media, or even real-life events. Once you've got your opener pretty well set, add detail to plot out a story.
One bit of usable advice: give yourself waypoints in the story that you can hit from any angle. What I mean is: if your players begin in a city, and your first waypoint is a country manor house said to be haunted, give yourself a few different ways to get them there. You don't NEED to plot out every potential event in your character's lives; just the ones you NEED them to get to.
Here's a layout for my next campaign:
1. The PCs fight some monsters in the market in the South Ward of the City of Inderwick.
a. The characters have a good chance of saving 2 little girls
b. Post-fight the market is full of several low-level NPCs for the PCs
to interact with; these NPCs provide side-quests
c. One NPC - Radek, a Captain of the Lantern Watch, meets the PCs
regardless; he becomes a campaign-long NPC
2. Stuff happens: this involves side quests, downtime activities and
other events to establish the setting
3. Captain Radek meets w/the players to offer them their first quest:
The Tower of Thule (reskinned Master of the Fallen Fortress adventure)
a. If the PCs accept, they're off to the tower
b. If the PCs refuse, hijack a friend/McGuffin to the tower;
alternately, use the 3 Clue rule to illustrate the danger presented
by the tower's denizens
Hopefully this helps.
3 clue rule, that's 1-A rumor about the AP, 2-An item from the AP(I had the party rogue find a sacrificial dagger in the pocket of a young noble), 3-Victium/hostage taken to an AP location and a relative hires the adventurers to retrieve them or their remains. Like that?