Adventure path for new players / GM

[Hawkules]

I need some advice on which adventure path would be best for a group of new players and GM (made a small thread on some rules discussion but I thought I'd discuss the adventure paths here in more detail).

I've done some searching around however I can't find any real concise answers, especially regarding the new path; Serpent's Skull. I do however apologise if this has been covered many times before! I was originally thinking Rise of the Rune Lords, however I have since learned it was not written specifically for Pathfinder, I have heard good things about Kingmaker also (but would that be too complex for newbies?).

I'd love to hear your opinions, they all seem great! Which would be the best introduction to Pathfinder?

Appreciate the help,
Hawk

[Sylvanite]

Don't do Rise of the Runelords if the whole group and GM are fairly new. Not only do you need to convert some stuff from 3.5 to Pathfinder to run it (not hard, but confusing if you're just learning the system), but it's also a really hard adventure path that requires some pretty mechanically strong characters...and even then can wipe parties.

[vuron]

I'd avoid the pre-PF APs due to the need to convert some stuff. Like Sylvanite said RotRL requires good mechanical characters/tactics.

Kingmaker is solid but sandbox style games can be difficult for novice gamers. Kingmaker also has a ton of additional rules.

Council of Thieves is pretty solid if you want to do urban themed AP and the recent Serpent one seems to be more traditional in scope.

[Kolokotroni]

I think it is more important to identify what kind of game you and your players are interested in before you make the choice. Certainly adventures in 3.5 will require a little more work, but if the story and setting is more interesting to you and your players, it is worth it. Not to mention you can always ask for assistance in converting things in the relavent AP threads if you get hung up.

[Chewbacca]

not to mention that all the pre pathfinder AP have been converted by fans. So no probs. RotRl is in fact not really difficult i'd say ... and pretty straightforward for newcomers. I dunno CoT but city adventures like cotct tend to be less railroady and 'may' need more experience imho.

[Hawkules]

Thanks for the replies so far, very helpful. Since I'm only learning the rules as a GM as well as the players, I think it might be safer to run an adventure path that doesn't need much converting, for example if I ran runelords I would have to spend extra time calculating CMB/CMD/XP rewards on the fly, as well as any teething problems as a new GM. I'm in two minds about runelords, many people seem to recommend it, but I'm unsure of my abilities on the conversion side (I don't want to spam the forums too much for conversion help :p).

Good point about CoT, the random elements might be harder to handle in a city environment. Has anyone played Serpent's Skull? Would it work well for new players?

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

Serpent's Skull features a lot of elements that can easily become intimidating to a new GM all in the first adventure (NPC Attitudes and Morale, Random Encounters, Diseases, Poisons, Underwater Combat).

Ignoring or downplaying some of these elements is an option.

But honestly I wouldn't recommend an AP for a new GM with new players.

Here's what I'd recommend instead:

The Price of Immortality Trilogy:

1. Crypt of the Everflame

2. Masks of the Living God

3. City of Golden Death

These three modules don't have a huge number of things to keep track of and have advice for new GMs. It's a good way to ease you guys into learning the rules.

After that let them roll up new characters for Kingmaker or Serpent's Skull (if the latter, tone down some elements to keep track of everything easier).

[Hawkules]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've decided to run Crypt of the Everflame, and have already had one session. The problem I have at the moment is that I have a 5 person party and the adventure is designed for 4.

What changes would you make to cater for this number of players? (as I want them to gain enough experience each for level 3 by the end of the module as intended for 4 players)

Should I up the role playing awards of CR 1, 400 to 500 to give everyone 100xp?

Should I be adding an extra monster into combat encounters? (I'm new and don't want to TPK)

Any further advice is much appreciated,
Hawk

[Deadmanwalking]

Alway divide XP equally, and never add "phantom" xp. If the PCs are having too easy a time, add more creatures to the encounters, if they're just doing alright, don't bother.

If they wind up slightly below the level you want them at for some specific encounter, throw in another 'filler' encounter or two with appropriate foes.

Or ignore xp entirely and just level them periodically where you think you should...but unless the adventure says about where they should level, that might (or might not) be more than you want to tackle as a brand new GM.

[Dabbler]

Here's a hint that you may or may not like ...

If your adventure is fairly linear, then don't worry about XP, just level the party when it seems appropriate and have done. As long as they hit the minimum levels for starting the adventure, you will be OK and it saves a lot of headaches.

[bigkilla]

Hawkules wrote:

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've decided to run Crypt of the Everflame, and have already had one session. The problem I have at the moment is that I have a 5 person party and the adventure is designed for 4.

What changes would you make to cater for this number of players? (as I want them to gain enough experience each for level 3 by the end of the module as intended for 4 players)

Should I up the role playing awards of CR 1, 400 to 500 to give everyone 100xp?

Should I be adding an extra monster into combat encounters? (I'm new and don't want to TPK)

Any further advice is much appreciated,
Hawk

Dont use XP.I have really never used Xp and i have been GM'ing for 30 years. if you feel that the group should be a certian level at a certian point and you feel they have earned the levels, give them to them.

As for 5 players in a 4 person campaign, add another monster or two here and there or add a class level to a certain main creatures here and there to make up for things, but only do so if the group is having a easy time of things.