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Now, it's been a long time, nearly three years, since I last GMed, and after bashing my head against a mount olympus-sized writer's block, decided to run this module as it is one nobody in the group has run and we're currently a bit fatigued from the Kingmaker Arc and a more 'straight path' adventure will give people a chance to rest a bit more and just focus on flat-out fun rather than strategic planning (which is fun in it's own way!)
Now, got all the manuals for this, including the Pathfinder Companion for Second Darkness, and am planning on allowing the PCs access to every class, as well as the Gunslinger but barring Paladin (for obvious reasons given the Riddleport start and the fluid alignment needed for certain sections of the campaign) and also allowing the following races:
Tiefling (Including variants from the Council of Thieves campaigns, always with the Infernal Bastard trait)
Tengu
Assimar (Celestial version of the Infernal Bastard trait)
Possibly another Native Outsider race, again with a variant of the Infernal Bastard trait built into the race.
All Native Outsiders are vulnerable to effects that would affect Humanoids, just to ensure everyone is on the same playing field, as I've found in previous campaigns people will often jump to the Assimar or Tiefling to avoid effects that would cripple Humanoids, but then complain bitterly when the GM points out that also rules out the beneficial spells that only affect Humanoids.
Any issues anyone has had adding the Advanced Player's core Classes to Second Darkness? I'm also planning on handing out 'cheat sheets' to the Players, stating that they will be rewarded for having ranks in Bluff and Sense Motive and Profession and Knowledge (Dungeoneering), Favoured Enemy Human, Elf and Abberation, feats like Spell Penetration, etc etc, or would I be giving too much away?
Current party build based upon some friendly chatting (taking pains to try and avoid leading them to obvious 'roles') is a Tiefling Fighter with a fetish for polearms (likely leaning towards the Polearm Master archetype) a Tengu Rogue using a Double Sword and building to become a combat fiend (probably poisoner, given her past builds) a Halfling Witch (likely our healer) with a focus on protective/reactive Hexes, a Human Sorcerer with the Adv Players Guide Class Focus for additional spells (walking talking boomstick) another Tiefling, probably a Bard with a fetish for mind-bending and apparently the last guy wants to make a Dwarven Gunslinger with a deep and abiding hatred for magic (looking at some variant racial traits most likely).
So thus far we have
Battlefield Controller/Tank (Tiefling Polearm Master)
Skirmisher (Tengu Poisoner Rogue)
Healer (Halfling Witch with the Healer Patron and the Hedgewitch Archetype)
Ranged Damager (Human Sorcerer with the Fire Elemental bloodline)
Party Face/Controller (Tiefling Bardess, unknown Archetype)
Magician Mangler (Dwarven Gunslinger)
Any obvious holes in the party's lineup? I can't see any, but if there is, I'd like to be able to offer Hirelings that the PCs can employ (re: pay!) to handle this.
*SHAZBUMP*
Any insight from veterans of this Campaign would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to ensure I give my players as smooth and enjoyable campaign as possible without too many 'jarring' incidents where the new rule-sets might not mesh well with the Campaign As Written.
I don't know if you've read them already, but there are 6 threads in this forum with the names of the 6 volumes of the AP followed by (GM Reference). In those threads, you'll find the questions and issues previous GMs have run into in this AP along with answers from the designers and developers and advice from other GMs. They're the best reference around for being prepared for any issues that might arise. If you have any other specific issues, you can start a thread on the topic and get specific answers.
There are also a couple of threads about changes GMs have made in the AP as written: here and here. Also, there's a thread that updates the NPCs to Pathfinder rules here.
Honestly, the best advice I can give you is to skim through all the threads in the Second Darkness forum. I certainly have, and I revisit the GM Reference threads before I start each new book to make sure I'm prepared for any monkey wrenches.
We played through second darkness with Pathfinder Beta characters and the DM had to seriously up the number of opponents or their power level otherwise we steam-rolled them.
It was a fun campaign but part 5 needs some serious work and feel free to expand part 4. We had lots of fun in part 4 but it seemed a bit short. You are correct in that it's not a very paladin friendly campaign.
With the gunslinger in mind, you will have to decide on how advanced you want the gun technology to be and what becomes available later on down the quest trail. How many enemies will be using guns as well. Luckily you have UC coming out soon to convert the playtest and update the gunsmithing items. There was a debate in my group on the price and quantity of the gun powder. From what we have seen mid to higher level, the gunslinger hits everytime with the Touch AC.