Hi!
As others have said, I love the Beginner Box. Thank you, Paizo, for a great product!
I'd like advice in finding, or writing from scratch, an adventure for a solo 1st level wizard. To be clear, I don't feel I need advice how to run a solo adventure, as I've run a number of them over the years--that's not the point of this thread.
My cousin would like to play an Elf Wizard. This will be his FIRST TIME with D&D (or any RPG), so I want to choose an adventure that 1) makes him say "Wow!," 2) is not overwhelming as far as setting and background info--ideally I'd like to verbally describe the setting in about 30 seconds to a minute, and 3) is suited specifically for a wizard.
He's late 20's, so I'd like to run an adventure that's not too childish or silly....dealing with "mature themes and situations" is fine. This does NOT necessarily need to be Golarion-based, nor does it need to be PF/3.5-rules based (or even D&D for that matter); I can convert rules.
Also, I figured I'd run a GM NPC bodyguard/fighter to accompany him, in case he gets into trouble, as wizards are not known for their rugged durability. I'm thinking a human fighter's stats, but 'reskinned' as a golem or automaton. This gives my cousin the option to point and say "Attack!" or "Defend!" and it'll carry out his orders, and yet the automaton won't be able to provide tactical or adventure-related advice (it can't speak).
I know my parameters are kind of narrow, but if anyone can think of a decent low-level adventure that fits my needs, I can "Beginner Box-ize" it.
Alternately, if anyone wants to throw out a few wizard-specific "seeds" that I can use to create my own adventure...I'd be appreciative.
:)
Thank you!
Actually, the Deadly Mine adventure in the bonus GM Kit seems pretty good, albeit a bit basic. I might be able to expand some of the adventure to "bulk it out."
Just the same, if anyone has advice I'm happy to read it!
How about this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard%27s_Challenge
You could probably find a better link, and perhaps someone has done a conversion to Pathfinder or 3.5.
Just a reminder: Avoid things that stun, paralyze, nauseate, etc. in a solo adventure.
How about this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard%27s_Challenge
You could probably find a better link, and perhaps someone has done a conversion to Pathfinder or 3.5.
Just a reminder: Avoid things that stun, paralyze, nauseate, etc. in a solo adventure.
Thanks for the reminder!
The Wizard's Challenge (both 1 & 2) are....not 'adventures that wow'.
I may use Hollow's Last Hope and/or the Beacon at Enon Tor.
Having run a few solo adventures myself, I'd suggest asking your cousin what sort of things he'd like to do/places he'd like to be (intrigue vs monster hunting, or wilderness vs rural farm village vs big city for example) and then building from there.
Personally, I prefer taking something I know the player is going to enjoy and putting a twist in it that adds the wow factor over guessing in the dark - but that may just be me.
You might also start with something like "You're in the middle of your graduation ceremony when suddenly the wizard's academy comes under attack. What do you do?"
You could use the old Dragonlance idea with a wizard. Where his first adventure could be a test to gain access to a magic academy or his test to become a full fledged wizard.
Having run a few solo adventures myself, I'd suggest asking your cousin what sort of things he'd like to do/places he'd like to be (intrigue vs monster hunting, or wilderness vs rural farm village vs big city for example) and then building from there.
Personally, I prefer taking something I know the player is going to enjoy and putting a twist in it that adds the wow factor over guessing in the dark - but that may just be me.
I understand what you're saying, but considering he's never played any kind of RPG (I don't think he's even done one on a computer!) I'm not convinced he'll actually know what type of adventure he wants to experience, you know?
Perhaps a wizard's school kind of thing. There was a 2nd ed. book called "College of Wizardy" that had some ideas you might find helpful.
There was a 2nd ed. book called "College of Wizardy" that had some ideas you might find helpful.
Aha! You're right, I'd actually forgotten about that even though I own it. Lemme dig that one up, too...
You could use the old Dragonlance idea with a wizard. Where his first adventure could be a test to gain access to a magic academy or his test to become a full fledged wizard.
... or the wizard's mentor is testing him with a mix of illusions, real monsters, traps, and magical knowledge. If he succeeds, he's allowed to go on his own way as a journeyman wizard. If he fails, he's just knocked unconscious instead of dead, and can try again.
That also gives some opportunity to develop and roleplay the relationship with the mentor. Is the mentor kind, or a jerk? Good, or evil? Skilled, or barely competent and actually relying on the PC wizard for most of the gruntwork that he passes off as his accomplishments? Was the PC recruited to learn magic willingly, or did the mentor kidnap the PC as a child and teach him magic for some strange purpose (maybe because he's old and wants to mind-switch into the apprentice PC's younger body, and the test is how he's testing if the PC is ready for the swap or starting to become a threat).
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Off the top of my head, regarding Solo Wizard...
Years ago (I'm talking 1993 or so), I ran some Solo stuff using Ars Magica, where Mages started as Apprentices (Low Lvl in PF). Just a quick Improved rendition as (Hopeful) inspiration.
The solo Quest was getting some needed ingredients for the PCs Master, which involved traveling across the 'Haunted Woods', rife with mischievous faeries and a couple of genuine dangerous threats. You could alternately have the Wizard getting these things for an Alchemist that he knows in exchange for some potions/items as reward (Maybe the Alchemist is a notorious Agoraphobic)
1: Wizard had to retrieve a special mushroom that grew in one enchanted pool deep within the woods. However, a Fey creature lives there, a Nixie guarding the pool. This isn't particularly important,combat-wise. as it isn't necessarily a combat situation...
The Fey is very lonely, as none of it's former friends have visited in a long time. The Alchemist who used to visit (The same one who sent the Wizard in the first place) hasn't been there in over a year, possibly because of his condition, and the Grig who used to visit every day has been absent for over a week...
Gaining the friendship of the Nixie can be acomplished with either a Diplomacy check, possibly entertaining him with some magic:Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, other Cantrips could accomplish this without expending precious resources, as (In PF) Cantrips are unlimited.
A great chance to introduce him to some verbal Roleplay, geting his 'sealegs' as it were. I think that getting new players comfortable with RPing early on makes for much better times later...
With proper coaxing, the Nixie can tell the PC that he knows that the Grig lives in the next Dell, in an old tree-stump that he has created a small cottage out of. Travel to the Dell reveals that, Indeed, there is a little cottage, as mentioned, but it's door stands blasted off it's hinges and within it is empty.
HOUSERULE: I let Detect Magic function sort of like Track for spells...ie: The Wizard can deduce that there is some residual magic lingering, perhaps a few days old...though the school is unclear.
Nearby, however, hides a very special friend of the Grig: An Awakewned Squirrel. He has lived in the Dell for some time, and sees all. Gaining what Information he knows can easily be acomplished, as he needs help beyond his tiny form. A recent storm has left his tree in poor shape, and either climbing up and physically clearing away debris from it's boughs or use of Mage Hand could remove the storm-debris from the tree. Once finished, the Squirrel will tell that he witnessed 3 ugly blue humanoids (Mites) attacking the Grig's home, several nights back. He followed the horrid things, as they dragged the poor Grig away with them, and can lead the PC to the Mite's lair.
Some half mile away, the mites have taken up in an old cave, a 3 room affair, very crude, having dragged whatever junk that they have found in as furniture and accoutrements. The Mites sleep during the day, so that will present a distinct element of surprise... Although they may have an ugly surprise waiting for intruders in the form of some nasty vermin (Spiders, Centipedes,etc...).
Catching one by surprise shouldn't be hard, but that will undoubtedly alert the other two, further in. The Grig languishes in an old barrel, and he has been ill-treated, though he still lives.
Rescuing the Grig brings rewards in the form of loot from the Mites (I'd make it 1-300 GP in small coins, and/or mundane gear), a bonus in the form of a scroll with 1-4 1st level spells to add to his book, though some rooting/Detecting will be needed to find this in the Mite's pile of garbage. As well, the Nixie will be grateful for the rescue of his friend, and will let the Wizard remove double the usual agreed upon amount of magical mushrooms (Gaining 1-200GP in alchemical items/potions from the Alchemist). The Alchemist will, of course, reward the Wizard for the initial Quest, perhaps with some additions to his spellbook from Scrolls that he has lying around, or a promise of discounts on potions, etc...
Just a quickly throw-together mini-adventure. Some social interaction, physical problem solving , investigation and a bit of combat (Which can be stepped up or down, depending on how tough your Automaton is...).
-Uriel
I hope that it helps a bit.
Thanks for the ideas and suggestions, everyone!
I picture the automaton as being a mash-up between a walking suit of plate mail and C-3PO (if he was cool, not whiny). Basically, a clockwork warrior that the other elves gifted to my cousin's PC to help bodyguard him in the wild and woolly human nations. (Stats of a human fighter wearing plate mail, but reskinned as a slow, uncommunicative warforged-type thing.)
Now for the (two) hard part(s): committing to an idea, and writing the adventure.
I suck at writing adventures....
