So I'm incredibly excited to say that I've got a Jade Regent Campaign I'm going to be running once a month! It's the first high roleplaying campaign that I've run, and I've got three new people to mold into perfect paragons of playerhood. (Or just screw around with; I don't much care)
I have six players. Because half of them are completely new, I'm being fairly generous (enemies I run, especially my spellcasters and barbarians, tend to be horrible horrible death).
I'm allowing 20 point buy, and my game uses a variant level up rule. Characters get one additional point for point buy every level, and gain 2 points instead of one at 4th and every 4 additional levels. Everyone also gets the following feats as 'things characters can just do:'
Power Attack, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesse, Agile Manuvers, Deadly Aim, Point Blank Shot, Heighten Spell.
This includes NPCs.
I'm particularly intrigued since this is the first game I've run that hasn't included a full caster, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the group handles things.
The players have rolled the following (Names to be included as soon as I get them to tell me again):
Experienced Guy 1 - Half-Elf Summoner using a wolf-based eidolon. He's stated he's staying away from the 'common' eidolon builds to do his own thing, and I'm interested in seeing what he comes up with. His character has Hero Worship for Shalelu, and is an archer.
Experienced Guy 2 - Elf Alchemist, Shalelu's little brother (She doesn't talk about him much). He's actually not designed for the Alchemist standard of front-line fighting, as it seems the player has decided to go for a bombs-and-infusions specialization. It has been joked that the sudden size increase in Shalelu's campaign picture was as the result of a failed 'enlarge person' infusion. If this is true, he will be rich.
Semi-Experienced Guy - Halfling Cavalier, and a Friend of the Family to Koya. He charges people, and rides a wolf. I've asked him for in-depth details about his personality, and the response I got was 'Lawful Good.' I will look forward to see what exactly he means by 'Lawful Good.'
Newb #1 - Half-Elf Bard, who has a custom trait that applies to Koya being her long time matchmaker/fortune teller. She uses a whip, and has three cardinal questions: 'Is it rich? Is it cute? Is it single?' If yes, then she hits on it. She uses a whip.
Newb #2 - Kensai/Black Blade Human Magus, and another Friend of the Family to Koya (who really gets around for an old lady). He's going for a dervish dance build, and I'm interested to see what he can do with it. I've never gotten to GM for a Magus before. :D
Newb #3 - Swashbuckler/Scout Human Rogue. Sandru's little sister who has a heated rivalry with him, she's built for Two Weapon Blending. Her original concept was a kleptomaniac... I had to talk her out of it as kleptos and parties of people traveling together are a bad mix, man. She did show excellent flexibility in adapting her idea, so that's a good sign.
As you can see, Koya brought half the party together, and despite having six characters, Ameiko is still unconnected to the party itself. I'm honestly shocked, being a bard fan I would have totally grabbed one of her campaign traits.
Our first session will either be on 9/10 or 9/17. I'll be keeping a running log on here so that 1) I can remember things, and 2) You guys can all note how bad I am at this GMing thing. :D
I dearly hope you are not trying to run the AP as is with these stat buys and double stat upgrades and six players. The PC's are going to steamroll over the opposition at the later levels.
You'll have to adjust the CR, by either upping the monsters numbers of giving out Advanced templates like sugar candy.
Otherwise, it sounds like you'll enjoy the campaign. I'm starting my own one at the end of the month, with five players, 15 point buy and ( as a present to the players ) stat increases every two levels, although you cannot spend two consecutive points on the same attribute. But I am going with open eyes into the situation. :p One of the players wanted to play Koya, so I at least have the burden taken off me of playing the doting grandmother. ^^
As for my players:
Five experienced roleplayers, all who know how to build decent characters.
#1: Female human Fighter/Sohei
#2: Male human Paladin/Ninja (although the Paladin may still be excised from the character build).
#3: Male Human(?) Sorcerer with the Maestro bloodlineh
#4: Female tiefling Magus ( maybe Kensai )
#5: Koya Mvashti ( Varisian Wanderer Cleric of Desna ), male player.
For six players I'd suggest adding a few extra mooks to keep the players occupied. One or more mooks with a CR 1-2 lower than the total level of the additional players should suffice, maybe a few more in boss encounters. The advanced template, as mentioned by magnuskn, is also a good way to up the challenge on the fly. Another issue is the loot, the adventure assumes a party of four so you might want to add a few more gold coins and magical items to make sure everyone is on par, although just using the loot as written may be a way to keep the power level of a six man group down.
I am hoping to get this Campaign up and running by next Saturday. Currently it looks like my group will consist of the following:
#1 A presumably human bard (unknown if he will have an archetype or not)
#2 A magus (Unknown what race or archetype he will have)
#3 A human monk (master of many styles/Ki mystic) multiclassing into ninja
#4 A human sorcerer (Air or fire or mix bloodline with some of the words of power feats)
I'm going to give them 17 point buy, plus 3 more points they can freely distribute amongst their three lowest stats.
Yeah, I like rebuilding everything so Advanced is important.
Also, my spellcasters tend to get rebuilt into flavorful beasts of dickish legend.
And the free feats are the same for everyone and everything in the campaign, meaning anything with Power Attack or similar in their stat block are likely going to have different feats.
As far as loot and stuff, I'm usually pretty good about keeping that level overall...
The only thing I'm confused about is the SUPER SEEEEKRIT TREASURE near the end.
That said about 9000 gp, but I can't tell if they meant it to be 'these magic items (for each character)' or 'these magic items (total) shouldn't cost more than 9000 gp. That's a large difference, particularly with six characters.
I guess the easiest way is to run the numbers on the total party treasure at that point and just figure it out personally when I get there.
#5: Koya Mvashti ( Varisian Wanderer Cleric of Desna ), male player.
Can you tell us how it goes having a player in an NPCs role? Also swing into this here thread and tell us a little about the characterisation? :3
And, having no group willing to play this AP, I'm really just lurking here to spice up my Runelords game. So I've nothing to contribute to this thread.
Your group will obviously be considerably powerful, so I'd stick with peoples advice and crank up the encounters to eleven.
#5: Koya Mvashti ( Varisian Wanderer Cleric of Desna ), male player.Can you tell us how it goes having a player in an NPCs role? Also swing into this here thread and tell us a little about the characterisation? :3
Sure, as soon as the group actually is built and the AP starts, I'll do that. I don't know how much the player will keep to the given characterization of Koya, though.
The AP will start in three to four weeks, as we are finishing up the first module of Kingmaker before changing to Jade Regent.
Your group will obviously be considerably powerful, so I'd stick with peoples advice and crank up the encounters to eleven.
Well, I'm not sure if you were addressing me or the OP, but so far the group set-up looks kind of odd. Nobody around here has seen the Magus or Sohei in action and a Paladin/Ninja also isn't exactly an optimal class choice. My Carrion Crown group ( with other players ), for example, is far more optimized ( Gunslinger/Cleric/Paladin/Wizard/Sorcerer set-up ).
Well, I'm not sure if you were addressing me or the OP.
Ah. Apologies for the confusion. I was talking to the OP.
I wouldn't worry too much about the magus. From what I've seen, they can more than hold their own in a straight up melee or dropping spells like slow and haste and the odd lightning bolt. Can't speak for the Sohei though. Paladin/Ninja is... interesting... But both are cha based and I've seen plenty of effective, if boring, Fighter/Rogues in my day. I'm sure it'll work out fine.
We have finally finished session one! (2 weeks late. Stuff happened.)
The party met up at the bar and introduced themselves. They also gave their reasons for going goblin-hunting as well--they met at the bar because traveling in a group was much safer than trying to solo the Licktoad goblins. Below is the full party list once more, with their stated reason for going.
Eliza Vhiski, Newb #3, Rogue (Scout/Swashbuckler) 1. "Money."
Devaren, Newb #2, Magus (Kensei/Black Blade) 1. "A goblin stole my pay once. Bastards."
Lilly Barian, Newb #1, Bard 1. "They're causing trouble and keeping traffic from here. And traffic includes my prince! Also cash is nice I guess."
Granth Fastfoot, Semi-EXP Guy, Cavalier 1. "For honor! They have soiled our lands!"
Talthus "TalTal" Andosana, Experience Guy #2, Alchemist 1. "Well I could kind of use the money to get a new lab because sis won't pay for a new one since I kind of blew the old one up... oh and also vengeance I guess." (He forgot about the whole 'Goblins killed his family' thing for half of the session.)
Arawn Dagda, Experience Guy #1, Summoner 1. "I want to get into Shalelu's hot elf pants."
The characters introduced themselves, and Ameiko gave them advice about the halfling warden of the swamp. (They're paying customers, and either Koya's or Shalelu's friends. She wants them to live.)
They went out into the swamp, and I portrayed it as a very much oppressive place. The party came upon a dead carcass at their first bridge, a large fish that had been clawed and gutted by... something, with a mysterious footprint nearby. This had them on their toes the rest of the journey through the swamp. At the next bridge, I rolled an actual encounter! I then rolled... 6 gobbos! 'Hrm. Now what would six goblins be doing at a swamp?'
Arbitrarily, I decided they were bathing. The group recoiled in horror when they made their perception checks to realize these were naked goblins with short swords(For shaving. Clearly this is the best idea.) One squealed, and the battle ensued. It was a short fight, the wolf-eidolon took the only damage in the party, and with a quick heal they moved on. Notably, the alchemist bombed three goblins who were washing each other's backs, the jerk, and the final blow was a nonlethal shot to the face from the whip-wielding bard. Goblins were slain, ears were collected, and the party moved on to the shack.
I gave Volorog the Advanced template due to the 6-man team (And then proceeded to forget about the +2 on Bluff and Disguise checks) The party determined by Volorog's insistence that they move on quickly that something might have been up. After much pressure and a diplomacy check from the bard, he reluctantly let them in to rest for a short while as he made them food. Arawn and Eliza noticed Volorog's hand shimmering, but didn't say anything. Lilly, being a nice person, healed his wounds for 3 damage.
It wasn't until Arawn pointed out (after a heal check) that generally snake bites didn't look like being stabbed that Volorog attacked. He got a 13 bluff and an absurd 30 disguise (Remember, I forgot the +2). Somehow, nobody in the party managed to overcome this, so he got his surprise round. With it, he half-charged the Eidolon (The closest target), and a single hit was enough to poof it out of existince. (Power attack. Charge. And then he got a critical hit. 2d4+2d6+10)
He also won initiative. I was feeling pretty confident that I'd do some major damage. Five foot step on Eliza, who's player was now quite visibly worried... until I rolled a 3. Miss. TalTal threw bombs and dealt some damage (He doesn't ever seem to target an enemy directly, preferring to let the splash damage do the talking. Odd, but alright.) Devaren hit it with a color spray, and when I announced the enemy seemed simply stunned (A 2 with a +10 will save. A 2. SERIOUSLY?!) the party seemed worried, realized that this guy had at least 5 hit dice. He was stunned! Then Lilly moved, and with a roll of 13 managed to exactly blind the enemy. I was pretty sure he wasn't going to get another move now, as the party tried to hit the stunned, blinded creature.
Then everyone missed for an entire round against an AC 15. What?! Lilly jumped up on a table and started dancing (Much to the delight of the rest of the party), and the monster recovered as TalTal hit him with another bomb, and the summoner called a celestial eagle to deal a bit more damage (Which did hit.) Granth had been rolling nothing higher than a 3 all session, but his lance was within range to hit Volorog. I decided that Volorog would still go for the Magus, who was alone and separate from the party--and against a wall to boot! He had more than 15 HP remaining.
For the attack of opportunity. Granth got a natural 20 and a natural 19. With an amazing blow from his lance, Volorog was down. The party finished him, and rescued Walthus Proudstump! He was thankful as all heck, and the party spent the night there. The cloak of resistance +1 went to Lilly, who had the worst saves of the party. He confirmed the location of the goblins, and also gave them information about a dangerous old witch rumored to live there on a path nobody was really aware of(I wanted a hook into the Magus's house adventure). Fresh from their night's rest, the party moved on to the Licktoad village. They explored the town, looking around and trying to find signs of life. They were also disappointed to learn that the charred goblin remains did not have ears.
They finally spotted a goblin, which thought that the party were the skeletons that had earlier attacked, come back to trick them out and eat them. One of the players who spoke goblin tried speaking to them.
"Is anyone in there?"
"No one's home!"
He tried getting more information out, but nobody said anything. I added one goblin to the inside of the house, and decided they were bracing each door. The eidolon tried twice to break the door down, and failed each time. Then TalTal tried opening the door.
The Goblin was braced magnificently against any ram attempts, but the door was unlocked. And opened outward. A failed reflex save meant that as initiative was rolled, three goblins were up and one was prone. A Bomb reduced this to one goblin up and one prone. An arrow brought this to a prone goblin. Which then proceeded to try to stab the party rogue, breaking his dogslicer against the wall as he flailed impotently (I rolled a 1.) The Summoner tried to move in to knock out the goblin (who had been knocked down to 1 HP) and was hit by an attack of opportunity from the broken dogslicer. Two damage and a kick to the goblin's head later, he was unconscious.
The party just had enough time to tie up the goblin when they heard a rallying war cry and the sound of a door being kicked open nearby. Thus ended the first session, with the party in various states of disrepair and me about to have all sorts of shenanigans ensue.
And that's session 1! So far, so good.