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Wellington, as simple as that, i'll be hosting a solo campaign and I'd like to know which one of the recent AP would work best (after the mandatory encounter conversion). I was thinking of these 3 options:
- KINGMAKER, excellent for developing a character to its full potential in all aspects.
- SERPENT'S SKULL: good background theme for film-like solo adventures (whip-stetson hat wielding starring...)
- CARRION CROWN: solo horror sounds like a great experience to me.
Please let me know your thinking!
Thank you. By the way, if it is of some help. The solo player is going to be rookie (not for RPG, but for Pathfinder)...
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Not Kingmaker. The reason is the need for a diverse party in both exploring and in running the kingdom. While you could just fill the government with NPCs, the player will need to be Charisma based if he wants to recruit them and so he could be the king. If you cut the kingdom building out the PC still needs a party with him to cover all the different types of encounters.
So basically, the nature of Kingmaker will limit the types of characters he can play as. If he is going to be a Charisma based expert, then it wouldn't be perfect. Anything else wouldn't be terribly bad, but it would make it a challenge.
I haven't played anything else besides Curse of the Crimson Throne. CotCT could do decently as a solo game, and the story itself has elements that would do really well for a solo game.
Are you doing a gestalt build for the PC?
Not Kingmaker. The reason is the need for a diverse party in both exploring and in running the kingdom. While you could just fill the government with NPCs, the player will need to be Charisma based if he wants to recruit them and so he could be the king. If you cut the kingdom building out the PC still needs a party with him to cover all the different types of encounters.
So basically, the nature of Kingmaker will limit the types of characters he can play as. If he is going to be a Charisma based expert, then it wouldn't be perfect. Anything else wouldn't be terribly bad, but it would make it a challenge.
I haven't played anything else besides Curse of the Crimson Throne. CotCT could do decently as a solo game, and the story itself has elements that would do really well for a solo game.
Are you doing a gestalt build for the PC?
Thank you very much.
I'd rather not do a gestalt build because of the rookie nature of the player. I think it's going to be easier and more enjoyable with a "normal" build. I plan to add NPC help as little as possible and I'm counting on the player choosing a solo friendly character (ie rogue, cleric, druid, bard fi). My idea is designing an NPC to be the usual "guest star" with a class that balances the PC's
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Wellington, as simple as that, i'll be hosting a solo campaign and I'd like to know which one of the recent AP would work best (after the mandatory encounter conversion). I was thinking of these 3 options:
- KINGMAKER, excellent for developing a character to its full potential in all aspects.
- SERPENT'S SKULL: good background theme for film-like solo adventures (whip-stetson hat wielding starring...)
- CARRION CROWN: solo horror sounds like a great experience to me.Please let me know your thinking!
I am doing carrion crown now with my wife and it is working ok. You have to mod things in places and she is playing two characters with mixed abilities starting at 2nd level (Inquisitor and Oracle) and it has only had a few re-writes (haunts...)
I am doing carrion crown now with my wife and it is working ok. You have to mod things in places and she is playing two characters with mixed abilities starting at 2nd level (Inquisitor and Oracle) and it has only had a few re-writes (haunts...)
In fact I'm talking about my wife!
I'd actually argue in favor of Kingmaker. The majority of the encounters are one-per-days as she explores the stolen lands and they can be more forgiving for someone to run away from or even retire back to town afterward if things go south.
Plus, it has a list of built-in NPCs to cover some bases if your wife chooses not to play a spellcaster or needs an extra sword arm. After she founds her kingdom, she could even travel with a half dozen soldiers to serve as extra hit points as they absorb all the hits she'd take otherwise.
If the only challenge is the Queen requiring a high charisma, I say you fudge it and let her ruling trait be whatever her highest one is. In effect she inspires her followers just by being the strongest barbarian or smartest wizard or wisest priest.
Having run several, I'd definitely agree on KM, SS, JR & CC. KM, SS & JR all have solid collections of useful npcs that you could easily use as the basis for a party surrounding and taking direction from a PC leader, with only a modicum of adjustment (ie. throwing out any of the usual suggestions these APs make for why they're not more helpful). CC has Kendra, who serves fairly well as a support npc - throw in an Acolyte from the temple of Pharasma and one of the Deputees from Ravengro, and maybe one other npc to fill out what ever role your lacking, and you should be set. CC, JR & KM also has a lot of non-combat options for garnering xp (KM has kingdom building & exploration, JR has relationships, and CC has a wide variety of investigation and other intrigues - all with bonus story awards).
Why, thanks everyone for your ideas. I'll start re-reading the suggested APs to give it a mature thought. I think I'll be also basing myself heavily on my wife's choice of character.
I you have further ideas/expeciences lett me know!!
Just remember, in a solo campaign ability damage suddenly becomes a lot more game-ending. Learned that one the hard way. And the earlier APs gave that out like candy.
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I think I'll be also basing myself heavily on my wife's choice of character. If you have further ideas/expeciences lett me know!!
I'm running Kingmaker for my husband. We've completed the first three Adventures. I designed 3 (N)PCs to be his party. It's a lot for me to handle running it, but the 3 (N)PCs have pretty simple, straightforward combat tactics (one whacks the thing, one shoots the thing, one channels energy at the thing or shoots it poorly or heals someone), so that helps to streamline encounters. The roleplaying of conversations is fun between my husband's character and the different (N)PC characters. (I love character design and improv acting.) The Kingmaker AP does work better with an adventuring group, but your idea of a PC and one (N)PC might be enough if you scale down several encounters. The kingdom-building stuff is quite fun for those who enjoy games like Civilization or SimCity and such... and it works well with a solo player/ruler. With the AP as written, it would be very important for the sole PC/ruler to have a high Charisma, but I like Fletch's suggestion of letting the Queen inspire the people with whatever her highest trait is. I'm letting my husband play a somewhat non-standard, higher-powered caster character he designed, so that also helps when he solos encounters. Overall, if I keep in mind that rule details and exact balance are much less important than an involving story and a fun experience, then I'm good to go. (At least, that's the gaming style we enjoy.)
Also, my husband is running Serpent Skull for me. I'm a bard who's finished all of adventures 1&2, most of adventure 3, and part of adventure 4. My husband didn't have to create any (N)PCs since several actual recruitable NPCs are included in the Serpent Skull story. He's currently combining/overlapping adventures 3 and 4 and modifying them so it's not such a huge hack-and-slash Fest. (I most enjoy diplomacy, intrigue, etc.)
He will probably run Carrion Crown for me when we finish our current paths. Solo investigation sounds fun. Also, I'm interested in the character interactions I've heard Jade Regent includes. So much good material, so little time to play it!
I hope these reflections were helpful. Happy gaming! :)
Just remember, in a solo campaign ability damage suddenly becomes a lot more game-ending. Learned that one the hard way. And the earlier APs gave that out like candy.
That might be a major problem, I wasn't counting on it, thanks.
Also, my husband is running Serpent Skull for me. I'm a bard who's finished all of adventures 1&2, most of adventure 3, and part of adventure 4. My husband didn't have to create any (N)PCs since several actual recruitable NPCs are included in the Serpent Skull story. He's currently combining/overlapping adventures 3 and 4 and modifying them so it's not such a huge hack-and-slash Fest. (I most enjoy diplomacy, intrigue, etc.)
Must be something inevitable. Before reading this yesterday she decided playing a gnome bard. I went through the proposed APs' themes very schematically and she decided giving Serpent's Skull a try... Curious thing. We'll be creating the chartecter today I think. Yerteday it was alla about explaining a little bit of game fluff and overall mechanics (first D20 experience for her...).
Must be something inevitable. Before reading this yesterday she decided playing a gnome bard. I went through the proposed APs' themes very schematically and she decided giving Serpent's Skull a try... Curious thing. We'll be creating the chartecter today I think. Yerteday it was alla about explaining a little bit of game fluff and overall mechanics (first D20 experience for her...).
Neat. Mine is a half-elf bard. Heh. There's a gnome bard npc (male)... That might be a fun rivalry to play up with your wife's character. The bard class is good for the PC to help in recruiting NPCs, winning the allegiance of factions, etc. You'll also probably find that the 1st adventure in the SS path could even work well as a stand-alone adventure. MINOR SS SPOILER: After completing the first adventure and feeling very satisfied about redeeming/reclaiming the island, my character didn't really want to leave her new island paradise! My hubby had to work hard to come up with enough motivation for her to do so. Before she left the island at the end of adventure 1, we actually had a little fun with her founding a settlement there using the Kingmaker AP kingdom building mechanics! Also, you might want to read up a bit on the Jade Regent AP relationship/rivalry mechanics and incorporate some of that dynamic with the Serpent Skull NPCs. Enjoy! :)
Neat. Mine is a half-elf bard. Heh. There's a gnome bard npc (male)... That might be a fun rivalry to play up with your wife's character. The bard class is good for the PC to help in recruiting NPCs, winning the allegiance of factions, etc. You'll also probably find that the 1st adventure in the SS path could even work well as a stand-alone adventure. MINOR SS SPOILER: After completing the first adventure and feeling very satisfied about redeeming/reclaiming the island, my character didn't really want to leave her new island paradise! My hubby had to work hard to come up with enough motivation for her to do so. Before she left the island at the end of adventure 1, we actually had a little fun with her founding a settlement there using the Kingmaker AP kingdom building mechanics! Also, you might want to read up a bit on the Jade Regent AP relationship/rivalry mechanics and incorporate some of that dynamic with the Serpent Skull NPCs. Enjoy! :)
I guess the temptation of staying in the island must be very strong. I can imagine that in a solo adventure it easily turn into a Lord of the Flies-ish situation would the PC turned into one of the starring kids (depending on demeanor and alignment...)
Personally i think SS is a terrible choice, esp with a bard?
there is already a gnome bard npc
I think KM would have been much better, with the kingdom in the background and her having political stuff with Brevoy and boosting morale through harsh winters
My SS PbP has a bard as a prominent character and it works out quite well. She's more adventurous and gets into combat, whereas Gelik gets played as more of a self-serving, cowardly book worm.
Personally I could see SS being a lot of fun along the Lara Croft vein. There's even an archaeologist bard now that your wife could have fun with. :)
Thank you all, I think SS would work well mainly because my wife is interested in the jungle-adventure-old ruins theme. I can always replace Gellik's race and class...
Also, I was seriously considering adding the basic hero point rules from the APG, as it can help both with dificult situations I might have overseen and also add more flavour to the "starring" role. What do you think?
Thanks again
Hero points sound like a great idea for a solo campaign. :)
Go for it! :)
Thank you all, I think SS would work well mainly because my wife is interested in the jungle-adventure-old ruins theme. I can always replace Gellik's race and class...
Also, I was seriously considering adding the basic hero point rules from the APG, as it can help both with dificult situations I might have overseen and also add more flavour to the "starring" role. What do you think?
Thanks again
Hero points are a good idea. I've oft used them for my single-character campaigns, however, it might take a bit to convince your wife to use them (it does mine!) instead of horde them (yes, I'm talking to you, here, Love!)
Although I didn't use them in SS, I've used them enough before (or rather similar things, such as Eberron's action points) that I can recommend them as a good way not to let a campaign go sour.
Finally, there's no reason you need to nix Gelik. He really won't be stepping on anyone's toes class-and-power-wise, and it's just as likely that he just kind of drops off the face the face of the earth in Eleder, especially since he's a cowardly sort, and he'll hear how long, difficult, and painful the trip will be.
Here's the real trick in Serpent Skull: MAKE SURE SHE'S SELF-MOTIVATED TO GET THAT LOST CITY. If your wife isn't the kind of player who will be self-motivated, SS can (and almost certainly will) fall right on its face, fast. Eleder is a HUGE temptation, and the events of the opening island are (or can be) rather traumatic, so it seems like a great place for a reprieve. You need to push the time limit, otherwise they'll be apt to stay pretty much forever. Kalabuto could also be a problem, though it never even came close for us.
Also, make sure that either NPCs are there to help her, or that you retailer some of the challenges that require multiple abilities to hers, OR that you grant her additional abilities.
Also, check the SS Sub-forums for a lot of great ideas. Enjoy!
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Wellington, as simple as that, i'll be hosting a solo campaign and I'd like to know which one of the recent AP would work best (after the mandatory encounter conversion). I was thinking of these 3 options:
- KINGMAKER, excellent for developing a character to its full potential in all aspects.
- SERPENT'S SKULL: good background theme for film-like solo adventures (whip-stetson hat wielding starring...)
- CARRION CROWN: solo horror sounds like a great experience to me.Please let me know your thinking!
Carrion Crown isn't as well-suited. For one thing, many of the challenges and encounters basically assume a typically balanced party - if you don't have a front-line melee damager, a high-dex archer, a divine caster who can channel, and a skill monkey, you'll have a really hard time defeating certain encounters. Since a single first-level character can't fill all those roles alone, you'll basically be forcing your player to add a bunch of NPCs to their party - which are, additionally, not really provided by the module, so you'll have to create them. The challenge level is also slightly harder in Carrion Crown - whereas JR begins with a bit of handholding and basic encounters (goblins and skeletons FTW) to work the player into the game, CC jumps right into the complicated incorporeal undead which require a pretty good handle on the metagame to defeat successfully (at least in our experience as players). So if the player is new to Pathfinder specifically, and doesn't have a group of players to brainstorm with, s/he might get stymied pretty fast.