Hello everyone :)
Our group of friends is thinking of starting this campaign, but we would like to play it with 7 DMs altogether - one at a time - each one with a different chapter. As there are 12 chapters, we were thinking of making 5 sets of 2 chapters + 2 sets of 1 chapter each, to the less-experienced DMs. So we would have 7 PCs and 7 DMs (1 DM + 6 PC)
My question is: Is it viable?
I haven't read it, because I don't want to spoil it, so I'm not sure how/if we can do it with this campaign.
Our goal is to give DMing experience to all of the players and at the same time create a PC and evolve it to the peak (we've never played a char with a lvl above 15) - From zero to epic hero.
Any advice would be really great.
Thanks in advance.
Since an AP is an ongoing story, it will be hard to divide it amongst seven people who all get a look at just one or two parts of the whole. That will make it extremely difficlt to see the big picture, it won't allow for much foreshadowing or tying in the adventures. I'm afraid you'll just water the AP down to its barest essentials and you'll be missing a lot of the fun you could be having with just one DM. You'll also be creating a huge problem of spoilerish meta-knowledge, because if people are preparing the next part(s), they're bound to find out more things about the plot.
In fact, it would probably be a much better idea to run seperate stand-alone adventures if you're planning on using so many DMs. I mean, I could understand switching between two DMs, who promise to keep their meta-knowledge out of the game, but that will be extremely hard with every player at the table knowing (a lot) more than his character. You won't run into this problem when using stand-alone adventures.
I understand that as DMs each player would capture a bit of the behind-the-curtain details. But isn't it possible to play a chapter without compromising the chapters that follow, from a DM/Player point of view? Can the chapters be played as stand-alone adventures?
I was thinking of giving the set of chapters to the next DM only after the completion of the preceding one, so they don't see the light before actually crossing the tunnel. I think it would help to keep the mistery.
I take it you have played Age of Worms, so which are, in your opinion, the chapters that shouldn't be separated by different DMs?
For example: is it safe to play Chapter 5 "The Champion's Belt" and then run "A Gathering of Winds" with another player as DM?
I plan to make 7 sets, 5 with 2 consecutive chapters + 2 with 1 chapter each, what could be the best way of dividing them?
Thanks for your help :)
Ok, 5 x2 + 2 x 1, here we go.
DM1: The Whispering Cairn + Three Faces of Evil: both are set in Diamond Lake and tie in to some extent, so have them done by one DM.
DM2: Encounter at Blackwall Keep: kind of stand-alonish, but the lizardfolk prove to be rather weak, so your dM will need to boost them a bit.
DM3: The Hall of Harsh Reflections + The Champion’s Belt: both take place in the Free City, so it makes sense to have 1 DM develop this. They also prove a bit more difficult to DM, so give this to someone who can handle it.
DM4: A Gathering of Winds: more of a stand-alone type and not too hard to handle. You might want to give this one to your least experienced DM.
DM5: The Spire of Long Shadows + The Prince of Redhand: the second adventure is heavier on the role-playing side, so make sure to hand this to a DM who feels comfortable making up conversations and socializing.
DM6: The Library of Last Resort + Kings of the Rift: by now the higher level combats start, requiring someone who is at ease with number-crunching and roll-playing (yes, roll, as in roll the dice).
DM7: Into the Wormcrawl Fissure + Dawn of a New Age: for this you would need someone who likes reading, because I would suggest that your last DM not only reads these two adventures, but the complete adventure path, so he can make sure to leave no loose ends and understands what he has to do to bring the campaign to a close. Of course, the high level combats continue, which are definitely more complicated than the lower level encounters.
Man, I can't thank you enough. That's really helpful :)
We'll probably start it by January, I'll make sure to come by as we run it.
Once again, thank you a lot :)
Take care.
So, we have started playing the AP and we decided to divide it as MrVergee kindly advised (thanks again)
So far we've played through the Wispering Cairn with no major problems (some near-death experiences, but none of them permanent :) ) and our current DM told us that we are on the "Three Faces of Evil" part.
Our Party consist of:
- Human Duskblade
- Gnome Warmage
- Wild Elf Druid with a Wolf Companion
- Elf Rogue/Swashbuckler
- Dwarf Cleric
- Ghostwise Halfling Druid with a Riding Dog Companion and mount(my PC :))
Unfortunatelly we had our first death on the last gaming session, the Dwarf Cleric fell while fighting some tiefling guards on the Hextor area. I believe our friend will play another Cleric, but he also likes to play dwarves that kick-a$$ so he's leaning on a dwarven barbarian... who knows?
As for the AP, so far it's been great, I just wished there would be more equipment for small characters, but the Druid isn't too dependant on stuff, so he's been handling himself quite nicely (his warbeast riding dog is a great ally).
We suspect we'll be dealing with undeads, so the rogue will choose Penetrating Strike. Besides that, do you have any cool advice?
I'm not asking for spoilers or any meta-game thingys, just some vague tips that would help us survive to see the end of this HUGE thing.
Thanks :)