What,in your opinion, is the Adventure Path to rule all Adventure Paths? Why? I know there's a difference to running 3.5 vs Pathfinder and that is a factor but aside from game mechanics, what makes or breaks an AP for you and which one of them all have you most enjoyed (either as a player or a GM)? Which one did you least like? Why?
For myself, The Age of Worms reigns supreme. It stays on the Prime Material (i.e. no excursions to the Abyss), it features cameos and popups of some of our hobby's greatest names and locations, and featured some of the most memorable battles ever (Dragotha, Kyuss), and had an adventure with more hostile dragons per page than any other I've ever come across. It was epic in every sense of the word.
And for my money, has any other chapter of an AP had as high a kill count as Spire of Long Shadows?
Share your thoughts folks!
As a player Rise of the Rune Lords.
As a GM Carrion Crown and AoW were both really fun.
I think the The Spire of Long Shadows is the most dangerous chapter/module written with respect to character level. I have never run it as written, and it is not because I hate killing players. I just felt like they had no chance if I had run it directly out of the book.
I've seen that criticism leveled at it quite a bit. However, I find in reading many of the TPK scenarios of SoLS, many parties simply weren't using the resources available to them at their level (i.e., divinations, Death Ward, etc.).
The thing about AoW is that it does not afford you the mistakes another modules can, and you have to be optimized also. You combine that with a tactical GM, and the players better be ready.
I have had certain players that would do well, but they have never all been in the same group. I always have one vet with lesser(some were moderate) players. Now if I had a table full of really good players I would like to try it as is.
PS:Death Ward was never used. I never understood why.
I agree with Cibet. I dont like seeing splat creep up in APs either. I'm a core type of guy as well.
That said, both are great. Even though my Shackled City and AoW campaigns didn't go very far (lvl 8 or so), they were some of my home groups best campaigning. We only got two modules into Savage Tide but There is No Honor is up there as one of our favorite campaign starters ever.
As for Paizo Golarion APs, Runelords, Crimson Throne, Kingmaker and Carrion Crown are my favorites.
I guess 3.5 still outnumbers PFRPG 5 to 2 by my list. Runelords upcoming PFRPG conversion will change that to 4 to 3. :) I still prefer PFRPG rules, but I'm very wary of the splat creep and I'm not crazy about the optional rule additions like caravans, kingdom building, romance rules, etc.
What I loved about the Dungeon and 3.5 APs was that since Paizo didn't have access to all the 3.5 splat rules (not OGL) and had no ability to extend the ruleset (like they can with PF) they really were forced to creatively exercise the core 3.5 rules.
There was a fair amount of non-core material in the Dungeon adventure paths (e.g. spellweavers, slaadi, demodands, etc.). Dungeon and Dragon weren't licensed under the OGL (they had their own separate license with WotC), so there was no need to stick to SRD-only stuff.
If they used non-core stuff, they would include the necessary rules for using it, though.
I have read all of the APs and I have run:
Age of Worms until Champions Belt.
Rise of the Runelords.
Council of Thieves climaxing with The Infernal Syndrome, then modifying Skeletons of Scarwall as an end to the story, and coda.
Am currently running Serpent's Skull, and will run the whole path.
I will run Carrion Crown next, or Kingmaker.
My favourites so far:
Carrion Crown. I am so psyched to run this.
Serpent's Skull. A perfect path for me.
Kingmaker. I am not sure my players can carry this one.
Legacy of Fire. Love the start, and love the tone.
Rise of the Runelords. Classic, epic and brutal.
I am looking forward to the Sihedron path, and Skull and Shackles.
My favorite Dungeon adventure path probably has to be Age of Worms. While Savage Tide is close, Age of Worms wins because it just had this dark, epic feel to it at times that I really liked. Also, what's a better ending to a long campaign than fighting a demigod?
My favorite Pathfinder adventure path is definitely Rise of the Runelords. It was the first adventure path that I ran (having ran the Dungeon adventure paths later) and its still the most fun I have with an adventure path I have had. It's just a great campaign that has something for almost anyone. Also, I just love the town of Sandpoint and all the flavor that it has.