Second Darkness Conversion - Shadow in the Sky (PFRPG)


Second Darkness

Liberty's Edge

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Hello all, I'm working on converting this AP. I know there are a few conversion threads out there, but from what I could tell, they were done primarily for the Beta.

For the most part, I tried to maintain the CRs by adding levels as appropriate. Though, I only added one level to Depora rather than adding two (so she's a CR 5 instead of 6). To make up for this, I added in an extra dretch to this encounter.

By my calculations, the PCs (assuming 4 of them) should have about 7,500 XP at the end of this module, which should put them about 1/3 of the way to 5th level.

This conversion does not include the set piece adventure.

Shadow in the Sky (PFRPG)

EDIT: found an error, so I fixed it and re-uploaded it requiring a new link.


Mine was not for beta but mine was a level higher for the first two books if you want to look at it

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, LO Special Edition, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Hey thanks this looks great! I just got this AP and was hoping I could find something like this....Thank you it will make it much easier now to run as Pathfinder core rules.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Thanks very much for providing this - using it now, and am not looking forward to having to convert things myself for the rest of the AP.

Grand Lodge

First off yes there are quite some examples of conversion. This one looks great and I am looking forward to match it up with the normal PF rules.

As for the level based character I do not really see that as a problem. Yes of course the experience should fit somehow but in reality it's doable for the master to aware bonus/penalty to fit the leveling in the AP.

Having said that : My biggest concern picking up Second darkness is not the conversion - but all those EXTRA things that has been added to Pathfinder over the years since 2ndDarkness came out.

I mean we are going to have Cavaliers, Magus even gunslingers running around with feats that have been made for the ever growning power of the characters. Of course I have to put my trust in Paizo that the balance haven't changed so much that the "new" books doesn't make 2nd easy.

From a players point of view, knowing I wont run into a oracle of fire as an example also kind of remove the thrill a bit. But I guess thats part of the price running and elderly AP.

Anyway I hope you will make a similar document for the rest of the serie as it seem to be an excellent job you have made. So thanks a bunch for it!

Dark Archive

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Since I am progressing in this AP, I ended up creating a conversion for most stat blocks in Children of the Void. I have not converted the Akatas, since they are in the (PRD) Bestiary 2. Likewise, the Void Zombies can be built via the PRD.

Chilren of the Void stat blocks pdf

I will likely end up doing the later mods as well at some point.


Question: Why do you not use the "noble drow" modification? Obviously it wouldn't be for everyone, but in Shadow in the Sky you added monsters (ok, 1 dretch) when you could have had the same CR by making Depora a noble drow (and making the PCs first drow be a sufficient badass that it makes an impression, even if most drow later in the path are standard drow). Do you think it doesn't scale well at low levels, or did you have another reason?

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I tried to keep the critter definitions as close as possible to the original versions. I presume the original author did the same. So, no noble drow, because the original critters weren't using the noble drow traits.

Dark Archive

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

...and the Armageddon Echo stats are finally all done.

Armageddon Echo Stat Blocks


dont suppose those other books got pdf'd?

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I've only just gotten to the halfway point of Memory of Darkness. I did convert a number of the Endless Night stats, but have yet to combine them into a single pdf. Will see if I can do it this week.

Dark Archive

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

And here are my docs for 4 and 5 -

Endless Night
Memory of Darkness


Thanks so much for this!!!


This great! I had been tooling with some conversions myself and am happy I was not too far off haha. This takes a big load off my shoulders for this campaign. Thank you again!

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

No probs - one other thing to watch out for is XP progression. My group of 5 (now 4) just finished part 5, using Medium XP progression. Even with almost all of the side quests, and a few extras, they are only level 12, heading into Part 6.

Dark Archive

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Here is the first portion of part 6, up to the Throne of Abraxas. I'll update it at some stage with the rest (which is pretty much just two more stat blocks...)

Descent Into Midnight

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

...and the update is done, link hasn't changed.. That's it for me.

Liberty's Edge

Thank you, YogoZuno

Sczarni

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Hello,

Im working on a conversion with Hero Lab ... you can find my first try here : http://www.pathfinder-fr.org/wiki/GetFile.aspx?File=/ADJ/Aventures/Conversi on%20Pathfinder%2015.pdf

Sasmira.

Silver Crusade

I'm just about to start running Second Darkness for my group. I'm having a heck of a time trying to figure out how I'm supposed to get them to level up as per the last paragraph of the Adventure Summary on page 9. Is this module designed for a Fast track?

For example, they are supposed to be 2nd level before heading out for the Foamrunner encounter. I only count 850 XP(not even halfway to 2nd level for Medium advancement) for a party of 4-5 characters after they defeat Lymas Smeed.

Sorry, but I'm new to running AP's and was wondering if I am missing anything?

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

The module is designed for 4 characters, and D&D3.5e rather than Pathfinder. I had no real issues getting my (5) PCs to the required levels in the first 3 mods (when running some random encounters, and most of the sidetrack), but after that, they were consistently at least a level behind. Once they got to book 6, they were about two levels behind, which led to real issues in the final portion of the run.


Yogo, thank you for the hard work. I started running a group of friends through this a few months back and we just reached Children of the Void. It's been a fun romp, but I was disappointed when the resource for Pathfinder versions of the enemies disappeared. Thank you for giving me another source.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Lol, no sweat at all. I had to do most of the work anyway for my own version of the campaign, publishing it was no real extra effort.

Hope you have fun with it - my group stumbled in the final encounter of the campaign. Although they were able to save the world, they were not able to save themselves.

Dark Archive

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Just had someone point out that the old Dropbox public folder is no longer valid, meaning people can't use the links above. I can't edit the older posts, but here are newer links that work to the last 5 books I did (I never actually converted book 1).

Children of the Void
Armageddon Echo
Endless Night
Memory of Darkness
Descent Into Midnight


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Thanks, YogoZuno, you're a hero!

For those curious about XP tracking, I've been using the Fast track with great success. They handled the church in the first book, as well as two random urban encounters (roaches and thugs); once they cleaned out the first floor of the Book 1's final run, they were level 4 as promised.

Treasure seems alright too - everyone each has at least a little something fun and protective.

Consider adding a 3rd level cleric (Saurian domain is fun!) to the second troglodyte encounter to beef them up a little bit. Since they forgot to head south, I also gave the party some of that room's treasure on the cleric's body.

Book 2's been a blast, albeit Magus and Witch spells seem to have made it a bit easier. They luckily had the right tools for the job in certain places.


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I don't understand why ppl worry so much about XP balance and whatnot, just grant the PCs levels at key points on the adventures, problem solved. XP is a very poor system as pen and papper RPGs are based on all kinds of interactions not just combat and XP is mostly combat, when you grant XP for non combat encounters youre basicaly aproximating and its all subjective and you do it with the purpose to give your players enought to level up and not fall behind, so why don't you simply not give any XP and level the players at set intervals ? Its way more logical, the party is never underleveled or overleveled, you don't need to throw random encounters left and right just for the PCs to catch up and you keep the PCs happy with a steady flow of levels. You don't even need to tell them youre not giving XP, just say you keep track of it internaly, they dont need to know youre actualy granting levels arbitrarely.

Dark Archive

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Thanks for the insight into your point of view, Dakon. Some people like detail and structure, and actually prefer to work with experience points, particularly in situations where characters can come and go, or only be involved in some portions of a campaign.

Also, random encounters aren't just there to increase XP or treasure. They often lead to unexpectedly interesting happenings. I've seen occasions where an unexpected encounter helped to reinforce the danger of an area, or the threat of travel. I've also seen a random encounter become a recurring enemy :)


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YogoZuno wrote:

Thanks for the insight into your point of view, Dakon. Some people like detail and structure, and actually prefer to work with experience points, particularly in situations where characters can come and go, or only be involved in some portions of a campaign.

Also, random encounters aren't just there to increase XP or treasure. They often lead to unexpectedly interesting happenings. I've seen occasions where an unexpected encounter helped to reinforce the danger of an area, or the threat of travel. I've also seen a random encounter become a recurring enemy :)

Im all for using random encounters in that light, sometimes PCs will just wander off to somewhere dangerous and you want to reinforce that its dangerous, or sometimes you just need some combat to happen after a long period of RP, but its very common to see DMs resort to them for XP reasons alone wenever they think the party is falling behind, I don't agree with that at all.


Good to haz some 2nd Darkness Books #2-6 updating stuff+ out there for PF1e, YogoZuno. ;)

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