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Antonymous to the "AP's you would like to see in the future" thread I thought it would be fun to to explore AP's that might be cool but will NEVER happen due to difficulty, lack of interest, or *other* circumstances.
Here are three* that I thought of, a trilogy*, if you will:
1. An adventure path where the party is split the ENTIRE TIME and only comes together in Part 6. (Ha ha, I'm making myself laugh over here!)
2. An adventure path where the players start at level 20 and LOSE levels until they're just a couple of level 1's - the BBEG is an angry mob of commoners.
3. AP set in Varisia...again.
(sorry Varisia lovers.)
4. A 6 Part AP set in one 20x20 room. One benefit as a player is that you could NEVER split the party! (Call it "4 Angry Players")
5. AP where players are monsters and PC's come and kill them and take their stuff. Some mean GM's might actually treat every game like this. :}
6. Two 6 part parallel running AP's where PC's play bad guys in one and good guys in the other and collide in an epic 260 page Part 7 linking the 2!
7. AP where players all start as children and between every part, 5 years pass.
8. An AP that takes place entirely underwater.
9. A time travel AP where the players have to fight their future selves, then past selves, then paradox selves, then future selves again...hold on...I lost where I was going with that.
10. An AP that is conveyed only through photographs and abstract artwork.
Any more you REALLY wouldn't like to see? Any that you think would be rad but undoable? Any that are so silly or unrealistic that they'll never happen? Sound off.
*False
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6. Two 6 part parallel running AP's where PC's play bad guys in one and good guys in the other and collide in an epic 260 page Part 7 linking the 2!
8. An AP that takes place entirely underwater.
These two I could actually see being done. 8 far more than 6 obviously though.
9. A time travel AP where the players have to fight their future selves, then past selves, then paradox selves, then future selves again...hold on...I lost where I was going with that.
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I actually like number 7, provides a good sense of backstory and kinship for the players...
11. An AP wherein the party is railroaded into being eaten whole by a leviathan. The dungeon crawl is...well...letting nature take its course and the various parasites therein. Plenty of loot though...
12. An AP that is 100% politics and intrigue. If you don't have Skill Focus: Nobility, you're falling behind. Not a single combat encounter occurs, lest you be thrown in the dungeon for discourteous proceedings.
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I'm still waiting for Rise of the Flumphlords!
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Rise of the Flailsnails!
An AP consisting of nothing but fetch quests from Abigail Thrune.
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13. Rise of the Flailsnails
Part 1
The party, while screwing around in a magical circus, is introduced to a sentient Flailsnail who tells them of a great evil brewing amongst Flailsnail-kind and must adventure into the sodden lands to find the Snail Flail - a weapon rumored to house massive power (or possibly house massive worthlessness, it's hard to understand the Flailsnail). The PC's must conk Kua-Toa on the head, conk Rain Golems on the...er...head, and must conk various evil swamp beasts on the...head in order to succeed. Will they find the Snail Flail in time or will it find them first? [SPOILER: The Snail Flail is inanimate, so...]
Part 2
The PC's must contend with the fact that they got themselves way too deep in the sodden lands chasing a stupid snail flail and have no idea how to get back. Using information gleaned from the magical device that constantly keeps them connected (emotionally) to the sentient Flailsnail, they journey to the gooey abode of the Flailsnail Princess, Groohgroop IV. When they arrive, they must fight skeletons. Will they, in time?
Part 3
The PC's hang out at the local Flailsnail eatery and talk about crushes they've had. Will they conquer their building angst in time?
Part 4
After a devastating realization that the Snail Flail actually IS powerful, the PC's must find it all over again.
Part 5
The PC's, using the latent power of the Snail Flail, destroy the Terrasque angering/awakening Rovagug. Golarion is destroyed. Will the PC's make it to a portal linking Golarion to Akiton before it's too late, time-wise?
Part 6
After the death of the PC's and all of Golarion in Part 5, the DM now regales the players with stories about his childhood. Will they leave the DM's house before he begins crying?
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An AP consisting of nothing but fetch quests from Abigail Thrune.
I think I played that AP!
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An AP where the player characters are all pre-determined (and not just stock iconics, either).
The reason it will never happen: players like making their own characters too much.
Why this is too bad: The story can be so much more character centered and give stronger motivations. Imagine Jade Regent where one of the *players* was Ameiko. That would be awesome. Not to mention the fact that encounter balance would be a whole heck of a lot simpler when the authors know the stats of the characters ahead of time!
14. An adventure path where the NPC's are nothing but hot chicks. (This is how I run all my home games, so, it wouldn't be much of a change for me.)
15. AP set in the Mana Wastes and the PC's never find weapons, anywhere. Time for the monk to shine!
16. AP where the PC's are chefs and go on a cooking tour of Golarion. Time for the monk to shine! Oh...no?
Sorry for all these posts. I'm amusing the heck out of myself!
17. Eaters of the Dead AP
Part 1 - The Magical Flying Airship Called Computer (by Erik Mona and James Jacobs)
The PC's begin in the Shackles as Good-aligned cannibals (tee hee!). When a group of evil adventurers arrive on a magical airship and invade their island the cannibal PC's strike back, eating them. Now with access to a talking airship that answers to the name of Computer (for example: Computer, make me some Earl Grey tea), the PC's can now go on a culinary tour of Golarion to eat all the bad out of the world!
Part 2 - Sargavan Blues (by Nicholas Logue)
Resting in Sargava, the hungry PC's hear tell of a tasty giant savaging the peaceful ape peoples in the deep jungles of Mwangi. But before they can even hope to tackle this threat, they're going to need a marinade. Time for fetch quests!
Part 3 - A Feast for a Giant (by Michael Kortes)
Turns out the giant is actually a Gargantuan Human Meat Golem which the PC's find perfectly acceptable. After constructing a marinade cannon on the front of their airship, and firing it, they topple the giant and feed themselves and the ape peoples of Mwangi for weeks! Also, they adventure through a cursed Ziggurat.
Part 4 - The Cursed Ziggurat Was Not What You Thought It Was (by Greg Vaughn)
The cursed Ziggurat was not what the cannibal PC's thought it was! A spiteful trap set by the vengeful undead adventurers, the rightful owners of Computer the Airship, bringing the cannibals to their knees. Will the marinade cannon work one more time?
Part 5 - The Cursed Ziggurat Is Actually Just A Mundane Ziggurat (by Monte Cook)
After a series of Ziggurat mishaps, the PC's finally find the right cursed ziggurat rumored to be the birthing place of Human Meat Golems and their respective Shaman creators. Spoiler, it's dumb there and the PC's leave. They fight skeletons instead! In Numeria!
Part 6 - Return to the Cursed Ziggurat (a recovered manuscript by the late Gary Gygax, thought lost forever) A PAIZO 500 page SPECTACULAR!!!!
The PC's are tasked with returning to the Ziggurat for mysterious reasons, the mystery being, why? When they arrive, the Ziggurat is completely different, again, for mysterious reasons. What follows is 200 levels of nonsense traps guaranteed to TPK every time! Don't worry about running complex combat encounters, there are none.
Imagine Jade Regent where one of the *players* was Ameiko. That would be awesome.
Just started our JR campaign as this. One of the players wanted to play a female 'heir to the throne' and I convinced them to take on a 1st level Ameiko. So far it has indeed been awesome.
Imagine Jade Regent where one of the *players* was Ameiko. That would be awesome.Just started our JR campaign as this. One of the players wanted to play a female 'heir to the throne' and I convinced them to take on a 1st level Ameiko. So far it has indeed been awesome.
I have night terrors about one of my *important* PC's dying though!
4 more AP's that wouldn't be done merely because they are slightly gonzo:
18. AP where the PC's are magically taken to an Orvan Vault and parts 1 through 6 are their very own "quest for sky."
19. AP where the PC's are struck with amnesia and find themselves in Casmaron. Not only a fish out of water AP but a memento style reconstruction.
20. An AP that takes place entirely in the four elemental planes.
21. An "afterlife" AP where the PC's chase down souls in heaven, hell, the maelstrom, the Abyss and Abaddon.
I actually like number 7, provides a good sense of backstory and kinship for the players...
11. An AP wherein the party is railroaded into being eaten whole by a leviathan. The dungeon crawl is...well...letting nature take its course and the various parasites therein. Plenty of loot though...
12. An AP that is 100% politics and intrigue. If you don't have Skill Focus: Nobility, you're falling behind. Not a single combat encounter occurs, lest you be thrown in the dungeon for discourteous proceedings.
I really like the idea of an AP taking place entirely inside a creature! There could be cities in there, strange gooey forests and swamps, other leviathans (that can also swallow the PC's - META!) and of course, Mynocks.
I have night terrors about one of my *important* PC's dying though!Imagine Jade Regent where one of the *players* was Ameiko. That would be awesome.Just started our JR campaign as this. One of the players wanted to play a female 'heir to the throne' and I convinced them to take on a 1st level Ameiko. So far it has indeed been awesome.
You don't think that can be accounted for? Heck - they account for Ameiko's death in Jade Regent and she's really the *only* important person.
I have night terrors about one of my *important* PC's dying though!
It would be an exceptionally unusual occurence for a PC to die in any game I run, unless it was cinematically appropriate.
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I have night terrors about one of my *important* PC's dying though!It would be an exceptionally unusual occurence for a PC to die in any game I run, unless it was cinematically appropriate.
With all due respect, if PC's don't think they can die they get spoiled. Please don't take that to mean that I think you're DMing is "wrong" because if you're having fun and they're having fun, you're doing it "right."
BUT - I used to be the same way; I used to make it my job to make sure the PC's didn't die but rather had a cinematic experience, but my PC's started to catch wind of this (not because I told them) and they started getting pissy ANYTIME ANYTHING bad would happen to them. Like Pathfinder doesn't give you Hit Points for a reason? Like, what do you think, this giant book of monsters here is for your health?
So, I realized, cinematic moments just come and when they do naturally, they feel SOO good.
Again, if your style works, keep on keepin' on. But that style used to make me feel like I was there to SERVE the PC's rather than have fun also.
[/thread diversion]
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22. AP where PC's are cursed in part 1 and spend the next 5 parts trying to kill the BBEG before their their curse kills them. Kind of like in Final Fantasy when you get DOOMED. Actually, Doomed would be a cool name for the adventure path.
23. An AP devoted to tracking down a variant Deck of Many Things that has gone horribly awry - like following in it's path of destruction.
I want to write the All Underwater adventure path myself!
There are actually plenty of aquatic Player Character races that you could choose from.
How would you go about it? Like James Cameron's The Abyss mixed with Little Mermaid? That's sort of not a joke.
22. AP where PC's are cursed in part 1 and spend the next 5 parts trying to kill the BBEG before their their curse kills them. Kind of like in Final Fantasy when you get DOOMED. Actually, Doomed would be a cool name for the adventure path.
I might play it, depending on how much the curse cripples you.
I like #7 as well. For a PC group that ages at the same rate, it would work fine I think :)
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So, hellacious, which one are you about to run on the boards as a pbp?
Haha! Now THAT'S an idea!
A AP where everyone is an intelligent earthworm. Watch out for the raging barbarian earthworm it will mess up the big bad birds.
A 6 part AP where the characters sit in a cubicle and have to make bluff checks vs. their boss to pretend they are working, intimidate checks vs. co-workers who try to unload work on you and diplomacy checks on co-workers who you are trying to unload work upon.
A AP where everyone is an intelligent earthworm. Watch out for the raging barbarian earthworm it will mess up the big bad birds.
A 6 part AP where the characters sit in a cubicle and have to make bluff checks vs. their boss to pretend they are working, intimidate checks vs. co-workers who try to unload work on you and diplomacy checks on co-workers who you are trying to unload work upon.
Biobeast, this is EXACTLY the game my good friend is running right now and it's HILARIOUS.
Some of these actually sound interesting...
How about any AP whose inspiration involves Jersey Shore or The Apprentice?
A cryptid focused AP run like Monsterquest. No combat ever because you never actually find the monster.
7 yess... the Lamms little lambs AP :p
pickpockeing, making fish-slurry and eating that one bisquit the whole week... while avoiding the nasty nalf-orc and the scary dog :(
Part 4 running away and part 5 on ruling their own empire of little kids. Last part six, epic confrontation with Lamm, winner takes all
The party, while screwing
An AP where the party advances the quests and gais experience by sexual (not violent) means ...
(i.e., Book of Erotic Fantasy as an adventure path.)
I truly doubt there will ever be an adventure path that takes place, parts 1-6, entirely in The Realm of the Mammoth Lords. Sadly.
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With all due respect, if PC's don't think they can die they get spoiled. Please don't take that to mean that I think you're DMing is "wrong" because if you're having fun and they're having fun, you're doing it "right."
And with all due respect, as a GM of 30+ years, I think I know my style by now.
I've had a handful of PCs die over the years, but it's made sense to the story.
They normally die if:
a) they do something stupid
b) they do something evil and karma gets them
c) the player goes out in a blaze of glory or something else that's appropriate.
For the last decade or so, I've been lucky enough to have a group of players that doesn't do stupid or evil things, leaving only (c) as cause of death.
Throwing disposable characters into a meat grinder simply isn't my idea of D&D, especially on an adventure path. Hell, I even had the idea of Jade Regent being narrated by an older Ameiko as a tale from her youth. Some of the best stories I've told have been 'framed narratives'.
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The party, while screwingAn AP where the party advances the quests and gais experience by sexual (not violent) means ...
(i.e., Book of Erotic Fantasy as an adventure path.)
I've ran 'Isle of Dread' that way!
With all due respect, if PC's don't think they can die they get spoiled. Please don't take that to mean that I think you're DMing is "wrong" because if you're having fun and they're having fun, you're doing it "right."And with all due respect, as a GM of 30+ years, I think I know my style by now.
I've had a handful of PCs die over the years, but it's made sense to the story.
They normally die if:
a) they do something stupid
b) they do something evil and karma gets them
c) the player goes out in a blaze of glory or something else that's appropriate.
For the last decade or so, I've been lucky enough to have a group of players that doesn't do stupid or evil things, leaving only (c) as cause of death.
Throwing disposable characters into a meat grinder simply isn't my idea of D&D, especially on an adventure path. Hell, I even had the idea of Jade Regent being narrated by an older Ameiko as a tale from her youth. Some of the best stories I've told have been 'framed narratives'.
So you do kill 'em for doin stuff that's stupid.
That goes counter to your original post- which is what he was replying to.:)
-S
So you do kill 'em for doin stuff that's stupid.
That goes counter to your original post- which is what he was replying to.
Well, my original post was that it was 'unlikely' a plot-central character would die in my games.
Because while I'm happy to kill characters who do stupid things, I'm fortunate not to have to play with stupid players any more.
stuff
I'm with you! I totally get it and would LOVE to be a player in your game (especially with that Jade Regent kind of creativity (that narration style sounds awesome)).
The way I DM/GM is similar to the A B C's you presented but I have a D and E:
d) Sometimes life gives you lemons.
To mix metaphors, do the players make cancerade? That's up to them. We all like a little, "whoops" in our D&D.
e) Sometimes you eat the dog, and sometimes the dog eats you.
Stupidity isn't the only thing that kills my players; mistakes can be made based on intelligent decisions that just didn't work out. Plans fall through. Even Indiana Jones can tell you he's lost a lot of friends.
That's all.
I doubt we'll ever get an Alkenstar AP
I wish-wish-wish there was an Alkenstar AP! But I agree with you - it seems that the PAIZO heads might avoid it because it might seem a little close to Iron Kingdoms. But believe this, I would be so happy to be wrong!
I'm fascinated by Alkenstar and would love to see PAIZO's take on Steampunk.
I have a lot of trust in PAIZO - I love this company, so in the end, I'm happy with nearly every AP that has come out so far - even the ones that weren't completely up my alley.
I'm so excited for Shattered Star, I love Jade Regent, and Kingmaker was rad - all this to say, if this thread sounds like complaining, it's actually just for sillies.
Keep it up, PAIZO!
stuffThe way I DM/GM is similar to the A B C's you presented but I have a D and E:
d) Sometimes life gives you lemons.
To mix metaphors, do the players make cancerade? That's up to them. We all like a little, "whoops" in our D&D.
e) Sometimes you eat the dog, and sometimes the dog eats you.
Stupidity isn't the only thing that kills my players; mistakes can be made based on intelligent decisions that just didn't work out. Plans fall through. Even Indiana Jones can tell you he's lost a lot of friends.
That's all.
Fair comment, HH!
You sound like a decent and fun GM!
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How would you go about it? Like James Cameron's The Abyss mixed with Little Mermaid? That's sort of not a joke.I want to write the All Underwater adventure path myself!
There are actually plenty of aquatic Player Character races that you could choose from.
Well, if I were writing it, it would be kicked off by a 6000-year-old underwater empire that was overwhelmed by an invasion by the Aboleth and escaped into a time portal into the future. They emerge into the present en masse and decide to re-found their empire.
But a whole lot has happened in 6000 years, and they run into trouble. Enter the PCs, representatives of some of the newer races, helping them retake their lands from evil races and the underwater wilderness.
You could do it with hex exploration, Kingmaker-style.
It's likely that almost nobody on the surface would even know about any of this happening.
Stuff about underwater AP
That sounds pretty kewl! I'd play it. But would the players only have access to water breathing races? Or would they only be that one race from that ancient empire?
I love the idea of the surface never having any clue that the snorks are fighting.