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I'm about ready to run the Dawn of the Scarlet Sun for some new players(new to pf and but not to 3.x or rpgs). I am wondering how long it runs. Looks like 4 hours or less based on the 3 encouter. Want to aim for the 6 hour mark with this game. Any suggestions on extending it? Any thoughts on the game as a whole or your run time experience? Thanks
It was a difficult module. There are limited encounters, but the lead in investigation and the final battle both took considerable time. At the FreeRPG Day session I was at, it ran 3 times and took 5~6 hours for each table. I've heard 2nd hand accounts of others running the scenario, and theirs took every bit as long too.
To make sure to hit the 6 hours, play up the investigation. Chances are they're not going to hit the mark the first time out. Also, plan on about an hour and a half for the final battle. She's VERY resilient with healing abilities.
Just my 2cp
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The module can run in about 3 hours, but there are several aspects that tend to make it longer:
The investigation in the first part can be drawn out considerably. You can just throw dice and give out the information, or you can research Magnimar a bit to provide some extra description of the city. You can also draw out the ambush by coaxing the players to be creative and detailed in their planning.
Almost all of the combats tend to go quickly, but the final fight is a really bruiser. The BBEG's AC and hit points ensure that the fight will last a while, and her tactics are quite brutal. To extend the combat a bit and grant a bit more survivability, toy with the players. Have her spend a round forcing a dominated party member to perform embarrassing tasks, or perhaps she uses one attack to just gently pat the party fighter on the cheek while dodging his attacks and saying, "Oh, aren't you just adorable!"
The fight can turn into a serious slug-fest with players having to call time-outs to decide on life-saving tactics. I've heard of this lasting two hours on its own.
You mentioned running this for newer players, so be cautious about the module's lethality at the end. If it's just a home game, I feel it's better to pull a few punches and have fun than it is to slaughter prospective Pathfinder fans.
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The module can run in about 3 hours, but there are several aspects that tend to make it longer:
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Thanks. It is a home game, and I've read it has a tpk-ish like ending if not careful.
My players are vets of at least 3 plus years, a few are 30 year vets. They wanted to try this before going to make their own, in a pfs game I am going to run, because they wanted to kick the tires on characters that show off the difference in pf over 3.x. 5th level is a nice level. Not too complicated, but you can get a feel of what the character is supposed to be like. Plus the pre-gen iconics intrigue them...
I'd just like to point out don't use the pre-gens. I had a table running of even 8 people (2 fighters, a cleric, non-pregen alchemist and bard, a ranger, and two others.) And we had to call it because someone needed to leave early.
If they got experience, ok. But if their like brand new, just run something else.
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Pre-gens are set up to deal with
Ezren: fireball, scorching ray, acid arrow
Harsk: tanglefoot bogs
Kyra: align weapon, spiritual weapon
Merisiel: cold iron dagger
Seelah: bless weapon, smite, cold iron arrows (and aren't most people going to take the +1 cold iron longsword option?)
Valeros
So... Seelah swaps swords with Valeros or casts bless weapon on his sword, then she triggers her smite.
Kyra casts align weapon for Harsk.
Seelah shares her arrows and they go for range until a tanglefoot bag takes her out of the air, then she gets hit with:
Harsk's axe with align weapon cast on it = 1d8+1
Merisiel's cold iron dagger = 1d4+3d6 (lots of flanking opportunity)
Seeleah's spiritual weapon = 1d8+1
Valeros' sword (either cold-iron or blessed) = 1d8+11
Seelah's smite = 1d8+18
Ezren's spells...
Oh, and Kyra and Ezren can both have a pop at dispelling her flame blade. And if she goes archery then use grease to disarm the bow.
Any Seelah that takes Cold Iron Longsword can also save bless weapon in case the align weapon is disarmed, dropped or dispelled. Or if the battle goes over 5 minutes...
I actually do think that she is overpowered for most groups because of her AC+hit points+flight+babau+dominate person.
However, if you get her on the floor and buff Seelah (protection from evil, bulls strength, resist energy) then your Paladin is an absolute beast against Avalexi.
Buffed Seelah = AC27, immune to mind control, +12/1d8+20, and the 1d8+5 flame blade has its first 10points of fire damage ignored, so an average attack does zero damage.
Oh, and if she tries to outmaneuvre Seelah, as well as tanglefoot bags you can drop longstrider on her.
I enjoyed playing this mod immensely, though our group ran from the final fight.
Don't forget, this is for 6 level 5 characters.
If you've a group of 4/5 you might consider level 6.
This cannot be overstated. Your group will need that kind of oomph for the final combat.
I also really like the combat suggestions Caepio offers -- I will probably adopt them when I run it.
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Pre-gens are set up to deal with ** spoiler omitted **
Thanks for the advice. Exren's spells are worthless against her though, as she is immune to fire and has acid 10 resist.
I think i will try to spin the tale in such a way that they do some looking into who is the enemy before they go to the shrine, so that they can provision for tanglefoos, cold iron, etc.
My players are fairly crafty once they know what to expect. They have a tendency to blunder headlong into fights, so I may have to find ways to coax them to get some intelligence on the area before they go. Maybe the cleric will surrender, or be captured unconcious.
It took me almost six hours, but I'm a noob GM. I would say five hours if you're an experienced GM.