Time Needed for Year Four Adventures

[Sir_Wulf]

I need to adjust the planned schedule for a convention, as the Con's schedule guy banked on four-hour slots. I was able to get extra time for some time slots but not others.

Based on this, which Year Four scenarios can be played through the fastest? Which adventures need the most time to do them justice?

[Sarta]

All four can use more time than four hours. Storval definitely requires the most and could easily go longer than five. Golemworks is probably the next longest. Wrath's Shadow can get done in four hours without rushing too much. I haven't played Rise yet (but am looking forward to it).

[TetsujinOni]

i've played 4-1,2 and run 4.

They seem like they can all fit in 4 hour slots fine. 4-1 particularly can run short with a good party.

[Drogon]

In Wrath's Shadow can be played very quickly. The optional encounter is an easy one to remove, and if it's not removed it's very easily dealt with. The only reason it would run long is if your GM goes overboard on the creepy factor and slows things down with description and by making the players get over cautious (this, obviously, can be overcome with proper coaching). I finished it in 3.5 hours each time I ran it this past weekend, and I am notorious for running long.

Golemworks, on the other hand, should be given full time to be run properly. The final fight is crazy-complicated, and the role playing opportunities in the scenario are awesome and should not be skimped on.

I do not know the other two, having yet to play or read either one.

[Edit] Fixed grammar errors. Can't help it...

[Cpt_kirstov]

Goblin Guild depends on the table.... I ran it to 4.5 hours without the optional encounter with a good group of role players.

In Wrath's shadow on the other hand was over in just over 3 hours because that group was a fairly well rounded kill squad in a dungeon crawl

[Paz]

Goblin Guild can run long; the party I ran it for got very wrapped up in doing the faction missions and exploring the city, plus roleplaying discussions with the NPCs encountered in the first half. I didn't realise just how much there is to do in the second half of the scenario; had I done so I would've hurried the group up a bit on the first part.

[Derwalt]

Also remember that higher tier (often) equals more time spent.

[Dragnmoon]

Let me say this...

I ran both Rise of the Goblin Guild and In Wrath's Shadow at GenCon, for the first time ever I had scenarios run over 4 hours at GenCon, bith of them ran Long for me.

In Fact both games of In Wrath's Shadow did not complete.

Here are a couple of reasons they both ran long for me.

Roleplaying Gold! - There is so much for GMs to bring out in these scenarios for roleplaying that brings so much to the scenarios. I think if the GM does not take advantage of these he would be doing his players a disservice.

Complicated Combats - Both of them have some complicated combats in them that can end up being very long extended combat scenes.

That said the only reason both In Wrath's Shadow games I ran did not complete was because of terrible tactics and decisions made by the groups I involved it made the games drag on beyond the time we had.

[Jason S]

Local GMs have found they run a little longer than normal, especially for 5 player tables. 4 or 6 player tables are preferred.