So...my sweetheart has been a GM for quite a while (and is good at it) but also loves to play, so I agreed to run the Serpent Skull campaign for him and two (maybe three) new players (experienced gamers, just new to Pathfinder).
We've had the character creation session and the first gaming session so far, and the group dynamics are great! All four of us had fun, which is the most important thing in my eyes.
Anyway...I'd like to make it a really great and memorable campaign for them and will probably add in some side quests/custom materials at some point. Each player got a secret mission or background story part based on their background stories from me, which may or may not lead to side quests for the group, and I also created an NPC with her own side quest when the time comes (right now she's playing only a minor NPC role).
The group consists of an Oracle of War (basically their tank/front-line fighter), a Shadow Sorcerer, and a Ranger with ranged weapons and hunter's tricks instead of spellcasting. I've invited another player we know from a different group to join us from game session two on, but he hasn't decided yet. Since I don't want to change too much for their encounters, I granted each character a bonus feat at first level, and let them start with above-average stats (more an accident than intention, but works for me) to balance the small group.
So far, I didn't need to change anything, but they haven't explored much of the island yet. They managed to get every NPC but one to friendly (one stormed off right on day one after a failed Diplomacy check--none of the PCs has Diplomacy) and even solved one of their side quests, and another NPC has offered to accompany them at least for a while (a Rogue).
One question I have is: How should the NPCs level up? They're currently at lv. 2 (right out of the AP) while the PCs are still lv. 1. My custom-made NPC started at lv. 5 and will probably gain exp. at the same rate as the PCs, so that for now she remains too powerful for them in case they decide to get rid of her but will slowly become less powerful compared to them. Her side quest will probably be a challenge for a lv. 8-9 party later in the AP.
Another question: The AP names two diseases they're likely to catch in the jungle, Red Ache and Mindfire (iirc). What other diseases would you suggest for a 1st to maybe 3rd lv. party in a jungle setting?
I'm open to suggestions, advice, brainstorming, constructive criticism, and praise ;)
Best,
your crazy gnome from next door
Yar!
Welcome to the boards! :D
Before I start, I will say that there is a sub-forum a bit further down dedicated to the Serpent's Skull AP. This thread will likely get moved there soon. There are some great GMs there who will endow you with much advice.
As for the NPCs: I'm actually running a no-xp game, and have been leveling up the PC's at plot specific points (based on the leveling guidelines in each book - "the PC's should be x level at Y point". I leveled up the NPC's at a slightly slower rate so that by the time the PC's reached level 7, the 5 NPC's would be level 5 - making them perfect candidates as future cohorts should any PC take the Leadership feat.
As for the diseases, I mostly kept to those two. With those diseases, the various poisons on the isle, the heat dangers, fatigue, and...
... they had their hands full. ^_^
Best gaming to ya! I'm sure I'll have more to say when I'm not t work.
~P
Unless you're planning on the NPCs joining the party in battle, I wouldn't particularly suggest leveling/statting them at all. When we were on Smuggler's Shiv we never really brought the NPCs anywhere, we found a nice camp to stash them as a home base and went back there periodically, removing any chance they'd be killed by all manner of nasty beasties.
Though if I had to pick one NPC to follow the party around, I'd suggest the
Yar.
Also, in my game, the NPCs were used to great effect. The RP interactions were great, and more than once (especially for the first 2 levels) ended up saving my group from TPKs. My group has 5 players, and with 5 NPCs - once they were all brought to friendly terms (yes, my group did get them all friendly) - each player was given an NPC to control in combat encounters, so there was never any "the GM is taking over the game with his NPCs" issues.
In the Caves of the Mother, for example, my group was on the verge of total annihilation, then used a Plot Twist Card to have an ally show up. All 5 NPCs - being worried for how long the PCs were underground and the strange noises they heard - came to the rescue just in time. My players took control of the NPCs and continued to fight for their lives. Even then, it was almost a TPK still! I think only 2 characters were still up, the rest were either unconscious or paralyzed. it was an epic fight.
~P
Oops, didn't see that sub-forum...sorry!
Thanks for the nice welcome and the advice so far!!! :D
I really like the NPCs, and there have been some funny interactions so far...
The Leadership feat is banned from our game, so no need to keep them "at the right level" for it, so I think I may keep them at about party level in case they need to help them out in any fight (or get into a fight with them). Guess it will also depend on whether or not the fourth player joins us, and how the next encounters play out. Do all of them play a role in the other books? (Sorry, haven't found the time to read through the other books yet.)
How did you deal with Sasha's new "pet"? My PCs brought back an egg for her, which hatched towards the end of last session and now follows her around wherever she goes, but I have no clue where to take it from here.
Best,
your crazy gnome from next door
How did you deal with Sasha's new "pet"? My PCs brought back an egg for her, which hatched towards the end of last session and now follows her around wherever she goes, but I have no clue where to take it from here.
=(
We never got to see it hatch. I climbed up there and got the durn thing myself too.
She did give us her "special private training" though so I guess that works out.
@Pirate, thanks for the clarification. =)
The castaways play a role in the on going books as the players choices see fit. Before getting into that question you need to read at least the first few pages of Racing To Ruin. There one NPC plays a vital role, from there each role is sandbox. One thing I love about this AP and also the reason why it is such a wrestle for DMs.
A little off topic from the typical NPCs
Rynjin, since the ranger was almost killed by the egg's mother (in a single crit flyby-attack), I think they deserved to see it hatch ;)
GM Poisonblade, thanks :) I'll try to read on some more soon.
Yar!
Sasha = Red Mantis (though not of her own volition)
Gelik = Pathfinders
Jask = Sargavan Government (possibly not of his own free will either, depending on how things play out if he survives)
Aerys = Pirates -er, Free Captains ^_^
Ishirou = Aspis Consortium
As for...
~P
Ah. The GM kept all the NPCs out of combat, mostly because that battle would've been a steamroll with their help.
I can see how they would've been great to have around if you were in a 3-4 man group, for sure.
The introduction to book 3 has some ideas for leveling-up the NPC's, also some mini quest hooks for them.
You guys are awesome :D Now I know why my sweetheart spends so much time here on the boards while preparing for the campaign he runs for me ;)
I'm not sure whether I want to turn Sasha's pet into her Animal Companion since I banned Animal Companions for my players (bad experience with absolutely overpowered Druids or Rangers) so I guess it would be unfair to grant an NPC one. Oh well, guess I should have seen that coming before the quest was completed.
I've read through some of the Serpent Skull subforum in the last few hours and have the feeling that I might have to customise (more or less huge?) parts of the other books anyway in order for all of us to enjoy the campaign, so maybe I'll just turn her into a Sorceress with the Arcane bloodline, and make the dinosaur her familiar (with the Improved Familiar feat) ;)
Anyway, it's late for me (I'm in Europe) and I need to be awake enough to teach tomorrow morning, so I'm out of here for now.
Best,
your crazy gnome from next door