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I'm planning to segue my group into an AP after we finish what we have going on now, and I'm considering RoTRL. Mostly it seems like a classic and I want the opportunity to run through it (or at least read through, anyway.)
The big question I have is, assuming I go with the pdf, should I grab the classic versions or the anniversary edition? I understand some content was left out of the anniversary edition, and that some of it is just gone, period. That concerns me a bit, like I have already 'missed it'. On the other hand I've also read that the individual sections flow together better with the revisions.
Also, I highly doubt we'll use Pathfinder or any other 3e system to adjudicate the game. Probably Savage Worlds. That means that 'system updates' don't really have much value. I'm after the setting info, relative strength, etc. I have stat converters for PF/3.5-to-SW that I can use, if I don't just wing it.
Finally I'm a tiny bit cost conscious. $42 seems like a lot for a single pdf. Yes, typing that made me feel old. But still, I'd like to see the most value for my dollar, if that makes sense.
Based on the above, and/or your own preference, which should I choose?
The Anniversary edition, a hundred times over. (really, 42 dollars all up is much better value for your dollar than six $15 dollar PDFs, last time I counted.) I can understand only wanting to buy one module before commiting to a six part AP but the anniversary edition is just the better product.
As for "cut content"... I really don't know where you picked that up. The articles from the appendices are reproduced (and rewritten to bring them up to date), so you're only missing out on the articles on Desna and Lamashtu, and the Bestiaries (which are pretty much entirely consolidated into the Bestiary 2 and Bestiary 3, which are free on paizo's PRD).
In return you get an awesome art upgrade across the board, some much needed tuneups to places that I personally found fell entirely flat with my group (the first part of Skinsaw Murders being the prime example), player handouts, and the 10% or so of the adventure that is brand-spanking-new content...
This copy is slightly cheaper than the PDF, but it's really a matter of personal opinion. (Plus paying $10+ for six things is silly when you you can pay $40 or a little more for an All-in-one volume.
That being said, I understand there ARE small differences and slight changes here and there (in fact, it says so in the intro of my copy), but a good portion of those changes is based off of posts made here on the boards by all those players that have come before - which to me is like the difference between Beta-testing and final release of a video game; it usually makes it better.
As I'm about to begin GM'ing this one myself (Have never played this one before), I'm on my umpteenth read through in preparation. The AE is well worth the price of admission. (I don't know about cost of AE Bound vs. PDF Printed-in-a-binder, however...)
This is a solid adventure, and no matter how you approach it, you'll likely have fun.
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I'm planning to segue my group into an AP after we finish what we have going on now, and I'm considering RoTRL. Mostly it seems like a classic and I want the opportunity to run through it (or at least read through, anyway.)
Also, I highly doubt we'll use Pathfinder or any other 3e system to adjudicate the game. Probably Savage Worlds. That means that 'system updates' don't really have much value. I'm after the setting info, relative strength, etc. I have stat converters for PF/3.5-to-SW that I can use, if I don't just wing it.
Based on the above, and/or your own preference, which should I choose?
You seem to have gone through the same thought processes that I have. I have just started running RoTR Anniversary Edition.
I really like the AP but also seriously considered conversion to Savage Worlds but, after 3 months of deliberation, ended up deciding against this and taught myself Pathfinder instead. I found that it was difficult trying to impart enough nuance into the abilities of the higher level enemies to differentiate them using Savage Worlds.
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Okay, if we're sure nothing good was cut. As I said, I don't need the stats at all, so that's a non-issue.
As for SW vs 3.5, I simply don't care for the 'rules mastery and trap options/ivory tower' metagame. I could go OSR or D6 with it, but I'm more interested in spending time with an evolving system. I have already had some success running Paizo stuff with WyRM, but that system doesn't plot well to other genres.
Currently we're running B2 with SW...
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There was nothing at all cut from the adventure itself. Some encounters were changed a bit, mainly due to player & GM feedback (e.g. the BBEG battle at the end of Book 2 was nerfed a bit, as it was a notorious TPK machine). A few encounters were added or expanded upon. An entire section of the huge dungeon in Book 5 was added (in the original, it was left for the GM to detail). The segues between chapters were all tightened up. And, the whole thing was congerted from OGL/3.5 to PFRPG rules.
What brought the pagecount down was elimination of many of the support articles. The religion articles on Desna and Lamashtu were cut, the ecology articles on giants and dragons were cut, the flavor articles on the Pathfinder Society and Thassilon were cut, the Bestiaries were cut, all of the fiction was cut, the gazetteer on Varisia was cut (actually just moved to the free Players' Guide), and the gazetteer on Magnimar was significantly reduced.
They added a gazetteer on Turtleback Ferry (including a map of the town), and kept the gazetteers on Sandpoint and Xin-Shalast pretty much unchanged.
An expanded Magnimar guide is available in the Campaign Setting Magnimar: City of Monuments. All of the monsters used in the adventure path are now in one of the Bestiaries. The Pathfinder Society information was expanded and republished in the Campaign Setting Seeker of Secrets. Thassilon was detailed in greater detail in the Campaign Setting Lost Kingdoms. The ecology of stone giants article was reprinted and expanded in the Campaign Setting Giants Revisited. The dragons article was expanded in the Campaign Setting Dragons Revisited.
The original APs remain the only source for the religion articles.
Creative Director
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Okay, if we're sure nothing good was cut. As I said, I don't need the stats at all, so that's a non-issue.
As for SW vs 3.5, I simply don't care for the 'rules mastery and trap options/ivory tower' metagame. I could go OSR or D6 with it, but I'm more interested in spending time with an evolving system. I have already had some success running Paizo stuff with WyRM, but that system doesn't plot well to other genres.
Currently we're running B2 with SW...
Being the one who developed the first version of Runelords AND the hardcover one... my first priority when compiling the adventures into the hardcover was to "expand, not contract," informed by 5 years of player/reader feedback. My opinion: the hardcover is the preferred director's choice for the adventure, and also the preferred author's choice for the adventure.
It is, essentially, the director's cut of Rise of the Runelords.
As mentioned above, the support material that was cut is now pretty much all available in expanded formats in other products—but you can run Runelords fine if the only support book you own is the Inner Sea World Guide.
Remember: when we first did Runelords, that six part adventure had to do more than present an adventure. It had to simultaneously present the entire campaign setting. The campaign setting is now established, and as a result, the adventure didn't need those articles anymore. The space we gained by cutting them let us expand parts of the adventure that got shorted in the original, including some expanded stuff in Sandpoint, Turtleback Ferry, and Runeforge in particular.
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Chief Technical Officer
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As mentioned above, the support material that was cut is now pretty much all available in expanded formats in other products—but you can run Runelords fine if the only support book you own is the Inner Sea World Guide.
You don't even really need the ISWG, though it is handy if your players want to delve deeper into the setting.
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Just to tell on myself a bit, I now own both the hardcover AND the pdf set (AE).
I can't read the hardcover in bed without bothering my wife, and it didn't feel 'right' bringing it to work, nor can I copy+paste from it. Though I'm oddly not all that sorry I own both, because I do enjoy reading the book a lot more. It just feels better...
Anyway, there it is. :)
I can't read the hardcover in bed without bothering my wife.
I have yet to move in with my girlfriend. I've yet to be caught doing this, but I'm not entirely sure how the girl would feel about it. I can't see it ending well for me. :P
The book is a great buy. Congrats on seeing the light, and I hope your game goes fantastically.
Well, having played a little with both the original version and the anniversary edition, I've found the anniversary edition to be superior.
Mainly due to the fact the original version jumps about a lot and can get incredibly confusing for me as a GM, but the anniversary edition seems to have everything compiled into the space you'd expect it to be, creating a much better flow to the story and feeling less like I need to keep making things up on the spot.
As such, I've just ordered the hardback print of the anniversary edition, along with the crit and fumble cards to really help immerse my players, after borrowing the hardback edition originally from a friend.
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Another thing I've noticed is the AE doesn't require as many of the Community materials. I can only assume that those materials weren't included in the classic version (otherwise why re-create them as a community). Again I can't speak to the history without knowing for sure, but it seems to be an unspoken bonus. Not that the community stuff isn't good - it's just that the Official stuff is better, IMO.
The spirit of much of the community materials were included in the AE rewrite. IMO, the best part of the re-write was better continuity and transition between the separate books of the AP. In the original, tonal and style changes could be a bit choppy.
Some community-developed materials that I used in my pre-AE game which were later developed by the pros at Paizo for the AE included-- sample art from Tsuto's journal; the letter from Lucreatia in Xanesha's tower; Vale Temros' sketch of Fort Rannick; a GM map and gazetteer of Turtleback Ferry... (and more that aren't comming immediately to mind!)