My players last night also decided it was their mission to take Millorn along and try to fix him. One of them is an Oracle of Chucaro the empyreal lord of crazy people so she wants to fix him. The paladin wants to bring him to justice, he had him grappled and figured out he was evil so he's dragging him along, literally. I think I'm going to have him have been playing with the toxic abyssal energy the worldwound produces, maybe he was experimenting on test subjects and that's what got him hunted but the energy could have infected him and driven him crazy. I like that they're moving this way though, my greatest fear was that they'd go off and kill Arueshale no matter what ground work I laid leading up to the meeting. They also tend to be jumpy, one of the PCs actually hit Horgus when he got into an argument with Anevia, thankfully the Oracle is a Changling and stopped him from leaving, barely. That introduced party rules of conduct, and I made puppets for the NPCs to help avoid confusion when they're talking.
I'm looking forward to starting to run this in a couple of weeks time, since my Kingmaker campaign group is on something of a hiatus while real life takes priority for various people in my group :)
Loving the ideas regarding Millorn, and hoping my guys take pity on the crazy dwarf. Looking at having a Tiefling Fighter, an Aasimar Paladin, a Human Oracle (Flame), and an unknown-at-this-stage 4th player.
Hopefully we'll be getting together before the game stasrts to go over character creation - going to try an exercise going to have all 4 of the PCs run across one another before the campaign starts (by the looks of things, the Aasimar and Tiefling both will be local to Mendev, and I think the Oracle might be headed in that direction as well).
My plan is to have each of them pick another member in the group with which they've had a positive meeting in the past (such as fighting side by side while fending off an ambush), and another member with which there was a meeting bred in conflict (such as an argument over letting a caught thief go rather than taking him to the authorities). This will help weave the 4 of them together a little bit and create some already present feelings of conflict/cameraderie that they can play with when they all end up beneath the city at the start of the game.
Should be fun :)
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Under Kenabres there are a bunch on expanding tunnels where they walk for 20+ minutes. In the back is a random encounter chart. You could add more of those, as well as more random encounters wandering through destroyed Kenabres. My party ended up being a little behind experience wise, so I threw a couple random encounters in before they reached Neathholm. They ended up leveling when they rested there for the night.
Creative Director
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I mapped out the xp for my group, (we start tomorrow and I consider this as part of my prep as the GM. Also we have 6 players, so I have to expand the xp out a bit)
And I saw that the XP total in the book doesn't have enough XP for my group to be lv 6 by the end, even doing standard things to increase the xp amount (50% more players so 50% more monsters etc)
Have you guys run into this? What did you do to change it?
You could try doing nothing... having 6 players gives as much if not more of an advantage than being 1 level higher...
Or just give them some inflated story awards here and there, but if you do that, you'll increasingly want to add more and more foes to fights to "even the odds" so that the PCs don't totally cakewalk things.
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I am going to be hopefully running this AP in a new few weeks, I am just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to make it as interesting as possible.
I have read the first AP (the only one I own so far) a few times now and it seems like it is going to be hard, I have a group of experienced players and I am a relatively new GM. Just want them to get the most excitement out of it.
Also has anyone not used Mythic in the later parts of the AP? Does it work out well and how well does Mythic work out?
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Have lots of notes handy. Write down weaknesses and abilities of each foe on a 3x5 card and make sure to triple-check everything before the game. If you have a lot of notes available and know what's going on (both for rules of the game and opponent statistics) then the game will go faster.
Also, always be willing to roll with the punches. PCs never do the expected. The best GMs are able to take that and run with it. Newer GMs will have trouble with it... but never railroad players. Instead, make the primary choice the one that seems preferable. (Mind you, even those GMs who roll with punches can become hidebound or can suffer burnout and stop being flexible. It's not easy.)
Good luck!
I am going to be hopefully running this AP in a new few weeks, I am just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to make it as interesting as possible.
I have read the first AP (the only one I own so far) a few times now and it seems like it is going to be hard, I have a group of experienced players and I am a relatively new GM. Just want them to get the most excitement out of it.
Also has anyone not used Mythic in the later parts of the AP? Does it work out well and how well does Mythic work out?
Do everything Tangent101 said.
Also, make sure you know your NPCs. You start out with three and they all have potentially conflicting backstories. Being ready to play them against each other and the PCs add some depth to the experience at the beginning of the AP (which otherwise is a pretty straight forward dungeon crawl).
I am going to be hopefully running this AP in a new few weeks, I am just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to make it as interesting as possible.
I have read the first AP (the only one I own so far) a few times now and it seems like it is going to be hard, I have a group of experienced players and I am a relatively new GM. Just want them to get the most excitement out of it.
Also has anyone not used Mythic in the later parts of the AP? Does it work out well and how well does Mythic work out?
The opening "cinematic" comes as read-aloud text that can gain different mileage out of different groups. My group won't easily sit through anything that's more than a sentence or two, so I'll go through and highlight the important bits and then make up my own exposition to fill in the gaps. It's easier to keep their attention when you're making eye contact with them, and their attention is really important to get the opening to work.
If possible, use character creation to generate some attachment between the PCs and the city's inhabitants or the city itself. Again, it comes down making the opening work, and you want them hanging off every word. If one of your players is a monstrous race, maybe tell them Irrabeth or even Terendelev helped them to get past the prejudiced attitudes the city exhibits to outsiders. Maybe one of the PC's has family stationed at the Kite, or were leaving the festivities to report for their first day of duty there when the attack occurs. Don't force any of this on a player, but if they come to you with questions about how to integrate their characters into the adventure, throw them suggestions that will give them a reason to care about what is happening in Kenebras.
Talk to them out-of-game that the game isn't below ground and that they're better off going up above to the exit. And then mention that the chief's son is beyond that cave-in and thus they'd not be able to follow in any event.
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Creative Director
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If the players are so obsessed with the chief's son... give them a clue in the form of a ransom note or the like from the evil mongrelfolk demanding payment from Neathholm for the return of the chief's son, then put him into the mongrelfolk dungeon in Part 2 as someone the PCs can rescue.
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I was hoping to change the beginning up a bit make them feel like they are involved instead of just watching. I was planning on not "doing" combat but making the peasants and such flee from the grounds where the event is taking place (sorry can't think of specific names while at work). Having Cultists block the exits and the PC's get pushed to the center while the Ulkreth came from underground to destroy far outer edge of the plaza and a giant rift coming straight at the PC's.
I know all but one of my PC's very well, should be interesting. So Far I have a mage and rogue. I am hoping to have 4 people play but might only have 3, I was trying to think of a GMPC character to run and was looking into the Paladin but then thinking I could make a Monk who took a vow of Silence to help with not giving to much away.
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Or a deaf Oracle who doesn't talk. ;)
Remember, Paladins are a bit of a trouble magnet. Most of the enemies are written to head straight for the paladin (or obviously good aligned characters).
You could always scrub that part of the description or just make something that wouldn't attract all the attention...unless of course, you want to gm and be the center of the fight.
Remember, Paladins are a bit of a trouble magnet. Most of the enemies are written to head straight for the paladin (or obviously good aligned characters).
You could always scrub that part of the description or just make something that wouldn't attract all the attention...unless of course, you want to gm and be the center of the fight.
Not to mention that Paladins can get incredibly powerful. It probably wouldn't do for you to outshine your players either.
3 PCs is more than enough to run the AP. Give them 20 point buy instead of 15, that coupled with only dividing the treasure by 3 instead of 4 means that their WBL will be a little ahead and make up for the lack of a 4th player. Most of the encounters aren't really that hard, especially early.
Honestly, the more I think about it, I really wouldn't suggest taking on an additional GMPC at the beginning. You already have three NPC to wrangle (which was plenty for me, anyway) and could always just use one of them to be that fourth man.
It did seem, once I started my campaign (with four players), more players started knocking to join the adventure. Most of the first book is pretty easy to integrate one more player into the fold.
I would recommend telling your players that someone needs to step up. Its not your job to keep the group alive. Its the players responsibility to put together a reasonable party composition to survive this type of adventure. Remind them that the baddies have to attack someone and if no one stands in between the baddies and the range PCs, then there wont be range PCs for long.
If I were to suggest a GMPC to help the party... go with a Bard. Have the Bard following them because he or she wants to tell their story (and because they saved his or her life at the start of the adventure).
Just don't bother having the GMPC become Mythic. Best way to ensure it won't outshine the PCs.
I gave the choice to my players to pick a NPC to expand one of their backgrounds. They chose Aravashniel, so I re-worked him and the Riftwardens a bit to be more of a covert, militaristic “special forces” type group and Aravashniel is their (or now has become their) leader.
He gives the PCs some insight on Xanthir Vang being the leader of the Blackfire Adepts and the Riftwarden’s main target which is nice foreshadowing. (although Vang’s roll is a bit confusing seeing it seems to change from Book 1 and 2 to Book 3)
I would like to bring the Blackfire Adepts into the game a little more. Does anyone know if Veserda the Owl makes more of an appearance later in the AP? She would make an interesting NPC early on in the story.
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This ought to be fun.
Just got done with our game for the evening, and the PCs are all in the Gray Garrison. They fought pretty much the entire first floor at once, then the entire second floor. They're deathly afraid of what reinforcements might show up if they leave to come back and Irabeth is rocking her Evil Outsider bane sword (Seriously. 1d8+4+3+2d6 damage is crazy support for them).
The only things left on the second floor is the Peryton, flies, and zombies. But they're almost out of resources. As I level by fiat, I plan to offer them a level if they go back and rest after they clear the rest of the second floor.
It's going to be interesting see them go after the minotaur and Jeslyn with so few resources left.
Paladin Hospitalizer
Aasimar Fighter/Wizard/Eldritch Knight (Yes, I let him have the early entry)
Dwarf Rogue/Emperyal Sorcerer
Wizard
Cleric
Maximized HP
Of the original six tieflings, I swapped four out for two Quasits and two Dretches.
Added an extra mirror demon.
All Tieflings got the Advanced Template.
Upstairs replaced two tieflings with dretches.
Pulled the schir into the melee for the second floor.
Am I right that all of the spell-like abilities from Terendelev's scales are at Caster Level 19?
And would that mean that resist energy (I assume that "resist elements" on p. 65 was a typo) grants resistance 30 against electricity and cold?
I know that the magic items are pretty powerful in this campaign -- I just wanted to make sure I got this right.
Question: My PCs have secured the help of Neotholm and as such have a team of Rangers to help them infiltrate the Grey Garrison, with a minimum of 8 characters (9 if Anevia survives, and why wouldn't she) how has everyone kept the rooms from becoming too cluttered where everyone isn't just standing in the same spot hitting whomever happens to be near them?
The rangers likely have ranged attacks. So most of them wouldn't enter the room. Crowded battlefields is something you'll have to cope with. Also note: random encounters can happen during combat - someone could attack from behind and go through the mongrel rangers (perhaps killing them) if the group isn't careful.
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Creative Director
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Am I right that all of the spell-like abilities from Terendelev's scales are at Caster Level 19?
And would that mean that resist energy (I assume that "resist elements" on p. 65 was a typo) grants resistance 30 against electricity and cold?
I know that the magic items are pretty powerful in this campaign -- I just wanted to make sure I got this right.
That's correct. Not a typo.
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My group got by this because the person who had never played before had bought several collapsable planks...
My group easily passed the chasm - the alchemist activated his Scale of Terendelev to levitate himself. Then he simply picked up the others and carried them aloft to the other side.
Of course, they thought of this after the party's witch tumbled 10 feet into the chasm (ropes previously tied around her saved her from the full, and possibly fatal 30 feet).
I scanned this thread and did not see this asked... maybe I'm just reading this wrong...
Pg. 10 - Story Awards ...they earn 200 XP. If they make an NPC helpful they earn an additional 400 XP. ...total award of 1,200 XP if all three NPCs are made helpful.
Should this be 1,800 XP ((200+400)x3) total or should it be 200 additional XP so that the total is actually 1,200?
I'm prepping the Grey Garrison. Looking at the final act with the wardstone, its saying "rounds". I would think that indicates something should be happening in between the rounds, but I don't see anything.
Am I missing something or is this a narrative that's just oddly broken up?
Irabeth trying to wake the others, and the succubwitch realizing her plans just went South for the winter and that she needs to nuke these new heroes.
Those are the actions of the NPCs. That's basically part of the narrative. Are the PCs suppose to be doing something or something happening to them besides the visions in between the rounds?
A little late to be asking this, but I just reached the point where, after meeting the mongrelmen, another chasm has opened up in the path. The chasm is described as 10 feet across and 70 feet wide. When I read 70 feet wide, it says to me that it runs perpendicular to the path for 70 feet while only being a 10 foot gap between the two sections. That would make it easily jumpable, given a running start.
Is that right, or is it supposed to be the other way around and have 70 feet between the sections of the path?
This was a great spot to give the feeling of horror to the group...only to have nothing happen other than traversing the chasm. Since it was close...I actually left spores from "spore-cougher" there and had Lann mention something about the creature and how they should hurry.
Those are the actions of the NPCs. That's basically part of the narrative. Are the PCs suppose to be doing something or something happening to them besides the visions in between the rounds?
The PCs are stunned during the vision. Their enemies have been shredded by the same energy that causes them to ascend. There is nothing for them to do during that time, and they cannot do anything but watch.
The events are listed round by round to give a sense of time. The characters should see these events flickering past rapidly, staying around only long enough to give a sense of understanding.
The PCs are stunned during the vision. Their enemies have been shredded by the same energy that causes them to ascend. There is nothing for them to do during that time, and they cannot do anything but watch.
The events are listed round by round to give a sense of time. The characters should see these events flickering past rapidly, staying around only long enough to give a sense of understanding.
So, you're saying its just a narrative with the rounds as breaks. That's pretty much how I'm reading it, too. I just see the use of rounds as a bit unnecessary and confusing.
I believe it is just narrative as well. Considering the BBEG survived the nuke I certainly hope so, if not she could have killed them all.
How much time are the PCs expected to be underground? A day? A week? Are people using the starvation rules? It's probably not that big of a deal as they can restock in Neatholm and they're probably only in War-torn Kenabres for a maximum of 1 day. But I am curious. I read it as two-three days underground and a day before they hit Defenders inn. But when you add in random encounters, set encounters and general exploring, that's a lot to do in 1 day.
And has anybody had a group that has gotten to the Devotion Point awards yet? And if so how many did you give out?
It took my guys 3 days to get out of the underground and a day to run the NPCs home, ending at Defender's Heart. Another day to clear out the safe houses, putting them at five days total prior to going into Part four.
They all had at least 10 days of trail rations in their packs, so no real issue of starvation. (Its assumed the PCs are fully outfitted for adventure being they are on a border town of a century long warfront, even though they are attending a celebration.)
I haven't made it into Part four, but the PCs did pick up one point from the shrine in Part one.
If you're worried about the PCs not getting any devotion have Irabeth mention something as they pass through the sections. One of my Paladins warmed to that idea rather quickly when Irabeth said "This place should be cleaned up/consecrated". Only had to say that once before the Paladins ran with the idea. And considering how little they have to do to get the devotion points it shouldn't take too much prodding.
I've been following the AP for how many to give out and when, so only the most Righteous will get the full rewards at the end ('Cause +2 to a stat is HUGE, especially with more being given from Mythic Tiers).