Module suggestion for a high-social high-puzzle low-combat game

[kwill]

Hi,

I'm looking to GM a political/intrigue game using Pathfinder, focused on social challenges rather than combat. I don't care too much about the setting, as long as it has elves and wizards and stuff :)

I'm a bit overwhelmed (in a good way!) by the number of modules/campaigns available. I'd appreciate any suggestions anyone has (based on modules you've actually played/GMed)?

Would like:

* As little tweaking as possible
* Interesting NPCs with strong motivations and conflicting goals
* Builtin reasons for the PCs to use an assortment of abilities (e.g. detection spells, scrying, charm/persuade/haggle, sneaking, invisibility)
* Exploration (e.g. crypts under the palace, traps, maps with secret doors)

Would prefer:

* A limited setting (e.g. the palace/court of some kingdom, rather than the whole of the Forgotten Realms)
* Options to align with NPCs
* Gray choices rather than simple black and white issues (e.g. not choices like help the paladin versus help the evil necromancer)
* PDF version (strongly preferred)

Would not like:

* Combat-heavy / combat-focussed (but combat is not banned)
* Lots of description with no clear motivations
* Too much forensic-style investigation (social investigation better)

Don't mind:

* Module / adventure path / scenario - size doesn't matter, that I can tweak
* Setting, any typical roleplaying fantasy
* Price range, I'll filter this later

Would also like:

* A pony.

Please let me know if there's anything I could be clearer about, or if I've posted this in the wrong place.

[mplindustries]

You may not like my answer, but the best modules for highly social/political/puzzle games with low combat are all for non-d20 systems.

Pathfinder is a combat game, first and foremost. The non-combat rules are weak at best. If you are purposefully trying to avoid combat in your game, you should probably be purposefully avoiding this game.

If you want a heavily social fantasy game, you might want to look at Legend of the Five Rings (or 7th Sea if it must be European). If it can be modern or historical, pretty much any game by White Wolf should work well.

[Helaman]

There are some good Pathfinder Society Modules that have heavy social components (though combat is still a feature).

Head over to the PFS forums and ask for suggestions on low combat, high social engagement games - best part is that they are all dirt cheap as PDFs.

Mind you each PFS module is really only designed for 1 off play and may not fit into a continuous story line if played if cherry picked. I recently ran 'The Disappeared' - which is a bit like a Mission Impossible raid on an Embassy's records and it seemed to work well. Players had just two combats.