Ashe |
OK everyone. I started playing PFS in October, been playing games for 25years now. I like it and I just DM'd my first game for it on Friday. We don't have a local society and no officers, so it was a private game. My players want to try and run the gauntlet if you will and want to tackle the most challenging jobs out there so I come to you. I need a list of the hardest/dangerous missions. I played and survived the Dalsine affair, we did have one death though when I played it.
So:
Dalasine Affair please help me and list what in your opinion is the most challenging or dangerous missions.
Thanks.
RainyDayNinja RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16 |
Jiggy RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Ashe |
Thank you all, I have played through quest for perfection and yeah bood one last guy at level 1 or 2 is deadly. I'm running the confirmation for them this weekend. I hope the go after the bad guy when the first see it if not they probably will do just fine. I don't want to kill them, but they think it would be cool if their chronicle list was made up of what is thought of as the most difficult missions.
nosig |
I have found the difficulty of the scenario has much more to do with the make up of the party and the chemistry of them interacting with the judge than it does with the scenario being played.
If you get a poor mix of players and/or PCs, the scenario can turn into a real challange. (And worse yet, it could be a real challange that no one is enjoying it!)
By the same token, I've seen "difficult missions" on some of the easy scenarios... A TPK in 0-02 Murder on the Silken Caravan for example.
Want a real challange? Run any scenario but have everyone run Barbarians with no healing in the party...
FLite Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento |
The Devil We Know: part 4, rules of the swift is pretty ridiculously lethal in tier 3-4. (There are at least 2 encounters that can be serious player killers.) At tier 1-2 they are not as bad, and at tier 6-7 they are only bad if your party is on the low end.
The Devil We Know: part 1, the TPK encounters really only seem to be a problem if the players make certain choices. (The really infamous TPK in that ended with the dangerous opponent dead in one round without getting a chance to act when we played. But then, the players were clever, and were lucky enough to have the resources to execute their cleverness.)
SCPRedMage |
The Gods Market Gamble can be rough (I've GM'd a TPK in it). I hear that Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment is nasty, but I haven't played or GM'd it.
When I ran Gods Market, the only reason the party didn't TPK is because every single one of them made their stabilization check (each on their first check, with only one Folio reroll used) in the market, where they were able to get medical attention in less than an hour.
Rei Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Tampere |
A few scenarios I consider a bit challenging: The Devil We Know 1, 3, and 4 on mid-tier, God's Market Gamble, Rebel's Ransom, Below the Silver Tarn (as long as characters are in tier), Masks of the Living God, The Secrets Stones Keep, Severing Ties, Fortress of the Nail, both parts of Rats of Round Mountain, The Sarkorian Prophecy (for a few moments).
Silbeg |
The Gods Market Gamble can be rough (I've GM'd a TPK in it). I hear that Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment is nasty, but I haven't played or GM'd it.
+1 on both of these.
I've ran Gods Market Gamble twice, and both were very nearly TPKs. The second one took some very fast thinking and talking by a PC to prevent.
Darkest Vengeance can be quite tough as well. Getting into 3-7, My Enemy's Enemy is pretty tough, too.
Thod |
I think Nosig got it right - the party (and their makeup) is important for which scenario is challenging.
Do you have lots of heavy armour - then scenarios that have will saves can be dangerous. A single color spray or 2 cause fear can take out the front and the rest can have issues.
Is the party full of ranged specialist then color spray never even might get in range, etc.
Let us know the strengths and weakness of the group and it is easier to answer.
The second aspect is the GM. The more he knows all options, the more he prepares the more he can be a thread.
I would add Voice in the Void level 1-2 to this. The 7th time I GMed it I faced a party of APL 2.3 with very experienced players and I was still able to challenge them. I knew it inside out and how to leverage all options.
Interestingly the only time I killed someone in this scenario was the least challenging encounter. But that was a group of newbies. It was farcical-comic.
But it shows - there is no one answer. It heavily depends on group and GM.
Dhjika |
OK everyone. I started playing PFS in October, been playing games for 25years now. I like it and I just DM'd my first game for it on Friday. We don't have a local society and no officers, so it was a private game. My players want to try and run the gauntlet if you will and want to tackle the most challenging jobs out there so I come to you. I need a list of the hardest/dangerous missions. I played and survived the Dalsine affair, we did have one death though when I played it.
So:
Dalasine Affair please help me and list what in your opinion is the most challenging or dangerous missions.Thanks.
For 1st levels Accursed Halls or Crypt of Everflame is pretty tough
Dhjika |
Darkest Vengeance can be quite tough as well. Getting into 3-7, My Enemy's Enemy is pretty tough, too.
I would agree as a really tough game - until Aasimar/Tieflings were an anyone can be it race, and then it got a little easier. Still, there are plenty of parts still tough for 1st levels.
Cybermage Dilemma - I haven't had a TPK but I have had the party quit - just don't run this game and Hydra's Fang back to back.
Black Powder Chocobo Venture-Lieutenant, South Dakota—Rapid City |
Dorigin |
Godsmarket Gamble (1-5) Either tier
Rise of the Goblin Guild (1-5) Low tier
In Wrath's Shadow (3-7)High tier
My Enemy's Enemy (3-7)High tier
Heresy of Man part 1 (5-9) Either tier
Rebels Ransom (5-9) High tier
Drow of the Darkland Pyramid (7-11) High tier
Waking Rune (7-11) Either tier and Hard Mode should be unbeatable
It's my opinion that the GM is the largest variable when it comes to how deadly a scenario is. The ability to mask what the players are about to jump in to is a skill that must be learned if you want to truly challenge your players.