Hope this is right forum. First time poster, longtime lurker.
I got both serpent skull and second darkness full AP's for Xmas from wife from Xmas sale. She was going to run one for me to play and I would run other one for her. She is new at being GM so I want to give her the one requiring less improvisation and I'll take the tougher one. Problem is I won't know which to pick without reading spoilers and ruining my fun in being surprised.
Can the enlightened please give guidance with NO SPOILERS as who should run which AP??? Any other tips would be appreciated as long as the surprises are not ruined for me.
Thanks
They both take a lot of work but I think second darkness takes more
I ran Second Darkness and converted it to Pathfinder (I have hero labs files posted some where around here)
I hear one book in Serpent needs to be worked with, but second darkness all needs to be converted to Pathfinder
Hope that helps
Oh yeah thats right...Second Darkness was written using 3.5 rules so you will have to convert it over...forgot to mention that in my post above.
Convert from 3.5? Well I know which one I'm doin then. She struggles without havin to restat every encounter. Tho she has been doin well with shattered star so far.
Thanks for the tips. I'll check out those conversion notes
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The third installment of Serpent's Skull isn't that bad. It gets repetitive if the GM doesn't mix it up some but it is certainly not unplayable. Your wife can easily run it as written, just be aware that part three may feel a little forced and under developed. The series picks right back up in part four, however.
I bought SS during the Golem Sale also and have now read it all. I'm playing in a Second Darkness game as well and the GM needs to not only convert from 3.5 but I gather it has a really weak chapter that needs some GM work just like SS. The conversion needn't be much of a hassle however since you can run with the same stats printed and tell the party when to level.
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I will present a counter argument. Serpent's Skull requires much more work.
SD needs to be converted, but it's no big deal since others did the work for you already - right here is a perfectly serviceable conversion.
Serpent's Skull, however, is a really tough one to run. The first adventure requires the GM to RP several important NPCs who always stick with the party and has a lot of book keeping and environmental rules. The second one is fine, but then the 3rd one is just purely horrible. It's not an adventure, and a GM will just about have to improvise everything happening in that part. Later parts are easier to run, but the beginning is the toughest part anyway.
However, second darkness is much more linear during most of it's length. Plus it happens in a much more "regular setting" that requires less understanding of Golarion and it's history to manage.
I really think you should be the one running Serpent's Skull.
However, second darkness is much more linear during most of it's length. Plus it happens in a much more "regular setting" that requires less understanding of Golarion and it's history to manage.
One "fix" for Second Darkness is to strongly encourage all (or at least most) of the PCs to be Elves.
Serpent Skull was the first AP I GM'ed for Pathfinder. All the information you need to run that game is there in the books; however, book three does necessitate some intervention if you want it to be more story-driven. Otherwise, you almost have to treat it like a mini-game.
Never played Second Darkness, so can't comment on that one.
If you're going to run Second Darkness, make the elves friendly and less "aloof, elitists bastards." That'll go a long way to improving it.
That said, there are ways to linearize the module, and you can also provide advice and suggestions to your wife to make things easier for her. You could also offer to run the NPCs for her (or some of them) so she can focus on other elements.
...stuff and things...These are all valid points. Serpent's Skull is very sandboxy and I can see how that would overwhelm a nervous or inexperienced GM.
Argh! Now I can't decide you all argue both sides too well.
I think I'll let her GM darkness and just play a 3 man crew since it's just me vs her. Let's her avoid conversion and solves the power issue of pathfinder vs 3.5.
Serpent skull sounds like a lot of behind the scene paperwork that's unavoidable with some making crap up as you go. Sounds like more a AP for me.
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...stuff and things...These are all valid points. Serpent's Skull is very sandboxy and I can see how that would overwhelm a nervous or inexperienced GM.Argh! Now I can't decide you all argue both sides too well.
I think I'll let her GM darkness and just play a 3 man crew since it's just me vs her. Let's her avoid conversion and solves the power issue of pathfinder vs 3.5.
Serpent skull sounds like a lot of behind the scene paperwork that's unavoidable with some making crap up as you go. Sounds like more a AP for me.
Just in case you missed it, in my previous post I linked to a conversion guide that has Pathfinder stats for every single monster and NPC from Second Darkness converted to Pathfinder. It will mean your wife wouldn't have to deal with any conversion by herself.
All in all I think you've made the correct choice. Serpent's Skull requires surer hands at the wheel.
I have also posted the conversion on this site not in hero lab files
But mine starts at 2nd level to go along with the missing level in the AP
...stuff and things...These are all valid points. Serpent's Skull is very sandboxy and I can see how that would overwhelm a nervous or inexperienced GM.Argh! Now I can't decide you all argue both sides too well.
I think I'll let her GM darkness and just play a 3 man crew since it's just me vs her. Let's her avoid conversion and solves the power issue of pathfinder vs 3.5.
Serpent skull sounds like a lot of behind the scene paperwork that's unavoidable with some making crap up as you go. Sounds like more a AP for me.
Just in case you missed it, in my previous post I linked to a conversion guide that has Pathfinder stats for every single monster and NPC from Second Darkness converted to Pathfinder. It will mean your wife wouldn't have to deal with any conversion by herself.
All in all I think you've made the correct choice. Serpent's Skull requires surer hands at the wheel.
Yup saw the conversion. Thanks