Could I get some suggestions for what classes shine the most in Second Darkness? I want to pick something that I will thoroughly enjoy. I am concerned that some classes, such as the Cavalier, might encounter some challenges along the way. Thanks!
You'll definitely want to steer clear of classes that depend heavily on codes of conduct. Without spoiling much, one section of the AP factors heavily on some deep cover reconnaissance and is a hard fit for classes like paladins and cavaliers of certain orders.
For the party I ran through Second Darkness, some stand-outs were the elven arcane archer, his friend the eldritch knight, and the wind oracle.
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My deepest fear in Second Darkness is that most people will gravitate to rogues because of Riddleport's criminal nature and the sort of film-noir intro to the AP. I personally feel like classes like druids and paladins have no real place, simply because they're not the kind of people who'd come to Riddleport in the first place.
There are campaign traits to alleviate that. For instance, a druid could be sent to Riddleport to investigate the Blot. A paladin could be there because a local gambling establishment is using diabolic trappings as part of its contest. Might be nothing, or something sinister could be going on...
Pathfinder Companion: Second Darkness lists the reasons for various races and classes to be found in Riddleport at the start of the adventure.
Can I sign up for Second Darkness at 12pm on Tuesday and Thursday? That will give me time to sleep well and take the bus.
Even if their codes didn't give them trouble, won't Clerics/Warpriests of Good deities and Paladins have trouble covering up their aura for a long enough time to make it through the covert part of the mission?
I personally feel like classes like druids and paladins have no real place, simply because they're not the kind of people who'd come to Riddleport in the first place.
There would absolutely be Paladins and such there. The places of darkness are the ones that truly need the Light of Sarenrae the most.
Even if their codes didn't give them trouble, won't Clerics/Warpriests of Good deities and Paladins have trouble covering up their aura for a long enough time to make it through the covert part of the mission?
This is handled by their cover for the most part; plus the GM can 'enhance' the power of their cover if needed.
I really would love to play a Pally through Second Darkness. It would be manageable and would place your character in very interesting situations. At many points you may need to make the decision to break your code for a greater purpose; will your patron understand (knowing the bigger picture) or will you need to atone for your actions later ...
Sure, if you like to optimize and not face the threat of losing your class abilities for a time, then you probably want to stay away. Otherwise, it makes a great story / RP opportunity.
There would absolutely be Paladins and such there. The places of darkness are the ones that truly need the Light of Sarenrae the most.
+1 on that. Or Iomedae, or something like that . . . preferably before the disciples of Asmodeus start seriously investing in Riddleport.
Even if their codes didn't give them trouble, won't Clerics/Warpriests of Good deities and Paladins have trouble covering up their aura for a long enough time to make it through the covert part of the mission?
This is handled by their cover for the most part; plus the GM can 'enhance' the power of their cover if needed.
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This is one of the things that I would like to see clarified if they do a Second Darkness Anniversary Edition. (As it is, the primary spell used for your cover is not even a valid Pathfinder spell -- it is one of several D&D 3.5 spells that uses a mechanic that doesn't exist in Pathfinder -- not a huge deal normally, because the GM can just handwave it or do a quick-and-dirty conversion, but has potential to cause some headaches if the plot takes a detour.)
Yeah, I would agree there for sure. I believe this was a 3.5 adventure though, so using the 3.5 spell made sense. It is up to the GM to do the conversion to something else - or just hand wave the spell as a story device (which it was clearly meant to be).
Really, I don't know why the developer didn't just use an enhanced version of Magic Jar, even back then. Or, just made up an elven artifact that handled everything needed to deal with issues like auras, good characters balking, etc.
^Good alternative spooky idea (though Recorporeal Incarnation is plenty spooky itself) -- do the Avatar schtick against the Drow to infiltrate them. The logistics would be even more difficult than the way the AP is, though, although arguably if you did manage to pull it off, this would give you an escape in case things went bad.