We have a structure problem with our current AP (Carrion Crown).
With 9 players, most of them only playing very sporadically, we have a problem with the story-heavy, railroady approach and the bigger dungeons in the second part of the AP. Sometimes there is just too long a break between sessions and the players have problems following the (meta)-plot - despite a campaign journal.
So I consider switching to S&S for its sandboxiness. Looking into the first chapter I was relieved to not discover any bigger dungeons, as I need smaller encounter areas or single larger encounters for our sessions. "Topics" we can wrap up in one sessions because next time there might be several different players at the table.
My questions at the GM running the AP is therefore: do I find this structure / the structure of S&S #1 in the rest of the AP?
(BTW we are sure we want to play an actual AP)
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Skull & Shackles is THE best AP out there and also perfectly suited to your needs, have at it!
Aye, captn'! Just went to my FLGS and got the first three chapters, the companion and the Shackles sourcebook! Thank you for the advice.
Yeah S&S is great for your group.
The presence of a ship creates a need for "people to watch the ship" so there is a reasonable reason out of session PCs are missing. Even when the ship is in combat much of the ship to ship battles is run with the assumption that the rest of the crew is fighting elsewhere on the enemy ship.
Aye, captn'! Just went to my FLGS and got the first three chapters, the companion and the Shackles sourcebook! Thank you for the advice.
make sure to get the whole thing, books 4-6 are the best part!
The presence of a ship creates a need for "people to watch the ship" so there is a reasonable reason out of session PCs are missing. Even when the ship is in combat much of the ship to ship battles is run with the assumption that the rest of the crew is fighting elsewhere on the enemy ship.
We discussed this tow-edged sword! On one hand it is easier because all PC are everytime somewhere around, on the other hand you always have to come up with a reason for them not taking part in the encounters of the session. Especially with encounters on the ship. I am not 100% comfortable with the solution you suggested, but it might be just that.
We will surely always find a reason for them to stay on board.@Captain Yesterday: I plan to get them in PDF-format, of course. If we like the AP I will get them in print as well.
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There are other 'dungeons' but the majority of them to date (we're mid Chapter 5 now) are fairly small, so you could likely drop them in a session and be able to swap out crew members.
That is part of the fun of how the ship combats are described. The "encounters" described assume action elsewhere on the enemy ship. Literally the basic ship expects a crew of twenty. The encounters assume 4. That means they expect 16 NPCs are engaging "off camera" enemies. This can easily mean that the PCs who are not present are leading these NPCs or manning the ship in the event of counter-boarding.
I found this AP to be much easier to deal with present not present PCs than any adventure or campaign I have run. Only once did I hand wave oh yeah that 2 PCs that were missing at the end of last session where really with you. Out of 13 7 hour sessions.
I even set up a back on the ship side trek we played by email for one of the characters who missed a couple of sessions.
It of course as you say is a 2 edged sword particularly when the session ends on land and people are missing and different people are back and others are missing in the next session. "In Town" or at port this can be easily dealt with as sending people back to the ship with a message or because they are wounded and sending others back.
Depending how your PC captain runs the ship (with fellow player buy in) it could simply be worked out with you and the captain he points to officers PCs with present players as the "away team" the non-present player PCs have the helm, watch the ship and so on.
My point was that as APs go this is a great choice for a large but sporradic group.
Hey guys, sorry for the late reply. RL intervened once more!
There are other 'dungeons' but the majority of them to date (we're mid Chapter 5 now) are fairly small, so you could likely drop them in a session and be able to swap out crew members.
Thank you! Good to know.
That is part of the fun of how the ship combats are described. The "encounters" described assume action elsewhere on the enemy ship. Literally the basic ship expects a crew of twenty. The encounters assume 4. That means they expect 16 NPCs are engaging "off camera" enemies. This can easily mean that the PCs who are not present are leading these NPCs or manning the ship in the event of counter-boarding.
Of course, you are right. Just assuming non present player's PCs are NPCs in a combat after boarding... I studied the Player's Guide but couldn't find the numbers (4 PCs, 16 NPCs) you mentioned.
I found this AP to be much easier to deal with present not present PCs than any adventure or campaign I have run.
Exactly what I was searching for!
I even set up a back on the ship side trek we played by email for one of the characters who missed a couple of sessions.
Interesting idea! We used to play some one-on-one stuff on PBP-boards back in our Curse of the Crimson Throne-campaign.
It of course as you say is a 2 edged sword particularly when the session ends on land and people are missing and different people are back and others are missing in the next session. "In Town" or at port this can be easily dealt with as sending people back to the ship with a message or because they are wounded and sending others back.
Depending how your PC captain runs the ship (with fellow player buy in) it could simply be worked out with you and the captain he points to officers PCs with present players as the "away team" the non-present player PCs have the helm, watch the ship and so on.
My point was that as APs go this is a great choice for a large but sporradic group.
You always have "problems" like these, I guess. But the structure (ship+sandbox) of S&S is very promissing in showing little of those.