I was hoping to get some suggestions for what you think is the best level 1 adventure (module?). My friends and I aren't new to Pathfinder, but we haven't played in a couple years and have been talking about starting up again. I've volunteered to GM (for basically the first time, I ran the small adventure in the Beginner's Box and it went great).
So now we want to jump into a full fledged adventure (though not an Adventure Path yet) to shake the rust off, preferably something with a great story. Which would you suggest?
P.S. Also, it will probably just be me (GM) and two players. I was thinking of building a couple sell-swords for them to hire, and I would play them out of combat, and assign each of the PC's one to control in combat. That way I wouldn't have to adjust every encounter down. Think that would work? Thanks for the help!
We Be Goblins!
More traditionally, probably Golgordand's Gauntlet (you can find it on Google).
Okay cool, thanks for the reply!
No doubt, you'll soon be inundated with recommendations of "Crypt of the Everflame" and "Master of the Fallen Fortress", as well as the already-mentioned "We Be Goblins". (I'm surprised you haven't been already.)
I, myself, not being one hundredth the fan of Paizo adventures as many others on these boards, can't help but suggest my all-time favorite introductory adventure, "The Sunless Citadel". It's traditional and simple enough to serve a good beginning, but still has enough elbow room to give the players real choices.
Of course, it was written for 3.0, but I converted it to PFRPG and ran it in my current campaign with no problem.
You can buy it in PDF here or, if you're willing to spend a little more, you can get an old dead-tree copy here or here.
And yes, I wouldn't hesitate to let two players run two characters each, nor would I shrink at playing two GMPCs. Your hybrid solution sounds fine to me.
Hangman's Noose
And you know what else (since I've already suggested converting a D&D adventure). Lately, I've been getting warm, fuzzy memories of Dungeon magazine, issue 39.
Maybe I'm just prejudiced because it was the first issue of any RPG magazine I've ever owned or read. But it had not just one but TWO great introductory adventures, "Below Vulture Point" and "The Fountain of Health". I used both of those to begin my 2e campaign, back in the 1990s. "The Fountain of Health" was for BECMI, but I easily ran it in 2e on the fly.
And more recently, I used "The Fountain of Health" in introducing both my kids to BECMI.
We Be Goblins and The Confirmation are 2 of my favorites for new players. I have heard good things about the Sunless Citadel, but I'm not sure you want the hassle of converting it. Maybe you can buy someone else's conversion already done?
Just make sure the hirelings are not very good. Never want to take a chance on them outshining the PC's.
So if there are 2 PC's with a 20 point buy (standard expectation for published modules is 15, so help out less numerous beginners with 20), I would make 2 warriors or maybe a warrior and adept (NPC class not the PC fighter and cleric class) with only 10 or 15 point buy.
I would let them run them all the time. A simple warrior or adept should not confuse or bog them down too much.
If you are really worried about them surviving let them soon find a decent limited use magic item. Wand of Cure Light Wounds (caster level 3 but only 7 charges) would help quite a bit for the first level or even two.
Come to think of it, since you and your group aren't new to Pathfinder, if you want a level-1 adventure, and if you don't want to bother converting from a different system, how about Retribution?
I never ran it, but it's got a great story.
Falcon Hollow. The beauty about it: you can expand it into a mini campaign going up to lvl ~8 using the other adventures taking place in the Darkmoon Vale area (some are free like this one); just look for Darkmoon Vale campaign.
Ruyan.
And yeah, I would also let the players run all the characters in the party all the time... and make all four PCs full-fledged characters, with real class levels and 20-point buy (or the traditional 4d6-and-take-the-best-3). Many times, I've started newbie players with multiple PCs with no problems. Some people on these boards have strongly disagreed with my opinion that this is a good idea, but I tell you, it's worked fine for me, many times.
It's the first chapter in an AP...but I would say The Haunting of Harrowstone is my favorite 1st level adventure I've ever read, run, or played.
Thirding(?) We Be Goblins. It's a fantastic introduction for people new to roleplaying - running a goblin is so silly that a lot of the "drama inhibitions" fall away and it's very easy to get into character with them.
It's also absolutely hilarious at times.
I wonder if figurehead00 had a chance to read any of our replies, after blahpers'.
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I have heard good things about the Sunless Citadel, but I'm not sure you want the hassle of converting it. Maybe you can buy someone else's conversion already done?
There really is very little conversion needed. Very little.
The Sunless Citadel is a blast-- I ran a game for my wife, and 2 buddies and their wives, and everyone at the table was new to tabletop except me and my buddy who had played in one campaign years in the past.
They thoroughly enjoyed the Sunless Citadel, and I thoroughly enjoyed running it for them. My vote is for Sunless Citadel!
The Whispering Cairn was my favorite 1st level adventure. It was the first part of the Age of Worms from Dungeon magazine. You can get the pdf here for 5 bucks. (It was written by Eric Mona)
Go to link
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I have heard good things about the Sunless Citadel, but I'm not sure you want the hassle of converting it. Maybe you can buy someone else's conversion already done?There really is very little conversion needed. Very little.
The Sunless Citadel is a blast-- I ran a game for my wife, and 2 buddies and their wives, and everyone at the table was new to tabletop except me and my buddy who had played in one campaign years in the past.
They thoroughly enjoyed the Sunless Citadel, and I thoroughly enjoyed running it for them. My vote is for Sunless Citadel!
My vote goes here also. It has an awesome story with many little mini-plots sprinkled through and I have run it 3 times and plan to run it for a new group soon. Give it a good read first and make sure you understand all the nuances and interplay between the kobolds, goblins, and the BBEG and have fun with Meepo....he is a hoot if played as Chaotic Neutral instead of evil. He makes a fun recurring NPC or possibly a cohort if you want.
I've never enjoyed running any adventure as much as The Sunless Citadel.
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Can't argue, some of my picks mirror the rest. The first 3 will take you from levels 1-3, and all can stand alone if you want to keep going without playing more of the same.
* Sunless Citadel (minor conversions, Meepo is memorable, great dynamics for a dungeon with multiple factions in play)
* Whispering Cairn (minor conversions, designed to be lethal but very imaginative dungeon with one of the more well-developed starting towns)
* Stolen Land (1st Kingmaker adventure, license to conquer the savage frontier, explore and map the wilderness)
The last is a 1 shot adventure, 1st level.
* Mad God's Key (Dungeon Magazine #114, 3rd edition, minor conversion, great chase scene and storyline, detective work to find out who stole a key that can open any lock)
My vote goes here also. It has an awesome story with many little mini-plots sprinkled through and I have run it 3 times and plan to run it for a new group soon. Give it a good read first and make sure you understand all the nuances and interplay between the kobolds, goblins, and the BBEG and have fun with Meepo....he is a hoot if played as Chaotic Neutral instead of evil. He makes a fun recurring NPC or possibly a cohort if you want.
I've never enjoyed running any adventure as much as The Sunless Citadel.
You know who I had fun with was the Quasit who was released from the Dragonpriest tomb. His invisibility gave him all kinds of opportunity for mischief!
I don't remember if this was suggested in the text of if I made it up myself, but when the party was climbing back out of the gorge, the quasit was chewing through the rope, making a party member or two fall to the ground.
I don't remember if this was suggested in the text of if I made it up myself, but when the party was climbing back out of the gorge, the quasit was chewing through the rope, making a party member or two fall to the ground.
It's a society scenario, but I am all about Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment from Season 3 as a Level 1. It's one of the first ones I break out of the bag at cons. Also fond of the first Serpent's Skull, +1 on the first Kingmaker as well.
Dragons Demand was fun
Another vote for Sunless Citadel. Also, check out the old Necromancer Games Crucible of Freya. Both are 3.X and will require a smidgen of conversion work, but are very much worth it.
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My first adventure, which I then subsequently ran several times as GM, was A Dark and Stormy Knight , though it's 3.5, should be easy to convert.
If you don't want to trouble with convertions to FP you can always play the excellent dragon's demand and crypt of the everflame.
My first adventure, which I then subsequently ran several times as GM, was A Dark and Stormy Knight , though it's 3.5, should be easy to convert.
I click on the link, and on the resulting page, I click the "Download Now." link, and I get a 404.
I'm old. As a result my fave 1st level adventure will come as no surprise. It'll also come in the form of 4 words:
Yes, it's a 1e module from way back but not too hard to convert to PF. I've done it a couple different ways. You could convert it your own way or find a conversion on this forum.
Essentially it's the classic campaign starter: the PCs come to the keep seeking adventure and they explore the wilds nearby. In the course of this they discover a multi-level dungeon with a LOT of different factions.
The thing I love about this module is that with a bit of imagination and personality you can make it ANYTHING you want. You can improvise endlessly with this thing so that its never the same run twice. Plus the setting creates a jumping off point for lots of different kinds of plots for long-term development. Bree-Yark y'all...
Keep on the Borderlands will always, ALWAYS have a warm spot in my heart, as well as my bookshelf.
I love using conversions of the old stuff, but I'm not sure it is the best choice for someone new to the game.
However, if he does want to try, I'm sure people here will be happy to give a bunch of help.
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I have to admit, I've been tempted to try an updated Keep on the Borderlands with my group and see if any of the recognize it.
I'm old. As a result my fave 1st level adventure will come as no surprise. It'll also come in the form of 4 words:
Yes, it's a 1e module from way back...
Technically, it's for Basic D&D. In fact, it came with the D&D Basic Set, way back in my day, which is to say the Tom Moldvay years. (I understand that even before the Tom Moldvay version, the later printings of the 1977 D&D Basic Set included "Keep On The Borderlands".)
Because it was included in the Basic Set, a lot of people started with that, making it the most popular beginning for BECMI players and DMs. As you say, Bree-Yark.
And in my mind, "The Sunless Citadel" is the "Keep On the Borderlands" of 3.X.
I love using conversions of the old stuff, but I'm not sure it is the best choice for someone new to the game.
...which is why I brought up "Retribution". It may not be the best choice for players new to RPGs, but it may be good if you just need to adjust to 3.X / Pathfinder, or to brush the cobwebs off your memory.
However, if he does want to try, I'm sure people here will be happy to give a bunch of help.
Exactly.
I wonder if figurehead00 had a chance to read any of our replies, after blahpers'.
I hope so. There's some good stuff here!