Title says it all ;)
Not sure what you're expecting posting that question in a forum dedicated to the AP in question - a significant majority of the people frequenting the forum are running or playing the AP or have done so in the past, so chances are they are heavily biased to the "Yes" group.
I'm DMing a group of 4 through RotR - we've had roughly 40 sessions of 4-6 hours and are in the thick of Book 4. Having a good time and don't see any reason we won't finish. I don't own any other AP's so I can't compare them - we'll cross that bridge when we finish RotR.
You may get better guidance if you post in the AP General forum where there are a lot of threads on which AP is best or what AP's are good for this type of play, etc.
If I say No would you listen?
Do you think it is?
If I said no, where would you go from there?
Personally I think Iron Gods is the best, but all adventure paths except WotR and maybe Second Darkness are totally worth it :-)
I´ve returned behind the screen after a away period from the rpgs, and choose Pathfinder and Rise Of The Runelords as the way to a new beginning.
So far me and my players (2 rpg veterans, 2 newbies), are enjoying ourselves and expect to go all the way.
We are only in the beggining (they are at the final chapter on book one, all at level 3), but so far so good. We are with 7,8 sessions so far, around 4/5 hours each.
Thanks!
40 sessions and in book 4? Slow down, man! Enjoy the scenery!
We hit session 33 before being forced to shelf the game until a player returns, and we're sill in Magnimar book 2.
Wait... What? It's not a race? Now you tell me. :)
Pace for any group is likely driven by volume of role-playing, play style of the group and possible insertion of additional material. We're certainly not a role-playing heavy group, perhaps even on the lighter side of average. My players are umm... more mature, that's it and I didn't have to expend a lot of effort (role-playing time) getting them connected to Sandpoint - they understood the meta-structure of the AP, their players should be heroes, Sandpoint is important, etc. And I haven't added much material.
RotRL is a very traditional, iconic adventure path. So much so that it feels like a baseline from which to measure anything else.
For new players, this means it's a great way to introduce them to the hobby.
For veteran players, it feels like a return to the roots of the RPG tradition. I mean all the way back to the mid 70s. For some veteran players, this is delightful - after having played all sorts of exotic game systems, we're back in a "standard" fantasy RPG world. For other veteran players, it can feel like "same old, same old" and so they might feel bored.
As with any game, so much depends on the DM. He's the one who will bring Sandpoint to life and make it feel like a "home" to the players. He's the one who will keep even blasé veteran grumblers on their toes by tossing in new and exotic twists, and playing up the ones that are already present in this AP.
Yes, it's a great AP. We've been plaing RotRL + homebrewed sidequests since September, with about 1 to 1.5 sessions per month, and we're halfway through Foxglove manor in chapter 2. At this rate, and if we keep going, this AP will last 3-4 years.
RotRL is the first AP my group has played, and both the vets (twenty-five years of gaming experience each) and the "new kids" (only a few months to years of gaming) are enjoying the story quite a bit.
We are moving much quicker than those who commented above, despite the fact that the players all enjoy the roleplaying aspect of games. I have cut out some of the less crucial battles, and, if your party plays their cards right, they can accomplish some of the main objectives in the third and fourth chapters while avoiding several time-consuming fights with guardians/lackeys. We've reached the final sections of chapter four in about 20 4-5 hour sessions.
My point: It allows you to play at a pace that works for your party, gives you plenty of options of how the story can unfold, and lots of interesting NPCs/villains to use as much or as little as you like. So, it's good. I'm concerned which AP to choose next to keep the energy going toward the end of the year when I wrap RotRL.
Okay I am doing Rotrl
Thanks!
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This is an old thread that needs a refresh.
I have run (GM) Rise of the Runelords twice now.
The first thing to know is that Sandpoint may be one of the best starting towns ever created for RPG. It is perfect for beginner levels. It has iconic locations like the Rusty Dragon Tavern with its equally iconic matron Ameiko Kaijitsu. The town is rich and large enough, yet small enough to easily manage for newbie GMs.
As the party progresses they have Magnimar to go to when higher level. Yet, the AP seems to always return to Sandpoint in one way or another.
I came to Pathfinder after finding the 4th version of D&D cold with poor story telling. I have created my own adventures, but I also like running Modules too. I have run many of the old D&D modules, but my favorite of all is Rise of the Runelords. It is old school iconic, yet with very different patterns of play like keeping up with Virtues and Vices that make this unique to other adventures.
Simply put Rise of the Runelords is great story telling. I would love to see it played out on the big screen. I would love to play it on a PC like Pathfinder: Kingmaker.
I can dream big!