So, I've never run an adventure path. I've joined a couple of PbPs for APs, but they didn't last too long (or more accurately, get too far).
I'm a big fan of homebrewing settings and coming up with your own adventure, and when the inspiration strikes, I do just that. But I also find that it can be somewhat stressful when you don't have inspiration/lots of prep time and need something for the regularly scheduled meeting.
Thus APs seem to be worth a shot. Have a grand over-arching path, then add some gaps for any stuff that I was inspired to prepare, whenever that happens.
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However, APs are pretty expensive (going to some ~$100) and it's hard to know what you're going to get, besides trusting the reviews.
I'm pretty used to Steam when it comes to my gaming expenditures, there's either a demo or I can wait a year or two and pick up the game on a 75% off sale. At the very least, someone is probably streaming it so I can look at how it plays. (Or if it's a game I've been looking forward to from a dev I trust, so I pick it up right away at full price).
Not quite how it works for APs (Paizo or 3rd party), unless I'm looking in the wrong places?
So is there a good way for me to get into APs? Or do I just have to swallow these concerns and take a risk on one?
Rise of the Runelords has an anniversary edition. I think I paid $50 for it when I bought it as a gift for someone - includes the full AP. That's probably the cheapest entry into APs.
If you want to go a slightly more roundabout way, you can find a ton of free modules/adventures online for older versions of the game. If you're willing to do a bit of work updating them to Pathfinder rules, you can sew together your own AP.
I would look at APs that have the 'feel' you and your group tends to enjoy. Maybe collating all the back-cover blurbs and grabbing the free players' guides for the group to peruse, figure out one or two that your group can agree upon to play in. Given the expense, maybe have everyone chip in a few bucks to help absorb the monetary cost.
There are a lot more details to be had, especially in the campaign journals section, about many of the APs. Each AP has a variety of overviews available from their own messageboard sections. Between the blurbs and overviews you should be able to come away with a healthy impression of each AP.
For ease of use with PF, I'd avoid the pre-Pathfinder ones, although many of those are among their best work.
If you want an AP that you can freely bolt on all kinds of homebrew to, the go-to AP for this is Kingmaker. That AP begs for customization and has the added bonus of featuring copious amounts of board-sourced expansions. This is the one AP that the map pack supplement is absolutely worth the expense as you can unfold those maps at the table for the players to use. (They come in especially handy for Chapter 5!)
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An important thing to understands about APs is that they are more backbones of a campaign than the full experience. Not that they can't be played exactly as written and be enjoyed that way, but you only really get full value when you customise them for your own group. Publishers have to make a product that can appeal to as many people as possible - but only you can know what best suits your style of play.
So when choosing an AP, just go for one that sounds like it could be good inspiration. It will provide a good frame to work in and be inspired by, and include all those time consuming components such as maps, well constructed dungeon crawls, names and loot. You can then easily tailor your own stuff in or change things on the fly as the mood suits you.And if a session is looming near and you have no inspiration or time to design stuff of your own - no worries, just run things by the book for that session.
As for price, others already mentioned the two important bits. First, Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition is a wonderful AP that mixes up some D&D classics with original horrific twists - and you can get it in one hardcover for around 50$.
Second, an AP is entertainment that lasts a goodly amount of time and can easily be played over a year or more of orderly and frequent sessions. Maybe if the price is steep for you you can ask your players to chip in - after all, you are all enjoying the product - split over 5 participants, each of you will only be paying 20$ and getting tons of value from that.
Lastly, buying the PDFs is slightly cheaper and cuts on shipments costs as well. The PDFs for an entire AP come in at about 85$, if memory serves.
Another idea you might want to check out are the adventure modules - they serve as mini campaigns, are generally speaking well made and are way cheaper than APs (way shorter, too, but if you are looking to mitigate risks you might want to start there.
So bottom line: Choose your AP by which of them seems like a fun concept and don't worry too much about the fine details since these will change anyway. The price shouldn't be too much of a concern as APs are still some of the most cost-efficient spending you can make (in terms of hour/dollar, that is) and there are several ways to make APs considerably cheaper.
I play mostly via VTT, so PDFs are fine for me, and getting players to chip in...probably not so much.
If APs came with pre-made maps for VTT use (with enemy and NPC tokens with all info on them), that would just be glorious, but as they don't, it's still a fair bit of prep time required.
Assuming that's not violating any terms, which APs and where? I use MapTools as my VTT.
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As far as getting a taste, most of the APs have one or more campaign journals in their subforums. But there's a lot more group-to-group variation than you'd see in something like a Steam game.
I'll echo the Rise of the Runelords suggestion. I started from about where you are (long-time homebrewer, wanted to try an AP) a few years back, grabbed RotR, loved it, and am running Shattered Star and Reign of Winter now.
Cheers!
Landon
Well, looks like RotR is $40 (on Amazon, not sure if that's part of Prime Day or the general price), likely the best price I'll get for a full AP. I'll probably order it later tonight. Thanks guys!
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I play mostly via VTT, so PDFs are fine for me, and getting players to chip in...probably not so much.
If APs came with pre-made maps for VTT use (with enemy and NPC tokens with all info on them), that would just be glorious, but as they don't, it's still a fair bit of prep time required.
No kidding. Paizo tried to do a VTT of their own, an idea which really excited me for this exact reason - they'll be able to make high quality products that allow to easily play APs in it, and I could game remotely.
Unfortunately they seriously underestimated the challenges involved in such a project, and given the dead silence we got from there ever since (it has been about five billion years since the project was announced) I'm guessing we are just never going to see it.
Would be nice if they partnered up with MapTools, or even Roll20. Not Fantasy Grounds though.
If any 3rd party AP publishers are listening, this seems like a potential market to move into. APs with VTT support.
I'm playing in both Iron Gods and Giantslayer on d20pro and the GMs for both were able to pull the map image from the PDF and use them directly on the VTT. Mind you, that you still have to have supplemental maps for taverns, streets, caves and the like.
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to be the dissenting voice if you have a group that optimizes even a small amount. They will go through the aps encounters easily. Many of the main npcs are poorly designed. Sometimes requiring major rewrites IMO. A good example in Rise of the Runelors their a fort that is overrun by Ogres yet still sized for medium creatures. You think they would have at least done some alterations to move around more easily. Another bbeg is in a enclosed area yet given no crowd control spells. Use the Aps to be sure yet prepare to rewrite many encounters.
As well take a look at what kind of classes the players take and what kind of Ap your planning to run. For example Runelords has many Giants. If s one has a Gunslinger even a slightly optimized one it turns into a turkey shoot IMO.