Jumping into Giantslayer....

[SometimesCrumb]

hey, new poster and DM for that matter
here's my question, as the subject line suggests, Can I jump into Giantslayer at book 2?

I'm a newbie DM, and I ran my first adventure, Book 1 of Rise of the Runelords, but for reasons I shan't type out at this time, I've decided to abandon it in favour of an Adventure Path that none of my group has not done before (well, I guess there's the reason I won't be running the rest of RotRL)... should I get them reroll/make new characters for Giantslayer and start on Book 1... or keep the same characters and they'll just find themselves taking over for a "previous group" sort of excuse?
do I need the set up of book 1?

and part of the reason I'm choosing Giantslayer is because all of the encounters are in HeroLab, so for the newb that I am, it'll just make it that much easier for me.

what say you?
thanks in advance

[shadram]

I think you probably need to run book 1.

Book 1 details the infiltration and subsequent invasion of the town of Trunau by a group of orcs. The clues throughout that adventure point the PCs towards the source/reason for the attack, which they pursue in book 2.

You obviously could rewrite it to give the players a different motivation to seek out the hill giants (the ringleaders for the attack), but it would be a significant change that would probably ripple through the rest of the campaign. So I guess it depends how much work you're willing/able to do to make the changes.

Others may have suggestions on how it could be done, though.

[Duiker]

Ask the players what they want to do. Faced with a different AP with different themes, some may want to play other characters for it, and be a little perturbed by just having their RotR character shoehorned over. On the other hand some might want to play the same character since they didn't get a chance to play them all the way through.

Either way, ask the players.

[TaigaKirdApe]

From a player's POV, I think it would be ok. The first AP was not really giant focused. Orcslayer would have been a better name.

All you need is a motivation for the PCs to go take out the giant leading the orc attacks on Masada...I mean, Trunau.

[SometimesCrumb]

thanks for the replies

I shall speak with my group, see what they want to do

[SometimesCrumb]

hello again...

Starting this AP this Sunday, book 1 level 1

now if you guys could advise me on a GMPC support character for my players.

so far as I know, party is
Fighter, Ranger, Cleric, and Dervish Dancer Bard

considering the shortage of arcane magics represented, should I make up a wiz/sorc to bring along with em?
or would you suggest something else? maybe something rogue-ish for Disable Device and scouting etc.
or let em hang out to dry until they ask me to bring in a NPC?

[Bard of Ages]

I would say that you should see what they can do first. If they really need NPC help, instead of making one up, I'd search the adventures for an appropriate npc that's already there.

[Eldirial]

What type of stats do they have (15 point buy, 20, etc)?

Also, there are NPC's in Giantslayer that may or may not join the party for a time, and those 4 PC's should probably be able to handle things for at least the first bit.

[Seannoss]

Ya, trust your PCs first and see what they can do. If they want/need disable device let the ranger know that there's a good archetype for that. And rangers make excellent scouts.

APs are designed for four PCs so things should be fine.

[SometimesCrumb]

Eldirial - stats are rolled, no point buy, while I haven't seen them yet, they're bound to be relatively good.

ok, thanks, will let them see what they can do before I play something with them.