Nyarlathotep93 |
Folks:
My friends have asked me to run a Pathfinder campaign, and while it's not my absolute favorite system (the forum name should clue you in on what that is), I've assented.
That said, I do collect items for the game and so have access to a wide variety of adventure paths. After talking it over with my players (and eliminating Sword and Shackles because I have the card game version), two seem to emerge as potential victors: Rise of the Runelords and Reign of Winter.
To make my players happy, I'm going to need something with a strong story that balances combat with NPC interaction. I know Runelords is venerated, and from a bowshot's length appears to be very much a standard D&Desque romp. Maybe it's far deeper than that. Reign of Winter appeals because of its unique antagonists, its wide-ranging settings, and the fact that you get to fight a certain dude. Just like Hellboy.
Anyway, I'd appreciate the advice of the good ladies and gentlemen of the forum. Which wins as far as fun factor, storyline and NPCs? I will say I have access to the Pawn sets for each, so that's one thing in both of their favors. I also have the Irresen sourcebook, though I've not thumbed through it other than to look at the pretty pictures.
Your aid is appreciated, Lords and Ladies.
Benchak the Nightstalker Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8 |
Honestly, I like both APs, but since everybody is giving you Reign of Winter recommendations, I'll boost Runelords.
Rise of the Runelords is a terrific AP, and the first book has a lot of fun NPC interactions in it that you can use to develop recurring characters throughout the AP.
The second book has a haunted house in it that is one of my all-time favorite adventures.
Runelords also has some Lovecraftian stuff (which, based on your name, seems to be up your alley), especially toward the end of the AP when the PCs end up on the borderlands between the Material Plane and the nightmare realm of Leng.
Landon Winkler |
I've run Rise and am finishing up the second book of Reign.
There's a lot to speak for both, but I think it mostly comes down to tone. Both have a few digressions, but Reign's general tone is dark fairy tale and Rise's general tone is classic D&D romp.
Reign touches on war in books 4 and 5. Rise touches on horror in books 2, 3, and slightly in 6.
As a fellow Lovecraft fan, there's some good stuff at the very end of Rise, but I wouldn't let that sway your decision. It's a long way in before you start seeing the shadow of Leng. Although the horror elements in book 2 are super well done, they're more traditional ghost and murder style horror.
Reign comes from a later age of AP design with a lot more NPCs that are presented as friends, love interests, and conversation options. It's entirely possible to bring well-loved NPCs with the party the entire path, if they desire. Rise has a few awesome friendly NPCs, but you're mostly on your own after Burnt Offerings.
The only real dealbreaker nobody's mentioned is that the early part of Reign involves a lot of kids getting murdered and/or eaten. It's handled very well, but some players may not want to handle it at all.
On the flip side, issue 3 of Rise is basically a gore house slasher flick, but that's easier to tone town.
Overall, I'd say that Rise is a better introduction to running Pathfinder but Reign is probably a better fit for your needs.
Cheers!
Landon
Nyarlathotep93 |
A good number of my friends have indicated, though, that they're really interested in something "traditional" in feel. We just finished a campaign filled with, as one player put it, "a dozen empty dungeons and nothing to fight." Wasn't my game (I was a player), and admittedly there were some puzzles and opportunities for social combat (long story).
But I'm getting the impression that while a few still want the heavy NPC interaction from time to time, the majority are itching for a fight.
I want the balance, ideally, to satisfy everyone, and these are the three campaigns -- Runelords, Shackles (eliminated) and Reign -- that sort of won in out in discussion and in comparison of review numbers. I strongly considered Carrion Crown, but its reviews seem to indicate it's got some issues.
Thanks for the input, all. More is welcomed, of course.
Zhangar |
Runelords is definitely traditional, and has horror and Lovecraftian elements. (In short, Norgorbor cultists are horrible, ogres are horrible, and the Runelords have strange, strange allies.)
Reign of Winter definitely has horror elements, though it's light on the Lovecraftian stuff. (No sanitized fairy tales here!)
I had way more fun running Reign of Winter than I did Runelords, but both are solid.
I'd vote for RoW.
(Though if it's on the table, then Carrion Crown is what got me into running Pathfinder, and I'll cheerfully vote for that. As to addresing the plot issues with CC, I cherrfully refer you to the dedicated thread discussing the main villain.
As a bonus, Carrion Crown's a real contender for hardest Paizo AP for Pathfinder. Carrion Crown is mean, and gleefully so.)
Benchak the Nightstalker Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8 |
As a fellow Lovecraft fan, there's some good stuff at the very end of Rise, but I wouldn't let that sway your decision. It's a long way in before you start seeing the shadow of Leng.
I agree, but that's also true of Rasputin and Russia in RoW, so I figured it was worth mentioning :)