Excellent suggestions! I will definitely apply advanced template on mooks OR increasing them by 50% without increasing their loot. Great idea.
Instead of playing with the levels of named baddies, I'm inclined to also grant them the advanced template.
As for wealth issues, I plan to do nothing and let them ONLY get what's in the book. Perhaps I will allow them to keep the loot of fallen PCs; as they create a new PC with character wealth as appropriate to the newly created PC's level, new wealth is thus occasionally created...
The question is: would that be too much wealth? (assuming only one death every 3-4 levels or so)
|
Probably not. I have yet (only barely) had a character death. At the end of book 2, somebody is going to "retire" their character to become a major-domo of an area. He will keep his equipment. A new character is being built with the average wealth of a 7th level character, so realistically it is probably adding some total wealth to the party. If the player wasn't being retired and died, keeping the character's equipment should be fair...maybe not all items (I am assuming a fighter would want to be buried with his favorite weapon and armor for example).
I would just keep an ear to the players, and if they really feel they are getting behind in the wealth curve, to maybe find a way to add some small wealth. BTW...Book 2 is a WEALTH sink. Good players will sink their wealth they get into the obvious sinkhole, and not equipment. I hate to reward people who think helping the storyline by making them have less money for equipment.
You could also keep an excel file on total items given out...log all items in from each book, and just remove what they PC's didn't find. Then divide by 6, and keep your own track. Then at the end of say every other book or so, try to add a little more cash to bring them up just a little. The Players won't know you are doing that, and it might make them a little happier in the long run.
|
|
Sorry, that is what happens when you think faster than you type..especially before coffee.
I used the actual "track your own XP" for Rise of the Rune Lords (which I did a 4 player game), and then with Skull and Shackles (which started at 6 players, and ended at 8). For RotRL tracking XP and levels was about exactly what the beginning of each book suggested that the PC's should be at X level when they get to Y place.
For Skull and Shackles--which I didn't up the fights at all in book 1 and most of book 2--the group of 6 players was almost 1 full level behind by the end of book 1, and when I finally figured out that somehow I should be modifying the fights and/or experience in book 2 they were almost 1.5 levels behind in XP. I then started to figure out that adding "advanced" template and/or "giant" versions of monsters helped a bit with XP. I almost got them caught up to where the book suggested they were supposed to be at by mid 3rd book. Then in 4th book 2 more players came in. At that time I did calculations and determined that I would have to add ~50% more mooks (all with advanced template), or else rewrite most combats and encounters to somehow make the CR be where it would give the approximate amount of XP needed to equal what the original 4 player AP had.
So, TL:DR. I didn't mean never going back to Skull and Shackles (Probably Paizo's 3rd or 4th best AP IMO and I would LOVE to play it someday), but NEVER going back to tracking XP in an AP, just going to go by the recommended times to level that the front of the book suggests.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
NEVER going back to tracking XP in an AP, just going to go by the recommended times to level that the front of the book suggests.
That's the best option IMO - those recommendations are there for a reason i.e. from point X to Y, PCs should be level A; from point Y to Z, PCs should be level B; etc. means the authors have tailored these sections for the listed levels, assuming 4 PCs. If more than 4 PCs, advanced template applies, meaning PCs will hit mooks 20% less on average (i.e. 4 pt. bump on the AC)
Has anyone done a cheat-sheet or Excel doc or some other dossier of all of the NPCs and their inter-relations in this AP? I ask because that would be very helpful, and I'll do it myself if need be from the six books, but if someone has a document, it would save a ton of time.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Also, a shout-out to whoever came up with the name "Taldogis." I snerk every time I read it. He may become a major NPC just so I can use his name at least once a session.
|
Has anyone done a cheat-sheet or Excel doc or some other dossier of all of the NPCs and their inter-relations in this AP? I ask because that would be very helpful, and I'll do it myself if need be from the six books, but if someone has a document, it would save a ton of time.
I have been compiling a doc, but it's pretty loosely organized and dependent on my personal campaign. I can tell you that at the point we've reached (Book 2, Part 2) There are already 50 named NPCs that I have to keep track of, as the PCs may call upon them. This includes everyone from Senator Duo from the Gala in Book 1, to Purple Finch (who my PCs are sponsoring at the Moost Conservatory). Honestly if I'd had the foresight to start it as a spreadsheet I would have, but now I've come too far. I recommend that approach over my own.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Thanks!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I'm thinking maybe Taldogis has collar bling that happens to be an old Senate badge...
A couple of questions about the Senate Badges.
One -- Malphene has a badge. So does her father. Malphene is poofed to the safe room when the chaos begins, but her father is not, even though he is attacked (Malphene sees him killed). Why isn't he poofed?
Two -- Martella has a badge. Why is she not poofed to the safe room? She defends against the attackers, so she would have been in danger great enough to trigger the badge.
On page 25 in the development section, explaining why they are teleported, it says, "Unknown to Martella Lotheed, each badge was enchanted with a contingency spell centuries ago, programmed to teleport Senator Voritas’s staff to a safe room hidden far below the senate in the event of violence. A similar spell once protected Senator Voritas’s master senator badge as well, but was expended a century ago during riots, leaving Martella Lotheed behind in the chaos."
My guess is that during the riots, Senator Voritas, along with the other original safe house constructors, may have been in a meeting during the riots and all ended up teleported. Thinking the badges had done their job, they probably waited down there for a while before returning to the surface, which is how the badges wound up around again. Since that time, some senators may have thought the contingency too expensive and unnecessary, thinking the chaos was not all that dangerous and a waste of an expensive spell, or else they were killed before they could get the contingency cast again, perhaps during those same riots. Since then, the place was sealed up and forgotten about. This would explain why their aide's badges weren't used up, as they are less likely to go to a meeting between disaster-prepping senators than an actual senate meeting.
How the context works out in your game is up to you, but that seems like a reasonable answer to both questions.
Question: has any GM out there calculated the loot for the entire book 1? (including sale of equipment for defeated enemies) I'm about to do it, but if one of you has done it... ;)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Question: has any GM out there calculated the loot for the entire book 1? (including sale of equipment for defeated enemies) I'm about to do it, but if one of you has done it... ;)
Well, I can't say I've done an outright calculation, but I did compile it into a handy list format for easier reference.
Perhaps it's a little late for you now, but just in case:
Loot is specifically covered under the Loot tab (near the very end of the tab list). I'm still working on getting the rest of it in there, but hopefully it's of some help!
Side note: there's plenty of other stuff in there that may be of some use to other GMs. I was planning on sharing it after it was fully complete...
|
Hello fellow GMs,
I can't find any guidance as to how to manage this aspect of the first book, and it's the transition from Part 1 to Part 2, specifically in the context of what is going on in Part 1.
Players, as we all know, are at a "royal gala" that has a restriction on weapons. Top of page 10 reads:
Quote:
-------------
Only light and one-handed weapons are allowed inside the senate building; ranged weapons and twohanded weapons are not allowed inside the building. All weapons brought into the senate building must be peace-bound—secured in a sheath with a length of decorative cord. Drawing a peace-bound weapon requires a full-round action. Guards do not need to peace-bind their weapons.
-------------
Two of my players are intended to go with specialized weapons (one is using a 2-handed reach weapon, the other some form of ranged weapon [undecided]), and at 2nd level, as they transition to part 2, will have the issue of not having their weapons with them.
The other challenge I'm anticipating (based on my past experience with a particular 4-part PFS scneario chain in S0 and S1), is that my players aren't likely to bring any weapons or equipment with them for this sort of event (part 1). This is fine and thematic for part 1, but means even their most basic accessories will be inaccessible to them.
What have other GMs done to resolve this?
I'm debating switching out the equipment in B4 to something "close enough" that any given character still has some sort of viability.
Thoughts?
My preference: let them find out the folly of their mistake. Run the scenario as is. They are going to a gala in the Taldor SENATE, not joining a Shoanti warband on the Storval Plateau... besides, Martella issues Liquid Blades to those who can't go anywhere without weapon...
Ultimately this is your game. If you want to emphasize that this type of campaign is about intrigue, cloak and dagger, and diplomacy more than swinging a two-hander overhead, run as written; if you want to modify to make put your players in a comfort zone, go ahead and change it.
It comes down to how much warning and coaching you gave them during character creation. If you gave none and accepted their PCs as is, you should probably accommodate them.
Question: has any GM out there calculated the loot for the entire book 1? (including sale of equipment for defeated enemies) I'm about to do it, but if one of you has done it... ;)Well, I can't say I've done an outright calculation, but I did compile it into a handy list format for easier reference.
Perhaps it's a little late for you now, but just in case:
Loot is specifically covered under the Loot tab (near the very end of the tab list). I'm still working on getting the rest of it in there, but hopefully it's of some help!
Side note: there's plenty of other stuff in there that may be of some use to other GMs. I was planning on sharing it after it was fully complete...
I ended up doing the calculations:
CHAPTER -- TOTAL GOLD AFTER ITEMS SALE -- NUMBER OF PCs -- SHARE PER PC
BOOK 1 ------------------- 58929.5 ----------------------------- 5 ----------------------- 11785.9
The above figure represents everything found in Book 1 that's not bolted down except Mimip's store content for the sake of simplicity.
Party Items Not Sold:
Figurine of Wondrous Power (Silver Raven)
Dignity's Barb Relic
Envoy Ring Relic
|
|
During character creation make sure that they know that there will be multiple occasions during this AP where they will be in social situations where heavy weapons & armour (and large /vicious looking) animals WILL NOT be allowed, but conversely light armor and weapons (like daggers and raipers) will be the social norm.
This AP is "about" social interaction. If they're going in thinking different they are not in the right AP.
During character creation make sure that they know that there will be multiple occasions during this AP where they will be in social situations where heavy weapons & armour (and large /vicious looking) animals WILL NOT be allowed, but conversely light armor and weapons (like daggers and raipers) will be the social norm.
This AP is "about" social interaction. If they're going in thinking different they are not in the right AP.
Only early on, by book 3, not having any damage dealer(s) will hurt them.
alternatives could include retraining.
|
|
The group is definitely prepared for both aspects of this AP.
I'm just a bit worried about characters that are specialized in specific types of weapons, who will be noticeably impacted by not being permitted to have their weapons with them during the first part of the AP, as they head into part 2.
My group is comprised of the following
Half-orc cleric (archer)
Halfling fighter (star knives)
2x Human Wizards.
In the group's opinion, would the halfling be able to bring his starknives in?
The cleric, technically won't be able to bring his bow in, but he has invested heavily in bluff, and combined with a trait (Power of Suggestion), believes that he'd be able to pull a Gandalf, and convince the guards to let him keep his walking stick. I think I'm going to play this one by ear...
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The group is definitely prepared for both aspects of this AP.
I'm just a bit worried about characters that are specialized in specific types of weapons, who will be noticeably impacted by not being permitted to have their weapons with them during the first part of the AP, as they head into part 2.My group is comprised of the following
Half-orc cleric (archer)
Halfling fighter (star knives)
2x Human Wizards.In the group's opinion, would the halfling be able to bring his starknives in?
The cleric, technically won't be able to bring his bow in, but he has invested heavily in bluff, and combined with a trait (Power of Suggestion), believes that he'd be able to pull a Gandalf, and convince the guards to let him keep his walking stick. I think I'm going to play this one by ear...
Quick, free retraining.
Halfling might be able to hide his Starknives on someone else.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Another question...
This time related to the "Succession Loyalties" maps in the front of books 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.Is this something that the players should be provided?
If so, when is a good time to share this with them?
There's no reason not to, and it helps to provide some context for what the current political situation is at the start of each book.
Personally I've been showing them to the players at the start/end of each book as part of a "state of the union" intro. I also tossed on the various nobles and notable characters they've encountered on it in order to give them a sense of where all their potential contacts have influence (should they ever try to call upon them for a favour or some such).
If you wanted to make it even more meta, have it be a sort of planning map that Martella keeps on hand, much like generals of old. It also makes it that much easier for her to indicate to the players where they're going next, since you can have Martella literally put their token in the corresponding spot.
Is it just me, or does it seem almost impossible for a party of this level to defeat Factor 12 in combat? Regeneration (chaotic) is a pretty tough hurdle to clear, especially for a party that should be 2nd level.
To be fair, the only real reason to even try offing the outsider is to get at the rest of the goodies in the vaults, but I don't want to assume that my PCs aren't loot-hungry. Then consider that only one item can be taken, and one of the options is a plot-relevant key. I can see this going poorly.
|
|
It's fair, imo, to assume from their description that Factor 12 cannot leave the library and storage area. It should therefore be possible for a determined party to beat them unconscious and get away with the extra items before their regeneration brings them round.
Not that I'm encouraging anyone, of course.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
@Totus,
My group came up with a pretty ingenious work around...
After having looked an item (the boots I think), they wanted to try and swap the halflings boot's for the stored boots, but Factor 12 saw through this ruse.
The halfling then said, "Well I still want to put my boots in storage".
Through my eye-rolling, I decided this "storage facility" was like a coat check, so I had Factor 12 generate a claim slip for the halfling's boots.
They then proceeded to look at EVERY item Factor 12 had, one at a time, and based on the claim slip Factor 12 created, then proceeded to forge a claim slip for every item they had looked at.
I had to pause the game for a few minutes as I did some rule checks. But the gist of my 5 minutes of research is that a forgery can only be detected via Linguistics (something Factor 12 did not have), they got away with stealing everything Factor 12 had, and got the halfling's boots back as well.
Because the Gala is absolutely looking like a nightmare to run (and was my last attempt) I'm going to run the errands/missions as 1 on 1 mini sessions and record them for the other players. That way we don't have massive gaps between turns and I can make things just a lot smoother for myself and them. Hell, social combat rules will probably be way easier to learn in that case too.
Thoughts on this? Advice?
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
I did a bit of tweaking to the gala rules to make it fit in my game that also helped clarify a few of the bits mentioned in the last two comments. Here's what I did in case it helps.
I treat social combat much like regular combat in terms of action economy. That is to say everyone gets a turn with 1 standard action, 1 move action, and 1 swift action. Actions at the gala are as follows:
Discovery Check (Move action): Make a skill check (usually perception, sense motive, or a knowledge) to learn an influence skill or strength/weakness of a character. Can also be used to find out other info about the character (such as their loyalty).
Influence Check (Standard action): Make a skill check to influence a character or location. Success means +1 influence +1 success for every 5 the DC is passed by (for rooms, the result is applied directly to the room's influence hp, whatever it's called).
Change Rooms (Move action): Move from one of the gala rooms to another. Can perform Escape Artist or CMB to turn this into a Swift action.
Quick Action (Swift action): Perform an action that is very fast and easy to do and that wouldn't require a check (such as communicating with another PC or Martella).
Simple Action (Move action): Perform an action that is involved but doesn't require a check (such as delivering a letter).
Complex Action (Standard action): Perform an action that would require a skill check (such as stealing an item).
This seemed to work out pretty well, though I'll note that the additional actions granted will make things go a lot faster, so if you're worried about PCs getting everything done too fast, it's best to cut down the number of rounds or add things they can do (such as tossing in the bonus senators.
Examples of missions in this scope:
-Spying on the High Strategos would be 1 Complex Action to conceal yourself (stealth/disguise) and a Discovery check to observe him.
-Delivering messages would either take up your Move action going from one room to another or you can use the skill check to conserve your Move action (to deliver the letter and still have a standard free, for instance).
-Sabotaging the wine would require a Complex Action to steal the wine, another Complex Action to sabotage it, and a third Complex Action to put it back without drawing suspicion.
-Stealing an item on display is a Complex Action.
-To learn political leanings, the PC must influence the NPCs to friendly and then use a Discovery Action to learn it. Alternatively in the Countess' case you could spend rounds observing her like with Pythareus.
Martella's safe house: I may be missing something but is there any explanation of the secret door between E2 and E3? It's on the map and E1 explains that that secret door has been left open but there's no mention of the other one in the description for either E2 or E3. Is it secret from both sides or just the sewer side?
The description of E3 mentions it's a useful way for the players to retreat and return to the safehouse if they need to so it seems like it shouldn't be hidden from players too thoroughly.
I'm also curious on this one, but given the length of time between your post and and mine, I suspect no-one has the answer.
Not explicitly, but I think it's reasonable to give the benefit for influencing him in that case ("all of Taldor's worries over succession will end today", all ominous-like.)
Another thing about the Gala, actually: why doesn't Malphene Trant's contingency activate if she's about to be killed by the PCs?
They're not a real threat! :D :)
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
It looks like an oversight, but if you've decided you want to break the plot to make everything fit together, maybe it should? ;) Could be a nice bit of foreshadowing.
Since you're in charge, you could always say that she removed the badge (or it could have fallen free) prior to her starting in on the Junior Senator.
A third option: the badges aren't that expensive. Limitations would be a reasonable thing to add. Perhaps they only can be triggered when the wearer is on the Senate floor?
Hey question how old is Princes Carrius supposed to be? (His arts in various books make it hard to tell), it's further complicated because some sections seem to indicate some level of political awareness, while other passages appear to be a really young death. I'm asking here because one of my pc's is connected to the princess and the royal family in their youth, so figuring out the pricness's age and prince cariius is important to figure out the pc's age
He was probably around 16-19 at the time of his death, based on other assorted dates and descriptions across the AP. I think there's a thread where people hash out his and Eutropia's ages.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
My group worked forward during Stavin's speech because they were super paranoid. When the moment came, two of them made acrobatics rolls to leap into action. The Brawler tackled Stavian on front of the Senate. The Rouge fell flat in his face to have a guard crit for 33 pts damage. I rules the contingency kicked in and he only took 1d4. All this was clouded by a flare by the Hunter.
Lord Kalbio lived
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
My group worked forward during Stavin's speech because they were super paranoid. When the moment came, two of them made acrobatics rolls to leap into action. The Brawler tackled Stavian on front of the Senate. The Rouge fell flat in his face to have a guard crit for 33 pts damage. I rules the contingency kicked in and he only took 1d4. All this was clouded by a flare by the Hunter.
Lord Kalbio lived
HOLY [REDACTED]! That's awesome.