I’m going to start running this AP next month. I have been doing a ton of work to redo the encounters and just some other general things. So I was wondering if anyone was running it? And is there any interest in the encounters scaled for 4 through 6 players and increased difficulty?
|
So I was wondering if anyone was running it? And is there any interest in the encounters scaled for 4 through 6 players and increased difficulty?
Currently running it.
And i would definitely like to see what you've come up with for encounter difficulty (especially for 6 person parties).
My own experience is that it's base encounter level is faaarrr too easy.
I would also like to hear what you are doing for treasure.
The treasure seems incredibly light.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I’m going to start running this AP next month. I have been doing a ton of work to redo the encounters and just some other general things. So I was wondering if anyone was running it? And is there any interest in the encounters scaled for 4 through 6 players and increased difficulty?
In my experience, 5 players usually balances out as they are continually behind in experience points which puts them a level behind the module (on average). I raise some enemy HP to "above average" rather than max them via their HD, but that's few and far between.
However, we use the 15-point buy as per Paizo's suggestion in the core rules. This is where I've seen most groups on these forums complain of adventures/APs being too easy. They usually run 20 to 25-point buys and run with 5 or more PCs.
Lastly, IMHO there is nothing wrong with Giantslayer, or APs like Council of Thieves and Second Darkness. These are the three most ragged on APs to date. I've read your concerns in other threads as well as the responses.
If this AP appeals to you, run with it. You and your players will make it work if you are all on the same page with similar interests. My group took the heaviest dungeon crawl of all time (again IMHO), The Temple of Elemental Evil and turned it into a role-playing bonanza and one of our most memorable campaigns of all time (we went the classic GDQ afterwards).
As a DM, I never run anything to the letter of the book. I adjust, I omit, etc as needed. My outlined plans for my upcoming Carrion Crown campaign reads like an epic chain of novels. I mined the forums, and added alot of my own ideas to get there.
Good Luck, and I'll be looking forward for your future campaign posts.
Running it in about two weeks. I've been listening to the glass cannon podcast forever (great actual play podcast, they are running giantslayer and are in book four I believe) and I thought "I'm a busy guy, I will just listen to the old podcast episodes as prep."
Well that will no doubt be beneficial, but I have been reading through the GS sticky, and man looks like lots of holes to fill in.
Sunderstone, that is encouraging. My group is pretty laid back, I think it will be great but it's gonna take more work than I originally planned.
Joey, I'm right there with you sir, prepping it as we speak. I'm pumped, we usually do one shots or short runs. This should be fun!
|
|
I am three sessions into it now. Finished the last session as the orcs were busting through the gate for event 5.
My party is 5 players and the characters are 15 point buy, average starting gold, and I have limited the players to core, advanced players, unchained, and ultimate equipment books. I also stated them with a extra HD based on their class, but one step down (i.e. ranger got a d8). I thought might help mitigate all the TPKs I have read about in the first book. My Party.
|
As far as book 1 scaling I would probably leave it as it is to raise difficulty. Even the writer of the module has stated that he didn't have time to playtest and it is ridiculously difficult. At the very least there should at least be a rest after the aforementioned gate battle.
I've run the game up to a point twice and both times I let the party rest after the gate (basically had the guards from the previous gate move up to hold it while they used a burned out tower to recover).
Someone mentioned the gcp and I think that one of the things Troy did in his run through that might be of interest is somehow removing some of the artifacts from play. Unless you talk to your players about spreading them around they can end up (as they did in my game) causing a bit of single player syndrome with one character running around with the hammer, the resizing armor, the hand etc.
(If those things happen to fall into the hands of a player who doesn't know the game very well that can hurt things too... but that is a story for another time.)
As far as making combats and enemies more interesting and dynamic the Monster Codex was basically made for this campaign.
My party is 5 players and the characters are 15 point buy, average starting gold, and I have limited the players to core, advanced players, unchained, and ultimate equipment books.
Our minds are one.
However, my Dhampir Rogue player expressed interest in the Red Mantis Assassin PrC from the Inner Sea book. A little hard to tie into CC as a prestige class thematically, but we reworked his back story as sort of a magically altered child experiment that failed (Or was thought to be a failure ;)). He'll have recurring nightmares as well as grow into his abilities later.
Basically, I'll use others books on a case to case basis.
This gives me a little hope that I’m not the only one running this AP LOL
I will post later with what some of my changes are. If you want encounters I have them on hero labs and a word file without the stats. One of these days once I get it all finished first (not like my Rise of The Runelords thread) then I’ll post it all.
Just let me know if you want them.
I personally love the artifacts in the game I’m thinking about adding scaling magic items and trying to turn most of the named magical items and weapons (Gorums Thorn, Usgroths Armor, the Giant slayers treasures) into scaling items.
I’m also expanding the Vault of Thorns and letting the PCs rest there after the Gate and changing how time flows their (which will maybe allow the players to quickly forge magic items)
I am also listening to Glass Cannon (if my players use the tactics like the glass cannon players they will die quickly)
You are not alone, heh.
I am still early, early in the prep phase but:
The tug of war:
Not a lot of agency or strategy here, so I plan on emphasizing the PCs can either roll, or take 10, as well as allowing 1 char per side per round to roll an aid check. Give it a bit more action perhaps.
The receipt:
It's kind of goofy, but plausible enough to use in a fantasy merchant economy.
Melira:
So much more of the saboteurs actions make sense if there is a spellcaster assisting them, so I'm playing it like melira was with the group but then split right before the murder. I think I will change up the note to reflect this.
I've still got a ton more prep to do but I'm running two Homebrew game sessions in between so it's gonna be tight.
I've got to remember THE most important session is the very next one you are about to run!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
This might help with prep even though I changed and added some other NPCs NPCs Bloodmarch Hill
|
|
My party is 5 players and the characters are 15 point buy, average starting gold, and I have limited the players to core, advanced players, unchained, and ultimate equipment books.
Our minds are one.
However, my Dhampir Rogue player expressed interest in the Red Mantis Assassin PrC from the Inner Sea book. A little hard to tie into CC as a prestige class thematically, but we reworked his back story as sort of a magically altered child experiment that failed (Or was thought to be a failure ;)). He'll have recurring nightmares as well as grow into his abilities later.
Basically, I'll use others books on a case to case basis.
I forgot the Inner Sea Guide and Inner sea Gods books. The player can use them as well.
I’ve made a ton of items into scaling items they seem pretty cool I’ll share them if people are interested
Im running it as well. Currently nearing the conclusion of Book 2. Party is making the AP into a freaking joke so far and im having trouble trying to spice thigns up. Also reading ahead into Book 3 it looks like theres a good bit of locales that there are no maps or images for. Im gonna need to find something for those because we play on Roll20 and half my table cant visualize stuff if they dont have images or maps.
|
Im running it as well. Currently nearing the conclusion of Book 2. Party is making the AP into a freaking joke so far and im having trouble trying to spice thigns up. Also reading ahead into Book 3 it looks like theres a good bit of locales that there are no maps or images for. Im gonna need to find something for those because we play on Roll20 and half my table cant visualize stuff if they dont have images or maps.
what was your point buy?
most of the complaints tend to be that the players get more powerful vis a vis their enemies as they get up there, but i can't imagine that happening at the lower books.
Im running it as well. Currently nearing the conclusion of Book 2. Party is making the AP into a freaking joke so far and im having trouble trying to spice thigns up. Also reading ahead into Book 3 it looks like theres a good bit of locales that there are no maps or images for. Im gonna need to find something for those because we play on Roll20 and half my table cant visualize stuff if they dont have images or maps.what was your point buy?
most of the complaints tend to be that the players get more powerful vis a vis their enemies as they get up there, but i can't imagine that happening at the lower books.
15 point buy
I used a stat arrray that is very powerful but I adjust all combats.
If anyone wants my notes for changes I’ll be happy to post them.
I was waiting till I finished all the notes but I’m almost done with book 3
I’m going to start running this AP next month. I have been doing a ton of work to redo the encounters and just some other general things. So I was wondering if anyone was running it? And is there any interest in the encounters scaled for 4 through 6 players and increased difficulty?
I found your RotR changes to be immensely useful, and would love to see what you've done so far for Giantslayer. My group has its third session scheduled for this Friday, so we're not very far into the AP yet.
So we are running the Elephant in the room house rules when it comes to bonus feats so all my monsters have 5 bonus feats. If you are ok with that I would be happy to share.
Sure, sounds good.
Do you have hero labs?
Or do you want just the simple write ups?
I do not have Hero Labs, so I'll have to settle for whatever I can get without it.
I have no idea how anyone GMs without it.
So you are still in the first book?
Yes, we are. My group just finished the Plague House last session.
Well,I make do without HL.:-D. For now that is!
I'll be starting session 1 this Saturday night (finally!). Running 6 players, but totally expecting 1 of them to be a flake most of the time.
Since I'm combining it with Ironfang Invasion, I have encounters enough, but tactically, I usually add some units that have teamwork feats to liven combat situations up.