Somewhere in a week and a half I'm going to be GM in the Skull and Shackles campaign from book 1. My players are going to be aquatic elf Kensai, catfolk brawler, human Urogue (Phantom thief) and the last player has not yet decided who will be.
As far as I understand, this campaign (or the first books of the campaign) came out before the Gunslinger class came out. So I wonder if adding a couple of soldiers to ships with weapons (like muskets) will break the aboarding system? It seems to me it's the other way around, it even adds some risks and adrenaline.
From the second book, the heroes begin the sandbox. But almost all the actions of this sandbox are related to ships and water: a dead ghost ship, encounters with other pirates and other ships, sometimes an attack by the Sahuoling. I understand that the campaign is pirate, it is focused on the nautical theme, but it seems to me that sometimes it is worth doing some kind of events on the coable or on land. Yes, the events during the change of the ship and the capture of the cliff take place on land, but isn't that not enough? What if, for example, with a certain amount of fame, the villages in which the heroes sell cargo, will give them quests to destroy any creatures or robbers?
Sooner or later, the heroes will have to hire a crew on the ship. And as far as I understand, this team is mostly ordinary NPCs. Maybe this is suggested in the following books, but what do you think about the possibility of recruiting unusual NPCs (other than those that have been with the heroes since the beginning of the campaign)? For example, in one of the villages there is a temporary free captain (Half Elf Lame Oracle of Battle) whose fleet has been defeated, or a wandering monk (drunken master) who will passively give +2 on saving throws against alcohol.
So I wonder if adding a couple of soldiers to ships with weapons (like muskets) will break the aboarding system?
I'd ask myself: How would it improve the campaign that some soldiers use firearms?
As I remember the AP, a few selected NPCs have firearms. This way these weapons are something special. The more firearms a campaign uses, the more mundane (hence boring) they become. One of the books even comments on that, in the foreword, I think.
I understand that the campaign is pirate, it is focused on the nautical theme, but it seems to me that sometimes it is worth doing some kind of events on the coable or on land. Yes, the events during the change of the ship and the capture of the cliff take place on land, but isn't that not enough?
If your players are fine with a mostly nautical campaign, the question is reduced to: Are you actually fine with it?
Personally I'd trust the AP authors for now, assuming they can make a mostly nautical book a fun experience. You can always add land action later, if the need really arises.
For example, in one of the villages there is a temporary free captain (Half Elf Lame Oracle of Battle) whose fleet has been defeated, or a wandering monk (drunken master) who will passively give +2 on saving throws against alcohol.
Depends on the players. Some care nearly exclusively about their own characters, so complex NPCs are usually a waste of time. Others are more curious about their environment. As a personal rule of thumb: The more effort you put into a NPC, the higher is the percentage of effort going to waste.
I'd rather go for interesting roleplay opportunities. Behavior like "flees from another captain, but doesn't want to speak about it first" is little effort, but can result in some response from the players.
About firearms: Well, maybe you right. Right now i reading book 2, so maybe later will be information about firearms. just with a pirate theme, I associate with the Pirates of the Coribbean, and there are many who had firearms (not advanced)
About NPCs: I just want to add the ability to hire unusual NPCs so that players can be distracted from battles by roleplaying with them. Fighting and treasure hunting is fine, but I want them to do roleplaying to dilute it
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Book 1 has a few maps on the coastline, it would be a good place to plan a few hooks that bring them inland. If you are thinking wilderness exploration, there would be plenty of jungles, but you could also do some underwater exploration by giving the party the right equipment.
I would advise against guns unless a player wants to build a gun based character. They require so many feats and have distinct advantages over other ranges weapons that the party might feel compelled to join the arms race at the cost of their own plans.
The books do suggest how to change things a little if you want to add firearms.
But something to keep in mind (I think it says in one of the later books) that Kerdak Bonefist remains in charge of the Shackles because he has access to guns / cannons so if you include guns I'd suggest Bonefist having access to better guns.
The books do suggest how to change things a little if you want to add firearms.
But something to keep in mind (I think it says in one of the later books) that Kerdak Bonefist remains in charge of the Shackles because he has access to guns / cannons so if you include guns I'd suggest Bonefist having access to better guns.
Oh, yes, I somehow didn't pay attention to it, having noticed it only in the third book. Indeed, firearms are very rare, and giving them to Mr. Plug, for example, would be very strong against the players. But if the players want to use such weapons themselves, I will give them such an opportunity.
I just thought it wasn't thought out and I wanted to create an element of complexity and danger, since some rare enemies and NPCs used rare and dangerous weapons
