Beginner Box to Abomination Vaults

[wcv]

I’m a fairly new Pathfinder 2e player, and am trying to get a group going at my LGS, as a GM. I’ve DM’d 5e before, and know a few of the pitfalls DMs can fall into.

As an intro I’m planning to start my player’s on the Beginner Box, then transition to Abomination Vaults. Since the players will all be new, I’m wondering about a way to make it a bit easier on them. My current idea is that since the Beginner Box starts them into AV at level 2 I’d just keep them a level ahead for the remainder of the AP.

Would this be a workable idea? If so is there anything I should keep in mind?

[Thebazilly]

Abomination Vaults has some tough combats in it. Starting your players at Level 2 coming in from the Beginner Box is fine and will help them get the hang of things. They will earn less XP from combat for being higher level, so it will even out as only being a little ahead of the curve as they get farther in.

You should also check out the Abomination Vaults forum section. Lots of tips from other GMs who have run the adventure.

It took my group more than an entire year of weekly 4-hour sessions to do the whole Abomination Vaults campaign. Make sure that you are communicating that Adventure Paths are a big commitment to your players!

[Finoan]

Thebazilly wrote:

They will earn less XP from combat for being higher level, so it will even out as only being a little ahead of the curve as they get farther in.

Sort-of. If using milestone leveling, it is easy enough to keep the characters at +1 level from what the AP lists.

Which is a fine thing to do - especially for people new to the system. It makes the game less difficult, but does so in a very unobtrusive way. It also lets the GM not need to pull any punches on tactics for the enemies - the players will likely win because of the math. But you can make them work for it by playing the enemies intelligently (just be sure to avoid GM Metagaming).

[wcv]

Thebazilly wrote:

You should also check out the Abomination Vaults forum section. Lots of tips from other GMs who have run the adventure.

It took my group more than an entire year of weekly 4-hour sessions to do the whole Abomination Vaults campaign. Make sure that you are communicating that Adventure Paths are a big commitment to your players!

Thanks, I didn't know that was there, I'll definitely be reading it. I'll make sure to let them know, its a good habit in general IMO. Since the store is dedicated exclusively to tabletop I hope that won't be an issue. I'm more worried about people bouncing off tbh since I'm the first person who will be running Second Edition at that location.

Finoan wrote:

Sort-of. If using milestone leveling, it is easy enough to keep the characters at +1 level from what the AP lists.

Which is a fine thing to do - especially for people new to the system. It makes the game less difficult, but does so in a very unobtrusive way. It also lets the GM not need to pull any punches on tactics for the enemies - the players will likely win because of the math. But you can make them work for it by playing the enemies intelligently (just be sure to avoid GM Metagaming).

This is what I was thinking. I'm more used to milestone leveling (at least while running a game.) And since running this is as much about getting me experience running the system as anything I'm thinking milestone will be more comfortable. And since I'm not used to running it yet I might not pull punches correctly otherwise. And then the next campaign would be experience based.

Thanks to both of you.

[AnimatedPaper]

I tell people whenever I get the chance, but my specific suggestion if you do this is to move the graveyard scene from the middle of Book 1, chapter 2 to a night or two after the end of the beginner box. The new "town heroes" would naturally be called on to help a random uprising of the undead, and this strange beam of light gives them a reason to go to the ruins.

Makes for a neatly cohesive story if the "thrown right at the entrance" way AV was written doesn't work for you.