PFS2 #5-09: Equal Exchanges - Skymetal Hoard

[Phredd]

Prepped this today, and had a few questions:

* Part A: All that Remains, last bullet point reads "PCs proficient in Athletics or Investigation..." What skill should be used, since Investigation isn't a skill?

* Part B: The Hoard, PCs can harvest materials from each busoborn akata's body for Verdant Wheel's objective. However, there's no mention of this objective to the PCs anywhere in the scenario, so how are they supposed to know that they need to do this?

* Part C: Get to the Boat!: It seems that there's absolutely no penalty for lollygagging around during this chase scene. It doesn't matter if they finish it in 3 rounds or 30, they get to the boat no matter what. Should there be some sort of limit to how many rounds it might take them?

[Harley Quinn X]

I also had the same questions. In reference to question B, I would have loved it if that surprise wasn't spoiled ahead of time.

As for part C, I'm assuming they intended to run it as a "Run Away" chase as done in the Gamemastery Guide given that they reference those rules in the text, and giving the stats to make the pursuers' rolls with, which is:
"The PCs attempt to escape. They’ll go first in initiative since they’re being pursued. It’s usually best to start them one obstacle ahead of their foes and end the chase if they reach a certain location or are three obstacles ahead of their foes at the end of a round."

As for when the chase ends: "Chases often end when the pursuer reaches the same obstacle as the pursued, leading to a combat encounter or other scene."

So unless they clarify otherwise, it sounds like "Stay Ahead or Die" which seems very deadly, but it kind of sounds like that was the intent given the warning of

Scenario Text:

"Make it clear to the PCs that they would face
overwhelming numbers should they choose to stay in the
temple and confront the awakening <pursuers>."

In theory, there are lots of options for each obstacle on the chase for PCs to make, and there are a few free points possibly sprinkled in. However, if the pursuers act as one unit, it basically limits the amount of points they can earn to maximum 2 per round, which wouldn't be much challenge if they still need to hit the target numbers for each obstacle.

[DM Andy]

It's covered in a sidebar but unfortunately it's on page 9, separated from the actual chase.

Quote:

Get to the Boat! uses the Chase subsystem rules. Each round can take up to several minutes to resolve as the PCs retrace their steps from Valashinaz’s temple, through the jungle, and back to the beach where their guide Arong awaits them on their vessel. At the start of the second round, the akatas enter the Chase at Temple Run and incessantly pursue the PCs until the creatures are barred by the saltwater surrounding Binoco Isle. If the PCs and the akatas start the round at the same obstacle, each PC takes damage as if they were hit by an akata’s jaws Strike.

So if the party doesn't clear Temple Run in the 1st round they will all take 1d6+4 damage and so on.

[Phredd]

DM Andy wrote:

It's covered in a sidebar but unfortunately it's on page 9, separated from the actual chase.

Quote:

Get to the Boat! uses the Chase subsystem rules. Each round can take up to several minutes to resolve as the PCs retrace their steps from Valashinaz’s temple, through the jungle, and back to the beach where their guide Arong awaits them on their vessel. At the start of the second round, the akatas enter the Chase at Temple Run and incessantly pursue the PCs until the creatures are barred by the saltwater surrounding Binoco Isle. If the PCs and the akatas start the round at the same obstacle, each PC takes damage as if they were hit by an akata’s jaws Strike.

So if the party doesn't clear Temple Run in the 1st round they will all take 1d6+4 damage and so on.

AH! Thank you! I completely missed that sidebar.

[TomParker]

This is sort of an aside but I've never seen reference to a [whatever]-born akata. Is the akata taking on the form of the buso a thing they've made up in this scenario? Or is this a standard thing for the creature?

[logsig]

TomParker wrote:

This is sort of an aside but I've never seen reference to a [whatever]-born akata. Is the akata taking on the form of the buso a thing they've made up in this scenario? Or is this a standard thing for the creature?

In the real world, Buso is a term for evil spirits among the Bagobo people of Mindanao, in the Philippines. "Busoborn" as used here would mean something like "demon-born".

[TomParker]

Have you read the scenario? In the Pathfinder world, a buso is a tree-dwelling one-eyed flesh eater and the scenario has buso void zombies, i.e., buso corpses infected by akata larvae. 'Busoborn' is pretty clearly an akata that matured inside a buso corpse.

The art looks like a combination of a buso and an akata. But that merging of creature characteristics isn't something in the Bestiary entry. So I'm wondering why the busoborn akata is different than any other akata.

I've only done my initial skim of the scenario, so I may have missed some explanation that buso somehow mutate the akata. Or maybe the author took some liberties to amp up the cosmic horror angle. I just wouldn't be surprised if my players see the art and ask what is going on.

[Talon Stormwarden]

I think the void zombies are particularly interesting in light of the remaster changes.

I'm prepping this now, and I plan to have them NOT be unholy (if that even ends up mattering). Since they're part of the akata's parasitic life cycle, they aren't attached to the cosmic battle of good vs evil. The bestiary entry goes into a lot of detail about that aspect.

I'll also play up their parasitic nature in the first fight, noting the contrast between the dead husk of the host body with the living feeding tendril which is actually part of the parasitic akata inside. If they cut one open after the fight that could be fun.

[Talon Stormwarden]

Also, trampling giant slugs are just FUN.

[Talon Stormwarden]

Is it just me, or does the description of Valashinaz's temple on pg 8 not mesh at all with the image of a pyramid on the map being used? There are walls and a 30' tall roof described.

I think I'll use some separate tiles to make more of a flat temple with walls and wide, open entrances on the 4 sides.

[ElfMage]

Sorry to resurrect this post, but I'm prepping this scenario for Gen Con and I had a question about Event 1 and the Befriend the Anito exploration activity. The text makes it sound as though you can only attempt the Befriend the Anito activity if you have critically succeeded at the check to realize that the PCs current situation might have been caused by an anito in the area. The text reads:

:

"On a critical success, the PC knows that it isn't uncommon for travelers to offer tribute or beseech anito for good fortune, and they can attempt the Befriend the Anito exploration activity."

Seems harsh that the PC needs a critical success, although if everyone at the table is attempting, perhaps not. Anyway, just wanted a sanity check on whether I was reading that correctly, as a treasure bundle is tied to it and I wanted to make sure I'm running it correctly.

[TomParker]

Arong also mentions that they can offer food to the spirits. I can't remember what happened when I ran it but I would have had them roll the exploration activity if they made an offering of food of their own accord.

If they had a critical success on the Event 1 check, I would have explicitly told them about the Befriend the Anito activity.

[ElfMage]

Thank you!!

[Derek Schubert]

For those of you who have run the scenario:

Where did you start the PCs on Map A, and how did it work out?

Map A doesn't include a "PCs Start Here" box like most other maps in scenarios, and I don't see any explanation in the text, such as whether the party is going left-to-right or top-to-bottom across the map.

Locations of creatures and hazards in the scenario:

Page 8: "...any PC who succeeds at a DC 15 (DC 18 for levels 7–8) Perception check automatically spots a triggered rope net trap dangling among a copse of trees."

Also on page 8: "If a creature comes into range of the void zombie while it’s still trapped, it attempts to attack with its feeding tendrils Strike but takes a –2 circumstance penalty to the attack due to the net. Once the PCs come within 10 feet of the void zombie, it starts making a wailing noise, attracting some of the other creatures in the surrounding area."

I would expect a perceptive party to noticed the trapped zombie from more than 10 feet away. But how far away?
(I keep thinking to 1st-edition Pathfinder rules, where the Perception DC increased by 1 for every 10 feet.)

What if the PCs never come within 10 feet of the void zombie?
Are the other creatures not attracted to the combat?
Should they be attracted by the sound of battle in a later round?

And since the PCs face at least 2 zombies in the encounter, where is/are the other zombie(s) aside from the one at "Z" -- just random locations around the edge of the map? What's to stop them from walking into the other traps?

Thanks for any help!

(Bigger-picture issue:

Clear explanation of mapped encounters helps create a consistent experience across tables in organized play, and leaving these decisions to the GM may result in a game that the players don't enjoy (too hard or too easy).

I hope Paizo's developers and editors will recognize when an author hasn't given clear direction in a draft and will tell them to do so, before it becomes a published scenario.

I remember one encounter in a 2002 adventure in Living Greyhawk (D&D 3rd-edition organized play) where our party started surrounded by a group of creatures with stunning gaze attacks. Two of our 6 PCs died after being repeatedly stunned and not being able to contribute to the combat. After the game, we learned that the written adventure didn't have a map or any advice for the GM about where to start the PCs and monsters, and that the GMs at other tables had started the creatures farther away and/or not surrounding the PCs, with much better results for the PCs. Clear direction and a map in the scenario could have prevented the problem.

Again, thanks!)