We already have a thread for requesting specific AP themes, but what about a speculative thread that tries to predict future AP's based on available evidence?
As of 2026-04-25 I suspect we will get either a seafaring/High Seas AP or an AP set in Golarion (or the First World) that's all about the Fey. This I do based on the recent books announced for this year- which of course may or may not be actually tied with any planned AP in the near future.
What about the rest of you? What AP's do you suspect are coming based upon signals from Paizo? Remember that this is a thread for speculation for what we think is coming down the pipeline- not what we necessarily want which already has a thread for that purpose.
When they announced Battlecry! And the classes, I predicted there would be a war between Cheliax and Andoran, and here we are. And when they announced the Necromancer and Runesmith, the first thing that came to mind was Nex and Geb, since New Thassilon is out of the question as we've already had RotR 3, and if you add Impossible Magic on top of that, it would be extraordinary if there wasn't an AP where Nex returns (I don't know what would happen in it, whether the two old wizards would be able to rest and the countries would have to deal with their absences, but anyway). The meta-region is called Impossible Kingdoms, for the love of Aroden.
I do think there will be a full aquatic adventure, just as we'll have a full Darklands adventure; that's what the rules, ancestries, and everything else are for. I'm fairly certain about all of this, but I don't know if there will be an AP with Feybound since I don't see a Draconic AP following the Draconic Codex anywhere, so I don't know.
I dunno how much we can read into the rulebook/lost omens releases. Like, what other book leads into Vaultlines?
I think, after two mythic quests, two war stories, a dungeon crawl and a darklands crawl, we might be overdue for a more social or exploration focussed game. Something of a breather before the next wave of grand conflicts kick up. Doesn't dismiss the possibility of those setting associations, maybe an Arclords AP to match Blood Lords where you're navigating the evolving politics of Nex under a returned Nex, wizard-courtly intrigue.
There will possibly be a PF2e/SF2e crossover/Iron Gods sequel. Maybe in 2027.
I believe that an Arcadia/Deadshot Lands AP has also been mentioned as a possibility in the next couple of years.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Also for the good old prophecies at the end of Stolen Fate we have:
They see great legacies reclaimed where they were thought lost. (Sky King's Tomb)
They see the return of great evils thought lost to time. (Could be a hint to the end of RotR 3 with Alaznist? But it could also be about the guys from Shades who were in stasis. Inconclusive)
They see the sun destroyed. (Shades? Although more covered up than destroyed)
They see some deities laughing in delight at beloved mortal entertainers, while others consume them and choke them with cruelty. (I don't think this is Curtain, and now that i think about it this sound fey, so maybe the possible Feybound AP is this. Inconclusive)
They see countless spirits shrieking in agony. (Season of Ghosts)
They see old gods fall and new gods rise in their place. (Godsrain in general, also Triumph with all the Orc pantheon changes)
They see a pale cataclysm ravage the lands, leaving only corruption and tangled thorns in its wake. (Spore War)
They see a humble village grow where there was nothing before. (Nothing comes to mind but this sound nice like a Kingmaker but... Villagemaker in this case. Inconclusive)
They see an immense red bird raining fire down upon a small town. (Seven Dooms)
They see ultimate power within the grasp of almost countless hands. (Could be talking about Godsrain or maybe some experiment amalgama of people. Inconclusive)
They see new lands rise from ashes of ancient civilizations. (Nothing comes to mind. Could be a Kingmaker 2.0 but in Ninshabur, Iobaria, Azlant or somesuch. Inconclusive)
They see a crowned phoenix with the
tail of a peacock, its return presaging vengeance upon the world. (RotR 3)
Oh yeah! I forgot about the Stolen Fate prophecies!
I definitely can see a future “village maker” AP in the future from the hints given.
|
Also for the good old prophecies at the end of Stolen Fate we have:
** spoiler omitted **
What do we have here that could be related to Wardens of Wildwood, Myth-speaker and Bastion of Blasphemies ?
After all we have 13 APs since Stolen Fate and 13 visions.
But then IIRC, some visions can pertain to Adventures rather than APs and some APs did not get visions.
BTW I think the new lands are those that come out of the Andoran vs Cheliax war.
I'm really not sure what to make of Nex's imminent return. If he was going right back to war with Geb, then why were Outlaws of Alkenstar and Blood Lords all about lowering the temperature in the region? I'm not sure they'd do yet another war AP so soon, but am struggling to imagine alternatives...
Starfinder 2e certainly seems like it invites a return to Numeria.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Besides that you also have the Mythic Gazetteer in War of Immortals which you could have a mythic or non-mythic AP depending on what they focus on. On these one was very clearly about RotR3 before it was announced so there is that. Here are the cliffsnotes:
The Starstone stirs. It's unleashing shadowy beings on the streets, and a faction called the Knights of the Starstone has been created to contain the dangers. (An Agents of Edgewatch game where you enter the cathedral to fight the monsters would be great, but maybe Paizo still doesn't want to reveal anything about what's inside the cathedral, so we'll see.)
You also have Voradni Voon "reborn" on the island, and he's mentioned as the reason Absalom is neutral in the Andoran Cheliax war, so either AP or Society Season will do something with this.
Sarkoris - Demons have gained power and are trying to reopen the Worldwound
Mendev - Nine towers with portals to the nine Outer Planes have appeared in the nation (A Planehopper AP would be perfect here)
Numeria - The energies of Godsrain have reactivated forgotten technologies (Perfect if you want an AP "connected" to Starfinder)
Brevoy - Four earthquakes have struck the nation, and a faction called the Children of Choral says he will return in four years (If this isn't foreshadowing, o don't know what is. WoI came out two years ago, right? So that would leave another two years for this AP)
Razmiran - Several new demigods are seeking to dethrone Razmir
River Kingdoms - Storms have generated resources, new kingdoms, and conflicts in the region
Gravelands - More undead
Molthune & Nirmathas - War, Szuriel, things we know
Oprak - The Stone Roads are blocked
Belkzen - We've already had Triumph of the Tusk
Ustalav - People randomly transforming into monsters, we're going to have Bastardhall here, so nothing new besides this i would imagine.
Rahadoum - People have gained divine power (any AP here would be nice)
Thuvia - A warshard has struck the House of Oblivion and Ahriman could enter the universe
Osirion - The archives of Nethys's (*looks to the left* Say that again) have been discovered in structures throughout the desert
Katapesh - A warshard has fallen on Pale Mountain (Legacy of Fire 2.0)
Qadira - A creature composed of the 6 elements roams the deserts
Mordant Spire - A warshard has struck the structure and it has begun to grow upwards
Hermea - The population is developing draconic traits
Mediogalti - Prey for Death
Gholinom - This city appears in the upcoming LO:High Seas if you look at one of the images on the page. The Alghollthu are going to use a warshard to open their portal to the Final Sea (whatever that is, this looks like an aquatic AP storyline).
Nex - Magic has stopped working as it should, and the Arclords have called all citizens of the nation abroad back home to help (AP material storyline).
Geb - Many undead have returned to life.
Jalmeray - Eight angelic-shaped professors are taking on 108 pupils who are achieving enlightenment by transforming into powerful beings.
More animals, the Eye of Abendego grows, more dangers.
Vidrian - Walkena has gained more power, and the Free Captains' ships have become supernatural and are attacking the nation (An AP storyline here is desirable since there wasn't one for the Vidric Revolution, and this sounds like a two-pronged battle, that is cool).
Ravounel - Dozens of villages have disappeared, people and house both, with only the foundations of the buildings remaining as evidence.
Nidal - Zon-Kuthon has appeared to bless warshards (the Horselords and their warshard are also present).
Isger - Foreshadowing of Hellbreakers.
Varisia - Chorak the Gigas awakens.
New Thassilon - Foreshadowing of RotR3.
Irresen - A very large tree has appeared, and Anastasia is using Stasian Tech on a project beneath her palace.
Realm Mammoth - An army of megafauna commanded by someone called the Reclaimers is attempting to expel the people from the region.
Andoran - Foreshadowing of war with Cheliax.
Galt - The fragments of the final blades have become undead, seeking to kill the families and descendants of those who used them to kill the hundreds of spirits within.
Druma - The Kalistocrats who were sleeping on their demiplane have been awakened
Kyonin - The Aiudaras have been reactivated. Spore War Foreshadowing
Five Kings - Daralathyxl has become mythic
In the north, fey and humans live together since the connection with the First World is very strong, and Godsrain has begun to change the area with the effects of this plane (*suspiciously looks at Feybound* Mmm...)
The bird that gives the Spear of Flames to the people of Razatlan has returned, and the people fear another war against the decaying empire.
The skymetals of the region have exploded, and the Smog Lords are at war for resources.
Eleven kaiju-sized colossi have awakened and are walking across the continent.
Several people have been blessed with power in Kelesh (Any AP here would be cinema)
Etaris, the bride of Ydersius, has been resurrected and seeks the freedom of the nations under Keleshite rule (This is happening in what would be north from Iblydos, southeast from Qadira)
In the Grass Sea, the hilt of Gorum has fallen, causing wars between the tribes and the descendants of Voradni Voon
In Ninshabur, people say that the Pit of Gormuz is going to release something again and that a champion carrying the Azlanti Diamond is going to appear and lead them to an age of glory
The son of the queen of Kelesh is seeking to create an army of superhumans to take the throne
The pirate Naylor Gloom, after bathing in a pool with the blood of Gorum, has managed to discover the location of a treasure and is calling adventurers from all over Golarion to board The Dread Gale to sail the seas of the planes in his search (Now this sounds like a great pirate AP if I have ever heard one)
People blame Hao Jin for killing Gorum and want to bring her to justice (good luck with that)
In Hongal Altan the Fleet killed a demonic slug that was causing a drought, and the Godsrain has infused him with its power and thirst, and he now wanders the plains quenching his thirst so as not to lose his sanity
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Also for the good old prophecies at the end of Stolen Fate we have:
** spoiler omitted **
There's an old thread discussing these here that had both James Jacobs and Luis Loza weigh in.
In that thread it sounded pretty definitive that:
The "mortal entertainers" is a reference to Curtain Call.
The "humble village growing" is Season of Ghosts.
"Ultimate power" was Godsrain.
The "new lands from ancient civilizations" is Shades of Blood.
The "sun destroyed" is not Shades of Blood, but some future adventure.
At this point, from what I can tell the only three that are left to be fulfilled are:
3. The return of great evils thought lost to time. (Assuming this isn't Runelords. I could also see Vaultlines or Bastion fulfilling this one)
4. The sun destroyed
6. They see countless spirits shrieking in agony (unless you're right that this is Season of Ghosts)
What do we have here that could be related to Wardens of Wildwood, Myth-speaker and Bastion of Blasphemies ?
James Jacobs on mentioned in the thread above that Wardens of Wildwood doesn't have a prophecy associated with it. Bastion of Blasphemies presumably has a villain and they could be an ancient evil or plotting to destroy the Sun, but we don't know enough about the AP yet.
Creative Director
|
| 7 people marked this as a favorite. |
Can confirm a few more...
"The sun destroyed" thing and the "countless spirits shrieking" ones haven't gone anywhere yet.
As for prophecy working or not... again, the reason we chose this theme for Golarion from the start is twofold:
1) Prophecy is super cliched and it's a trope we just didn't want popping up all the time in the game, especially considering that the PCs would be the targets of all those "chosen one" prophecies and that gets old FAST.
2) Since it's an interactive game and a team-effort with player agency, prophecy tropes don't really have a place in the game anyway, since it feels like railroading to be told at the start of the game what has been prophesied and then feels gross if the GM ends up forcing events to fit it or lessens the sense of accomplishment if at the end players are told "It was always going to end this way since it was foretold."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Can confirm a few more...
** spoiler omitted **
If the prophecy about the sun being destroyed is still live, then I am now 100% committed to that being the (in my opinion, overdue) Bright Lions/"revolution in Mzali" AP.
I don’t see any prophecy that could hint at Vaultlines so far but then again, we don’t know much about the AP yet.
|
Creative Director
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I don’t see any prophecy that could hint at Vaultlines so far but then again, we don’t know much about the AP yet.
We are well into the post-Stolen Fate era where we're publishing Adventure paths and adventures that we had no idea we'd be doing when we were publishing Stolen Fate.
If the prophecy about the sun being destroyed is still live, then I am now 100% committed to that being the (in my opinion, overdue) Bright Lions/"revolution in Mzali" AP.Can confirm a few more...
** spoiler omitted **
Why do you say that this adventure is Overdue?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Why do you say that this adventure is Overdue?If the prophecy about the sun being destroyed is still live, then I am now 100% committed to that being the (in my opinion, overdue) Bright Lions/"revolution in Mzali" AP.Can confirm a few more...
** spoiler omitted **
Because when Strength of Thousands spent an entire volume on a diplomatic mission in Mzali, I believe it explicitly said "the local regime here is terrible, but this isn't the story of its downfall yet," then ultimately depicts events that gave the Bright Lions resistance a real shot in the arm.