Comments on: Refreshed and Reenergized or “Why I don’t like Adventure Paths” http://rpgcentric.com/refreshed-and-reenergized-or-why-i-dont-like-adventure-paths.html One gamer's opinion of everything RPG Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:16:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: skade http://rpgcentric.com/refreshed-and-reenergized-or-why-i-dont-like-adventure-paths.html/comment-page-1#comment-2612 skade Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:55:11 +0000 http://rpgcentric.com/?p=1789#comment-2612 Runelords was my group's second ever AP and for whatever reason they took to the format and style immediately. We're in the second AP now, The Curse of the Crimson Throne and the players are maybe a little too concerned with the progression of the AP for my taste. One of them is concerned that they are straying from the path too far, when in fact they have been investigating and pushing to discover elements that the AP doesn't actually reveal until later. They're treating it like a mystery and investigating accordingly. The only failing, and I hesitate to call it that, is that I am using some information in later modules to facilitate this. So in a way I am treating these like sourcebooks for a city setting than individual adventures linked in a chain. .-= skade´s last blog ..<a href="http://doombringer-skade.blogspot.com/2009/10/olvia-munn-on-dating-undead.html" rel="nofollow">Olvia Munn On Dating the Undead</a> =-. Runelords was my group’s second ever AP and for whatever reason they took to the format and style immediately. We’re in the second AP now, The Curse of the Crimson Throne and the players are maybe a little too concerned with the progression of the AP for my taste. One of them is concerned that they are straying from the path too far, when in fact they have been investigating and pushing to discover elements that the AP doesn’t actually reveal until later. They’re treating it like a mystery and investigating accordingly. The only failing, and I hesitate to call it that, is that I am using some information in later modules to facilitate this. So in a way I am treating these like sourcebooks for a city setting than individual adventures linked in a chain.
.-= skade´s last blog ..Olvia Munn On Dating the Undead =-.

]]> By: Alex Schroeder http://rpgcentric.com/refreshed-and-reenergized-or-why-i-dont-like-adventure-paths.html/comment-page-1#comment-2611 Alex Schroeder Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:50:51 +0000 http://rpgcentric.com/?p=1789#comment-2611 @Guy: My players decided to not fight the Lamia when they realized that the minion at the bottom of the tower was not the big boss. This can be handled by a DM, however. I introduced a different adventure, and had the Lamia reappear later (where she continued undefeated). The module just gives you plenty of TPK opportunities. It's up to the party and the DM to avoid it. :) .-= Alex Schroeder´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.emacswiki.org/alex/2009-10-06_Details_Considered_Harmful" rel="nofollow">Details Considered Harmful</a> =-. @Guy: My players decided to not fight the Lamia when they realized that the minion at the bottom of the tower was not the big boss. This can be handled by a DM, however. I introduced a different adventure, and had the Lamia reappear later (where she continued undefeated). The module just gives you plenty of TPK opportunities. It’s up to the party and the DM to avoid it. :)
.-= Alex Schroeder´s last blog ..Details Considered Harmful =-.

]]> By: Alex Schroeder http://rpgcentric.com/refreshed-and-reenergized-or-why-i-dont-like-adventure-paths.html/comment-page-1#comment-2610 Alex Schroeder Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:31:00 +0000 http://rpgcentric.com/?p=1789#comment-2610 I feel your pain. My <a href="http://campaignwiki.org/wiki/HagfishTavern/HomePage" rel="nofollow">Hagfish Tavern</a> game (Rise of the Runelords) is being derailed again because the players felt they weren't up to the challenges. I'm trying to deal with it by introducing extra adventures (The Secret of Smuggler's Cove, Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale), skipping big chunks of the adventures (such as the farm of the Skinsaw Murders!) and generally treating the Adventure Path as a suggestion, a background, an inspiration. I'm not yet sure that it'll work, but as it stands I'm also unhappy with the Adventure Path format. I also find that the knowledge of the Adventure Path to come inhibits my improvisation. .-= Alex Schroeder´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.emacswiki.org/alex/2009-10-06_My_Next_Campaign" rel="nofollow">My Next Campaign</a> =-. I feel your pain. My Hagfish Tavern game (Rise of the Runelords) is being derailed again because the players felt they weren’t up to the challenges. I’m trying to deal with it by introducing extra adventures (The Secret of Smuggler’s Cove, Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale), skipping big chunks of the adventures (such as the farm of the Skinsaw Murders!) and generally treating the Adventure Path as a suggestion, a background, an inspiration. I’m not yet sure that it’ll work, but as it stands I’m also unhappy with the Adventure Path format. I also find that the knowledge of the Adventure Path to come inhibits my improvisation.
.-= Alex Schroeder´s last blog ..My Next Campaign =-.

]]> By: Guy http://rpgcentric.com/refreshed-and-reenergized-or-why-i-dont-like-adventure-paths.html/comment-page-1#comment-2609 Guy Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:23:09 +0000 http://rpgcentric.com/?p=1789#comment-2609 What I want to know is who playtests these things, and what are they doing different?! As you mentioned, Savage tides was a killer campaign, and the last adventure of Rise of the runelords expected us to fight a Naga and her minions immediately after a golem. (not to mention the naga staying in the tower while we rested was a bit unbelieveable) Do they expect players to die? how many, and how often? Are our character builds really that sub-optimal, or are the playtesters' min-maxed in ways that would make Ryan jealous? Do they give the playtesters d20s that only roll 10 or higher? What I want to know is who playtests these things, and what are they doing different?!

As you mentioned, Savage tides was a killer campaign, and the last adventure of Rise of the runelords expected us to fight a Naga and her minions immediately after a golem.
(not to mention the naga staying in the tower while we rested was a bit unbelieveable)

Do they expect players to die? how many, and how often? Are our character builds really that sub-optimal, or are the playtesters’ min-maxed in ways that would make Ryan jealous? Do they give the playtesters d20s that only roll 10 or higher?

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