Adventure paths for sociopaths.

[supermonkeyjoe]

O.k so I'm going to be DMing a new game in a few weeks with a bunch of new players, from what I can tell quite a few of them are wanting to play grimdarkevilbad characters, I fully expect the game to implode into petty squabbling and infighting.

Assuming that doesn't happen does anyone know of any published modules for either 3.5 or pathfinder that are suitable for more evil or morally deficit parties? Assuming they don't all turn on each other I don't think many NPCs will stand much of a chance so Ideally I want a campaign with not too many essential NPCs or roleplaying encounters,

Something like the Sunless Citadel would be a pretty good example as once they're in the dungeon they can completely hack their way through if they want, unfortunately a couple of the players have gone through it already.

tl;dr version:

Adventure module for new players wanted
suitable for evil or morally grey characters
no/few essential roleplaying encounters
3.5 or pathfinder

[flumphy]

Set them loose in the World's Largest Dungeon?

[Acanous]

well, you could always tell them that the key to ultimate power lays resting in the Tomb of Horrors.

[supermonkeyjoe]

Set them loose in the World's Largest Dungeon?

I would but I'd rather not spend a silly amount of money on that if the group is going to collapse after a few sessions :smalltongue:

[Eldan]

Take them through the usual "Dude McEvil has the evil object of evilness!" and add "And if you take it from him, you'll rule the world instead of him!"

Then just make sure there's no vital information they can't get if they kill everyone.

[magic9mushroom]

Depends - do you want to run an antiheroic campaign, or a villain campaign? (Both can work). If the latter, you're going to find very few published supplements to help you, since as villains write the plot, your PCs will affect it a lot more than usual.

If the former, most modules can be adapted by adding the promise of treasure or threatening the PCs personally.

[HunterOfJello]

Evil Campaigns can be really fun and introduce several interesting properties into games from my experience. Expect for there to be more roleplaying because Good characters will just go run off to complete the next MrNiceGuy task whereas Evil characters will only agree for full compensation for their time and won't go out of their way to help people who don't have the right amount of money.

Another interesting concept I discovered is that players who are playing Evil characters are far more likely to sympathize and get along with Evil NPCs than Good NPCs. When confronted with a village of Good aligned werewolves who were trying to hide their existence and live peaceful, quiet lives, the PCs drew their weapons and masacred the entire village (which was 60% pure human). However, when encountering an Evil medusa who was locked in a cage which they could have easily fireballed into oblivion, they felt something akin to pity for her and let her go based on an agreement to pay them back for it later.

It would probably be a good idea to test concepts like these out on your players, see how they react and use them towards everyone's benefit in the future of your campaign.

[Arutema]

Play Kingmaker.

Set the PCs up to become bandit-kings of the Greenbelt, ruthlessly driving out the competition.

See if they last long enough to gt around to building their own retched hive of scum and villainy.

[Drelua]

See if they last long enough to gt around to building their own retched hive of scum and villainy.

*internet high five*

I've played a lot of evil campaigns, and DMed a one shot. Made the mistake of starting at level 17, and by the end of one long session they had taken over the city we were in. That was not my plan, but players are jerks. I think adventure paths are less common for evil campaigns because evil PCs are unpredictable. For example, I never expected the sorcerer (think Richard from LFG but more extreme) to cast animate dead on...violently commandeered male genitalia. And throw it at the paladin-king (I had just read road of the patriarch). I think the best thing to do would be to find a typical module where motive is not important. Have the PCs seeking revenge for something, or attempting to overthrow and take control of the BBEG's evil empire. That is, if you can't find a good module for an evil group with more typical evil plans.

[Analytica]

Have a look at the Edrigar Mafia Campaign Journal on these boards.

[Andorax]

O.k so I'm going to be DMing
.. bunch of new players...
...play grimdarkevilbad characters...

Just off the start, this is a horribad combination. Playing the darker side of the alignment spectrum is ok for jaded, experienced characters, but trying to do so out the start, well it's just asking for a crate of pepto for you as the DM.

That said, if you can at least drag them in the (mostly) gray middle of the alignment spectrum, there's plenty of room for shady characters to shine in the Savage Tide adventure path (Dungeon 139-150). You'll just need to give them a solid reason (familial ties, personal loyalty) to work for Lavinia in the short and medium terms.

Quite honestly, the other adventure paths and pathfinder campaigns I know personally rely far too much on a certain measure of noble motives on the part of the party.

[ImperatorK]

"New players" doesn't have to mean "newbz".

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Play Kingmaker.

Set the PCs up to become bandit-kings of the Greenbelt, ruthlessly driving out the competition.

See if they last long enough to gt around to building their own retched hive of scum and villainy.
I was just about to suggest this myself. Of all the Adventure Paths I've seen, Kingmaker requires the least altruism.

[Retech]

+1 to Kingmaker

Right around the attack on *spoiler* in the first adventure path, we decided on a headlong offensive, which naturally led to our defeat. Then came the blame game and we eventually ended up with two duels to the death.

[CockroachTeaParty]

Interestingly, the Savage Tide adventure path can be easily converted to an evil group, and you really wouldn't need to change that much.

There's an opportunity early on to join a thieves' guild (that you're supposed to stop if you're good). Every subsequent issue of Dragon has a side bar entitled 'Switching Sides' which explains how you can change the adventure if you wind up working for this evil thieves' guild.

Regardless of early developments, eventually you'll get so powerful you'll be acting out of your own best interests. Since the ultimate goal of the campaign, regardless of alignment, is to prevent Demogorgon from driving the entire material plane insane, just about any sort of party, evil included, can have a reason to stop his plan.

Possible evil motivations to oppose the Savage Tide include:
-Revenge
-Working for a rival demon prince, like Orcus or Grazz't
-Working for the Nine Hells (for a lawful evil group)
-Planning on taking over the Abyss for your own purposes (potentially possible!)
-For the lulz

It's pretty easy for an evil group to fully enjoy the Savage Tide adventure path, assuming they're mature enough to not devolve into pointless in-fighting.

[Bhaakon]

-For the lulz

That's the ultimate motivation of every party, in my experience.

[Callista]

Start with a city, create a few random commoners to use when someone wants to talk to townspeople. Have a mercenary or thieves' guild, with members who have their own agendas. Set the PCs loose in the city. Watch the fun.

Evil characters write their own plots, really.

Oh, you might want to agree on some ground rules about PvP before starting.

[NikitaDarkstar]

Take them through the usual "Dude McEvil has the evil object of evilness!" and add "And if you take it from him, you'll rule the world instead of him!"

Then just make sure there's no vital information they can't get if they kill everyone.

Meh, even if they kill someone they need Speak with Dead makes it a minor issue.

[Tvtyrant]

You could always put them under a despotic government were there are arbitrary and depressing rules. Once people get in the habit of ignoring laws it becomes easier to ignore even good laws, but avoiding capture still remains imperative. This keeps slaughter sprees down but allows them to commit crimes.

[Greenish]

Meh, even if they kill someone they need Speak with Dead makes it a minor issue.Added bonus, the dead won't lie. The only reasons to take prisoners are… recreational. *evil laugh*

[Andorax]

"New players" doesn't have to mean "newbz".

True. OP didn't make it clear if they were "new" to him, or new to D&D.

If it's the former, then it leaves a lot more options on the table.

If it's the latter...I think an evil party's a less than stellar idea. YMMV.

[SowZ]

I've done this. Most memorable time? First session, the characters raided a tower of a demonic summoner. They were doing this for a secret bounty from the city guard who couldn't pin anything on him but knew about it and for his magic artifacts. Through their own choices, (bad ones,) they ended up going through a summoning portal and ending up on the other side. It led to a strange hell.

In this hell, there were cities of Devils and Demons who were constantly at war and posturing with one another. Most of the populace were actually human souls who ended up there but cities were controlled by one of the major powers. While there were natural resources, they were very rare. Most trade was done through spiritual bargains. (Promises for favors and random flaws.) One guy traded his ability to wear any protective clothing and his knowledge of how to use all melee weapons for a book of evil rituals. People would walk around bald or with no eye color as they traded parts of themselves away. One character tried to barter with the soul of her firstborn child, (she wasn't pregnant yet,) to enchant a katana and did not understand why this would immediatly shift her alignment to evil. :smallconfused: So she ended up selling her ability to bear children instead.

The greatest thing? Their evilness couldn't screw things up too bad since every city was based around evil! And the fact that they were still alive meant that they could gain levels, (damned souls gained XP vvvvvveeeeerrrrrryyyyy slowly and everyone loses a level if they die in hell and reappear after D20 years or so,) so both the Demons and the Devils tried to manipulate them into working for their side and they did their best to play both sides.

I wish that would have developed more...

Anyway, this is a suggestion as that was a lot of fun.