Duskwolf
2017-08-02, 04:15 PM
I had posted previously about the group I was playing with imploding and how I was planning to start an Iron gods campaign with some of the members of said group. There was passive aggressive drama and our time ended, such is life I suppose. I did learn quite a bit in my time playing though with the former group and I decided to stop being lazy and run the AP Iron gods. I admit I may have been a bit ambitious for my first time running pathfinder, although I do have a long gaming history of nearly 30 years and running a number of systems I admit I enjoy being a player over a DM most times but I really wanted to run/play iron gods and this seemed like a good opportunity. My old group was a bit... conservative? maybe? And preferred to use the core mainly along with pazio approved material. (along with their on house rules and tweaks which they could create but us new players? Calistria no!)
I, well, being me I suppose , took to learning the gaming system of pathfinder more seriously than I have most of my college courses soon having a fairly adequate understanding of the system and familiarized myself with books outside of the core. To the point of the post. I became ambitious and wanted to use some of the things I was unable to use or discouraged to use fully. So the Iron gods game contains, firearms, psionics, path of war, path of war expanded and some homebrew classes and prcs ( npc for now but documented so I can be transparent with my players) I have also made additions and alterations to the main plot line, using an npc as foil to add more elements and a subplot as a tie in for future starfinder games, with a few red herrings along the way to keep it interesting. It is a small group that may be added to later for now though it seems to work fine. Warlord(privateer)/soulknife ( going into rogue/swashbuckler, he wants to be a pirate.) An Aegis/summoner ( leader and adopted Android daughter of Kohnir Bane) , Gunsmoke mystic/oracle (basically light heals and dps) and my npc/subplot artificer (altered tech friendly) and psionic witch ( homebrew archetype).
This along with an iron gods feat I brewed, iron gods amateur gunslinger, allows them proficiency with a firearm type, quick draw with the weapon of choice , and dex to damage at level 3. This may have been a bit too much since with them hitting on touch ac, and in the case of the gunsmoke mystic, the sheer damage they do most of the creatures in the first book offer little challenge. I have started using a formula where I add the advanced template, give an additional 2 to 4 touch ac and increase the hitpoints of the creatures they encouter.
I can, if it is wished, go into my sublot and my alterations so far ( such as making the undead kaesth more of a reoccurring threat or making meyanda more important to the main plot) but what I am really looking for is some advice on how to keep the power level fair(ish) for the players. Yes my npc is potentially powerful but does not use the full extent of her abilities, her purpose is more backstory, subplot and knowledge for now (and to control magic item creation and act as a money sink for said creation) Currently we have just rescued and cured konhir bane and I do not foresee the rest of the book taking too much longer to complete even with my added subplots. I do not plan to give them access to even moderate magic weapons /tech (player created that is) until sometime in book 2.
I am mainly looking on advice on balance, the characters are currently level 4 and am thinking 5th level early ish in book 2. They seem to be enjoying the game so far and that is what counts. I just know that I can do better and I want to for all of the group. Most advice is welcome.
Thank you for your time.
Dusk
I, well, being me I suppose , took to learning the gaming system of pathfinder more seriously than I have most of my college courses soon having a fairly adequate understanding of the system and familiarized myself with books outside of the core. To the point of the post. I became ambitious and wanted to use some of the things I was unable to use or discouraged to use fully. So the Iron gods game contains, firearms, psionics, path of war, path of war expanded and some homebrew classes and prcs ( npc for now but documented so I can be transparent with my players) I have also made additions and alterations to the main plot line, using an npc as foil to add more elements and a subplot as a tie in for future starfinder games, with a few red herrings along the way to keep it interesting. It is a small group that may be added to later for now though it seems to work fine. Warlord(privateer)/soulknife ( going into rogue/swashbuckler, he wants to be a pirate.) An Aegis/summoner ( leader and adopted Android daughter of Kohnir Bane) , Gunsmoke mystic/oracle (basically light heals and dps) and my npc/subplot artificer (altered tech friendly) and psionic witch ( homebrew archetype).
This along with an iron gods feat I brewed, iron gods amateur gunslinger, allows them proficiency with a firearm type, quick draw with the weapon of choice , and dex to damage at level 3. This may have been a bit too much since with them hitting on touch ac, and in the case of the gunsmoke mystic, the sheer damage they do most of the creatures in the first book offer little challenge. I have started using a formula where I add the advanced template, give an additional 2 to 4 touch ac and increase the hitpoints of the creatures they encouter.
I can, if it is wished, go into my sublot and my alterations so far ( such as making the undead kaesth more of a reoccurring threat or making meyanda more important to the main plot) but what I am really looking for is some advice on how to keep the power level fair(ish) for the players. Yes my npc is potentially powerful but does not use the full extent of her abilities, her purpose is more backstory, subplot and knowledge for now (and to control magic item creation and act as a money sink for said creation) Currently we have just rescued and cured konhir bane and I do not foresee the rest of the book taking too much longer to complete even with my added subplots. I do not plan to give them access to even moderate magic weapons /tech (player created that is) until sometime in book 2.
I am mainly looking on advice on balance, the characters are currently level 4 and am thinking 5th level early ish in book 2. They seem to be enjoying the game so far and that is what counts. I just know that I can do better and I want to for all of the group. Most advice is welcome.
Thank you for your time.
Dusk