Pathfinder: Trying to decide what AP to run next....

[Asterisk619]

Hello fellow gamers! So recently I have aquired a couple new players to my irl gaming sessions. Due to my whole house flooding and being stuck in a hotel all last month, I didn't get much time to continue most of my games. Some of my older players (and I mean old aged as well lol) have been having health problems as well, so they haven't been able to game either.

However, with a couple new additions to the party, I've taken it upon myself to start a brand new adventure path. I have run through Shattered Star and also Jade Regent, which were very fun imo (even running the games lol), but now I look at the list of APs and I just feel lost. A couple that have peaked my interest are Ruins of Azlant and Strange Aeons. The former for it's "Roanoke colonists" idea that I've read it boasts about, and the latter for it's "Cthulhu/Gothic" vibe (because I really like to run Lovecraftian like rpgs that base a lot around survival).

Most of my players will definitely be creating characters that fit in well with the campaign that is chosen. So my question to you all is, "What experiences have you had with some of the other APs in Pathfinder, both as a player or a DM? Are there some that seem better written than others? Or are there some that just fall short compared to some of the others out there?" And lastly, "How have the 2 that have interested me worked for you guys? Were they fairly well put together, or were there some spots where you just went, 'No that's gotta change'?"

If you haven't seen my post over on the 5e threads, I kind of explained how I tend to run modules and such. In short though, I tend to use modules as more of a half done blueprint or skeleton of my game where I then go and add my own flair and things to the adventure itself. "Oh I don't like this NPC? Ok he's gone now, or at least change up his personality, etc." My specific quote from the last thread I made was, "The modules are the bones of my adventures, and at times bones will break to make the adventure how it pleases me." If that makes sense to anyone XD

-But thanks for listening and I hope to get some feedback

[Sir Enigma]

I haven't played either of the two you mentioned, unfortunately, so I can't comment on them. My (rather abbreviated) experiences:
- I've played the first module of Rise of the Runelords twice, and enjoyed it enough that I'd give it another go
- I've played the first module of Skulls & Shackles, and really enjoyed it - was sorry to see that campaign die, and I'd eagerly try it again
- I've played the first module of Second Darkness (seeing a pattern here?) and really didn't like it - would not recommend

[Asterisk619]

I haven't played either of the two you mentioned, unfortunately, so I can't comment on them. My (rather abbreviated) experiences:
- I've played the first module of Rise of the Runelords twice, and enjoyed it enough that I'd give it another go
- I've played the first module of Skulls & Shackles, and really enjoyed it - was sorry to see that campaign die, and I'd eagerly try it again
- I've played the first module of Second Darkness (seeing a pattern here?) and really didn't like it - would not recommend

Yes I definitely Know the pattern lol sucks that happens sometimes. But until I hear from anyone else, I'm thinking Strange Aeons. From reading, it automatically begins with a dream sequence where the DM gets to just utterly murder the PCs right out the gate at lvl. 1 XD it definitely sounds like a graphic Lovecraftian story. Stuck in an insane asylum, surrounded by a yellow mist filled with tons of gargantuan aberrations. So basically you have to finish the asylum before you even think of running out the front (or back for the rogues....) door. So maybe it's not so cool for newer players, but it could leave an impact.

I still have yet to start reading on Ruins of Azlant but the premise seems cool nontheless: The PCs in some way got a trip to help begin a colony of settlers but are actually the 2nd group. Turns out the first group mysteriously vanished (hence the Roanoke homage). Apparently the island you all travel to was once an Atlantis type country that sank (so a fair bit of under water action it seems).

[Palanan]

I’ve played through some of the early-to-middle portions of Rise of the Runelords, and it was a blast. Plenty of action, plenty of dungeon-crawling, and a timeline for those groups who (alas, like mine) require a certain amount of prodding to get moving. I would recommend this for its action, energy, and overall classic feel. (But o gawd, the hillbilly ogres….)

As for Strange Aeons, I have several of the books in this AP, since I’m running a Lovecraftian-tinged campaign and wanted some ideas to work from. The asylum scenario looks like a fun opening, but unfortunately the rest of the AP seems extremely hit or miss, and in some books there’s no real Lovecraft influence other than a couple of names and a creature or two. I would avoid this one unless you’re willing to springboard off the first book into something you’ve developed yourself.

I also have the first book of Ruins of Azlant, and while it does have a Lost Colony vibe, the opening seems rather generic and not especially compelling for players. Later books in the AP do look more interesting, however, since there’s a Nefarious Plot Hatched By Ancient EvilTM, this time of a decidedly watery nature. This AP seems to start out on land and then become increasingly aquatic, which appeals to me personally. If you can tweak the opening scenario to be more interesting, then it could be the start of a memorable campaign.

[Asterisk619]

I’ve played through some of the early-to-middle portions of Rise of the Runelords, and it was a blast. Plenty of action, plenty of dungeon-crawling, and a timeline for those groups who (alas, like mine) require a certain amount of prodding to get moving. I would recommend this for its action, energy, and overall classic feel. (But o gawd, the hillbilly ogres….)

As for Strange Aeons, I have several of the books in this AP, since I’m running a Lovecraftian-tinged campaign and wanted some ideas to work from. The asylum scenario looks like a fun opening, but unfortunately the rest of the AP seems extremely hit or miss, and in some books there’s no real Lovecraft influence other than a couple of names and a creature or two. I would avoid this one unless you’re willing to springboard off the first book into something you’ve developed yourself.

I also have the first book of Ruins of Azlant, and while it does have a Lost Colony vibe, the opening seems rather generic and not especially compelling for players. Later books in the AP do look more interesting, however, since there’s a Nefarious Plot Hatched By Ancient EvilTM, this time of a decidedly watery nature. This AP seems to start out on land and then become increasingly aquatic, which appeals to me personally. If you can tweak the opening scenario to be more interesting, then it could be the start of a memorable campaign.

I'll keep the thoughts of RoA in mind for sure once I read through it.

I always have plenty of "otherworldly gods coming from different dimensions to destroy/takeover everything" as plotlines unfortunately, but it is quite easy to do. Haha XD I'll definitely end up turning the other parts into something of my own creation, as my first campaign I ran ever actually started with an asylum in the Beastlands and led to a large scale "Cthulhu" assault that ended up with Big Bad melding all the other planes together, eventually creating a big bang of sorts. Which led into my friends' characters to be reincarnated as brand new characters in a completely different adventure (aka I told them they couldn't play as the OP templates for Anthromorphs from 3.5 anymore XD mwahahaha)

[Faily]

However, with a couple new additions to the party, I've taken it upon myself to start a brand new adventure path. I have run through Shattered Star and also Jade Regent, which were very fun imo (even running the games lol), but now I look at the list of APs and I just feel lost. A couple that have peaked my interest are Ruins of Azlant and Strange Aeons. The former for it's "Roanoke colonists" idea that I've read it boasts about, and the latter for it's "Cthulhu/Gothic" vibe (because I really like to run Lovecraftian like rpgs that base a lot around survival).


I have played through both of those APs (and a couple of others) and will happily provide feedback.

Ruins of Azlant: I had a great time with this. The opening starts a little generic as commented above, but it quickly grows from there into something more, and as you get further into the plot, even the generic opening is adressed and taken into the wider narrative of the Ancient Evil-villains behind it all. RoA has one of the most cohesive storytelling in these APs, as it remains very focused on the story with little sidetracking to unrelated matters. It has some challenging boss-fights, but on the whole it is very enjoyable, fun, and quite entertaining for players who enjoy discovery-type of adventures. I played a Bard myself (rest of the party was Fighter, Ranger, and Warpriest so we did this with our only casters being reduced casters!), and it was certainly *the* campaign to be a Bard in for all the Knowledge-checks I was making!
This is currently my favorite of the completed APs I have played.

Strange Aeons: Lovecraftian and terrors from beyond is a theme I enjoy very much, and while those themes *could* have been more present in Strange Aeons (it kinda pewters off as it goes on, imo), the AP is still well-written and engaging. The earliest chapters are by far the best, but the final ones are pretty solid too (the middle was... not bad, but I had some moments I did not enjoy though I acknowledge that those stem from playing a character that could not perform well at all for some parts there). There is certainly a lot of stuff a Mythos-fan will pick up on during the run of the AP, and mostly it was an enjoyable experience like spotting an easter egg in a movie. :smallbiggrin:
The story in itself is good, and while the horror-aspect loses its momentum, it was still a fun ride to play though. I would consider this my second favorite of the APs I've played.

Other APs I've played:

Reign of Winter: Our first jump into a Pathfinder AP, Reign of Winter was... an interesting experience, but a mixed one. Most of it could be summed up as "generic adventure" (except for the hilarity of chapter: Rasputin Must Die, which is not really generic at all :smallbiggrin: ). I can't say it's bad, but it is certainly rather rail-roady, so if you have players who get up in arms about that kind of stuff, I'd give this one a pass. Not that other APs *aren't* rail-roady, but this one for me had some moments of "I wanna get off these rails!". And I'm the kind of player who usually do not mind railroads at all as long as the trip is fun.
The AP isn't very challenging, in my experience, and could be good for a group that doesn't really optimize a lot.

Iron Gods: Now this is the AP I can honestly say I didn't like. Some chapters were interesting and fun, but there was very little cohesiveness to the story, as each chapter greatly differed in style and themes, leaving you scratching your head how stuff from a previous chapter could work with stuff from a current chapter. Sci-Fi and D&D is always a fun combo to me, but I felt like they didn't even deliver well on that? At the end of the day, your best arsenal would still be a dude with a sword+Power Attack, a divine caster and an arcane caster... when you kinda expected instead that things could get turned around by making Tech more interesting and useful than Magic and outdated weapons like swords.
I personally rate this as the worst AP I've played, but each to their own. I can see how other players could like some parts of Iron Gods, but for me the plot was meh, the structure was blegh, and the exeuction was poor.

Jade Regent: Ok, so I've not played this one, but I have the full set and have read some parts of it. And it's... "Escort Mission - The Campaign". Basically. And we all know how much people *love* escort missions, right? :smallwink:
On the plus side though, the campaign does offer a lot of interesting NPCs for the players to interact with, and many of these NPCs will be present to help and support the PCs along the way. So this is probably a good game for those players who enjoy a lot of NPC-interactions!

War For The Crown: Currently playing through this one now, and I think we're about 2/3rds on the way? (we're at level 11, and these APs usually finish off around 16th).
It is *very good*. I'm very happy with the strong storytelling the writers took on for this AP, and the direction of keeping the story very focused. The NPCs are great, the challenges have been interesting, and so far it has been the most socially-focused of all the APs I've tried before. Time will tell if War For The Crown will claim the title of my new favorite AP, but at this rate it is highly likely that it will, barring any ridiculousness in final chapters that undo it all.
I strongly recommend this one for any group that likes social intrigues.

[Calthropstu]

I have played through both of those APs (and a couple of others) and will happily provide feedback.

Ruins of Azlant: I had a great time with this. The opening starts a little generic as commented above, but it quickly grows from there into something more, and as you get further into the plot, even the generic opening is adressed and taken into the wider narrative of the Ancient Evil-villains behind it all. RoA has one of the most cohesive storytelling in these APs, as it remains very focused on the story with little sidetracking to unrelated matters. It has some challenging boss-fights, but on the whole it is very enjoyable, fun, and quite entertaining for players who enjoy discovery-type of adventures. I played a Bard myself (rest of the party was Fighter, Ranger, and Warpriest so we did this with our only casters being reduced casters!), and it was certainly *the* campaign to be a Bard in for all the Knowledge-checks I was making!
This is currently my favorite of the completed APs I have played.

Strange Aeons: Lovecraftian and terrors from beyond is a theme I enjoy very much, and while those themes *could* have been more present in Strange Aeons (it kinda pewters off as it goes on, imo), the AP is still well-written and engaging. The earliest chapters are by far the best, but the final ones are pretty solid too (the middle was... not bad, but I had some moments I did not enjoy though I acknowledge that those stem from playing a character that could not perform well at all for some parts there). There is certainly a lot of stuff a Mythos-fan will pick up on during the run of the AP, and mostly it was an enjoyable experience like spotting an easter egg in a movie. :smallbiggrin:
The story in itself is good, and while the horror-aspect loses its momentum, it was still a fun ride to play though. I would consider this my second favorite of the APs I've played.

Other APs I've played:

Reign of Winter: Our first jump into a Pathfinder AP, Reign of Winter was... an interesting experience, but a mixed one. Most of it could be summed up as "generic adventure" (except for the hilarity of chapter: Rasputin Must Die, which is not really generic at all :smallbiggrin: ). I can't say it's bad, but it is certainly rather rail-roady, so if you have players who get up in arms about that kind of stuff, I'd give this one a pass. Not that other APs *aren't* rail-roady, but this one for me had some moments of "I wanna get off these rails!". And I'm the kind of player who usually do not mind railroads at all as long as the trip is fun.
The AP isn't very challenging, in my experience, and could be good for a group that doesn't really optimize a lot.

Iron Gods: Now this is the AP I can honestly say I didn't like. Some chapters were interesting and fun, but there was very little cohesiveness to the story, as each chapter greatly differed in style and themes, leaving you scratching your head how stuff from a previous chapter could work with stuff from a current chapter. Sci-Fi and D&D is always a fun combo to me, but I felt like they didn't even deliver well on that? At the end of the day, your best arsenal would still be a dude with a sword+Power Attack, a divine caster and an arcane caster... when you kinda expected instead that things could get turned around by making Tech more interesting and useful than Magic and outdated weapons like swords.
I personally rate this as the worst AP I've played, but each to their own. I can see how other players could like some parts of Iron Gods, but for me the plot was meh, the structure was blegh, and the exeuction was poor.

Jade Regent: Ok, so I've not played this one, but I have the full set and have read some parts of it. And it's... "Escort Mission - The Campaign". Basically. And we all know how much people *love* escort missions, right? :smallwink:
On the plus side though, the campaign does offer a lot of interesting NPCs for the players to interact with, and many of these NPCs will be present to help and support the PCs along the way. So this is probably a good game for those players who enjoy a lot of NPC-interactions!

War For The Crown: Currently playing through this one now, and I think we're about 2/3rds on the way? (we're at level 11, and these APs usually finish off around 16th).
It is *very good*. I'm very happy with the strong storytelling the writers took on for this AP, and the direction of keeping the story very focused. The NPCs are great, the challenges have been interesting, and so far it has been the most socially-focused of all the APs I've tried before. Time will tell if War For The Crown will claim the title of my new favorite AP, but at this rate it is highly likely that it will, barring any ridiculousness in final chapters that undo it all.
I strongly recommend this one for any group that likes social intrigues.

My running of Jade Regent went very south very fast. It was truly brutal for my PCs and almost entirely grind grind grind.

Share distaste for Iron Gods. The whole theme kind of ruined Golarion for me.

Haven't played the others, and am very interested in both the ones op mentioned. But I think I will stick with sandbox custom games for now.

[Faily]

My running of Jade Regent went very south very fast. It was truly brutal for my PCs and almost entirely grind grind grind.

Share distaste for Iron Gods. The whole theme kind of ruined Golarion for me.

Haven't played the others, and am very interested in both the ones op mentioned. But I think I will stick with sandbox custom games for now.


I have no problem whatsoever with the sci-fi elements of Iron Gods. In fact, I was super-excited about it as it felt like a good call-back to the old classics of Blackmoor in Mystara or Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedition_to_the_Barrier_Peaks), and was all sorts of giddy to discover tech and explore that kind of stuff.

I just... felt there was no connection between the chapters of the story (it wasn't until the introduction of a certain iPad NPC that you actually get properly connected to the bigger plot, imo), and the tech was mostly "oh, neat, I suppose... toss it into the pile we're dragging with us all the time because no way we can sell this ****, nor do we really want to use it because hey, magic is superior!".

(I may also have lots of bad memories from Iron Gods as I was playing a Witch, and apart from a couple of buffs, healing-hexes, and Sands of Time, I felt *very* useless against the majority of opponents we faced along the way. Screw that player's guide for saying "Witch works totally fine in this campaign, herp-derp".)

[Calthropstu]

I have no problem whatsoever with the sci-fi elements of Iron Gods. In fact, I was super-excited about it as it felt like a good call-back to the old classics of Blackmoor in Mystara or Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedition_to_the_Barrier_Peaks), and was all sorts of giddy to discover tech and explore that kind of stuff.

I just... felt there was no connection between the chapters of the story (it wasn't until the introduction of a certain iPad NPC that you actually get properly connected to the bigger plot, imo), and the tech was mostly "oh, neat, I suppose... toss it into the pile we're dragging with us all the time because no way we can sell this ****, nor do we really want to use it because hey, magic is superior!".

(I may also have lots of bad memories from Iron Gods as I was playing a Witch, and apart from a couple of buffs, healing-hexes, and Sands of Time, I felt *very* useless against the majority of opponents we faced along the way. Screw that player's guide for saying "Witch works totally fine in this campaign, herp-derp".)

Eh, I like to play sci fi, I like to play fantasy. But I prefer them separate unless it's something like shadowrun. Golarion should have stuck with Fantasy with another wobrld serving to function as sci-fi then working with a plausible crossover would have been fine. But "yay nation of sci-fi next door to fantasy with no bleeding of technology " seems impossible. It seems dumb to me.

[Florian]

I rather liked "Mummy´s Mask" as an AP with some surprising twists.

[Asterisk619]

Loving all the feedback! I was having a good feeling that I could turn Strange Aeons into something more of my own creation, and the players have decided to let me choose the adventure. They are more book nerds (one used to play D&D, I believe 3.0 and his wife has never gamed.) So they have defered to my opinion and DM experience.

So I'm definitely leaning towards Strange Aeons. Not only do I love the fact that I can introduce them to Pathfinder by murdering each of them individually XD mwahaha

I definitely want to amp up the dramatics and horror aspects of the other parts of the adventure as a whole. Maybe introduce some made up npcs or something. I should read ahead and check out the backgrounds that the characters discover about themselves to perhaps give me some ideas. I want to work the story more towards the PCs themselves to give them some intrigue but at the same time draw them in in otherways besides mystery lol Even in a horror filled oncoming apocalypse you have to have some humor.

[unseenmage]

I... I uh...

I freaking LOVED Iron Gods. To date the only campaign my group has actually finished.

The 'Madness Such as This' thread linked in my sig is effectively my campaign journal for that game.
We had so much fun.

Recently, after we swore off tech (but not guns) for a while my GM messed with my monstrous character who'd JUST grabbed its first level of wizard by stashing the magic book I wanted to steal in a tech broker's house in a land far from Numeria.
Magic-like alarms and locks and constructs but my poor nascent mage's Spellcraft snd Know Arcana just didn't ping.


We've also started and aborted Rise of the Runelords twice and Skull and Shackles once.

I would love to play Strange Aeons but our GM has woven that Far Realm like stuff throughout our Golarion already.