Next Adventure Path?

shmoo2 · Feb 28, 2010

Holy Bovine said:
At most I'd like to see a 3-4 part adventure. I'm burned out on APs still.

Exactly. An adventure series needs to be only long enough to tell the story.

While Adventure Paths are really successful, I think the constraints of having to stretch the AP out from levels 1-30 (or 1-20 for 3.X stuff) is the reason that the H/P/E modules and the Scales of War adventures (and Age of Worms, too) are so combat heavy and turn people off.

The way XP works, those encounters have to be there to make sure the party is the right level for the next adventure. In 4e, that's what, 250+ combat encounters to go from level 1 to level 30. In nine modules for the H/P/E series. :-S

Without the pressure to cover the entire level spread, the adventure pacing and combat heaviness can be dictated by the story and common sense.

Hellzon · Feb 28, 2010

I have to say, I'm surprised to see other people than me argue that you level too slowly in the latest edition.

Scholar & Brutalman · Mar 1, 2010

For 4e I'd like tier-based adventure paths: Heroic, Paragon and Epic as separate plot lines.

Scholar & Brutalman · Mar 1, 2010

Hellzon said:
I have to say, I'm surprised to see other people than me argue that you level too slowly in the latest edition.

Well you've got my support. I think 5-6 encounters per level is about right.

Derulbaskul · Mar 1, 2010

My view of the way WotC creates an adventure path is this:

- monsters are assembled randomly to create an encounter;
- encounters are assembled randomly to create an adventure; and
- adventures are assembled randomly to create an adventure path.

I don't want another adventure path unless and until WotC re-learns basic adventure design. I think Chaos Scar is a step in the right direction.

Scholar & Brutalman said:
For 4e I'd like tier-based adventure paths: Heroic, Paragon and Epic as separate plot lines.

I think that's the next step after Chaos Scar. An adventure path within a single tier seems perfect for the short attention span of the WotC adventure path designers. Otherwise contract out the plot, story and character elements to Paizo on a confidential basis and just provide the stat blocks.

Blastin · Mar 1, 2010

Derulbaskul said:
An adventure path within a single tier seems perfect for the short attention span of the WotC adventure path designers. Otherwise contract out the plot, story and character elements to Paizo on a confidential basis and just provide the stat blocks.

This.

Morrus · Mar 1, 2010

YouTube - War of the Burning Sky Trailer

Nebten · Mar 1, 2010

Scholar & Brutalman said:
Well you've got my support. I think 5-6 encounters per level is about right.

Some would consider this an adventuring day.

KidSnide · Mar 1, 2010

shmoo2 said:
While Adventure Paths are really successful, I think the constraints of having to stretch the AP out from levels 1-30 (or 1-20 for 3.X stuff) is the reason that the H/P/E modules and the Scales of War adventures (and Age of Worms, too) are so combat heavy and turn people off.

The way XP works, those encounters have to be there to make sure the party is the right level for the next adventure. In 4e, that's what, 250+ combat encounters to go from level 1 to level 30. In nine modules for the H/P/E series.

Without the pressure to cover the entire level spread, the adventure pacing and combat heaviness can be dictated by the story and common sense.

QFT.

Half the point of a unified leveling structure (and no xp to create magic items) is that you can adjust the advancement rate to whatever is appropriate for the campaign. If you must write an adventure path from 1 to 30, then set the pace of the campaign to fit whatever works for the story. If you're only playing one giant arc, then 250 encounters is too many. Pick 7 encounters per level (or 5, or whatever). If the GM wants a broader story, he or she will add in the extra encounters that matter.

But, more seriously, do we really need to go from 1 to 30? If you write an adventure arc from to the end of epic level, it really needs to finish by taking down a god or demon prince. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's hardly the only D&D campaign worth running. Revenge of the Giants also has too many combat encounters, but at least it's an appropriately scoped arc.

-KS

Scholar & Brutalman · Mar 1, 2010

Derulbaskul said:
I think that's the next step after Chaos Scar. An adventure path within a single tier seems perfect for the short attention span of the WotC adventure path designers. Otherwise contract out the plot, story and character elements to Paizo on a confidential basis and just provide the stat blocks.

My only experience with Paizo (Age of Worms) was no better. As a player, AoW felt like it was written for the DM to read, not for the players to play.

My reason for suggesting tier-length APs isn't the attention span of the designers but the sheer length of time it takes to play through the current ones. AoW took our group something like 2 and a half years, playing fortnightly. Scales of War will (I think) take us closer to 3. By the time they finish, memories of the early parts of the path were or will be very dim. And I think a campaign works best if you can remember how you started, and why it's connected to the end you just reached.

Next Adventure Path?

shmoo2

First Post

Hellzon

First Post

Scholar & Brutalman

First Post

Scholar & Brutalman

First Post

Derulbaskul

Adventurer

Blastin

First Post

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Nebten

First Post

KidSnide

Adventurer

Scholar & Brutalman

First Post

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