Pathfinder 1E Question about Way of the Wicked

[PatCap]

Mr. McBride...I have a stupid question,which i think i know the answer to, but will ask anyway.

Is there any provision to actually play a good guy "undercover" ? One of my buddies refuses to play a bad guy, but the rest of the group is stoked to play this. He said if he could play a good PC undercover, to work against their evil plans..he would be OK...I am just going to say no, but what are your thoughts?

Guys?
Thanks

 

[Fooly_Cooly]

Well im obviously not mcbride. But I wouldnt. I mean honestly. You do so many super evil things just for the main story. Not to mention what the other characters will do willingly . Helping to kill clerics and paladins? I cant see even a chaotic good getting away with it.

 

[PatCap]

I totally agree with you...I really cannot even see a Meutral guy, who is trying to be good...

 

[PatCap]

Is there any estimated time when i will recieve my bound copies for WotW? What is the back order time? Does anyone know?

 

[gdmcbride]

PatCap,

This answer is well into spoiler country.

Spoiler

The short answer is you should just say 'no'. Playing a good guy infiltrating the evil party undercuts the central notion of the campaign ... that this is your chance to play a pack of would-be dark lords.

That said, it could be done, but the way forward is perilous.

First, it is way too easy for a good guy infiltrater near the beginning of the campaign to destroy the party. All he has to do while they're breaking out of prison is run around and shout at the guards "Hey, we're breaking out! They have a magic veil! You should take that before you throw them back into the cell!" And the PCs are likely hosed. Campaign over.

I'll assume you can give the PC a reason to stick with the party at least through Act One (i.e. for example, the Talirean regime wants to find out if there is a surviving cult of Asmodeus left on their island). Then, you have to come up with a reason that somehow Thorn doesn't just find the infiltrator and wack him in Act 2. Thorn is overconfident, perhaps.

But the real trick comes in Act 4 of Book I. Once it becomes clear to the infiltrator that the PCs are trying to break the Watch Wall, their mission goes to the wayside. They must stop the war from happening or thousands of their countrymen will die. And that is where the campaign breaks down.

It is easy to turn the PCs over to Havelyn. It is easy to sound the alarm and have ravens call for reinforcements to Balentyne. It is easy to sabotage the saboteurs if you will. You have to establish that catching Thorn is so important that it even trumps starting a war (so the infiltrating PC will go along with that at least temporarily) and I'm not sure how to do that.

So, my recommendation is to avoid this. Of course, its your game and if you give it a shot, please let me know how it goes.

Hope that helps,
Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

 

[gdmcbride]

Is there any estimated time when i will recieve my bound copies for WotW? What is the back order time? Does anyone know?

I don't have an exact estimate. Too many things are out of my hands, alas. But as soon as possible.

I await the proof copy any day now and with that the printing will move swiftly forward.

I apologize for the delay and I will be keeping everyone up to date on Fire Mountain Games facebook page.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

 

[PatCap]

Yes..I agree totally Gary..I told him "no". I am really geeked to run this, and 4 of my 5 players are super excited to play.

I am in the last chapter of Shackled City, so hope to have books 1 and 2 in my hands before we start. I can run from the PDF's, but to an old timer like me, it's not quite the same.

Ordering books 3-5 today, and can't wait to see them.

Thanks for the answers Gary, and when my party comes together, I'll post the composition..should be interesting judging by the ideas flying around.

Looking like (so far)
"fallen" Asimar Anti-Paladin
Drow Assassain
A "bad touch" Cleric. Debuffs, curses, quick channelling negative (or)
A summoner whose eidolon is the manifestation of a banished Pit Fiend. As he gets more powerful, he is going to use the points to build his Eidolon to resemble the Pit Fiend more and more...

I Love your work, and will definately be getting your new AP as well...I have an idea for an all Dwarf campaign...basically " Snow White and the 7 Dwarven Musketeers". Have my friend playing Snow White a Mystic Theurge, and all the dwarves having the gunslinging abilities...

 

[PatCap]

Thanks Gary...listened to your interview on Private Sanctuary...we began gaming about the same time...1979 for me, with a bunch of guys who wrote for the original Judges Guild in South Texas.

Reading a PDF just isn't the same to me..i can't seem to sit and focus...same with trying to read books on Kindles and my phone...just seem toconcentrate better with the actual products.I bought all 5 books, so I guess I'll just have to wait...not my best trait...

In the meantime, I have a question. ..OK..I did have a question, but don't know how to tag it or hide it as a spoiler alert..so I'll try and figure that out before I ask....