Pathfinder 1E Which AP should I play with my group?

plancktum · Jul 11, 2014

Hi,

I know there are many threads out there like "hich PF AP is the best?" and so on.
But in my case there are a few differences:

1. I'm not Playing Pathfinder. I just use the AP and convert it to the 13th Age Ruleset. So unbalanced, boring combats are not a point as I am always design them by myself.

2. I prefer to use the german versions of the APs which means much less work for me. So far there are "Shattered Star", "Skull and Shackles", "Kingmaker", "Serpent's Skull", "Carrion Crown" and "Rise of the Runelords".

We will finish Rise of the Runelords in the next time and after that start a new AP. I play Carrion Crown with another group, so this AP is also out of the game.
Kingmaker is too much sandboxing for my players, so we ruled this already out.

So we're staying at:
a) Shattered Star
b) Skull and Shackles
c) Serpent's Skull

As Shattered Star plays in the same setting as ROTRL and we want something new, this leaves us with Skull and Shackles or Serpent's Skull.

Could someone say something about this APs? How are they? And which of them is "better"?

Of course I also appreciate other recommendations. The AP must not be in german, but if the above mentioned are good, I will stick to them.

Just for the future if we want to play Shattered Star at some point: Is Shattered Star recommendable?

I really appreciate your help

best regards

billd91 · Jul 11, 2014

I'm currently playing in a Skull and Shackles game and we're about half-way through, I would guess. It has been a lot of fun. The story has been quite engaging and there's plenty of room for just exploring around the environment.

gamerprinter · Jul 11, 2014

While probably not available in German translations you might consider some of the 3PP, non-Paizo Pathfinder APs for something different. Don't show a blind eye, just because a given PF AP is not a Paizo publication.

Way of the Wicked is a full AP by Fire Mountain Games for a party of evil PCs.

Razor Coast is a polynesian-esque pirate setting by Frog God Games.

Slumbering Tsar is another awesome Frog God Games AP.

The Curse of the Golden Spear is a short trilogy of modules as an introduction to the Kaidan setting of Japanese horror by Rite Publishing (think of it as a cross between Oriental Adventures and Ravenloft).

Crothian · Jul 11, 2014

Serpent's Skull was fun for about four books. After that it really bogged down in too much combat and the exploration fun of the AP went away.

biotech66 · Jul 12, 2014

Skull and Shackles was awesome for me as a Pathfinder GM. My players enjoyed it, but it does have the standard Pathfinder problem with some late part math (10 CR 3's do not equal challenge to a level 9 PC!). But if you want some high seas fun and are willing to do the math since you play 13th Age, I'd suggest Skull and Shackles.

Undertaker Sheep · Jul 12, 2014

I am currently running Wrath of the Righteous using the 13th Age rules, and I cramp 1/4 of a book in a session. We're having a lot of fun kicking demon ass. So in case using German books isn't that important, I really recommend this AP.

billd91 · Jul 12, 2014

biotech66 said:
Skull and Shackles was awesome for me as a Pathfinder GM. My players enjoyed it, but it does have the standard Pathfinder problem with some late part math (10 CR 3's do not equal challenge to a level 9 PC!).

They're not expected to be. Someone at Paizo once commented that they've used larger numbers of low CR opponents once PCs start hitting this upper-mid level to let the players revel in how far they've advanced.

Morrus · Jul 12, 2014

billd91 said:
They're not expected to be. Someone at Paizo once commented that they've used larger numbers of low CR opponents once PCs start hitting this upper-mid level to let the players revel in how far they've advanced.

Yeah, it's fun to let PC show off and feel powerful occasionally. Let 'em wade through a small army like the heroes they are.

Starfox · Jul 12, 2014

About 2/3 through Skull & Shackles. Its good, but not really a pirate adventure - it is a regular adventure set in a pirate setting. The players are not actually supposed to do a lot of pirating, which caused some of my players to leave the game early on when they noticed. I am considering ending it after the first 4 parts - the end doesn't look as good as the beginning.

Only read Serpent's Skull, but my impression matches ones given above - the first 4 parts look good, the last 2 ones are one huge dungeon crawl.

In fact these have a lot f similarities. They are both set in the tropics, and feature the environment as an enemy and conflict with other explorers/pirates. THe player have more freedom in Skull & Shackles, Serpent's skull is more linear (or railroady if you prefer), but the difference isn't that big.

I think it boils down to pirates vs. explorers. Ask your players which they prefer.

biotech66 · Jul 13, 2014

Morrus said:
Yeah, it's fun to let PC show off and feel powerful occasionally. Let 'em wade through a small army like the heroes they are.

It is, but there is too much of that in the later Skull and Shackles. You will have parts where you will spend 20 minutes drawling out the map, play for over an two hours with lots of monsters dead, but the PCs won't even be winded. It just wasn't fun. I ended up increasing all the combats and throwing higher CR monsters at them to keep them from getting bored.

Pathfinder 1E Which AP should I play with my group?

plancktum

First Post

billd91

Not your screen monkey (he/him)

gamerprinter

Mapper/Publisher

Crothian

First Post

biotech66

Explorer

Undertaker Sheep

Explorer

billd91

Not your screen monkey (he/him)

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Starfox

Hero

biotech66

Explorer

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