ZEITGEIST ZEITGEIST 5E

[Knoxx]

I have a binder I am setting up for all the EN5Insider content. I'm extremely excited about this Adventure Path/Campaign Setting. I just had one question, is there enough content in this players guide to run your own content off of this? I was thinking of starting out a group to get them into the world before the Adventures start coming out. Also, these adventures, are they formatted similarly to what is already been released with the EN5 content?

 

[Tobold]

There is enough content in the player's guide plus campaign guide to get a good overview of the world. However I wouldn't play too much before adventure 1, because the adventure path covers everything from level 1 to maximum level in 13 adventures, and that is already quite a lot to get through. In my 4E campaign I played just one "level 0" session that played in the RHC training camp and introduced the players to the world, to firearms, and RHC politics. Having said that, I can see a potential benefit in 5E to let the players reach level 2 before starting The Island at the Axis of the World, because combat at level 1 in 5E is *very* unpredictable (if, like me, you are from the "I don't fudge dice" school of DM'ing).

 

[Knoxx]

Good to know, thank you for the info. I just also look at this world and see so much I could do with it on my own.

 

[Morrus]

There is enough content in the player's guide plus campaign guide to get a good overview of the world. However I wouldn't play too much before adventure 1, because the adventure path covers everything from level 1 to maximum level in 13 adventures, and that is already quite a lot to get through.

Actually, ZEITGEIST #1: Island at the Axis of the World starts at level 3 in the 5E version.

I was thinking of starting out a group to get them into the world before the Adventures start coming out.

Before the first adventure, we will be releasing a short prologue adventure called Bonds of Forced Faith. This is set long before the actual AP, and is designed as a one-shot with certain historical pregenerated characters from the setting.

 

[Knoxx]

Oh that sounds fun, thanks for the information!

 

[Tobold]

Hmmm, if it is long before the AP then I'll still need to create an adventure to get from level 1 to level 3. I always prefer to have my players start at level 1 (or 0) instead of higher levels, because characters getting new powers is always fun. Fortunately in 5E from 1 to 3 doesn't take all that much time.

 

[efreund]

Before the first adventure, we will be releasing a short prologue adventure called Bonds of Forced Faith. This is set long before the actual AP, and is designed as a one-shot with certain historical pregenerated characters from the setting.

Just a gentle reminder that your rabid fans are super enthusiastic about standalone adventures with historical pregenerated characters in the Zeitgeist universe. *cough* Vagabonds of the Mirror Moon *cough* and that we'd be happy to purchase such products.

Because ZG is awesome.

 

[corwyn77]

Hmmm, if it is long before the AP then I'll still need to create an adventure to get from level 1 to level 3. I always prefer to have my players start at level 1 (or 0) instead of higher levels, because characters getting new powers is always fun. Fortunately in 5E from 1 to 3 doesn't take all that much time.

Do your non-newb players feel the same way? 1st level was fine when I didn't know any better and I thought the game was always that dangerous but I really can't stand it anymore. Is the fun of new abilities at 2nd and 3rd really make up for the much higher risk of being one shot for them? I know it doesn't for me, especially at 1st level. Plus, with 5e's subclasses, I don't really feel I'm playing the character I build until 3rd.

 

[Tobold]

As long as progress is fast, my players don't mind starting at level 1. I had worse experiences with trying to start campaigns at medium or high levels. Whatever the edition, D&D gets complicated at high levels. Some hardcore players might like that, but for more casual players the first half of the level curve is more fun.

 

[efreund]

[MENTION=6691663]Tobold[/MENTION]: Even if adventure 1 starts at level 3 as written, it should be pretty easy to introduce some graduated steps within it, and start at level 1 anyway.

For example, there is an introductory encounter right at the start of the first adventure that should be very easily to scale down to level 1 (it kinda doesn't matter what level you are for it), and even if for some reason something went terribly wrong with the dice, it's in a public area and the PCs could be assisted or bailed out by nearby NPCs.

Then there's (an amazing!) set piece that happens soonish after that, where you could run it as level 2, but the context (stopping saboteurs aboard a ship) makes it easy to add in friendly henchmen to make up for the PC's weakness, either from the get-go, or as a backup if things go south.

After *that*, the next major arc of the plot involves deploying the PCs to a remote location (invade an enemy-held island), and you would want them properly leveled before they go on that mission, as they are now more properly "on their own." It's symbolically nice to divvy it up that way too.

That way you're still running over half of the adventure at the prescribed level (3), but the first half lends itself well to being the "intro adventure" you were looking to run anyway.

Hope that helps! (Please note my observations are based on running the Pathfinder version of said adventure, and I'm just a fan, and not privy to how they might be changing it up for 5e, so take with a grain of salt.)