Pathfinder 2E Handbook of Hazards – Gauging Interest

[!DWolf]

So I use a lot of hazards in my games and have been thinking about publishing a book like the bestiary but for hazards. I wrote a couple of rough drafts, but couldn't really get the concept to work until I was listening to a youtuber rant about how he hates PF2e because each character has an optimal action they are forced to take and I realized I didn't want to write a book that indexed hazards, I wanted to write a book that gave examples of dynamic encounters using hazards. So I created a mock-up with a couple of encounters (not finished!) I plan to use in an upcoming game and it really came together. But before I continue I figured I would ask if people are interested in something like this? My current plan is a bunch of themed books (dungeons, jungle, desert, etc.) with around ten encounters each and a brief intro on encounter design and customization at the beginning.

Note: the attached file is just a mock-up - the art and maps aren’t finalized and the encounters aren’t finished.

Edit: finished book is below!

 

[Justice and Rule]

Oh God, that video. I didn't really agree with it, but boy howdy has the reaction to it been just as annoying.

I think it's a cool idea! It's easy to pull out pre-made stuff, but it can also become a crutch in encounter and dungeon design: rather than learning how to do it, you just insert and let it go, which can leave you underprepared to actually make need one. As someone who isn't great at trap design, I'd love to see what you put into it.

You're pre-made stuff, though, is hilariously great. The second one is definitely something I'm going to use.

 

[Philip Benz]

Grimtooth's Nephew, at work!
Great stuff.

 

[!DWolf]

I’m so excited that there’s interest! So excited I already have most of the book drafted (and an outline on the next one which is about hazards in boss battles - sleep? Who needs sleep?) and hopefully I can finish everything short of the final art in the next week or so.

 

[!DWolf]

I have been running the pregens through my death traps to check their sanity and have managed to get through 7 out of 10 of them, killing a lot of pregens on the way (the ending of the tar trap was a real tearjerker: Jirelle, burning to death, had grabbed the fallen Harsk’s crossbow and was desperately firing to try and stop a living wildfire from advancing on the prone Seoni who had one hp left. She hit - but the wildfire lived with a single hp. Her last sight was of the wildfire coup de gracing Seoni) . So in honor of their sacrifice and the holidays I figured I would post another draft along with one of my favorite hazards: roped together - a hazard PCs inflict on themselves!

 

[!DWolf]

It took a while but I “finished” the first book. I still want to clean up the scrollwork and I’m sure there is a billion typos still, and it can use 20 or so more playthrus, and I’m not happy with the back cover, and there are no page numbers... but I could spend years getting it perfect. It’s gotten to the point where editing is giving me panic attacks. So here it is - hopefully I at least got rid of any crippling flaws. I’m also going to put it up on drivethru for pay what you want as soon as I stop panicking.

 

[Justice and Rule]

It took a while but I “finished” the first book. I still want to clean up the scrollwork and I’m sure there is a billion typos still, and it can use 20 or so more playthrus, and I’m not happy with the back cover, and there are no page numbers... but I could spend years getting it perfect. It’s gotten to the point where editing is giving me panic attacks. So here it is - hopefully I at least got rid of any crippling flaws. I’m also going to put it up on drivethru for pay what you want as soon as I stop panicking.

Beautiful work! Going to keep these in my back pocket for some vicious little surprises. Still love that doll one...

 

[qbalrog]

I've been hoping for such a book. It would be assume. You can also consider another book or a chapter in the same on chases and the like.

 

[!DWolf]

Beautiful work! Going to keep these in my back pocket for some vicious little surprises. Still love that doll one...

Thanks! I played a variant of the doll encounter four weeks ago with my jungle game. It was a lot of fun but was overshadowed by the Blood Pool later in the session which was fantastically brutal.

 

[!DWolf]

I've been hoping for such a book. It would be assume. You can also consider another book or a chapter in the same on chases and the like.

I currently only have a couple chases made: running from cannibals in a jungle, chasing a Parthian style archer on horseback, chasing a fleeing assassin through a riot, and a river escape from hostile tribesmen. So my next book is going to focus on boss battles integrating hazards (which I have a lot of).

Currently the lineup is: a ghoul witch with a magic cauldron, a solo street-fight that turns into an assassination attempt, stopping the completion of an undead siege engine, fighting a green dragon in a forest filled with spiders, elf brothers in a forest (may be too complicated for the book), a warlord who impales opponents on spikes, and an undead spell caster empowered by statues to the four horsemen.

Some potential encounters I am considering for inclusion are: the marionette spider; the certified ballista operator; the ancient owlbear; roc on the mountain; bog mummies plus wisp plus black dragon plus bigger black dragon multistage fight; and a variation on the nightmare rook.

Since I’m still deciding what to include: If anyone wants to see my take on a boss battle they want to run (with hazards), post the basics and I can try to do a build of it to post here (and maybe include in the book).