Pathfinder 2E How is PF2e at higher levels?

[Velderan]

I did some research after multiple people here suggested I start with Menace Under Otari and then follow-up with a combination of Troubles in Otari with Abomination Vaults available in the background to explore and completely agree that all sounds great for my 5e table converting to PF2e. While discussing the campaign plan with my group, I mentioned the AV AP is supposed to get you to 11 so maybe adding in the other 2 bits of material will be good to get them to 12. One of the players asked how well does PF2e work past those levels, since that's typically where most 5e campaigns die out. I've heard PF2e does a better job, but could anyone point to any good published examples if we were interested in running something to 20? Preferably something with a Foundry premade option available.

Basically since I'm still learning to GM the system, I'd like to run premade stuff for the first campaign to help me learn the mechanics.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I found it worked reasonably well from a player POV when we played through Age of Ashes. My only mild complaint (and this may have compounded because we were playing hybrids) was that there were a lot of things to keep track of because you've accumulated a lot of feats by that point. But again, we were playing hybrids so we probably had at least half again what normal characters do.

Other than that, you had a nice sense of being Big Damn Heroes even though its the usual escalator, just because of some of the things you can do, without it apparently breaking anything. As a GM you'd have to get used to it being relatively easy for people to be able to do things like fly and turn invisible, but that seems intrinsic to the scope of modern style D&D derivatives, and didn't seem, as I said, to break anything.

 

[!DWolf]

I've heard PF2e does a better job, but could anyone point to any good published examples if we were interested in running something to 20? Preferably something with a Foundry premade option available.

I don’t know about Foundry integration but:
Age of Ashes, Extinction Curse, Agents of Edgewatch, Strength of Thousands, and Blood Lords are all APs that run 1-20. The later two seem to be better regarded than the first two. Additionally, Night of the Gray Death is a standalone level 16 module.

Edit: and I completely forgot the best high level AP, Fist of the Ruby Phoenix! It goes from 11-20 and was just re-released in hardback.

 

[Yaarel]

I don’t know about Foundry integration but:
Age of Ashes, Extinction Curse, Agents of Edgewatch, Strength of Thousands, and Blood Lords are all APs that run 1-20. The later two seem to be better regarded than the first two. Additionally, Night of the Gray Death is a standalone level 16 module.

Edit: and I completely forgot the best high level AP, Fist of the Ruby Phoenix! It goes from 11-20 and was just re-released in hardback.

I will look into the Strength of Thousands.

 

[Ravingdork]

I've played as high as 13th-level and we've not had any problems with high level play along the way. PF2e's math appears to be buttery smooth from beginning to end.

 

[Staffan]

I've played as high as 13th-level and we've not had any problems with high level play along the way. PF2e's math appears to be buttery smooth from beginning to end.

There are some levels where characters get notable power boosts, like level 5 where martials get increased weapon proficiency and casters get 3rd level spells, or 7 where casters get proficiency boosts. The levels immediately before these levels tend to be rough, as you're a little below where a smooth power curve would be.

 

[Thomas Shey]

There are some levels where characters get notable power boosts, like level 5 where martials get increased weapon proficiency and casters get 3rd level spells, or 7 where casters get proficiency boosts. The levels immediately before these levels tend to be rough, as you're a little below where a smooth power curve would be.

As long as they're using the traditional spell leveling for D&D, its hard to see how that could be avoided there.

 

[The-Magic-Sword]

Characters are stronger by that point if they optimize, but are still threatened by powerful creatures, it's a huge rush of power though, especially if you let them fight things that they fought at a lower level-- when Ancient Dragons are coming into play, it's really fun to fight a bunch of adult dragons all at once when earlier in the campaign just one of them was a nasty business.

 

[Steel_Wind]

As long as they're using the traditional spell leveling for D&D, its hard to see how that could be avoided there.

They aren't; not exactly. Spells run to level 10 in PF2 -- they don't stop at 9th.

 

[Thomas Shey]

They aren't; not exactly. Spells run to level 10 in PF2 -- they don't stop at 9th.

They still come in half the levels that there are character levels, which is the source of the problem; that's inevitably going to produce uneven jumps.