Jade Regent (Spoilers) Stupid NPC Syndrome?

[MerricB]

Is it just me, or do the villains in the Jade Regent AP suffer from Stupid NPC Syndrome?

There seems to be a lot of "we know the heir is still alive, but we're not going to hunt her down" going on. Or "we'll spend 25 years waiting for the heir despite thinking he or she is dead, but after all that if she disappears for a few months crossing the glacier she must have died".

From my review of the second adventure:
"Of particular note is this: the leader of the Five Storms in Kalsgard is aware from the very beginning of the adventure as to who the heroes are, due to a shape-shifting raven spy in the first encounter of the piece. However, once the group reaches Kalsgard, that knowledge is ignored, and the PCs must draw attention to themselves before their foes strike again. Given the leader is described as incredibly committed to her task – she’s waited at least 25 years here, even after probably destroying all the Amatatsu family in the attack on Brinewall – it seems unbelievably stupid that she’d not act on this information."

Cheers!

 

[SnowleopardVK]

The Kalsgard bit was iffy in that regard. I've ran a game past that point for one group already, and another group will probably be getting to part 2 of the adventure next session.

I ran the villain as not immediately realizing that her initial attack on the PCs via hired raiders failed. When they got into Kalsgard I had her believing they were already dead, and even when they turned out not to be I played her as overconfident, thinking smaller attacks could work at first.

Once they start causing a ruckus the notoriety system scales quickly enough that they'll quickly be facing her top assassin. The encounters coming more and more frequently as a sign of her desperation.

The third part of the adventure makes the villains' lack of involvement easier to explain, as you can just have them assume the PCs died crossing the north pole... Or rather that would be the case if not for a bit of a plothole in the 6th adventure regarding that.

Spoiler

That being that the Jade throne would supposedly recognize the villain as the new ruler if all the potential heirs died out, and that it's continued refusal to do so essentially gives them a giant "The PCs are still alive, so why are you sitting on your hands waiting for them to come to you instead of sending your strongest people after them?" beacon.

Only excuse I could think of is that Ameiko isn't in fact the final heir and that one or more of the other royal families also succeeded in getting a member or two out of the country, Ameiko just happens to be the only one trying to reclaim her position. If the players ask, the villains have turned their attention to double-checking for potential other heirs elsewhere.

 

[Azgulor]

No, it's not just you MerricB. For all the things Jade Regent gets right, NPC integration to the AP (both villains and allies) is not its strong suit.

In the unlikely event I ever run it, I would probably s-can Ameiko and make one of the PCs the heir. I'd also have the villains make better use of their Intelligence scores. If the BBEG has sent people halfway around the world to wipe out a bloodline, you're damn right its going to be a continuing onslaught once those forces realize the heir is alive and en route to the throne.

And the whole "you've got these NPC with you but YOU are center stage" rings hollow in just about every installment as well. I alternate between thinking the AP only works if they are used as PCs and that they're dead weight that'll just annoy the PCs at times ("Don't you DO anything?!")

 

[SnowleopardVK]

And the whole "you've got these NPC with you but YOU are center stage" rings hollow in just about every installment as well. I alternate between thinking the AP only works if they are used as PCs and that they're dead weight that'll just annoy the PCs at times ("Don't you DO anything?!")

I think one of the best ways to handle that is indeed to drop the four major NPCs down to 1st level and have the players play as them as pregens. Of course you'd have to find a group that's cool with that, but it could work really well.

 

[humble minion]

Have to agree about the NPC issues mentioned, but not sure if making a PC the heir is a great solution. Mostly because it basically ends the campaign if the heir PC dies, which is especially problematic since the heir character is firmly designated in the first adventure, long before the PCs will have access to resurrection magic. So unless all PCs are related, then there's not really a chance of switching the heir-hat to a backup PC in the event the first one croaks.

The AP as written handles that by having

Spoiler

Ameiko fade into the background, stay back at camp our of sight or whatever, when the PCs are doing anything particularly dangerous (like exploring Brinewall or Ravenscraeg).

PCs don't have that option.

 

[SnowleopardVK]

Have to agree about the NPC issues mentioned, but not sure if making a PC the heir is a great solution. Mostly because it basically ends the campaign if the heir PC dies, which is especially problematic since the heir character is firmly designated in the first adventure, long before the PCs will have access to resurrection magic. So unless all PCs are related, then there's not really a chance of switching the heir-hat to a backup PC in the event the first one croaks.

The AP as written handles that by having

Spoiler

Ameiko fade into the background, stay back at camp our of sight or whatever, when the PCs are doing anything particularly dangerous (like exploring Brinewall or Ravenscraeg).

PCs don't have that option.

The PCs are all heirs, in a way since

Spoiler

they get made Amatatsu scions with the right to rule if Ameiko dies.

And Ameiko only fades out for about 83% of the AP. During book 6 it's pretty much required to have her (and possibly other main NPCs) accompanying the PCs at all times, including into battle.