Recommend an adventure path

[Gundark]

I've decided that I'm at a stage of life where I cannot write adventures/campaigns anymore (too much going on in my life). I've decided to run APs from now on. I'm planning a D&D essentials game and I'm shopping for adventure paths. Now I don't mind converting... so any system as long as it's fantasy based it cool.

What is the AP that you would recommend and more importantly why?

BTW I have played through/ran some already (Curse of the crimson throne and the Age of Worms.)

 

[Tharian]

Are you looking to adapt from any system? Is there a flavor you'd like to have in the AP?

 

[OnlineDM]

I'm currently running War of the Burning Sky and enjoying it. There's a ton of depth involved in the story and plenty of places for you to make it your own. The story is quite complex and the world is alive. The adventure path itself is a little railroady, but there's built-in choice for the PCs once you get to the second adventure (although I think most parties will choose the obviously heroic route). I haven't gone beyond the second adventure yet, but I like what I've seen so far.

If you do run it, as with any published material, I highly recommend customizing to your heart's content. I like to use the published material as a framework on which to hang my own ideas, and the most fun I've had has been when I've gone in my own direction inspired by the published stuff. I think that's probably true for any published campaign, but it's important to remember that as a GM (and I'm a pretty new GM, so it was a discovery for me).

 

[Cor_Malek]

Well if you'd ask majority of EnWorlders this question, there's a rather definite answer: Kingmaker.

I actually ignored it for a long time, just because I prefer less epic adventures (and I thought that's what it was, what with being kings and all). But the sheer number of times people mentioned it as a great AP... I only have to finally find it somewhere where it's available and not wrapped (as player guide available at Paizo really didn't give me much hints as to what it really looks like(a good thing, all things considered ;-) )).
So as for my answer for why this one:
- it's 1st part won Ennie award for best adventure
- it makes a person who doesn't buy their adventures (and in rare occasions he does - it's it's a different flavour and a short) - crave the thing.
- It introduces tons of new mechanics, like exploration (that's the part that got me most interested), but also country/town management.

 

[Gundark]

Are you looking to adapt from any system? Is there a flavor you'd like to have in the AP?

I could adapt from any setting or system. Right now I'm just looking for a good AP.

 

[Mark CMG]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/154448-free-adventure-path.html

 

[Cor_Malek]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/154448-free-adventure-path.html

Neat thread! Alas, I have to spread XP a bit.

(So if someone could cover me?)

BTW, I see that you want to use this for 4e, whereas I really don't know how exactly the new mechanisms in Kingmaker work. So maybe someone who has it, could help both of us:
Could you give a short description of how they look like? Are they system-interchangeable (maybe more like a subsystem/minigame), or rather specific? I've heard about the exploration, and management parts - are there more?

 

[delericho]

If I'm being honest, I don't recommend converting an AP from one system to another. The work required in the adaptation seems to negate the "quick and easy" advantages of using the AP in the first place. So, if I'm using an AP, I would always choose to run it in its 'native' system.

However, the only 4e AP I've heard good things about is "War of the Burning Sky". Both "Scales of War" and the HPE1-3 path seem to be regarded quite poorly (and I was very disappointed with P1, the only one I have actual experience with).

If you are willing to do the conversion, then I can recommend many of the Paizo APs. Personally, I consider "Curse of the Crimson Throne" and "Kingmaker" to be their best work, although the current path is certainly showing promise. (I also ran "Shackled City" from start to finish, which was an excellent campaign. However, I do feel it has since been bettered.)

"Kingmaker" really is excellent.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

War Of the Burning Sky is excellent, and has the potential for tons of freeform after the second module...

However, it is also what I would call a module set for an experienced GM. Activity in moodule #1 connect to consequences in Module #12.
Fortunately, the WoBS forum here is active and you can often get help from the module authors.

Another plus is that it comes free with an EnWorld subscription in both 3.5 and 4e versions!!

Sent from my SPH-M900 using Tapatalk

 

[IronWolf]

As long as you don't mind converting I would definitely take a look at any number of the Paizo Adventure Paths. Several excellent ones. Decide whether you want a more linear adventure or something more of a sandbox will help narrow the choices down. Once you decide then you can head to the Paizo forums and see if a thread already exists for converting to 4e.

Our group has just started Kingmaker and having a good time. I think it will be a fun campaign. I've heard good things about the other APs as well. Legacy of Fire's first installment reads well too, but I have not seen the later ones in that series.