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NOW LIVE! -- One-Page Adventures for D&D 5th Edition on Kickstarter! A booklet of colourful one-page adventures for D&D 5th Edition ranging from levels 1-9 and designed for a single session of play.
Road to Revolution by 0one games
- Thread starter Sordath
- Start date
roguerouge
First Post
I've read the first two and seen some reviews at the Paizo site. Seems like it's a good little urban adventure path. I recommend.
Aberzanzorax
First Post
It is, all of it, very, very good.
To be fair and honest, I've read them and not played/dm'ed them.
However, I'm usually pretty spot on for dming and reading and my assessments for what my players will like and won't has been good so far.
I have the first two adventures and "the bloody fix" which is by 0one, but not part of the adventure path.
I'm planning to buy (this month, and sight unseen, but based upon the quality of what I've seen so far) the Great City setting and the rest of the AP stuff.
It's not just "the best of what is out there for 3e right now". It's among the best I've seen for 3e ever, and I'm a rabid fan.
I'd put it/them up there with the Necromancer Games adventures (some of my favorites) as well as a few gems from Monkeygod and Hogshead.
To give an even clearer picture, I've been buying 3e stuff for the past year, plus (since 4e was announced and 3e stuff got cheap). The only products I've been truly excited about are these, Wolfgang Baur's Open Design Products, the War of the Burning Sky Compilation, Razor Coast (date of release to be determined), and the latest Pathfinder AP. Everything else has been good enough to buy, but not scintillating in my opinion.
My advice: buy a pdf of one of them to figure out if it is something you like. If so, buy the rest.
A warning: some of the very earliest materials are not the most well edited in terms of grammar, as the editor (?) is italian and translated from english to italian to english again...resulting in some peculiar grammar in a few places. This is irritating only to english majors and editors, and I find it excusable now that I know why it is so. This is not the case for later products (like the adventure path).
I hope you check it out and enjoy it as much as I (clearly) do!
To be fair and honest, I've read them and not played/dm'ed them.
However, I'm usually pretty spot on for dming and reading and my assessments for what my players will like and won't has been good so far.
I have the first two adventures and "the bloody fix" which is by 0one, but not part of the adventure path.
I'm planning to buy (this month, and sight unseen, but based upon the quality of what I've seen so far) the Great City setting and the rest of the AP stuff.
It's not just "the best of what is out there for 3e right now". It's among the best I've seen for 3e ever, and I'm a rabid fan.
I'd put it/them up there with the Necromancer Games adventures (some of my favorites) as well as a few gems from Monkeygod and Hogshead.
To give an even clearer picture, I've been buying 3e stuff for the past year, plus (since 4e was announced and 3e stuff got cheap). The only products I've been truly excited about are these, Wolfgang Baur's Open Design Products, the War of the Burning Sky Compilation, Razor Coast (date of release to be determined), and the latest Pathfinder AP. Everything else has been good enough to buy, but not scintillating in my opinion.
My advice: buy a pdf of one of them to figure out if it is something you like. If so, buy the rest.
A warning: some of the very earliest materials are not the most well edited in terms of grammar, as the editor (?) is italian and translated from english to italian to english again...resulting in some peculiar grammar in a few places. This is irritating only to english majors and editors, and I find it excusable now that I know why it is so. This is not the case for later products (like the adventure path).
I hope you check it out and enjoy it as much as I (clearly) do!
kitsune9
First Post
I haven't read their material, but I've bought dozens of their maps and find them awesome. My next campaign will have spotlight their Under the Mountain as side adventure stuff.
knihi
First Post
Hey all,
My name's Lou, and I'm one of the author's on the Great City Campaign Setting and Urban Adventure's AP (Bloody Fix and Puncture the Blackened Vein -- it's Pound of Flesh by Tim Hitchcock that is not part of the AP). So, obviously, I'm biased, but if I can answer any questions, I'd be happy to do so.
Fire away!
- Lou Agresta
My name's Lou, and I'm one of the author's on the Great City Campaign Setting and Urban Adventure's AP (Bloody Fix and Puncture the Blackened Vein -- it's Pound of Flesh by Tim Hitchcock that is not part of the AP). So, obviously, I'm biased, but if I can answer any questions, I'd be happy to do so.
Fire away!
- Lou Agresta
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jdrakeh
Adventurer
I've not read the AP, but the Great City setting and corresponding blueprints will play a large role in my S&W campaign. It's one of the better city settings that I've seen for a long time. I was holding out for the Rolemaster version, but that appears to have petered out.
knihi
First Post
Yeah, it's tough GlassJaw. You'd have to read the short on the back of each to piece it together. Here's what I think are some key points that might help you decide if its for you.
The GCCS is specifically written as a plug in city, so the surrounding areas (other than water to the left and mountains with monsters to the right and dungeons under the mountain) are deliberately vague. The key part of the city is that its been conquered by an overseas empire -- twice. The last time was 30 years ago, and resentments simmer, but are not presently aboil. The conquerors themselves are divided and playing factional politics. It's kind of a law-practical-serious-people conquer a chaotic-lively-deep rooted people sort of thing. Then there are the peoples left behind by the first occupation who did what they needed to survive. The Emperor's son rules, and he's a jacka$$. Nothing is in the open, but everything teeters on an edge. This is so (1) there's always lots of action and passion, the PCs can interact with and stances to either adopt or dispute and (2) the PCs get to decide which direction -- or none -- the whole thing topples.
And that's what the AP focuses on. A revolution in the Great city by one of multiple factions -- or no revolution. The AP was specifically written to allow the PCs to be the deciding factor in the Great City's ultimate fate. The PCs can be evil, good, aligned with the conquerors, aligned with the conquered, aligned with a faction of either conquerors or conquered -- or totally out for themselves. They could save the day for the current rulers, wind up running the entire city themselves, or burn the whole shebang to the ground. That made the AP a little tricky to write, but I think we pulled it off. Hitchcock kept his mad-genius eye on it!
Flavor-wise, we let a bit of the Renaissance creep in. While there are no flintlocks or such in the Great City, it wouldn't be out of the pale for you to introduce them if that's your thang. As written its core is solid sword-fantasy, but we did tap some post-mideaval historical analogs as inspiration when exploring the conquered people and revolution themes.
Ok. Lots of words. Author will shut up now. Does that help?
Hey All,
I know is hard to get an idea of the story, I will try to put up more information soon. In the meantime I will let Lou to enlight you (Lou, please...
I'm really glad you all like this adventure path, it was a great production effort from 0one and a team among the best authors and artists in the business, led by Tim Hitchock. We tried to do something fresh and easily usable in any campaign and I think we did it. To get an idea of the setting you can download a whole free chapter from The Great City Campaign Setting here Castle Ward.
Also, the adventure path is supported by many products; mainly maps (one of them was just nominated to ENNIE AWARDS 2009), but even sourcebooks like the Blueprints Backdrops. You can find a whole list here: Great City Products. The last adventure, The Sundered Legion is due next week. We plan also to continue to support the Urban Adventures line and will announce a new product very soon.
A word about editing:
Editing was a major issue of many of our products since, as someone correctly guessed, we are an Italian company. We do not, however, translate anything in italian. Our authors (with the exception of some adventures written by myself years ago) are US people. We have now many eyes proofreading and editing the adventures and sourcebook we produce and we hope to do even a better work in the future.
I know is hard to get an idea of the story, I will try to put up more information soon. In the meantime I will let Lou to enlight you (Lou, please...
I'm really glad you all like this adventure path, it was a great production effort from 0one and a team among the best authors and artists in the business, led by Tim Hitchock. We tried to do something fresh and easily usable in any campaign and I think we did it. To get an idea of the setting you can download a whole free chapter from The Great City Campaign Setting here Castle Ward.
Also, the adventure path is supported by many products; mainly maps (one of them was just nominated to ENNIE AWARDS 2009), but even sourcebooks like the Blueprints Backdrops. You can find a whole list here: Great City Products. The last adventure, The Sundered Legion is due next week. We plan also to continue to support the Urban Adventures line and will announce a new product very soon.
A word about editing:
Editing was a major issue of many of our products since, as someone correctly guessed, we are an Italian company. We do not, however, translate anything in italian. Our authors (with the exception of some adventures written by myself years ago) are US people. We have now many eyes proofreading and editing the adventures and sourcebook we produce and we hope to do even a better work in the future.
GlassJaw
Hero
Good stuff Lou. Thanks for replying to the thread.
Couple of other questions:
What types of enemies do the PC's face during the course of the AP? Is it mainly a human-centric campaign?
What is the distribution between combat, investigation, and role-playing in the AP?
How "magical" is the city? I know that the setting uses 3.5 as the base ruleset but is it assumed that there are "Ye Olde Magic Shops" on every corner?
knihi
First Post
No sweat. Ok, enemies vary by issue of the AP. Many are humanocentric, while others are heavkier with monsters. Overall, I'd say its about 60% humanocentric, except everyone who appears human, isn't always; some of the biggest bad guys aren't even remotely humanoid; there are always at least a few monster encounters, and there are brand new monsters in nearly every issue. Even when the encounters are humanocentric they tend to be original and, well...flavorful. Ever wanted to chop a mime down into bloody bits? Well now you can. I kid you not. Also, evil corrupted pantaloon and top-hat wearing shirtless quasi-undead pimp/murders with razors. I continue to kid you not. One of my fave encounters to write was against animated hookahs. Not that its whacky or Monty Hall, not at all. It's serious, but out-of-the-box, fantasy, and we've got Tendruls and Rat People and Hypnosimians (new monster) too.
For the whole AP, I think combat, investigation and RP are about 40%, 30% and 30%. But it varies by issue. For example, Bloody Fix is about 35/35/30, whereas Puncture is more like 55/20/25. It strikes a pretty solid balance as a whole path, though.
Hmmm. Definitely not "Ye Old Magic Shoppe" on every corner. Its not Realms, by a long shot. Nor is it low magic, not that either. Magic is reasonably common, but not everyone has it, and when they do its usually strong but not overwhelming. The divine is real, but doesn't walk the streets all the time. Magic informs the City, but the Great City isn't made from it. Everyone knows about magic, but there are plenty lives that remain flat out mundane -- until they do not. The potency of magic tends to be up front and personal -- and all the more real for it -- not utterly epic.
Does that help? I don't mean to be vague. But 'balance' is the answer to most of your questions.
GlassJaw
Hero
Great stuff Lou. Much appreciated.
I just read some of the reviews at Paizo and I'm very impressed. I'll definitely be picking up a few things. If I like what I see, it will be on the short list of things I'll run when I take up the DM reins for my group.
What are the future plans for the line?
Any plans to sell the The Great City Blueprints as a complete package?
Anyway, congrats and good luck on the line. Detailed cities have always been one of my favorite types of RPG products, only because it's so hard to pull off well (and run an urban campaign).
I just read some of the reviews at Paizo and I'm very impressed. I'll definitely be picking up a few things. If I like what I see, it will be on the short list of things I'll run when I take up the DM reins for my group.
What are the future plans for the line?
Any plans to sell the The Great City Blueprints as a complete package?
Anyway, congrats and good luck on the line. Detailed cities have always been one of my favorite types of RPG products, only because it's so hard to pull off well (and run an urban campaign).
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knihi
First Post
Thanks for your kind words, GlassJaw. I know there is another, player oriented book in the works, but Mario will have to speak to the future of the line, blueprints, etc. I'm just a lowly writer! I hope you enjoy.
- Lou
PS If you've got the inclination, I'd love to hear about how your group fares playing The Bloody Fix and/or the Punctured Vein. If you've not the inclincation, thats cool too. Later!
I hope you enjoy. - Lou
PS If you've got the inclination, I'd love to hear about how your group fares playing The Bloody Fix and/or the Punctured Vein. If you've not the inclincation, thats cool too. Later!
Thanks Lou for your posts here.
The Urban Adventures/Great City line will continue to get full support. Next product will be announced shortly, so stay tuned.
The complete adventure will be sold in bundle in future (I can't say when, however), and we are also considering to make a "collector/deluxe edition" featuring artwork book, unpublished material and maps.