Strange Aeons Adventure Path
delericho
Legend
5 out of 5 rating for Strange Aeons Adventure Path
I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure path, perhaps for the simple reason that it offered something new - by this stage Paizo have the AP format down to a fine art, but that comes with the consequence that a lot of the paths start to feel very similar. This one gave me something I hadn't seen before, at least from Paizo, and pulled it off very well. I particularly enjoyed the last adventure - where so often the climax seems to fall flat, this one held my attention... possibly simply due to the setting chosen.
In terms of format and presentation, this path is basically the same as all the others: 6 100-page softcover books each presenting one of the adventures, and then including supplemental material (new monsters, gazeteers of various areas, etc). And, as always, Paizo have done a very polished job on these paths.
In terms of value for money, I would recommend a Paizo AP if, and only if, you intend to actually run it. While they provide a lot of supplemental material, and while there are things here that you can strip out and repurpose for other things, the truth is that if you're not planning to run the path then your money is probably spent elsewhere.
On the other hand, if you are planning to run the path, this should provide between 12 and 18 months of solid campaign play, so is well worth it.
The upshot: I enjoyed this path considerably more than either the ones before or after it, so am happy to recommend it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure path, perhaps for the simple reason that it offered something new - by this stage Paizo have the AP format down to a fine art, but that comes with the consequence that a lot of the paths start to feel very similar. This one gave me something I hadn't seen before, at least from Paizo, and pulled it off very well. I particularly enjoyed the last adventure - where so often the climax seems to fall flat, this one held my attention... possibly simply due to the setting chosen.
In terms of format and presentation, this path is basically the same as all the others: 6 100-page softcover books each presenting one of the adventures, and then including supplemental material (new monsters, gazeteers of various areas, etc). And, as always, Paizo have done a very polished job on these paths.
In terms of value for money, I would recommend a Paizo AP if, and only if, you intend to actually run it. While they provide a lot of supplemental material, and while there are things here that you can strip out and repurpose for other things, the truth is that if you're not planning to run the path then your money is probably spent elsewhere.
On the other hand, if you are planning to run the path, this should provide between 12 and 18 months of solid campaign play, so is well worth it.
The upshot: I enjoyed this path considerably more than either the ones before or after it, so am happy to recommend it.
Enrico Poli1
Adventurer
5 out of 5 rating for Strange Aeons Adventure Path
Paizo used Lovecraftian elements since the beginning (RotRL), but this is the first time we have an experience in which Pathfinder and Cthulhu merge in something... different.
I'm not a Lovecraft guy but I was amazed by the atmosphere created by the creepy, disturbing, wonderful art, and by the plot twists. The overarching story is excellent, with two memorable steps: the Dreamlands in the third chapter and the Paris segment of the sixth installment.
I was also amazed by the fact that this AP could potentially be played by heroes not belonging to the Middle Ages, but coming from the XIX century... that blew my mind, because Paizo opened new doors showing that their rule system was now ready to describe non-Medieval settings.
This is, without a doubt, one of the GREAT Paizo Adventure Paths.
Paizo used Lovecraftian elements since the beginning (RotRL), but this is the first time we have an experience in which Pathfinder and Cthulhu merge in something... different.
I'm not a Lovecraft guy but I was amazed by the atmosphere created by the creepy, disturbing, wonderful art, and by the plot twists. The overarching story is excellent, with two memorable steps: the Dreamlands in the third chapter and the Paris segment of the sixth installment.
I was also amazed by the fact that this AP could potentially be played by heroes not belonging to the Middle Ages, but coming from the XIX century... that blew my mind, because Paizo opened new doors showing that their rule system was now ready to describe non-Medieval settings.
This is, without a doubt, one of the GREAT Paizo Adventure Paths.
Starfox
Hero
3 out of 5 rating for Strange Aeons Adventure Path
The cthulhu-esqe adventure path. Cosmic horror is the theme. It has lots of nice scenes, and allows a much more direct confrontation with the Mythos than a Call of Cthulhu game does, because the PCs are heroes that can actually fight these horrors. I have my doubts about this concept of an adventure. A big part of Call of Cthulhu is that you have to go slow and careful as the setting is so deadly. While this has some of that, in Pathfinder this comes across as gotcha moments, as Pathfinder doesn't normally do this kind of encounters.
This is also a very trippy adventure path, where much of the action takes place in unreal places such as the dreamlands. It might be nice for psychic casters, except that these unreal places are not mindscapes, so all your special abilities won't work. At higher level, you actually physically travel to these places, which is both amazing and scary.
My favorite part is about the slave markets of Katapesh, but that is also the part that has the least to do with the overall Mythos theme.
The cthulhu-esqe adventure path. Cosmic horror is the theme. It has lots of nice scenes, and allows a much more direct confrontation with the Mythos than a Call of Cthulhu game does, because the PCs are heroes that can actually fight these horrors. I have my doubts about this concept of an adventure. A big part of Call of Cthulhu is that you have to go slow and careful as the setting is so deadly. While this has some of that, in Pathfinder this comes across as gotcha moments, as Pathfinder doesn't normally do this kind of encounters.
This is also a very trippy adventure path, where much of the action takes place in unreal places such as the dreamlands. It might be nice for psychic casters, except that these unreal places are not mindscapes, so all your special abilities won't work. At higher level, you actually physically travel to these places, which is both amazing and scary.
My favorite part is about the slave markets of Katapesh, but that is also the part that has the least to do with the overall Mythos theme.
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