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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kenmarable" data-source="post: 4815031" data-attributes="member: 40359">What I believe would be the most effective Adventure Path would actually be 3 linked ones with 1 for each tier. I don't think looking at conversions are fair because they are, after all, conversions. But for an original to 4e Adventure Path, I think having 3 distinct sections to it that each have a definite beginning/middle/end, but also tie into a larger storyline would work best.On the practical side, with each tier being somewhat independent, it's very clear and easy for groups to join in and leave, which is a great selling point especially if the "in" and "out" gates are clear from the adventure summaries, and not just "And we include a sidebar explaining how to start late or end early." If a DM can read the adventure descriptions and visualize the campaign, including possible entry and exit points, that increases the likelihood of them picking it up over the promise of an unseen sidebar.Secondly, it comes down to pacing. You will have resolutions with each adventure (which probably span 2-3 levels each). And you will have resolution at the end of the entire Adventure Path. But for something that long, you really need medium-sized resolutions as well to avoid it feeling like a slog. If the only unifying story between adventures is the overall campaign, which makes most if not all of the entire heroic tier the "beginning/setup", then that will get really boring really fast. You really need the beginning/middle/end with a resolution at each tier because months of "plot setup" sounds like a lot of un-fun.However, on the flip side if each tier is unrelated, then you are missing out really building up the stakes and interest in the paragon and epic tiers. Even if they have their own resolutions, they can still build upon each other into a much larger story.The way I picture it is like those images with triangles that stack up to make larger triangles. Each adventure has it's own story cycle which in turn is a piece of a tier's story cycle which in turn is a piece of the entire campaign's story cycle. If you just jump from individual adventure to entire campaign, you will be trying to make big triangles out of little ones, and obviously failing. And if you make the medium-size ones but never bother to combine them up, you are failing just as bad.Which is why everyone who has ever worked on an Adventure Path will tell you that they are very, very hard to pull off well. The Paizo folks are just now saying they are comfortable with the format, and they are typically end at 15th-ish level after only 6 adventures.(Sorry for rambling so long, but as a writer, I've given Adventure Paths a lot of thought, especially with 4e. But like I told my wife earlier - "I seem particularly rambly today.")</blockquote>

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