Pathfinder 2 – Thassilonian Resurgence Design
What I have Learnt with the Conversions for the Campaign
Lessons Learned
Here is a lessons learnt update on what I have learnt.
What have I learnt while putting this game together:
- The first thing I have picked up from setting this up for a campaign is masterwork items is no longer a thing, and the items with expert, master and legendary quality from the playtest also dropped. This is not a bad thing, but it does mean you need to look to different materials to make the switch for masterwork items in a conversion.
- Creating NPCs is a lot of fun, not as much as a struggle as it was for higher levels in 1st edition without some tool you hoped got it right. I have adapted a couple of monsters to convert over the we be goblins 2 module farmhouse encounter, and it has allowed my players to learn various rules and changes to the system while I take time to set up this campaign.
- Making an annotated stat block to help with GM management and teaching players how to play the game was a useful exercise and will become one of my standard tools for maintaining characters. Though this does not stop players from wanting to change it or do their own thing. I don’t mind if they do, but it does not count for my game management. For example – use of images or symbol in the annotated stat block will frustrate and annoy me because it can no longer be cut and pasted where I need it.
- The scope of the campaign is larger than I had intended from the start and this campaign may actually go longer than any of my other pathfinder games, with the longest to date being Kingmaker at over three years.
- Making the in game pathfinder society a big part of the ongoing narrative will be challenging but worthwhile. I have taken it back to where it all started, and will take into account the ten years of changes. It might not turn out the same, but that is the fun of running and building a story based on what the players do in game. It is a vibrant and growing community that has many stories to tell.
- Two groups using the same setting should provide some overlap, but they will never meet in game but could influence the other groups storyline.
- The intention to record every session and post it to my YouTube channel will provide some level of accountability and allow those who miss a game to catch up. Players can also relive the session at a later stage.
Adding Modules to the Campaign
Why add the modules to the mix – I have been working on this now for a few months in preparation for release, then it was released, and now I have the books. The modules that have been released from the 1st edition has a lot of interesting storylines that will help improve the overall storyline. Plus having bought the modules and not used them its a good chance to test out converting from 1st edition to 2nd edition.
Each of the modules introduces a story which helps fill out the tale of the region, just as “the seven sword of sin” and I believe will make the overall storyline better.
On Converting and Playtest Material
Because of what characters and classes exist in my Jade Regent game, I will bring in the playtest material into my game for players to be able to use so I can reduce the amount of systems I am adjudicating each week. I am looking forward to the simplification of pathfinder 2 on both running the games, and maintaining them. Even if it will require more game prep between sessions. And writing about the campaign as it runs will also be an interesting ongoing discussion.
The material has been enjoyable to work on, and it has helped me formulate a process for converting all future work, including building up a base of NPCs for the campaign, which will all be detailed in the Game Master guide for the adventure path.
I have converted over three of the existing classes, the Samurai, the Summoner and a partial conversion of the Witch (I will complete this one next month depending on how Pazio’s playtest turns out). These were kept in the same themes of the existing classes, using focus and trying to limit abilities to the new rules constraints.
Notes: I have abandoned further development on the witch as I like how Paizo’s version turned out for the playtest and it will cover what I need for the game at this stage.
As part of converting my Jade Regent Adventure Path campaign over mid book 3 I have started converting over the special items found in that campaign.
While converting the items, I first needed to put together a list of how to create a magical item in the first place so I knew what was needed to build it and what power levels to aim to place it.
Converting on the Fly
With running six games a fortnight I could spend all my free time doing conversions or developing a system to convert on the fly without a need to map it all out ahead of time.
Here are the basic principles that I apply when setting numbers:
- PF1 HD sets the base number
- Depending on the first number then I add 2 for trained, 4 for expert, 6 for master or 8 for legendary
- This number is added to 10 to represent the Base DC of action or used by itself to represent the attack of the creature.
- If it seems low, I might add values from their attributes, but this little cheat sheet has helped me wing games from 1st level up to 10th level with it working well so far.
- I intend to put together a list of abilities to pull out when I need to so creatures can have appropriate actions and not the variables and how to calculate them quickly.
Concluding Thoughts
With the campaign launching this week, I am excited to see what happens, with little bits of information provided to players, we will see how the first session goes, and hope that we can continue with the storyline as we progress.
As a starting point all characters have been asked to prioritise writing implements and something to write in. And for players to take notes.
Converting on the fly with a rules-lawyer in the group can cause a lot of issues, I had one in my group who kept trying to make all the rules decisions and be the authority on the game, this caused me a lot of grief as they would interrupt game play, throw a tantrum when they was not taken as the source of rules as a player and become very disruptive. Though the player also suffered from GM’itis which is the illness of a player trying to run the game from the players seat to the detriment of the other players and the games master. Not as easy to solve as just a rules lawyer because they also try to be the source of the setting lore as well. So definitely a cautionary tale.
Content Updates
- 2021-07-30 – Updated layout and links, with some content updates.
- 2020-06-15 – Added a section on Converting on the Fly.
- 2020-03-24 – Structure.
- 2020-03-09 – Structure update with more info added to conversions.
TRAP Design
Creating a New Campaign:
Part 1 (The Concept),
Part 2 (Main Cities and Guide),
Part 3 (The Adventure Path),
Part 4 (House Rules),
Part 5 (Thassilonia),
Part 6 (Factions and Characters),
Part 7 (Pathfinder Factions),
Part 8 (Learning from Conversion),
Part 9 (Half-Breed),
Part 10 (Using Renown),
Part 11 (Gaining Renown and Fame),
Part 12 (Location Feats),
Part 13 (Adventures),
Part 14 (Faction Points)
Part 15 (Update AR 4709)
Pathfinder 2E
PF2 Menu: Adventures, Classes, Factions, Feats, Items, Races, Rules Updates
Game Management: Annotated Stat Block, Character Creation, Choosing a New Campaign, GM’s Luck Roll, Playtest Thoughts, Running Games over Skype, Tracking Experience
Class Build: Minion (Mitflit), Barbarian (Nexa Shoanti Half-Orc), Bard (Quest – Goblin), Cleric (Pimwinkle – Halfling, , Krol – Elf Half-Gnome), Druid (Barak – Dwarf, Cangacerio – Human Half-Elf), Fighter (Kordar – Elf Half-Human, Zed – Human), Monk (Willy – Human), Oracle (Luna – Shoanti), Ranger (Duzhar – Orc Half-Human), Rogue (Sparky – Dwarf), Sorcerer (Belath – Cheliax), Wizard (Parry – Elf Half-Dwarf)
Discussing the Rules: Animal Companions, Archetypes, Companions, Crafting PF2 Items, Feats, Minions, Playing the Game, Shapechanging, Summoning
Game Modes: Encounter, Exploration, Downtime
Feats: Background, General & Skill, Location
PF1 Conversions to Pathfinder 2: Adventures, Classes, Items, Faction
References: Creatures, Equipment, Items, NPCs, Spells
Thassilonian Resurgence Adventure Path (TRAP) Campaign
Design, Campaign, Campaign Journal, Runelords
Jade Regent Adventure Path (JRAP) Campaign
Personalities, Campaign Journal, Region – Minkai, Prophecy – The Broken One, Characters – Social Feats
Library of Books
B5, d20 System, Pathfinder, SW
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