"Reflections on a Solo Pathfinder Campaign" Topic

Guys thanks for reading the campaign notes and give me encouragement to keep going.

It takes a while to play each session and get all the graphics in order. The reality is that each session probably represents about a week in time of me getting bits and bobs done in between work so even though I posted the campaign over about a week it probably took me about 2 months to plays it.

Pretty slow I know but I've enjoyed teaching myself how to use program's like Photoshop along the way and that that takes a bit of time. Ironically the longest posts, ie the fight scenes, are relatively quick to do (once the dungeon scene is set up).

I had some good feedback along the way on various things like Aid Another and use of a Tower Shield and using more buff spells to make the party more effective in the fight (thanks Mardaddy – hahaha I just realised what your tag pronounces like).

I think the biggest observation was that I didn't talk to the monsters at all (thanks PMC317) and then after reading Weasel's posts I realised that I didn't have something as simple as a monster reaction table. Doh! I'd spent all that time on thinking through diplomacy checks and morale rules but didn't think of anything as basic as a monster reaction table.

Anyways, anymore feedback would be appreciated.

I'll have to start to work out what the next campaign party could look like.

DEW

Ohh yeah before I forget, Mardaddy, I just ran the number of monsters as per in the Keep on the Borderlands module.

Man Gary really wasn't a lenient DM when he wrote that module and yup there are some really deadly encounters in the caves.

But to me that's part of the challenge. :^)

Well, DEW, you got me off my duff to dive into solo, so here's to you.

Lenient? TOMB OF HORRORS anyone?

I did a rudimentary reaction table for my random encounters, basically four weighted:

01-10 = Hostile, plus you are expected, they are baiting you in and have an additional pit trap prepared (Perception DC13)
11-50 = Unfriendly (could change to Neutral w/Diplomacy check.)
51-90 = Hostile – fight on.
91-100 = Friendly disposition.

You'd want to do something more detailed for planned encounters, maybe even taking the possibility of modifiers based on previous results (like if the Orc's know you killed other tribe members, there would be negatives, or if they knew you were friendly to the tribe before, positive modifiers.)

DEW,
I really enjoyed reading your campaign reports. Makes me want to look into the
Pathfinder rules. Hadn't been familiar with them before. Thanks, Tom

I broke out my Rise of the Runelords card game last night and reorganized the cards (my wife dropped the box some time ago and re-shelved it sideways! SIDEWAYS!!)

Am going to start a scenario tonight.

I liked your in-depth battle commentary a lot.

If they don't take too long to do, I'd love to see more of those.

Pathfinder is a pretty "crunchy" game with a lot going on tactically, so its interesting to see that kind of stuff, I think.

You are an inspiration for solo gaming. I have read almost all of your posts and I am inspired.

I just want to add that I have also been really inspired by your posts, although I did feel for poor Asmodeus at the end!

I am going to try this adventure myself, but am putting together a party with only some hirelings! I will be including a mage with the grease spell, and archers to provide more tactical options. Does pathfinder have the flanking rules as in 3.5E D&D?

Good luck with the next trip to the Keep on the Borderlands!

So, here is my party, in which your hero is reborn in the Eberron campaign setting for 3.5E D&D.

Asmodeus, Lvl 1 LE Human Cleric of Vol
Valerian, his twin brother, Lvl 1 LE Human Fighter,
Servant of Vol
Malandir, Lvl 1 LE Elven Mage
Surefoot, Lvl 1 NE Longstride Shifter Rogue, brother of ….
Swiftaim, Lvl 1 NE Longstride Shifter Ranger

Temple of Vol hirelings:

Gaius, Lvl 0 LE Human. Studded leather and halberd
Marcus, Lvl 0 LE Human. Studded leather and halberd
Quintus, Lvl LE Human. Shortbow and dagger
Sextus, Lvl LE Human. Shortbow and dagger

A heavy party, however casualties are expected ….

In PF, flanking applies a +2 bonus in melee to hit for each "aggressor" on exact opposing grids of an enemy.

There are Feats and Feat-chains that make it possible to enhance either where you can be to gain the flank bonus (not exact-opposing grid), or enhance what you can do while flanking.

Hi guys.

Sorry real life got in the way there for a few days

Thanks Mardaddy I've been reading your Rise of the Rune Lords card game. Pretty intrigued by it. I'll have to check it out.

Hi Tom. Mate Pathfinder isn't necessarily for everyone. Like a lot of us I started on D&D Basic back in the 80's and I really only got back into D&D over the last few years. When I did I started off with Basic again but then one of my mates got me into Pathfinder. Now I just like it because of the character generation rules but Basic (or one it's modern derivatives) is just as good – as evidenced by Weasels post. In fact, in a lot of ways Basic is easier for solo play I think.

Weasel – thanks for the comments on the battle reports. I wasn't too sure if people thought they might be a bit long going through a blow by blow process but because I travel a lot these days I cannot take miniatures with me any more so I just kinda developed some graphics skills over the past little while and now I play it through that way. Yep it does take a while but really that's in setting up the room. Once set up, the game itself is pretty quick and anyway I don't watch TV anymore really so I don't mind it taking a while. It can, in fact build up tension as the game goes fairly slow (about one session a week). That slowish pace enables me to build a rapport with the characters, which I enjoy because when they are in danger I care more. The TPK hit me hard. Hahaha. Had to have a couple of beers afterwards and my missus was asking me what was I a bit angry about. I really did think I was going to get out of that last fight alive.

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement Mitochondria. Most appreciated.

Go get them Dartagnan2016. It's every role players duty to put down the monsters and keep them down.

I'm about 8 or so sessions through the next campaign so I'll get off my butt and get a couple of decent posts out this weekend.

Have fun guys and thanks again. I look forward to reading your campaign journals.

DEW

Growing an attachment is what makes roleplaying so good :-)

I tend to like something in every D&D edition, though the older games are usually my "go to", partially because I can run it without looking up barely anything, so that helps.

Of course, its more limited in the tactical stuff, which can be a good or a bad thing depending on mood and interest.
No matter the edition, I think most GM's always tweak things to their liking anyways :-)

When this party bites it, I will definitely try to do some AD&D modules though.

I think it is exceptionally cool that you do the play-by-play of the combat. It really helps out novices. The party I play with is a mixed bag, a couple of rules lawyers who are very serious about the mechanics (one of which bemoans the fact that I decided to play as a War Priest for our Kingmaker campaign instead of a normal cleric. Totally frustrates her at every turn!) and a couple of guys that are just there to have a good time and hang with friends. They've been lurking your posts and also really appreciate your methods.

The thing about solo play is that without some sort of reaction table to encounters, the Roleplay goes out of the window more often than not which in turn makes the focus more on the action. Back in the day Two Hour Wargames had a d10 based game called "Legends Of Araby" (i think Ed just released an updated version but I don't know it's contents) that was table heavy, but covered just about everything you could think of. I played a couple of campaigns with it, and you can really carve up a pretty good story!

Can't wait to see what you play out next!