PRINCES OF THE APOCALYPSE LEVEL SPLIT (SPOILERS OF COURSE)

[Tyranthraxus]

I cannot find it currently, this this is a placemat for the level split for Princes of the Apocaylpse Hardback Module.

 

[MerricB]

I've got a feeling each chapter counts as an episode. Characters should be level 8 starting Chapter 8 (see page 119).

It's a bit vague, though. I'll see if I can come up with (or find) something more definite.

Cheers!

 

[kalani]

Edit: Ignore my previous comment - I spaced when answering this question and for some reason thought we were discussing Out of the Abyss.

Correction (Spoilers): There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to determining what level the characters should be at any given point in Princes. Pages 41, 75, and 113 each have sidebars indicating the CR of each "dungeon".

• Chapter 3 (Haunted Keeps): Feathergale spire (L3), Rivergard Keep (L4), Sacred Stone Monestary (L5), Scarlet Moon Hall (L6)
• Chapter 4 (Elemental Temples): Howling Hatred (L6), Crushing Wave (L7), Black earth (L8), Eternal Flame (L9)
• Chapter 5 (Elemental Nodes) Fane of the Eye (L10), Howling caves (L11), Plunging Torrents (L12), Black Geode (L12), Weeping Colossus (L13).

With that being said however, the adventure is sandbox in nature, and players can move backward and forward through the adventure in whatever order they desire. My table for example completed the dungeons in the following order:

• Rivergard Keep (L4), Feathergale Spire (L3), Crushing Wave (L7), Scarlet Moon Hall (L6), Eternal Flame (L9), Fane of the Eye (L10), Howling Hatred (L6).
• The party is currently APL 9, but completed the Temple of the Eternal Flame at APL 6.

If you find your party is struggling, there are numerous tricks and strategies to coerce the party to abandon their current pursuit without feeling like they are being railroaded. For example:

• The party notices Knifepoint Gully early? You could have the Water Cult flood the river near Feathergale spire in order to make it impassable until the party is higher level.
• The party is exploring the Nodes early? This happened at my table. My response: Upon defeating the prophet (Aerisi) in the Fane of the eye - I ran the Purple Worm Encounter with some minor embellishments. Moments after defeating Aerisi, I had the Earth Prophet and Fire Prophet vent their fury causing an earthquake combined with sulfuric vents, lava flows, and magma. This awoke the purple worm which proceeded to attack the weakened party. Meanwhile, lava inched closer to the parties location in the Fane, while a massive erruption of lava caused the Elevator Platform (which takes the party between the Fire Temple and Fire Node) caused the elevator to rise (to the Fire Temple), making it impassable. The purple worm itself was between the party and their exit, so they fought a fighting retreat - circled around the worm, and fled. Finding their way back to the fire temple blocked, they ran up the stairs into the Earth Temple (an area they had yet to explore). Quickly finding the right path, they fought a few minor battles and fled back to the Sacred Stone Monestary, which they quickly exited.

The easiest solution, is to make another course of action more desirable than what the party intends. With my party now having fled, I ran a few of the side-quests for them after which I made the following cosmetic embellishments in order to encourage (or discourage) the parties next course of action:

• Knifepoint Gully: The party hears rumors that a hidden stairway was recently discovered in Knifepoint Gully near Feathergale Spire, and that looters have recently begun exploring a Pyramid city below. Reasoning: The party had not yet completed the Air Temple, but having killed the prophet, and Hayon the Giant - I had to encourage them to explore this area. I reflavored most of the air cultists to be looters (while keeping the same stats), while keeping a handful of cultists in the Pyramid chamber itself as the last loyal remnants of the Air Cult. Air Priests were reflavored to be looter wizards, and other hostile adventuring parties.
• Scarlet Moon Hall: A dense cloud of poisonous ash was floating above the hall. Reason: As the party knows an erruption just occured in the area, I wanted to discourage them from descending through the empty Fire Temple back into the Fane of the Eye. If the party explored the area, they would find their way blocked by the river of lava in the Fire Temple which had overflown its banks and made the area impassable, meanwhile they would find the erruption ongoing (preventing them from using the elevator).
• Sacred Stone Monestary: The area around the monestary would have new crystalline formations, and would be fortified with much tighter security and new construction (fortifications). This will encourage the party to attack the Earth Cult before they solidified their position and it became impossible to assault - while the party has outright destroyed the air and water factions and weakened the fire cult -they have not yet taken any hostile action toward the earth cult. I wanted their actions to be reflected in the fact that the earth cult now has more resources to spend on fortifications now that their opposition (water and air) are both destroyed.

By creating a sense of urgency, I have made the idea of attacking the Earth Cult (and weakening them) a priority, yet I have not taken away any player agency. They could ignore this information, but in doing so I would simply make their defenses superior through careful repositioning of each encounter.

For example, the encounter with the hobgoblins in the Earth Temple: Instead of having them sleeping at a campfire, I would have them stationed at high alert in more defensible positions. I would also have the Bullet positioned strategically, and have both groups (those in the entry room, and those in the adjacent area) in constant communication with regular check-ins.

 

[designbot]

You can find an extremely useful outline of the campaign by level here:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BwtllC9NqV9VfnBCbEpDaHUwX1BPM0ViOUVoTnVrYlcwZUEzYnd3MW4xSHN6SkFKVHNHNFE&usp=sharing

(via reddit)

 

[zingbobco000]

Each cult area is supposed to be a part, there are four parts in a chapter, and each part rewards you with downtime and renown and should result in the players gaining a level. However, there are two areas where the players are assumed not to gain a level, this is from the final outpost (most likely Scarlet Moon Hall) and the first temple (most likely the Air Temple). The other area where the players most likely don't gain a level is from the second node (most likely the water node) to the third node (most likely the earth node). However, from what I've seen, it appears like you will gain a level at each of the outpost (especially with the catching up rules and side quests) so instead we have a progression like this:

Lance Rock + Haunted Tomb + Bandits = 1st to 2nd level
Tomb of Moving Stones + Random Encounters = 2nd to 3rd level
Feathergale Spire + Random Encounters + Sighing Valley = 3rd to 4th level
Catching Up (your players will probably want to do this) = 4th to 5th level
Riverguard Keep = 5th to 6th level
Sacred Stone Monestary = 6th to 7th level
Scarlet Moon Hall = 7th to 8th level
Temple of Howling Hatred = 8th to 9th level
Temple of the Crushing Wave = 9th to 10th level
Catching Up (some of your players might have participated in enough expeditions to allow them to do this) = 10th to 11th level
Temple of the Black Earth = 11th to 12th level
Temple of the Eternal Flame = 12th to 13th level
The Fane of the Eye = 13th to 14th level
Howling Caves = 14th to 15th level
Plunging Torrents = 15th to 16th level
Black Geode = 16th to 17th level
Weeping Colossus = 17th to 18th level

Players should be roughly within 2 levels of that to participate, or else you run the risk of having a too OP or too weak group.

 

[designbot]

Lance Rock + Haunted Tomb + Bandits = 1st to 2nd level
Tomb of Moving Stones + Random Encounters = 2nd to 3rd level
Feathergale Spire + Random Encounters + Sighing Valley = 3rd to 4th level
Catching Up (your players will probably want to do this) = 4th to 5th level
Riverguard Keep = 5th to 6th level
Sacred Stone Monestary = 6th to 7th level
Scarlet Moon Hall = 7th to 8th level
Temple of Howling Hatred = 8th to 9th level
Temple of the Crushing Wave = 9th to 10th level
Catching Up (some of your players might have participated in enough expeditions to allow them to do this) = 10th to 11th level
Temple of the Black Earth = 11th to 12th level
Temple of the Eternal Flame = 12th to 13th level
The Fane of the Eye = 13th to 14th level
Howling Caves = 14th to 15th level
Plunging Torrents = 15th to 16th level
Black Geode = 16th to 17th level
Weeping Colossus = 17th to 18th level

Players should be roughly within 2 levels of that to participate, or else you run the risk of having a too OP or too weak group.

This is quite a bit overpowered compared to the book—page 41 recommends:

This adventure assumes that the characters begin this chapter at 3rd level. Some of the Haunted Keeps are tougher than others. Feathergale Spire is designed for a 3rd-level party, Rivergard Keep works best for a 4th-level party, Sacred Stone is designed for a 5th-level party, and Scarlet Moon Hall should challenge a 6th-level party. Each outpost the characters overcome should advance them at least one level.

Page 75 recommends:

The characters probably begin this chapter around 6th level. Encourage the players to take on the challenges in this chapter in whatever order they wish—let their interests drive the story. If you want to pace the adventure, the Temple of Howling Hatred suits a 6th-level party; the Temple of the Crushing Wave is appropriate for a 7th-level party; the Temple of Black Earth is designed for an 8th-level group; and the Temple of Eternal Flame works best for a party of 9th-level characters. Each quarter of the dungeon cleared out by the characters should advance the party one level.

Page 112 recommends:

If the party cleaned out each of the temples in chapter 4, the adventurers begin this chapter around 10th level. The Fane of the Eye is intended for a 10th-level group; the Howling Caves are designed for an 11th-level party; the Plunging Torrents and Black Geode are intended for a party of about 12th level; and the Weeping Colossus is designed for a 13th-level party. As a rough guideline, the party should gain one level after clearing the Fane, one level after finishing the first elemental node they explore, and one more level after completing the third node they explore.

So, skipping side quests, the recommended challenge ratings are:

1. Into the Wilderness
2. Tomb of Moving Stones
3. Feathergale Spire
4. Rivergard Keep
5. Sacred Stone Monastery
6. Scarlet Moon Hall; Temple of Howling Hatred
7. Temple of the Crushing Wave
8. Temple of Black Earth
9. Temple of Eternal Flame
10. Fane of the Eye
11. Howling Caves
12. Plunging Torrents; Black Geode
13. Weeping Colossus

 

[zingbobco000]

So, skipping side quests, the recommended challenge ratings are:

1. Into the Wilderness
2. Tomb of Moving Stones
3. Feathergale Spire
4. Rivergard Keep
5. Sacred Stone Monastery
6. Scarlet Moon Hall; Temple of Howling Hatred
7. Temple of the Crushing Wave
8. Temple of Black Earth
9. Temple of Eternal Flame
10. Fane of the Eye
11. Howling Caves
12. Plunging Torrents; Black Geode
13. Weeping Colossus

I apologize, but I don't think you read my statement fully. I'll repeat what I said though just so it makes more sense:

"However, there are two areas where the players are assumed not to gain a level, this is from the final outpost (most likely Scarlet Moon Hall) and the first temple (most likely the Air Temple). The other area where the players most likely don't gain a level is from the second node (most likely the water node) to the third node (most likely the earth node). However, from what I've seen, it appears like you will gain a level at each of the outpost (especially with the catching up rules and side quests) so instead we have a progression like this"

Your list is the recommended list, but mine is what will actually happen in play. For example, I'm currently playing in a group with an APL of 9-10 who's taking on the first temple.

 

[MerricB]

Here's what I instructed my DMs to do:

Tier 1 (DM 300 XP, 150 GP, 10 downtime)
Episode 1 ends after the players investigate Lance Rock.
Episode 2 ends after the players investigate The Tomb of Moving Stones

After that, episodes can be played in various orders. In order of level:

Chapter 3
Episode 3 - Feathergale Spire (Tier 1)
Episode 4 - Rivergard Keep (Tier 1)
Episode 5 - Sacred Stone (Tier 2)
Episode 6 - Scarlet Moon Hall (Tier 2)

(Basically, each Outpost overcome counts as one episode. Once the count reaches 5-10, you're in Tier 2).

Tier 2 (DM 600 XP, 300 GP, 10 downtime)

Chapter 4
Episode 7 - Temple of Howling Hatred (Tier 2)
Episode 8 - Temple of Crushing Wave (Tier 2)
Episode 9 - Temple of Black Earth (Tier 2)
Episode 10 - Temple of Eternal Flame (Tier 2)

(Each quarter of the dungeon cleared out counts as an episode).

Tier 3 (DM 900 XP, 450 GP, 10 downtime)

Chapter 5
This one's a bit different.

Episode 11 - clear out the Fane of the Eye (Tier 3)
Episode 12 - first elemental node completed (Tier 3)
Episode 13 - third elemental node completed (Tier 3)
Episode 14 - adventure complete (Tier 3)

Cheers!

 

[zingbobco000]

Here's what I instructed my DMs to do:

Tier 1 (DM 300 XP, 150 GP, 10 downtime)
Episode 1 ends after the players investigate Lance Rock.
Episode 2 ends after the players investigate The Tomb of Moving Stones

After that, episodes can be played in various orders. In order of level:

Chapter 3
Episode 3 - Feathergale Spire (Tier 1)
Episode 4 - Rivergard Keep (Tier 1)
Episode 5 - Sacred Stone (Tier 2)
Episode 6 - Scarlet Moon Hall (Tier 2)

(Basically, each Outpost overcome counts as one episode. Once the count reaches 5-10, you're in Tier 2).

Tier 2 (DM 600 XP, 300 GP, 10 downtime)

Chapter 4
Episode 7 - Temple of Howling Hatred (Tier 2)
Episode 8 - Temple of Crushing Wave (Tier 2)
Episode 9 - Temple of Black Earth (Tier 2)
Episode 10 - Temple of Eternal Flame (Tier 2)

(Each quarter of the dungeon cleared out counts as an episode).

Tier 3 (DM 900 XP, 450 GP, 10 downtime)

Chapter 5
This one's a bit different.

Episode 11 - clear out the Fane of the Eye (Tier 3)
Episode 12 - first elemental node completed (Tier 3)
Episode 13 - third elemental node completed (Tier 3)
Episode 14 - adventure complete (Tier 3)

Cheers!

JW what about the node that doesn't have their prophet, i.e. the Plunging Torrents where the Aboleth are trying to destroy the characters for the purpose of retrieving Drown? I think that could make out to be a pretty cool encounter.