Penny Dreadful power level and fated

[dancater]

Morning folks

Looking to get an idea of the power levels in terms of difficulty in the published Penny Dreadful's.  Most particularly I'm thinking about combat (amount and difficulty) but also generally.  Obviously everything can be varied and modified but trying to get an overall idea from folks who've run.

Thinking in terms of (assuming balanced TtB character builds)

1. Novice's (say 0-2 pursuit levels)
2. Fresh (3-5 pursuits)
3. Experienced (6-8 pursuits)
4. Veterans (9+ pursuits)

[dancater]

So the list as I am aware (have not included the Chronicles short adventures, but feel free to mention them if any particularly stand out).

DriveThruRPG.com Penny Dreadful One-Shots:

• Recruitment Drive
• In the Gutter
• Legacy of Darkness
• Night of the Carver
• Bad Blood
• The Ferryman
• Bad Moon Rising
• No Strings Attached
• Dirty Deeds
• Last Remains
• Honor Among Thieves
• Sixteen Tons

Adventure Boxes:

• Brotherhood of the Rat: One-shot: Extermination
• The Crossroads Seven: One-shot: Landslide
• Creative Taxidermy: One-shot: Porksplosion
• Amphibious Assault: One-shot: Torrential Rain
• Twisted Alternatives: The Tortoise and the Hare: One-shot: The Great Race

Penny Dreadfuls (multi sessions):

• In Defense of Innocence
• Northern Aggression
• A Night in Rottenburg
• Nythera*
• The Bayou Games

 

[dancater]

I'm given to understand:

Recruitment Drive is an excellent starting adventure.

Bad Moon Rising is meant to be a harder mid-range adventure.

Ferryman is a harder mid-range adventure

Any advice, things to be mindful of or recommendations are greatly appreciated, and I'm hoping will be a useful resource for others as well.

 

[Vlad]

So, I've read Recruitment Drive, In the Gutter, Legacy of Darkness, Night of the Carver, Bad Blood, No Strings Attached (FMed), Landslide, The Great Race and, as I understand they are all intended to be introduction or intermission adventures for Fated with 0-2 Steps. My friend FMed In the Gutter, Night of the Carver and Bad Blood and use them in such a way too - the beginning of your own campaign based on Fated Destiny Steps (an article from WC21 by Mason Crawford helps a lot). As for WC adventures it's the same but as for me they seem mostly intros for 0-Fated rather than intermissions for more experienced Fated. But some of than can give very strong opportunities for the beginning party - as your own train with pet necroengineer from Train of Thoughts (FMed).

Nythera (FMed) is sure mid level adventure with exellent plot hooks and dangerous combat ever for its own pregens.

 

And I should notice that using skill triggers from Into the Steam and new Pursuits with Zero Step benefit (Into the Steam, Under Quarantine, new Gremlin book) make generated Fated more strong and competent characters than their vanilla counterparts, which is also should be mentioned when you are determine "difficulty level" for them.

[explorator]

I have not read Nytherea, but the others have moderate levels of combat. Mid-rank Fated would mostly roll over the opposition. It is easy to adjust the strength of competition by raising the Rank of NPC's 1 or 2 points or just adding more bodies.

[Vlad]

@explorator Or use Monster Pursuits and other stuff (Brilliance effects, etc.).