Adventure Paths - huh?

Every good adventure begins on a path.... no, a tavern. Maybe a path to a tavern. Who knows. Wrecked ships, prison escapes, village raid, etc. There are many ways in which to begin an adventure. My preferred method is just before a fight. I don't really care where it starts, but zero day always, always has a fight. But that is not what I am here to ruminate on. I am thinking about adventure paths for role playing games. The reason is because we have taken our 'A' series and turned it into an adventure path setting/game for 5e and titled it the Undying War.

Adventure paths have been around for a long time - a very long time, but were never really given a name. The old 'G' series is an adventure path (G1 to G2 to G3 and thence to D1 to D2 to D3). Six adventures in a row is an adventure path. The newer adventure paths(I think Paizo really pioneered this concept) stretch over a series of interconnected adventures that take a player character from 1st level to 15th or 20th level, or some level - its not important.

What is important is that the adventure takes a character on a series of interconnected (thematically as well as technically) adventures that should take the player character from 1st to high level. What makes this possible, or playayble as one adventure, are milestones. Milestones are a reward system that, once a task or set of tasks are completed, allows the player character(s) to advance a level. This allows the players to go on to the next module or chapter in the adventure.

 

I think its a cool concept. The obvious advantage over the traditional and typical method of experience point acquisition, which can be slow, is that it allows players to complete an epic adventure in a shorter amount of real time than previously. For example, the Undying War, played traditionally, might require years of investment and many adventures outside the ones presented in the series to complete. With a milestone system, one should be able to complete the Undying War in a year or less (depending on play-style, length of play, number of sessions etc.).  

There are some technical issues with the milestone system, but I think those are easily circumvented. The only real critique that I find with the system is that of player experience. I do not mean the player's character's experience points. I mean the actual experience of role-playing, figuring out puzzles, circumventing problems, etc. The actual experience that comes with years of role-playing can't be overcome with simple reward and game master fiat, that has to be earned and learned. Another issue might be with the development of the character in a direction the player wants rather than one the adventure dictates.

All that aside though, I think the adventure path with milestone presents advantages that some gamemasters and players might like. Well, some certainly do. If that is your cup of tea, so to speak, then dive into the Undying War. I wonder if we should do an adventure path for Castle and Crusades, with milestones that is?