A ragtag band of gunslinging outlaws get their hands dirty in the greasy alleyways and whisky-soaked saloons of Alkenstar, the City of Smog. To get revenge on the mogul who destroyed them, the renegades will have to stick up an illicit bank, foil a crooked shieldmarshal, and escort a reclusive inventor to safety. All the while, countless rough-and-tumble rivals aim to waylay the party and seize the inventor's latest concoction: pyronite, an explosive substance with the potential to change the face of the world. In a city where the clockwork guards are literally as tough as brass, the antiheroes will need true grit to dole out overdue justice.

Punks in a Powderkeg (Outlaws of Alkenstar 1 of 3)

Time is of the essence when the formula for the devastating explosive pyronite falls into the wrong hands. To secure the formula and even the score with the sinister rival who ruined them, a motley gang of outlaws must brave the weird and wild wastes of the Spellscar Desert. At the center of this mutant-filled wasteland, the outlaws discover an abandoned temple of time called the Cradle of Quartz. But while redemption and a fresh start might be nice perks, the outlaws seek something far more valuable among the Cradle's time-warped halls: revenge.

Cradle of Quartz (Outlaws of Alkenstar 2 of 3)

With the chips down and the cards stacked against them, a crew of vengeance-seeking vigilantes must infiltrate Alkenstar's upper crust in order to clear their names and halt a villain's plot to bring the city to its knees. In this action-packed finale, the characters must pull off a daring high-rise heist at a garish gala, shut down a necromancer's shocking schemes in a volatile hydropower plant, and dismantle their last remaining rival's master plan aboard a luxury gearboat, all before an explosive conclusion destined to blast the city apart!

The Smoking Gun (Outlaws of Alkenstar 3 of 3)

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Outlaws of Alkenstar is a steampunk-inspired city called Alkenstar. Alkenstar is located in the Mana Wastes of the Pathfinder's main world, Golarion.

Outlaws of Alkenstar is designed for Pathfinder 2e.

The Outlaws of Alkensta Adventure Path is a three-part, series of connected adventures that when combined create a full Pathfinder campaign.

Get a sneak peek at Outlaws of Alkenstar from Paizo in this trailer for the adventure path!

Pathfinder Outlaws of Alkenstar Adventure Path Trailer 

I'm in the middle of a campaign of Outlaws of Alkenstar right now, and my player's are having a great time!
A wonderful blend of classic Pathfinder high fantasy and steampunk. Lot's of comedic situations and characters to roleplay with, and overall a super fun and light hearted adventure with lots of wacky and colorful situations and NPCs for players to encounter. I also really like how the opening gives the players mutual foes to unite against, rather than yet another situation where the team might just be randomly assembled.
The main issues are
1. Despite title the player's get quasi-legitimized part way through the first act, so players that really want to play up the outlaw narrative might be a little bit let down.
2. The middle act meanders a bit with a kind of fetch quest, where the campaign's villains are out of focus. If I run this again I think I would re-write things a little bit to keep Mugland and Loveless tied into the main plot and give the PC's that extra motivation the first act does such a good job of setting up.
3. The adventure, especially the middle section, can be a little linear/on rails with up to  dozen "events" in a row that are thrown at players to react to. There's still opportunities for the players to make interesting decisions within those sections, but they are expected to be reacting rather than proactively deciding how to proceed through the story.

Despite those quibbles every week my players indicate they are having a great time. The more linear style also makes this adventure relatively fast paced, every session does feel like an episode of a TV show where some key plot points get hit and things keep moving and staying fresh. Overall it definitely meets Paizo's high standard of quality and is an adventure I will be excited to share with more players in the future.

Zach M

Outlaws of Alkenstar is an action-packed adventure with a lot of great characters and set-pieces. There are, however, a few problems, which I will avoid spoiling.

First of all, the premise is a little misleading, as you are not exactly 'traditional' outlaws. Secondly, the middle section of the adventure has received a certain amount of criticism as not being relevant to the rest of the story.

However, the overall feeling and the colourful characters and setting make it a very fun adventure, both for GMs and players. I overall recommend this adventure, with the caveat that some sections are a little weaker than others.

Have you ever wanted to throw a bit of Wild West flair into your Pathfinder? If so, Outlaws of Alkenstar is for you.

Set in an area of the world suffering from magical fallout from a war in the distant past, the city of Alkenstar cannot rely on magic to solve its problems. This campaign drops players right in the center of this city of technological innovation. But by no means does that make this a safe or even hospitable place, as the players will quickly learn. Whether they are framed, caught, or betrayed, the players will begin their quest for revenge.

Derek

Howdy, partner! Outlaws of Alkenstar is an adventure about revenge against those who wronged you. PCs may not be heroes, but they'll love to overcome the villains. The western themes mixed with the fantasy setting bring a very interesting ambience to the game that should be encouraged. 

The last adventure of the AP is an amazing experience and one of the best written books by Paizo, in contrast, the second book is a sidequest that could be ignored and nothing would change. So be prepared to adapt.

Players will want to play gunslingers and inventors, but many of the encounters will include creatures that deny their advantages, make sure to read encounters ahead to help your players have options beyond the obvious.

Pablo

Outlaws of Alkenstar is one of the most unique Pathfinder 2E adventure paths to date, blending Western, Steampunk, and Heist elements into a fast-paced, action-packed campaign set in Alkenstar, the lawless, gun-filled city of invention. Spanning levels 1 to 11, this adventure offers an explosive mix of gunfights, criminal intrigue, and high-stakes heists, making it a must-play for groups looking for a gritty, cinematic experience.

The Good:
✅ A Unique Setting Unlike Anything Else in PF2E – Alkenstar is a gritty, steampunk-flavored metropolis, complete with firearms, clockwork tech, airships, and outlaws. It’s a far cry from the usual fantasy tropes, making this one of the most distinctive and immersive adventure paths in Pathfinder.

✅ Action-Packed and Fast-Paced – This campaign hits the ground running and rarely slows down. Whether it’s a high-speed chase through the city, a gunslinger duel at high noon, or a tense heist, Outlaws of Alkenstar makes players feel like they’re starring in a Western movie.

✅ Strong Theme & Narrative Cohesion – The story is tight, engaging, and personal. Rather than a sprawling, world-threatening epic, this is a tale of revenge, corruption, and criminal underworld dealings. The heists, gang wars, and betrayals all feel highly interconnected, making for an experience that is grounded and immersive.

✅ Firearms and Gunslingers Shine – While any class can thrive, this adventure feels tailor-made for Gunslingers and Inventors. The frequent use of firearms, alchemical gadgets, and mechanical enemies ensures that characters who specialize in gunplay and technology will feel right at home.

✅ Creative Encounters & Set Pieces – From shootouts in saloons to ambushes in the desert, Outlaws of Alkenstar constantly delivers cinematic, memorable encounters that go beyond traditional dungeon crawls. Expect battles that require movement, tactics, and clever thinking.

✅ Perfect for Low-Magic, High-Tech Play – If your group enjoys low-magic campaigns, this is one of the best adventure paths for it. Magic isn’t absent, but Alkenstar’s reliance on technology and gunpowder makes for a gritty, grounded feel compared to the usual high-fantasy fare.

The Not-So-Good:
❌ Shorter Than Other Adventure Paths – While many APs go to level 20, this one caps out at level 11, making it one of the shorter campaigns in Pathfinder 2E. Groups looking for an epic, world-spanning adventure might feel it ends too soon.

❌ Highly Thematic, Which May Not Appeal to Everyone – If your players aren’t into Westerns, steampunk tech, or gunslinging action, Outlaws of Alkenstar might not be for them. The adventure leans hard into its aesthetic, meaning traditional fantasy fans may struggle to engage.

❌ Firearms-Centric Playstyle Can Feel Restrictive – While the AP supports all classes, it heavily favors firearms, technology, and agility-based combat. Spellcasters can still shine, but groups that aren’t built around ranged combat and mobility may struggle in some encounters.

❌ Limited Exploration & Open-World Play – Unlike sandboxes like Kingmaker, this campaign is highly structured and urban-focused. While there are desert treks and out-of-town excursions, it’s mostly a city adventure with tight, story-driven progression rather than open-world roaming.

Final Verdict:

Outlaws of Alkenstar is one of the most unique and high-energy adventure paths Paizo has ever released. It’s a nonstop ride of heists, duels, and outlaws, wrapped in a steampunk, gun-slinging aesthetic that feels fresh and exciting in the Pathfinder 2E world.

However, it’s highly thematic—if your group loves gunslingers, Westerns, and heist stories, this is an easy must-play. But if you’re looking for traditional swords-and-sorcery adventuring, this may not be the right campaign.

If you want a gritty, cinematic, and action-packed Pathfinder campaign, Outlaws of Alkenstar is the perfect choice.

Darren

Outlaws of Alkenstar is in many ways an excellent module for players familiar with Pathfinder 2e as a system. It has encounters built for a number of subsystems that you may not find in more traditional dungeon delves. Unfortunately, it also suffers from its own premise. Neither the Alchemist class nor the Gunslinger class have been exceptionally effective in any of the instances of this module that I've run, and those two classes are the ones most heavily pushed by the setting itself.

This module was also created shortly before the remaster of PF2e, so in my personal experience many of the abilities were mislabeled, or encounters were balanced using slightly different rules. This was done using the official Foundry version of the module - at time of review I have not checked to see if they ever patched those, or any instances of broken automation.

I DO recommend this module for a group of players who are interested in investigation, and who have a firm grasp on the balance of modern Pathfinder. They will find the encounters engaging, challenging, and diverse.

I do NOT recommend this module for a group of players who are new to the system, or who are not interested in extended non-combat segments. The former will find the balance punishing, and the latter will find several game sessions tedious.

If you are running this game in a virtual tabletop, specifically through the official Foundry module, be aware that there are multiple planned encounters that do not have a map designed for them.

But despite any complains, I found this module to be a great deal of fun to run parties through. It has multiple encounters with nonstandard victory conditions built in, a dungeon in the second act with a unique mechanic that, when used well, puts a novel kind of pressure on the party, and the divide between action setpieces and tense investigation feels very nice.

Somniphage

A ragtag band of gunslinging outlaws get their hands dirty in the greasy alleyways and whisky-soaked saloons of Alkenstar, the City of Smog. To get revenge on the mogul who destroyed them, the renegades will have to stick up an illicit bank, foil a crooked shieldmarshal, and escort a reclusive inventor to safety.

Outlaws of Alkenstar

Pathfinder 2e

You have been awakened to the power of the mind, tapping into your very will to manifest your magic. Master of both conscious and subconscious, you embody the very concept of "anything is possible if you can think it". Your mind perceives the hidden truth of the world, and it is your instrument, tool, and weapon against the dangers within it.

Psychic

You are both warrior and mage: arcane power wielded not only beside, but intertwined with, that of your unyielding weapon. From book to battle you practice the art of practical application, imbuing your strikes with the power of your spells and giving your enemies the best - and last - show of their lives.

Magus

The strength of your fist flows from your mind and spirit. You seek perfection, honing your body into a flawless instrument and your mind into an orderly bastion of wisdom. You're a fierce combatant renowned for martial arts skills and combat stances that grant you unique fighting moves. While the challenge of mastering many fighting styles drives you to great heights, you also enjoy meditating on philosophical questions and discovering new ways to obtain peace and enlightenment.

Monk

You are a master of artistry, a scholar of hidden secrets, and a captivating persuader. Using powerful performances, you influence minds and elevate souls to new levels of heroics. You might use your powers to become a charismatic leader, or perhaps you might instead be a counselor, manipulator, scholar, scoundrel, or virtuoso. While your versatility leads some to consider you a beguiling ne’erdo- well and a jack-of-all-trades, it’s dangerous to dismiss you as a master of none.

Bard

You are an emissary of a deity, a devoted servant who has taken up a weighty mantle, and you devoutly pursue a cause that holds you apart from those around you. You have powerful defenses that you share freely with your allies and innocent bystanders, as well as divine power you use to end the threats your deity opposes.

Champion

The power of nature is impossible to resist. It can bring ruin to the stoutest fortress in minutes, reducing even the mightiest works to rubble, burning them to ash, burying them beneath an avalanche of snow, or drowning them beneath the waves. It can provide endless bounty and breathtaking splendor to those who respect it— and an agonizing death to those who take it too lightly. You are one of those who hear nature’s call. You stand in awe of the majesty of its power and give yourself over to its service.

Druid

Fighting for honor, greed, loyalty, or simply the thrill of battle, you are an undisputed master of weaponry and combat techniques. You combine your actions through clever combinations of opening moves, finishing strikes, and counterattacks whenever your foes are unwise enough to drop their guard. Whether you are a knight, mercenary, sharpshooter, or blade master, you have honed your martial skills into an art form and perform devastating critical attacks on your enemies.

Fighter

You are a master of the elements: fire, water, air, earth, wood, and metal are at your beck and call. Channeling energies through your body from the elemental planes, you conjure them to hand, and then outward, blasting your enemies with raw elemental power. As you grow, so too, does your connection to the elements, and from there you may attain true mastery over them.

Kineticist

You have embraced the genius of rapidly-propelled projectiles. Whether powered by explosive gunpowder or the mechanical heft of a crossbow, you steady your aim and track your targets across the battlefield. Distance is but another ally, and when the battle is over and the smoke clears, you are already staring down the sights at your next target.

Gunslinger

Your dreams become reality through clever determination and peerless wit. With your hands, you manifest impossible contraptions and devices with each astounding breakthrough. Every invention unique, every experiment a failure in any hands but your own. You are a one person industrial revolution.

Inventor

You seek to uncover the truth, doggedly pursuing leads to reveal the plots of devious villains, discover ancient secrets, or unravel other mysteries. Your analytical mind quickly formulates solutions to complicated problems, and your honed senses identify even the most obscure clues. Wielding knowledge as a weapon, you study the creatures and dangers you encounter to exploit their weaknesses.

 Investigator

You are skilled and opportunistic. Using your sharp wits and quick reactions, you take advantage of your opponents’ missteps and strike where it hurts most. You play a dangerous game, seeking thrills and testing your skills, and likely don’t care much for any laws that happen to get in your way. While the path of every rogue is unique and riddled with danger, the one thing you all share in common is the breadth and depth of your skills.

Rogue

You are the anchor of a mighty eidolon, a powerful creature from another world. Without you, it could not remain here, and so through friendship, servitude, or something deeper, you share a connection with your eidolon that is unlike any other, and your lives - and your adventures - are forever intertwined.

Summoner

Many warriors rely on brute force, weighty armor, or cumbersome weapons. For you, battle is a dance where you move among foes with style and grace. You dart among combatants with flair and land powerful finishing moves with a flick of the wrist and a flash of the blade, all while countering attacks with elegant ripostes that keep enemies off balance. Harassing and thwarting your foes lets you charm fate and cheat death time and again with aplomb and plenty of flair.

Swashbuckler

You carry a mystical implement that, in combination with a lifetime of study of ancient traditions and esoteric lore, is used to bring forth any foe's bane. Your peculiar knowledge of the deepest and most forgotten archives is weaponized as you bring to bear that which your enemy fears the most, be it a superstitious emblem, a forgotten religious icon, or a specific word or phrase. Everything has a weakness, and you can not only find it, but also turn it against them when it matters most. 

Thaumaturge

You are an eternal student of the secrets of the universe, using your mastery of magic to cast powerful spells. You treat magic like a science, cross-referencing the latest texts on practical spellcraft with ancient tomes to discover and understand arcane magic. Yet magical theory is vast, and there's no way you can study it all. Most wizards learn through formal schooling, with their curriculum informing a specific rubric, although particularly driven researchers sometimes piece together their own theories.

Wizard

Some rangers believe civilization wears down the soul, but still needs to be protected from wild creatures. Others say nature needs to be protected from the greedy, who wish to tame its beauty and plunder its treasures. You could champion either goal, or both. You might be a scout, tracker, or hunter of fugitives or beasts, haunting the edge of civilization or exploring the wilds. You know how to live off the land and are skilled at spotting and taking down both opportune prey and hated enemies.

Ranger

Rage consumes you in battle. You delight in wreaking havoc and using powerful weapons to carve through your enemies, relying on astonishing durability without needing complicated techniques or rigid training. Your rages draw upon a vicious instinct, which you might associate with an animal, a spirit, or some part of yourself. To many barbarians, brute force is a hammer and every problem looks like a nail, whereas others try to hold back the storm of emotions inside them and release their rage only when it matters most.

Barbarian

Deities work their will upon the world in infinite ways, and you serve as one of their most stalwart mortal servants. Blessed with divine magic, you live the ideals of your faith, adorn yourself with the symbols of your church, and train diligently to wield your deity’s favored weapon. Your spells might protect and heal your allies, or they might punish foes and enemies of your faith, as your deity wills. Yours is a life of devotion, spreading the teachings of your faith through both word and deed.

Cleric

You command powerful magic, not through study or devotion to any ideal, but as a vessel or agent for a mysterious, otherworldly patron that even you don't entirely understand. This entity might be a covert divinity, a powerful fey, a manifestation of natural energies, an ancient spirit, or any other mighty supernatural being—but its nature is likely as much a mystery to you as it is to anyone else. Through a special familiar, your patron grants you versatile spells and powerful hexes to use as you see fit, though you're never certain if these gifts will end up serving your patron's larger plan.

Witch

There's no sight more beautiful to you than a strange brew bubbling in a beaker, and you consume your ingenious elixirs with abandon. You're fascinated by uncovering the secrets of science and the natural world, and you're constantly experimenting in your lab or on the go with inventive concoctions for every eventuality. You are fearless in the face of risk, hurling explosive or toxic creations at your foes. Your unique path toward greatness is lined with alchemical brews that push your mind and body to their limits. 

Alchemist

You didn't choose to become a spellcaster—you were born one. There's magic in your blood. Perhaps a divine influence blessed one of your ancestors, a forebear communed with an ancient, primordial entity, or a powerful occult ritual performed long ago influenced your lineage. Self-reflection and study allow you to refine your inherent magical skills and unlock new, more powerful abilities. The power in your blood carries a risk, however, and you constantly face the choice of whether you'll rise to become a master spellcaster or fall into destruction.

Sorcerer

Your conduit to divine power eschews the traditional channels of prayer and servitude—you instead glean sacred truths and great mysteries embodied in overarching concepts, whether because you perceive the common ground across multiple deities or circumvent their power entirely. You explore one of these mysteries and draw upon its power to cast miraculous spells, but that power comes with a terrible price: a curse that grows stronger the more you draw upon it, which you might uphold as an instrument of the divine or view as punishment from the gods.

Outlaws of Alkenstar

Pathfinder Outlaws of Alkenstar Adventure Path Trailer

Frequently asked questions about Outlaws of Alkenstar

Virtual table tops for Outlaws of Alkenstar (VTTs)

Punks in a Powderkeg (Outlaws of Alkenstar 1 of 3)

Cradle of Quartz (Outlaws of Alkenstar 2 of 3)

The Smoking Gun (Outlaws of Alkenstar 3 of 3)

Find a Outlaws of Alkenstar group and Start Playing today!

Outlaws of Alkenstar

Pathfinder Outlaws of Alkenstar Adventure Path Trailer

Frequently asked questions about Outlaws of Alkenstar

Where is Outlaws of Alkenstar set?

What system is Outlaws of Alkenstar for?

What is Outlaws of Alkenstar?

Virtual table tops for Outlaws of Alkenstar (VTTs)

Punks in a Powderkeg (Outlaws of Alkenstar 1 of 3)

Cradle of Quartz (Outlaws of Alkenstar 2 of 3)

The Smoking Gun (Outlaws of Alkenstar 3 of 3)

Find a Outlaws of Alkenstar group and Start Playing today!