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ruleslawyer EZB
A local, not looking for any trouble
(9/16/02 11:20:54 am)
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Comments
Well done!
I know it's a bit eleventh-hour, but another way in which you can cut down on the amount of combat is to remove the CRM entirely and instead run the party through The Banewarrens. Set it up so that the Cult of Tharizdun needs one or more of the banes in order to complete the rituals freeing T from his extraplanar confinement and unleashing him upon the world. If you're running it in GH, there are any number of cities (even Verbobonc) that could be substituted for Ptolus.
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Sacremas
A frequent patron who knows what to expect
(9/16/02 11:30:39 am)
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Re: Comments
Thanks for the suggestion, I really appriciate it, but no thanks; not only do not got Banewarrens (getting it later though), I'm also a player in it in the online Tetranath adventure...
( pub79.ezboard.com/bcarthain )
And besides, for all it's monster galore, the CRM and the rest of the ToAC is still a rather brilliant location IMO! I cant wait until the Tulian's eye trap, or the Demonstone, or the Beblith in the summoning circle, or until the PC's start manipulating the temples into open battle (at least that's the approach I hope they'll take). Oh, and the Solar, and the Dwarven temple, and Firres torture chamber, and...
In fact, I might even run the web enhancement as well! I know I'm going to run the Ministry of Winds though...
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" |
Sacremas
A frequent patron who knows what to expect
(9/16/02 11:37:05 am)
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Re: Comments
One thing though; I should likely have removed those cockatrices, as that was a rather unnecesary battle. My players liked it though, but that may have been simply because it was the only battle in 10 hours. Something to consider...
But the fact that one of them basically died (minus the lost level) in their first battle seemed to impress them!
Now onto Big U!
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" |
Siobharek 
A mysterious guy in the corner
(9/16/02 10:54:42 pm)
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Re: Comments
My group got a bit worried that it would be a hackfest after the moat house: As someone already said, that location isn't exactly your roleplaying heaven.
But I think that in the heart of every <joke>pretentious Vampire player</joke>, you'll find a little gamer reaching for his dice with that old tingly feeling inside when the DM says, "Roll for initiative".
I think I went a bit overboard last session with the combat: The umberhulks elicited some slightly bored sighs. But the bugbears went like a charm. Maybe because it gave the players an opportunity to show off.
Siobharek
...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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Sacremas
A frequent patron who knows what to expect
(9/17/02 6:19:37 am)
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Re: Comments
Okay, next session is tomorrow.
What I want to do then is to present some real roleplaying options in town, as likely they'll have to hack their way through the Moathouse clerics... though I'll give them the option of not having to fight U.
The last session ended with them on their way back to the inn after getting Roneki restored to his soft(er) self. They were planning on another night of song and drink before heading out early next morning.
I think I'll have Ol' Dell come rushing into city and then the Wench later, talking of not only a humongous wolfbeast carrying away an ancient statue from the Moathouse containing the spirit of Prince Thrommel (or something...), but also of four diffrent dragons that he's seen over the last few months (U, V, Chymon, and Charasta the old White from "A Frigid Demise"). No one will believe him of course... My players have been served the "this adventure is a meatgrinder!" thang, and so would likely believe in one small dragon... but not four. Anyone got suggestions to making Del even more interesting in this regard asides from the excelent stuff that's already been up?
Since I've got both a half-orc and a elf in my party, I think I'm going to let Naresh (pg 15, area 11 of Hommlet) and his sons harass the party somewhat, though not in a way that will allow the PC's to physically attack them without having to spend some time in the Keep's dungeons...
I'm thinking of having Roneki meet up with Ingrith, who will teach him various monk stuff that she got off her teacher; an old wise man who wandered to the region a few years ago from the far east after his family had been killed. Unfortunately, another student of his named Tac killed the old teacher and stole his ancient manuscrips... since then Ingrith have had to continue her training on her own (going ranger). This will mostly be me both teaching the player how a monk is supposed to act (serenity and all that, basically a bunch of the Jedi Code from SW d20) as well as giving a few strategic hints on how a monk should do in battle (cover and such, as this player havent for example once used a stunning attack or flurry with his three monk characters so far...). At the end, or maybe in a future session, she'll try to teach him some of what her teacher used to teach, maybe giving him a free feat from either OA or the Rokugan book...
Redithidoor were given a cold shoulder and concidered just a doofus. Chat were respected from scene one, and now they are a bit suspicious since he were so against going to the Moathouse. I think I'm using the old idea and swithcing on who's the assassin... making Chat exactly what he's saying he is. I'm thinking about some kind of thing to happen between him and Peridan (the most suspicious player/character), but I'm not sure what. Also, anybody got something cool for the actual assassin to do? One option is to attack the druid since he's likely sleeping in the grove tonight as well... but that Dire Wolf will be problems in that case... something that may be a good thing. If the assassin is wearing all black and with covered face when he strike and make sure to get away (a problem with both the wolfs scent and the druids entangle spells), he'll attract even more suspicion to Chatrilion.
And then there's Questin of course. My players (and I) took such a liking to this guy that it's likely that he'll stay with the group for quite some time. So, I need to flesh him out a bit more. Where are his parents that he's hunting for, for instance? I've been concidering making Descritad (the captured evil halfling in the fire bridge complex) his sister, but nothing beyond that... I like having all of it fleshed out, yet I cant think of anything else. Making Joman Dart his father is a bit too cheap IMO, though he could maybe point the way. I might redo Questin's stats btw (feats and abilities, not level) as using daggers all the time will get old quick, even if he's got weapon finesse and 19 dex...
Any suggestions greatly appriciated...
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" Edited by: Sacremas at: 9/17/02 6:23:56 am
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Siobharek
A mysterious guy in the corner
(9/17/02 6:28:17 am)
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Re: Comments
I'd have Questin use the daggers: It's his best shot at hitting things. Also, I think it's a nice change from the axe-wielding barbarian. Might make people think of him as a slightly incompetent rogue with a tendency to throw tantrums.
Apart from that, and of course make Redithdoor the assassin, you seem to be doing A-OK. It's good that you make the interactions personal - I missed that a bit, when my group were in Hommlet. I look forward to reading about your group's antics.
Siobharek
...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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Cordo Crowfoot
A local, not looking for any trouble
(9/17/02 6:45:03 am)
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Re: Comments
Quote:
Making Joman Dart his father is a bit too cheap IMO, though he could maybe point the way. I might redo Questin's stats btw (feats and abilities, not level) as using daggers all the time will get old quick, even if he's got weapon finesse and 19 dex...
Hey! My favorite character is a halfling rogue with weapon finesse in the dagger! I take deep offense!
Remember, it's not the size of the weapon, but how you use it! 
In other words, who cares if the base damage is low as long as you are stacking up that sneak attack damage and hitting often.
I would think hard before allowing the players to skip big U. I have a feeling it may take it's place in the shared gamer gestalt. When they are discussing their adventures with other gamers who went through the temple...
"Oh my god! The dragon in the moathouse! I couldn't believe it was there! We didn't believe the old man's story and we barely survived. Two of us were in the negatives and the paladin slew it with an amazingly lucky smite evil!"
"Oh, yeah. Err... We skipped that."
... YMMV
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PrinceLorrin
A local, not looking for any trouble
(9/17/02 7:12:47 am)
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Re: Comments
Big U is one of the best, most memorable bits of this adventure (so far)...
My players still talk about the epic fight with Big U in the temple..(inlcuding the incredible suicide by the Bard).
Dont remove it....but let it escape after a light wounding to come back and haunt them again !! 
-Lorrin
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Sacremas
A frequent patron who knows what to expect
(9/17/02 7:22:04 am)
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Re: Comments
No, no, not skip it! I'm thinking more that he'll first scare them by placing a ligthning bolt in their midst (not hitting anything, but doing 2d6 dmg, ref 12 for none in a 10 foot burst as the electricity spreads out over the ground where it hits) then telling them that he can kill them in an instant if he wants to, that they'd already be dead if that's what he wished. Then he'll basically command them to go down there and scare out the clerics so he can eat them and take their stuff without getting down there where he cant manouver. Then they might encounter him later, being chased by the cult... or find his and a black dragons dessicated remains as the cult have used a ritual to transfer their lifeforce to some dinos...
"Hah! We just barely managed to kill that blue monster!"
"... Why? He only wanted to kill some cultists. Makes him okay in my book."
I'm going with the halfling with daggers BTW... thanks for enlightening me.
Oh, and in an unexpected turn of events; session does not start in one day... it starts in one hour!
So keep those suggestions coming!
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" |
Sacremas
A frequent patron who knows what to expect
(9/17/02 8:21:13 am)
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Re: Comments
In case someone wonders, here's Chatrilion Unosh, adventurer:
Chatrilion Unosh; Human Rog3/Ftr1: CR 4; Medium-sized humanoid (human); HD 3d6+1d10+4; 20 hp; Init +7, Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (touch 13, flat 16); Atk +8 melee (1d6+2/18-20, MW Rapier) or +6 ranged (1d6+2/x3, Mighty Composite Shortbow [str 14]); SA Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ Evasion, Uncanny Dodge (retain dex to AC); AL CN; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 9.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Move Silently +10, Hide +10, Climb +4, Disable Device +9, Listen +6, Open Lock +6, Jump +4, Sense Motive +6, Search +9, Spot +6, Use Magic Device +6; Improved Init, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (Rapier), Weapon Finesse (Rapier)
Equipment: MW Rapier, MW Studded Leather, MW Buckler (not figured in), Potion of CLW, 15 gp.
The module say that try as he might, he still come off gruff. Cha 9 is gruff. Stats rolled, 4d6. He's still got about the same figthing ability, minus death attack and tons of sneak attack dmg. I figure that in this version, he's actually telling the truth; he's a wandering adventurer that came to the area, and he searched around in the Moathouse before the cultists got there. His low Wis and Cha (gruff and grumpy) along with CN alignment is what makes him almost refuse going back there. Since my party dont got a rogue, he might stick around later... only to be hired by the cult later to assassinate them.
Any blatant errors? Or maybe Best of the Board?
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" |
Sacremas
A frequent patron who knows what to expect
(9/17/02 2:36:14 pm)
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The Temple of Pacifistic Evil, Session 2
Moved it here.
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" Edited by: Sacremas at: 9/22/02 7:18:52 pm
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Cordo Crowfoot
A local, not looking for any trouble
(9/17/02 4:29:57 pm)
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Re: The Temple of Pacifistic Evil, Session 2
Wow, the dire wolf trip was critical, but isn't a 6HD animal a bit too big for an adventuring Druid?
One option would have been to have Utreshimon stand (move equivalent action), use his hover feat and take a 5' step straight up, and then breathe. In the meantime that would have created the cloud of debris making it harder for him to get hit, and the fact that he is hovering 5' above the ground should probably mitigate vulnerability to trip attacks.
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Sacremas
Pie
(9/18/02 12:40:06 am)
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Re: The Temple of Pacifistic Evil, Session 2
You can 5 foot step up? I thought using wings and such counted as a move action no matter what...
And even so... it would have made little diffrence, as the monk could jump, and so could the flaming sphere, not to mention the bard/figther with a still active jump potion, and he only had about 25 hp at the time... He'd still be dead. Especially since 5 foot is not enough for concealment IIRC.
He was damned from the moment he sat down. In hinsight I guess I did everything more or less correct... once they had tricked him (and actually me too) to come down, he was just a sitting little duck.
-Sacremas
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madfox
Orc
(9/18/02 1:02:55 am)
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Re: The Temple of Pacifistic Evil, Session 2
I think the tripper does not get a +4 on the trip check for 4 legs, only the defender gets that bonus. Further then that the dragon should not have gone for his breathweapon, since it is fairly ineffective against 1 opponent in those circumstances. I would have gone for the full attack on the wolf, taking the -4 penalty for being prone for granted, especially since wolves do not have that good AC. Or I would have U start hovering (which would be a move equivalent action) and not attack at all. Then at least he would have been able to flee the next round if he managed to survive (and with a 50% miss chance that chance was there).
O well, it is always easy for a person to judge an event afterwards and come up with better tactics.
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Sacremas
Orc
(9/18/02 4:54:23 am)
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Re: The Temple of Pacifistic Evil, Session 2
Oh I know... since yesteday I've thought up a ton of other ways to do it (none of which have not been mentioned on the board before).
As for full attack... the damage there would have been 1d8+2d6+2d4+7, average 24... the 8d8 breath weapon (did 38, but it barely saved and took 19) looked far more cooler at the time, and actually still do. I figured I were more likely to slay the wolf in a single shot then. And besides, I nearly hit the druid as well in the same blast.
I'm glad to find out its only the defender that gets the stability bonus. This reduces the trip mod to a mere +11. I'd like to see him trying to trip the Howler though.
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" |
Thrommel
The DM
(9/18/02 6:01:42 am)
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Re: The Temple of Pacifistic Evil, Session 2
One of the PC's in my campaign got reincarnated as a wolf (and therefore had Improved Trip).
The bad news is, basically anything without reach or a ranged attack is going down. It's just a matter of time.
The good news is, your druid's wolf is not a 5/4 Barbarian/Fighter with 120 hit points when buffed and raging. Several arrows or a lucky fireball are going to take this thing out.
Of course, by that time your druid will come up with a dire bear animal companion and everyone you throw against them will be subject to Improved Grab. (And there's no better anti-spellcaster tactic than that.)
-Thrommel, who had a wolf tank AND a dire bear (shifted druid) in his party.
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Sacremas
Orc
(9/18/02 2:53:27 pm)
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Re: The Temple of Pacifistic Evil
Okay things happening; we might play tomorrow (or today depending on your timezone) and maybe the entire weekend as well.
The next session they've got the Moathouse, an area I'm fairly certain to know everything I need to know about. That's _fairly_ certain.
Got any pointers for all-important stuff? Rules I should look up beforehand? Great tactics? Or maybe an unique roleplaying wise thing that could fit my group, like the cultists asking for help for some twisted reason (like maybe recovering Festrath and the artifacts they placed with him for some reason)? I'd be grateful for anything. Oh, and feel free to be blunt and tell me what to *not* do as well, like "Do not have Big U land in the courtyard, no matter what you moron!"
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" |
Cordo Crowfoot
Pie
(9/18/02 4:31:32 pm)
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Re: The Temple of Pacifistic Evil
If you are really wanting to challenge the players, don't forget the obscuring mist in room 32A trick. Anyone who doesn't specifically say they are looking down at the ground and being careful should be subject to a reflex check to fall through the 2 or 3 foot gap between the floor and the platform.
Also, Ysslanth can drink levitate, and fight defensively in the center of the platform with an absolutely massive AC (buffed up). As the players get frustrated and rush him there, they should be making balance checks not to fall from the platform, and when enough get on the platform, Ysslanth should cut the rope with his dagger, sending them plunging 60'.
Also consider adding the ghast template to Festrath.
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Siobharek
Orc
(9/18/02 11:04:15 pm)
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Re: The Temple of Pacifistic Evil
I'm sure you do already, but make sure that you know exactly what will happen when Utreshimon starts flapping them wings.
Otherwise, you should be SO ready to run that. I look forward to hearing about it.
Hei
Siobharek
...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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Sacremas
Orc
(9/19/02 12:05:24 am)
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Re: The Temple of Pacifistic Evil
Having Ysanlash use levitate is something I did not think of... and my players have had it so easy so far that I would not mind it if they were subjected to a 60 ft fall (6d6, right?), and then had to fight the grell from atop the obelisk (and maybe Ysanlash as well... especially since only the bard and Chat got ranged weapons to hit him.
Hm... hehe.. he! Hydr Hydr!  I just thought of something; I've already described the moat and the area around it to seem like a pure corruption of nature. So that would justify me turning U into a ghast if they leave the corpse up in the open, right? And I do think he would still be able of flying and spitting lightning... I'm doing it. He fell far too easy, and this will be a valuable lesson to the players to mess up corpses to prevent such.
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" |
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