[dungeoncrawl] Re: [dungeon crawl] Re: Tuesday morning review
- From: Johnathan Detrick <jdetrick@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 11:29:53 -0500
Yep, Matt's hit the nail on the head. Whether or not Damon provides a nice
"Resurrection Area" in the Underdark for characters that kick it, the characters
wouldn't know that. Death should be a near and dear possibility, and I don't
think most of the Sigil consider it to be thus, considering how few of them have
died since they started adventuring.
Matt McKeehan wrote:
> I think the whole idea of our characters dying makes for a more committed
> player and aids in the mood.... Dying or the presence of pending death will
> eventually result in a more focus and entertaining time for all of us. I
> also agree with john, Jim's character's need to die :)
>
> Matt Mckeehan
> Citrix LAN Supervisor
> Admin Office of The PA Courts
> PA Supreme Court
> (717)795-2063
> (717)514-9446 mobile
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Johnathan Detrick [mailto:jdetrick@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 10:58 AM
> To: dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [dungeoncrawl] Re: Tuesday morning review
>
> I tend to agree with Jim. His characters should be killed. :)
> Sorry, I couldn't resist.
> No, what I agree with him on is that it is better to simply kill a
> character than it is to try and keep them in line by destroying items,
> or forcing Wisdom checks to use them. I'm very curious what will happen
> if someone dies in the tunnels; how will they be resurrected? Might we
> all be forced to follow Matt's rule of one death per character?
>
> jimkaren@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > Another thing is, keep the risk level
> > high! Last night, it would have been
> > fine if Kage was killed by the Beholder
> > or Alturo was killed by the being he
> > pursued. They're both risk takers, and
> > deserve what they get (good and bad).
> >
> > In fact, the only thing I dread is
> > having a DM be nice by letting my
> > character live, but taking all his
> > possessions - given the choice, I'd
> > rather have the character go out in a
> > big way and get to be the person to
> > play a mage.
> >
> > Just a thought -
> >
> > >
> > > I think you are still doing a
> > great job as DM. I just think you need
> > to
> > > stop handling these characters with
> > kid gloves. They are high enough level
> > now
> > > that they can handle quite a bit in
> > the way of threats, so I think you
> > should
> > > plan to overwhelm them, and then let
> > them get their own butts out of the
> > fire.
> > > As you say, they can run. They can
> > also use group strategy. As I mentioned
> > > last night, Cullen has basically been
> > sleeping through the recent fights, just
> > > pulling out his swords and becoming a
> > fighter. While it works for the
> > > character, who needs to release some
> > frustration of his own, he can do a lot
> > > more if given the incentive (such as
> > saving his butt from certain death).
> > > I also think that you are
> > suffering from players that are
> > distracted or not
> > > focused. However, the holidays are a
> > hard time for anyone to focus. And my
> > > understanding is that we will
> > eventually be downstairs in the
> > basement, cut off
> > > from any human contact. :) Once we
> > get into 2003, I feel that the players
> > will
> > > be in tune with your plans. After
> > all, I think the players have the
> > highest
> > > interest in this campaign as any
> > campaign they have played, so
> > everything will
> > > come together once the insanity of
> > the holidays is over.
> > >
> > > Damon Kline wrote:
> > >
> > > > Thank you John for the review. I'm
> > going to get in the habit of posting the
> > > > latest review on the web site and
> > keeping an archive of past reviews there
> > > > as well.
> > > >
> > > > As for the campaign, I have to
> > admit that I have been struggling
> > lately with
> > > > the fights. I don't know why, but
> > I can't seem to come up with a good
> > > > balance of villains that will give
> > the party a challenge, without
> > > > overwhelming them. One thing that
> > helped me in the past was that I had a
> > > > boxed set to base things off of.
> > While I didn't adhere completely to
> > their
> > > > specifications, it gave me a good
> > base from witch to plan my encounters.
> > > >
> > > > With that in mind, I have been
> > doing my own thing for a long while now
> > with
> > > > the campaign and it has really been
> > lacking in the combat department. With
> > > > these guys, role-playing is never a
> > problem. It comes so naturally to this
> > > > group, it's like breathing. But
> > for me, when I am planning out the
> > combat
> > > > that I want to use for the evening,
> > I just can't seem to get the balance
> > > > right.
> > > >
> > > > On top of that, I have not been
> > having the villains use strategy. I
> > don't
> > > > know why, but I'm having a mental
> > block on this stuff lately. I'm not
> > > > burned out on the campaign at all,
> > I'm very excited about it. I'm not
> > > > overwhelmed with other things, I
> > have plenty of time to get things
> > prepared
> > > > for each week and I feel good about
> > where I want to take the group.
> > > >
> > > > But when I get to the combat
> > situations, no amount of planning seems
> > to be
> > > > able to give me enough "umph" to
> > make it have tension. Now, last night I
> > > > had planned to throw a few more
> > things at the group, but I changed my
> > mind
> > > > because your were down by two
> > characters. So, my thought is now I
> > think
> > > > going to be to throw a lot at the
> > group and if they are being overwhelmed,
> > > > then it is their responsibility to
> > run if they have to. I'm not going to
> > > > intentionally try to overwhelm the
> > group at all, although I think I would
> > be
> > > > pretty hard pressed to do that with
> > these guys anyway. But as I work on my
> > > > balancing act to feel out how well
> > the party can handle things, I just ask
> > > > that you bear with me.
> > > >
> > > > The other advantage that I had
> > before with the Sigil, is that I had
> > been
> > > > DMing them straight through from
> > first level on up and I was well aware
> > of
> > > > what everyone could do, what items
> > they had, etc. Since we've taken
> > several
> > > > extended breaks, we've added three
> > new characters and the levels are up
> > > > there, it is very hard for me to
> > keep track of what everyone can do and
> > what
> > > > they can take.
> > > >
> > > > However, I know I've said this
> > before, but the next time we play, I
> > hope,
> > > > should prove to get things rolling
> > for these guys and hopefully bring the
> > > > campaign back up to the level that
> > it had previously been. I firmly
> > believe
> > > > that the combats will have that
> > tension to them again and the group
> > will be
> > > > focused, at least towards a common
> > goal, if not internally between the
> > > > characters.
> > > >
> > > > Please feel free to comment and
> > discuss, as I should be at my desk
> > working
> > > > on some things for a while.
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Johnathan Detrick
> > [mailto:jdetrick@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> > > > Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002
> > 9:48 AM
> > > > To: Riders II
> > > > Subject: [dungeoncrawl] Tuesday
> > morning review
> > > >
> > > > Last night, the Sigil reunited
> > on the battlefield where the scouts
> > > > had recently fought evil's
> > minions. They were unable to accomplish
> > > > much, as the beholder attacked from
> > above, a trio of minions attacked
> > > > from the passageway outside, and a
> > mind flayer appeared to attack them
> > > > as well. The group beat their
> > foes, but Tori and Elizabeth were
> > knocked
> > > > out and the party could not revive
> > them. The made their way to the
> > > > beholder's former lair, where they
> > were attacked by a sentient table.
> > > > Defeating it, they discussed the
> > need for a leader, and Sir Ivan was
> > > > elected to that position. They
> > then set watches and rested. During the
> > > > watch of Kage and Whilce, Whilce
> > heard six creatures approaching them
> > > > (and saw their shadows), and that's
> > where we ended.
> > > >
> > > > Last night was fun. Bobby was
> > missed, and the mystery of why his
> > > > character's won't awaken is nowhere
> > near as interesting as what the
> > > > group will do with them. How do
> > you handle lugging their insensate
> > > > bodies through the Underdark? It's
> > an interesting moral dilemma.
> > > > Last night was full of
> > distractions, and that took away from
> > the
> > > > role-playing to an extent. While
> > the players were a little unfocused to
> > > > begin with, the distractions just
> > exacerbated the situation. By the end
> > > > of the evening, we all came
> > together and had quite a bit of fun.
> > The
> > > > role-playing began to gel (although
> > it wasn't horrible in the beginning
> > > > of the evening, and there were some
> > good bits even then), and we ended
> > > > on a great note.
> > > > I think that another reason we
> > may have been somewhat distracted
> > > > last night was because the fight,
> > again, had no real tension. In the
> > > > end, I think it's because the party
> > was too powerful for the villains
> > > > that they faced. I hate to say
> > this, as I feel that the group will be
> > > > pelted by 20 ilithid the next time
> > we play, but I think Damon has been
> > > > too easy on the Sigil for some
> > time. To illustrate my point, cast your
> > > > minds back to the last time the
> > Sigil were stuck in the Underdark,
> > > > before we ended the first part of
> > the campaign. Does everyone remember
> > > > how difficult those fights were?
> > Does everyone remember the time spent
> > > > detailing strategy and figuring out
> > how to best foes that were too
> > > > powerful for the group? I remember
> > setting traps for trolls, and
> > > > actually using group plans. We did
> > that, because if we didn't, the
> > > > Sigil would have had their butts
> > handed to them. While the group is
> > > > more powerful than they were then,
> > they are still not strong enough that
> > > > the Underdark could not provide a
> > strong challenge for them. Besides
> > > > the mind flayers, the beholders,
> > drow and duergar (while not as
> > > > powerful) know the terrain. They
> > should be able to have strategies and
> > > > traps and such set up to tip the
> > odds in their favor. Just a thought.
> > > > In the end, last night was a
> > blast, and I can't wait to see what
> > > > happens with Ivan as leader.
> > >
> > >
> > >
Other related posts:
