So in the semi-near future I'm going to give the Scales of War AP a try. I have been looking at and working on continuity in the first one and am thinking of changing a few things. First of all I don't really have the desire for the endless trek through room after room of random badguys, I mean I can do that on my own. I know the adventures get better later but I want the beggining to be cool and with the coolest fight of the adventure (the ogre) is at the begining then I want the rest to catch up so to speak. So far I have a few cool ideas I have swiped but I am thinking of breaking the adventure up over a few mini dungeons of 3-5 encounters each with some travel/skill challenges instead of all in one location. I find that dungeon delve sized chunks just feel better in 4e, not to mention when adding hostages to the mix. My initial ideas is a camp site with a few of the hostages/items, a small dungeon with the hobgoblin and crew, and a further mini dungeon where the undead lair. Anyone have any ideas or just stories of what you changed when you ran it?
I've ran through it but only as a player. It was OK but as you note nothing exceptional. It felt underpowered for our group even though we were just beginning 4E at the time and the skill challenges where generally not well thought out for the adventure.
It isn't amazing but I have a rough draft so far. This combines many ideas I've swiped from various other sources including a browsing of other people's changes via campaign journals and the like. (I would give credit for ideas but I don't know where I swiped the ideas from).
Beggining is unchanged (bar fight, ogre bombarder, Interrigation skill challenge) except that the interrigation basically gives them a numbers run down and some sense of where to head. After the job offer and all the pcs get another skill challenge that allows them to catch up to some of the warband that attacked. If they fail the skill challenge the band becomes aware of them and gets the better ground, if they succeed the party gets the high ground (which gives them bonuses and what not). The scout encounter is 2 waves long the first beinga but load of minions, and the second being 2 sharpshooters and an elite hob guard of some sort (haven't decided).
From there they find the hidden crypt the Hobs are lairing in. (Skill challenge?)
The place is broken into 3 areas->
- The guard house
- The moseleum
- The Undercrypt
The Guard House will be the caretakers home that the goblinoids have ransacked and taken over. The first encounter will be with gobs who tip over braziers and attempt to burn the party, the second is with jailers and has a hostage or two, and the final is the upstairs of the house with some orc dignitaries from 2 warring tribes that are there allying on Tusk's behalf.
The Moseleum is the upper crypt area where the hobs lair. 4 encounters here, the portal one (reworked), the crypt with the runes, the hexer encounter (changed to warcaster) who is Sinruth's mate and the Sinruth encounter (who will become an elite with some hobs).
The undercrypt will be 3 encounters, some undead minions, and encounter with undead that were townsfolk, and the lord of rivenroar which will either bhe a big encounter version of the one used or a Nasty elite and company from open grave.... maybe the first solo...
Thoughts?