Emerald Spire Super Dungeon


Adventures


Apologies if this has already been covered in a previous thread, but I was just drooling a little over the write-up on The ESSD and one thing...concerns is too sharp a word, not sure of another more apropos, however. The write-up says the dungeon can be used to run a complete campaign around, focusing on trips into the ES, with returns to the nearby settlement to sell items and replenish supplies, no doubt.

What I'm wondering about is whether the mechanics have been covered to introduce the ES into a pre-existing game without unbalancing too significantly either way? Meaning, if the lower levels are perfect for 1st level characters, but you don't introduce the dungeon till your party of characters is 7th or 8th level, will they simply blow through the first 8 levels with no challenge? Obviously, I know that as a GM you can make any change for the needs of one's own game, which includes toughening up "weaker" areas of purchased adventures, but I was hoping the designers might have taken this eventuality into account and come up with some measures to handle such situations.

The other thing, while I love the concept of gigantic dungeons, most players I've ever played with would grow a little weary of being in the same locale (even if the levels were greatly varied,) for almost the entire lifetime of their character. Unless the designers factored this in, I'm going to have to come up with the initial reason for them to go to the ES in the first place, and then return once, or twice, or however many times it takes for them to finish the dungeon.

These are minor quibbles, certainly, but I am curious to know if the designers might have already planned for some of these issues?

Scarab Sages Modules Overlord

There is an element in place to get players in and out of the dungeon without forcing them to trudge through 8 levels of things that aren't a challenge and wouldn't offer them much reward. It can also be used as an introduction to the dungeon, and may be enough to convince players to go there. But that's about skipping the levels they are already too high level for, not repopulating the whole thing with higher-level threats. :)

The dungeon has a number of thematic links between levels, so it would also be possible to cut some levels (or combine them into higher levels) and just cut the easier sections to get PCs straight to the part that's balanced for them. You can treat it as a set of adventures, rather than one massive adventure that requires everyone to begin on level one.


Sounds great! Thank you, Mr. Stephens. Appreciate the information. I look forward to seeing the final product.

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