Hello,
In the aforementioned adventure, xp is rewarded for researching the background of the plot. Each level of DC is awarded experience.
What I want to know is, do I just reward xp for ONE roll, or is it cumulative should they try again to research?
For example, on the 5 Prisoners, you get 100 xp for a dc 15 check, and 200 xp for a dc 20 check. Say the party rolls a 25, does that mean I grant the information in both checks and award 300 xp? Or do they have to roll two separate checks to get all 300 xp?
Second, does the xp go to just one player, the researcher, or does it go to the whole party?
Third, how long does it take to make these checks? I know there's a limited amount of game time the players have before something disastrous happens.
Fourth, what Knowledge should the players be rolling to get all this information? History maybe?
Hello,
In the aforementioned adventure, xp is rewarded for researching the background of the plot. Each level of DC is awarded experience.
What I want to know is, do I just reward xp for ONE roll, or is it cumulative should they try again to research?
For example, on the 5 Prisoners, you get 100 xp for a dc 15 check, and 200 xp for a dc 20 check. Say the party rolls a 25, does that mean I grant the information in both checks and award 300 xp? Or do they have to roll two separate checks to get all 300 xp?
Second, does the xp go to just one player, the researcher, or does it go to the whole party?
the exp rewards are not cumulative (as this would in a backhand sort of manner make it more rewarding to make the lower checks first and building up to the highest, that would then net you more exp for learning the same information, as a higher dc check would also inform you of all lower tiers of information) if the players later make a higher check, award the difference in exp.
It is presumed that the researcher would share this information with his party, or that they at least help him make the check. So it is intended for the reward to go to the entire party. However if some of the four party members showed no incentive nor effort in researching the subject, or not subscribed to the idea that knowing it would be good. feel free to waive the reward for those characters. the exp is there to represent a learning experience, if you feel they've been done, give them the experience as given.
edit : the topic should probably be moved to a more appropriate part of the forum.
So, wouldn't it make sense that if the players rolled high enough, they could get ALL of the information and experience available for a given topic?
So, wouldn't it make sense that if the players rolled high enough, they could get ALL of the information and experience available for a given topic?
read my post again, a higher dc check also informs you of all of the lower tiers
ps I revised my initial topic to include more questions. What do you think of the 3rd and 4th questions?
Well, this IS a rules question, isn't it?
ps I revised my initial topic to include more questions. What do you think of the 3rd and 4th questions?
It is assumed that the players will use written resources. as they probably won't learn much from using the information "of the top of their heads". A Knowledge check with a DC higher than 10 cannot be made untrained. However if you have access to an extensive library that covers a specific skill, this limit is removed. The time to make checks using a library, however, increases to 1d4 hours. You can assume that the house that pc's are staying in has this information thanks to the background of that character.
Any knowledge check you feel is applicable would work. given the context of the adventure; history, arcane and religion would seem appropriate.
Well, this IS a rules question, isn't it?
it is a question regarding a specific adventure path, not a general rules question. so it would be more appropriate there.
the exp rewards are not cumulative (as this would in a backhand sort of manner make it more rewarding to make the lower checks first and building up to the highest, that would then net you more exp for learning the same information, as a higher dc check would also inform you of all lower tiers of information) if the players later make a higher check, award the difference in exp.
I don't understand. Say I make a really high roll, and so am awarded the highest check result possible. I get 200xp for the party. Do I find out the lower end check results at the same time? Do I get the xp reward for the lower end check results as well?
I ran that adventure. You get the XP plus any XP under it, and it is divided among the entire party. A high roll give you any information lower than what you roll for also.
That's how I ran it the last time. Wasn't sure it was the right thing to do.
I am a little concerned though, about the wealth not being up to the same rate as the xp in the adventure. So, what I did was give them all 900gp for their starting money (the same as that one character trait in the APG), a free Travel Cloak from D&D3.5's Magic of Faerun so that they wouldn't have to worry about food, water or a tent, and gave them the option of going into debt to buy a magic item they wanted.
That's how I ran it the last time. Wasn't sure it was the right thing to do.
I am a little concerned though, about the wealth not being up to the same rate as the xp in the adventure. So, what I did was give them all 900gp for their starting money (the same as that one character trait in the APG), a free Travel Cloak from D&D3.5's Magic of Faerun so that they wouldn't have to worry about food, water or a tent, and gave them the option of going into debt to buy a magic item they wanted.
Carrion Crown gives a lot of expendables out. I think it was an experiment. I just threw in extra loot to make up for it, over the course of the game.
Yeah, I didn't (and still don't) know how to deal with all the enchanted arrows I kept finding throughout the adventure. I have no idea how to reduce them to a gp value. This is necessary, since the ranger in the group has a +1 Ghost Touch Strength Adjusting composite longbow. He doesn't need the enchanted arrows much.
Maybe I could just give out potions of Cure whatever instead? What do you recommend?
Yeah, I didn't (and still don't) know how to deal with all the enchanted arrows I kept finding throughout the adventure. I have no idea how to reduce them to a gp value. This is necessary, since the ranger in the group has a +1 Ghost Touch Strength Adjusting composite longbow. He doesn't need the enchanted arrows much.
Maybe I could just give out potions of Cure whatever instead? What do you recommend?
I just placed extra treasure in places. Those arrows can also be used as improvised daggers if needed by a melee character. They will just have to take the -4 penalty.
50 magical arrows are about 2300gp if purchased. I would not really worry about them. The party can just sell them in book 2, if they are not needed.
At the end of book 1 check to see if you think they have sufficient wealth. Adjust book 2 accordingly.
Those 50 enchanted arrows; does it matter to what level they are enchanted to (+1, +2 and so on) when pricing them?
No, they won't have to use the arrows as crappy daggers. The party consists of an invoker (whose magic missile spells/force missile power can damage ghosts), a cleric who is rabidly anti-undead (Sun and Glory: Heroism domains), and a ranger with a ghost touch bow. They literally don't need the fancy arrows much. The only way they'd be better suited to the adventure is if the ranger was switched out for a paladin.
I do have to worry about the arrows, since I have to figure out how to price them if sold. I have no clue how to price out partially charged items either.
Book 2 seems to have even LESS wealth than the first, unless I was missing something when I ran it the last time.
Yes. The price I gave you was for +1. The cost per arrow is about 46gp if purchased by the party so they sell for about 23 a piece.
For partially charged items just divide the current charge by the max.
As an example a 1st level wand is 750 gp.
If the wand has 25 out of 50 charges then its price is 375(half of 750). If the party sells it then they get 187.5.
When I ran book 2 it was short on gear also. What you can do is have Kendra give them a reward out of the estate of her father as a token of thanks.
Hello,
In the aforementioned adventure, xp is rewarded for researching the background of the plot. Each level of DC is awarded experience.
What I want to know is, do I just reward xp for ONE roll, or is it cumulative should they try again to research?
For example, on the 5 Prisoners, you get 100 xp for a dc 15 check, and 200 xp for a dc 20 check. Say the party rolls a 25, does that mean I grant the information in both checks and award 300 xp? Or do they have to roll two separate checks to get all 300 xp?
Second, does the xp go to just one player, the researcher, or does it go to the whole party?
Third, how long does it take to make these checks? I know there's a limited amount of game time the players have before something disastrous happens.
Fourth, what Knowledge should the players be rolling to get all this information? History maybe?
I am currently running this adventure.
First: Carefully reread pages 15-17 of the adventure. It's okay, I'll wait here. Done? Good. I'm putting the rest of this in a Spoiler Tag.First: Make sure that the PC's know that they can get bonuses to their research by going to different places for the research. If you are using the trust mechanic, make sure that they have enough trust to get into those libraries.
NOTE: I have been very liberal with giving out trust for stuff outside of what's listed in the adventure. If they do jobs for the townpeople, they earn trust.
XP Question: Like Wraithstrike said, if they get a 24 on their knowledge check (allow Aid Another if they ask for it and the Aiding character has the relevant knowledge skill.) then they get 350XP (200XP for DC 20, 100XP for DC 15, 50XP for DC 10). In my group all XP is split evenly all the time (unless someone does a story related side adventure). Also, note that each of the 5 Prisoners is a separate DC 25 check worth 400 XP. I have asked my players to declare who they are researching before rolling.
TIME: I have been ruling that they can make one check a day (8 hours of work).
WHAT KNOWLEDGE SKILL?: This should have been covered by rereading pages 15-17. Each area of research can be researched using either of two knowldege skills. For instance: Harrowstone can be researched using Knowledge (history) or Knowledge (local). Regarding Aid Another: For my group, When researching Harrowstone: I will allow someone with ranks in Knowledge (history) to Aid Another even if the character doing the main check is using her Knowledge (local) skill for the check.
I hope I covered all your questions. I have flagged the thread to be moved over to the Carrion Crown AP discussion forum.
The last time I ran Book 2, I just ensured that the players would get their hands on all possible treasure, instead of leaving it up to die rolls. I also didn't price out the charged items, instead just leaving them for the players to distribute. I figured this would compensate for the lack of dough. That seems simpler than trying to figure out the monetary wealth of each PC, and then adjusting it by the recommended wealth by level chart for upper level PC's.
Normally, what I do is halve the base price of any found item, and then that counts as sold. I divide the total money the group gets by the number of players and hand it out to each PC, and then if any PC wants to keep an item, they pay half the base price (the same amount the item was worth in the kitty). But since pricing charged items is difficult (like 14 charges on a CLW wand) I leave them out of the kitty.