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Hi All,

I just wanted to post to say that Sunday, May 18th marked the end of my group’s Shackled City campaign. The campaign began in September of 2005, enjoyed fairly steady bi-weekly play, and saw the Heroes of Cauldron overcome all manner of challenges. Those challenges cumulated in a final battle upon the plane of Occiptus against the demon prince of madness known as Adimarchus.

When my group and I began the campaign roughly two and a half years ago there were eight of us participating. At the end we consisted of five members with the party’s character composition as follows:

Romin the Wanderer, 19th level human cleric of Fharlanghn.

Royce, 19th level human rogue.

Arivanna Dancingblades, 9th level fighter/10th level elven ranger, bearer of the Smoking Eye.

Zaruthiel, 2nd level fighter/17th level elven wizard.

Alek Tercival, 17th level human paladin of St Cuthbert (GMPC).

A large part of the success the group enjoyed when the attrition set in regarding their party’s size can be attributed to smart tactics, a revised feat progression, and the inclusion and use of action points. These factors I believe really helped to maintain not only the party’s survivability, but also served to promote the feeling of heroic fantasy that D&D is famous for.

As for the campaign material itself and the excellent support it has enjoyed, I would like to thank all of the authors who worked on the adventure path itself, James Jacobs for his efforts consolidating the adventure path into the hardback collection, the contributors to the RPGenius website for their material, and finally the members of the Paizo boards for their discussions and advice regarding the different aspects of the Shackled City campaign. Your efforts and contributions helped to make for the fantastic gaming experience that was enjoyed by my players and myself.

Speaking of my players, I would like to thank them all. For without their enthusiasm and participation, the adventure path, while a fun read, could never have realized its potential. My friends were a great group to commit to the campaign knowing that it was going to be for a long duration. I appreciate them always contributing to the sessions to make them truly enjoyable and memorable.

In closing, I encourage anyone considering running one of Paizo’s adventure paths to do so. The material contained in the various adventure paths, to my reading, is top notch and the community here at Paizo is great for sharing ideas to make the respective campaigns the best they can be. The only real difficulty will most likely be trying to decide which one to do. :-)

Good Gaming,
Mark

Thomas,

Here is a link to where you can read over what Action Points can do:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/actionPoints.htm

I use them in my Shackled City campaign and they work great. My players love them. :-)

Good Gaming,
Mark

Hi All,

I have done my fair share of super hero roleplaying, including DC Heroes, Champions, GURPS Supers, Marvel Saga, Necessary Evil, and M&M 2E. All have their respective strengths and weaknesses, but I will have to say that of the current supers games out there, M&M 2E would be my recommendation if someone were looking to try it out. For more information I recommend checking out the M&M website at:

http://www.mutantsandmasterminds.com/

Good Gaming,
Mark

Mr. Shiny,

A few years back I looked at doing a conversion of Shadowrun 3E to D20 Modern. I didn’t get past the initial phase, but I do think that it could have been done more cleanly with D20 Modern than using D&D 3.5.

Now I would actually recommend using True 20 or M&M 2E for a Shadowrun conversion. I think either of these systems will provide you with a more stream lined conversion process that will be more inherently balanced than using D&D 3.5 or D20 Modern.

Many of the needed skill sets are already in place with both systems. In addition, using True 20, allows for the use of their True20Cybernetics and True Sorcery supplements to have the conversion up and running much faster.

Using M&M 2E allows for a far greater degree of customization, but ground rules will need to be in place governing the PL of the game, what powers can be used with the FX being cyberware or magic. This I think is the best option, since by using a point based build; you should achieve more balanced characters that capture the feel of Shadowrun without the complexity of the system.

Finally, both systems allow for fast contest/combat resolution, which should translate nicely to the action one reads in the Shadowrun novels but doesn’t always see play out at the table.

As for all of the nuances of the Shadowrun universe governing cyberware, decking, and magic, I think you will be better off looking to capture the “feel” of the setting rather than a point for point conversion. If you were going to go to that length, I would recommend instead that you use the SR3 or SR4 system and revise the rules there that you do not like. That way you will be faster getting to sit down and play some sessions and have less time spent in system development which might become so disenchanting that you never get around to playing.

Anyway, I hope that the ideas are of some use and good luck with your conversion.

Good Gaming,
Mark

Fizzban,

I highly recommend you check out GURPS Celtic Myth. It is a fantastic resource for Celtic culture, including information about their warriors and magic. As an example here are some things it had to say about Celtic warriors:

1) Typically a great hero or a king might have an iron breastplate or a mail shirt.
2) Most heroes went into battle protected only by their skills and their shields.
3) Looking good and making a good impression were much more important to a Celtic warrior than protection from enemy spears.
4) Every warrior tried to look his best for combat and rich warriors looked well indeed.

The book goes on to mention that the common weapons were spears, broadswords, and slings. Shields were the most common protective item employed. It talks about what types of wealth the warriors had, the codes of honor they employed, the role druids and priests played in society, and many more great, easy to use facets of Celtic culture ready to import into a game.

Anyway, as far as your character goes (presuming that you are starting out as a first level character), I recommend the following if you are starting as a fighter and you want to be as close to the realistic Celtic warrior as possible:

1) Place a good score in Dexterity and/or Constitution.
2) Look at the following feats:
a. Combat Expertise
b. Dodge
c. Weapon Focus Spear.
3) For equipment take a large wooden shield, short spear, and a long sword.

If you are starting as a druid, you will have the advantage of spells, which can augment your capabilities nicely. The above advice for a fighter still applies, though you will only have two starting feats instead of three (I would go with dodge and weapon focus). Drop the long sword from the equipment suggestions and replace it with a sling.

When combat occurs, look for opportunities to fight defensively and boost your armor class through spells when you start taking levels in druid. As you gain levels, look for those feats and spells that can exploit your ability to defend yourself while maximizing the use of your signature equipment. I think with a little research and planning you could really bring the feel of a Celtic warrior to your D&D game without giving up the hallmarks of their warrior culture.

Anyway, I hope that the above is somewhat useful and good luck with your character. It sounds like a really fun one to try out and has inspired me to take a look at possibly doing a similar one when I next get to play. :-)

Good gaming,
Mark

F2K,

First, I would just like to say that I feel your pain. :-) My SCAP campaign is now striding past 10th level and already the familiar drag of high level prep and play is setting in. As I have mentioned before in other posts, I use a variety of preparation tricks to aid me as a GM. However, 3.5 does seem to demand an inordinate amount of time for a GM to maintain a decently prepared game that can be run smoothly when the players all sit down at the table.

So, while I think it would be possible to do a low magic variant of 3.5, I think the amount of work required to set it up and have it run decently would be counter productive to addressing the concern of preparation time. By that I mean I think you would trading out the number crunching you do now for regular high level 3.5 preparation, for time spent converting to the variant you came up with. That is not to say that the other suggestions thus far have been without merit. In fact I saw several ideas that I might try in some of the one shots my group and I occasionally do to try new systems and settings. :-)

That said if you truly desire to stay with 3.5, then Delveg’s suggestion to look at Umber is a solid one. My friends and I took that variant, made some of our own tweaks, and ran with it for a pseudo-dark ages game set on earth. While the experience was fun, by 10th level or so the problem with limited healing and long recovery times had us looking into Reserve Points as found in the Unearthed Arcana supplement just to keep adventure momentum for the game. Overall, the Umber variant was decent for the lower levels, but seemed strained at the higher ones. Of course, your mileage may vary as they say. :-)

As for my suggestion, I recommend looking at some other systems to see if they can deliver what you are after. My recommendations are as follows:

1) Savage Worlds. This is currently my number one system of choice. Tremendously intuitive and very GM friendly. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savage_Worlds. At the bottom of the page is a link to the free test drive version. Free adventures with pregenerated characters are also available at the home site: http://peginc.com/. The game offers several unique settings, including some very cool upcoming products that cover a wide range of genres. In addition, several PDF tool kits are available that help expand the use of the system for a variety of genres such as fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and pulp. I highly recommend you give it a look and try it out.

2) True20: This is another great product that is very GM friendly. You can read more about it here: http://true20.com/about.php and it has links to download a free test introductory version and an adventure. I have used it for a couple of different games, both fantasy and modern, with solid success. The main rule book along with the Worlds of Adventure supplement have some neat settings that a GM can use to get a unique game up and running in a small amount of time. Finally, to use it for a fantasy game, you have the advantage in that it is OGL based so converting adventures should be fairly straightforward. Especially with True20’s excellent Bestiary supplement which converts all of the OGL monsters into True20 terms.

3) GURPS 4E. This is a slightly more complex game system in that it strives for a fairly high level of “realism” in its mechanics. However, it has a fast learning curve and it is quite customizable. I have run several games of differing genres with great success under it and its predecessor GURPS 3E. You can read more about it here: http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/ and GURPS Lite is free for download at: http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/lite/.

Finally, as an aside, I just wanted to say that I still follow yours and your player’s campaign write ups and I must say that it is apparent you run an excellent game. So while high-level play can be discouraging and frustrating, your efforts are worthwhile for the caliber of game you offer and provide. Keep up the good work and take pride in what you and your players have created. Also, maybe talk with your players about the issues you are having with the magic item trading. Maybe they have some suggestions on how to streamline that process or handle it off screen so as to maximize playing time.

Anyway, I hope that the above game systems may be of some use and good luck with whatever route you do decide on. If you have any questions concerning the suggestions after looking them over, I would be pleased to be of assistance. :-)

Good Gaming,
Mark

Overseer,

I would go with a combination of what Lilith and Vattnisse suggest. Namely, split up the orcs into squads commanded by their respective sub-commanders, with one overall leader with an aid and bodyguard group. So, using a group of 50 orcs, I would most likely set up the following:

4 squads of 10 orcs each.
4 sub-commanders, 1 for each squad.
1 Leader with 1 Cleric or Adept and 4 bodyguards.

Then roll 5 initiatives, 1 for each squad and 1 for the leader and his staff.

Since you are asking for advice or recommendations on tactics, I presume that you have decided or know what the orcs objectives are for engaging in combat with the PCs. These objectives will help you decide when the orcs morale becomes questionable or outright breaks. They will also help you think of how the orcs will approach and engage the PCs in battle. Be certain to decide ahead of time under what criteria the leader and his staff will engage with the PCs. This too will dictate the tactics employed.

So presuming that the orcs’ objectives requires direct confrontation with the PCs in an open field, I suggest the following tactics:

Have some of the orcs (say 2 squads) employ missile fire for cover as the melee forces advance. Once melee is joined, shift the archer squads’ focus to the PCs back ranks, if any, or have one squad remain on hold with missile fire, while the other switches to melee weapons. Have this squad move into a reinforcement position to sub out wounded orcs that are forced to fall back. In the meanwhile, have the Adept or Cleric supply spell support as needed and deploy the bodyguards as a screen if the PCs maneuver to strike at the command element.

If things turn against the orcs, have the reserve archer squad provide cover fire for the withdraw/retreat while steadily falling back themselves. Once the leader and his staff are into cover, along with the majority of the surviving melee troops, have the archers discontinue cover fire and full retreat as well. From this point use hit and run tactics, with the orcs continuously falling back. Do not have them engage in another straight up fight unless the terrain, PCs actions, or the evolving situation leaves them no other choice. The object now should be on surviving to fight another day with as much of their forces salvaged as possible.

If things turn against the PCs evaluate the damage done to the orcs vs. their stomach to continue the fight. Keep a couple of options open for why the orcs may be inclined to parley, to take prisoners, or to let the PCs retire from the field. That way you can salvage a near TPK if it starts to come about.

When running the fight make liberal use of the Aid Another action or Grappling checks for the melee squads if they have trouble hitting the PCs (Personally, I would go with the Aid Another over the Grapple to help keep the fight moving along). If the PCs have too easy a time hitting the orcs, have the Aid Another action become shield wall tactics with success boosting the specific Armor Class values of the orcs’ main melee combatants. Obviously the number of orcs engaging each PC dictates how much of a bonus can be applied for any given combatant.

For the archers do a modified form of Aid Another where a successful aid attempt adds +1 to missile fire with 4 archers lending the bonus to every 5th one. So there would be two attack rolls for each missile fire squad, with up to a maximum of a +4 bonus provided if each of the 4 archers hit AC10. This will more readily simulate a rain of arrows falling amongst the party. Targets can be decided randomly (i.e. the PC group has yet to act or are huddled together) or specifically, depending on what the PCs do to single themselves out (i.e. a Fireball casting wizard or a Great Cleaving fighter).

To save on dice rolling, go ahead and review the orc squads basic capabilities along with the PCs hit points, armor classes, and normal SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) when engaging in combat. This may allow you to decide on an arbitrary number to add to the main orcish combatants, before commencing the fight. So for example, if the PCs all have high armor classes or hit points, each main archer squad will roll two attack rolls, each with a +2 bonus. Likewise, the orc melee fighters will strive for a 3 on one advantage resulting in 1 attack roll per three attackers, each with a +2 bonus to hit or a +2 to armor class. For damage, use the average results that could be generated (i.e. 4 or 5 points for a regular longbow and 5 or 6 points for a normal long sword presuming a +1 strength score). Of course, this all depends on your group and will need to evolve as the fight unfolds. However, it should serve when starting the fight to speed things along. For the leader and his staff, determine the results normally when they actually become involved.

I hope that the above is of some use and good luck with the encounter. I would be interested in hearing how things turn out.

Good gaming,
Mark

Dodo,

Just as a kind of an FYI, when my group went through the Starry Mirror to reach Alek they were spent out. Once there, the group decided to camp in the room Alek was trapped in before opening the door to see what was on the other side since they had no way of knowing where the mirror had transported them. Even fully rested and prepped back up, Nabthatoron nearly decimated them.

Alek was slain along with my NPC cleric and the group’s wizard. The remainder of the party, on their last legs, managed to take Nabthatoron down to roughly half of his hit points. At that point I had him mock them for failing to save Alek and let them know that through his machinations Red Gorge was now doomed. Nabthatoron then teleported away rather than risk more damage that might have made him vulnerable to a possible coup back in the Demonskar. This allowed part of the group to survive receive Nidrama’s warning through the dying Alek and set the stage for the Test of the Smoking Eye.

So just be aware that even with being at full strength, there is no guarantee that the adventurers can defeat the demon lord in a straight up fight.

Still, if you really want to see how your group would fair against the demon lord without hamstringing your player character’s capabilities, go ahead and let the group’s wizard teleport back with Alek. This allows the group to rest, even if independently, and lets them provide the basic means to handle the Red Gorge situation.

When the wizard returns the next day, have Nabthatoron strike at the party in retribution for foiling his schemes. If things start to go south for your heroes, have Kaurophon show up offering a way out via his plane shift ability, claiming he was sent by the “angel” rather than the “prophet” as given in his possible answers when being questioned in the Test of the Smoking Eye.

I think this idea will allow you to still have the big fight while allowing your players to feel that their decisions and actions make a difference in how the story is unfolding. Additionally, by using Kaurophon as the escape clause you segue nicely into the next chapter of the campaign.

I hope that the above is of some use and good luck with your campaign. I look forward to hearing how your group's battle with Nabthatoron plays out.

Good Gaming,
Mark

Tequila Sunrise,

I just took at look at what you posted on the DM Tools site and just wanted to say good job. I got a chuckle out of what you put in for the “hook”. :-)

Good Gaming,
Mark

Rokeca,

Just wanted to add my thanks as well for sharing your mini adventure. My players are starting on Occipitus this coming Saturday and we’re doing a marathon session. Your timing was perfect. :-)

In addition, I also want to thank Koramado for theRPGenius.com site. It has been a fantastic resource to aid my Shackled City campaign.

Good Gaming,
Mark

Kyle,

A quick search turned up the following article on Wizard’s site:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dl/lx20010326b

I hope it is of use.

Good gaming,
Mark

Soulfire777,

I am glad that you like the Unearthed Arcana supplement. :-)

Regarding your question about using supplemental material and the difficulty in maintaining balance, the simple answer is yes it does. The complicated answer is that sometimes the additional material can make a good game great or cause it to be destroyed. Ultimately, in my opinion, the use of supplemental material really depends on the DM and the players working together to create a fun and rewarding game.

In my own campaigns, I tend to have several supplements in play simply because my players and I enjoy having the options that the various books present. However, I am fortunate in that my players understand that as the DM I have the final say so on what ultimately gets included in the game. They also understand that they have a responsibility to be knowledgeable about their character capabilities from feats, class features, spells, or any special rules that may apply to those capabilities.

As far as my advice regarding adding in supplemental material into one’s game, just remember the following:

1) You do not need to be an expert on all of the supplemental material right away. Rather, strive to have a solid knowledge of the material that will allow you to make fair rulings or know where in the supplements to get additional information when needed.

2) Slowly add in supplemental material at a pace you as the DM are comfortable with. Take your time when evaluating new classes, feats, spells, and magic items. Just because the supplement hits the shelves on Monday doesn’t mean you need to have it in play by that following Saturday.

3) Along with number 2, know that you do not have to allow everything in a supplement just because you choose to allow some of it. However, be reasonable when your players come to you with their thoughts and ideas. The temptation may be to say no right away, but if your players are good about maybe trying the material with the understanding that it could be pulled back out, then maybe give it a try.

4) If you are going to make supplemental material available, make sure your players know what is and is not acceptable. In addition, encourage them to go above and beyond to work at knowing the supplemental material as it applies to any new rules that might be being introduced. If you all are on the same proverbial page, then time at the table can be better utilized and not spent on rules discussions.

5) Understand that including the supplemental material will undoubtedly increase your prep time depending on what all you choose to include. It will also most likely increase your effort behind the screen until the new material becomes routine for you and your group. You will have to decide if the gains are worth the investment in time.

For myself, I have always run games and been in games where multiple sources have been in play. Sometimes I admit that it can be overwhelming keeping up with everything. However, the rewards have made the occasional frustrations worth the effort. Ultimately, you and your group will need to decide what’s right for you. Just remember that the goal is to have fun and as long as that goal is realized, it doesn’t matter whether you play Core only, with every supplement published, or somewhere in between. :-)

Good Gaming,
Mark

PS: If you are uncertain about new material and have the time, try to use short adventures unrelated to your main campaign, where you and your group may try out the material you are considering with completely different characters. Dungeon of course is a great resource for this and don’t be afraid to try out the higher levels. After all, it may be months of play in the main game before the characters reach the lofty heights of high-level. :-)

Soulfire777,

Another option to consider when only running with four players may be to look at using Action Points as found in the Unearthed Arcana supplement. I have found that they have allowed my players to survive encounters where one or two bad rolls would have resulted in a TPK. An Action Point’s ability to allow additional points to be applied to a critical save or to provide a temporary boost in a character’s effectiveness when needed most, have been a nice addition to my own Shackled City campaign. I highly recommend them.

Good Gaming,
Mark

Samstephenson500,

Just wanted to say great builds for the levels of Bhal-Hamatugn. When I ran the module for my group I ended up using clear plastic battle maps, sketching out the areas, and stacking them over one another. While it worked well for running the fight in the temple, it certainly lacked the visual impact of your Dwarven Forge Sets. Well done and have fun tomorrow. I am sure your players will appreciate your efforts and the visual layout may just give them the extra edge to win through. :-)

Good gaming,
Mark

Hi All,

My advice would be to decide ahead of time how character death is going to be handled in the campaign. Decide how prevalent Raise Dead and the other associated spells are. If they are readily available, then character deaths will not be so terrible as to halt the campaign prematurely. If Raise Dead and the associated spells are not readily available, then steps will need to be taken to either assure character survivability (i.e. plenty of wands of healing, healing potions, friendly NPCs with healing spells, etc.) or the establishment of the means to keep the game going in the event of a TPK.

In my own campaign, I have chosen to keep the available healing magic high and to allow minimum access to Raise Dead and the other associated spells. To date I have had 3 character deaths, all restored at various points during the campaign and with accrued in game debts/favors owed. So far it seems to be working well. :-)

As an aside note, my group is getting ready to start Test of the Smoking Eye and the latest death occurred in the battle against Nabthatoron. The group is now 10th level and down to four members. I expect the next chapter to be quite challenging when we resume play in January.

Good Gaming,
Mark

PS: The use of Action Points has also been valuable in my campaign and I recommend giving them a try if you have not done so. They are a useful means of providing last-ditch saves to help campaign continuation. :-)

Hi All,

With my own group, I did run Drathkar’s Way and while it had some memorable moments, I do not think it greatly added anything to the overall experience of the SCAP. My players now have a running joke about how many “lost” ruins there are underneath Cauldron, but it’s all in good fun. :-)

If you are going to run it, I think Dedekind’s advice to change out the location is a good one to help avoid the whole “just how many ruins under Cauldron are there anyway” syndrome. In that case, I would recommend some sort of near by border fort that has fallen into disrepair. Possible maps could be the Border Fort map from Dungeon 118 or Blackwell Keep from Dungeon 126. Both maps are of course available in the web enhancements for each issue.

On the subject of the experience curve, I think that Drathkar’s Way did help my group’s overall power level to take on Flood Season. Especially since we lost two player’s right after finishing Drathkar’s Way (The group started with 7 players and was down to 5 at the start of Flood Season). So if you have a large group, then the extra experience is beneficial. If you group is smaller, then the experience curve will ramp up faster with just Life’s Bazaar and you should be fine.

Good gaming,
Mark

Warning: Possible Spoilers Below…

Rileyglow,

Several excellent ideas have already been offered. As further consideration, you may wish to check out Requiem of the Shadow Serpent in Dungeon #139 (9th level). While set in the Frealms, the adventure could easily be adapted for use near Cauldron. Since the main foes of Requiem, the Yuan-Ti are actually featured later in the SCAP, the module could add some foreshadowing elements. In fact, I plan to use this adventure in my own SCAP game in the near future.

As for the special feature regarding the location used in the module (the Dead Magic Zone), it could easily be removed (I am choosing to leave the location as is). In addition, if removed, the motivation of the foes could be changed from collecting magic items to gathering intelligence in preparation for their eventual comeback (the second motivation is the primary reason in my campaign).

I know that the adventure is rated for 9th level characters, but it can easily be toned down with the removal of a couple of encounters within the lair. Likewise, removing the Dead Magic Zone will change the dynamics of the final encounter, which reduces the challenge the party will face.

I hope that the above suggestion is of some help. Have fun when you run and let us know what you decide on.

Good gaming,
Mark

Fang,

Just after the attack, I had the druid in the group make a KN: Nature check to know that the belladonna option was available. My group then went immediately to the Church of St Cuthbert and explained that the ranger had been bitten by a wererat. Since I already allow the Shifter race from Eberron, I figured that lycanthropy wasn’t completely unheard of or unprepared for. Jenya administered the belladonna and the ranger made her save. However, she failed the first Fort save for the strength loss, but made the second. The group then paid for a lesser restoration spell and the belladonna treatment.

Obviously, if your player’s character has already passed the magic hour, belladonna will not be an option. So now your group’s option is getting the break enchantment spell cast on the character. Hopefully they will have the spell cast within 3 days of the attack otherwise it will have to wait until the full moon and the afflicted character will need to make a DC20 Will Save.

At this point in the campaign the Church of Wee Jas should not be necessarily indisposed towards casting the spell for the usual fee/donation(10 x Spell Level x Caster Level or 10 x 5 x 12 = 600GPs). Hopefully, the required amount will not be out of the group’s range to raise, even if some equipment would need to be sold. If the characters do not have the necessary funds or do not want to sell their gear, maybe they could trade their services for the spell. This could help get the characters more involved with the Church of Wee Jas so that there is more character investment with the later chapters.

I hope that the above was of some help and let us know how the Curse gets resolved.

Good Gaming,
Mark

Fang,

When I ran the encounter for my group, I too had a character that was bitten and failed her Fort save. I went with the write up as printed in the Monster Manual that lists the Curse of Lycanthropy as a feat of the creature. Since the SCAP references the MM for the stats, I think you are fine to rule that the wererats have the Curse ability.

Also, the afflicted character should not have too hard a time getting the affliction treated. See page 178 in the MM for the available options.

Good Gaming,
Mark

Sexi Golem 01,

Personally, I do not think that there would be too much of a “balance” problem going this route. The only issue I could foresee would be slowing down the game with adding the extra dice mechanic.

In addition, since you seem partial to using Concentration as the skill (which 3.5 does default to for maintaining spell casting in stressful situations), you will need to determine what the DC of the concentration checks are that the armor check penalties are going to apply against. Are they like casting on the defensive, DC15 + Spell Level? Are they easier, say DC10 + Spell Level? Does the experience/talent of the spell caster make any difference (i.e. can they add their class level to the check)? Does Combat Casting apply to the Concentration check regardless of the situation (i.e. casting a spell outside of combat but not out of the armor)? What is the effect of failing the check? Is it per the rules as applied now against the Arcane Spell Failure percentage or is the spell lost? If a character successfully makes the check to cast of the defensive, do they automatically get the spell off, or is another check still required? Does the armor check penalty now apply to casting on the defensive if the rolls are all inclusive (i.e. one roll covers it all)? In regards to the various prestige classes and new core classes, you will need to determine if their special abilities regarding Arcane Spell Failure can now be applied to the armor check penalties instead with little impact (most likely this will be easily determined based on the class descriptions). Just some things to think about when you go to play test the change.

Also, keep in mind that by instituting the Concentration skill check when casting in armor, you by default raise the importance of the skill. Therefore an arcane class or an arcane multiclass combo that has few skill points will be less likely to spread those points to other facets of the character in order to maximize the likely hood of making those casting checks when needed. That’s one reason why you may wish to make the governing skill Spellcraft instead, since the skill has applications outside of combat unlike Concentration. In addition, you could keep the rules now regarding casting on the defensive and merely have to determine when the Spellcraft roll gets made in the sequence of events.

As I said before, I look forward to hearing how the change works out for you and wish you all possible success.

Good Gaming,
Mark

Hi All,

I just wanted to say that regarding many of the character based abilities dependant on the wearing or not wearing of the armor, I think that the majority were just left over “sacred cows” when the rules system was carried over from 2nd to 3.X. I also think several class abilities were designed to maintain a certain image that had evolved over time (i.e. the lightly armored ranger with two weapons, the heavily armored paladin on a warhorse, the wizard with no armor, etc.). Basically, I think the restrictions were put into place to maintain a tradition rather than any serious “logic” or “game balance” issues. Still for the most part the system does seem to provide the gaming experience it offers quite well and my players seem to have a lot of fun when we get together.

All that said, I agree that if the tenets of the game are to be changed regarding magic and the rules that govern it, that those tenets need to be looked at as a holistic whole and not necessarily a class at a time. Likewise, if armor restrictions vs. class abilities are going to be revised, a comprehensive look at those abilities and their related feats will also be needed. This I think will prove to be somewhat difficult with the number of sources now available for character classes and character options (i.e. feats, spells, magic items, etc).

Finally, in regards to handling spell failure in general, True Sorcery by Green Ronin offers a mechanic that might be useable even with the standard magic system in 3.5 and follows along the lines of what has already be proposed using the Concentration skill. Namely, the system requires a Spellcraft roll to perform magic. If the caster is wearing armor, then you apply a double armor check penalty to a Spellcraft roll to successfully cast a spell. If the caster has the Armored Caster feat, the penalty to the Spellcraft roll is equal to the armor check penalty.

Now admittedly True Sorcery is a variant magic system and the Spellcraft skill plays an important role in it. However, if we take the mechanic and say all spell casters must perform a Spellcrafting check equal to 10 or 15 + the level of the spell (depending on how restrictive we want to make casting in general) to successfully cast a spell, then we have easily standardized the casting between arcane and divine magic. Now, all that would remain is to decide what do you do regarding the classes and their feats.

My recommendation would be to add the Armored Caster feat to those classes that can cast spells from the start while in armor (i.e. bard, cleric, druid). Then add the Light Armor Proficiency to those spell casting classes that do not have currently have it (i.e. sorcerer, wizard, etc). From this point, you have to look at the additional core and prestige classes and determine which offer Armored Caster as a free feat, which classes now require it as a prerequisite, and which classes do not require it at all. Like I said earlier, revising the way spell casting is handled requires some research and work.

I hope that the above is of some use. For those groups that are going to play test their proposed variants on handling spell casting and armor, I wish you good luck and I look forward to hearing how the changes work out for the groups involved.

Good gaming,
Mark

Because they taste like chicken?

Victor,

I looked up the Black Orcs in the Fury in the Wastelands supplement and here is their information:

Description: Standing six feet high and weighing an average of 250 pounds with skin the color of ebony, the black orc, or great orc, is worthy of its name. With rippling muscles and a stare that lacks any friendly emotions, the black orcs sit at the top of the breeds and brook no equals.

Stats: +4 Str, +2 Con, -2 Wis, -4 Cha
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Vision: Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Special Qualities:

Endurance: +4 bonus on saves involving endurance related tests. This stacks with the Endurance feat.

Sunlight Resistance: Black orcs do not suffer the –1 penalty for sunlight or daylight spells.

Poison & Disease Resistance: Immune to all natural poisons and diseases. Saves against supernatural toxins or diseases receive a +4 Fortitude bonus.

Favored Class: Fighter
Automatic Languages: Orcish.
Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Goblin, Giant, Merchant’s Tongue, Terran, and Undercommon.

I hope the above is of some use.

Good gaming,
Mark

Victor,

I believe that the Black Orcs were detailed in the Kingdoms of Kalamar setting. Specifically, I think they were in the supplement Fury in the Wastelands: the Orcs of Tellene. I have the supplement at home and will check this evening to confirm if the Black Orcs are in there and let you know. In the meanwhile, here is a look at what Fury in the Wastelands had to offer:

http://www.kenzerco.com/product_info.php?products_id=171

I also tried to see if there were any preview articles or web enhancements for the supplement, but could not find any quickly. However, I did come across this fan website dedicated to orcs that might also be of some use:

http://www.orcs.ca/

Good gaming,
Mark

I can't find the stats for Mhad (Chapter 8) anywhere in the book. Where are they?

Respectable Hobbit,

I looked in Dungeon 111 which contained the Lords of Oblivion and Mhad is listed as follows:

Mhad, female half-elf vampire Mnk9/Sha4: hp90; Monster Manual 251.

I verified the page in the Monster Manual and the example of an elite vampire fits Mhad's entry in the module.

Good gaming,
Mark

Hi All,

My group just finished Bhal-Hamatugn and over the last three sessions, it has been one fun but brutal module. David Noonan did a great job with the scenario and my players and I have enjoyed it.

The group is made up of the following:

Arivanna: Wood Elf Ranger/Fighter 4/4
Zaruthiel: High Elf Fighter/Wizard 2/6
Romin: Human Cleric of Fharlanghn 8
Shao Lin Shado: Shifter Druid 8
Ollo: Halfling Rogue/Wizard 3/5

The group’s first session in Bhal-Hamatugn was the initial foray into the complex and ended with the high priest’s death and the group on the bottom most level, just outside of the main shrine. At this point the group had slain several of the kuo-toans and were fairly spent as far as resources. The last spell that the high priest had cast was deeper darkness, still active in the shrine.

The next session opened at the point 20 rounds had passed since the group had entered the shrine. Yes Aushanna was called forth into a deeper darkness effect. The group discovered she was there when the first volley of arrows issued forth.
:-)

That session covered two days of game time with the group retreating and having to face Aushanna twice in as many days, along with the kuo-toan survivors and Dhorlot. For a brief time the group had the aid of White-Eye, but he was dismissed when the group saw that Aushanna’s Unholy Blight did not affect him. The games of cat and mouse, using hit and run tactics, baiting the group into Dhorlot’s lair (they did manage to get him to flee), and charming the ranger to meet Aushanna in the shrine the next day (so as to trigger the planar ally yet again) were all fun and memorable moments. Aushanna was a great foe to run.

The final session of Bhal Hamatugn was this evening and ended with Arivanna and Romin slain, Zenith taken prisoner, and the rest of the party finally slaying Aushanna. Ollo was at 2 hit points, Zaruthiel was strength drained and at 10 hit points, and Shao Lin at 12 hit points. Due to certain story elements evolving in my own campaign, Fario and Fellian arrived via a specialized Dimensional Folding spell cast by Tyro Amberhelm to recover the group after Romin’s death. Now the group is in Cauldron recovering with Romin and Arivanna back from the dead.

Having now concluded Bhal Hamatugn, I have to say that only some lucky dice rolls when needed, my changing up Aushanna’s tactics round to round to avoid an outright TPK, and the fact that my campaign is using action points as detailed in Unearthed Arcana allowed the group to succeed. Otherwise, I believe my group would have all been slain and needed raised from the dead or, barring that, a new group would have been rolled up. Bhal Hamatugn was definitely not suitable for a 6-member party of 6th or 7th level characters.

Still, I must say my players and I did have a lot of fun and I think they learned some valuable lessons from Zenith Trajectory due to how hard the module was. I’m curious to see what transpires as we get into The Demonskar Legacy.

Good gaming,
Mark

Mike,

I know what you said about not wanting to use another system, such as Mutants and Masterminds, but I really think Green Ronin’s True 20 system may be just the thing you are looking for.

In brief, True 20 uses three base classes (The Adept, The Expert, and The Warrior) that have feat choices and skill advancements at each level. These choices at each level help to flesh out and define the character’s role, allowing a great degree of customization. Multiclassing is straightforward and encouraged.

You mentioned wanting a high powered game and with True 20 you can dial in the power level you want by setting the point buy for stats right up front. Furthermore, the system has a mechanic called Conviction that replicates to a certain degree what Action Points do. Heck you could add on Action points in addition to Conviction with minimum fuss. :-)

The system is easily adaptable for almost any type gaming whether it is fantasy, modern, future, or some amalgam of all three. Depending on what type of game you have in mind, I would also recommend True Sorcery and True Cybernetics in addition to the main system. All three can be found in PDF for a minimum investment if you do not want to commit to buying the hardbacks (though True Cybernetics is PDF only).

I highly recommend giving the system a look to see if it could fit your needs. If you would like more information, I would be happy to try and answer any questions you may have.

Good gaming,
Mark

Hi All,

I’ve been playing since I was 9 and GMing since I was 10. :-)

My biweekly SCAP group is as follows:

GM (me) Age 36
Players: 40(female), 33 (male), 30 (female), 35 (male), 36 (male).

My monthly one-shots group:

GM (me)
Players: 41 (female), 40 (male), 38 (male), 32 (female), 36 (male), 38 (male).

The first group has been together for almost 3 years now. The second group has been together as a whole almost 12 years with some of us having been friends for 23 years now.

Good gaming,
Mark

Orogustus,

I recommend the following base for costs of your metamagic crystals, modeling the item off of the cost listing for a single use, spell completion magic item as found on page 285 in the DMG 3.5:

Spell Level x Caster level x 25 GP.

Looking at the entries for the metamagic rods they use a base caster level of 17. In addition, the power levels are broken out as follows:

Lesser can be used for spells 3rd level and lower.
Normal can be used for spells 6th level and lower.
Greater can be used for spells 9th level and lower.

The listed metamagic feats add the following to the effective spell level when used normally:

Enlarge = +1 spell level.
Extend = +1 spell level.
Maximize = +3 spell levels.
Quicken = +4 spell levels.
Silent = +1 spell level.

I would add the spell level increase to the highest level of spell each power level grants modification to.

Using the above information I would use the following costs:

Metamagic Feats w/ a +1 spell level at a Lesser power level cost 1700 GP priced as follows:
Spell Level 3+1 = 4 multiplied by Caster Level 17 multiplied by 25 GP = 1700.

Metamagic Feats w/ a +1 spell level at a Regular power level cost 2975 GP priced as follows:
Spell Level 6+1 = 7 multiplied by Caster Level 17 multiplied by 25 GP = 2975.

Metamagic Feats w/ a +1 spell level at a Greater power level cost 4250 GP priced as follows:
Spell Level 9+1 = 10 multiplied by Caster Level 17 multiplied by 25 GP = 4250.

Basically, the formulas become plug and play at this point for whatever metamagic feats are in use in your game and their effective spell level increases. If you find that the costs are too high for the crystals, you can play around with changing the caster level or the GP cost. Note that the above does not take into account the value of the gems that are used to make these items.

I hope that the above is of some use and let us know what you finally come up with.

Good gaming,
Mark

DMFTodd,

The original statue had a caster level of 15 I believe, so I would use that.

As far as dispelling Aushanna, dispel magic would not work based on how I read the text in the SCAP hardbound. The limited time of 10 minutes seems to be based more on what her bargain was with the Kuo-toan clergy when the planar ally variant was cast and less on being an active spell duration.

That said, Aushanna could still be affected by dispel evil or similar spells.

As far as Aushanna knowing what to do if the Kuo-toan are all dead, I would say she would. The bargain for the planar ally variant was made when the spell was originally cast. That bargain was basically for Aushanna to engage any good aligned foes that violate the sanctity of the shrine to the best of her ability and destroy them. With her having being summoned in the first place, she would take any non-kuo-toan in the shrine to be her foes.

Regarding the teleport issue, I would say that Aushanna has been in the shrine and fortress several times over the course of her service to consider it at least studied carefully if not very familiar. In addition, since she has greater teleport, there would be no chance of her teleporting with any error at either of those familiarity levels.

Now all of the above was written from the stand point of how I remember the information being treated in the SCAP, with the statue being the summoning item and the spell being the planar ally variant. Looking at what you say is happening in your campaign, with a different magic item and the players actively summoning Aushanna I would suggest you think on the following:

1) Does the magic item still follow the basic function of the original statue as it applies to Aushanna and the planar ally variant? If so, I would follow the suggestions of the SCAP regarding Aushanna’s tactics and reactions. If not, read on.

2) Are the players/characters aware that the magic item will summon an erinyes specifically, a denizen of a lower plane, or just an outsider in general? If not, Aushanna may attempt to convince them she is a bound celestial (see the erinyes description in the monster manual).

3) Read over Aushanna and be familiar with her capabilities and what the nature of an erinyes is (Telepathy, charm monster, high diplomacy and sense motive skills). Can the group truly bluff her?

4) The jail cell is no obstacle to her. Greater teleport will get her out even if you rule that she is unfamiliar with the shrine and fortress. All she has to do is teleport to the other side of the bars as far away as she can see. From there her flight and greater teleport should give her superior maneuverability to engage or evade the party.

5) If you are saying that the magic item is casting the planar ally spell as found in the player’s handbook, the group will have to offer suitable payment for Aushanna’s services. Depending on the task requested, the complexity of the task, and the length of the task, this could be very expensive for the party to pay.

6) Think of what possible repercussions could result from any good characters of a religious bent (clerics and paladins) knowingly bargaining with a fiend.

I hope the above is of some use and good luck with your campaign.

Good gaming,
Mark

Hi All,

My one group gets together every other Sunday and our games run from 1 PM until 7 PM or 6 hours.

My other group gets together about once a month on a Saturday. We typically start around 10:30 AM and go until around 11 or 12 PM. We usually eat lunch at the table and take an hour and a half to two to go out and grab dinner and take a break. So all totaled we get in around 10 hours or so.

Good gaming,
Mark

JStrong,

I currently have two groups that I GM for. One group is currently involved with the SCAP and is having a blast. We meet roughly every other week and are making decent, if somewhat slow progress.

My other group meets maybe once a month and we typically run one-shots using various systems and genres. We have had great success with this and occasionally we end up using previous characters when someone comes up with a scenario that would be appropriate for them.

My suggestion is to see if you couldn’t adopt this approach to suit your group.

From you post it seems that of the 8-9 players, only about half have decided to play the SCAP. My question is if this SCAP group has a more accommodating gaming schedule? If so, maybe you could alternate games where the SCAP group meets every other week and on the off weeks those who are not involved in the SCAP get together to play their established characters. If there are players in the SCAP group that still want to play their established characters as well, they would still be able to participate.

Of course, this would mean running two campaigns concurrently, so be certain you want that workload. Maybe one of your players wouldn’t mind trying their hand at GMing and give you a chance to play on the off weeks?

Anyway, I hope the above is of some use and good luck with your group and campaign.

Good gaming,
Mark

Hi All,

For an urban based swashbuckling game with magic: Steven Brust. His world is well developed and adventuring with Vlad Taltos would be cool. :-)

For a low magic, fantasy earth set either during the Crusades or during the Roman Empire: Thomas Harlan (check out Thomas’ Dragon short stories and his Oath of Empire series to see what I’m talking about).

For a Shannarra game: Terry Brooks though half the group would need to be descendents to make it work. ;-)

For high-octane space opera with everything but the kitchen sink (and maybe that too): Simon R Green using his Deathstalker universe.

For a cool sci-fi game: Frank Herbert for a game set in the Dune universe or William Gibson for a cyberpunk game.

For modern espionage action: JJ Abrams (Alias) or Nelson DeMille (Plum Island, The Lion’s Game, etc)

For modern day horror: Douglas Preston w/ Lincoln Child assisting (Relic, Reliquary, Feast of Crows, etc) or Brian Lumley using his Necroscope setting.

For a steam-punk game: China Mieville (Perdido Street Station and The Scar)

For modern action: Jerry Bruckheimer, just be certain to take a Fast hero with evasion for the inevitable explosion sequence. ;-)

For a completely off the wall Toon like game: Robin Williams, hands down. :-)

Love the thread,
Mark

Hi All,

I have to agree with Cosmo and say that I really don’t have any hope that this will be good.

That said, I wanted to add that the comics released by Devil’s Due Publishing have been well rendered and capture the feel of Dragon Lance fairly well. However, I wasn’t as impressed with their Drizzt series, though it is not terrible.

Finally, another animated movie series worth checking out is the original Record of Lodoss War. It has everything a good campaign possesses and has some stunning animation sequences. If you get the chance, I highly recommend checking it out. In addition, there are a remake/follow up series entitled Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight and Legend of Crystannia. Both are decent, but not as good as the original in my opinion.

Good gaming,
Mark.

I’ve Got Reach,

A calm emotions spell might slow down the barbarian for a short period of time. A slow spell might also be a viable tactic, as it will slow down how many attacks the barbarian can make. Another option is for most high-level spell casters to have fly or the equivalent prepared so as to stay out of the barbarian’s reach. Finally, a one two punch of transmute rock to mud followed by transmute mud to rock could really set the frenzied death machine on his heels.

All that said, I caution you not to go too far out of your way to nullify the PC’s capabilities. After all, the player has worked hard to get to where he is and deserves to enjoy the capabilities he worked towards. So challenge him as needed, but don’t shut him down too often or he may grow resentful that any worthy foe has just the right contingencies in place to deal with him from the outset of an encounter.

I hope the above is of some help and good luck here at the end games. :-)

Good gaming,
Mark

Yoav,

I also cannot wait until my group faces off against her when they invade the Kuo-toan shrine. From everything I have read here on the boards, Aushanna is one tough fight for the unprepared, but doable for those lucky enough to retreat, regroup, and prepare to do a little devil hunting. ;-)

I figure that my group will most likely do well, even if surprised, since we use Action Points as found in the Unearthed Arcana. I have found that they really do provide a nice boost in terms of their utility (spell recall or feat simulation anyone?) and allow a party to survive challenges that might overpower them otherwise.

Anyway, have fun when Aushanna shows up and you will have to let us know how it turns out. When my group faces her I will let you know how their encounter went as well. :-)

Good Gaming,
Mark

Hi All,

I’m glad that the ideas were of some use and you have an idea of what you will have happen. I just wanted to explain why I saw the disruption only delaying the summoning by 2 rounds.

In the description of dispel magic in the PHB, in regards to targeting an item, are the following sentences:

“If you succeed, all of the item’s magical properties are suppressed for 1d4 rounds, after which the item recovers on its own. A suppressed item becomes nonmagical for the duration of the effect.”

I can see the rational that because the statue was nonmagical for a time, there could be a complete reset to the summoning. However (based on the first sentence), if the planar ally variant is considered a power, then it was merely delayed, not cancelled as a result of the dispel magic since the item would recover on its own. After all, the unhallow effects and lightning bolt properties are resuming when the suppression ends, so I thought it made sense to have the planar ally variant resume along with them.

Anyway, like I said, I just wanted to explain why I thought the way I did. My one group has just begun chapter 4 and I think its great being able to discuss stuff like this here since it can’t but help if my party attempts the same tactic.

Good gaming,
Mark

Yoav Spiegel,

After reading dispel magic and reading the write up for area 5, I think the solution rests in determining how you see the planar ally variant working.

If you consider the planar ally variant being a spell that is cast the moment a nonevil creature enters the area, then the spell was already cast and the 20 round delay is merely the time it takes Aushanna to prepare and arrive. The dispel magic had no effect in regards to this ability of the statue.

If you consider the planar ally variant being a spell that has a casting time of 20 rounds that begins the moment a nonevil creature enters the area, again the dispel magic would have no effect on the planar ally variant since the statue was the target of the dispel.

To disrupt the planar ally variant, the dispel magic would have needed to have been used as a counter spell against it specifically. If this attempt was successful, the spell would have been disrupted and the statue would need to wait an hour before being able to cast it again since it has a 1-hour reset on being able to cast the spell.

Finally, if you see the planar ally variant merely being a power of the statue that needs 20 rounds to happen, then the dispel magic did suppress this power for 2 rounds and when the statue recovers, it will resume the planar ally variant where it left off and Aushanna will arrive in 22 rounds total.

So, based I my reading, I would say Aushanna at most would be delayed 2 rounds using the 3rd interpretation. I do not think that the base dispel magic would be powerful enough to have completely disrupted the calling or forced the one hour delay when used against the statue itself and not as a counter spell.

Personally, given that none of the characters should even be aware that the calling is occurring, I would just have Aushanna show as scheduled or delay it by 2 rounds if you see the dispel magic affecting that ability of the statue.

I hope the above was of some help and good luck with your campaign.

Good gaming,
Mark

Talon,

Looking at the description of the feat I think you could interpret it in a few ways.

First, going by the flavor text at the start of the description, it almost seems that the mystic bond is akin to that of a druid or ranger with their animal companions. So maybe the character is allowed to choose an animal companion that will not advance unless he or she is a druid or ranger. In addition, he or she receives the benefits and drawbacks as listed in the feat description. In regards to the benefit, it reads as if it would apply to all animals.

Second, the flavor text is just that, flavor text. The character only receives the benefits and drawbacks as listed in the description. This is probably the intent of the feat and I think you would be fine going this route since the benefit applies to all animals.

Finally, you could say that the benefit only applies to the chosen animal that the character has a mystical bond to. This seems overly restrictive considering the drawback associated with the feat. I would not recommend going with this interpretation.

That all said, and looking at the other feats in the SCAP hardback, I think the second option would be the way to go since it seems more in line with how powerful the other feats with their benefits and drawbacks read.

I hope I was of some help and good luck with your campaign.

Good gaming,
Mark

jumpet,

Go to the Dungeon/News section of the website and download the Shackled City Players Handouts. Then open the file and using the magnify option in Adobe Acrobat Reader zoom in on the letter. I think you will find it much easier to read than trying to decipher it as presented in the SCAP hardbound. If you still have trouble with it after that, I’ll see about retyping it and posting it here.

Hope the idea helps,
Mark

Hi All,

My one group and I started the SCAP back in September 2005 and have had 17 sessions so far. We try to play bi-weekly for about 6 hours a shot. The group has just begun Zenith Trajectory and I estimate 3 sessions for them to complete it. If that rate holds true for each of the remaining chapters, then I guess we will be finishing the SCAP in about 27 more sessions or just over another year and a half. Here’s hoping for the occasional extra session. ;-) Anyway, the current roster for the Heroes of Cauldron is as follows:

Ollo: Halfling Rogue 2 / Wizard 5
Zaruthiel: Elven Fighter 2 / Wizard 5
Arivanna: Elven Ranger 4 / Fighter 3
Shoa Lin Shado: Shifter Druid 7
Romin the Wanderer: Human Cleric 7

The group has had some very close calls, but so far each of the characters has survived since the start. In addition, we have all been enjoying the campaign immensely and my players are looking forward to taking their characters all the way to 20th level. I think it’s going to be quite a ride. :-)

Good gaming,
Mark

feedmyeyes,

“You have taken your first steps into a larger world…” ;-)

Seriously, welcome to the other side of the screen. I think it speaks volumes that you have decided to take on the challenge that comes with being a DM. The SCAP, in my opinion, is a great campaign arc and has a lot to offer. However, even with the tremendous amount of work that has already been done for a GM, you would be surprised at the effort you will still need to put forth to actually run it. After all, nothing ever worthwhile came about without any effort. :-)

That said, I agree with the others that these boards are a great resource for getting feedback or finding ideas that can help keep you motivated as you run a campaign. Additional resources that I think you may find of use are as follows:

1) The DMG 3.5. It seems obvious I know. However, take the time to give the book a solid read through. It will help you get comfortable with knowing what types of tasks being a GM entails.

2) The DMG II. This book has some excellent advice as well for beginning GMs about getting to know player types and some ideas on how to be certain that the adventures you plan to run will be of interest to your players. Check it out at your FLGS and give it a flip through.

3) www.roleplayingtips.com This site is a great resource for offering all manner and types of advice on GMing and running games. I highly recommend checking it out.

My additional advice would be, if your schedule permits, to set aside a specific block of time that you will use to work on your campaign. For example, start with an hour each weekday evening from 7 PM until 8 PM. During this time read up on SCAP adventures, review the stat blocks or monster manual entries for the upcoming foes, look up different rules that you feel may come up or that you feel weak on, read over spell effects, take notes on what NPCs might be coming up and their motivations, etc. Spend some time looking over previous session notes, look for opportunities to work previous events into current events, determine what your group’s next actions are most likely to be, etc.

Basically, start getting your brain trained to be creative on cue and learn to maximize your time spent on campaign preparation. As you grow more comfortable with it, try extending the time you spend at it and the type of work you do during it. After all, there is no such thing as wasted preparation. Eventually, it will come up and be used in some form or another. Most importantly, preparation will give you confidence and that will help make your task easier when standing behind the screen helping your friends to have a great time while allowing you to enjoy the payoff that all of your hard work made possible.

Another piece of advice, as Tarlane mentioned, is to always keep a line of communication open with your players. Solicit feedback as your game progresses. Learn what your players are enjoying or not enjoying. Stay abreast of what their plans are for their characters and the campaign. Remember, gaming is a cooperative endeavor and having everyone on the same proverbial page helps tremendously.

Finally, have fun. That’s the main objective after all and if you and your players are succeeding at that, then you are doing a great job as a GM. :-)

I hope the above is of some use and good luck with your campaign.

Good gaming,
Mark

DM T.,

Not knowing how you and your group handle raise dead, resurrection, etc, one possibility could be for the heroes to awaken at Eligos’ home, sans equipment and their last memories being of the fatal battle they last fought. A week has passed and Eligos, through the use of contacts, recovered the group’s remains and had them brought back from the dead. Now the group is in debt to Eligos’ patron, Manzorian who wishes them to reinvade Zyrxog’s lair and remove the threat that his organization possess to the Free City. To accomplish this, Eligos has been instructed to provide sufficient funds for the group to equip themselves, along with an assortment of potions and minor magic items (basically whatever you as a DM deem reasonable). If there was a wizard character, use a bit of metagaming to say they lost their traveling spell book and not their master spell book that had been securely stored somewhere else. ;-)

This allows the players to continue on using their characters and all of the accumulated campaign history up to this point. It also makes the characters predisposed to Manzorian later in the adventure path.

If you and your group are looking at new characters picking up where the old left off, I would say use your idea about Eligos hiring the new party to find out what happened to the previous group. A really neat idea might be if any of the former group had family or friends that were also adventurers. Maybe this relative or friend has come looking for the previous group with his own (i.e. the new party) and traces his or her relative/friend’s last contact to Eligos. This provides great incentive for the group to be involved with Eligos. In addition, by tying the old and new group together, you add depth and preserve the verisimilitude of the campaign as a whole since the new group picking up where the old left off should not seem as forced.

Anyway, I hope the above is of some help. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Good gaming,
Mark

Peruhain,

Just wanted to say that this is an excellent suggestion concerning a grievously wounded Eligos escaping at death’s door. It concludes the adventure while still leaving the other plot threads and the sense of larger events well intact. I think I will most likely go ahead and adopt this conclusion when I get around to running my own AOW campaign. Thanks for sharing.

Good gaming,
Mark

Crazy Duck and Festivus,

I highly recommend using Action Points. They are a nice mechanic that gives some nice versatility for character capabilities and, more importantly, survivability. I use the Action Points as presented in Unearthed Arcana and my players love them. Just remember that they may only spend 1 action point a round, so if used proactively at the start of a round, the player cannot use another reactively later in the same round to help with a save or skill check.

Good gaming,
Mark

“…with death spells being tossed around like kobolds at a fire giant kegger…”

LOL !!!

jjust4me, what a great image. :-)

On the subject of when dice go bad, one thing I have been using in my campaigns for years is some form of Karma mechanic to help reduce the damage cause by bad dice. Here lately, I have been using the Action Points as presented in the Unearthed Arcana and I highly recommend them.

Before Action Points, I used what I called Group Karma, modeled after the idea as presented in Shadowrun. Basically, the group had a number of Karma Points equal to half the number of players that were present at the session. The Karma Points allowed any die roll to be re-rolled twice more, with the player taking the most advantageous roll of the three. Any player could use a Karma Point, but the group had to agree to allow the player their use. The points were only good for the given session and only refreshed at the next session.

In the years I used them, I very rarely saw them used for attack or damage rolls (though occasionally they were used to devastating effect in that manner). The majority of the points were used for saving throws or ability check situations.

Anyway, I hope the idea is of some use and good gaming all.

Mark

Hi All,

I like the idea of a yearly LG update as well. Back in the day I thought that the Poor Wizard’s Almanac was a great resource for the Mystara campaign setting. Those books were fantastic for cherry picking events for the heroes to get involved in depending on where they were adventuring at any given time of year. In addition, the Almanac had the added bonus of supplying background detail to help the world seem alive as I could use the world events to fuel what was happening in the other nations. A LG resource along those lines would be most welcome and one I would definitely pick up.

Good gaming,
Mark

Crown Royal bags are definitely a staple. I have one friend in particular who has had his going on 20+ years. Sure, it’s a little battle worn, but still holding up fine. :-)

As for myself, I currently have a couple of different leather pouches I used to hold my “in use” sets. My other sets are sorted into plastic tackle boxes. I periodically change out the dice in the pouches with those in the tackle boxes so as to maintain some variety.

farewell2kings wrote:

Shot glasses are shakers for small dice so you don't lose them when you roll them, of course.

Kinda like a Yahtzee cup...yeah, that's it, sure...:P

(I found a lone, rogue bottle of homebrew the other day. 22 oz. I'm not sure what it is - I'll find out the fun way. :D )

I thought that they were used turned upside down to represent when someone was flying. That way you could still see what was under the mini. Right? ;-)

Lilith,

I liked the “prayer”. Here’s an old email I sent a friend of mine after he sent me a poem concerning dice for his writing class. At the time we had been between games for about 3 or 4 months, hence the slant for my reply. :-)

My friend, a gamer.
Who doth wish to be a player.
Oh what cruel fate.
To have his dice sit and wait.
As his DM ponders ever more.

And thus does he sit.
His imagination bound with his wit.
Oh what to give?
So that his characters might live.
To play a game with no score.

To love, to fight.
Oh glorious gaming night.
So near, so far.
From the boundless depths, to the highest stars.
What adventures are in store?

And thus does it come to pass.
A phone call at the last.
Bud can you play?
We have orcs a waiting to slay.
And just maybe a scenario or two more.

The books, the dice, and characters into the sack.
A quick hop, skip and a jump for the snacks.
And soon does he dwell
Among old friends discussing past delves.
All the while praying his dice will not roll poor.

And now at last delight.
The swords, the spells, the fight.
As good again triumphs.
Amidst battle calls and an uproarious riot.
And never once finding his dice upon the floor.

And now the night has ended.
The chips depleted, the soda bottles upended.
The players have gone.
The DM has yawned.
As he sits thinking "Oh for one orc more."

Good gaming,
Mark