naaberle's page

Yeah, I won't know the party composition until closer to the first game. We're still a month or so out. But I'm designing it for a bunch of our veteran GMs and known optimizing players.

I'm kind of shooting for a Bonekeep level of difficulty across a 13 level campaign. I want to standardize it to the degree that I could eventually release it for free for others to enjoy if they so choose. What I'm planning is after the first group plays it, I'll have another GM run it with a new group and see how they fair before balancing it.

This is the first thing I've designed and CR balance seems to be the hardest right now. Thanks for the help.

Do the other CR 4 encounters from my first post sound ok? I know some people have commented about bloody and burning skeletons also being hard for their CR, and the tactics will not be in the PCs favor for that fight, quite the opposite.

Thanks for the replies! I'm not opposed to changing how paralysis works, but I'd like to stick as close to RAW as possible.

What I'm thinking right now is either the 1 ghoul + mooks, or what I'm leaning towards is a scene of 3 ghouls that are feasting on a fourth dead on after a fight amongst themselves. One will be missing an arm, one will be missing a jaw and arm, etc. And they will be down some HP. Additionally the party will come upon them from an upper level so they can get a surprise round off before the ghouls run up the stairs or the party drops down. Does this sound a little more balanced?

Ok, so I'm working on a custom scenario and it's meant to be hard. One of the middle encounters is CR 4, so according to the chart should be "Epic", but I'm concerned it will actually be guaranteed TPK.

Should be a five person group of level 1's with 25 pt buy stats, 500 starting gp, and the foreknowledge that they'll be facing undead, and that it'll be brutal. The encounter I'm concerned about is 3 ghouls. I even toyed with one ghoul having a single class in cleric as that keeps the CR at 4. But I'm starting to think that at level 1 specifically CR +3 might be more than just Epic.

For reference the other CR 4 encounters are:
Burning Skeletons x 4, Bloody Skeleton x 2
Gelatinous Cube x 1, Giant Botfly x 4 (big room they can kite the cube in)
Apocalypse Zombie x 1, Flapping Heads x 2

Let me know what your thoughts are and if I should tone all these down.

Ready for C&C, brutal honesty encouraged and accepted.

Serpent’s Tongue
Aura moderate transmutation; CL 4th
Slot none; Price 22,502 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Description

Using the still writhing tongue of an ancient serpent to create a mold, this +1 mithral dagger looks as if the snake was still alive when the blade was forged. Serpent's tongue feels substantially lighter than it looks as its blade and handle are hollowed.

Serpent’s tongue can hold up to 4 doses of a single poison within itself, and filling the blade is a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The poison DC increases by +2 for each dose of poison in the blade during the attack roll. Failing the initial Fortitude save results in the target being poisoned as normal, as well as revealing the blades more insidious nature. Any potion the victim drinks for the next 4 hours turns into the poison stored within the blade with the Type changed to ingested. Any poison ingested this way acts as though it was applied normally, stacking with any ongoing poisons if applicable.

Those drinking a potion can make a Craft (Alchemy) or Heal check equal to the current save DC to notice the potion has transformed in their mouth before swallowing. A successful check allows an immediate action to spit out the poison. Failing this check leads the imbiber to believe the potion has worked as normal. Neutralize poison removes all poison and effects caused by this weapon.

Construction

Requirements Craft Magical Arms and Armor, Poison Focus, transmute potion to poison, delay poison; Cost 11,502 gp

Anybody's entry also the first thing they've designed for an RPG? I've got some high-fives just for y'all extra-gutsy newbs.

Yep, that'd be me. I've been playing playing since ADnD but never designed anything. Had a blast and excited to get feedback on the item after voting when I can post it publicly. I posted a second item I made in a different thread and hoping to get feedback on that as well. It's all so exciting.