Just about to take my players into the 'Test of the Smoking Eye.' Any advice from those who have played it on the pacing / areas of concern, etc?
I'm a little worried that there's no one in the group with much in the way of Diplomacy for a few of the events, and I'm really worried about the Fire Giant with Improved Sunder (the likely target is a human fighter 4/cleric 4/Radiant servant of Pelor 2 who has taken 'Ancestral Weapon' and made his spiked chain quite the weapon - and I think it'll just crush him to not have that chain for a while, until he can fix it...)
Any thoughts or concerns to share?
Just about to take my players into the 'Test of the Smoking Eye.' Any advice from those who have played it on the pacing / areas of concern, etc?
I'm a little worried that there's no one in the group with much in the way of Diplomacy for a few of the events, and I'm really worried about the Fire Giant with Improved Sunder (the likely target is a human fighter 4/cleric 4/Radiant servant of Pelor 2 who has taken 'Ancestral Weapon' and made his spiked chain quite the weapon - and I think it'll just crush him to not have that chain for a while, until he can fix it...)
Any thoughts or concerns to share?
So replace the "Improved Sunder" feat for the giant with something else...perhaps disarm. The Rakshasa he's with may want that weapon and may not want it destroyed, so don't destroy it.
As is/was being discussed in another post, sundering PC's hard-earned, fought for weapons and items isn't fun, for both the player and the DM. So I tend not to do it.
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Besides that, I think there's one other area of importance in the adventure. I'm just starting this chapter also and I've really built up the "Smoking Eye" stuff a lot in my campaign with a Archivist (HoH) PC who has the "Dreamhaunted" player trait, so the group has been really looking forward to getting this Smoking Eye stuff resolved.
The meeting with Saureya (sp?) is essential. Be sure that the party really interacts with him and speaks with him since he'll give them a lot of info into what exactly the Smoking Eye is, since its not explained well in the adventure. I think it'll also be important that he explains passing the last test is the only test that needs to be passed in order to gain control of the plane, since that will show why Kauraphon is really with the party.
I just finished that chapter. You will want to watch experience and treasure. I added some significant wandering monsters and my party still fell short of their goal of 12th level. I am planning a side quest to level them up.
Considering alowing Kauraphon to escape, if the party passes the test dispite him (The paladin in my group jumped into the flames). He would make an excellent reaccuring NPC for evil or good.
I just finished that chapter. You will want to watch experience and treasure. I added some significant wandering monsters and my party still fell short of their goal of 12th level. I am planning a side quest to level them up.
Actually, they've only begun, they've been in Occipitus for a whopping three whole hours, and have already been beset upon by a Grey Slaad.
I use the Code Monkey tools, and plugged in all the tables, and therefore have a click-n-save treasure popping up when I do these - I guess I'll have the critters carrying any carryable treasure that they'd use, but I'll knock back the valuable coins and so forth as treasure to sprinkle about elsewhere.
But at this rate, they'll be back on track for experience given the (tedius) high level of random encounters. Should make for an interesting moment or three...