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Hey, Brent, if you award very light xp for the CoC VI events up to the wolves/worg and fight with the ogre, I think you'll be all right with the rest of the actual adventure. Your players will probably be closer to their next level than the average group, but that should be fine.
When you say you're going to pit them against an ogre barbarian, you don't actually mean an ogre with levels in barbarian as in the CR 7 example in the Monster Manual do you? Or are you talking figuratively as in ogre "brute"? The base CR 3 ogre should be quite challenging all by himself. If you've already thought of this, I apolozige, but if you are using a normal ogre for the fight, you should consider reducing his hit points to make it a little more doable for a group of 1st-level newbies. You know... wounds from the previous suckers, er... opponents.
Yeah Steve, I just meant an Ogre "brute", not a true leveled Ogre. We're about to start, so here we go. I'll post after to let everyone know how it went. Wish me luck.
Got mine.
It's good to be
Great Green God
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Well it's over. What an unmitigated disaster. The player's made it through the challenges fairly well, although my own descriptive abilities were greatly lacking. So I had to explain too much I think, taking away from the spirit of the thing. I also tried to incorporate a couple of my own challenges to go along with 2 from the magazine to mix it up, and my own ideas sucked rocks. Then I got a near TPK in the very first encounter in the battles with the wolves and worgs because I grossly underestimated how effective the wolves would be. At most I should have let the battle be with a single worg, or a couple of wolves, but not both. I had to end the battles prematurely, and then have a player resurrected in order to salvage things. Now I have the players endebted to Vanderboren for raising the fallen Warblade, and I let them finish with a fight with the Ogre, set up as a test by Vanderboren to see if they were really capable of holding their own before asking for their assistance. I swear as I live and breath I will never run an adventure before I have the first issue in an adventure path again. I will just wait on the AP to come and start with it. Fortunately the players are all coming back next time, but this was one of the 3 worst sessions I have ever DMed IMHO in terms of the level of job I did. It wasn't the players faults and I made mistake after mistake, almost culminating in a TPK. I got to leave the game design to the experts and stick to running with that.
Got mine.
It's good to be
Great Green God
I got mine today as well. There was a blurb in the magazine to watch paizo.com for the conversion for FR. Anyone know when that will be added?
I swear as I live and breath I will never run an adventure before I have the first issue in an adventure path again. I will just wait on the AP to come and start with it.
Amen to that. I been there, but to be honest getting the whole thing and then mulling it over with all the various "Food" or "Tidings" support from Dragon, possible web errata (read: "Three Faces of Evil") downloadable handouts, your own notes to gear the game toward the characters your players are going to use ("Oh look another +5 flaming burst great axe. Joy...." say the duelist and the monk in unison.), etc.... is probably best. That way you don't have worrying about your mailman mistaking the hot looking mummy chick on the cover for an egpytian special edition of Playboy.
I still get a kick out of the Age of Worms Overload thread,
GGG
There was a blurb in the magazine to watch paizo.com for the conversion for FR. Anyone know when that will be added?
Not again...
;)
G3
I got mine today as well. There was a blurb in the magazine to watch paizo.com for the conversion for FR. Anyone know when that will be added?Got mine.
It's good to be
Great Green God
This is just off the top of my head, but I would assume that it will be out with the usual web support (i.e. art and handouts), which has in the past been up to a couple of months after the physical issue came out.
GGG
Well it's over. What an unmitigated disaster. The player's made it through the challenges fairly well, although my own descriptive abilities were greatly lacking. So I had to explain too much I think, taking away from the spirit of the thing. I also tried to incorporate a couple of my own challenges to go along with 2 from the magazine to mix it up, and my own ideas sucked rocks. Then I got a near TPK in the very first encounter in the battles with the wolves and worgs because I grossly underestimated how effective the wolves would be. At most I should have let the battle be with a single worg, or a couple of wolves, but not both. I had to end the battles prematurely, and then have a player resurrected in order to salvage things. Now I have the players endebted to Vanderboren for raising the fallen Warblade, and I let them finish with a fight with the Ogre, set up as a test by Vanderboren to see if they were really capable of holding their own before asking for their assistance. I swear as I live and breath I will never run an adventure before I have the first issue in an adventure path again. I will just wait on the AP to come and start with it. Fortunately the players are all coming back next time, but this was one of the 3 worst sessions I have ever DMed IMHO in terms of the level of job I did. It wasn't the players faults and I made mistake after mistake, almost culminating in a TPK. I got to leave the game design to the experts and stick to running with that.
The cool thing about great DMs is that they're humble enough to recognize and admit that they made a mistake. Why not just let your players know that you'd like to simply start the campaign off properly with the printed adventure in hand? Let them keep their characters or even make some new ones if they decided after running them for 1 session they would like to try a different one. There's no rule that states you can't have a "do over" unlike real life in most situations.
Considering Lavinia Vanderboren is supposed to be experiencing tough financial times as part of why the characters meet her to begin with and really can't afford to foot the bill for raise dead or anything else like it, you should consider just scrapping this week's game and chalk it up to a one off game.Hopefully, we'll all have our Dungeon #139 by next weekend!
Got mine.
It's good to be
Great Green God
Me too, and it's great to be hideously deformed. Or maybe it's just hideous.
Anyway, I was really REALLY kinda looking for info about the shadow pearls, because (quite co-incidentally) I introduced an "ebon sphere" into my first, 1st level adventure a few weeks ago and haven't really known what to do with it. (McGuffins are fun, but sometimes taxing on the GM's brain...)
So I'm very happy to have the mag, but kinda deflated because I see no shadow pearl info.
Issue 139 arrived yesterday (Ann Arbor, MI). Haven't had time to study it yet. My group was on the way over to finish up the party at Prince Zeech's palace.
Got mine.
It's good to be
Great Green GodMe too, and it's great to be hideously deformed. Or maybe it's just hideous.
Anyway, I was really REALLY kinda looking for info about the shadow pearls, because (quite co-incidentally) I introduced an "ebon sphere" into my first, 1st level adventure a few weeks ago and haven't really known what to do with it. (McGuffins are fun, but sometimes taxing on the GM's brain...)
So I'm very happy to have the mag, but kinda deflated because I see no shadow pearl info.
It doesn't come into play until later. It might be detailed in the next issue. Might be.
I really unhappy to not have mine yet? This totally sucks why not have pdf's be the new source for subscribers as well.
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Hi everybody,
I'd like to have a piece of information about Sasserine, since my Dungeon and my STPG won't arrive here in France before next week.
Is Sasserine a city with lots of mixed races, a kind of "land of opportunities" ?
The thing is that there could be a bugbear PC, and maybe other strange races, and I'd like to know if this could be ok in Sasserine, if he would get at least indifference, or better, tolerance ????
Thanks.
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Sasserine: Pop about 15,650
77% human,
22% elf/halfelf/dwarf/gnome/halfling/halforc,
1% "other"
So I guess not really, but...if I as dungeonmaster have anything to say about it, it'll be more along the lines you're talking about.
Thanks Heathansson...
Since the bugbear after being enslaved for quite a while in the Sea Princes has just been freed by a keolandish force lead by a Trithereon priest and an elf duskblade, they told him to get away from Gradsul and Keoland, where he would be less than welcome, and head toward Sasserine to start a new life. The elf told him there is a duskblade academy there (he will start as a ECL 2 with 1 HD and his LA, then earn his two last bugbear levels and aim the duskblade class).
I usually get my Dungeon the Thursday before it hits the stands, give or take a day. So I should be getting my copy later this week.
Really looking forward to it.
Got mine.
It's good to be
Great Green God
I was loving upstate NY up till now, but it bums me out to be a few days farther down the postal road from IL, where I understand the mags are printed and shipped from. Cheers to GGG and Lord Vile and all you other Michiganders on the boards. It's lonely and backward here in Utica (well, the beer is good, but there aren't very many gamers, it appears).
There are only three lines about the Arena in the backdrop article; the only real information there is that the arena is called "Sasserine Arena,"
Shouldn't it be called "Sassarena?" :P
got mine today, love the Sasserine map & of course the Map (or is that Ship) of Mystery...
I lament!!! I suffer!!! No 139 for me today (tuesday) I really hope it comes tomorrow...
So, uh... what's the adventure like?
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looks like a LOT of fun...although i am betting a couple of my PC's will end up dead. you go through most of the city, see LOTS of people, and get involved in at least 2 of the power groups in Sasserine.
there are plenty of encounters, and of varied types and challenge to allow the entire party to shine.
go get it, it's great!
-the hamster
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Well it's over. What an unmitigated disaster. The player's made it through the challenges fairly well, although my own descriptive abilities were greatly lacking. Fortunately the players are all coming back next time, but this was one of the 3 worst sessions I have ever DMed IMHO in terms of the level of job I did. It wasn't the players faults and I made mistake after mistake, almost culminating in a TPK. I got to leave the game design to the experts and stick to running with that.
Brent,
Sorry to hear you had such a crummy session. I've had a couple of those, and they're no fun, especially if you're like me, and tend to beat yourself up for days afterwards. The important thing to remember is...did the you and the players have any fun? If If so, which parts did you/they enjoy most? And, more importantly, how can you have more of it?
By the way, you mentioned earlier you were from Manhattan, KS. I spent a lot of years in Manhattan myself (most of them working for Kinko's) before moving out to NE Ohio. How are things back in the Little Apple?
YES it came today!
No magazine for me, Wich is sad becuse it is my birthday ....Oh well tomarow is allways another day
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Well it's over. What an unmitigated disaster. The player's made it through the challenges fairly well, although my own descriptive abilities were greatly lacking. Fortunately the players are all coming back next time, but this was one of the 3 worst sessions I have ever DMed IMHO in terms of the level of job I did. It wasn't the players faults and I made mistake after mistake, almost culminating in a TPK. I got to leave the game design to the experts and stick to running with that.Brent,
Sorry to hear you had such a crummy session. I've had a couple of those, and they're no fun, especially if you're like me, and tend to beat yourself up for days afterwards. The important thing to remember is...did the you and the players have any fun? If If so, which parts did you/they enjoy most? And, more importantly, how can you have more of it?
By the way, you mentioned earlier you were from Manhattan, KS. I spent a lot of years in Manhattan myself (most of them working for Kinko's) before moving out to NE Ohio. How are things back in the Little Apple?
Hey Saul, thanks for the kind words. Manhattan is going through a period of real growth right now. The Big Red 1 returned to Ft. Riley, so we have had a huge population explosion over the last year. Several big businesses (Best Buy for example) are setting up stores here, which is something since the student population at KSU is seasonal. My gaming group right now consists of a couple who is here because the wife is stationed at Ft. Riley, and then my wife. I am hoping to add another player or two before we get into the meat of the campaign, but it is suprisingly hard to find gamers here who want to join campaigns. I still don't have 139 as of today (Tuesday), but I did get my Savage Tide Player's guide. The postal service just left it on the sidewalk outside my townhouse. That ought to tell you the kind of USPS people we have out here in the little apple. In any event, thanks for the thoughts. I think the group had things they didn't like, but I tend to really beat myself up about things probably more than I should. Our final party composition was a Human Male Warblade, a Female Half-Elf Archivist, and a Female Halfling Spellthief. The one other player I have who might join this next week is undecided, but I am going to try to encourage them to play an arcane caster. Here's hoping the actual mag gets here in the next few days so I can get to work prepping for this Saturday.
No magazine for me, Wich is sad becuse it is my birthday ....Oh well tomarow is allways another day
Happy Birthday Tomovasky!
So, uh... what's the adventure like?
The map of Sasserine is beautiful. The adventure in my book it A+.
I got mine yesterday and it came with two poster maps of Sasserine. Neener, neener!
The name of this thread should be changed to Teasing Those That Have Not Received Their Issue 139 Yet. Bastages! Still don't have mine. Aaaarrrgggg!
The name of this thread should be changed to Teasing Those That Have Not Received Their Issue 139 Yet. Bastages! Still don't have mine. Aaaarrrgggg!
Good Idea Steve,
Just to rub salt in the wound, I've had my issue since Saturday and I still haven't looked at the Savage Tides adventure. Just haven't had the time. :)
Dassit. I needs to subscribe.
Soon as I can scrape up $40 at one time.
A monthly sub is my friend. It averages out to two lattes for me, which I can happily give up for my gaming enjoyment. :)
I crave poster maps! Damn you, vile aberration of the Postal Service! Unhand my magazine!
Finally got my issue yesterday. I figured that the magazines must not be printed near Paizo. I live across the sound from them and it seemed too cruel to have to wait so long if it was coming from just across the way.
However the issue is great. The first ST adventure is HUGE. Full of awesome James Jacobiness. Musta taken James forever to write. What joy to read through though! I'm savoring for as long as I can.
Still nothing for me as of Wednesday. This is sheer torture. I don't know why it is taking so freaking long to get here. Maybe the holiday weekend had something to do with it, but I will keep my fingers crossed for tomorrow.
I'm in the same boat as you Brent, no sign of it and I Languish in torment!!! (Or a reasonable facsimile there of, or at least sulking) I too am keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow. The issue is a double desire for me, not just the begining of the Savage tide but more Maure Castle as well! Oh the A-GO-NEE!!!
Got it. I live in eastern North Carolina. It looks really promising. I haven't got a chance to give it a thorough reading yet but the Sasserine map is REAL nice. Maure Castle:Greater Halls looks good as well. Nothing like a CR 20 very old elite Blue Dragon ('Gigantus') to make a party's day!
Luckily, my issue 'accidentally' fell into my bag I bring to work and since I'm on a night shift right now I might have to read it. To keep alert and awake of course...
It finally came yesterday. A little over two weeks to float down the Mississippi. I felt like Steve Martin in The Jerk: "The new Dungeon is here! The new Dungeon is here!"
I can't wait to get started but we still have this Return to the Temple of Elem Evil campaign to finish up. Now if that player's guide would just show up....
Keep the faith, O many who still wait. Brent, I used to live in Manhattan while I was stationed at Ft. Riley. Small world. I volunteer to take the hit for your disaster. You can blame it on "some guy on the Paizo boards".
Well, mine surprisingly made it to the hills of Leatherstocking Country Tues. I haven't had time to read much--I had to get a lecture ready Tues. night, and last night I was so tired that I started falling asleep while reading the backdrop, so I went to bed at 8:30. Maybe tonight.
Woo-hooooo! VA welcomes ST :)
And, so far, it looks great!
