Several of the adventures are like this. Check out TotSE too. I've gotten to the point now of just letting party members know when they hit another level. The SCHC gives small intros into each Chapter and says what level they're supposed to be. So I just go off that.
My group is just starting on Chapter 5, Demonskar Legacy, and I've read through the adventure and I've noticed that there's nowhere near enough XP given out in this one. My group was about 1,000 XP past 8th level when they started the adventure, and they're supposed to be 10th level when they start Test of the Smoking Eye. The problem is, there's barely enough XP in Demonskar Legacy to raise the characters one level, let alone two (this is a six member party, which I believe is the ideal for this campaign).
So what should I do? I can't see many options other than to throw a bunch of random encounters at them on their way to Vaprak's Voice, which would probably get boring in a hurry. Any suggestions?
In Dungeon #104 where "Demonskar Legacy" first appear, there was a random encounter table for the 15-mile hike on the gnoll hunting trail stating there's a 8% an hour chance for such an encounter to appear. This table was the following :
1D8 roll ===> Encounter
1 EL7 A band of 6 gnolls led by two gnoll rangers (Rgr3) returning from an unsuccesful hunt. If they hear th PCs they try to attempt an ambush.
2 EL8 A herd of 4 dire Boars
3 EL8 A dire tiger
4 EL8 2 Megaraptors
5 EL8 3 Gambols (MMII)
6 EL8 3 Bar-Lgura demons (BoVD or FC I)
7 EL8 6 hill baboons led by 2 werebaboons bbn3
8 EL9 1 allosaurus and 1 ankylosaurus (MMII) locked in mortal combat.
I don't like random encounters as well, because I too find them unintersting (no real story). However when I read this part I thought about one of my favourite movies of all time : 'Predator' starring California's governor Schwarzie and shot by John "Die Hard" McTiernan.
What about an ongoing war between gnoll tribes? On one side a clan who worship Nabthatoron and follow their legendary leader, Triple Tail. On the other side, a clan of "normal" gnolls who resent Triple Tail fanaticism. Unbknowst to them, they are watched by the Hunter, a Hamatula -Barbed Devil- (CR 11) which appears on very hot summers in the jungle and collect skulls of worthy warriors. First the PCs fight the Triple tail gnolls on the Red River, then they arrive to the Old Ogre's home. Once they kill the forest sloth, they find a slaughter scene with beheaded gnolls who were skinned alive, wearing two different clans symbols. Then they are attacked by a band of baboons and two werebaboons bbn3 (EL8). They can witness one the sudden flight of the baboons when one of the werebaboons is killed by searing light spell. Once the PCs start to understand there is something else around throw in an encounter with a disarmed gnoll female survivor raving about an invisible demon and launch a first attack. Using stealth and smart tactics, the hamatula would chase them along the trail. Make them meet Nidrama earlier if things start to turn ugly. If things are too easy add an encounter with 2 megaraptors who are enraged by another slaughter scene (EL8). Let the players make Bardic Knowledge or Knoledge (Local) DC 20 checks to remind them about the Hunter (Il diablo cassatore de hombres... can't remember gnoll translation lol). Eventually, send in the 3 Bar-Lgura guarding the entrance of the round cave when they arrive there.
It's a jungle side trek they will remeber I think.
Hope this helps.
Bran
Out of curiousity, I calculated the maximum xp from Demonskar Legacy assuming they were 8th through the whole thing. The total xp possible is 13,266 per person. It takes 17,000 to go from 8th to 10th. Of course, the party probably will level during the adventure so that 13,266 is probably closer to 12,000. This includes all traps and every monster from the steam mephit to Nabthatoran.
So, the party would have to be 5000 into 8th after Zenith Trajectory. I just started ZT and they were just barely 6th. I think they will just barely be 8th at the end.
However, I think I would just wave your hand at it and force them to 10th at the end. I would definitely have them be at least 9th when facing Nab.
I'm with Ogre Bane on this one. I level the characters when I think they should, using the intro of each chapter as a guide. It takes a lot of the hassle out of DMing and focuses the players on roleplaying and alternative thinking. What about xp for spells, item creation etc? I still give out xp for fights but it's not called xp, its called Hero Points and they can use these for spell costs, item creation costs etc. Any character can use them like action points except 1,000 hero points = 1 action point.
I'm with Ogre Bane on this one. I level the characters when I think they should, using the intro of each chapter as a guide. It takes a lot of the hassle out of DMing and focuses the players on roleplaying and alternative thinking. What about xp for spells, item creation etc? I still give out xp for fights but it's not called xp, its called Hero Points and they can use these for spell costs, item creation costs etc. Any character can use them like action points except 1,000 hero points = 1 action point.
Ya it has been a lot easier. I use a system where we convert the cost of xp for making items into an extra monetary cost. It's not much of a problem because no one crafts anything, but the archivist is a thamatgurist (sp?) and he uses xp to summon Nidrama as an ally. I just make him pay more cash.
Possibly a little off the point I'm sorry but I have a different system with XP also...I halve it!
I found over the years that in 3/3.5 Ed the players seemed to level up before they even had a chance to become comfortable with their new abilities or to build up their characters 'story' ie allies, enemies, likes etc.
The rapid pace compared to earlier editions left the players feeling far less attached to their characters overall
so...
With the consent of my group we have halved the XP awarded so it takes twice as long to go up a level. In between adventures I have created small side treks (ie Demonskar Ball) to award the extra XP and, more importantly, build up the characters backgrounds and overall 'stories'. I try and ensure that every character has some type of side trek focused around them.
So far they have just finished Zeniths and they are about to trek off to Sasserine for a small adventure centred around our cleric becoming knighted in her ancestrial order. The same order who is ruled over currently by a religious leader called Shebeleth.
After that they are off on a planar adventure to Ysgard centered arounf the parties wizard and his masters obsession with specific minor artifacts which link together and consequences need to be emersed during a volcanic eruption to be awoken.
If I can keept creating small side treks that have some type of link to Cauldron and the overall plot then I believe the group will become far more attached to their characters, the city and the campaign overll.
So my advice..create a side trek possibly to so with the Invasion of Redgorge (my groups doing this after TotSE), as already recommended the Haunted Village or even one of the outlying villages or Jarls Hold. Coming in contact with the Necroaunts or the Last Laugh would be great foreshadowing. This would make for a much more interested method to acquiring the XP you need than just handing it to them.
Unfortunately it does take more work though :(
Sorry I wasn't much help but good luck anyway
Delvesdeep
I think it is common in all of Dungeon's adventure paths to not be right on track for the level. The idea is to run side adventures. I think that Piazo is hoping for you to run some of their other Dungeon magazine adventures as filler quests between actual adventure path storylines.
The other advantage of doing the half-XP thing is that more time passes within the game, so the characters don't go from 1st to 20th in about a year. This is especially important in my campaign, since my son is playing a character his own age, i.e. 10 years old. Imagine an 11 or 12-year old taking on Adimarchus and throwing Meteor Swarms. The Cauldron Children's Aid Society would be a more dangerous enemy to the party.
With extra side treks and adventures in the Cauldron area, it gives the group an opportunity to explore the community and get that much more deeply involved in the setting, as well as give them lots of down-time for crafting and training.
I think I'll talk to the group about this as well. It also gives me an opportunity to throw my own adventure ideas in, AND increase opportunities for foreshadowing the Cagewrights.
I certainly understand the reserves of people leveling too fast. My group, however, faces the alternative problem. So rarely do we get to high levels, most of my friends haven't regularly played a character over 12th level. So, I fully intend on sticking to the campaign recommended xp levels.
That said, I have also tried to include more stuff to deepen their connection to the campaign and Cauldron. This has been less of side quests and more just side events. For instance, the druid has been one in a long line of druids who watch for demon incursions out of the Demonskar. So, occasionally I have an event for him where he goes wandering through the area looking for stuff. Similarly, the paladin has built a shrine, the cleric has become a teacher, and the rogue has set up a tavern. I hope, then, when disaster strikes in the later chapters, it will have much more urgency.