So here's my predicament, At the end of part 3 (the Vandorboren vault) is where we left off last game session. The catch is I will likely have a missing player during part four, the Parrot Island section. My missing player (who has to miss due to work) has asked if I could run a solo sidequest to both explain his absence and catch him up on any missed xp. I told him I'd see what I could figure out and decided I'd see if any other Dm's who've ran the path before had any similiar incidents and how they've dealt with them. Also should I maybe make his sidequest similiar to the purpose of the parrot Island bit in that he's out to find Vanthus and runs afoul of maybe some Lotus Dragons? Anybody have any advice for good solo level 1 content that'll be challenging and engaging without instant death to the solo cleric?
Thanks
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So here's my predicament...
I realize this doesn't answer the meat of your post, but why not run the character as an NPC? Or have a different player run him?
In my STAP campaign, we do this all the time. Cuts out the "having to explain why Bob was missing half the dungeon" and keeps "Bob current with the XP.
Just a thought.
-Skeld
So here's my predicament...I realize this doesn't answer the meat of your post, but why not run the character as an NPC? Or have a different player run him?
While I understand that idea and am all for it personally, My players are of the mindset that it isn't ok. I guess they've had bad experiences with it under a few other DMs we know. So I'm looking for a way to work with him on this instead of against what he wants (which is not miss game time, xp, etc and not be autopiloted) :P
Actually I use several mini adventures for my PC's, since they have written elaborate background stories and I create incidents based on the background stories. Does the player who is not present at Parrot Island, have some kind of background story, so that you can use family problems or something similar as a side quest? E.g. something about a stolen inheritance or a kidnapped relative, or a relative gone evil? That is actually a very urgent reason for the character not to be there.
There were also some PC's in my group who had trouble with some city guards, so I created a nosy city guard bothering them (sort of like Columbo, asking all kind of troublesome questions). So that is also a possibility.
BWG has a map with several extra locations on it, which you could also use as side quests or mini adventures.
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While I understand that idea and am all for it personally, My players are of the mindset that it isn't ok.
If I were in your shoes, I would see two solutions to this particular problem:
1) The "work with me here" solution: Find out what specifically it is that concerns them about their characters being run as NPC's that bothers them and address those concerns. Point out to them how much more work it is for you to come up with solo side-treks and such than it is for you to run an extra NPC for a session.
2) The "I have enough to do already" solution: Just be up front with them - if they insist their characters not be run as NPC's, then you should insist that said characters sit out the session if the players aren't availble. No XP, no loot.
Based on your quote from above, I kinda favor #2. As DM, I really have enough work to do as is (even running published adventures like STAP). Time spent putting together some solo side-quest is time I don't spend prepping for the adventure the group is participating in. Sort of a "needs of the many versus needs of the one" situation. Players need to be willing to compromise on how their characters are handled if their unable to make it to a session. To expect the DM to come up with a bunch of extra material just for you because you decided you had something better to do next Friday night (after the DM has already prepper material for the group as a whole) strikes me as self-centered.
-Skeld
EDIT: Sorry; that was all slightly rantish.
It's ok, in and of itself I'm more towards the mindset of #2 myself. Especially with my college classes and whatnot (and other games). I just wanted to see if there were any quick and dirty ways of going about this. :P
From what I gather Parrot Island will be tough with a PC missing but, I can recommend the WotC "City of Peril" it's basically some battle maps with mini scenarios, which with a little tweaking of the EL could be used for Sasserine sidequests, if you just fit it in with one or more of the hooks mentioned above. Fot later games in the AP I would strongly suggest some of Sinister Adventures "Razor Coast" Pdf's lot's of pirate/tropical ocean flavor!
Or you could check out Pathfinder scenario 1 and 2, which are both coastal adventures, nice, short and original.
I'll have to check those out. We did All of parrot island, and its ensuing roleplaying etc last session with a wizard, Barbarian and Fighter (all level 1) and had no deaths. Heck the zombies and the crabs were more deadly than the undead priest ><
There were lots of close calls and the party spent like 2 weeks down there surviving on their rations and whatnot as well as eating the crabs for food (was pretty funny). The total session was worth ike 600xp a player (and subsequently level 2 for the fighter and barbarian) so he missed out on 600xp which only seems like alot at this level so as Im not sure I could throw together a session for him to "catch up" that he wouldnt try and drag on into extra xp (hes good like that) so Im probably going to tell him sorry for now and kind of maybe keep a tally of missed xp and when enough has built up then do solo catch up missions...
I'll have to check those out. We did All of parrot island, and its ensuing roleplaying etc last session with a wizard, Barbarian and Fighter (all level 1) and had no deaths. Heck the zombies and the crabs were more deadly than the undead priest ><
There were lots of close calls and the party spent like 2 weeks down there surviving on their rations and whatnot as well as eating the crabs for food (was pretty funny). The total session was worth ike 600xp a player (and subsequently level 2 for the fighter and barbarian) so he missed out on 600xp which only seems like alot at this level so as Im not sure I could throw together a session for him to "catch up" that he wouldnt try and drag on into extra xp (hes good like that) so Im probably going to tell him sorry for now and kind of maybe keep a tally of missed xp and when enough has built up then do solo catch up missions...
I'm probably too late, but I played around with foreshadowing when it came to side quests for my PCs. Azahu's tooth and Malcenthet's meddling via the idol in SWW are especially nice things to send a cleric's direction. No matter the alignment, he might be given something that leads to a premonition of one of those items by his deity.
I have been doing something like that with some of the items. Works like a spear!
The extra advantage is that the players do not lose the thread of the story.