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Hi all,
I will probably master a one-shot adventure soon (however, the PCs might be used again).
However, I would like the players to begin at level 0 (or even -1), meaning 1-2 HPs less, 3-4 less skill points, less spells (ex : 2 o-level and only 1st-level bonus spell) and so on...
Indeed, I need an easy (or easily adaptable) adventure for 1st level PCs so that it doesn't turn to be a TPK.
Although, I intend to have a game that runs in about 4-5 hours (grand maximum would be 6 hours).
The adventure has to be fun (nice and crunchy fights, puzzles or so, a few traps, NPCs with flavour, a nice baddie...) and a little cinematic if possible.
What would you recommend as an adventure you played in or DMed ?!
I have every 3.0/3.5 Dungeon mag, GM-Pathfinder modules and lots of Dungeon Crawl classics (including "the adventure begins" and the two 0-level adventures they wrote).
(I find "into the haunted forest" or D0+D1 to be either too long or too difficult for 0-level PCs).
I even own lots of old D&D/AD&D modules (including about 15-20 Dungeon mags pre-3.0) if someone has made a 3.0-3.5 conversion.
Thanks in advance.
Hmmm. This is a tough call. I've never run a level -1 game, but I have run a few level 0 and level 1 games. I always like my campaigns to begin in humble origins, so players remember the epic climb to power when they are standing on the dragon horde.
I can't think of any games that come to mind specifically, but if you plan on mixing a few games together, or tweaking an existing one consider these things:
1) Level 1 Characters are very very frail. Shy away from things that do complex damage (grapple, poison, stun, etc).
2) Have the game more bout puzzle solving that monster-crushing. Like a discrete set of tasks they must perform like find this gem that's lost at the bottom of this lake, or fetch me a dozen herbs for this potion. Consider too that a whole game can just be about running away from more powerful enemies, or natural hazards like fire, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.
3) If you are going to include monsters, animals are great level 1 things to beat up on - wolves, rats, small snakes.
4) Give your players the option to fight or flee in each situation, avoid surprise rounds, and give them support by way of healing potions, etc.
/2 cents
"Treasure Hunt" is an old 1E adventure that starts players off at 0 level. I've DMed this a LONG time ago.
"Below Vulture Point" is also an old adventure from Dungeon mag that starts players off at 0 level. I'm pretty sure this was 2E. Haven't Dmed this one.
HTH
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"Treasure Hunt" is an old 1E adventure that starts players off at 0 level. I've DMed this a LONG time ago.
"Below Vulture Point" is also an old adventure from Dungeon mag that starts players off at 0 level. I'm pretty sure this was 2E. Haven't Dmed this one.
HTH
I think "treasure hunt" is a good choice.
Is it playable in about 5 hours ?
Although, do you know in what dungeon I could find "below vulture point" (I know there is an index somewhere... last Dungeon issue, right ?)
About the DCC at level "0", I own them : they are quite long (halls of the minotaur king & legends are made, not born), I guess around 7-8 hours.
However, if somebody DMed them, please tell me more about those 2 DCC !
Thanks.
I've DM-ed both Treasure Hunt and Legends are born, not made (the latter for 2 1st level characters), and I must say I loved them both. I really like the idea of starting characters really low-powered, so Treasure Hunt is one of my favourite adventures (and together with A4, one of the most cinematic), but there is no way you can play it in six hours. Legends is shorter and might work in the time frame (you could pare it down somewhat if you need to).
Other than that I think you could adapt the free adventure A Dark and Stormy Knight rather easily, scaling it down somewhat if you need to. Haven't played it, though.
Back in the old days, when Unearthed Arcana first came out, I believe it had rules for paladins and cavaliers at -2, -1, 0, level, with some trickling of abilities coming in. So I ran as a solo introduction some stuff from the Temple of Elemental Evil. Moathouse maybe, I remember the paladin had to run from an ogre and it was really shaming for him, lol...
So, I found it to be a vwery cool way to begin and ran each of the pcs thru a solo adventure until it culminated in them meeting epically (in a bar-room brawl or some shite)
Hmm, Blizzard Pass, from 1e, I think that was a solo adventure. hell, I might have even used some of the Choose Your Own Adventure as basis for some of these zero level adventure. There was a great water-weird encounter in one of them...
Over the years, I've decided dms like that a lot mroe than players, who hate being weak mewling little pups, and prefer to start off at 1st, so I treat 1 level characters as mewling and weak, and trhow extreme encounters at them for little reward, heh heh heh
Over the years, I've decided dms like that a lot mroe than players, who hate being weak mewling little pups, and prefer to start off at 1st, so I treat 1 level characters as mewling and weak, and trhow extreme encounters at them for little reward, heh heh heh
Hmm, that kind of rings a bell... Too bad my players don't agree. I never get to run Treasure Hunt *sigh*. And they are all too poor dice rollers to handle any decent encounters. ;o)
I remember we were level 1 and fought 4 rats. Each is tiny, so all 4 fit on 1 square. The DM used pips on a d6 to represent how many rats were left. They provoked AoOs because their reach was 0, but we mostly shot stuff at them.
Another time we were level 1 and fighting kobolds, and everyone dropped except the wizard's ferret familiar, which killed all the kobolds.
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Below Vulture Point is one of the all-time great adventures. It was published in Dungeon #39.
It involved the eponymous Vulture Point outcropping, a band of kobolds, several traps and a flock of rock-dropping vultures.
The kobolds and traps should be pretty easy to convert On-the-Fly straight out of the MM and DMG. Climb and other Skill checks convert out of the PHB. The trained rock-bomber-vultures will be the hardest OtF conversion, but you should be able to wing it.
The map is great and the rest of the module is tactics, which remain directly applicable. Frankly, this can TPK a "0-level" party that doesn't treat the kobolds with the respect they deserve.
Fun and memorable.
Oh ... and I remember now that I did run a 3rd (3.0 IIRC) Edition version. It was largely OtF. Here is the extent of my "conversion" notes.
Thanks for the input : I just looked the cover on Paizo and I am pretty sure I don't own this one...
Too bad !
Here's the game I'm running on the boards:Treasure Hunt PbP
It really is a great module.
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Below Vulture Point is one of the all-time great adventures. It was published in Dungeon #39.Thanks for the input : I just looked the cover on Paizo and I am pretty sure I don't own this one...
Too bad !
That is too bad. I was just about to add my praise for Below Vulture Point, as well.
I have also run the two DCC 0-level adventures, mixing them both together. I used Legends are Made, Not Born as sort of the intro to get the party together and used to adventuring, and give them a little treasure, then moved on to Halls of the Minotaur King. If I remember correctly, Legends is much shorter (if you're short on time), and not too difficult, especially if the party does their homework and doesn't just make a frontal assault on the ogre's cave. But I don't know if it has enough XP to bring a 0-level party up to 1st.
Minotaur was more difficult, even after going through Legends, particularly the final battle with the BBEG. I remember some killer traps too, if the party's not careful. It becomes much easier if they find the Isle of the Mist to rest and heal in safety, and in my case the module probably would have been a TPK if they hadn't been able to retreat there.
But the adventure itself is much more fun than Legends IMO, and a more traditional adventure: short wandering through the wilderness section, then into the dungeon, fighting the inhabitants until you meet the Big Bad. SO if you can't get hold of Below Vulture Point, go for one of the DCC ones.
Adventure Ideas:
A haunted House
Right on the corner of the street where you lived (end of the village, whatever) lived an old crone, who shunned people and was said to dabble into magic,... She died three weeks ago, without any relatives. The people have been avoiding the house ever since.
Hooks:
- Party's wannabe spellcaster smells an opportunity to learn something.
- She once took a simple jewel from a girl sneaking around her garden and the girl wants it back. (one of the PC's, or their love, ...)
- PC's pet runs into the house and doesn't come out.
- IT'S EXCITING
Possible encounters:
Flasks with weird and funny effects
Animated broom commanded to keep kids away
Bored talking animal (former familiar - possible tutor for the beginner spellcaster)
Spells on the loose (harmless illusions, ghostsounds, minor images, reverse gravity trap, uncontrolled levitation...)
dirt and general lack of order (yes - chaos)
haphazardly placed things
parts of the house in poor repair
many other effects
A Hunt
There is a plenty of game in the woods
Hooks: one included above
- A family needs meat. The goat/pig/whatever just died and the winter is coming. PCs go to the woods to hunt.
- Wanabe ranger's/druid's/barbarian's father just died and he needs to learn how to provide for the family... by trial and error.
Possible encounters
animals of all kinds (Run, run, run away from thaaat pig, squrrels throwing nuts, monkeys throwning...ewww)
ranger and similar NPCs
animals (BEEES!)
other hunters
animals (BEARS!)
pixies
animals (That is a wonderful example of Mephitis mephitis, let's examine it a little bit more closer)
an angry game warden
did I mention animals?
trees and plants... weird ones
A Trial (whatever puzzle/fight/quest you want + concurents)
Someone's in the House
You are visiting some friends and decided to stay overnight. The house sleeps, everything's quiet and calm. A cold breeze wakes one of the PCs up only to see a flicker of movement in the shadows behind the half-open door.
What to play with (hook is above)
- Were the rumors of terrible murderer stalking the countryside true? But weapons remained downstairs (If there were any in the first place)!
- Is he alone? What if there are just thieves, that could become murderers if cornered (to raise alarm or not to raise).
- Was that real, or are you imagining things (kids waking up the adults won't be commended for their efforts and there is noone to be found, you jaut saw a fleeting shadow)?
- Someone is found dead, but the house stands to far away to call for help and to large to be watched.
- Your friend is sleepwalking and you can't wake him up! Prevent him from harming himself or the others.
- Do you really want to find out? (What if it's a monster. Finding and cornering a chocker is hardly a victory for unarmed NPC classes)
Encounters
a stealthy and dangerous persona
more of the abovementioned
darkness
fear
spooky night sounds
a harmless critter that scares everyone and attracts PC's attention elsewhere when you need so (rat, hedgehog, ...)
invisible killer (not necessarily magical - a viper hiding in the shadows or vicious spider, the already mentioned chocker, murderous ape hiding in nearby trees (inspiration found in E. A. Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue)), that everyone knows that it's SOMEWHERE in the house.
sleepwalking persona.