spoiler
** spoiler omitted **
It's interesting, I think the players will either HATE the pugwampis, which is what you really want (though not to the point of frustration) or just find them to be nothing. Specifically that is a group that often uses Bless or has a bard in the group will not even notice these little terrors as anything as an annoyance due to the morale bonus they are receiving.
What I would really love to see in a group playing through this is for them to learn about the morale bonus during play. For them to start hating the little buggers during the cactus battle and then in the monastery figure out how to counteract the effect.
Even better would be an arcane type who has some sort of device developed that will show bad luck when it happens. This could be something as simple as rolling dice a few times and seeing that low outcomes are coming on them far too often, or some sort of balancing stone that will fall in an unlucky/you loose the game hole when they are within a pugwampis unlucky aura.
Finally the ultimate would be a group who not only figures out that they can overcome the effect with any morale bonus but uses it to their advantage by hauling a few of these buggers around with them to affect their enemies but are negating the effects on themselves. (Of course, it won't affect the gnolls, but there are plenty of things it will).
I also find it very interesting that gnolls hate these guys so much. I realize that the rational was that they are small and weak and these are things that gnolls despise, but as they are unaffected by the unluck and others are, gnolls would be holy terrors if they took these guys along on their raiding missions with them... but then I guess gnolls aren't really all that intelligent.
One last note: while these guys make a fantastic first encounter and nemesis for an experienced group, I can see this being REALLY frustrating to a brand new player... something to watch out for.
Sean Mahoney
Keep reading, Heathy!
This is one of the best adventures I have seen.
I had a tougher time with the House of the Beast though. When I read the editorial at the beginning and it talked about it being a dungeon crawl I was pretty disappointed and didn't really feel like reading the actual adventure for a week or so.
When I did I found it was one of the better dungeon crawls I have seen as there is the potential for a lot of interaction with various groups and a DM could really bring it to life.
When I get time though I think I might work up some encounters and mini-missions the PCs could go on between the two to increase trade in the region... we'll see.
Anyway, keep reading, overall I have been extremely impressed with this AP... it is rivaling Curse of the Crimson Throne for my favorite to date.
Sean Mahoney
Creative Director
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Glad the dungeon crawl element of the adventure didn't totally scare you off! :)
While I personally quite enjoy dungeon crawls, I'm not a fan of random maps filled with random monsters. A dungeon crawl, to me, is MUCH more interesting if the map is logically laid out and the creatures that dwell in the dungeon have an ecology or factions or interactions. I strive to make sure that all of the dungeon-heavy adventures that appear in Paizo products support these qualities. It's good to hear that they're appealing to folks who aren't traditionally fans of dungeon crawls, is what I'm saying! :)
Glad the dungeon crawl element of the adventure didn't totally scare you off! :)
James,
You would think by now I would simply trust you that if you put it out it is likely that I will be very pleased with it. I mean, I can't think of too many times that wasn't the case.
But... old habits die hard. My first D&D DM that I had was a huge fan of random charts, and every adventure was just get us into "the dungeon" as quickly as possible and then have a never ending random dungeon that he would roll as we went.
"Alright... the corridor you are in goes <rolls dice and looks at chart> 60 feet then takes a <rolls dice and looks at chart> left."
"Um... that means it hits another hallways after 20 feet?" says the poor player mapping.
"Oh, it dead end there then. Let's see if there is a monster there <rattle, rattle, rattle>"
It was bad stuff. As a result I hear the words "dungeon crawl" and I shudder.
Like I said, I should trust you by now, but old habits die hard.
Sean Mahoney
I'm gonna go to facebooks and be a fan of pugwampies.
But beware their evil little cousins, the infamous pugwumpis! They are so mean and clever, they sneak even into recent chronicles.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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It's interesting, I think the players will either HATE the pugwampis, which is what you really want (though not to the point of frustration) or just find them to be nothing. Specifically that is a group that often uses Bless or has a bard in the group will not even notice these little terrors as anything as an annoyance due to the morale bonus they are receiving.
<snip>
Sean Mahoney
Sean, how will a morale bonus help?
Am I missing something?
Sean, how will a morale bonus help?
** spoiler omitted **
Am I missing something?
Hrmm... apparently I failed a read check there... for some reason I was thinking morale. My bad. That changes things then!
Sean
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Sean, how will a morale bonus help?
** spoiler omitted **
Am I missing something?
Hrmm... apparently I failed a read check there... for some reason I was thinking morale. My bad. That changes things then!
Sean
NP. I'm trying to put togetehr a group just to run this AP under Pathfinder rules and was going to sulk if I missed something. ;-)
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I've noticed it also covers a lot of bases w.r.t. typical character logical yet potentially adventure derailing reactions, to whit:
The idea of adventurers taking over the dungeon or in this case temple for a fire base; I've seen this happen, been baffled by it, and this adventure not only allows for this, it assumes it.
The idea I've seen a lot where IF a dungeon is an aboveground domicile, a good idea might be to purge it with fire--you can't really burn down a temple; you gotta save it and get rid of the evil within. (unless you're a group of CE poopoo heads, at which point the adventure getting screwed up is eventually an aforegone conclusion, so who cares...)
I had a guy almost burn down the Saltmarsh Manor on me, and I myself jokingly had my character consider burning down Foxglove Manor.
The leader won't send her guards to help with the ruined village--she's holding them in reserve since if the adventurers fail, she doubly needs them...
I think what James was talking about earlier w.r.t. the dungeon's inhabitants making sense being there is also inherent in the general craftsmanship of the story itsself. I mean, the whole way the story is so far unravelling makes sense.
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Right on---
I usually end up doing the "random room thing" with an emphasis on horrifically bizarre, which I think I pull off pretty well. So to me seeing this whole creation that fits together so well, or dare I overuse the term "elegantly," it's a wonder to behold or try to figure out how to emulate. I don't think I can, I'm not sure my wiring works quite that way; baby steps I guess...
Plus a lot of the n.p.c.'s and encounters have this really uncomfortable vibe about them, so there's a lot there, for me anyway's.