The SPFR (druid) can wear non_metal medium armor if memory serves. Fortunately, barring a specific echantment, the armor does the granola-sniffin' tree-hugger no good when in wild shape. A druid cannot select Natural Spell before 5th level, so you're safe from fiery druidic evocations and a tidal wave of summoned koala bears and dingos until then unless (s)he is NOT wild shaped into, say, an anteater or perhaps a duck-billed platypus.
If the SPFR has half a brain, he'll acquire a red dragonhide breastplate and get that puppy enchanted to both work when in wild shape as well as resistant to fire. Not that it will do him much good at about 8th level ... ^_^
The SPFR (druid) can wear non_metal medium armor if memory serves. Fortunately, barring a specific echantment, the armor does the granola-sniffin' tree-hugger no good when in wild shape. A druid cannot select Natural Spell before 5th level, so you're safe from fiery druidic evocations and a tidal wave of summoned koala bears and dingos until then unless (s)he is NOT wild shaped into, say, an anteater or perhaps a duck-billed platypus.
If the SPFR has half a brain, he'll acquire a red dragonhide breastplate and get that puppy enchanted to both work when in wild shape as well as resistant to fire. Not that it will do him much good at about 8th level ... ^_^
Correct on all accounts Turin. The player is clever, though I don't know if his knowledge of the class & core rule mechanics extends to the subject of dragon hide armor. As for my part... No Way in Hell I'm telling him anything on the subject:)
In preparations for tomorrow: kill zem, kill zem all ! *But one, to tell the tale ...*
Love your work, you bastard. Looking forward to the account of the next session.
In preparations for tomorrow: kill zem, kill zem all ! *But one, to tell the tale ...*
Ahh, rot grubs and gas-filled rooms...
This is why we love the classics.
Of course, you have to leave one alive, though horribly maimed...
as a warning to others.
Just leave one alive
maim them and flay off their skin
to tell all the rest.
There...in Haiku form.
Of course, you have to leave one alive, though horribly maimed...
as a warning to others.
Just leave one alive
maim them and flay off their skin
to tell all the rest.There...in Haiku form.
The KGM will appreciate your Haiku, oh raiser of aboleths. :)
I have let him know that his slavering fans are practically doing the "little kid GOTTA GO NOW dance" anticipating the next journal entries.
I have let him know that his slavering fans are practically doing the "little kid GOTTA GO NOW dance" anticipating the next journal entries.
I'm without a group at the moment, and I have to admit:
I love reading about a DM who channels my favorite memories of D&D. Where the goal was simply to survive.
Not, "How shall my character's life arc play out?" but rather, "What the heck do I have to do to make it through this session?"
It's adventure, doggonit! It's supposed to be dangerous!
Now, KGM: lay the devastation upon us! And we shall mock them!
I totally agree with you Cap'nVan. I try for the survival aspect in every possible situation:)
I regret the delay in putting this latest entry together. I wish it would be more worthy of your wait, but alas… In Last Saturday’s session of the campaign classics campaign, there were Zero (0) Player character fatalities. It was a depressing day at the game table.
Allow me to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize to each one of you good friends and readers. Each of you has placed your faith in me to lay the righteous wrath down on my lame-brained players and their desperately-needing-to-die characters on a regular basis, and I came up empty this time. None feel the pain and embarrassment more than I do. The 1st Ed module A1: Slave Pits of the Undercity was the first adventure I ever laid my hands on in 1983 when I began playing the game. I hadn’t run the adventure since 1987/88, and after a 23-24 year lapse, I was finally getting the chance to use this revered adventure module to royally lambaste my player’s characters, and I was as giddy about the prospects as a Monk in a sorority house sleepover.
And then those damn players, and their miserable characters just had to enter the Highport Temple in the stables area, and ended up in the cemetery. Had I remembered the adventure text better, I might have recalled that the stairwell hidden in the cemetery went right down to the main boss of the adventure; and had I recalled this, the stairwell would have had an unfortunate cave-in the day before the characters arrived.
So not only did the Player characters Not have to fight and bleed their way down through most of the temple’s defenders, and then down into the sewer level of the place (then to finally get greased by the slavers and the Ant-men); but they ended up headed directly for the bosses room, without anyone knowing they were inside the place, and the boss & company had no time to spell up or prepare any defenses. The Player characters first significant combat was with the boss & his minions themselves.
I took the liberty of removing the scripted villain (Bluscholtz) for A1, and inserted one of my own home-brewed re-occurring villains, a Halfling Ranger/Fighter (Ravager) by the name of “Jack Mangler.” The PC ninja went into the bosses room disguised as a temple guardsman, and made a typically high disguise & bluff check. He convinced Jack Mangler that the upper level of the place was under attack. I was denied from wasting his ass right on the spot, though I suspect Jack was suspicious of the ninja’s story, he went with the Ninja to exit the room, when the PC Gunslinger lost his patience and used his musket (Nat 20 roll) to blow the head off of one of the giant weasels in the room. The PC Ninja was still making his bluff rolls, and I couldn’t saw his head off with Jack’s Battle Axe like I wanted to, and it wasn’t until the PC Ninja surprise attacked one of the weasels that I could finally go after him. Naturally, the cowardly ninja turned invisible, and I couldn’t find him despite my efforts to do so. The other Pcs present (Meathead #2, Master Bates, Flint Shrubwood & Fudge-Man (a new PC Cleric) starting wasting Jack’s orc minions and his remaining pet giant weasels. Eventually it was down to Jack & a few orcs and all 5 Player Characters, and Jack opted to gather reinforcements. While he did so, the cowardly Player Characters grabbed all the important letters and the gold on hand, and got the hell out of dodge. And that was it… All my Aspis (Ant Men), slavers, and Jack Mangler couldn’t catch up with the mightily balking & fleeing player characters.
So friends please do come back soon and read up on our Next session. The group will tackle Adventure Module A2: Secret of the Slavers Stockade. Happily this adventure is much more of a Hack fest, and should see a much higher body count than A1 did. The Stockade is less able to be easily infiltrated by annoying Rogue-type player characters. In an effort to get the fatality rate back on track, I’ll be inserting another of my reoccurring villains, one by the name of the “GoreMonger” into the role of Icar. We’ll see how many of the Player characters survive his attention. The Pcs will be 5th level, while both Icar/GoreMonger & Markessa will both be 7th level each (and will be encountered separately).
Never fear, the Brothers Faust will lay waste to at least 3 of the miserable buggers ...
As Brother Hamster can attest to, were it not for Hero Points, the equivalent of them would have kakked 4 of his group ... good times, good times !! ^_^
P.S. we shall of course correspond on the various Slave Lords ... although I profess to preferring that my good Sons administer the Smacketh Down upon Thy Uppity Player Characers. Leaving one to survive to recruit more Maggots...
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Never fear, the Brothers Faust will lay waste to at least 3 of the miserable buggers ...
As Brother Hamster can attest to, were it not for Hero Points, the equivalent of them would have kakked 4 of his group ... good times, good times !! ^_^
P.S. we shall of course correspond on the various Slave Lords ... although I profess to preferring that my good Sons administer the Smacketh Down upon Thy Uppity Player Characers. Leaving one to survive to recruit more Maggots...
oh aye...crowd control spells + heavy picks + make you sleep tricks = happy GM!
You have my sincerest condolences, o' Killer GM. That A1 would fail to chew them up and spit them out by sheer luck! Ah well....
Now I am going to have to see if I can find A2 to dig out and read...darn it.
I regret the delay in putting this latest entry together. I wish it would be more worthy of your wait, but alas… In Last Saturday’s session of the campaign classics campaign, there were Zero (0) Player character fatalities. It was a depressing day at the game table...
I continue to hope that this was an elaborate April Fool's prank from our favorite campaign.
*Sigh*
I regret the delay in putting this latest entry together. I wish it would be more worthy of your wait, but alas… In Last Saturday’s session of the campaign classics campaign, there were Zero (0) Player character fatalities. It was a depressing day at the game table...I continue to hope that this was an elaborate April Fool's prank from our favorite campaign.
*Sigh*
I can assure you that the lack of fatalities was no prank by the KGM. Maybe by his players on him ...
I can assure you that the lack of fatalities was no prank by the KGM. Maybe by his players on him ...I regret the delay in putting this latest entry together. I wish it would be more worthy of your wait, but alas… In Last Saturday’s session of the campaign classics campaign, there were Zero (0) Player character fatalities. It was a depressing day at the game table...I continue to hope that this was an elaborate April Fool's prank from our favorite campaign.
*Sigh*
Well, revenge is a dish best served cold. Two weeks later is ideal.
Heh.
In Today's 4th session of the Campaign Classics campaign, there WAS a TPK, which involved 6 PC Fatalities :D This encounter began during the last game session and was completed early this morning. The encounter began last week with SIX 3rd level player characters entering a hedge maze to tangle with a CR 5 (Ranger 1/Fighter 4) evil Knight and his two 1st level wizard helpers.
That, dear gentles, is how to kill a party with finesse.
I described the above events to Mrs meomwt (currently playing a half-orc barbarian in my 3.5 game, currently DCC 28 Into The Wilds) and she described it as "hitting the players over and over again with a large hammer."
YMMV!
I look forward to reports of multiple fatalities when A2 hits the divers meatheads and doofuses. You may want to add a 3.5 Warlock with the See The Unseen invocation running, just to upset the Ninja. As a first level power, it is so broken... ;)
The player of Jean Claude Von Dumb (wisely) concluded that his character couldn't realistically hope to make a tumble/acrobatics check to get out of my threatened space to flee, and he instead went defensive; but to no avail. Sir Sean skewered him again in Round 12, doing another 20 HP damage and killed his character.
A bit late on this, but seriously, ninja kick the damn horse with a Stunning Fist! A stunned (or even better, DEAD) mount makes it really tough to charge.(Hmmm...new rules question...is a stunned quadruped easier to trip?)
Love this series, BTW. I may have to draw from your cruelty in my own campaign.
In our most recent game, the players ROBBED me of a likely TPK, AND THERE WERE STILL SIX (6) PLAYER CHARACTER FATALITIES:D:D:D Today, the group played 1st Ed Module A2 Secret of the Slavers Stockade. Interestingly, the group holed up in the first room they entered, and just waited for the place to react and come to them. The PCs oblitterated multiple groups of goblins and hobgoblins I first threw at them. I then threw 9 bugbears (EL 8) at the group, and the PCs wiped them out too. I then stuck the 3 Were Boars on the PCs and this encounter proved to be tough, but the PCs cleaned these brutes out also with no loss of life. At that point, being the kind GM I am:), I fully recharged the PC spellcasters, and put all characters back to full HP. Next, the group faced the Slaver Elreth, several Ogres, and an evil Barbarian (another EL 8). The group blew threw these guys even easier than the Wereboars. Next came Blackthorn the Ogre Mage. This proved to be an interesting fight, as the ogre mage opened up with his Cone of Cold and froze everyone for about 35 HP of damage. The Ogre Mage dropped Beverly Hills Ninja to negative HP, and had several other PCs in trouble as well, but Doofus #2 and Meathead #2 were able to finally dispatch the ogre mage. Little did the group know that standing just outside the door, watching (while invisible) was Icar, the fort commander. I took the liberty of substituting a former PC/NPC villain of mine, who is based on the villainous henchman "Jaws" from the James Bond movies Spy Who Lived Me & Moonraker. Because Doofus the Fighter #2 Nat' 20'd his Perception check, he took a swing at me (and missed), before moving back into the room. Doing so provoked an attack of opportunity, and I punked his tail for about 25-30 HP of damage. On my action, I had a decision to make. I could take a 5 foot step into the room and "go for broke" (meaning, I would be within 5 feet of 5 different PCs, and could potentially take out multiple PCs (starting with Doofus the Fighter, who I had already stabbed once), but doing so would place me in the threatened space of each of these characters as well. I elected to play it conservative, and stay in the hallway, and devote both attacks on my action (Icar/Goremonger is a 7th level Fighter), and Power Attacked & Hit Meathead the Paladin twice, Killing him on the second Hit:D However after I completed my action, the PC Wizard took a turn, and cast Suggestion and 'suggested that I go back to my room and polish my boots.' I rolled a Nat 1, and reluctantly had to do so:( In hindsight, had I been willing to gamble on my prior action, and stepped into the room, I could have dropped the already wounded Doofus the Fighter, and on the 2nd Hit, probably taken out the Wizard for good measure. This could have led to a much greater loss of PC life, but would have allowed the PC Rogue and Ninja to use Sneak Attacks against me. I probably should have chanced it...
At that point, the PCs having dealt with all other inhabitants in the entire Stockade; that left only Markessa. I gave the PCs several rounds to putter about the room and patched them up again, before I had Markessa, who was at the end of the hallway, some 60 feet from the PCs, hurl a fireball down at them. Though Markessa was only 7th level, she had access to a 9 HD fireball, and I got fairly luck on the damage rolls and did 43 HP of damage, and most of the group failed their saving throws (which surprised the hell out of me). This first fireball killed the PC Cleric, and Beverly Hills the PC Ninja, and also put the PC Wizard at Negative HP. The remaining three PCs (Doofus #2, Meathead #3, and Master Bates the Rogue) then charged down the hallway and did about 25 HP of damage to Markessa, and had her surrounded. On her action, Markessa successfully casted defensively, and used a Dimension Door to get the hell out of dodge, but actually only moved to the opposite end of the same hallway, just out of sight around the corner. On the PCs next action, they moved back to the room where they had been fighting all afternoon to help their downed comrades. On her next action, Markessa chucked another fireball and Incinerated Doofus #2 and Meathead #3, and also killed the already-at-Negative-HP Wizard PC as well. At that point, the rogue PC was still down at the other end of the hallway, hidden from my view, so I ended the encounter there. Sufficith to say, Bates didn't come charging after Markessa.
On the whole, the last encounter was somewhat surprising. I was not expecting Markessa to incinerate 5 out of 6 characters. Just goes to show, not to underestimate malevolent wizard NPCs. Next game, we'll run A3, and I'm going to put Markessa in place of Slave Lord Ajakstu, given her success today at roasting the group. They're definitely due for a return engagement with the Fireball happy elf wizard...
Today‘s game was ridiculous. There were TWELVE (12) character fatalities. Today the characters adventured in 1st Ed. Module A3 Assault on the Aerie of the Slave Lords.
Present in today’s game were the following player characters (please note the names are ‘pet names’ that I have given the characters, and not what the players call their characters).
‘Retardus Maximus’ a 7th level Human Fighter
‘Dooche Bag’ a 7th level Human Cleric
‘Meathead #3’ a 7th level Human Paladin
‘Master Bates’ a 7th level Human Rogue (originally a Skulk rogue)
‘Inspector Buttocks’ a 7th level Human Wizard
‘Tweedle Dumbass a 7th level Dwarf Cleric
Also taking part in the last encounter of the day were:
‘Professor Lobotomy' a 7th level Human Ranger
‘Five-IQ’ a 8th level Human Fighter
The scripted encounters appeared unlikely to pose much of a challenge to the characters, so I improvised several of my own. First the group tangled with two former PC killers, a Troglodyte Cleric 7 and an Advanced Harpy 6th level Cleric (both were CR 8’s respectively). In this encounter, the group started off by dog piling together in the center of the room, and allowing the harpy archer to perforate Retardus Maximus with numerous arrows, while the Trog cleric (who was fully spelled up) laid into Maxiums for good measure. Both PC clerics present wisely went after the Harpy, first with Spiritual Hammer spells, and then with whatever else they could. The PC wizard used offensive spells on the Harpy also, while the PC fighters tangled with the Trog cleric. In round 2, the Harpy obliterated Retardus Maximus, killing him; and the rest of the group 86’d the Trog cleric. In round 3, the Harpy cleric Demolished Inspector Buttocks, killing him, and the Pcs put the Harpy at below 50% HP and forced the Harpy into the underground river. The Harpy ended up fleeing when she couldn’t get above 50% to fly and thus allow herself to shoot the Pcs with arrows without being either stuck in the river, or caught on the ground and chopped into hamburger by PC melee combatants.
Next the group tangled with an Advanced Medusa with 2 levels of Blackguard (a CR 9 opponent). Given an additional 4 points of Charisma from gaining PC levels, and another 4 points of Charisma from the Advanced monster template, and yet another 4 points of Charisma from a Potion of Eagle’s Splendor, combined with the Ability Focus feat, gained as a 1st level Blackguard, the Medusa’s Petrifying Gaze went from a DC 16 to a DC 24 in one fell swoop. The Medusa was initially masked, and the Pcs incorrectly assumed they were tangling with another archer, similar to the Harpy of the last encounter. The Pcs closed in on the medusa, who was standing on a ledge, separated from the group by a 15’ wide chasm. On her action, the Medusa took off the mask, and Petrified Master Bates the Rogue and Inspector Buttocks #2 the Wizard. On the next round, the group retreated and tried to make a stand. The Medusa (who had previously drank a potion of flying), moved over the chasm, to the group, and Petrified Tweedle Dumbass the Dwarf Cleric and Retardus Maximus #2. At that point, Meadhead #3 and Dooche Bag the Cleric ran away. The Medusa then proceeded to push the Petrified characters into the chasm, as they were all standing right next to the edge, allowing all to smash into rubble as they tumbled down. And the player(s) wondered where all the other petrified former adventurers were…
In the final encounter of consequence for the day, the group was joined by two additional player characters: Professor Lobotomy and Five-IQ. The group then proceeded to tangle with the Slave Lords. I gave the group the ability stock up on any potions, scrolls, or items that they wanted. When they went charging into the encounter; EVERY Player Character had the following spells on them: Haste, Bulls Strength, Bear’s Endurance, Cat’s Grace, Prayer, and Bless. Multiple player characters also had Stoneskin spells in effect, and one had Heroism to boot.
I did substitute some home brewed villains into the roles of some of the Slave Lords. For simplicity's sake, I will forebear with the names of those villains, and stick with the proper names of the slave lords, who’s roles they played. The Slave Lords present were:
Eanwulf (Ftr 7), Stalman Klim (Clr 7), Markessa (Wiz 7, in lieu of Ajakstu), Theg Narlot (Ftr 7), Edralve (Clr 6), “Le’Marq” (an Archer whom I substituted for Lamonstern), Brother Millerjoi (Ftr 7) (I went with a Fighter variant, rather than the standard Monk version) & Nerelas (Rog 5/Ass 2)
The fight itself was a long and complicated affair, probably to be expected when you have EIGHT player characters, and EIGHT slave lords. Sixteen combatants, all of whom are spelled up, is a lot to keep track of. When the Pcs finally went charging into the slave lords room, several of the Pcs ended up going first on the initiative order. The Pcs likely blew some early opportunities when the PC Wizard Inspector Buttocks (who had Greater Invisibility and Fly precast) elected to use a fireball to singe 3 of the Slave Lords (all of whom were spread out all over the chamber). While this obviously did damage, I thought that Evards Black Tentacles would have achieved a much better result. The PC Ranger Professor Lobotomy then went, and rolled average on his 4 arrow attacks for the round, but chose poor a target (Brother Millerjoi) to go after. Professor Lobotomy did a lot of damage to Millerjoi, but in so doing, he did not target an enemy spell caster. By the time it was Markessa’s turn for her 1st round action (she was 7th of 16 on the initiative order), she dropped another of her infamous fireballs, and caught all eight Pcs in the blast radius, singing every PC present except Bates the Rogue.
In the 2nd round, it was looking bad for me, as the player characters were inflicting a lot of damage against several combatants, and one of the PC clerics used selective channeling to heal some of the fireball damage from round One. However, due to limited focused fire (the player characters did kill off Brother Millerjoi following the PC Ranger & Wizard tag teaming him), I was able to start dropping characters due to some tactical advantages that I had acquired during the first round and a half. Knowing that I couldn’t realistically target a Flying Wizard PC with Greater Invisibility, I instead went for the PC clerics, and the PC ranger, who was dishing out more damage then anyone else, and at a distance. At the end of round 2, Nerelas (who I had statted up as a two-weapon fighting rogue/assassin) Hit Tweedle Dumbass the Dwarf Cleric on all four attacks (all of which gave me 4d6 Sneak damage each) and killed his sorry ass in one fell swoop.
In round 3, I dropped Retardus Maximus #3 and Professor Lobotomy the Ranger with a combination of Critical Hit Power Attacks by Theg Narlot, a Devastating Critical with a Composite Longbow by Le Marq the Archer, and a Third Fireball from Markessa. The Pcs could not rally back from the loss of the 2nd and final cleric, and the mop up began there. In round 4, I dropped Meathead #3 and the route was on. Five-IQ was demolished by Eanwulf before he could run away. Markessa used yet another Fireball to finish off Dooche Bag and Professor Lobotomy, both of whom were at Negative Hit Points at the time. By the time we were finished, only Bates the Rogue and Inspector Buttocks the Wizard managed to get out alive. The Slave Lords won in convincing fashion, taking only one casualty amongst their number (Brother Millerjoi).
Total casualties for today was Twelve characters. One of my more stellar days as a GM:D
18 in two sessions?!?!
I am so very, very happy now.
18 in two sessions?!?!
I am so very, very happy now.
It's been a pretty good run of late. We'll see if it holds up for the next game. The PCs are now 9th level, and I'm going to run them through the Tomb of Horrors, and at the same time, give them a crack at the weapons from White Plume Mountain, which I'll place in various locales inside the tomb. I'm going to call the adventure, "The White Plume Tomb of Horrors." Given the already unforgiving nature of the Tomb itself, along with the revamped guardians of the weapons that I'll be dropping in the adventure, it should be a nightmare for the players.
It's been a pretty good run of late. We'll see if it holds up for the next game. The PCs are now 9th level, and I'm going to run them through the Tomb of Horrors, and at the same time, give them a crack at the weapons from White Plume Mountain, which I'll place in various locales inside the tomb. I'm going to call the adventure, "The White Plume Tomb of Horrors." Given the already unforgiving nature of the Tomb itself, along with the revamped guardians of the weapons that I'll be dropping in the adventure, it should be a nightmare for the players.18 in two sessions?!?!
I am so very, very happy now.
WPM is bad enough in its own right and sets up the "seperations". Combining the two without a very generous "time allowance" to run it is asking for an abrupt end to the game.
Well, unless ol' "A" is removed (along with his swag) ... either way, it will be entertaining to hear of the bloody carnage that will ensue.
Assuming they didn't mutiny after 12 character deaths in a single session. :)
WPM is bad enough in its own right and sets up the "seperations". Combining the two without a very generous "time allowance" to run it is asking for an abrupt end to the game.
Well, unless ol' "A" is removed (along with his swag) ... either way, it will be entertaining to hear of the bloody carnage that will ensue.
Assuming they didn't mutiny after 12 character deaths in a single session. :)
** spoiler omitted **
Well, the end of the game is certainly at hand, though it is due to personal reasons on my end. Arguably, this might help steer the ship a bit more rapidly into the malestrom, but its of little matter. My family obligations are going to cut the campaign short no matter what. I'm just going out with a bang:)
I don't think BR will intefere with 'Old Faust' (I assume you are suggesting it will prevent a Mum-ra from occurring). That only works if BR is the weapon that deals the final blow. And the PCs can be 'persuaded' to be very wary of using the weapon:)
Just as in Bruce Cordell's 'Return to White Plume Mountain' where the four weapons allowed the PCs to summon a reborn Keraptis, the four weapons here will allow 'Faust' to summon the Big Tharizdun himself, or something slightly less heinous. Faust will be the final encounter in the adventure. The PCs will have to stop 'him' or else:).
Oh, and Turin, I need you to refresh my memory on exactly What & How 'Faust' greeted me when I first ran into him many years ago. I vaguely recall a simple "Hello" that carried with it an 'unnerving echo.'
Oh, and Turin, I need you to refresh my memory on exactly What & How 'Faust' greeted me when I first ran into him many years ago. I vaguely recall a simple "Hello" that carried with it an 'unnerving echo.'
Something to that effect, yes.
Hello ... hello ... we have guests ... have guests ... time ... time ... to die ... to die ... "heroes" ... "heroes".
Echo that around the corner ... ^^
Well, the end of the game is certainly at hand, though it is due to personal reasons on my end. Arguably, this might help steer the ship a bit more rapidly into the malestrom, but its of little matter. My family obligations are going to cut the campaign short no matter what. I'm just going out with a bang:)Assuming they didn't mutiny after 12 character deaths in a single session. :)
My thoughts exactly.
If you've got to go out, might as well go out on a high bodycount, err, note, I meant note!
My thoughts exactly.If you've got to go out, might as well go out on a high bodycount, err, note, I meant note!
It appears the game may linger longer than I had thought. Though I'm still with you on the fatality count...
It appears the game may linger longer than I had thought. Though I'm still with you on the fatality count...
My thoughts exactly.If you've got to go out, might as well go out on a high bodycount, err, note, I meant note!
Never fear, your hapless and tactically inept player characters should almost assuredly not fail to disappoint in delivering the per-session body count that staggers the mind.
We're scheduled to play this coming Saturday. I'll be running White Plume Mountain (without the Tomb of Horrors combo), and swapping in better villains in place of the three weapon guardians. 'Faust' will be swapped in for Quesnef, the Ogre Mage guardian of Blackrazor. I will be swapping a vampire I have used previously for Ctenmiir, the vampire guardian of Whelm, and lastly, I will swap in 'Scorch' the dragon for the giant crab (having boiled the crab in the boiling geyser water, and then dipped him in a giant bowl of butter, and eaten him for good measure), who was the guardian of the trident Wave.
Following the completion of White Plume Mountain, I will run the group through the Tomb of Horrors. I'll likely run the gang through The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth after that.
...lastly, I will swap in 'Scorch' the dragon for the giant crab (having boiled the crab in the boiling geyser water, and then dipped him in a giant bowl of butter, and eaten him for good measure), who was the guardian of the trident Wave.
Keep in mind that rancid crab butter can take the place of both a grease and stinking cloud spell for additional battlefield control.
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And, if I may add, the death of a PC due to drowning in a pool of rancid crab butter deserves to be enshrined in the Hall of Ignominious PC Deaths Fame.
Edit: Also Rancid Crab Butter would be a decent name for any metal band.
I fully expect the KGM to have mercilessly butchered reams of character sheets by the end of the day today.
I can't WAIT to hear about the body count 'Faust' inflicted! ^_^
Actually gentlemen, the game was postponed due to a car accident, and the ensuing transportation problems that resulted. Fear not, no mere fender bender will stop this Killer GM from putting the 'Fear of Gawd' into the hearts of my quivering players. I'm going to try to drown all their characters in Rancid Crab Butter!
They'd best hope that rancid crab butter isn't flammable then, eh?
Cap'n Van, would you be so kind as to perform a small-scale real life experiment involving verification of the combustibility of butter? ^_^
My sons, they're about to become all gown up. I would sniff and even shed a tear over my joy at this prospect ... if it wasn't for being rather inhuman in body in the aftermath of AoW and all that.
They'd best hope that rancid crab butter isn't flammable then, eh?
Cap'n Van, would you be so kind as to perform a small-scale real life experiment involving verification of the combustibility of butter? ^_^
Sadly, butter, as anyone who has burned it in a pan will know, doesn't combust. It burns, badly, but... meh as a weapon.
On the other hand... it does take medium heat relatively well, and is sticky. And splattery, like most fats. As in, one PC goes splatting down in, and several other might be in the area of effect of a solid hot fat splatter, with its associated damage and effects on Concentration.
And, of course, we're ignoring the effects of combustibles added to a boiling crab/butter/water mixture: should one add, say, some spirits, perhaps a barrel or two to a pool, the evaporation of alcohol will cause, well, let's just say the entire room, to become a firebreather's dream.
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After two unavoidable postponements, the next game is scheduled for this coming Saturday.
At the moment however, I’ll mention several things about the last game session. I haven’t gone on one of my Rants about players, since my Killer Age of Worms thread, but last game session has inspired me to do so. In the most recent session, there were twelve PC demises, and there was some pretty hefty player whining & complaining by my dear players.
[Turin, insert patriotic American music in the background of this ‘speech’.]
First of all, I hadn’t heard this much whining since back in the days when Hexen Ineptus was with my group. But I’m not writing to complain about my players whining directly, but rather WHY the whiny players are, the way they are. I’m sure you can point to certain personality types and some other related family/background issues being factors of why some players are Whiny. And yes, “Role-Playing” players seem to be more prone to whining than your typical 'hack'n'slash' player. But what really bothers me are the PANSY-ASS GM’s, [THAT’S RIGHT, I SAID IT!!!] who have “created” these types of players by running games year-in and year-out, where they let players off the hook, pull punches, allow overpowered/over-the-top characters & equipment, and provide candy-coated happy endings when the player’s characters were clearly in over their head or made stupid ‘in-game’ decisions that should have provoked the appropriate natural consequences (i.e. PC death/destruction).
This wouldn’t be an issue if these Pansy-ass GM’s perennially kept these players in their groups, but people move, people change gaming groups, etc, and the “corrupted” players of Pansy-Ass GM’s eventually find their way into other GM’s groups, like MINE. Think about it fellow GM’s: Have you ever had a group session where your players had low level characters, and wanted to be heroic/foolish by going after a monster/opponent that was clearly over their characters’ heads and beyond the ability of their characters to defeat? Sometimes it seems that not only are players eager to do this, but THEY EXPECT YOU TO PULL PUNCHES, BEND RULES, AND FUDGE DICE ROLLS to allow their underpowered characters to prevail in a close, last minute victory, against a vastly superior foe. Is this logical? Hell no. They do it, because they have been preconditioned to expect favorable results when taking huge risks that, dare I say ‘normal, intelligent’ players, would never take.
When players get spoiled with a long history of this kind of GM’ing style, it is only natural that said players are going to carry these insane expectations into future gaming groups that they are involved with. And when their ridiculous expectations are not met & catered to, they become upset and start whining.
Fellow GM’s, can we just stop with the Candy-coated games where the players routinely win in the face of insurmountable odds and their own bone-headed decisions. Please fellow GM’s, will you start routinely applying the natural consequences to your players’ bad decisions & lousy dice rolls during the game. Otherwise, would you please keep all of these spoiled players that you have helped create in YOUR groups for the foreseeable future.
I’m KGM, and I approve this message.
After two unavoidable postponements, the next game is scheduled for this coming Saturday.
At the moment however, I’ll mention several things about the last game session. I haven’t gone on one of my Rants about players, since my Killer Age of Worms thread, but last game session has inspired me to do so. In the most recent session, there were twelve PC demises, and there was some pretty hefty player whining & complaining by my dear players.
[Turin, insert patriotic American music in the background of this ‘speech’.]
Consider the music inserted :)
I cannot wait to see the horrificly spectacular demises unfold en masse this coming Saturday!
Consider the music inserted :)I cannot wait to see the horrificly spectacular demises unfold en masse this coming Saturday!
Play it again DJ Turin. If Sean has Skype & a nearby computer, I'm going to ask if I can patch you in to witness me lambasting these turds and their ill conceived characters.
"But it's about the story!"
"But it's about the story!"
Achilles was an utter bad-ass with only one weak spot. He was brought low by some chowderhead too chicken to stab him in the face. Result: dead hero, awesome story. Lesson: dead heroes DO tell tales! It's all in the dying, it's all in the dying...
Awesome stuff about coddling players.
I will admit I have "helped" a player or two out, but they don't expect it, and I will kill those that do stupid things, and I let it be known up front. The only players that have played in my games and not died under my watch are those that quit when they realized what type of game they were in.
I am not a killer_GM, but I am a logical GM, and doing stupid things while using puppy dog eyes does not help.Example:You are in a dungeon that you know has traps so you try to break the door down(no perception check so you can find and get rid of traps). Don't go to whining when the 5 ft square in front of the door release a cloudkill spell on the entire party.
PC:(After GM rolls max con damage for 2 rounds in a row, 8 points of con damage) Oh noes. I only had 3 restoration scrolls, not enough for the entire party.
GM:Sucks to be one of you.
edit:The original post is also listed.
Greetings to all. I have been offline for several weeks due to problems between my HOA and internet service provider. I'll work on the post for the game we had the last week of June, and we play again on July 23. ~KGM
Greetings to all. I have been offline for several weeks due to problems between my HOA and internet service provider. I'll work on the post for the game we had the last week of June, and we play again on July 23. ~KGM
I, for one, would greedily read the real life account of running an ISP through Tomb of Horrors.
You know, a reversal of fortunes type thing.
RANT
You, ser... are a god amongst men. I proudly wear the mantle of Killer GM so that I may feast in your hallowed halls. I lament the days of old, when the Red Folder was the way of life. While I can not bring back the days of old, I can demand that all my players have atleast 3 fully prepared character in the likely event of their untimely deaths.
I also firmly believe that GMs do not kill characters. If we wanted to TPK we could just be done with it. We who wear the mantle of Killer GM allow the dice to fall where they may and watch the resulting slaughter with a touch of pride, and some with glee. I very much enjoy having players that think it is amusing to "Split the party" or who refuse to retreat in the face of overwhelming odds.
I gleefully await my running of Kingmaker and the random encounter generator for hex exploration... because as my wife said to me while I was laughing at the Kingmaker death forum... "You don't run away. That is what you do in real life. In game you fight, because flight is not an option."
RANTYou, ser... are a god amongst men. I proudly wear the mantle of Killer GM so that I may feast in your hallowed halls. I lament the days of old, when the Red Folder was the way of life. While I can not bring back the days of old, I can demand that all my players have atleast 3 fully prepared character in the likely event of their untimely deaths.
I also firmly believe that GMs do not kill characters. If we wanted to TPK we could just be done with it. We who wear the mantle of Killer GM allow the dice to fall where they may and watch the resulting slaughter with a touch of pride, and some with glee. I very much enjoy having players that think it is amusing to "Split the party" or who refuse to retreat in the face of overwhelming odds.
I gleefully await my running of Kingmaker and the random encounter generator for hex exploration... because as my wife said to me while I was laughing at the Kingmaker death forum... "You don't run away. That is what you do in real life. In game you fight, because flight is not an option."
With that lovely quote from your wife, you should rack up a most satisfactory body count in Kingmaker as the Wandering Monsters take their terrible toll upon the bodies of those foolish enough to not run away. again and again. :)
RANTYou, ser... are a god amongst men. I proudly wear the mantle of Killer GM so that I may feast in your hallowed halls. I lament the days of old, when the Red Folder was the way of life. While I can not bring back the days of old, I can demand that all my players have atleast 3 fully prepared character in the likely event of their untimely deaths.
I also firmly believe that GMs do not kill characters. If we wanted to TPK we could just be done with it. We who wear the mantle of Killer GM allow the dice to fall where they may and watch the resulting slaughter with a touch of pride, and some with glee. I very much enjoy having players that think it is amusing to "Split the party" or who refuse to retreat in the face of overwhelming odds.
I gleefully await my running of Kingmaker and the random encounter generator for hex exploration... because as my wife said to me while I was laughing at the Kingmaker death forum... "You don't run away. That is what you do in real life. In game you fight, because flight is not an option."
Thanks Arcmagik. I appreciate the thoughts. Good to have you grace the thread as well. Hope all is well with you, and your players are screaming the next Saturday you play:)
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I have totally slacked in getting up the posts from June and July. Here's June's post.
In June’s session of the Campaign Classics Campaign, there was one (1) PC fatality. The players were to begin the 2000 adventure Return to White Plume Mountain, by Bruce Cordell. Before we got started however, the group demanded another crack at the Slave Lords from A3, who had previously beaten them resoundingly, and massacred 6 out of the 8 PCs present during combat. There were only 4 player characters present today, so I had to cut the number of slave lords present in half to make it an equal & fair encounter. I know, I shouldn't have, but...
The PCs present were "Meathead #5" (or maybe #6 I can’t remember) a 7th level paladin, "Dooche Bag", a 7th level cleric, "Master Bates", a 7th level rogue, and "Low-eye-que" ‘Low IQ’, a new 7th level Paladin PC. The Slave Lords present were Eanfulf/Feetla a Ftr 4/Antipaladin 3 buccaneer type, Markessa, a Wiz 7, Stalman Klim a Cleric 7, and Theg Narlot, a Fighter/Assassin.
The player characters began the encounter moving up the long entry hallway to get back into the slave lords chamber. One player was already whining about having to move down the hallway and into the chamber, feeling (correctly) that it placed the group at a disadvantage. No sooner than initiative rolls were made, than the fast moving (but slow thinking) Low-eye-que the Paladin charged into the room and began engaging one of the slave lords (Eanwulf). On Markessa’s action, she surprised the Players present, by not roasting them with a fireball as per her usual, and instead casting a (Evard’s) Black Tentacles spell, which completely Fubar’d the group, by grappling the three player characters still in the hallway, and cutting off Low-eye-que the paladin who was now all out by his lonesome with four slave lords close at hand.
On their respective checks, only one of the player characters (Bates the rogue) managed to avoid being grappled by the Black Tentacles. Meanwhile the other slave lords present proceeded to immediately gang up on and cluster screw Low-eye-que the Paladin, and Low-eye-cue (in his first encounter in play) was killed within 1 round. In the 2nd round of combat, Bates the Rogue decided to high-tail it out of harm’s way, and by the end of the 2nd round, the other two PCs had broken the grapple attack as well.
The remaining players had their 3 PCs then proceed to beat a hasty retreat, feeling that their they could not realistically defeat the four (equal level) slave lord opponents. While I completely agreed that their chances were slim, I nevertheless berated them for their sheer cowardice and mocked them as they ran away like wimps, instead of standing firm like men and taking what they had coming to them. The group opted to delay yet a third go at the slave lords for the time being and asked for a ‘rain check.’
The group then began Return to White Plume Mountain. Unfortunately, the group did fairly well for the rest of the afternoon. They managed to negotiate with Nightfear and his troupe of evil gnomes, and eventually met up with Nix and the Resistance. The PCs there learned of the basics of life inside the mountain, and of the four factions, the four false Kerapti, and the four weapons.
The PCs first elected to go after Wave, as they had BS’d Nightfear into thinking they would return Wave to him. The group went to the boiling lake cavern, which I slightly modified from the originally scripted version of the cavern. There, they found a tub of rancid crab butter, a recently eaten giant crab (the bubble had only been popped recently), and an amused CR 10 red dragon “Scorch.” The PCs climbed up the side of the cavern (on a narrow ledge that I'd written into the cavern's description) up to Scorch's perch in hopes of engaging the dragon. The ledge up to the dragon was effectively a ‘single-file’ and very steep climb, which prevented the group from gang-rushing the dragon. The dragon breathed on the group while they were starting to make t heir short climb up to him, and then he laughed evilly at them.
The first to reach the top and have a go at the dragon was Low-eye-que the Paladin. Low-eye-que has a ridiculously high AC (something like 32 or 34), and the dragon needed a nat 16 or 17 to hit Low-eye-que on his melee attacks, so I opted to instead Bull Rush Low-eye-que, and try to push his sorry self off of the precipice and down for a twenty foot drop into the lake of boiling water. Though I needed a nat’ 16 or 17 to hit on a melee attack, I only needed a paultry nat’ 6 on the d20 to beat Low-eye-que’s CMD, and I ended up rolling a nat’ 16, and sending him an extra 10 feet further out into the lake of boiling water, and he enjoyed 10d6 of heat damage for his trouble, and was now in double trouble, as he was wearing full plate armor, carrying a tower shield and sinking rapidly:O…
On the next round of combat, Meathead #5 charged the dragon. I will never understand the idiocy of the player in question's decision. Having just seen his fellow player’s paladin go flying off into the lake of boiling water, and knowing the same fate likely awaited him, yet he still closed in to melee the dragon… And on the dragon’s next action, Scorch bull rushed Meathead #5, and sent his stupid ass flying off into the drink right after his friend Low-eye-que:D
That was where we halted the action today on a cliff hanger. See you next month.