Ok. So I spoke to my solo player not long ago about what he'd most like to see in future games, and it basically came down to having to use skills to survive. He mentioned Bilbo v Smaug, as well as sneaking past multiple soldiers and things like that. Essentially getting near death and having to use his wits and skills to get through. Well, happy to oblige and challenge him, I've prepared another part of our solo game, thing is, it might be a bit too lethal... and I don't want to change that part. So. What I'm hoping is that I could get some suggestions on ways he could survive.
Here's the basics of what I've got so far. He's going to be going into a pitch dark set of underground tunnels originally dug out by mites and giant insects, most have since been run out or killed by 3 gorgons. The gorgons are roaming through the tunnels, instinctively (actually forced) guarding a treasure hidden somewhere down there. The treasure is a smart allick intelligent flute that's lawful evil, of which will come in handy with a future session / mission.
What I'm thinking is that the player will have to sneak past the gorgons, using cover (including adventurer's turned to stone) as often as possible. I'm also thinking of adding occasional insect battle amidst this all and having to traverse a large yet awkward root across a chasm.
Anyways, he's human, so he'll need to use a torch or somehow get magic item to see in the dark, which will hurt his stealth a bit. He's been given a magic item that allows him to use vanish 3 times per day, so that could help him, but he has an awakened gorilla cleric npc helping him, so there's a chance she might give him away if she rolls bad.
Any ideas on how to make this more doable, yet keeping the idea and challenge in tact?
Also, if you have any suggestions on furthering the skill aspect of the challenge I'd be grateful. I want the player to be on the edge of their seat and exhausted when I'm done with the session.
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Give him some places where he has choices -- e.g., use Stealth to get across the room, or Climb to go up the wall? Don't always force him to use one skill.
Maybe there is someone in the maze he can talk to -- perhaps the gorgons are willing to toy with their prey, or they hate each other and can be convinced to do each other dirty....
Don't make every skill failure lethal -- give him a cushion where the first couple of failed checks just make things more difficult. E.g., gorgons start off sleeping and the first bit of noise only wakes them up, and then they start patrolling.
Have some traces of lingering poison that slow him down (Dex poison, maybe), and perhaps some things in the maze at help counter it (e.g., a potion or two of lesser restoration).
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I've run campaigns very similar to this - still running one, in fact. Unfortunately, it's been a long day and I'm mentally exhausted.
I'll try and stop back in tomorrow. Sorry. ^_^
No problem. :)
I think the hardest part will be the gorgons, as their perception is actually quite impressive and the player is lv. 5. Gorgons even have dark vision. That said, perhaps I make it so he could use roots on the ceiling to climb above them or something. 65ft or more up and he couldn't be breath attacked.
I also feel the area needs more stuff for him to do besides just stealth by and open a locked door. I guess the root thing above would be a climb check, acrobatics for the large root spanning the chasm.
Give him some places where he has choices -- e.g., use Stealth to get across the room, or Climb to go up the wall? Don't always force him to use one skill.
Maybe there is someone in the maze he can talk to -- perhaps the gorgons are willing to toy with their prey, or they hate each other and can be convinced to do each other dirty....
Don't make every skill failure lethal -- give him a cushion where the first couple of failed checks just make things more difficult. E.g., gorgons start off sleeping and the first bit of noise only wakes them up, and then they start patrolling.
Have some traces of lingering poison that slow him down (Dex poison, maybe), and perhaps some things in the maze at help counter it (e.g., a potion or two of lesser restoration).
Good suggestions. I'll definitely have the gorgons start out sleeping to begin with. At INT 2 though, I don't think he'll be able to speak with them to a point of understanding them or manipulating them via words. Perhaps he could toss a rock from one's direction and they think it was the other (not smart) and fight a bit.
I'll be implementing the ability to climb above on the root covered ceiling so that's a another option.
EDIT: Another friend of mine suggested the option of causing cave ins to trap a gorgon. So (Still learning DM here) I'd think that would be a Strength check and he needs to use a DEX check to avoid getting hit by debris and hope that he didn't cause a cave in at a dead end.
Water is another good option as an obstacle, even a mild current across a short but deep stream could be an option (if he can form a crude raft while dodging Gorgons all the better). It could be a fast shortcut, or a catchall return to start if he should fail to jump a chasm.
Jumps over holes, or squeeze checks can also be useful, failure can hurt for fall damage and slow but not kill. And he can deliberately throw himself into a hole for cover as well.
I am certain a few adventurers would have set up bear traps, pits, or crude alarms for their camps in the past as well, some could still be functional...
There are a few insects (giant beetle flash) and such that shed light as candles, they could be useful for scouting, or using as (unappetizing to the Gorgons) light sources (and foes).
maybe have (Diminutive) shafts of light at some points to provide limited pinpoint dim light as well (where other adventurers have left helpful hints, or spare gear). Some of these points of light could be in tough to reach spots (on a high DC15 ledge, over a shallow 15ft stream, past a squeeze check root tunnel). Then with appropriate perception, know, linguistics, survival, sense motive he could find assistance (at the risk of being seen). Essentially high risk high reward points that are out of the way, and limited by daylight.
Bullseye candle lanterns can be snuffed or covered up as a free action increasing his stealth options over a torch. And since Darkvision is no longer instant reveal vs stealthed as long as he has cover (or even smokesticks) he can survive a little better.
heh heh, heck cover him in chalk dust and pretend to be a statue =p
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Use the "...AND:"/"..BUT:" - mindset when you make the situations.
Meaning:
"the gorgons see you BUT this part of the tunnel is to small for them to reach you, they start roaming the narby tunnels to find a way to you, you have to get away"
or "the gorgon spot you and charge, the violent movemet causes bits of the floor to collapse AND you fall into another, deeper part of the area"
what I'm getting at is instead of either making his stealth roll and being bored, or failing it and getting into a combat where he will without a doubt die horrible , have events and accidents make the story continue with added complications.
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Give the player Hero points.
They're honestly a really good safety net. You can't really "abuse" them since they're so rare, but if you don't squander them they can get you out of many a tight pinch.
Lots of very good ideas and sugestions here. Thanks everyone. I like the idea of a large statue holding up a room, if just barely. It'll have to be a large thing connsidering the size, so maybe a half-giant or something to that effect.
I have one area where there's a pit of broken statue pieces (past advenntureres) and if he explores the pit he would find a ring of sustenance, however I may use the idea to have a statue holding an item. Probably goggles of darkvision, with some sort of drawback (not sure what yet).
I also like the idea of random holes he needs to jump and could use for cover. I'm not neccesarily trying to kill him, just come close enough for it to be intense. So, I'll probably give him some lucky ways out as was suggested. I'll just have to limit how much I do that or I feel like I'll come off as babying him.
Anyways, thanks again everyone.