2-25 You Only Die Twice questions

[DrakeRoberts]

I have some questions about one of the encounters and two of the maps in this scenario.

1) I'm unsure how to deal with the differences in descriptions vs the layout of the first and last maps. The first description makes no mention of buildings and talks about the water level of the swamp. I'm assuming that we are to run with the building... Does the swamp make for difficult terrain? Also, where have people been starting pc's on the map?

2) The description of the last area talks of a square room with pillars, whereas the map is rectangular with no pillars and with bones all over the ground which look like they should be difficult terrain. Do I go with the description or the map for these various descrepancies?

3) For the second encounter, the cleric casts consecrate turn 1 and then channels to harm on turn 2 from what I can gather. Does the -1 penalty to undead dice rolls apply to the PCs? I'm guessing not, and assume that qualifies at lowering the religion check DC for him to notice something amiss.

4) How do people handle the religon check? Roll anew each time there's new evidence to drop the DC? Or roll once and keep fighting until he DC is lowered enough for that result to succeed?

Lastly, 5) The second encounter talks about making sure you include the penalty for using diplomacy in combat. Is there such a penalty (I couldn't find one), and if so, what is it?

Thanks!

Bonus Question) Do you have any tips/tricks/insights on running this scenario to make it as fun and memorable as possible?

[DrakeRoberts]

I'm running this tonight, so any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[Jayson MF Kip]

1) For the first encounter, I let the PCs place themselves on the map, then give them perception checks to hear/see Corvalos and his troops.

They can hide, fight, or talk as they see fit.

2) I'd use the map. Assume 'square room' means 'square corners.'

3) It does not, but I don't think it's something you can notice. PCs (and therefore NPCs) shouldn't get to know individual dice rolls.

4) I preroll a bunch before I sit down to GM it, and know exactly which round Jexel will come to a realization that the PCs aren't what they seem. The PCs can influence it later, but I know that the fight won't last past X rounds.

5) Just make sure you're using DCs for "Hostile."

Bonus: One neat thing that I remember from when I played through it (and promptly adopted), is during the (admittedly tense) negotiations of surrender, Jexel casts cure critical wounds and holds the charge just as sort of a "panic button"/intimidation technique. That visual always stuck with me.

Also, when the PCs are making perception checks to notice the ghoul worms, I give them a slight fudge bonus. Because it's way more horrifying if you know they're coming.

[DrakeRoberts]

Jayson MF Kip wrote:

1) For the first encounter, I let the PCs place themselves on the map, then give them perception checks to hear/see Corvalos and his troops.

They can hide, fight, or talk as they see fit.

2) I'd use the map. Assume 'square room' means 'square corners.'

3) It does not, but I don't think it's something you can notice. PCs (and therefore NPCs) shouldn't get to know individual dice rolls.

4) I preroll a bunch before I sit down to GM it, and know exactly which round Jexel will come to a realization that the PCs aren't what they seem. The PCs can influence it later, but I know that the fight won't last past X rounds.

5) Just make sure you're using DCs for "Hostile."

Bonus: One neat thing that I remember from when I played through it (and promptly adopted), is during the (admittedly tense) negotiations of surrender, Jexel casts cure critical wounds and holds the charge just as sort of a "panic button"/intimidation technique. That visual always stuck with me.

Also, when the PCs are making perception checks to notice the ghoul worms, I give them a slight fudge bonus. Because it's way more horrifying if you know they're coming.

Thanks! The game went pretty well, though admittedly I messed up once or twice. Still everyone had fun, and that's what matters most in the end.

[Jayson MF Kip]

If everyone had a good time, then you won as a GM. Glad it went well.

[Julien Dien]

How Joktan Heth, the worm that walks get channel negative energy? And how many dices the channel get?

[Nefreet]

Worm that walks is a Template applied to a "powerful spellcaster with a strong personality", so you'd use the regular number of dice for whatever class and level he is.

[Mr. Bonkers]

Julien Dien wrote:

How Joktan Heth, the worm that walks get channel negative energy? And how many dices the channel get?

In this particular case, it is because he is a necromancer wizard. They get either Command Undead or Turn Undead as bonus feat, and can use Channel Energy to use that feat (and only to use that feat). So there are no dice, and no using channel negative energy for damage for this guy. Only to use the feat Command Undead.

[Julien Dien]

Mr. Bonkers wrote:

Julien Dien wrote:

How Joktan Heth, the worm that walks get channel negative energy? And how many dices the channel get?

In this particular case, it is because he is a necromancer wizard. They get either Command Undead or Turn Undead as bonus feat, and can use Channel Energy to use that feat (and only to use that feat). So there are no dice, and no using channel negative energy for damage for this guy. Only to use the feat Command Undead.

got it. thx.