So I'm running Hollow's last Hope as a first time GM which seems to be going well so far. If the group wants to keep playing I'm thinking that I'll continue them on with Crown of the Kobold King which I've already picked up.
Looking over Crown it seems like it ends with a decently sized dungeon with a time limited hook. Once the PCs start delving they really can't stop until they're done.
The issue I'm having is that it seems like the last few fights of the module are too hard for a group of four level 2 characters. Does that mean that they really should be leveling up as a part of the module? If so then how can they get their extra abilities without stopping to rest which they probably wouldn't want to do?
There's no real mechanical problem with allowing PCs to level up without resting. Their current HP goes up by the same amount as their max HP. They gain their new spell slots immediately (but don't regain expended ones). That kind of thing.
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Ah. I think I'll use that method Matthew. They can't really rest when rushing against time but they'll at least get some HP from leveling up but it's not like they'll be magically at 100% video game style.
So I'm running Hollow's last Hope as a first time GM which seems to be going well so far. If the group wants to keep playing I'm thinking that I'll continue them on with Crown of the Kobold King which I've already picked up.
Looking over Crown it seems like it ends with a decently sized dungeon with a time limited hook. Once the PCs start delving they really can't stop until they're done.
The issue I'm having is that it seems like the last few fights of the module are too hard for a group of four level 2 characters. Does that mean that they really should be leveling up as a part of the module? If so then how can they get their extra abilities without stopping to rest which they probably wouldn't want to do?
The module pretty much intends that you do the WOW thing. (Glowing golden aura optional.)
Yeah, it's likely that if they really have no opportunity to rest, they'll die unless they're very careful with their resources. Low level casters are liable to use up their spells in the first few encounters and then have nothing left.
Yeah a lot of the RPGs I've played refresh EVERYTHING on level up. I think Diablo does that too (and most MMOs). One of the strategies becomes to try and level up in the middle or near the end of a dungeon to preserve mana and HP potions.
I could drop healing potions to get their health back up after a level up but there's really no way of getting used up spell slots back.
I'm planning to run these modules (as well as Revenge of the Kobold King) and after looking at the logistics of everything, I think I'm going to make Crown occur in a separate building from the one in Hollow's Last Hope. I'm thinking of renaming the building from Hollow's from a Dwarven Monastery to a Dwarven Smithy. Then making the Monastery an independent building nearby the Smithy. The Monastery will be a mostly open room (with some decorations and Monastic stuff) and some stairs that lead down to the dungeon in Crown.
That way they can finish the objective of Hollow's and when I start Crown they won't be under the same time constraints.
Not sure if any of this helps, just wanted to share my thoughts. You may still run into the same problem of leveling mid-dungeon, but maybe they will have the time to rest since they don't have to worry about the disease imposed time-limit.
I usually say (at my table) that the PCs require a nights rest before the new stuff kicks in. But we're running into some trouble with that now. We leveled to 6 two sessions ago and we're about to hit level 7 - This is all within the same day of adventuring (we're so tired), so we haven't "actually" hit level 6 yet... We're probably going to change our policy.
Our group actually deliberately *tries* to pull this off as often as possible just to push ourselves.
Of course, for the real Anime feel, you should level up half way through the final battle.
Of course, for the real Anime feel, you should level up half way through the final battle.
A true Anime boss, dies in the first half of the battle and then rises 2 levels higher.
If you allow spontaneous, full-restore levelling it might break immersion for some players but probably only for about five minutes and very occasionally (levelling overnight isn't any more "realistic" if you think about it, but it's all about catering to what the players will accept, in my view).
I'd be careful of jumping through unnecessary hoops to solve what may well be a non-problem. Especially since you can't really plan for how many spell slots they've used up at the point you decide they can spontaneously level. You might go through all that juggling to hear the spellcasters insist on resting to "get their spells back" anyway).
I've played with people for whom the extra effort would matter, but most of my players just breeze through levelling without commenting/noticing the sudden quantum leap in ability. Whether than be over a minute or over eight hours may not matter to your players, so my advice is: don't stress unless it's useful stress.