Had a cool idea for an adventure and wanted to see if anyone was interested. Basic concept goes like this: The party sold their souls to a contract devil sometime in the past, and now they're all dead and in Hell. The devil, having recently lost a large portion of his minions in a fight against the servants of a good god, comes to the party with a deal: if they do a few "favors" for him, he'll resurrect them. The story will revolve around them on a "Suicide Squad" type of mission. It would go from levels 5-8 on the fast XP progression, and any house rules or homebrew classes can be discussed after players are chosen.
So, anyone interested?
this sounds cool. It would be fun if we had some sort of flaw or issues to make it feel more accurate.
Sounds pretty cool. One of the fewer possibilities to play an evil character, but you're obviously required to play well in the team.
sounds interesting
hmmm.... maybe a barbarian with the raging cannibal archetype? That seems in line with the concept.
Interesting! Seems like a cool premise.
this sounds cool. It would be fun if we had some sort of flaw or issues to make it feel more accurate.
Ooh, I like that! I'll keep it in mind when I post the recruitment page.
One difference is the comic/movie Suicide Squad had the limits of being told to be good. That would be less of an issue with the devil in charge.
One suggestion I'd make is that whatever your normal rules are on content and 3pp, I suggest that you consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis. They would have to show that this character fits the flavor and has enough weaknesses/problems to balance what they get. For example both Killer Croc and King Shark would probably have monster HD. But overall their limited intelligence and skills makes up for their physical strength.
Builds that use these exceptions may get additional flaws imposed by the GM.
|
I know I said I wouldn't have time but, eh, my heart, my heart...
Question 1:
The few favors we will be charged with, suicidal though they may be, will they likely take place in Hell or the Abyss? A big draw is that this sounds like an adventure in The Nine Hells, rather than us getting sent to The Prime Material from Hell.
Question 2:
jumping the gun on 'homebrew' alterations
For an Anti-Paladin:2 / Inquisitor:3 (Leveling up in those Classes plus maybe 1 in Ranger) could the Anti-Paladin be an Anti-Chaos, LE PC with Smite Chaos instead of Smite Good (and Detect Chaos)? And could the PC have a Homebrew Archetype in which his 'Lay on Hands' Feature heals, but his selfishness makes it Self Only?
....This PC, if it tickles your fancy and fits with the other PCs you'll choose, would be maxed-out Bluff ace who loves to Bluff the enemy into thinking I'm an ally -- and other gambits. (When it works, the group gets extra info; when it fails, well, we were gonna fight anyway!) He'll love roleplay and Diplomacy, and be gross/broken at Knowledge Planes and Religion (among others). And a front-liner with a reach weapon.
|
|
PC concept subject to alteration once official Recruitment begins. My application will be for a PC from Korvosa, who has just died in Kaer Maga.
"Kaer Maga smells differently than from whence I come in Korvosa." I put my hand on the Dwarf's shoulder in an act of peace, an act of camaraderie and trust and openness. I don't let it linger. It should be brief, friendly, not pushy. "Here everything is pungent musk: Dried sweat and unwashed garments from a dozen creature types, all closed together. And death. We have that in Korvosa, too, of course-- Oops, watch your step, almost got that viscera between your toes. .... Yeah, in Korvosa it's all rotting fish smell and tainted saltwater. Even the disease in the air smells differently than the disease smell here." I stop to give the Dwarf a chance to reply. He grunts. Noncommittedly. He's not sure about me yet, but he's willing to listen. I make a show of looking around this wide spot in the labyrinthine Warrens in Kaer Maga; I do my best to hide my sense of claustrophobia. I mean, he's a Dwarf afterall; I can't seem uncomfortable in The Warrens of Kaer Maga if I'm gonna get him to invite me to Janderhoff! "I see you looking at my Dwarven Longaxe; it's a nice blade, even with all the dripping blood. Believe it or not, my mother married a Dwarf a couple years after my father died. That was when The Saffron King still ruled Korvosa, before he married Queen Ileosa. He raised me; taught me how to fight with this weapon. Honorable father-figure. Just. Trustworthy." I take my time sitting down in a dry spot where the blood hasn't pooled. I'm starting to get somewhere with this gambit. Time to show how relaxed I am. I look around at the hacked-up Halflings cooling on the floor and exhale an audible sigh. "You know, Friend, we don't have long for The Prime Material world. I've got what, forty years left? And you -- I see the wrinkles under that salt-and-pepper beard (bad ass dreadlocks by the way), you've got what, a good seventy-five years left on this Plane?" He smirks a chuckle of agreement. It's working. I let him talk a few minutes. A rather banal story of his own grandfather's mortality. He makes a show of looking at my handywork, sanguine and ephemeral on the floor and my Dwarven blade. I file away important personal details from his story for later use. His grandparents' names. A temple in Janderhoff. A scar he got against a Purple Worm in the Cinderlands. "You're right, you're absolutely right. We are not long for this world. I, for my part, shudder to think about the Demons and monsters spreading Chaos and pain. I'll tell you, if The Abyss were a half an ounce smarter they'd be a real threat to the whole Cosmology! ... I know, I know; The Abyss has to be ten times the size of The Nine Hells. And I'll tell you what else, though you may not like to hear, it's not Gorum on the front lines holding the Demons back, either -- it's the Devils. They're the ones fighting the Demons in The Blood War, keeping the destruction of the cosmos at bay." He just got a bit tense, sure. But that's expected. "Hey, we may have to agree to disagree on a lot of things, but it's armies of Pit Fiends doing a lot more on the front lines than Petitioners of Gorum. Respectfully." I let him talk about how much strength Gorum has. I nod. Show a facade of contemplativeness with my consideration of his argument. "Okay fine, that may be true. And you are a wise Dwarf. But the fact remains: In seventy-five years you're gonna be nothing but a Petitioner who isn't even strong enough to lift a Dwarven Longaxe like the one I wield today." I only pause for an instant -- can't let him interrupt. "How would you like to be a Pit Fiend in 77 years?!" He doesn't want to take six seconds to let that sink in. I repeat it. There's another pause. He retorts; it's inarticulate. "Serve the god of lies and tyranny?... Friend, my Dwarven dad taught me not to lie and not to bully. I live my life with honor same as you. I help little old ladies carry their water buckets from the well, and share treasure with my adventuring comrades. But one-year-and-a-day after I die, ...I'm going to be a Pit Fiend taking the fight to the Demons." The Halfling blood has now dried by my feet.
Question 1:
The few favors we will be charged with, suicidal though they may be, will they likely take place in Hell or the Abyss? A big draw is that this sounds like an adventure in The Nine Hells, rather than us getting sent to The Prime Material from Hell.
That... sounds so much cooler than what I had planned *hastily re-writes GM notes*.
Joking aside, while I had planned it to take place in the material plane, I think the concept works even better if it takes place in the Abyss. So to cement that concept: Yes. This adventure does take place in the Abyss.
As for everyone posting character concepts and rule suggestions, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I'd prefer if you saved those posts for the actual recruitment page.
Joking aside, while I had planned it to take place in the material plane, I think the concept works even better if it takes place in the Abyss. So to cement that concept: Yes. This adventure does take place in the Abyss.
Though if it does take place in the abyss, perhaps the level should start higher than 5? I imagine that few areas there are very kind to lower-level characters.
As for everyone posting character concepts and rule suggestions, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I'd prefer if you saved those posts for the actual recruitment page.
Do you think that this is a choice? Some of us are blessed with character muses. They are kindly and well-meaning goodly fey. They give us such wonderful ideas and when they happen, they make sure that we don't have the chance to rest until these ideas are recorded somehow. If the idea hits at 2:45 in the morning, you might forget it if you can just go back to sleep. So they kindly remind us until we boot up the computer and put it down. If we do enough work, they may allow us an hour's sleep before having to drive into work. Isn't that so nice of them?
Joking aside, while I had planned it to take place in the material plane, I think the concept works even better if it takes place in the Abyss. So to cement that concept: Yes. This adventure does take place in the Abyss.Though if it does take place in the abyss, perhaps the level should start higher than 5? I imagine that few areas there are very kind to lower-level characters.
Do you think that this is a choice? Some of us are blessed with character muses. They are kindly and well-meaning goodly fey. They give us such wonderful ideas and when they happen, they make sure that we don't have the chance to rest until these ideas are recorded somehow. If the idea hits at 2:45 in the morning, you might forget it if you can just go back to sleep. So they kindly remind us until we boot up the computer and put it down. If we do enough work, they may allow us an hour's sleep before having to drive into work. Isn't that so nice of them?
As for everyone posting character concepts and rule suggestions, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I'd prefer if you saved those posts for the actual recruitment page.
I understand: the muses are fickle but demanding. As for starting level, I'll make sure that the environment doesn't just TPK everyone immediately but I feel that the whole point of a suicide squad is that they're on a suicide mission: it's not supposed to be safe or easy. That said, you have a point: I'll bump the starting level to 7.
Sounds interesting to me. Especially now that it is a higher level.
|
|
If it does take place in the abyss, perhaps the level should start higher than 5? I imagine that few areas there are very kind to lower-level characters.
.
LOL.
My last campaign I threw the PCs into Shadow Korvosa and then The Abyss at 2nd Level. No PC death. No Turtling or frustration. Just scary fun. (It actually came off, inadvertently, more like an irl haunted house.)
Back in the 90s Planescape did a good job of presenting playability at low level in The Lower Planes and Sigil.
I actually argue it’s BETTER to throw lower level PCs into certain settings: When the PC knows he can’t fight the monster he looks to roleplay; he looks to hide and deceive; he looks to think outside the box. If the PC were just a few levels higher, he may foolishly think he can actually roll initiative. ….Of course, it all depends on game design. If we’re supposed to fight—
(I never want to throw 1st — 3rd PCs against Tucker’s Kobolds (even at 4 HP each). But 5th — 8th PCs, hell yeah, Tucker’s Kobolds are gonna torture you!)
EDIT: But whatever the DM wants. If we go higher I’ll make a similar Bluff/Diplomacy/Knowledge Wizard instead and let the DM decide if I fit into his campaign.
If it does take place in the abyss, perhaps the level should start higher than 5? I imagine that few areas there are very kind to lower-level characters..
LOL.
My last campaign I threw the PCs into Shadow Korvosa and then The Abyss at 2nd Level. No PC death. No Turtling or frustration. Just scary fun. (It actually came off, inadvertently, more like an irl haunted house.)
Back in the 90s Planescape did a good job of presenting playability at low level in The Lower Planes and Sigil.
I actually argue it’s BETTER to throw lower level PCs into certain settings: When the PC knows he can’t fight the monster he looks to roleplay; he looks to hide and deceive; he looks to think outside the box. If the PC were just a few levels higher, he may foolishly think he can actually roll initiative. ….Of course, it all depends on game design. If we’re supposed to fight—
(I never want to throw 1st — 3rd PCs against Tucker’s Kobolds (even at 4 HP each). But 5th — 8th PCs, hell yeah, Tucker’s Kobolds are gonna torture you!)EDIT: But whatever the DM wants. If we go higher I’ll make a similar Bluff/Diplomacy/Knowledge Wizard instead and let the DM decide if I fit into his campaign.
Honestly it has more to do with the final boss of the adventure: if you start at 5th level you end up at around level 7 (maybe 8) when you fight him and his minions and that could be bad. Not impossible, but bad nonetheless.
You don't have to abandon your original character concept if you don't want to: I actually thought it sounded really cool! But it's up to you.
Alright, it might be a little early, but it seems like this idea has some traction. I'll post the recruiting page now.
And done: HERE