New CWR Campaign started... TPK first room!
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:40 am
So I began running a new Castle Whiterock campaign last night... began with 51.5 "Sinister Secret..." then will merge over to Castle Whiterock proper. I limited my players to Core material only for character generation, with the caveat that prestige classes or alternate class variants be found in-game during play. All began at 1st level...
Elf Cleric of Aristemis (High Dex/Longbow user)
Dwarf Ranger (Light armor+shield/Waraxe)
Human Conjurer specialist
Human Rogue (Twin short swords)
Party looked good, until they hit the first room of "Sinister Secret..."
>>>SPOILERS AHEADS<<<
The 3 skeletons that drop out of the ceiling did 'em in!! In the surprise round, all 3 hit and dropped the rogue (who removed the skull, triggering the trap.) The dwarf couldn't hit their 19 AC... the elf could hit 'em with his bow, but the DR/5 meant he hardly did any damage... the Conjurer 'Greased' 'em once, but at 1st level its only for a round. The skeletons then dropped the dwarf. Elf failed on a turn attempt... Conjurer did some damage with an 'Acid Splash.' They pound the elf, who flees the room with the Conjurer on his heels... game over.
So, in essence, I reboot the campaign and put the PCs back in position when the skeletons drop. I do not give the monsters a surprise round, instead going to raw initiative. I also drop their shields (lowering AC to 17) but giving them a second claw attack. The PCs faired much better this time, actually dropping one and turning the remaining two (which they then pound to bonemeal!)
They spend some time pouding on a false door (fully alerting the monsters waiting in the next room) before finding the secret door and moving on. Sil'hel give 'em a round of javelins, doing minor damage, then they flee to the gears/cogs room and set the doorway trap... which the elven cleric runs right into! Three readied javelins drop the cleric... who bleeds out before his party can handle the threat and get to him.
Then begins the discussion regarding the power-level of this module (and perhaps the entire campaign!) We eventually decide to make everyone level 2 (as there are only 4 of 'em) in the hopes that evens things out a bit.
Has anyone else encountered a disparity in power-level like this? Is the mod 51.5 over-powered? Does the Castle Whiterock adventure follow a similar power-curve, or is it scaled down/up compared to the module?
Joe Wolf, DM
Houston, TX
Elf Cleric of Aristemis (High Dex/Longbow user)
Dwarf Ranger (Light armor+shield/Waraxe)
Human Conjurer specialist
Human Rogue (Twin short swords)
Party looked good, until they hit the first room of "Sinister Secret..."
>>>SPOILERS AHEADS<<<
The 3 skeletons that drop out of the ceiling did 'em in!! In the surprise round, all 3 hit and dropped the rogue (who removed the skull, triggering the trap.) The dwarf couldn't hit their 19 AC... the elf could hit 'em with his bow, but the DR/5 meant he hardly did any damage... the Conjurer 'Greased' 'em once, but at 1st level its only for a round. The skeletons then dropped the dwarf. Elf failed on a turn attempt... Conjurer did some damage with an 'Acid Splash.' They pound the elf, who flees the room with the Conjurer on his heels... game over.
So, in essence, I reboot the campaign and put the PCs back in position when the skeletons drop. I do not give the monsters a surprise round, instead going to raw initiative. I also drop their shields (lowering AC to 17) but giving them a second claw attack. The PCs faired much better this time, actually dropping one and turning the remaining two (which they then pound to bonemeal!)
They spend some time pouding on a false door (fully alerting the monsters waiting in the next room) before finding the secret door and moving on. Sil'hel give 'em a round of javelins, doing minor damage, then they flee to the gears/cogs room and set the doorway trap... which the elven cleric runs right into! Three readied javelins drop the cleric... who bleeds out before his party can handle the threat and get to him.
Then begins the discussion regarding the power-level of this module (and perhaps the entire campaign!) We eventually decide to make everyone level 2 (as there are only 4 of 'em) in the hopes that evens things out a bit.
Has anyone else encountered a disparity in power-level like this? Is the mod 51.5 over-powered? Does the Castle Whiterock adventure follow a similar power-curve, or is it scaled down/up compared to the module?
Joe Wolf, DM
Houston, TX