Getting ready to run World's Largest Dungeon... have questions (SPOILERS)

[ChimericDream]

So, I will be starting up the World's Largest Dungeon next week, and I have been reading through it some (just got the book about a week ago). I've made it through section A, and I plan to make it through a good part of B and hopefully E before we start. However, I've come up with a question that I didn't see the answer to (at least not clearly stated) in the other WLD thread.

Namely, for those who have run the dungeon before, how do/did your characters get rid of loot and get better stuff? I've considered bringing in an NPC that I had in an underdark campaign a couple of years ago. He was a non-leveled (read: can't be attacked or killed) gnome with sort of a travelling general store in his backpack. It wasn't quite as good as your friendly neighborhood Bloodbath and Beyond, but it was a step above what the party would have otherwise had. Has anyone done anything like this? I read one person's post that their DM came up with some house rules that allowed them to "melt down" treasure and whatnot to form materials for crafting. I don't know how many of my players are into the crafting rules, and I just don't think it'd work well in the dungeon, since all the forges I've seen so far won't work without fuel.

Also, for the DMs, what did you do to help keep track of all the diseases and conditions? I've started working on a tracking sheet that has numbered days of how long the PCs have been in the dungeon. It'll let me keep track of incubation times and things of that nature. I'm also interested to know if anyone has typed up the Encounter Condition list. I could easily do so myself, but if it's already done, that would save time. I want to have a copy printed so I don't have to keep referring to the front of the book for each condition.

That's all I have for now, but I am sure I'll have more questions as I continue to read and play through it. I can't wait for the game to start!

 

[Hussar]

Heh, I'm definitely a fan of the WLD, so, I can understand you being excited.

The bestest reading you could do that would answer pretty much ALL your questions is in the WLD's Spoiler Thread

Take a while to get through that and you'll prolly have better answers than anything I could give you.

 

[rvalle]

There was a typed list of the Encounter Conditions. I had it printed off at one point. Let me see if I can find it.

So far I've not done anything about the items/loot. The party is pretty much just ignoring coins at this point as they don't have a need for them. They do take any magic items they find.

I used the Garrison in E as a way to give them some more Magic Items. I've also created a few more and stashed them where the party should find them (with Mahir's Spell Book in I).

I've not done anything about the diseases but I really should as the party is in I and I'm trying to roll each 'day' they take damage there.

rv

Edit: I don't have the file but there are 2 versions here: http://www.james.neetersoft.com/wld/wld.htm

 

[Crothian]

For magical items it dpeending on the compision of the group. I had more generalist classes so the items they found they were able to make use of. We also used items that grow in power with the characters so weapons didn't need to go obsolete.

 

[ChimericDream]

Heh, I'm definitely a fan of the WLD, so, I can understand you being excited.

The bestest reading you could do that would answer pretty much ALL your questions is in the WLD's Spoiler Thread

Take a while to get through that and you'll prolly have better answers than anything I could give you.

Yeah, I've been reading that quite a bit. I am several pages in, but when I noticed that it's 45 pages, and I haven't even made it through more than two sections of the WLD book yet, I thought I might post a separate thread to try and see what answers I could get here.

I'm hoping it will turn out well. Most of the players are local (as opposed to students just here for school), so the party should remain consistent long enough to, I hope, go through the whole thing.

 

[Hussar]

*snip*

Namely, for those who have run the dungeon before, how do/did your characters get rid of loot and get better stuff? I've considered bringing in an NPC that I had in an underdark campaign a couple of years ago. He was a non-leveled (read: can't be attacked or killed) gnome with sort of a travelling general store in his backpack. It wasn't quite as good as your friendly neighborhood Bloodbath and Beyond, but it was a step above what the party would have otherwise had. Has anyone done anything like this? I read one person's post that their DM came up with some house rules that allowed them to "melt down" treasure and whatnot to form materials for crafting. I don't know how many of my players are into the crafting rules, and I just don't think it'd work well in the dungeon, since all the forges I've seen so far won't work without fuel.

I actually didn't have any trading or item creation for several levels. It wasn't until the party met the Celestial Garisson in Region G that they got access to any item fabrication. Honestly, it didn't hurt them at all. There are more than a few goodies floating around and, IME, before about 10th level, the wealth that the party should have doesn't make that huge of a difference anyway.

I would simply allow certain groups to fabricate items for the party - the Celestials in E and G, the elves in H, the Drow in M (depending on their alignment) and possibly a group in F if you wanted.

I enjoyed stressing the difficulties of the WLD in the beginning and one of the biggest ones is dispelling the crutch that the party needs to have custom items to work.

Also, for the DMs, what did you do to help keep track of all the diseases and conditions? I've started working on a tracking sheet that has numbered days of how long the PCs have been in the dungeon. It'll let me keep track of incubation times and things of that nature. I'm also interested to know if anyone has typed up the Encounter Condition list. I could easily do so myself, but if it's already done, that would save time. I want to have a copy printed so I don't have to keep referring to the front of the book for each condition.

That's all I have for now, but I am sure I'll have more questions as I continue to read and play through it. I can't wait for the game to start!

Diseases and conditions require you to keep track of the days. Not a huge deal. And, honestly, after a fairly short while, it won't matter that much. The cleric gets lesser restoration and cure disease fairly early. This is something you have to worry about in the early regions but, can pretty much ignore in later one.

A better idea is to nominate a party time keeper just to keep the workload off your shoulders.

 

[theredrobedwizard]

*snip*
... your friendly neighborhood Bloodbath and Beyond...

I feel like such an uncreative lout for never thinking of that name. Good show.

In order to help the PCs get rid of their loot, I stole directly from Resident Evil 4. The guy with the trenchcoat and bandana over his face shows up every other session or so and lets them trade in the crap that they don't need for crap they might need a bit more.

Other than that, just be sure to really familiarize yourself with the area the group is exploring.

-TRRW

 

[ChimericDream]

I feel like such an uncreative lout for never thinking of that name. Good show.

Well, I wish I could take credit, but I've heard it several places before... though I can't remember any of them ATM.

In order to help the PCs get rid of their loot, I stole directly from Resident Evil 4. The guy with the trenchcoat and bandana over his face shows up every other session or so and lets them trade in the crap that they don't need for crap they might need a bit more.

This is the option I think I'll be going with. I am still unsure about how I'll do it, but I think I may have a blend of this with the suggestions above. I'll have an individual or three (one per couple regions) that has spent their entire time in the dungeon walking around and picking up after failed adventuring parties. I'm altering the story just a bit to have the existence a little more well known. Other than that, I think this will still end up being a lower treasure / magic item game than I'm used to running... just out of necessity.

 

[xnrdcorex]

Well, I wish I could take credit, but I've heard it several places before... though I can't remember any of them ATM.

ATM...place you can get money from where ever you are. Consiering the subject, I read that and laughed considering it a pun!

 

[erucsbo]

Yeah, I've been reading that quite a bit. I am several pages in, but when I noticed that it's 45 pages, and I haven't even made it through more than two sections of the WLD book yet, I thought I might post a separate thread to try and see what answers I could get here.

best to post your questions on the main thread. We *know* that it is long and takes a while for new readers to catch up (even considering a huge number of posts were lost in the crash) but it also keeps all the discussion in one place and makes it easier to search (rather than having to search multiple threads).

Region A will take a little while to get through - so concentrate on using the advice from that section before you need to worry about equipment etc. By the time the party has gotten to the point where it becomes an issue you will have hopefully been able to catch up with the thread (while still getting your immediate questions answered at the tail end).