I'm running my group through a Bioshock-inspired adventure at the moment. Well, it's a Bioshock-inspired Dark Heresy game converted to 4e D&D (gives me a headache too). Anyway, I'm looking for ideas of interesting tactical encounters, for example, fighting in knee-high water which slows everyone. It's a big complex and I'd like to keep the encounters lively and not monotonous.
Looking for Bioshock encounter ideas
diaglo
Adventurer
steam pipe busted.
limiting vision and causing the area to be humid and skin damaging hot right at the break.
electric line break or spark. do random spark showers or the line flapping around in random squares.
gas release. can be poisonous or potentially explosive.
limited light areas.
cramped spaces. gotta crawl thru to make it
missing or damaged rungs on a ladder.
edit: some rooms in completely flooded
limiting vision and causing the area to be humid and skin damaging hot right at the break.
electric line break or spark. do random spark showers or the line flapping around in random squares.
gas release. can be poisonous or potentially explosive.
limited light areas.
cramped spaces. gotta crawl thru to make it
missing or damaged rungs on a ladder.
edit: some rooms in completely flooded
I wouldn't suggest slowing/creating difficult terrain EVERYWHERE. That actually makes combat LESS exciting because no one can move at all. You might, for instance, offer islands of debris floating in the water that Pcs can jump from one to the next.
Consider weakened floors (stress from water pooling on an upper floor, mold/rot, etc) causing areas to collapse during battle. Also Falling/collapsing ceilings.
Weak areas in the piping - any damage to a wall would cause a rupture, and a flood would wash everyone down the pipe.
Flooded areas requiring full-immersion swimming to get to an area. (Add in aquatic enemies from the ocean's depths?)
Limited/thin air in spots; must move to get fresh air. The longer the fight, the thinner the air gets. Especially if fire is used (as it sucks up air).
Highly pressurized pipes (any damage causes a rupture, sending shrapnel and contents everywhere).
Missing stairs/etc where the party must "make their own path" by destroying the room.
Precarious rope bridges suspended over several hazards (or connecting islands of safe terrain). Perhaps the rope bridges don't even have the rope handles (terrain requires an acrobatics check to traverse safely without falling). Any damage to the bridge will cause it to break.
Consider weakened floors (stress from water pooling on an upper floor, mold/rot, etc) causing areas to collapse during battle. Also Falling/collapsing ceilings.
Weak areas in the piping - any damage to a wall would cause a rupture, and a flood would wash everyone down the pipe.
Flooded areas requiring full-immersion swimming to get to an area. (Add in aquatic enemies from the ocean's depths?)
Limited/thin air in spots; must move to get fresh air. The longer the fight, the thinner the air gets. Especially if fire is used (as it sucks up air).
Highly pressurized pipes (any damage causes a rupture, sending shrapnel and contents everywhere).
Missing stairs/etc where the party must "make their own path" by destroying the room.
Precarious rope bridges suspended over several hazards (or connecting islands of safe terrain). Perhaps the rope bridges don't even have the rope handles (terrain requires an acrobatics check to traverse safely without falling). Any damage to the bridge will cause it to break.
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Multilevel rooms with balconies, bridges, etc. There was a lot of this in the game.
Areas of fire that you can push enemies into. Fire may spread.
Areas of flammable liquid which ignite when exposed to fire attacks.
Icy patches that increase the distance of push/pull/slide effects.
Watery pools that freeze when exposed to cold attacks, possibly immobilizing enemies.
And you have to have turrets and security cameras.
Areas of fire that you can push enemies into. Fire may spread.
Areas of flammable liquid which ignite when exposed to fire attacks.
Icy patches that increase the distance of push/pull/slide effects.
Watery pools that freeze when exposed to cold attacks, possibly immobilizing enemies.
And you have to have turrets and security cameras.
And lightning powers spread to all areas touched by water.
diaglo
Adventurer
don't forget to have "rescues". documents trapped under a collapsed ceiling. or supplies like water, food, ammo, etc...
the rescues can be setup encounters too. if the victims don't know the pcs they may treat them with suspicion and even hostility.
other possible things to try include doors trapped with a lock requiring a certain combination or key located elsewhere in the complex.
the rescues can be setup encounters too. if the victims don't know the pcs they may treat them with suspicion and even hostility.
other possible things to try include doors trapped with a lock requiring a certain combination or key located elsewhere in the complex.
applenerd
First Post
Bioshock is one of my favorite games of all time. It seems like it could really translate to a fun rpg setting so I'm very curious to hear how it goes! What a ripe world to plumb for ideas!
As far as encounters, anything that ramps up the feeling of paranoia and claustrophobia is good. I really like the suggestion of having water bust into one of the rooms. That could lead to a great bit where the players have to escape drowning but the native residents are grabbing at them to prevent them from leaving.
Another great thing that Bioshock did was really foreshadow the boss fight characters with the level design and denizens therein. Lots of crazy plastic surgery patients, the garden level, etc.
Let us know how it goes!
As far as encounters, anything that ramps up the feeling of paranoia and claustrophobia is good. I really like the suggestion of having water bust into one of the rooms. That could lead to a great bit where the players have to escape drowning but the native residents are grabbing at them to prevent them from leaving.
Another great thing that Bioshock did was really foreshadow the boss fight characters with the level design and denizens therein. Lots of crazy plastic surgery patients, the garden level, etc.
Let us know how it goes!
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