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Running DDAL04 (Ravenloft) Adventures as a Campaign
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<blockquote data-quote="jayoungr" data-source="post: 7599676" data-attributes="member: 6702445"><p><strong>Problems with "Suits of the Mists" (DDAL04-01)</strong></p><p></p><p>If you're not using the plot point of characters (as well as a good chunk of territory) being transported to Barovia by the mists, this whole adventure can safely be cut--or, as I did, plundered for encounters. I only ran Mission 1 and part of Mission 4 from this adventure, and they were heavily modified, as noted above. That said, I do have a few notes on the part I used.</p><p></p><p>Some of the encounters in Mission 1 are written in rather vague terms, leaving the DM with the need to improvise if the players do not approach the situation exactly as assumed. As I mentioned above, my players wanted to roll in the snow to avoid damage from the flame thistles; the module assumes the only way to avoid damage is for the PC to carefully detach a thistle from his/her clothing.</p><p></p><p>The XP note says that each character gets 25 XP if "the characters" navigate the slope without taking damage from the flame thistles. Does this mean that everyone gets XP and only if no one takes damage? Does it mean that those who don't take damage get more XP than those who do?</p><p></p><p>The "Angry Icicles" encounter also was difficult for me to run. The adventure assumes PCs will just walk into the tunnel, but my group paused outside to examine it first. It says that fire-based attacks in the direction of the icicles will scare them, but my group threw a torch into the tunnel as far as possible, and I was fairly stumped as to how the icicles would respond. Would it count as an attack and scare them? Would they be fooled into thinking it was a creature and fall on it?</p><p></p><p>Then the sequence of checks to get past the icicles is also tricky. So, the PC makes a perception check to notice that the icicles are animated, and if they succeed, they get advantage on saving throws against them. But then it says that if the PC <em>doesn't</em> notice the icicles, they make a save for half damage. The first part assumes that the PC makes a save no matter what, while the second one is written as if the save is only needed if the first check fails. And the whole thing is written on the assumption that the PC is already underneath the icicles when making the check. My group spotted the icicles from outside and then wanted to run under them holding shields over their heads. But as written, even if you make the save, you still take half damage, and my players were kind of salty about that because they felt the shield should have negated 100% of the damage. And in hindsight, I think I agree with them.</p><p></p><p>There's no XP amount listed for passing the icicle hazard, but the XP list on page 25 says PCs get 25 XP per character if they "survive the icy slope and icicles." Does that mean they get XP if no one dies? Do they get 25 XP for each hazard, or do they only get the XP if they "survive" both of them? I <em>think</em> the intention is that each character gets 25 XP for each hazard, but it's really not written clearly.</p><p></p><p>For the fire stirges attack, the second wave is supposed to arrive in the third round of combat, but I'd be tempted to move it up to the second if the party is doing well.</p><p></p><p>Mission 4 seems pretty solid; I didn't have any problems with that.</p><p></p><p>Mission 3 is probably worth doing if you're going to run "The Raven" (DDAL04-12).</p><p></p><p>I also considered running Mission 5, perhaps setting it in Oraşnou. But it's a bit unsatisfying in the sense that Sybil makes this dramatic proclamation about how the little boy is important, and then you never see him again. I'm past this point in my game now, but if I were to run this season again, I might put the encounter right after arrival in Oraşnou and use it to introduce Sorina, the little girl in "The Marionette" (DDAL04-04).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jayoungr, post: 7599676, member: 6702445"] [B]Problems with "Suits of the Mists" (DDAL04-01)[/B] If you're not using the plot point of characters (as well as a good chunk of territory) being transported to Barovia by the mists, this whole adventure can safely be cut--or, as I did, plundered for encounters. I only ran Mission 1 and part of Mission 4 from this adventure, and they were heavily modified, as noted above. That said, I do have a few notes on the part I used. Some of the encounters in Mission 1 are written in rather vague terms, leaving the DM with the need to improvise if the players do not approach the situation exactly as assumed. As I mentioned above, my players wanted to roll in the snow to avoid damage from the flame thistles; the module assumes the only way to avoid damage is for the PC to carefully detach a thistle from his/her clothing. The XP note says that each character gets 25 XP if "the characters" navigate the slope without taking damage from the flame thistles. Does this mean that everyone gets XP and only if no one takes damage? Does it mean that those who don't take damage get more XP than those who do? The "Angry Icicles" encounter also was difficult for me to run. The adventure assumes PCs will just walk into the tunnel, but my group paused outside to examine it first. It says that fire-based attacks in the direction of the icicles will scare them, but my group threw a torch into the tunnel as far as possible, and I was fairly stumped as to how the icicles would respond. Would it count as an attack and scare them? Would they be fooled into thinking it was a creature and fall on it? Then the sequence of checks to get past the icicles is also tricky. So, the PC makes a perception check to notice that the icicles are animated, and if they succeed, they get advantage on saving throws against them. But then it says that if the PC [I]doesn't[/I] notice the icicles, they make a save for half damage. The first part assumes that the PC makes a save no matter what, while the second one is written as if the save is only needed if the first check fails. And the whole thing is written on the assumption that the PC is already underneath the icicles when making the check. My group spotted the icicles from outside and then wanted to run under them holding shields over their heads. But as written, even if you make the save, you still take half damage, and my players were kind of salty about that because they felt the shield should have negated 100% of the damage. And in hindsight, I think I agree with them. There's no XP amount listed for passing the icicle hazard, but the XP list on page 25 says PCs get 25 XP per character if they "survive the icy slope and icicles." Does that mean they get XP if no one dies? Do they get 25 XP for each hazard, or do they only get the XP if they "survive" both of them? I [I]think[/I] the intention is that each character gets 25 XP for each hazard, but it's really not written clearly. For the fire stirges attack, the second wave is supposed to arrive in the third round of combat, but I'd be tempted to move it up to the second if the party is doing well. Mission 4 seems pretty solid; I didn't have any problems with that. Mission 3 is probably worth doing if you're going to run "The Raven" (DDAL04-12). I also considered running Mission 5, perhaps setting it in Oraşnou. But it's a bit unsatisfying in the sense that Sybil makes this dramatic proclamation about how the little boy is important, and then you never see him again. I'm past this point in my game now, but if I were to run this season again, I might put the encounter right after arrival in Oraşnou and use it to introduce Sorina, the little girl in "The Marionette" (DDAL04-04). [/QUOTE]
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