Shackeled City - what are my chances and when do you give XP?

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, try talking or e-mailing the DM about the problem. If he is a good DM then he most likely has already noticed the problem.

If that doesn't work just say 'Screw the prisoners folks, we need to get out of here, let us find something more survivable, like raising alligators' and have the party leave, never to return, letting the DM sit there with a $99 prop for a lopsided table.

Or, let the DM read this thread, maybe that will work.

The Auld Grump

 

[Rystil Arden]

I really don't want to dump the SCAP as my DM bought it specially for us and I am having fun. But I keep thinking about how lucky we have been up to now and the fact that one hit can now fell even our toughest fighter. I emailed my DM so hopefully he will come around.

Yeah. If you alerted the hobgoblins to all pile together in the final room like our group did (and we were fairly quick and didn't leave any survivors), you will perish terribly in that encounter. My guess is that you won't be able to even hit the BBEG without extreme luck (he has AC in the low to mid-20s IIRC), and his attacks will almost certainly hit and take out any of your party members in one blow. Plus he has a friend and possibly tons of hobbos. Heck, our strong and well-played 3rd-level party had serious trouble, and my wimpy 6 Strength character had to tank after the real tank was defeated. We would have all been dead twice over if not for our lovable gnome and his DC 19 Colour Spray spell.

 

[James Jacobs]

Shackled City absolutely assumes that you level up during adventures. A good point to hand out XP is after you end a session, or after you end a particular dungeon level or section of an adventure. Each chapter in the book is designed such that the later encounters are for higher level characters than those encounters at the start of the chapter.

As for the "instant level up" being realistic or not... I think it's actually more realistic than having to have characters go train or whatever. Think of all the adventuring you're doing as you gain those XP... that stuff's certainly as good as (and probably better) than training to teach you what works and what doesn't! The fact that when you level up everything happens at once is not supposed to be realistic. If D&D were trying to model realism, it'd have to have its own 256 page book to explain how hit points work.

ANYway... back to the point of the thread. If your DM isn't letting you level up during the adventure, I certainly hope he's adjusting down the challenges to come. Cause otherwise, I predict lots of 4d6 rolls (drop the lowest) in the near future of the campaign...

 

[Rystil Arden]

There you have it, Psychic Warrior--show that last post to your GM and if anything will convince him, that will. It's hard to argue about the intent of the SCAP with James Jacobs himself (Well, knowing the stubbornness of some D&D players, I suppose it is possible, but I doubt they'd win that debate )

 

[airwalkrr]

The DM is well within his purview to award XP when he feels it is necessary. However, knowing what I know of the Shackled City campaign, he is not being very fair. The Shackled City adventures specifically inform the DM that he should allow the PCs to level up in the middle of the adventure because most of the adventures presume the PCs are doing so. That said, at 1st level is the worst time to do it. There are a lot of things I could say on this, but if your DM is not awarding XP as you go, I hope he is toning down the encounters because the later encounters of the first adventure presume you are already 2nd (or 3rd).

 

[jeffh]

As for the "instant level up" being realistic or not... I think it's actually more realistic than having to have characters go train or whatever. Think of all the adventuring you're doing as you gain those XP... that stuff's certainly as good as (and probably better) than training to teach you what works and what doesn't! The fact that when you level up everything happens at once is not supposed to be realistic. If D&D were trying to model realism, it'd have to have its own 256 page book to explain how hit points work.

This was exactly the point I was trying to make earlier, but you said it better (not to mention less confrontationally).

(And I'm not sure Berandor really responded to it. He described an alternate position, certainly, but I don't see that he gave any reason to prefer it.)

 

[Berandor]

The reason is I prefer it. Nothing else. I'm not opposed to insta-levels, since we've used them for two years now, but I still like it otherwise.

To give a meta-game explanation: When I design dungeons (etc.), I find it's not that easy to make a flexible dungeon that nevertheless accounts for the party leveling up during their visit, if I want a tough fight at the end. That's work a module does for me, of course (often sacrificing said flexibility at least somewhat).

 

[Psychic Warrior]

Shackled City absolutely assumes that you level up during adventures. A good point to hand out XP is after you end a session, or after you end a particular dungeon level or section of an adventure. Each chapter in the book is designed such that the later encounters are for higher level characters than those encounters at the start of the chapter.

As for the "instant level up" being realistic or not... I think it's actually more realistic than having to have characters go train or whatever. Think of all the adventuring you're doing as you gain those XP... that stuff's certainly as good as (and probably better) than training to teach you what works and what doesn't! The fact that when you level up everything happens at once is not supposed to be realistic. If D&D were trying to model realism, it'd have to have its own 256 page book to explain how hit points work.

ANYway... back to the point of the thread. If your DM isn't letting you level up during the adventure, I certainly hope he's adjusting down the challenges to come. Cause otherwise, I predict lots of 4d6 rolls (drop the lowest) in the near future of the campaign...

Wew - that's a heavy endorsement for allowing levelling during an adventure if I ever saw one!

The DM is well within his purview to award XP when he feels it is necessary. However, knowing what I know of the Shackled City campaign, he is not being very fair. The Shackled City adventures specifically inform the DM that he should allow the PCs to level up in the middle of the adventure because most of the adventures presume the PCs are doing so. That said, at 1st level is the worst time to do it. There are a lot of things I could say on this, but if your DM is not awarding XP as you go, I hope he is toning down the encounters because the later encounters of the first adventure presume you are already 2nd (or 3rd).

I absolutely agree with the DM being allowed to award XP when he sees fit - I do the same thing in my own games. However the DM told us during out last session that he was actually upping the number of creatures because there are 6 PCs instead of 4. That is probably the main reason we are still alive at this point because there are more of us to spread the damage around on.

I really hope he does let us level up and/or rest. He's a good guy and good DM. Plus I don't get to play much and this is the only game I play rather than run.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

It was my understanding (from the hardcover at least) that the SCAP was designed for 6 PC's (rather than the standard 4). If your DM is making the encounters harder again because there are 6 PC's then you really are in for a world of pain.

Olaf the Stout

 

[wayne62682]

It was my understanding (from the hardcover at least) that the SCAP was designed for 6 PC's (rather than the standard 4). If your DM is making the encounters harder again because there are 6 PC's then you really are in for a world of pain.

Olaf the Stout

Correct; Shackled City is designed for 6 PCs (whereas I believe Age of Worms and Savage Tide are designed for 4).