Shackled City: Week Ten

[Erik Mona]

>>>
BTW, Astral constructs are what I use for skulks as well. It's the automatons
that I'm really stuck on... There's just nothing in the random packs that match
up.
>>>

I know it's not prepainted plastic, but a quick trip to eBay ought to net you some affordable automaton Chainmail miniatures. To be charitable, I don't think they sold very well, so you ought to be able to pick up lots of them cheap.

Like, for instance, here: http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-Chainm...8700744859QQcategoryZ2537QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

--Erik

 

[JoeGKushner]

The players stomped on the skulks in my game too so far. However, they (probably because they were painted minis), were afraid of the dark creepers, giving them time to organize and ambush the players in what was the second "big" fight of the night, following the grell attack.

And yeah, it may be too huge. I've got friends in three different instances of World's Largest Dungeon that have failed to complete it.

Shackled City is the best mega-adventure produced for D&D so far,
and by that I don't just mean 3.5e. It may in fact turn out to be the
shared experience, but the problem with that is the fact that *no one*
is going to finish the dang thing. It's just too huge. I can't think of
a D&D campaign I've ran that ever lasted that long.

I've started a Shackled City campaign as well. So far, two sessions in
and the players have fought most of their way through Jzadirune.
I don't care what the back of the book says though... This dungeon was
not designed for 6 players. 6 players *stomp* the skulks. I've been forced
to make them a bit better organized to even present a challenge.

The worst moment so far was a flask of burning oil tossed into the stage
trapdoor to draw out the choker. Even though every one kept saying, "I know this DM.
DON'T use fire." They still did it.... only to find the charred remains of a spellbook
after the whole stage burned down. I kept trying to say that it's not my fault... I
didn't put the spellbook there. Oh well...

BTW, Astral constructs are what I use for skulks as well. It's the automatons
that I'm really stuck on... There's just nothing in the random packs that match
up.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Okay, week three!

It was an off weak for me as we were playing at someone else's apartment and I didn't have my usual array of stuff like the Kingdoms of Kalamar DM screen, my full range of miniatures, my battle box (whose use I missed!), and my initiatite tracking cards from the Game Mechanics with the characters goods on 'em.

That's okay though as it was a roll the dice in the open night for me. Still had my tact-tiles, and did bring over some miniatures to cover the basics including figures for the characters.

The players managed to clear out the gnome city. General comments by them included a dead hatred of illusions and secret doors at this point.

Biggest fight initially would probably be with the damaged puliverizer and then with the mimic. I figured the party was tough enough to handle it so I changed it's initial outlook and the party gave me a reason to use it at full capacity anyway so that was no problem.

Had to add a few more spiders to one of the encounters because at this point, the party was third level. Didn't matter, they tore through the enemies like they were butter.

On the other hand, a pair of hobgoblins guarding the elevator to the next level lasted longer than the spiders due to bad dice rolling on the player's part.

The reserve points were useful again as there's no cleric. Only one of the player's was in any danger of dying when they were fighting something with a 10' reach and he keept shooting it and I realized... hey, this thing has a 10' reach and yeah, he's 10' away. Missed his initial fortitute save, but not by more than 10 so he was just out, not dead.

They've taken some time to get some gear and learn that one of the few places that sells magic in the city is run by a somewhat eccentric gnome female sorcerer who gives discounts to party's that are well, adventuring parties of good heart and cheer with their own group name and identity.

They've still been trailed by the half-elves and will probably meet them next week before they continue on their way.

I suspect next week the party will finish off Life's Bazar, the first part of the Shackled City, and it'll be time to move onto the second part.

 

[cmanos]

I thought I was fairly sly in this mod when my cleric, upon first running into skulks, went out and bought a #5 bag of flour.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Ha! That's a good one. I probably wouldn't have thought of that if I was a player.

 

[Thomas Percy]

I read first part of this Shackled City due to nice opinions of EnWorlders about it and...
well... first part is a typical kidnaping and dungoeon crawl.
That's not what I expect from expensive hiper-adventure.
My question is: are there more than dungoen crawl cliches in the second and next parts of this adventure?

 

[farscapesg1]

I just wanted to chime in that while I think the adventure path is great, it isn't for every group. Personally I love the adventures, but with the current group I am gaming with I am actually ready for the DM to scrap the campaign and start something else.

"Why?" you may ask? Because, IMHO the adventure path is designed for players that are willing to work together and focus on tactics. While all adventures are designed this way to some extent, the level that the Shackled City takes it too really emphasizes it. Sure the skulks are pretty easy, but the automations are really hard if you don't have a combat brute and the grell and dark stalkers are awful if DM'd intelligently.

Take the first adventure for example. Imagine a group that doesn't have a Rogue. Now add in a couple players that don't bother communicating with the rest of the group when they are getting attacked by the automaton in the invisibility room. Add another character that fails his save against the mask by the throne, but doesn't say anything until the next couple people pass by it and also get affected.

Then throw in a socially challenged Ranger that doesn't believe in any teamwork, taking orders from anyone (even suggestions), and makes as much noise as possible in a dungeon environment. Take the same Ranger and add the tendancy to wander off by himself without notifying the rest of the group when you get to the fortress area, which ends up alerting the whole fortress of your presence.

You know, thinking about it more the problem is probably with the players and not the difficulty of the adventure path

 

[JoeGKushner]

I read first part of this Shackled City due to nice opinions of EnWorlders about it and...
well... first part is a typical kidnaping and dungoeon crawl.
That's not what I expect from expensive hiper-adventure.
My question is: are there more than dungoen crawl cliches in the second and next parts of this adventure?

Lots of dungeon crawling in the game. The second adventure starts with the players having to find information, then go dungeon crawling.

Seems to be a standard set up of role playing and using information gathering skills to find out what's going on and then using combat related skills to finish off the baddies (or with the first part, perhaps negotiation but I know that's not the route my players are going to take...)

 

[Frozen DM]

I read first part of this Shackled City due to nice opinions of EnWorlders about it and...
well... first part is a typical kidnaping and dungoeon crawl.
That's not what I expect from expensive hiper-adventure.
My question is: are there more than dungoen crawl cliches in the second and next parts of this adventure?

While there are quite a few Dungeon Crawl cliches in the first few adventures, the later ones stretch their wings a little bit. In particular, there is a very-good event-based adventure later on in the campaign (but I won't spoil it here). I found the opponents in the later adventure are quite intelligent, often working proactively against the PC's and not just waiting around passively to be killed.

I also think the designers did a great job spreading the focus to less used skills and character types. While there is a lot of combat, there are many opportunities for negotiation and diplomacy, stealth and character interaction. In fact, one of my players has decided to play an enchanter with a focus on diplomacy, politics and leadership. His goal is to eventually rise to a position of political power in Cauldron. And this is something that the campaign allows quite well.

I have to say I've been a bit suprised by my players. They are not approaching this campaign like so many others we've had. I've presented chances for them to negotiate with enemies as laid out in the adventure and they've taken them. One player has actually managed to make an ally out of the mimic simply because he was willing to talk instead of leap out with swords drawn.

Right now they're basically standing outside the door of the final encounter in Life's Bazar so we'll see how they handle that encounter (words or weapons).

 

[The_Gunslinger658]

Lots of dungeon crawling in the game. The second adventure starts with the players having to find information, then go dungeon crawling.

Seems to be a standard set up of role playing and using information gathering skills to find out what's going on and then using combat related skills to finish off the baddies (or with the first part, perhaps negotiation but I know that's not the route my players are going to take...)

Joe-

Are you trying to say we are a bunch of hack'n' slashers?

Anyway, great game thus far and excellent DM'ing all around.


Scott