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SPOILERS - Curse of Strahd Play Report
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<blockquote data-quote="RCanine" data-source="post: 6854564" data-attributes="member: 85040"><p>FWIW, I have five PCs.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yes, and the party was saved by the raging barbarian who stood in the bottleneck and passed five con saves in a row. That barbarian was the domino that if he had failed one save, would have toppled the party. Were I to run the adventure again, I would have the four ghouls running loose in the entire basement area, and have them use guerrilla tactics on the PCs as they wander around. Resource-wise, having the ghouls pepper the PCs with opportune attacks, retreat if engaged and then appear en masse when someone gets paralyze might be more terrifying, and allow ranged PCs to feel useful.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That's exactly what I did, and I intentionally had each shadow attack their respective PC in order to split damage. Running optimal tactics is murder because these guys have a ton of effective HP, do greatsword-esque damage, reduce the melee characters to-hit and damage, and can hide as a bonus action. Even using suboptimal tactics, however, the shadows pretty tough. They'll take 3-5 hits to kill and kill a PC in 2-3. It's just math.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The grick did exactly what it was intended to do. Pop out, get one good attack in, and then died messily. I don't think it was a well-designed fight either--the grick would have been boxed in by the bard had the rogue not pulled him away from it. Did I mention I love the rogue in my party?</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p>Yeah, healing is <em>very</em> tight in our group, and our bard seems disappointed he's pressured to use his magic defensively. I think the mimic would have been a more interesting and appropriate fight upstairs, although it's going to be a grind to chew through those HP.</p><p></p><p>Narratively, the mimic and ghast rooms are a bummer because they are a total sidetrack, but they provide very valuable resources (four healing potions!) for the PCs. In hindsight, were I to run this adventure again, I think I would have made the fallen adventurers more prominent. I would have given them names and backstories and dropped clues (maybe tattered journal pages) throughout the house. I would have divided their treasure into fourths, and secreted it throughout the basement, with each body giving clues as to its owners demise.</p><p></p><p>This would have increased the narrative tension and terror, as the PCs would have a glimpse into their own futures. In fact, seeking out the fallen adventurers might be the <em>perfect</em> hook, rather than the half-hearted ones this adventure provides. Now you've got me inspired, and I want to do some writing.</p><p></p><p>But I'd put the fallen adventurers:</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">At the bottom of the well, being largely gnawed bones and equipment, killed by ghouls</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A shadow trapped in the walls in the shadow room, that tries to warn the PCs, his withered husk of a body mouldering in a corner</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">One devoured by the mimic</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The third devoured by the ghasts, in some sick post-coitus feast in the bed in room 34; they wouldn't be in the walls</li> </ul><p></p><p>Meanwhile, the larder would be strew with the remnants of backpacks and rations, which the grick would have gathered and horded.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RCanine, post: 6854564, member: 85040"] FWIW, I have five PCs. Yes, and the party was saved by the raging barbarian who stood in the bottleneck and passed five con saves in a row. That barbarian was the domino that if he had failed one save, would have toppled the party. Were I to run the adventure again, I would have the four ghouls running loose in the entire basement area, and have them use guerrilla tactics on the PCs as they wander around. Resource-wise, having the ghouls pepper the PCs with opportune attacks, retreat if engaged and then appear en masse when someone gets paralyze might be more terrifying, and allow ranged PCs to feel useful. That's exactly what I did, and I intentionally had each shadow attack their respective PC in order to split damage. Running optimal tactics is murder because these guys have a ton of effective HP, do greatsword-esque damage, reduce the melee characters to-hit and damage, and can hide as a bonus action. Even using suboptimal tactics, however, the shadows pretty tough. They'll take 3-5 hits to kill and kill a PC in 2-3. It's just math. The grick did exactly what it was intended to do. Pop out, get one good attack in, and then died messily. I don't think it was a well-designed fight either--the grick would have been boxed in by the bard had the rogue not pulled him away from it. Did I mention I love the rogue in my party? Yeah, healing is [I]very[/I] tight in our group, and our bard seems disappointed he's pressured to use his magic defensively. I think the mimic would have been a more interesting and appropriate fight upstairs, although it's going to be a grind to chew through those HP. Narratively, the mimic and ghast rooms are a bummer because they are a total sidetrack, but they provide very valuable resources (four healing potions!) for the PCs. In hindsight, were I to run this adventure again, I think I would have made the fallen adventurers more prominent. I would have given them names and backstories and dropped clues (maybe tattered journal pages) throughout the house. I would have divided their treasure into fourths, and secreted it throughout the basement, with each body giving clues as to its owners demise. This would have increased the narrative tension and terror, as the PCs would have a glimpse into their own futures. In fact, seeking out the fallen adventurers might be the [I]perfect[/I] hook, rather than the half-hearted ones this adventure provides. Now you've got me inspired, and I want to do some writing. But I'd put the fallen adventurers: [LIST] [*]At the bottom of the well, being largely gnawed bones and equipment, killed by ghouls [*]A shadow trapped in the walls in the shadow room, that tries to warn the PCs, his withered husk of a body mouldering in a corner [*]One devoured by the mimic [*]The third devoured by the ghasts, in some sick post-coitus feast in the bed in room 34; they wouldn't be in the walls [/LIST] Meanwhile, the larder would be strew with the remnants of backpacks and rations, which the grick would have gathered and horded. [/QUOTE]
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