Suggestions for running the Forge of Fury?

[Sfounder]

The title says it all. I'm about to run the Forge of Fury, updated to 3.5. Does anyone have any suggestions, anecdotes, warnings, etc for this module? I know I should have done a more thorough job, but I did simply a straight conversation to 3.5 stats for things, and I didn't look for significantly changed encounter levels and whatnot, so any heads up there is appreciated to?

hmmmmm How do I attach the tags to label this "advice"?

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Spoiler

The roper is a fairly dangerous encounter for a party of the right levels for that module.

I made a number of changes when I ran it to fit my particular setting needs (hidden dwarven treasure chamber,

Spoiler

hobgoblins istead of orcs, drow instead of duergar

). I also thought it needed a bit more of an RP-based encounter mid-way through, and added a Myconid colony in the Glitterhame -- friendly sorts who would help the party if treated nicely and provide a bit of information.

Consider your tactics -- especially at the entry. The monsters might patrol outside or counterattack if the party invades then withdraws, so consider what the monster contingency plans might be.

Otherwise, run as written and have tremendous fun -- my favorite 3E module!

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Hi there! I'm nearing the end of Forge of Fury myself...

Here are a few useful threads on the subject:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=80167
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=65203
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=32393
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7301

How is your party composed?

AR

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

Spoilers ahead:


















1) Illustrate explicitly the power of the roper. By this point, most players are under the false assumption that they are supposed to defeat every encounter. (Since that is the only way to bypass anything in these modules. Except the kobolds in the Sunless Citadel.)

My PCs, being newbies, had no idea that the roper was a far superior opponent. One of them even went so far as to insult the roper's mother. Needless to say, two PCs died while the rest fled.


2) The black dragon, if played intellegently, is also a TPK. Superior swim speed + a breath weapon + a giant lake can slaughter most PCs easily. (Grappling! Ahhaha!) Melee characters really get the shaft in this encounter, as the dragon can hang back and attack the weakest characters first. That little ledge also makes matters worse, as the dragon can target each PC individually.

 

[DragonLancer]

I've run it a couple times without any troubles. My players (in both groups) had no trouble with the Roper, and only one party found the Dragon (which they had troubles with to start with but wised up and were able to kill it).

 

[Nightfall]

Personally, I wouldn't run it. I mean if I want some GOOD dungeon crawls, Forge doesn't even rank. Rappan Athuk, Tomb of Abysthor, Banewarrens, just to name a few, are my choices for mods in terms of dungeon crawling.

The first set of adventure paths I didn't care much for. The stuff in Dungeon was much better.

 

[Lorillomar]

My players, who can always be counted upon to use out-of-game knowledge when it benefits them, saw the creature which figures prominently on the front cover of the module and prepared themselves to deal with it.

I fooled them, though. I substituted an Abyssal Dire Toad for the big bad guy. Same CR, same environment, much more fun when it ate one of the party members.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Hey,

**spoiler space**

No specific 3.5 advice; just DMing advice:

If you anticipate some trouble getting your players into the Forge, have it be Winter time in your game world and set the Forge far away from civilization. This ought to be enough to get them "out of the cold" and into the Forge. (It worked for me, at any rate.)

When facing the Dragon, my players made liberal use of Walls of Force to create a "bunker" from which to delay and launch their own attacks. One of the Wizards in my group was even ballsy enough to Polymorph into a Shark and chase it down when it tried to swim away. One tactic I didn’t get to try was having the Dragon grapple a PC and take him under to drown him.

Lastly, don't forget about the Duergar ability to use Enlarge Person and Invisibility. When used in the smaller hallways and rooms of the Forge, these spell-like abilities allow the Duergar to both surround and surprise the PCs all at once.

Good luck!

J. Grenemyer

ps: I own Rappan Athuk, Tomb of Abysthor and Banewarrens. IMX, these three were pretty crappy compared to Forge of Fury. As always, YMMV.

 

[coyote6]

If you think there's any chance of your PCs fighting the roper, I suggest considering not using the 3.5e version of the roper. It's a couple of CR higher, and far more dangerous. (My players defeated the roper on the second encounter partly by severing its strands; 3.5e ropers' strands instantly regenerate.)

Those PCs didn't have much problem with Nightscale; some bows, a sorcerer, and some spider climbing, and they weren't exactly helpless against her. (Edit: it wasn't a cakewalk; but it wasn't near a TPK.) It depends on the abilities of your PCs, & the tactics of the players, of course.

sanishiver -- walls of force and polymorph? I take it your party was slightly higher level than the adventure's default . . .

(And I disagree with Nightfall; Forge of Fury is fine, IMO.)

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Hello,

sanishiver -- walls of force and polymorph? I take it your party was slightly higher level than the adventure's default . . .

Yeah. I used two dragons when I ran it (but I didn't think this was good advice to give to Sfounder )

I suppose a wisely-purchased scroll or two of Wall of Force and/or Poly might do just as well.

J. Grenemyer

PS: I should say I liked Rappan Athuk, et. all....they were just a real pain in the ass to use compared to Forge of Fury. Demons and Devils, OTOH...