World's Largest Dungeon in actual play [Spoilers!]

[pokedigimaniac]

That's a fun concept. I've always thought Blood Bowl was a funny type of game.

Man, I hope I can get my OpenRPG woes sorted out soon so I can start running WLD again. =\ Region C calls!

 

[Mr Samedi]

Ouch, there go my sessions. Oh well, nothing to do but keep on building the thread up.

 

[Kafkonia]

So, every time the party loses a game, it loses a level. When it wins, the party is res'd somewhere in the Dungeon appropriate to its new level. Maybe the level they just left, or maybe another region. Advance the time line a couple of weeks, have the players extrude from the walls and they are good to go. If people want to play something new, that's cool, just change characters - maybe something funky happened during the rebuilding by the Dungeon.

Whatcha think?

Me likey.

If they play a new character, it also opens the door to the possibility that they were one of the "baddies" killed and reincarnated without realizing it... that'd be an interesting twist to throw at someone.

 

[rvalle]

Ahh, Bloodbowl! What a great idea. I wonder what other games could be incorporated into the WLD.

Having Baghrest Shadows is a cool idea. The post saying 2 x 1d4 is good. Or just give them their one primary bite and the 1d6 str drain.

If you want to have more fun give them some kind of special ability(s) as well. Maybe the Shadow Hound's ability to blend into the Shadows so they can go invisible. And more HP then the run of the mill shadow as well. Maybe they could still shape change into a wolf shadow, a goblin shadow and their hybrid shape.

For the Ogre shadow I said he still looked like an Ogre and, in fact, the party was able to recognized him as the Ogre from the 'water room' in the first dungeon area they were in. I figured a Shadow would start off looking like his original shape but over time lose it and become the plain humanoid shapes that normal shadows look like. So Doj's wife would still look like herself... which would cause some problems for Doj if they meet.

rv

 

[erucsbo]

If you want to have more fun give them some kind of special ability(s) as well. Maybe the Shadow Hound's ability to blend into the Shadows so they can go invisible. And more HP then the run of the mill shadow as well. Maybe they could still shape change into a wolf shadow, a goblin shadow and their hybrid shape.
*snip*
I figured a Shadow would start off looking like his original shape but over time lose it and become the plain humanoid shapes that normal shadows look like. So Doj's wife would still look like herself... which would cause some problems for Doj if they meet.
rv

nice.
I'll have the shadow barghests "flicker" (rather than blink - but same effect) with the description having all 3 forms superimposed. d6 Str from a single bite attack since that is their primary attack.
so. Shadow Barghest (amalgamated shadow and barghest d20 entries - please let me know if you think something should be different)
Medium Undead (Incorporeal, Evil) [loses outsider/extraplanar, lawful and shapechanger]
HD 6d12 (39hp); Init+6; Speed Fly 40ft (good); AC 13 touch 13, flat-footed 11; Base Atk +3; Grp -; Atk +6 melee (1d6 Str, incorporeal touch); Full Atk +6 melee (1d6 Str, incorporeal touch); SA strength damage [no ability to create spawn], feed [as per Barghest but +1HD only], flicker* [as per blink]; SQ Darkvision 60', incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits; AL CE; SV F+3, R+6, W+6; Str -, Dex 15, Con -, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14; Skills & Feats Hide+15, Listen+11, Search+11, Spot+11, Intimidate +13, Move Silently +10, Sense Motive +11, Alertness, Dodge, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative

explanatory notes:
Grapple goes as it is harder for an incorporeal creature to grapple
Create Spawn goes as the Barghest feed ability seemed a better match here.
Lose most spell-like abilities, shapechanging, damage reduction/magic and scent as I see these mostly due to physical form and/or extraplanar origins.
Likewise Bluff, Diplomacy and Disguise depend upon the ability to communicate and as Shadows cannot speak intelligibly I've dropped these. [I still allow Seraxes (greater shadow) to communicate intelligibly for dramatic effect.]
Survival and track have been dropped because it doesn't gel with being a shadow.
Jump isn't needed as it can now fly.
Alignment now CE
Saving Throws are a compromise between barghest and shadow.
AC as per shadow.
Attack bonus (and full attack) a compromise as well, plus bite and x2 claw doing strength damage would be murderous so scaled back to just bite.
*Flicker is the Barghest Blink effect but is on all the time rather than at will.
bonuses and penalties on hide as per shadow (+4 in shadowy, -4 in bright lit)

 

[erucsbo]

followup as I didn't comment on the second part of rvalle's message that I had quoted.

I like the idea of shadows becoming more generic (particularly as they drain strength from multiple foes and thus strengthen their ties with the negative plane and lose touch with the physical).
The Shadow barghests would likewise fade, but if they ever manage to "feed" on enough victims to advance to what would have been a greater barghest (9HD) it instead becomes a generic greater shadow, losing the stats/skills/abilities it had as a barghest and gaining the greater shadow abilities etc instead. I'd work out a sliding scale for each HD advancement, but I can't be bothered and doubt very much whether I'd ever use it.

 

[twilko]

The trouble with Celestials

Gday All,

I'd like some advice and help. I am DMing WLD for my group of 7 players. THis is my first time as DM. They have entered area E found ward staff and teleported into the Garrison. I played the Garrison as a bit wary and they took the staff off the party. That has created some bad blood. Futher the party has concluded that the Celestials are just plain lazy for not having done more to find others of their kind in the Dungeon. I added a trapped Hound Archon to region A as somebody on this thread suggested, whom the party rescued and then concluded that the Garrison just didn't care for their own. The party has done some scouting for the Garrison and is now collecting the All Door to which I added extra rooms. As luck would have the party has entered rooms stocked with evil items which the Garrison isn't going to like much, but have not entered the rooms with all the Holy stuff, wouldn't you know. :\

What I want to do is stage an encounter when the party returns to the Garrison that shows just how important maintaining the Door Wards is. But what sort of encounter? I had kind of figured on having the Garrison overrun by something but what? What could I use that would beat up the Garrison but not eat the party (3rd/4th level) for breakfast?

Any Suggestions greatly appreciated.

twilko.

 

[erucsbo]

Gday All,

I'd like some advice and help. I am DMing WLD for my group of 7 players. THis is my first time as DM. They have entered area E found ward staff and teleported into the Garrison. I played the Garrison as a bit wary and they took the staff off the party. That has created some bad blood. Futher the party has concluded that the Celestials are just plain lazy for not having done more to find others of their kind in the Dungeon. I added a trapped Hound Archon to region A as somebody on this thread suggested, whom the party rescued and then concluded that the Garrison just didn't care for their own. The party has done some scouting for the Garrison and is now collecting the All Door to which I added extra rooms. As luck would have the party has entered rooms stocked with evil items which the Garrison isn't going to like much, but have not entered the rooms with all the Holy stuff, wouldn't you know. :\

What I want to do is stage an encounter when the party returns to the Garrison that shows just how important maintaining the Door Wards is. But what sort of encounter? I had kind of figured on having the Garrison overrun by something but what? What could I use that would beat up the Garrison but not eat the party (3rd/4th level) for breakfast?

Any Suggestions greatly appreciated.

twilko.

Why not have them witness the aftermath of an encounter that *would* have eaten the party. Show some badly wounded Celestials, a pile of drow bodies from Region I being burned, and if you want to include the conflict between the Celestials and the Inevitables, have one of the Inevitables telling off the Celestials for not using the Redeemed in the battle, or not checking to see if any of the Drow could have been "rehabilitated" before killing them all. Have the Celestials explain that if it hadn't been for the restored ward staff that Sanjid would have had to be spending time maintaining a door ward instead of being available to heal the damaged Celestials (or party members if they need healing on their return to the garrison). Then have the howls of some Shadow Mastiffs echo through the hallways. If the party is not powerful enough to tackle them by themselves then have Besar go to deal with the doggies and ask the party for help, but limit Besar's powers if you want due to him having expended them in the battle with the Drow. This would also provide you with an opportunity for Besar to tell the party about the split with the Inevitables and the need for the Garrison Charter, and of his duty to protect his Celestial brethren.

ie - talk up the work that the Garrison has been doing in the party's absence. Just because the party members aren't there doesn't mean that things aren't occurring.

 

[ENZav]

Errata Region A

Hi there!

Not sure if this is the place for errata... if not, please let me know.

Since it's difficult to tell if monster statistics differences are intentional or not, I'd like to know if these are:


Fiendish Rat Swarms (first encountered in A10)

Hit points should be 18, not 13. This is actually an error in the MM. 4d8 HD = 18 hp.

Because the swarm has 4 HD, SR should be 9 and the swarm should have DR 5/magic.

The description of Smite Good reads "... deal extra damage equal to its HD total (+2) ..." This should be (+4).


Advanced Darkmantles (first encountered in A58)

The HD 2 Darkmantles found throughout the Region only have their hit points altered. In reality they should also have +1 Base Atk, +1 Grapple, +1 SR, +1 Fort, +1 Ref, +1 skill point and +1 Smite Good damage.

Also, their CR is stated as 2, which should be 1, since according to the MM (p 294), the CR of a magical beast increases by +1 per 3 HD added.

The HD 3 Darkmantles (A91) strangely enough have correct Base Atk, Grapple and Saves, however their SR and Smite Good damage is still 2 too low.

Technically, they should also be CR 1, but I'd leave it at 2 due to the increased hit points and all.

Any corrections will be much appreciated.


Cheers,

Chris

 

[Hussar]

If you hop on over to the AEG forums, you'll see a fairly lengthy errata for many of the regions.

Good catch though.