1st Edition adventures with small parties

[Jarloch]

Yeah, hirelings wouldn't get specialization. It's something you need to have levels in fighter for, which 0-level men-at-arms technically don't.

Henchmen get XP at half shares. I've seen debates as to whether or not they are supposed to count as a full share when dividing experience but only 50% is applied to their character sheet, or whether it's always a half share and none is "lost".

I count it as always a half share. So when XP time comes, if there were 3 PCs and 2 henchmen in the group I would essentially double count PCs and then double their share. So let's say that there was 8,000 XP earned. I would divide that by 8 (3 PCsx2 and 2 hench x1) to get a base share of 1,000 xp and then award 1,000 xp to the hench and 2,000 to the PCs.

 

[Niccodaemus]

There are a couple of things I would do

1) I like DMing small groups. I also like challenging adventures with interesting storylines. As these adventures tend to be higher levels, I like to modify them to fit the party size and level

2) Make it a stealthy campaign. Instead of the players fighting everything head on, give them some tools to sneak around... boots of silence, cloaks of hiding. That way, they can make their way through the adventure and choose their fights.

3) Give the bad guys weaknesses. Lower their morale, and use morale checks. Add viruses, sounds or other things that work as "bombs" that can take out/disable a large number of opponents if the players can reach the "trigger".

4) Provide the PCs with escape routs. This can be slaves that have secret tunnels, etc.. so that if the players are discovered, they can make a quick getaway and hide.

5) Give the players specific goals, rather than just killing things and getting stuff. Maybe there is a master plan in the heart of the lair... maps and such... that the players could get their hands on and get out of there. Make is so that it is clear that if they take a long strategy approach, they will save more people than if they try to bust out every slave they meet.

6) Watch the movie the great escape. All sort of neat ideas for breaking multiple people out of their prisons.

 

[Warunsun]

I'm keen on running the Slaver series (A1-A4), which recommends 6-8 players of level 4-7.

There are two versions of the Slaver series for first edition. The second version published was designed for 7th through 11th level characters and could be used to follow a T1-T4 campaign. In addition to the level shift the second version, Scourge of the Slave Lords, includes some additional information.

 

[Halivar]

There are two versions of the Slaver series for first edition. The second version published was designed for 7th through 11th level characters and could be used to follow a T1-T4 campaign. In addition to the level shift the second version, Scourge of the Slave Lords, includes some additional information.

Ah, I'm afraid I don't have that one. I've got A1-A4 as separate booklets. What sort of information was in it?

 

[Jarloch]

A (imo) very badly tacked on plot. I wouldn't spend additional money for it if you have the originals - your ideas for weaving them together sound better than what was put out in that set.