Against the Giants - your experiences

[fusangite]

Did you Play or DM this adventure (or both, as some did)?

I DMed it from the original three-book version in which each adventure was separately bound -- not that crappy second-run version you're showing the cover of. Years later, I played in friend's incredibly detailed port of it into 3E using all the original maps and individuals but adding levels and various other things to make it more exciting. Of course all the Moroccan hash we smoked may have contributed to the excitement too.

What were your experiences? Did you complete it? What were the highlights for your group?

I had a great time as a player. As a GM, it didn't really fit with my style -- combat and complex planning and tactics bore me. I completed it both times but didn't move onto the D series either time; the D, Q modules seemed like a bit of a letdown.

The highlights for me were definitely the times when our plans screwed up and we had to hack our way through an enormous number of giants with brute force and evocation spells.

 

[Crothian]

My group is going through this right now, 3.5 edition. The hounds were replaced with something called Goblin Bears. I think they came from SL? Anyway they are pretty tough. We are also a little low for this module and it is showing. Most of us drop about every session although I must admit our tactics are pretty sound and I am fairly certain that the DM could be making it a lot tougher than he is. Er, not that I want him to make it tougher.

I am really enjoying this adventure. Experience is good, story is good, and we are still alive. We did lose a monk before we got into the compound but other than that it is still the original party.

-Shay

Session 1 They ambushed giants outside the keep.
Session 2 They snuck inside and killed giants in their sleep
Session 3 They went downstairs and fought goblins giants and freed dwarves

Session 4 (hasn't happened yet) The giants are aware of them and have gathered forces to take care of the invaders.

Each week the fights have gotten tougher and tougher, and I'm pretty sure they are all out of wands of healing now.....

 

[sniffles]

Deja vu!! Wasn't there another thread like this?

We did a one-shot running through the first module when 3.0 was still fairly new. The GM just used the old modules and adapted for 3E. Everybody ran two 9th-level characters. I recall that we had some weird class combos, but now I can't remember what they were. We also thoroughly foiled the GM when we got down under the giants' steading - somebody had a magic item or spell or something that let him detect secret doors with almost no chance of failure, so we spotted the treasure room door right away and skipped right past any combat! This also totally foiled me - I was playing a pair of elves and didn't get a chance with my 'spot secret doors' ability because the other PC was ahead of me.

We also had one guy who was carrying an invisible dancing tower shield, so when we got to a spiked pit, he just laid his shield across it and strolled over to the opposite side like he was crossing a country lane. We never finished the modules, though. It would be fun to try them out sometime in 3.5

 

[Tetsubo]

In 1E I ran the entire G Series and continued it all the way to the face off with Llolth. Ah, such fond memories of dungeon crawling and monster bashing! I've also ran G1 in 2E with quite a bit of success. I had planned on using G1 in my last FR 3.5 campaign as a major plot point but the game broke up. I loved that series. It's probably the only published module that I would ever consider running. I've moved on to my own custom adventures.

 

[Tetsubo]

I remember playing in that series when they were produced as individual modules back in 1979 I believe. Had a great time in them.

I remember that we finished off the hill giant steading by using a brazier of summoning hostile fire elementals inside the steading, then teleporting out immediately using some device we had. The elementals obligingly burnt down the steading for us and we finished off any of the giants that made it out. I remember the look on my GMs face at that one. Priceless!

-KenSeg
Gaming since 1978

But you miss out on all the neat treasure and the plot link to G2 that way... don't you...?

 

[Prince Atom]

I remember these and have been looking for a 3e conversion for integration into an existing campaign. The conversion boards are failing me though... Anyone know another place I can download the conversions? Especially the Frost Giant adventure.

Thanks -

Moticon

I just found some on the conversion library -- you can get to it from the D&D Rules board, it's a sub-category. It's got all kinds of 1E/OD&D modules converted; I gleaned Borderlands, Silver Princess, White Plume, and G1-3 (although there's no D or Q). Those are the modules I actually own; I figure owning a conversion of a module I don't actually have is something a paladin would chide me gently for

I'm playing through the 25th anniversary book, but I haven't got to these yet and it seems like the heroes haven't had a chance to take on many giants -- local politics keep getting in the way.

TWK

 

[the Jester]

Loved these modules. I have both played and run them at different times.

 

[ashockney]

Perhaps my favorite module of all times.

I first played in this adventure back in the 1st edition days. Once as a munchkin (7th grade, treasure hoarding...great loot). Then, as a player, for a killer DM. The entire campaign ended on the first session, with a tpk.

I have run this game in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 3.5 edition. I've run G3 (Fire Giants) for several of the board members in 3rd edition. I think this is a blast. Classic "dungeoneering", great loot, diabolical fights, and the introduction of the DROW! What more could you ask for in one adventure. Really, amazing.

Favorite moment? I always love the shock of discovering Eclavdra! What a twist.

 

[Prince Atom]

Unfortunately, somehow my party has come to the conclusion that the giants couldn't have overrun Geoff on their own -- There Must Be A Power Behind The Throne.

They are split. Each one has a favorite pet theory as to who's pulling the strings. The elf sorcerer's player thinks it's the drow. The ranger's player thinks it's illithids. The deepwood sniper's player hasn't specified, but agrees in general. The paladin's player thinks it's Iuz or other demons.

None of them have guessed right, yet, but I'm tempted to put in small-scale manipulators in order to throw them a plot twist. If they go to Pregmere, they find drow. If they go to Pest's Crossing, they find aboleths, that kind of thing.

(Of course, they have to actually get there first.)

I love it!

TWK

 

[painandgreed]

Played it as well as D & Q series. One of the favorite campaigns I've ever run.

The party were all elven magic-users/<something else> of about the recommended level so they were pretty powerful. The hill giant section went pretty well as expected. In both the frost and fire giant series, they got into these huge slug fests where the tanks would hold the lien while everybody else would be casting spells. In the fire giant module they never even made it past the initial corridor as the alarm was sounded and more and more giants arrived. In both cases they would have to retreat and flee magically, but they had killed almost every male giant in the place at that point so that when they returned, there was no way I could justify the giants still fighting. The frost giants pretty much surrendered, sang their praises and told them where to go next. The fire giants just packed up and left after the party used a mirror of mental prowness to scry into the dungeon and attempted to kill the dragon there with an arrow of dragon slaying. The dragon decided it wasn't staying when people were effecticly teleporting in and shoot arrows of dragon slaying at him in his sleep. the giants, missing all but a few males, saw the dragon leave and decided to follow suit. By time the players arrived again, ready for a big fight and lots of treasure, the dungeon was empty except for the drow in the bottom level.