Clubhouse: The Shearing Pen

[ugulu]

Wow - there is definitely something I will remember from BoAA - what an odd set of exceptions. Thanks for posting this. Was feeling like everytime I get a cool ability the opponent has a trump card and my sense of humor escaped me.

Any thoughts on why these exceptions exist? What would be lost by having a 5th-level Wall of Force be trumped by a 6th-level spell that supresses virtually everything else? So that someone with AMF could not walk through the wall....though they'd likely have D.Door (4th level) to just move past it?

 

[Infiniti2000]

AMF is really strong. Personally, I think it should have more exceptions and/or restrictions.

 

[PJSlavner]

Wow, Ugulu, you must have been extremely frustrated to have lost your sense of humor, which seems nigh limitless. If you want to laugh more, you can handle Neutral Evil and get your butt kicked there, instead.

I agree with Infiniti about the power of AMF, although its power is mitigated somewhat in that it also nullifies the caster's magic.

The AMF removed DR, which just helped your side in TBoAA.

 

[PJSlavner]

OOC: Our three children and two of their friends rolled up characters this week. They played for the first time today, with me as DM, for three hours, and it went very well.

 

[ugulu]

Cool. Did you put something together yourself or use a published adventure?

 

[Infiniti2000]

Awesome! I look forward to that day myself!

But, I thought your youngest was around 3 or so?

 

[PJSlavner]

They are going through a published adventure. Now I have much more money than time, so published adventures are the way to go.

I have them going through NeMoren's Vault, which is an adventure from when Fiery Dragon still published adventures. After I run that and one or two small adventures from Dungeon magazine, I plan on sending them through U1-U3 (the Saltmarsh series), which has always been one of my favorites.

Our youngest was three when they all moved into our house as foster children prior to adoption; that was six years ago.

The five players are in grades 3 (human scout), 4 (gnome wizard), 4 (human druid), 5 (elf ranger), and 6 (dwarf fighter).

 

[ugulu]

Nice party mix.

Question for you: how to you make U2 & U3 fun? I ran these, and both me and the players loved U1 - but U2 seemed not quite "no win", but "barely win", while U3 just seems like a PC graveyard (we only lost one, but the party was cut in half due either limited magical gear, or simply being so ineffective that they used a Polymorph Other wand to become fake Sahuagin, but couldn't send the entire party). It's always seemed like the potential was there, but that the fun factor fizzles after U1.

 

[Gansk]

PJSlavner told me he was going to add an NPC cleric to the party, in order to swing a large clue bat.

For example:
U2: "Maybe the lizardmen will negotiate. Does anyone speak lizard-man?"
U3: "A frontal assault will be suicide! Maybe we should disguise ourselves?"

 

[Infiniti2000]

That is good that you should be able to find a job.

Done! I had an interview on Friday and they made me an offer this morning. After some consideration, I accepted. They are paying me $23K less, but with better health/life insurance, stock options, and excellent growth potential.