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Desert of Desolation - your experiences?
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<blockquote data-quote="Melan" data-source="post: 2433660" data-attributes="member: 1713"><p>Quasqueton: some of us don't give a <s>flying f</s> damn about breaking the suspension of disbelief, and like "illogical" dungeons just fine. The thing about Pharaoh is: there are a whole lot of cool traps and memorable encounters in the module. It <em>does</em> play well (and I didn't run it in 1983 - I ran it in the late 90s). Those things you mentioned never bothered anyone in my group, partly because we play Dungeons&Dragons, not Elminster's Ecologies, and partly because most of the problems you mention are easily corrected. Also, there are a whole lot of absolutely awesome encounters in the adventure, like the battle with the M-U Munafik, the unearthing of the Efreet or that palm tree with the pineapples...</p><p></p><p>As for specific points -- </p><p> </p><p>Yeah, so what's the problem? Can't roll dice? <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> Seriously: I got myself a sheet of paper and rolled up hps for a bunch of critters before the game. Problem solved in ten minutes.</p><p></p><p> </p><p>Like the PCs, the bandits could have encountered monsters previously.</p><p></p><p> </p><p>Yeah, that was a bit problematic. I treated the maze as a place of stasis - those who were lost would wander it <strong>For Ever(tm)</strong>. Problem solved with an ominous twist. <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious :]" data-shortname=":]" /> I placed the treasure in the side rooms and added a trap or two.</p><p></p><p> </p><p>So assign it to a Read Languages check or Ancient History for Magic-Users (or 3e equivalents!). There, "DM fiat" solved another "game-breaking" problem in <em>two freaking seconds.</em> </p><p></p><p>To sum it up, the "problems" you mention are</p><p>a) not considered problematic for some people</p><p>b) easily corrected anyway.</p><p>Seriously, it is not like people in the early 1980s (or the late 70s, when the first, non-TSR edition of Pharaoh appeared) were too dumb to realize that the aforementioned bits are "not realistic" or whatever. They had different priorities, different interests and were more interested in improbable, even surreal adventures in exciting locations than crafting elaborate and "living, breathing" worlds. Also, modules weren't supposed to be the "whole deal". It was encouraged and expected of the DM to adapt and change the things he didn't find appropriate for his games. Moreover, the designers <em>trusted</em> the DM to be of sufficient competence to make those corrections.</p><p></p><p>Oh well, enough semi-coherent rambling, back to smoking crack, eh. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Melan, post: 2433660, member: 1713"] Quasqueton: some of us don't give a [S]flying f[/S] damn about breaking the suspension of disbelief, and like "illogical" dungeons just fine. The thing about Pharaoh is: there are a whole lot of cool traps and memorable encounters in the module. It [I]does[/I] play well (and I didn't run it in 1983 - I ran it in the late 90s). Those things you mentioned never bothered anyone in my group, partly because we play Dungeons&Dragons, not Elminster's Ecologies, and partly because most of the problems you mention are easily corrected. Also, there are a whole lot of absolutely awesome encounters in the adventure, like the battle with the M-U Munafik, the unearthing of the Efreet or that palm tree with the pineapples... As for specific points -- Yeah, so what's the problem? Can't roll dice? ;) Seriously: I got myself a sheet of paper and rolled up hps for a bunch of critters before the game. Problem solved in ten minutes. Like the PCs, the bandits could have encountered monsters previously. Yeah, that was a bit problematic. I treated the maze as a place of stasis - those who were lost would wander it [B]For Ever(tm)[/B]. Problem solved with an ominous twist. :] I placed the treasure in the side rooms and added a trap or two. So assign it to a Read Languages check or Ancient History for Magic-Users (or 3e equivalents!). There, "DM fiat" solved another "game-breaking" problem in [I]two freaking seconds.[/I] To sum it up, the "problems" you mention are a) not considered problematic for some people b) easily corrected anyway. Seriously, it is not like people in the early 1980s (or the late 70s, when the first, non-TSR edition of Pharaoh appeared) were too dumb to realize that the aforementioned bits are "not realistic" or whatever. They had different priorities, different interests and were more interested in improbable, even surreal adventures in exciting locations than crafting elaborate and "living, breathing" worlds. Also, modules weren't supposed to be the "whole deal". It was encouraged and expected of the DM to adapt and change the things he didn't find appropriate for his games. Moreover, the designers [I]trusted[/I] the DM to be of sufficient competence to make those corrections. Oh well, enough semi-coherent rambling, back to smoking crack, eh. :p [/QUOTE]
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