Designing PCs for a Convention

[Kid Charlemagne]

I would make the fighter a dwarf and the rogue an elf, human, or halfling. Other than that my basic MO when dealing with a oneshot is to make PCs as simple as possible.

I agree, within certain parameters - give each character some shtick that sets them apart and makes them different from the basic class. DO as much of the work for them as possible - if they use two weapons that have different bonuses, work those out on the character sheet. Give them a short breakdown of any strategies you build into the character.

When I've done this, I'll copy the text of all of their feats from the SRD and paste them into the character sheet. For clerics or wizards I'll pre-select spells so that they can either go with that or modify as they feel the need.

Magic items are a big one- make them interesting, but also make sure that they'll get the chance to use them - nothing is worse than having a cool item that they can't use, like a dragonslaying sword in an event that deals only with giants.

Conversely, you have the ability to control the PC's actions by magic item selection. They can't fly if you don't give them an item that does it, or a spell that does. Use that power wisely.

I like to use character backgrounds to help the players orient their PC's in relation to one another, and to steer some of the PC's. I ran a Norse adventure once where one of the PC's was an Arcane Trickster Loki-type who could have been quite disruptive - but I wrote into his backstory that he hated the villain of the story intensely to give him reason to play along with the group. You can also use backstories to hint at things in the adventure, or about other PC's. In that same adventure, one of the PC's was in fact a Valkyrie, and this was hinted at in several backgrounds, and explicity stated in one, so that the players would have an "A-HA!" moment when her big reveal came. Then of course, you have to give the reason for that big reveal.

 

[orcmonk220]

Hi all
Well, I compiled a list of all the creatures and other problems encountered in the adventure:

Knowledge Skills: (Arcana; History; Religion)
Notable Skills: Search; Disable Device; Open Lock; Swim
Spells which Ward the Tomb: Unhallow; Magic Circle Against Good; Forbiddance
Spells Affected:* Augury; Commune; Contact Other Plane; Divination; Prying Eyes; Commune with Nature; Detect Alignment; Detect Undead; Detect Secret Doors; Find the Path; Legend Lore; Scrying.
Spells PCs may find Useful: (Color Spray; Light; Sleep; Control Water; Deeper Slumber; Blindness; Continual Flame; Neutralize Water; Purity Food and Drink); Bigby’s Forceful Hand; Break Enchantment; Control Water; Dimension Door; Dispel Chaos; Levitate; Fabricate; Freedom of Movement; Fly; Greater Teleport; Gust of Wind; Passwall; Phase Door; Reserve Gravity; Teleport; Water Walk)
Monsters (Notes): Advanced Stone Golems (DR 10/adamantine); Hill Giant Mummies (Fire Vunerability; DR 5/-); Yurushyu’s Automaton (DR 10/adamantine; immune elec., fire, sonic, rust atks; resist cold 20; elec. damage); Ctenixil, Spirit Naga Sorcerer 5; Ulzaada, Annis Hag Rogue 2/Assassin 5 (DR 2/Bludgeoning, Hidden behind Illusionary Wall); Large Water Elemental; Dread Wraith; Mud Golem (DR 10/Adamantine and Bludgeoning; Immunity to all Spells except Transmute Mud to Rock (slows it), Transmute Rock to Mud (heals all damage), Stone to Flesh (negates DR)); Tzila, Female Human Cleric 9/Elemental Savant 7 (All energy damage spells deal acid damage); Majalor, Male Unique Undead Human Fighter 14 (DR 10/-); The Beast in the Banner; Tzolo’s Guardian (Regen. 10; DR 15/adamantine, SR 24, many other abilities)
Additional Comments: Taalese as a Language? There are many, many traps here, many of them illusion-based.

* The Tomb affects many spells, changing how they work. Mostly, these spells are rendered useless.

Therefore, I need PCs to take advantage of this. So far, I have come up with the concept for a Dwarven Fighter 14, who spent much of his life patrolling mines in his mountain homes. Therefore, he has feats that are useful to someone if him situation, such as Endurance and Diehard, Improved Initiative, Alertness and Quick Draw. The idea behind him is that he should be tough, with high AC and 137 hp, but that his Will save is poor (+3). He'll also back an adamantine morningstar. Basically, I feel that all the PCs for the adventure should contribute something unique and useful in this dungeon, but also have something that makes they weak in the environment (due to the number of illusion traps, for example, this character's weakness is Will save).
I'm also thinking something like an undead hunting ranger, and an elven thief. However, I haven't quite figured out how they may be weak. I'm considering giving the Cleric low Reflex saves (there are a few breath weapons here, and a few reflex-based traps), but a ton of healing spells due to a fair amount of damage output.
What do you all think?
Chris

 

[Quartz]

How about having two very different clerics?

And how about using some prestige classes from the SRD? Dwarven Defender comes to mind.

 

[orcmonk220]

Excellent thinking. Tell me, however, do you think that a +4 Full-Plater Armour of Moderate Fortification overpowers him? With the rest of the stuff, his AC is 29. Or is that about average for a 14th Level Fighter (or, Fighter 11/Dwarven Defender 3)?

 

[Quartz]

I'd suggest a cooler ability than Moderate Fortification. Start with Flying, perhaps? Something that the player can put to a cool and fun use during the adventure. And AC 29 seems a bit low. Dex +3, Mithril Full Plate +4, Large Shield +4, Amulet of Natural Armour +4 gives you AC 35. Or are you giving him a 2H weapon?

I do suggest you make sure that every character has the ability to do something cool and flashy or both.

 

[nasrat]

There are some great ideas for convention game running in this thread:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=171536

Look for Piratecat's posts on how he describes and constructs characters, etc.

 

[orcmonk220]

I'd suggest a cooler ability than Moderate Fortification. Start with Flying, perhaps? Something that the player can put to a cool and fun use during the adventure. And AC 29 seems a bit low. Dex +3, Mithril Full Plate +4, Large Shield +4, Amulet of Natural Armour +4 gives you AC 35. Or are you giving him a 2H weapon?

I do suggest you make sure that every character has the ability to do something cool and flashy or both.

Well, so far he has the following for AC:

+4 Full-Plate Armour of....
+2 Heavy Steel Shield
+1 Dexterity (I used the Elite array, gave the 15 to Str, 14 to Con, 13 to Int, 12 to Dex, 10 to Cha, and 8 to Wis).
+2 Ring of Protection
+1 Dodge Bonus from the Dwarven Defender PrC
+Dodge Feat, and then +4 Dodge when in Defensive Stance.

In total so far, that make 30, with a possible 31 against one target, and 34/35 in Defensive Stance. Looking at the idea of 'flashy', I'm not too sure. I want the flashyness to match the character concept, and flight seems a bit out of concept for a man who spent most of his life underground.

Chris