This sounds highly workable. You could have the drow drop the characters into a pen/cage or arena with one or more beasts... just for their entertainment. The drow may let the characters get knocked unconscious, but rescue them before they could actually die. They could start off with one on one matches and work up to group matches. I could see the drow capturing creatures from surrounding areas and bringing them to Velkynvelve for arena matches.
D&D 5E DMing "Out of the Abyss"
This sounds highly workable. You could have the drow drop the characters into a pen/cage or arena with one or more beasts... just for their entertainment. The drow may let the characters get knocked unconscious, but rescue them before they could actually die. They could start off with one on one matches and work up to group matches. I could see the drow capturing creatures from surrounding areas and bringing them to Velkynvelve for arena matches.
CapnZapp
Legend
If you really mean your players, not their characters, are low level, then yes I agree: OotA is not the kindest or easiest way to learn the game.
Your ideas to ease new players into the game are good. Another option would be to run Lost Mines of Phandelver for them first, to let them get a bit of experience with D&D. Then, once they're done with that module, they can start over with new characters and take on OotA with that much more confidence.
You see, experienced players have no trouble playing the OotA start and managing their escape even if their characters are level 1. For experienced players, OotA offers a brutal but interesting start. Unfair yes... but not too unfair!
Your ideas to ease new players into the game are good. Another option would be to run Lost Mines of Phandelver for them first, to let them get a bit of experience with D&D. Then, once they're done with that module, they can start over with new characters and take on OotA with that much more confidence.
You see, experienced players have no trouble playing the OotA start and managing their escape even if their characters are level 1. For experienced players, OotA offers a brutal but interesting start. Unfair yes... but not too unfair!
zombiecube
First Post
I wrote up three side missions for the PCs to break them in at Velkynvelve. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts have thwarted repeated attempts to start the campaign, so I can't report on how they went. http://www.enworld.org/forum/showpost.php?p=6777838
Is it just me or do the players have no agency in Sloobludop? The way I read it is that they get captured by an evil faction, get captured again by a slightly better faction, and then watch a bunch of crazy stuff happen while being positioned to be sacrifices. Unless I'm reading it wrong, why even have the players show up if I'm just going to be forcing them around the entire location. I'm sure I do need to re-read that section.
Also, would it be reasonable for a Paladin to get a new holy symbol in Sloobludop? He worships the dragon god Bahamut so the setting, while religious, isn't very appropriate. I just know how long I want to have him wait. Maybe I'll have a holy symbol show up in some ruins.
Also, would it be reasonable for a Paladin to get a new holy symbol in Sloobludop? He worships the dragon god Bahamut so the setting, while religious, isn't very appropriate. I just know how long I want to have him wait. Maybe I'll have a holy symbol show up in some ruins.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
That was more or less my take on it. I tried to make that section as weird and entertaining as possible, so that my players wouldn’t notice. I thought about reworking it, but couldn’t come up with anything satisfactory in time.
Since Sloobludop is likely their first real stop after escaping the drow, I’d be lenient on resupply requests. Since the Kuo Toa are scavengers, it’s entirely possible that they picked up a holy symbol because it was shiny.
Since Sloobludop is likely their first real stop after escaping the drow, I’d be lenient on resupply requests. Since the Kuo Toa are scavengers, it’s entirely possible that they picked up a holy symbol because it was shiny.
That's a good thought about giving them a break. They're two days out from the Drow outpost and haven't eaten since their escape. They'll need a small victory like getting equipment essential to their characters back.
I suppose if I want to open up the encounter at Sloobludop I could give it a chance of turning into a rescue mission depending on what the players do.
I think the purpose of Sloobludop is to introduce the players to the madness that is going on in the underdark and to provide a hint as to its cause. It may also serve to illustrate that the underdark races are quite a bit different from the surface dwellers.
Have your players already escaped from Velkynvelve? If not, you could nudge them into finding at least some of their gear during the escape. My players will probably escape during our next session, and my hope is that they'll find some of their gear.
Have your players already escaped from Velkynvelve? If not, you could nudge them into finding at least some of their gear during the escape. My players will probably escape during our next session, and my hope is that they'll find some of their gear.
Werebat
Explorer
Just found this -- a great playlist for the Whorlstone Tunnels, IMO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h4cVSIeEuQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h4cVSIeEuQ
Motorskills
Explorer
My guys have more or less finished with Gracklstugh. We had a blast, and I'm looking forward to returning there in [many sessions'] time.
I feel I could have played the Buppido story a bit better. I killed Eldeth and Ront off-screen as part of that story, and I probably shouldn't have done.
It was anticlimactic and when combined with the loss of Sarith, it has robbed the party of nearly all of their additional firepower.
On the plus side it robbed the party of nearly all of their additional firepower.
Sarith got fungi-brained per the Whorlstone tunnels segment, but I'll be having him make a cameo appearance when they get to Neverlight. Oh the madness rolls we will be making!
The party is 3-5 players, with 5th(?) level characters, plus Sushaar, JimJar, Derendil, Stool and Rumpadump. I've been statting the NPCs, same level as the party.
Sushaar is an Open-Hand Monk (not that that his combat skills are ever used, lol!)
JimJar is a 5th level thief. I'm going to try to give him immunity until the party reaches Blingdenstone, we'll see how that works out!
Derendil is basically just an amped-up Quaggoth. The party has decent firepower of its own, but I like the idea of Derendil dishing out huuuge damage. I figure one extra HD per level, and more STR and CON, one bonus per level?
Stool and Rumpadump are Myconid Sprouts, though I'll probably throw them a few more HP each for survivability.
Our next session is an extended one, so if we get past Neverlight, I'll run the Oozing Temple. (I skipped that and the Lost Tomb).
Any suggestions for how to make the Temple more challenging for a (probably) 6th level party? Or should I just leave it as is?
If they bring Oooglablogool along, should I tweak his stats in keeping with the above. Do I need to?
If anyone has experience with running Neverlight, or the Temple, or Blingdenstone, or can point me to good reports, I'd be very interested.
I feel I could have played the Buppido story a bit better. I killed Eldeth and Ront off-screen as part of that story, and I probably shouldn't have done.
It was anticlimactic and when combined with the loss of Sarith, it has robbed the party of nearly all of their additional firepower.
On the plus side it robbed the party of nearly all of their additional firepower.
Sarith got fungi-brained per the Whorlstone tunnels segment, but I'll be having him make a cameo appearance when they get to Neverlight. Oh the madness rolls we will be making!
The party is 3-5 players, with 5th(?) level characters, plus Sushaar, JimJar, Derendil, Stool and Rumpadump. I've been statting the NPCs, same level as the party.
Sushaar is an Open-Hand Monk (not that that his combat skills are ever used, lol!)
JimJar is a 5th level thief. I'm going to try to give him immunity until the party reaches Blingdenstone, we'll see how that works out!
Derendil is basically just an amped-up Quaggoth. The party has decent firepower of its own, but I like the idea of Derendil dishing out huuuge damage. I figure one extra HD per level, and more STR and CON, one bonus per level?
Stool and Rumpadump are Myconid Sprouts, though I'll probably throw them a few more HP each for survivability.
Our next session is an extended one, so if we get past Neverlight, I'll run the Oozing Temple. (I skipped that and the Lost Tomb).
Any suggestions for how to make the Temple more challenging for a (probably) 6th level party? Or should I just leave it as is?
If they bring Oooglablogool along, should I tweak his stats in keeping with the above. Do I need to?
If anyone has experience with running Neverlight, or the Temple, or Blingdenstone, or can point me to good reports, I'd be very interested.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
One thing I had written up, but didn't need to use (because of not having the time), is to put a boss battle at the end of the temple. Some sort of ooze or slime, combined with rapidly rising waters.
There are a bunch of gray oozes that drop from the ceiling. Giving them surprise, adding more than one at a time, or even making them psychic variants would also work.
I'd think Glabagool is mostly fine as written. Plus, if he gets taken out, that's one less NPC to worry about bolstering their numbers. Also, he is slow as molasses, so the group might not even want him around. My group did...and they wonder why the drow keep catching up with them.
There are a bunch of gray oozes that drop from the ceiling. Giving them surprise, adding more than one at a time, or even making them psychic variants would also work.
I'd think Glabagool is mostly fine as written. Plus, if he gets taken out, that's one less NPC to worry about bolstering their numbers. Also, he is slow as molasses, so the group might not even want him around. My group did...and they wonder why the drow keep catching up with them.
