D&D 4E Dragon Mountain (4e conversion - complete!)

[Manbearcat]

@Quickleaf I think you've got it pretty much nailed in your 1-3. And, of course, you can use it! I wrote it up specifically for your use in your DM game. Would be a bit odd for me to say no Also, I went back through that Skill Challenge framework above and I noticed some mis-written text that I copy/pasted wrong from my sticky pad. I fixed this part here in Misc:

Perhaps the PCs have to pass an intermittent group Endurance check (aiding for bonus and low man rolls it). Failure equals an accrued failure in the Skill Challenge, loss of 2 healing surges, and no Extended Rests effects/resource recharge until the group is out of the area.

If you use that Skill Challenge, or something like it, I would recommend ablating and revoking resource recharge (from general or specific accrued failure) as a means to put pressure on the PCs and overtly convey the threat. You could forgo the "no extended rests" until the fail that Skill Challenge on the first go if that is your wish...but I would rather recommend that the second failure of the Challenge costs them Extended Rests while ultimate failure results in a re-do. Further, you may want to use the intermittent group Endurance Checks outside of the accrued success:failure of the Skill Challenge and just use it as a rider check (for any Skill Challenge checks) where pass/fail determines resource stabilization or loss (Healing Surges and/or negatives to Fort, etc).

I agree with @pemerton thoughts above. If you aren't using it as a means to pace/dictate progression through an area/level (and ALL of the pressure/adversity the PCs would face), then you'll want to use it for a specific, singular pressure/adversity that is intrinsic to the level/micro-region.

 

[Cleon]

Hmm, I feel it could do with something in-between a "lose a Healing Surge" (which they'd be able to get back by resting) and "no extended rests".

How about something like "Lose a Healing Surge. Your maximum number of Healing Surges takes a -1 penalty. This penalty lasts until you take an extended rest outside Dragon Mountain"?

 

[Quickleaf]

EDIT: I updated the first page with a link to the post with attached PDF files of the conversion.

Keep in mind that part of the whole premise of Dragon Mountain is that taking an extended rest within is nearly impossible because of the kobolds. And if the PCs do retreat outside for a rest (and haven't been trapped within), the kobolds can reset traps, renew guards, and change tactics. "Cleared" areas may not stay as such. When you need to tackle at least 8 encounters before facing a dragon, healing surges and resource management are extremely important.

While short rests are usually possible in Dragon Mountain, even short rests can have a cost in certain situations. For example, kobold commandos recharge their Molotov cocktails during a short rest, tripwire traps can be reset during a short rest, kobolds can send for reinforcements, there might be a ticking clock (as is the case with the SO2 hazard), etc.

All in all, there is substantial pressure to avoid kobolds and reach the dragon's lair as quickly as possible. Amplifying this with area-wide hazards is a great idea. When you're running for your life you probably aren't checking for traps, after all.

 

[Quickleaf]

Just found this at the Dark Places comic website and I'm totally using it as a prop in our game...

 

[Quickleaf]

I did a bit of re-design on the kobold commandos...what do you think?

Kobold Commando
Level 10 Minion Lurker
Small natural humanoid (XP 125)

HP 1; missed attacks never damage minions
AC 24; Fortitude 21; Reflex 23; Will 22
Speed 6, climb 6
Initiative +13
Perception +12 (Darkvision)

Traits
Sneak Attack: The kobold deals +4 damage with combat advantage.

Improved Stealth: When the kobold ends a shift or a move with any cover or concealment, it can make a Stealth check.

Standard Actions
Javelin (Melee/Ranged, At-Will): +15 vs. AC; 8 damage; if thrown range 10/20; Effect: the kobold shifts 3 squares after the attack.

Dragonfire Cocktail (Ranged, Recharge short rest): Ranged 5/10; +13 vs. Reflex; 6 fire damage and ongoing 6 fire damage (save ends).

Minor Actions
Shifty (At-Will): The kobold shifts 1 square.

Triggered Actions
Commando’s Sneaky Escape (At-Will, Immediate Reaction): When any attack misses the kobold, it shifts 3 squares.

Skills Athletics +10, Stealth +14, Thievery +14
Abilities Str 10 (+5), Dex 19 (+9), Wis 14 (+7), Con 13 (+6), Int 10 (+5), Cha 11 (+5)
Alignment evil
Languages Common, Draconic

 

[Quickleaf]

Play Resources

I try to keep my game well-organized, and especially use monster cards (as suggested by Mike Shea over at Sly Flourish) and adventure tracking sheets.

Here are my kobold cards and tracking sheet for Dragon Mountain.

 

[Cleon]

I did a bit of re-design on the kobold commandos...what do you think?

Kobold Commando

I'd consider giving it a range of special shot to chose from like a Kobold Slinger rather than fixing its encounter attack to Dragonfire Cocktail.

i.e. give them the option of carrying something like a stinkpot or gluepot instead of their "firepot".

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=57383]Cleon[/MENTION] Good point!

I'm updating and editing stuff to get ready for our next game on January 18. Some of the changes I'm making:

* Divorcing the exploration skill challenge from success:failure ratios, tying it dungeon areas (rather than levels), and providing clear guidelines for when to use it.

* Adjusting the kobold commando stat block.

* Finishing the kobold tactics section.

* Finishing conversion of Level Two.

All in all, not much work. That's because all of my game prep time is going into physically drawing out the maps of Dragon Mountain. Wow, there are a lot of maps (even not counting simple/similar areas)!!

 

[Quickleaf]

Just ran our latest session last night and it was a blast. Lots of old school goodness, devious kobold traps, the PCs running back and forth, and an unexpected surprise!

[sblock=Session Log]0 comments
Session #5

When in doubt, create a sphere of annihilation!

January 18, 2013 08:11

The party was surrounded  by corpses of kobolds clad in black wool, and echoing sounds of kobold squeak-barking came from deeper in the Mountain. As the PCs secured their entry passage in the old dwarven fighting chambers, Tristan Capri studied a massive stone block barring one of the paths…he and Raphael examinend an adventurer’s hand crushed beneath grasping a scroll [handout]. Zolar wondered aloud at the fossilized starfish and other marine life in the upper strata of the block. More weirdness would follow…as would the traps. Throwing caution to the wind, Lily phased thru the block, tapping into her arcane senses to notice two kobold guards on the other side, as well as two trapped stone deadfalls. Surprised by the sorceress’ head popping out of the stone block, the kobolds didn’t have time to react before Lily snuck back thru to warn the party. Squeaks of “wizard! wizard!” soon followed.

After exploring some empty rooms, all of them trapped (among the highlights was a reverse bear claw trap almost decapitating Tristan), and looting the kobold supplies within, the PCs decided to find an alternate route. Heading west, they snuck up on a room of commoner kobolds (in which Ardell was impaled by a scything blade trap) who Ardell managed to pacify and Raphael proceeded to lock in the room. At this point, the party had thrown caution to the wind and was nonchalantly opening doors just to see what would happen and what they’d find.

Taking the lead like any good wizard should, Zolar followed a strange set of “demon-donkey” hoofprints slightly imbedded in the stone…and walked straight into an ambush by a lone kobold sniper who fled. Coming to a massive stone door, which Kirito recognized from his previous venture as leading to the Bell-Chasm District, with hefty dwarven knockers. Raphael pushed the doors open…and the party came face to face with three hanging corpses wrapped in poisonous green orbs like Christmas tree lights: they were the skeleton of Zolar’s past incarnation, a dwarven adventurer, and Taern (the farm boy who had accompanied Kirito). Adamant that the bodies be taken down, Kirito barely had a chance to take cover as Zolar cast mage hand to grab the journal…the results were bad. Next Zolar attempted to mage hand (yes, it’s a verb!) one of the orbs…the results were disastrous. Dropping a series of orbs, Zolar unleashed a blast of thunder as the translucent thunderstone broke…and then was engulfed in poison gas which nearly killed him. Thanks to Ardell’s healing and his own fortitude, Zolar emerged alive but not amused.

Backtracking, the PCs decided another route was in order. After Tristan disarmed a trapdoor hatch (by triggering it and getting covered in poison centipedes), Raphael did a ballsy leap into the narrow tunnels above crushing a kobold. After jamming the door shut as he was becoming known for doing, Raphael rejoined the party below to find the trading shots with kobold snipers. The handful of kobolds posed no real threat, but their poisoned arrows were starting to wear the party down…

Zolar again was not amused when he discovered a room of dwarven ale with a kobold propaganda poster that read: “Kill the wizard first!” Things took a dramatic turn when Zolar grasped a door handle and found his hand stuck by sovereign glue. Soon thereafter a lone unarmed kobold approached the party pitifully carrying a bag of “tribute from chief Garunaak, who doesn’t want to see anymore kobolds killed.” Rightfully suspicious, the party ordered the kobold to open the sack and show them (it appeared to be a bag of holding), then convinced him to find some universal solvent for Zolar’s hand. Ardell bravely reached inside the bag and was promptly devoured! At that moment 12 heretofore invisible kobolds surprised the party and attempted to bring down Zolar. Not to be outsmarted, Zolar activated a reactive teleport …meaning Miri took the brunt of the attack, but Miri remained standing. And she was raging. Garunaak’s ambush had begun.

Miri, Kirito, Lily, and Tristan devastated the kobolds and slaughtered Garunaak and dispersed the kobolds. Zolar fought himself out of being cornered by kobold with a swift thunderwave spell. Meanwhile, Ardell was being crushed to death by the devouring bag with only his faith to sustain him. In a desperate bid to save the paladin, Raphael and Zolar planned to drop the bag of devouring with mage hand into Raphael’s bag of holding. The was a massive explosion (which the party wisely had taken cover from), which triggered the two stone deadfalls, separating the rest of the party from Zolar and Ardell.

The party had just created a sphere of annihilation. Unable to will the sphere to move, Zolar skirted around it with Ardell, losing a bit of their life essence in the process, but escaping alive. Meanwhile the rest of the party dealt with a pitch fire started by kobolds by leaping (or flying) thru the flames and killing the kobold arsonists.

Backtracking yet again, the party reunited in the Bell-Chasm District to see what the Mountain held in store for them there…
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[Manbearcat]

Awesome! Thanks for the update!