Dusting off the DM robe

[Trooper Maximus]

It's been at least a decade since I Dm'd but I wrote up a 1st level adventure for some beginner players and wanted to see what you all thought.

I've been hashing this thing out for a few weeks. It's designed to be easy but can be a killer if the PCs exercise bad judgment and it's guaranteed to get the PCs to Level 2 (I know the experience is pretty heavily handed out).

View attachment Beginner Trials.pdf

 

[nezumi45]

i like it

i like this a lot has a good sense of humour and has a good feel to it itssomething i think i might try out and add things to as appropriate

 

[Trooper Maximus]

Thanks nezumi. Anyone else. I'd love some feedback, positive or negative.

 

[Bercilac]

Don't mean to sound harsh, but...

This doesn't actually seem like an adventure to me. It's a series of disconnected challenges (some of which are not, indeed, challenging) set into a rather cliched WoW-like setting. By WoW-like, the universe seems constructed to create and offer interesting and profitable challenges to "adventurers" (which seems meta-game to me). It should be the other way around: the world exists, and adventurers try to perform useful tasks to make a living in it.

You don't give the players any choices other than solving a series of puzzles and combats. The penalty for failing a roll (such as dungeoneering in trial 4) or deviating from the path (by any interaction with NPCs short of following directions) is inevitably death. The NPCs, moreover, don't seem to have any motivation. Why is the guildmaster awarding big cash payouts for people willing to run a gauntlet?

The gauntlet itself is somewhat interesting as a concept, but there's no story surrounding it to speak of. In and of itself it DOES NOT constitute an adventure. If you want to salvage it, I suggest you add a section in which the players have time to explore the town, get the lay of the land, and "discover" this gauntlet challenge, rather than just being directed to it by a series of (literal) signposts and NPCs. The question I'm asking myself, over and over, is why? Why is this here? Why is it worth 500gp for people to go through it? Drop some clues while they go through it. Maybe the gauntlet is owned by a necromancer, who needs the bodies of those who fail to run his experiments. Maybe the gauntlet has no cash prize, but is merely the trial for entering a prestigious guild. (In that case, you need to show that the guild is prestigious, not just tell them: have some grizzled mercs running around town, disrespecting anyone who ISN'T a guild member).

 

[Bercilac]

One last note, I think that the two dire bats and two dire rats could whoop a first-level party quite handily. There should also be a save against the rats' filth fever.

 

[Trooper Maximus]

I'll take your advise and look over it. I guess I'm just too rusty and haven't thought of a way to say , "Okay you people, who have no history together, are free in the world to do whatever you want, and I'll be ready for it."

Stupid discisions lead to catastrophic results. Don't attack the royal guard, they'll kill you. I clearly lay out the motivation for the gate guards. I'll admit that the Guild Master's a bit of a illy difined character but he's just trying to recruit help for his orginization. They'd have to pay to join and stay active.

One last note, I think that the two dire bats and two dire rats could whoop a first-level party quite handily.

I followed the guidelines in the DMG for encounter generation. It would be challenging for four 1st level characters but I thought you said there wasn't enough challenge to the encounters?

There should also be a save against the rats' filth fever.

Clearly. So obvious in fact that I hardly think it requires mentioning. I mean, do I need to write roll a D20 for skill checks?

BTW, I've never WOW'ed.

 

[Bercilac]

Sorry for my frankness. It wasn't well put. The WoW crack was just snarky, on my part.

I could be wrong about the bats, but just looking at the HP and damage, considering the average HP and ability to harm that a first-level character is capable of. Are you sure it didn't suggest just one of those?

The challenge itself is pretty interesting. But I suppose my biggest worry is still the wall. As I said before, they may fail one of the first checks they require. While I'm sure you wouldn't PREVENT another solution, you might want to offer another way out in case they muck up and can't think of anything innovative. How long would it take them to "search" the wall? How long if they take 10? Or 20 (probably not enough time)?

I did not mean to say there was not enough challenge in the adventure, rather certain parts of it. I guess my comment there (once again, not very well put) was more relating to the disembodied voice. I admire your intention to elicit information from the players. But maybe you could roll some of that into one of the roleplaying encounters?

I agree that enticing the players is one of the hardest challenges of starting a campaign. But I've found that my players tend to cut me a bit of slack in this respect. I tend to railroad quite a bit in the first adventure, or several adventures. But I try to leave the players a bit of room to screw around.

How about after the graduation scene (which brings back grim memories of high school!) you let them go and spend a few coppers in the pub? It would let them ask questions about the town from some of the locals. If you haven't got the notes for everything they ask, improvise a bit and write down your thoughts for future reference. At this point, you could conveniently introduce the guild. "Hey. This is a guild bar. Don't go thinking you can come in here just 'cuz you're out of the academy."

They might get in a little scuffle (tough talkers and bullies generally run if they're losing), but they'll probably wanting to end up joining the guild.

Sorry again for my first posts. My intention was to offer some support for your commendable efforts, as part of this community. But I was tired and short on time, so I didn't take the time to consider my words and to offer something constructive. Hope it goes well!

 

[Nimloth]

I'll take your advise and look over it. I guess I'm just too rusty and haven't thought of a way to say , "Okay you people, who have no history together, are free in the world to do whatever you want, and I'll be ready for it."

Stupid decisions lead to catastrophic results. Don't attack the royal guard, they'll kill you. I clearly lay out the motivation for the gate guards. I'll admit that the Guild Master's a bit of a illy defined character but he's just trying to recruit help for his organization. They'd have to pay to join and stay active.

Who says they don't have a history together? They are all graduated at the same time from the same place. How big is the Adventurer’s Academy? When they are making characters just say "You all have spent the last few years going to school together and know each other." I would also suggest that DM direction is not a roleplaying sin, especially in the 1st adventure. Don't give them the option of running around town. Just start them in the Adventurers Guild talking to the Guildmaster.

Trial 1
What challenge is there? While I'm all for giving xp for roleplay, this "You tell a story and get xp" seems a little generous compared to the other xp rewards. No risk=no reward.


Trial 2
Again, what challenge is there? You move some sticks and get xp. No risk=no reward.


Trial 3
Finally, a risk. But my 1st thought was, why did they put a water trap on the 3rd floor? Are the floors strong enough to bear all that water? How much water?


Just my thoughts, YMMV.

 

[Trooper Maximus]

Sorry for my frankness. It wasn't well put. The WoW crack was just snarky, on my part.

Thanks for replying back.

I could be wrong about the bats, but just looking at the HP and damage, considering the average HP and ability to harm that a first-level character is capable of. Are you sure it didn't suggest just one of those?

As far as combat encounters go I always reserve the right to have a hit drop a bad guy dead at anytime. If the fight is going poorly the monsters suddenly have less vitality. The good thing is the PC don't know how much health the monsters have.

The challenge itself is pretty interesting. But I suppose my biggest worry is still the wall. As I said before, they may fail one of the first checks they require. While I'm sure you wouldn't PREVENT another solution, you might want to offer another way out in case they muck up and can't think of anything innovative. How long would it take them to "search" the wall? How long if they take 10? Or 20 (probably not enough time)?

1/2 square a round for about 8 rounds gives 4 players 32 attempts. The DC are pretty low and the answer opens itself with two rounds to go.

I did not mean to say there was not enough challenge in the adventure, rather certain parts of it. I guess my comment there (once again, not very well put) was more relating to the disembodied voice. I admire your intention to elicit information from the players. But maybe you could roll some of that into one of the roleplaying encounters?

I agree that enticing the players is one of the hardest challenges of starting a campaign. But I've found that my players tend to cut me a bit of slack in this respect. I tend to railroad quite a bit in the first adventure, or several adventures. But I try to leave the players a bit of room to screw around.

Yeah especially since non of my prospective player have played under me, or before to the best of my knowledge.

How about after the graduation scene (which brings back grim memories of high school!) you let them go and spend a few coppers in the pub? It would let them ask questions about the town from some of the locals. If you haven't got the notes for everything they ask, improvise a bit and write down your thoughts for future reference. At this point, you could conveniently introduce the guild. "Hey. This is a guild bar. Don't go thinking you can come in here just 'cuz you're out of the academy."

This was my intention. I should have written it in.

They might get in a little scuffle (tough talkers and bullies generally run if they're losing), but they'll probably wanting to end up joining the guild.

Sorry again for my first posts. My intention was to offer some support for your commendable efforts, as part of this community. But I was tired and short on time, so I didn't take the time to consider my words and to offer something constructive. Hope it goes well!

I'm just glad you responded. I admit that the adventure is simple and unbelievable but my intention is to gently ease novice players into the game.

It really is a "gimmie 2nd lvl" session and I intended it as such.

 

[Trooper Maximus]

Who says they don't have a history together? They are all graduated at the same time from the same place. How big is the Adventurer’s Academy? When they are making characters just say "You all have spent the last few years going to school together and know each other." I would also suggest that DM direction is not a roleplaying sin, especially in the 1st adventure. Don't give them the option of running around town. Just start them in the Adventurers Guild talking to the Guildmaster.

The PC have history but the players do not. That's what I was saying. I guess it didn't come off that way.

Trial 1
What challenge is there? While I'm all for giving xp for roleplay, this "You tell a story and get xp" seems a little generous compared to the other xp rewards. No risk=no reward.

I don't know how well they'll take to roleplaying and I want to give them a reward for it. That's all.

Trial 2
Again, what challenge is there? You move some sticks and get xp. No risk=no reward.

The idea is to get them used to seeing things like this in the game. It is uneblievably simple, I know, but again, my virgin players may need kid gloves.

Trial 3
Finally, a risk. But my 1st thought was, why did they put a water trap on the 3rd floor? Are the floors strong enough to bear all that water? How much water?

I didn't want them to be able to flee as easy. I dunno it seems sort of exotic to me and kinda scary.

Just my thoughts, YMMV.

Thanks.