Game Show from Hell

Hairy Minotaur said:
I realize it’s a short description, does this sound too complicated? Too….. Something? Are there any suggestions to make it better?


Sounds cool. Might want to make character creation Core only, make the trivia only from the PH (and open book), and make a list of the available creatures so you can be completely prepared in advance (except for what actually happens at the table, of course).
 

log in or register to remove this ad


Ran the Game Show yesterday, here's a list of the players:

A Dragon Shaman who chose a Girrallon as his creature

An Ogre Barbarian who chose a Human Bard as his creature

An elven sorcerer who chose a Bralani Eladrin as his creature

A Human Bard who chose a Megaraptor as his creature

An elven Shifter who chose a Tendriculous as his creature

A Teifling Warlock who chose a Mezzoloth as his creature

One player didn't show so the last three spots were taken up by me

I chose a gnome sorcerer with a Chraal

A Fiendish Incarnate Stone Golem with a Wyvern

and an Arrow Demon with a Plague Blight

Round 1 had a total of 40 questions, each of the 9 teams were guaranteed 2 questions and then the rest were asked in a toss up style, all questions are based on player knowledge. Correct answers are in ( ) at the end of the question, all answers are only in the three 3.5 core rulebooks

The Shifter went first and was asked:
1) What is the CR of a ROC? [sblock](9)[/sblock] guessed wrong
2) What is the height, in feet, of a colossal monstrous spider? [sblock](10')[/sblock]guessed wrong

The Warlock went next:
1) What base type is a Triton? [sblock](Outsider)[/sblock] guessed wrong
2) What is the range increment of a heavy catapult? [sblock](200')[/sblock] guessed wrong

The Barbarian went next:
1) What Dire animal is still sized small? [sblock](Rat)[/sblock] correctly answered
2) 5 ranks in Knowledge (History) grants you a +2 synergy bonus to what? [sblock](Bardic Knowledge Check)[/sblock] correctly answered

The three DM teams went next, I used a DC 15 intelligence check for them and only got one of these answered correctly, here are the questions nonetheless:
1) What core race gets a -2 STR and +2 CON to start? [sblock](Gnome)[/sblock]
2) How many Slaad types are listed? [sblock](5)[/sblock]
3) What maximum level can you get with a leadership score of 20? [sblock](14th)[/sblock]
4) What is the range increment of Alchemist Fire? [sblock](10')[/sblock]
5) What is the highest number of adult population a small city can have before it is declared a large city? [sblock](12,000)[/sblock]
6) Which political system do gnomes favor? [sblock](Monarchies)[/sblock]

The Dragon Shaman went next:
1) What is the size category of a 22HD mind flayer? [sblock](Medium)[/sblock] guessed wrong
2) What is the range increment of a laser pistol? [sblock](40')[/sblock] correctly answered

The Elven Sorcerer went next:
1) How many Sphinx types are listed? [sblock](4)[/sblock] correctly answered
2) What minimum caster level do you need to be in order to make Murlynd's Spoon?" [sblock](5th)[/sblock]guessed wrong

The Human bard went last:
1) What is the retry DC for a pick pocket attempt after 1 failure? [sblock](30)[/sblock]guessed wrong
2) What feat is needed to craft a Friend Shield? [sblock](Forge Ring)[/sblock]guessed wrong

Then the toss ups began, everyone could guess once and there was no penalty for wrong guesses, after the automatic 2 questions, the Ogre Barbarian was leading.

1) What is the month and year of the first printing of the 3.5 core rulebooks? [sblock](July 2003)[/sblock] no right answers, closest were July 2002 and October 2003)

2) Of Clerics, Druids, and Wizards/Sorcerers, which of these classes does not get the spell True Seeing until 7th level? [sblock](Druid)[/sblock]answered correctly by the Elven Sorcerer's player

3) The maximum light load for a character with 10 STR is? [sblock](33 lbs)[/sblock] answered correctly by the Shifter

4) Does dismounting a horse, provoke an AoO? [sblock](no)[/sblock] answered correctly by the Ogre Barbarian

5) How much does an untrained hireling cost per day? [sblock](1 silver)[/sblock]answered correctly by the Warlock

6) What is the armor check penalty for Masterwork Banded Mail? [sblock](-5)[/sblock] answered correctly by the Ogre Barbarian

7) What is the minimum ability score needed to get a bonus 9th level spell? [sblock](28)[/sblock] answered correctly by the shifter

8) What deity has the domains: Death, Law, and Magic? [sblock](Wee Jas)[/sblock]answered correctly by the Elven Sorcerer

9) What wondrous magic item has the highest listed market price? [sblock](Mirror of Life Trapping)[/sblock] no correct answers, the closest was Sphere of Annihilation

10) What minimum arcane caster level would you need to be to gain an Ice Mephit as a familiar? [sblock](7th)[/sblock]answered correctly by the shifter

11) What's the point buy cost to go from ability score 16 to 17? [sblock](3 points)[/sblock] answered correctly by the Warlock

12) What is the dominate elemental trait for the Heroic Domains of Ysgard? [sblock](none, they are all in balance)[/sblock] no correct answers

13) What is the base DC to craft a trap of CR 6? [sblock](25)[/sblock] correctly answered by the Warlock

14) What is the only dragon whose wyrmling is CR 4? [sblock](Gold)[/sblock]no correct answers

15) Other than dragons, what is the only other creature whose CR is higher than a Tarrasque? [sblock](Titan)[/sblock]correctly answered by the shifter

16) What is the subtype for Will-O-Wisp? [sblock](Air)[/sblock] no correct answers

17) What is the reach of a Roper's strand attack? [sblock](50')[/sblock] correctly answered by the Barbarian

18) What are 3 of the 4 subtypes of a Hellhound? [sblock](Evil, Fire, Lawful, Extraplaner)[/sblock]no correct answers, most people said Infernal as a subtype and no one said Lawful

19) What is the base speed of a Colossal Animated Object with multiple legs? [sblock](30)[/sblock] correctly answered by the Shifter

20) What clerical domain gets the spell Time Stop? [sblock](Trickery)[/sblock]no correct answers

Each correct question granted the player a magic item which had a value assigned, after this round the values were totaled and the ranking were as follows from highest value total to lowest:

1) Ogre Barbarian
2) Warlock
3) Shifter
4) Dragon Shaman
5) Elven Sorcerer
6) Gnome Sorcerer
7) Arrow Demon
8) Fiendish Incarnate Stone Golem
9) Human Bard

The next round was a creature skill test and first up was the Barbarian's Human Bard versus the Human Bard's Megaraptor in an endurance swim test.

Swimming in 20 degree icy waters, the Megaraptor made it to 90 feet before it failed 3 swim checks and sank beneath the water, apparently buoyed by alcohol the Human Bard of the Barbarian's player never failed a swim check. Winner is the Barbarian's team

Next up was a jump competition between the Warlock's Mezzoloth and the Golem's Wyvern. Jumping across progressively farther pits in a desert so there was no running starts. The Mezzoloth made it's first jump but failed the second and fell, the Wyvern had no problems. Winner, the Fiendish Incarnate Stone Golem's team

Next was a Climb test for the Shifter's Tendriculous and the Gnome's Chraal. Climbing a 100' rough cliff in Pandemonium with 50mph winds coming at you from a different direction each round. The Chraal never makes it higher than 20' of the ground while the huge plant makes short work of the climb. Winner, the Shifter's team

Last is a run til you puke test on the Plains of Gehenna in 140 degree heat, between the Elven's Bralani and the Dragon Shaman's Girrallon. Both creatures make it fifteen minutes of running before the Bralani fails a constitution roll and pukes. Interestingly though, the Girrallon would've only survived another round anyway before it would have succumbed to the real damage of heat. Winner Dragon Shaman's team.

The Arrow Demon's creature did not need to compete so won by default.

My next post will focus on Rounds 3 (The Running Man portion) and 4 (Battle Royal), and comments and observations on how to improve this should I run it again.
 
Last edited:

Round 3 was two teams searching for a single scepter hidden on a 240' x 200' playing field. The playing field contained 3 magma pits with a central 5' diameter island, and also 3 brackish icy ponds. The items were hidden in one of those 6 features and placement of the item varied for each of the two teams competing at the time. Also on the playing field were two Fiendish Earth Elementals to welcome the party.

First up was Team Elven Sorcerer vs. Team Human Bard

The Elven team came out and immediately went to work blasting away at the Megaraptor. The dino got 2 moves in before it succumbed to the sorcerer's fireballs, the Bralani's lightning bolts, and a full attack from an elemental. It didn't take long for the Bard to fall victim to an Ottiluke's Resilient Sphere and team Human Bard was done. The sorcerer cast Fly on himself and stayed well out of reach of the elementals while the Bralani searched at it's leisure and found the scepter. Winner: Team Elven Sorcerer.

Next it's Team Dragon Shaman vs. Team Gnome Sorcerer. The gnome team holds back as both elementals engage Team Dragon Shaman, the Girrallon makes short work of it's elemental and the teams up to destroy the other one. The Chraal moves into an icy pond and blasts away at Team Dragon Shaman with it's icy breath while the Gnome blasts Team Dragon Shaman with Fireballs. Team Dragon Shaman falls quickly after they defeat the elementals. Winner: Team Gnome

Next up is Team Shifter vs. Team Barbarian. At the outset, both teams agree to wipe out the elementals first and then decide what to do after that. The Barbarian moves into the icy water in front of his starting position and immediately finds the scepter, thus winning the round on the first initiative with an amazing search roll even with a -2 modifier. Winner: Team Barbarian

Last up is Team Warlock vs. Team Fiendish Incarnate Stone Golem. The wyvern ascended and harassed the Mezzoloth while the Warlock scurried around trying to avoid the two elementals while blasting away at the Golem. The Golem falls as the two elementals finally catch and pulp the Warlock, however the last laugh is gained by Team Warlock as the Mezzoloth finds the scepter in a pool of magma while the wyvern was circling. Winner: Team Warlock

After this round the values were added again and Team Barbarian was still in the lead, so he got to chose whether he placed he team first or last on the battle royal battlefield. He chose last forcing Team Elven Sorcerer to place first.

As this round was very chaotic, I'll go over the deaths and major happenings: Initiative was won by Team Gnome and Team Arrow Demon, a fireball into the midst of Team Dragon Shaman and Team Barbarian along with 4 hits from the Arrow demon's bow into the Dragon Shaman start the melee. The Chraal enters the fray after the fireball into Team Dragon Shaman. Team Human Bard beats Team Elven Sorcerer in initiative and to pay back for round 3 defeat, the Megaraptor destroys the Elven Sorcerer.

The Tendriculous throws a bead from a Necklace of Fireballs at the Team Dragon Shaman and Team Barbarian and the Chraal. The Chraal is destroyed, however it's death throws kill the Dragon Shaman as well, and knock the Barbarian unconscious.

The Wyvern advances and gets pummeled by the Girrallon, an eldritch blast later it too dies. The Human Bard races to the Gnome Sorcerer and Arrow Demon and they both fail a save vs. Tasha's Hideous Laughter. The Mezzoloth tries to summon another Mezzoloth, but it's summoning is broken up by the Megaraptor who then eats the Warlock. The Shifter turns into a Girrallon and along with Team Dragon Shaman's Girrallon they both kill the Fiendish Incarnate Stone Golem, Team Fiendish Incarnate Stone Golem is eliminated. The Bralani throws a Lightning Bolt and kills Team Dragon Shaman's Girrallon and Team Dragon Shaman is eliminated.

The Bralani flies down and heals the Barbarian and they agree to a nonaggression pact, the Megaraptor falls to the combined might of the Bralani and Mezzoloth. The Tendriculous enters a lake and hides there under black water. The Mezzoloth throws Cloudkill at the Gnome and Arrow Demon, eventually killing the Gnome and Team Gnome Sorcerer is eliminated.

The Mezzoloth and Barbarian engage each other, the Bralani kills the Arrow Demon and the Plague Blight and Team Arrow Demon is eliminated.

Remaining on the board is Team Shifter intact, Team Barbarian intact, the Mezzoloth, and the Human Bard. With time running out the game ends with the Tendriculous still hiding underwater, the Mezzoloth and Barbarian fighting to a standstill, the Bralani and Shifter going at it, and the Human Bard trying to avoid everybody, and Team Barbarian's Human Bard going invisible and everyone forgetting about him.

So no clear winner, much to the chagrin of the players (wives and "their be home by this time....."*) :mad:

In hindsight, rounds 2 and 3 while they went quick will need to either be changed or dropped as they didn't really add anything in their current form to the game. (other than to make Team Elven Sorcerer a target for Team Human Bard)

Any comments or suggestions are welcome, I always strive to improve my games.

Thanks for "listening"


* I love you honey :heh:
 



Nareau said:
This looks great! Any chance you could put spoiler tags around the question answers? I'd love to test myself.

Nareau

I will work on that, it was late when I wrote this up and I was too tired to do that extra step on the end of 30 or so lines of text. :o


Pogre said:
Good game HM!

Thanks! Pogre played in the game, I won't say which team he had, other than he was not Team Dragon Shaman, which was the only player team eliminated in round 4.

And it's always a well run game when the people you're playing with know the rules and try to have fun first than try to "win" the game first. The game had 3 other ENWorlders other than myself playing.
 



It ended up not being a problem, the best item that anyone could've gotten would have been something to increase your initiative.

Both Team Human Bard and Team Elven Sorcerer knew that between the two of them, whomever got the initiative would get the other team in a vise.

The only reason the tendriculous survived was because the entire Team Shifter hid underwater after the defeat of the Fiendish Incarnate Stone Golem. Near the end of the time limit, the tendriculous was stuck on the other side of a large flowing magma river. Had the Shifter fallen it would've been easy pickings for anything with a ranged attack.

The interesting thing was when the players looted their own fallen teamates for items, it helped the Bralani and the Human Bard looted the downed Warlock for a Wand of Magic Missiles.
 

Remove ads

Top