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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ProfessorCirno" data-source="post: 5184579" data-attributes="member: 65637">Come on Umbran, we aren't talking about weird and non-existant theoreticals.  We're talking about an existing module.  Keep on the Shadowfell.The damned thing constantly says things like, to quote direct: "An easy way to set a scene is to describe the weather - is it overcast  and damp with a slight hair-ruffling wind? Is the sun blazing down with  scarcely a cloud in the sky? Is the night open to the vault of a million  stars, or does bone chilling rain cut through the darkness?"I dunno.  Does the bone chilling rain cut through the darkness, module?4e modules have all been nothing more then combat slugfests with what little plot there is acting as plot spackle to keep the combat sessions vaguely connected, and one of the reasons why is because it's so terrified of trying to, I don't know, set a scene for itself.  The module writers seem scared out of their skulls to even think about making a statement on what the atmosphere is like, or what an NPC does if you don't immidiately reach for your weapon, or if there should be any kind of flavor text at all.  I've been reading through some Paizo modules, and they all have a small section for morale on what the enemy does when low on health.  What do monsters in Keep on the Shadowfell do when low on health?  Nothing!  They're there to die, and nothing more.  The only time they'd ever run away is if there's a second encounter you need to meet them at, or they need to grab more enemies to throw at you.  There's no surrendering, no running away, no pleading for mercy.Here's the problem, and it's the direct opposite of the hammer/nail.  When everything is a nail, the only tool players will use is a hammer.  When every monster in every 4e module exists only as a combat blob, yes, the players are always going to do nothing more then "Initiative, attack!"  When monsters are written to be incapable of doing anything but dying on the players' sword, then the players will - rightfully so - assume that's the entire purpose of all the monsters.Kalarel has a spy in Winterhaven.  Ignoring how hilariously obvious that spy is, what can the players do with her?  Well, they can kill her.  That's it.  There's no convincing her to switch sides.  There's no talking to her.  You can't trick her out of giving more information then she meant to.  You can't spy on her and watch for her communicating with Kalarel.  We don't even know why she serves Kalarel in the first place.  Her entire purpose, despite potentially being a great big plot device to help shape the module and give Kalarel flavor, is to be really obviously suspicious, and then bite it in a graveyard.  There's so much potential there, and it's flat out gone.  That's how it is with all the NPCs - they're either two or three lines of exposition and a quest line, or they go "Rargh!" and attack you, and then you kill them.  There aren't any cunning double crosses or intriguing non-combat moments with NPCs, there's no setting two enemies against each other, no making backhand deals or sneaking through side doors and evading the enemy.  Just one linear line and a bunch of combat blobs between you and the unexplained goal.</blockquote>

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