So I've been running a campaign for a couple months or so now using the Rise of the Runelords AP (minor spoilers ahead), and last night the party finally reached the haunted manor (in the Skinsaw Murders module), where they began to experience the various Haunts as they explored the place. Now, I really love the concept and I think its been quite fun thus far - I think I'll definitely be keeping it in mind for future games. I did, however, tweak their mechanics from how they're written up in the module. I'm wondering: did anybody else see potential or actual problems from using them with the given mechanics?
By default, the haunts work kinda like traps, and their effects are tied to the rooms in which they're located. Most of them are keyed to act only against a particular person, varying from haunt to haunt. If one goes off on you, you'll have to make one or more saves to keep something pretty bad from happening to you. If, however, you succeed on some given check to notice them (usually Spot, Listen, or Wisdom), you can roll initiative and act in a surprise round with the haunt. If you roll well enough to act before the haunt, the module notes that you can try to turn undead on it. If the turn succeeds, then the haunt is exorcised and nothing bad happens.
In other words, if you happen to be playing the cleric you might get to do something cool. Ok, that's fine. Other characters instead might get themselves a standard action to do... what exactly? Barring some action to bolster their own saves, the only effective choice I can imagine is simply walking out of the room. At that point, how should the DM rule? If the haunt still goes off, then why bother having them roll initiative? If the haunt doesn't go off, then the most viable solution is, well, kinda boring and rather unheroic.
For my game, I decided that instead of bothering to roll initiative upon successfully noticing a clue to the haunt, I would secretly give the player a small bonus on whatever saves the haunt requires. That way, I figured my players would at the very least still get the fun of experiencing the haunt but stand a much better chance of avoiding its nasty effects. It seemed to work out pretty well, although two of my players quickly became very cautious, allowing the rest of the party to explore new rooms while they staying behind.
Am I missing anything in my assessment of the default mechanics? Any potential problems with my house rule that I just haven't seen?
By default, the haunts work kinda like traps, and their effects are tied to the rooms in which they're located. Most of them are keyed to act only against a particular person, varying from haunt to haunt. If one goes off on you, you'll have to make one or more saves to keep something pretty bad from happening to you. If, however, you succeed on some given check to notice them (usually Spot, Listen, or Wisdom), you can roll initiative and act in a surprise round with the haunt. If you roll well enough to act before the haunt, the module notes that you can try to turn undead on it. If the turn succeeds, then the haunt is exorcised and nothing bad happens.
In other words, if you happen to be playing the cleric you might get to do something cool. Ok, that's fine. Other characters instead might get themselves a standard action to do... what exactly? Barring some action to bolster their own saves, the only effective choice I can imagine is simply walking out of the room. At that point, how should the DM rule? If the haunt still goes off, then why bother having them roll initiative? If the haunt doesn't go off, then the most viable solution is, well, kinda boring and rather unheroic.
For my game, I decided that instead of bothering to roll initiative upon successfully noticing a clue to the haunt, I would secretly give the player a small bonus on whatever saves the haunt requires. That way, I figured my players would at the very least still get the fun of experiencing the haunt but stand a much better chance of avoiding its nasty effects. It seemed to work out pretty well, although two of my players quickly became very cautious, allowing the rest of the party to explore new rooms while they staying behind.
Am I missing anything in my assessment of the default mechanics? Any potential problems with my house rule that I just haven't seen?
