How much is too Much? (RttTOEE) (spoilers)

[Gumby]

There's really nothing wrong with the party taking a break from the CRM. My players got sick and tired of them after finishing off the water temple (working clockwise), and took off to go make magic items out of compressed treasure through the magic of their xp. I threw some fun random encounters at them along the ways back and forth, to level them up. Then when they came back, they found the CRM was the new adventuring hot-spot, but that the newb adventurers weren't good enough to get into the Outer Fane without dying. The PCs walked through the dead and into the Fane without having to pace down endless train tracks, hundreds of bugbears, and crazy cultists.

Then they got disintegrated by Hedrack, but that's another story. The CRM is the least plotty of the three/four big parts of the module; feel free to substitute something more fun if you wish.

 

[borc killer]

Right now we have:

6th level Wizard (conjurer)
5th level Aasimar sorcerer
6th level Astral Deva
6th level Bard (he has lost three characters in three weeks)
5th level cleric (cohort of the wizard)

QUOTE]

First off they need more tanks. I would not worry to much about it because half of them will be dead soon and can just start over as fighters...

As for my groups loses... 2 tpk with the dragon in the mote house (so 10 right there)... almost a tpk at the front gates of the volcano... and about 5 more kills once they got in side. so just under 20 i think.

My players thought i was evil before i ran it... but at least i get to be a player for a while now... they want to teach me what it feals like to die over and over again LOL.

Borc Killer

 

[Sir Whiskers]

So, how many casualties should there be on average throughout the entire module? What have people had at the end?10?20?5?

Note: my comments are as player, not GM (though I skimmed the module after we finished it).

10-15 for our group, but we didn't clean out the whole thing. We (like so many groups) got bored of the CRM, so the GM encouraged us to move on. Without giving anything away, I can tell you that the challenge of the module jumps dramatically between areas, which we found out the hard way. Also, once the party starts facing off against opponents in the teen-levels, watch out: save-or-die spells accounted for a majority of our party deaths. Further warning: an unbalanced party can be dead meat in a hurry.

A smart GM will break up the action on a regular basis, giving the party time and incentive to do other things. This will not only help the players keep interest, but also give them some needed xp's and - more importantly - magic items. Side treks to gain more info on the Temple and what's going on would be perfect, as the module (IMO) doesn't do a very good job of providing this to the players. Your party will have to actively seek out good info.

Specific tips:
*Encourage the other players to scout, explore, research - whatever it takes to give you an edge, as some of the encounters can easily TPK an unwary party.
*Plan on crafting/enchanting any specific magic items your party needs.
*Boost your saves.
*Develop a few standard combat plans (say the first 3 rounds, similar to what the 3.5 MM has done with some monsters).
*Consider using the buddy system.
*Don't split the party.
*If in doubt, REST. Resist the urge to go on to "just one more" room/area.
*Don't be afraid to run.

 

[Vocenoctum]

A smart GM will break up the action on a regular basis, giving the party time and incentive to do other things. This will not only help the players keep interest, but also give them some needed xp's and - more importantly - magic items.

I basically was going to just use the temple's as "filler encounters" for other adventures. I think some of them have some decent stuff to them. But, I've got so many such "fill in encounters" and end up making everything myself usually.

 

[Pbartender]

Our group tried play through the RttToEE a while back. Let me put it this way...

After six months of weekly gaming, our party's average level hadn't increased due to level loss from character deaths and re-introductions.

I was the only player who had a character that survived the entire six months. That was partly due to luck, and partly due to the fact that I played the party wizard, and our group is very good about protecting its wizards.

For us, the challenges seemed intermittant. Either the battles were quite easy (we pasted the hobgoblens at the old temple), or they were nearly impossible (Utreshimon, the blue dragon pasted us... twice).

In the end, we got bored and frustrated with the whole thing, ditched it and started a Spycraft campaign to take a vacation from D&D.

 

[GoldenEagle]

I am currently DMing the Module. My own rule Zero is not that I am always right, it is---It is the DMs (my) job to facilitate everyones FUN.

My players fun and my fun are the number one issue. My players are attached to their characters with full backgrounds. I remind them to be careful before session and I play the module tough. They play pretty smart and we have only had one major problem that led me to the only house rule I have - instant death effects take someone to -1 and they get the stabilization roles.

I also have Terjon the Cleric hang out with the party quite a bit. I find that sending him with my 6 PCs/cohorts allows a pretty fair fight when I am being nasty. I usually put one or two characters down per session (there is a 3rd level spell in the miniatures handbook that allows quickened healing that saves lives) without killing them outright.

I have also used the random encounters as written which has helped the party level quickly. Even with 6 party members and Terjon in the party, no one entered the CRM without being 6th level. Maybe I gave too much XP, but I have found that the party is challenged, having fun, and I am enjoying myself.

Hope that helps.

GE