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How to make an encounter with falling great distances interesting and dangerous, but not deadly?
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 7535050" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>Yes, totally. In addition to five defined obstacles, I had the players roll for complications whenever they failed a check, dawdled too much (I kept this to a minimum, preferring to say after a bit "5 minutes pass" and check off time on the encounter clock), attempted to "brute force" a challenge, or presented me with a golden opportunity. My table (which is incomplete & I was rushed to prepare) was inspired by [MENTION=6696971]Manbearcat[/MENTION]'s suggestion and looked like this when we sat down to game...</p><p></p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Make a monster, danger, or location move (d6): </strong>An ominous rasping comes from around a blind corner... (1) Rocks fall; 4d6 damage, DC 15 Dexterity save for half. (2) Curious young <strong>aarakocra</strong>, must make DC 10 Concentration saves each round to sustain spells until shooed away, treatment may affect Reputation. (3) Nothing there! A <strong>mimic</strong> disguised as walkway! (4) Surprise encounter with<strong> air elemental </strong>coming to/going from Kir Sabal, spooked Whirlwind Attack (DC 13 Strength save or 3d8+2 damage and flung 20’ in random direction). (4) Surprise encounter with a cliff-dwelling <strong>basilisk</strong>, spooked Petrifying Gaze (DC 12 Constitution save or begin petrifying, extremities first, takes a long time for it to wear off, negating any climbing speed until a short or long rest). (5) Swarm of archaeopteryx (<strong>blood hawk</strong> stats). (6) ??</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Reveal an unwelcome truth:</strong> Humanoid skeletons reveal signs of being bound at the wrists, hinting at the aarakocra having dealt with would-be thieves or betrayers very harshly.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Show signs of approaching threat:</strong> Strong Winds (30-50 mph) signal approaching rains, force flyers to land or fall, restrict verbal communication, need a free hand to stabilize, and 1-in-6 chance of loose items (e.g. capes, cloaks, hats, scarves, open satchels, scrolls without cases, etc) being torn free and falling off cliff.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Deal damage:</strong> Need a 10-minute rest or else make a DC 10 Constitution save against exhaustion. OR kick down debris dealing 3d6 to 1-3 characters below.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Use up their resources (d4):</strong> 1. Climbing gear (rope / pitons), 2. Backpack snags and potion falls out, 3. Belt pouch / spell components pouch torn and contents falls out, 4. Quiver upends spilling out arrows.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Turn their move back on them</strong></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Separate them:</strong> Section of walkway collapses after a fall, separating the fallen PC from the party.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Target an ally:</strong> Artus, Dragonbait, Scomett’s archaeopteryx encounters a flock of aggressive archaeopteryxes, Ma’o (velociraptor) nervous of height, Eater of Ferns (giant lizard) confused over which way to climb.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Show downside to class/race/equipment:</strong> Tangled in rope, stabbed by piton (1d4 and can’t use leg/arm), ??</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Offer an opportunity, with or without cost</strong></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Put someone in a spot</strong></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Tell them the requirements/consequences and ask (“yes, but…”)</strong></li> </ol><p></p><p>During play, they rolled #3, #4, #5, #6, #8, and #11.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 7535050, member: 20323"] Yes, totally. In addition to five defined obstacles, I had the players roll for complications whenever they failed a check, dawdled too much (I kept this to a minimum, preferring to say after a bit "5 minutes pass" and check off time on the encounter clock), attempted to "brute force" a challenge, or presented me with a golden opportunity. My table (which is incomplete & I was rushed to prepare) was inspired by [MENTION=6696971]Manbearcat[/MENTION]'s suggestion and looked like this when we sat down to game... [list=1][*][B]Make a monster, danger, or location move (d6): [/B]An ominous rasping comes from around a blind corner... (1) Rocks fall; 4d6 damage, DC 15 Dexterity save for half. (2) Curious young [B]aarakocra[/B], must make DC 10 Concentration saves each round to sustain spells until shooed away, treatment may affect Reputation. (3) Nothing there! A [B]mimic[/B] disguised as walkway! (4) Surprise encounter with[B] air elemental [/B]coming to/going from Kir Sabal, spooked Whirlwind Attack (DC 13 Strength save or 3d8+2 damage and flung 20’ in random direction). (4) Surprise encounter with a cliff-dwelling [B]basilisk[/B], spooked Petrifying Gaze (DC 12 Constitution save or begin petrifying, extremities first, takes a long time for it to wear off, negating any climbing speed until a short or long rest). (5) Swarm of archaeopteryx ([B]blood hawk[/B] stats). (6) ?? [*][B]Reveal an unwelcome truth:[/B] Humanoid skeletons reveal signs of being bound at the wrists, hinting at the aarakocra having dealt with would-be thieves or betrayers very harshly. [*][B]Show signs of approaching threat:[/B] Strong Winds (30-50 mph) signal approaching rains, force flyers to land or fall, restrict verbal communication, need a free hand to stabilize, and 1-in-6 chance of loose items (e.g. capes, cloaks, hats, scarves, open satchels, scrolls without cases, etc) being torn free and falling off cliff. [*][B]Deal damage:[/B] Need a 10-minute rest or else make a DC 10 Constitution save against exhaustion. OR kick down debris dealing 3d6 to 1-3 characters below. [*][B]Use up their resources (d4):[/B] 1. Climbing gear (rope / pitons), 2. Backpack snags and potion falls out, 3. Belt pouch / spell components pouch torn and contents falls out, 4. Quiver upends spilling out arrows. [*][B]Turn their move back on them[/B] [*][B]Separate them:[/B] Section of walkway collapses after a fall, separating the fallen PC from the party. [*][B]Target an ally:[/B] Artus, Dragonbait, Scomett’s archaeopteryx encounters a flock of aggressive archaeopteryxes, Ma’o (velociraptor) nervous of height, Eater of Ferns (giant lizard) confused over which way to climb. [*][B]Show downside to class/race/equipment:[/B] Tangled in rope, stabbed by piton (1d4 and can’t use leg/arm), ?? [*][B]Offer an opportunity, with or without cost[/B] [*][B]Put someone in a spot[/B] [*][B]Tell them the requirements/consequences and ask (“yes, but…”)[/B][/list] During play, they rolled #3, #4, #5, #6, #8, and #11. [/QUOTE]
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