How to Use Hard Cover Adventures in AL League Play

[ArwensDaughter]

So, as I understand it, both season 6 (TfYP) and season 7 (TOA) of AL league play depend heavily on the published (hardcover) adventures to fill out the season, in contrast to earlier seasons when the adventures were "parallel" to the hardcover adventures. I'm trying to figure out how this works. Here are (at least some) of my questions in that regard:

1) How does one split the hardcover adventures up into 2 or 4 hour sessions, allowing for different party configurations with each session?

2) Is there an equivalent to the "adjustment" sidebars in the AL modules that help DMs adjust encounters depending on the number and level of the party members?

3) Are there story awards, downtime awards, and per character XP awards as in the AL modules?

I've been running an AL style (though not official AL) game at our local library, working with season 5 (SKT) tier one modules. We are almost done with the tier 1 modules, it sounds like trying to run the tier 2 modules would create timeline issues, so I'm looking at moving to another season, but after season 5, there aren't enough AL modules on DMsGuild to last us very long. We have a max of 3 hours per session, but once you allow for gathering at the front end and takedown at the back end, it's more like 2 to 2-1/2 hours of play time per session, and while there are a number of regulars, the composition of the group does vary from week to week.

 

[Caliban]

You can always run mods from Season's 1-6. Most mods are intended to be run in 4 hour sessions, but there are a number of 1 hour and 2 hour mods available.

 

[ArwensDaughter]

You can always run mods from Season's 1-6. Most mods are intended to be run in 4 hour sessions, but there are a number of 1 hour and 2 hour mods available.

I could, and I may decide I have to go that route, but there are several issues with doing my so:

• Previous Seasons are earlier in the timeline (especially an issue with TOD since there are references to it's end in SKT AL mods)
• There are very few 2 hour mods prior to season 4, so running a consistent storyline over time is hard
• I am decidedly NOT into horror or vampires, so COS (which does have more 2 hour mods) is out for me
• Season 6 (TfYP) only has 3 AL mods (aside from the hardback), one at each of the first 3 tiers

If I stick with the separate 2-4 hour mods, my best best is probably to continue with the SKT modules, and just ignore the chronology problems that creates.

I'd still like some input on my original questions, though. I found a little bit of info in the DDAL Dungeon Master's Guide, but more clarity would be appreciated since:

a) I will probably use "A Great Upheaval" (aka chapter 1 of SKT) to try and get the regulars up to level 5 so we can move to tier 2 adventures (especially if we are continuing with SKT modules)

b) I and at least one of my players has an interest in getting to Chult eventually.

 

[darjr]

3) Check the AL DM's guide and the FAQ. Ask if you have any other questions. The XP is in the mod with some advice in this seasons guides/FAQ. The rest come from the AL Guides and FAQ.

2) No adjustment advice given, go with the rules for making encounters t adjust. The Unearthed Arcana article has proven very useful for this. Just note that groups of bad guys can be more deadly than a single bad guy.

1) There isn't any advice. You can use whatever fits the story. Sometimes new players are random prizoners or they wandered in from the jungle lost. This is a great oppourtunity to really let your imagination work over time.

 

[ArwensDaughter]

Thanks @darjr. I did find the AL DMs guide after I posted this, and that did help. If I have more questions later, I'll ask.

Unfortunately, the lack of some of the resources I asked about means using the hardcovers is a lot more work, and I'm already struggling to have time to prep the separate AL modules. Given that AL has moved to relying more and more on the hardcovers, I wish that they would have created a "conversion guide" for the season that would provide more guidance for adjustments and adapting to 2-4 hour "drop in" session.

 

[cmad1977]

Grab them firmly by the bottom. You'll want to use both hands. Swing hard for the heads of your players when they're being fools.


Works for me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[darjr]

You can ask your players as a gentleman's agreement not to take those characters into other things. Then you can run it more or less as a home game but with AL rules. See the FAQ "Can Parts be Replayed".

Scaling is really the same as it always is. The side bars in the mods are very convenient but not difficult to do on your own, on the fly even. Though there is a spoiler thread about running the mod. I wonder if someone would do the work to come up with scaling advice. I'd ask there.

 

[ArwensDaughter]

You can ask your players as a gentleman's agreement not to take those characters into other things. Then you can run it more or less as a home game but with AL rules. See the FAQ "Can Parts be Replayed".

Fortunately, this is not an issue. The game I run is quite literally the only AL style game in town. The next closest is 25 miles away, and on school nights. With the exception of myself, the entire table are highschool students, most of whom don't yet have driver's licenses. At least half the table has me keep their character sheets between games.

Though there is a spoiler thread about running the mod. I wonder if someone would do the work to come up with scaling advice. I'd ask there.

Good idea. Can you point me to the thread? I looked in the AL forum here and didn't find it.

Is there a way to provide feedback to the AL admins? I'd gladly pay (a reasonable price) for a document that covers the questions I asked above for the entire season. For me, a reasonable price would be $5-10 (US) to cover those points for a hardback adventure. Maybe something for them to think about as they transition to this new way to handle AL games. Two things I really appreciate about the DDAL modules were 1) They are easy to prep and 2) They have a lot of guidance for new DMS (and I still consider myself in this category)

 

[jasper]

1. I just look at my watch and say go.
2. Discover the LEVEL and TIER of hardcover chapter/dungeon/etc. Then it is Renown 1 per 4 hrs of game play.
Downtime Days 5 per 2 hrs of game play.
here is the calculation.
Party Composition Party Strength
3-4 characters, APL less than Very weak, 3-4 characters, APL equivalent Weak,
3-4 characters, APL greater than Average, 5 characters, APL less than Weak
5 characters, APL equivalent Average, 5 characters, APL greater than Strong
6-7 characters, APL less than Average, 6-7 characters, APL equivalent Strong
6-7 characters, APL greater than Very strong 

3. was answered in 2.

 

[ArwensDaughter]

I thought I'd follow up for those who might be in a similar boat.

Thanks to being in a campaign on D&D Beyond where the DM turned on content sharing and she (or someone) has TOA, I've been able to read through parts of it. Having done so, I'm feeling more confident about being able to run it at our table, without too much extra work. Since they will be starting at level 5 (barring a TPK at the end of Siege of Parnast), I think I won't have to ratchet encounters down, at least not at first. Adding difficulty is (for me) a lot easier than reducing it.

I can also see how creating the kind of guiding document I wanted would be pretty difficult with TOA. It is VERY sandboxy. I'm excited about that, but it is quite a contrast from the separate AL modules which tend to be (by necessity) pretty railroady.

Once they are in the jungle, it will actually be easier to add characters to the party than explain the absence of a "regular." I'm thinking I'll make a list of those players who want someone else to run their character on weeks they are gone, and those that don't. Maybe the ones who don't will get trapped in a fey crossing or the like. (They have some experience with that from the SKT AL mods.

If we end up with a TPK, I may use Return of the Lizard King to start them off, then segueing into TOA. It looks like a better option than the AL starter for Tier 1 characters, and since I don't run an official AL table, I have that flexibility.