Impressions from KotS

[Boarstorm]

Here's a question: What happens if you use this ability on someone who's dying? Can they wake up if they roll a 20? Can they die earlier if they fail? Or is that not considered a "saving throw?"

That is a damn good question.

 

[Ferrous]

Does $30 have a different meaning in America. I mean this is only about £15 or about one hours work in an OK job? I really don't understand the seeming moral outrage at having to pay what seems to be a trivial amount of money.

 

[D'karr]

Got my copy, been reading in preparation for running it next week. My overall opinion is similar to most folks ... I like it, but the paper/print quality is a little sketchy. I do have a couple more questions that popped into my head while I was reading:

Spoiler

In the absolute first encounter, I still can't understand the proposed initial positioning of the Kobolds. I've read the FAQ, which points out that the whole map is used, which puts the players further away. But from the setup diagram, several of the kobolds are hiding on the EAST face of their boulders. This is the direction from which the PCs approach, and the text claims that none of the kobolds should be visible until they act, even though from the supposed trigger location (which is practically on top of the ambush), at least two of the kobolds should be in plain sight. Or am I reading things completely wrong?

I don't think it matters much, but I didn't see any official description of how recharge powers work. The last time I saw it discussed here, people seemed to think it was a single die roll (at the end of the turn?) and any powers that matched came back?

Seems clear from the wording, but has it been confirmed (or do other people also believe) that charging provokes AoOs from your target? I can't imagine they'd make a special case of saying that charging provokes if it was the movement past other enemies that triggered it, so I'm guessing it must provoke right up until the attack, but that's a potentially significant rule change from 3.x, especially in the module where many of the minions open up encounters by charging.

Spoiler

It looks like they've decided to abstract away any differences in AC granted by different types of armor, for the purposes of looted magic armor? Presumably, there is some difference in the net AC bonus from different types? All of the magic armor that can be acquired just lists a net +1 bonus to AC, which is probably not the case, depending on what your PC was wearing previously.

Spoiler

Are the PCs supposed to know about Keegan (or learn about him in town?) The flavor on p34 seems to indicate that even the incorrect version of his story is not widely known, but then it suggests using that tale to make the Keep spookier. Unless someone (Valthrun) provides this information, (probably after the PCs have accepted his proposition), then they're not going to be dreading that encounter (and the actual encounter with Keegan will seem quite random). Obviously, it's easy to include this information for the PCs, but again I couldn't tell if I just overlooked something really obvious.

I assume that the 'Use Second Wind' usage of the Heal skill doesn't work on unconscious or dying characters? It's mentioned earlier that healing powers can be used on dying allies, and this can trigger the spending of their surges, even though they're unconscious. But given the separate checks listed for Heal, 'Stabilize the Dying' is completely useless unless 'Use Second Wind' isn't usable in that situation.

... That's it for now.

I easily fixed the kobold positioning problem by having the PCs start from the other end of the map.

The reason why charging states that it provokes is that charging is a standard action, not a move action. By stating that it provokes they avoid having some rules lawyer argue that even though the charging character "moves" through an opponent's threatened square (not the target of the charge) he is not "moving" and therefore does not provoke.

The target of the charge does not get an Opportunity Attack because the charger does not move through a threat area, in relation to the target.

It should have been spelled out more clearly, which I hope has been done in the Core Books.

 

[Ginnel]

Does $30 have a different meaning in America. I mean this is only about £15 or about one hours work in an OK job? I really don't understand the seeming moral outrage at having to pay what seems to be a trivial amount of money.

Ok job = £16K in my opinion which is roughly 1hr and 45mins for the module
your looking at around 30k a year for one hours work being £15 and thats good money

But other than that yeah I don't understand the complaining, £15 for a module with pull out maps yeah why not
I think the Amercians may be spoiled by their really cheap core books

 

[vagabundo]

Okay got my grubby mitts on this today.

A Quick flick through and I likey. It will take a little customising to make it fit my POL campaign, but it has opened up some new stuff from a cultist point of view.

What is with all the Irish names: Keegan and Padraig? I'll have to change them. If I even mention Lord Padriag my playa's will crack up and call him paddy for the next 10 sessions. I know a few keegans too, it will have to go.

<btw I am irish>

 

[ForbidenMaster]

Does $30 have a different meaning in America. I mean this is only about £15 or about one hours work in an OK job? I really don't understand the seeming moral outrage at having to pay what seems to be a trivial amount of money.

Its not a lot of money, but just like in the UK its the same amount as one of the core books. Now given what you get with a core book and what you get with the module there is an argument to be made. I personally am not buying it because I wont be able to run it and is of no use to me, but if I had a chance to run it I would definitely pick it up.

 

[hong]

See, now you make me have to explain myself. This is what I had in mind when I wrote it.

1) It's a slam on 1st/2nd edition, where the only reason you'd play a rogue was role play because the class was nigh useless after about 9th level - even with being 2-3 levels ahead of the other classes. It would help if you knew that I almost always played thieves in 1st edition.
2) It's a slam on 3rd edition, because while the game got more balanced, you still had to power game extensively to make a rogue playable beyond 13th level, and even then you were often nigh unto useless (no traps, surrounded by undead and constructs).
3) It's a slam on 4th edition, in as much as they've decided that the solution to balance is make every character munchkiny right from the start.
4) It's a slam on those role playing snobs in the gaming community that claim that look down there noses at 'gamist' players because its so elitist.
5) It's a slam on powergamers because they tend to be missing out on half the fun and making life difficult for everyone else by continually trying to beat the game.
6) Last but not least, it's a slam on myself, in as much as I'm complaining about the state of the game no matter what it is so clearly I'm never going to be happy.

I told you that thinking too hard about fantasy was bad.

 

[pedr]

Interesting.

It's cheaper here than the MRRP for the core books: £17.99 for Keep, £19.99 for each of the core books. I guess looking at it like that it does seem that the adventure is expensive -- although it's more likely that the core books are actually 'cheap', i.e. slightly under-priced as getting people to buy the core books is more important for WotC than getting people to buy Keep.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I told you that thinking too hard about fantasy was bad.

I thought you were already accustomed to the fact that no one ever listens to you?!

(It's sad, but I fear nothing can change this...)

 

[hong]

I thought you were already accustomed to the fact that no one ever listens to you?!

(It's sad, but I fear nothing can change this...)

I know.