Interesting article on epic/divine play

[Upper_Krust]

I think he reached quasi-deity status before joining Craig's deity PC Thrin in an ill-advised attempt to assassinate the Thyatian royal family, causing the goddess Vanya to manifest and kick their butts.

I still maintain Vanya got lucky...I could'a taken her...I SHOULD'A taken her...if it wasn't for those pesky 20th-level subordinates of hers managing to chip off about 15% of my health prior to the fight she would'a been ground into the dust...by the Krust. She's a paper champ.

I think Fergus should have learned to avoid anything to do with Thrin...

Other way around as I saw it, he was the Loki to my Thor.

 

[Evilhalfling]

I tried to set up a good chance for failure, and in the test fight I ran only 2 of 5 nPCs survived. But a table full of wily players are just better at tactics than I am running both sides.

The back up plan was a prophecy which predicted that if the "Dragon" survived his birth by an hour, it would take the weapons of the gods to bring him down.
In practice the "Dragon" survived his birth by 3 rounds.

I am planning to run the game again at a convention -
Famously darksun dragon kings can't Fly (no wings) but I would love to have the second phase of the fight destroy half the city. Just thinking out loud here, but if the building caught fire earlier, dropped rubble every round, then collapsed when he is killed. His draconic transformation could rise up from the building, as the PCs dig themselves out. Then a super-hero inspired push attack that tossed PCs through buildings... with people dying by the dozens as the kings defiling reach out further to fuel his powers...
Whee!

 

[Alzrius]

#2: Beginning of the End: Give the PCs the character sheets of the world's greatest heroes who are trying to stop [insert doomsday scenario] from beginning...again they will probably fail...meaning the events will happen and the PCs are the ones who will need to stop it.

*cough*Vecna Lives!*cough*

 

[Upper_Krust]

I tried to set up a good chance for failure, and in the test fight I ran only 2 of 5 nPCs survived. But a table full of wily players are just better at tactics than I am running both sides.

For boss monsters an idea I have been toying with is what I refer to as "Hard Mode". If players are having far too easy a time with the boss monster, it gets an additional phase, but if the PCs are making a meal of it then you end the fight at the normally appointed stage.

The back up plan was a prophecy which predicted that if the "Dragon" survived his birth by an hour, it would take the weapons of the gods to bring him down.
In practice the "Dragon" survived his birth by 3 rounds.

I am planning to run the game again at a convention -
Famously darksun dragon kings can't Fly (no wings) but I would love to have the second phase of the fight destroy half the city. Just thinking out loud here, but if the building caught fire earlier, dropped rubble every round, then collapsed when he is killed. His draconic transformation could rise up from the building, as the PCs dig themselves out. Then a super-hero inspired push attack that tossed PCs through buildings... with people dying by the dozens as the kings defiling reach out further to fuel his powers...
Whee!

For inspiration you should probably watch a Godzilla movie (not the American one).

Best of luck at the con.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey amigo!

*cough*Vecna Lives!*cough*

You know, I own that, but I don't think I have read over it in some 20 years. In fact after being reminded of it - I still can't remember any details about it except those monsters with the hands and eyes for heads. I'll have to have a read over it for old time's sake.