D&D 5E Is Rime of the Frostmaiden the deadliest 5e campaign (probable spoilers)?

[Sacrosanct]

Players don't need to complete exploration of the city at all. After a couple of days bossmonster turns up and takes down the barriers herself.

Spoiler: spoiler

Not a couple of days. 12 hours for Avarice and 24 hours for Auriel. Or 1 long rest. And when they do show up, hunting parties get sent out and you get interrupted nearly every hour, making long rests impossible after that. So yeah, you pretty much have to explore the city (or get exceptionally lucky to explore the right areas) all in the first long rest. Otherwise every battle after that takes resources and you don't get them back. Which is important because being at 1/3 hit points and ability/spell slots makes a big difference when you run into Auriel. And even before she does show up, you have a 50% chance of an encounter every hour or each time you explore an area, whatever happens first

But my party had no trouble resting using Rope Trick and/or Tiny Hut (which can be cast by an NPC ally if the party don't have it).

Again, "well, in order to take a rest, you must have this NPC with you or a PC that happens to have that spell in their repertoire, prepared, and slots to cast it. That's hardly a given. Also, LTH isn't invisible. Take your rest, then when the dome goes down you're surrounded by a ton of enemies just waiting for you.

Spoiler: spoiler

And woe be to the player who touched the giant spear and is now too large to fit in the hut to begin with.

There is also nothing to stop the party leaving the city and resting outside it.

Sure, but then you have to reenter and go through the gauntlet again, not able to take any rests because you're getting attacked every hour

A single target ability. It's no big deal if one character spends a couple of rounds on the bench. It only took two rounds for the rest of the party to destroy the second form.

I don't think you read what I said. It's not a couple of rounds. Once you're frozen, unless you have prof in CHA saving throws, you're pretty much there to the end, taking damage each round. And it doesn't go away when her 2nd form does.

Who goes into an adventure called Rime of the Frostmaiden and doesn't prep fire spells? Who can't figure out to use fire to melt ice?

Spoiler: spoiler

For one, the crystal isn't ice, it was a crystal. Secondly, the PCs don't know it's immune to everything except fire, so it's likely they would just attack it with weapons or other magic first. Thirdly, Auriel would target the PCs who could use fire or who did the most damage since she's not an idiot, right? Which incidentally is what happened to us. Fire druid got frozen, and rune knight got frozen. Since both of us had 10 CHA, there was no way we would ever succeed in being free. Leaving the monk, rogue, and warlock to face her and her mephits alone. It's not likely that they could take her down in a 2 rounds.

[/ispoiler][/ISPOILER]

 

[billd91]

Spoiler: spoiler

For one, the crystal isn't ice, it was a crystal. Secondly, the PCs don't know it's immune to everything except fire, so it's likely they would just attack it with weapons or other magic first. Thirdly, Auriel would target the PCs who could use fire or who did the most damage since she's not an idiot, right? Which incidentally is what happened to us. Fire druid got frozen, and rune knight got frozen. Since both of us had 10 CHA, there was no way we would ever succeed in being free. Leaving the monk, rogue, and warlock to face her and her mephits alone. It's not likely that they could take her down in a 2 rounds.

...my copy says its an ice crystal.

One question - throughout the 10 or so levels of the campaign, wouldn't multiple characters, maybe even all of them, be getting ahold of some form of fire damage to use in fight? While vulnerability to fire isn't a byproduct of being immune to cold in this edition (unlike some), it's an expectation in an icy setting that comes up often enough to be worthwhile.

 

[Sacrosanct]

...my copy says its an ice crystal.

One question - throughout the 10 or so levels of the campaign, wouldn't multiple characters, maybe even all of them, be getting ahold of some form of fire damage to use in fight? While vulnerability to fire isn't a byproduct of being immune to cold in this edition (unlike some), it's an expectation in an icy setting that comes up often enough to be worthwhile.

The players don't know it's ice. It's simply described as a magical crystal. One might surmise that, but it's not assured. It most assuredly isn't assumed that it would be immune to everything except fire. It's perfectly reasonable (and likely), that a character would use their warhammer that did more damage than any fire trick they had to smash it first.

And how would most PCs get access to fire magic? You'd have to take a magic initiate feat to do that with most, and that's not likely someone would do that.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Again, "well, in order to take a rest, you must have this NPC with you or a PC that happens to have that spell in their repertoire, prepared, and slots to cast it. That's hardly a given

Spoiler

It's part of the plot and in her stat block. Whilst you could refuse her help, that's hardly the adventure's fault. And as I said, you could simply leave the city, have a rest, then come back later.

Also, LTH isn't invisible.

It is impenetrable. and many of the wandering monsters have no reason to wait outside. Or you could, like, conceal your campsite.

Sure, but then you have to reenter and go through the gauntlet again

What gauntlet? Just walk to the caves, then walk back to the city. It's only a mile across, you can get anywhere in it in about 20 minutes.

I don't think you read what I said. It's not a couple of rounds.

No, it's only one, until someone firebolts it. It has all of 9 hp.

For one, the crystal isn't ice, it was a crystal

Ice is crystal. What do you think someone called the Frostmaiden is going to make crystals out of?

Secondly, the PCs don't know it's immune to everything except fire, so it's likely they would just attack it with weapons or other magic first.

They all have intelligence as their dump stat?

Auriel would target the PCs who could use fire or who did the most damage since she's not an idiot, right?

With an ability she can only use on one target once until it recharges. If she took out two characters with that, she was either cheating or you were very unlucky. You only have one character who can use fire? No oil flasks? There is a Blast Circlet knocking around. A common-or-garden troll would have made mincemeat of you!

 

[Sacrosanct]

Spoiler

It's part of the plot and in her stat block. Whilst you could refuse her help, that's hardly the adventure's fault. And as I said, you could simply leave the city, have a rest, then come back later.

It is impenetrable. and many of the wandering monsters have no reason to wait outside. Or you could, like, conceal your campsite.


What gauntlet? Just walk to the caves, then walk back to the city. It's only a mile across, you can get anywhere in it in about 20 minutes.

No, it's only one, until someone firebolts it. It has all of 9 hp.

Ice is crystal. What do you think someone called the Frostmaiden is going to make crystals out of?

They all have intelligence as their dump stat?

With an ability she can only use on one target once until it recharges. If she took out two characters with that, she was either cheating or you were very unlucky. You only have one character who can use fire? No oil flasks? There is a Blast Circlet knocking around. A common-or-garden troll would have made mincemeat of you!

You're still not reading what I'm writing.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You're still not reading what I'm writing.

If you don't believe me, what about all those players who defeated Auril in chapter 5, whilst they were level 7? Auril is a pushover, practically famous for it. I had to buff her with giants, packs of wolves, and coldlight walkers, and it was still only the third form that lasted longer than two rounds, and that was only by hovering at extreme range hidden in a snowstorm.

 

[billd91]

The players don't know it's ice. It's simply described as a magical crystal. One might surmise that, but it's not assured. It most assuredly isn't assumed that it would be immune to everything except fire. It's perfectly reasonable (and likely), that a character would use their warhammer that did more damage than any fire trick they had to smash it first.

Why would the DM not call it an ice crystal if it's an ice crystal?

And how would most PCs get access to fire magic? You'd have to take a magic initiate feat to do that with most, and that's not likely someone would do that.

Potion of Fire Breath, Flame tongue, fire elemental gem. And for non-magical options - alchemist's fire.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Why would the DM not call it an ice crystal if it's an ice crystal?

Potion of Fire Breath, Flame tongue, fire elemental gem. And for non-magical options - alchemist's fire.

I don't think there is a flame tongue in RotFM - that would make it far to cheesy! But there is a circlet of blasting and several fireball scrolls. Plus 50% of 5e classes have fire spells.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Why would the DM not call it an ice crystal if it's an ice crystal?

Potion of Fire Breath, Flame tongue, fire elemental gem. And for non-magical options - alchemist's fire.

And how are you gonna get those in RotFM?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

And how are you gonna get those in RotFM?

Alchemist's fire is on the equipment list - you can buy it in Bryn Shander.

I'm pretty sure there are potions of Fire Breath to be found in RotFM.