Is this fair? - confessions of a killer DM

[Olgar Shiverstone]

dwarf druid. he grew up underground. he did prevent the dogs from attacking us. but his CHa is teh suxx.

He (was) a dwarf! Of course his Cha is poor! Max ranks in Handle Animal and the Animal Affinity feat should have compensated some.

But then, Badger's thing was always burrowing animals ... them pack animals are someting different. RIP Badger.

 

[howandwhy99]

Well the results look somewhat split. I'll gladly accept any more advice to make things fair. I understand the ELs can be lower. Finding some NPC rationales for a less deadly response is certainly one way. I've been playing based off my original design, but it could certainly be wrong.

edit: i'm enjoying the game too. but so far haven't had a chance to do anything that i wouldn't do otherwise.

My brain must be shortcircuiting. I'm glad you are enjoying the game, but I can't parse the second sentence. :s

Thanks to all the people chiming in so far.

 

[diaglo]

My brain must be shortcircuiting. I'm glad you are enjoying the game, but I can't parse the second sentence. :s

so far i've played 2 unique individuals with unique backgrounds, attributes, motivations, etc...

with the first PC. i coulda left the tower. and gone off. but that didn't seem right for the character. he had promised to fend off the invasion as long as he could. he had also been placed in charge of the spiritual needs of the NPCs. he needed to know what became of them. for him to leave and save his own skin was out of character. it felt too metagamey to me. meaning i the player knew that i would find another party out there. but the PC didn't. he had no clue that other soliders had been sent by Garm someplace else and survived.

same kinda holds true for the second PC. there was no way i could let the lizard men into the cave and see me leap down the hole. besides the potential to die a lame death. it just didn't make sense for him. he was the last true warrior of Blackwall. these lizards had burned down his home. and he had fought off 6 earlier. and with only 3 there now...well it seemed he and the dwarf had a shot. the whole idea of running and getting caught in the open 3 days from civilization was totally not worth the risk in the shape everyone was in.

my next PC won't have any prior knowledge of either of the other 2, so i'll be playing him as unique and special. and with a wis 6 and int 11 think sean penn in fast times as ridgemont high. only an elf. and with awesome powers.

 

[JoeBlank]

my next PC won't have any prior knowledge of either of the other 2, so i'll be playing him as unique and special. and with a wis 6 and int 11 think sean penn in fast times as ridgemont high. only an elf. and with awesome powers.

If you order pizza remember you have to get enough to share with the whole party.

 

[MonsterMash]

I think it is fair as players and characters should always remember the retreat option, but I would probably have toned down the encounter with the Lizardmen and Kobolds a bit, e.g. either make the lizardmen 1HD which would probably reduce them to a 1/2 CR and make them substantially easier to kill 5 HTK rather than 9 on average so that a fighter has a decent chance of taking them out with one hit and a magic missile would do a lot of damage.

If the party had been at full strength then they would have had a much better chance with seven characters as more magic and ability to pump out damage per round.