Kobold Hall Area 4

[Bloodstone Press]

I'm reading over Kobold Hall and thinking about running it, but I'm confused about something. What is up with the boulder in area 4? How long does it roll until it stops? I tend to think once around the room is enough, but the text says "The kobolds prefer to let the boulder crush the PCs. They keep to the sides of the chamber, firing at the characters." That seems to imply that the boulder makes multiple trips around the room. The map also seems to imply that the boulder travels around the room more than once.

How does it do that?

Is the floor sloped? Is there a track to keep the boulder making the last turn at the bottom right of the map?

When does it stop? If the text says, I missed it.

Also, I think it goes the wrong way around the room. I think the only characters that might get hit by it will be the ones that go to the left when they enter the room. Those that go to the right will be behind the boulder and will have an easy time getting out of its path when it rounds the mysterious 4th turn.

If it went the other way around the room starting, as the text says, "when the PCs enter," most of them would have to run to the left and either out run it, jump over it (DC 20), get against the wall, or duck into one of the alcoves.

How have you played this encounter? Is there any errata or other discussions about it?

Certainly I'm not the first person to notice this, but I didn't see anything in the forums about it (didn't look very hard though either).

 

[ValhallaGH]

I had it go around for 10 rounds (8 square moves, two moves per turn) before slowing down 1 square a round until stopping. I just couldn't justify, even in my own brain, this Indiana Jones boulder rolling around the room for more than a minute.
My rational was that the combination of the elevated starting position and a slope built into the floor (under the orders of the paranoid leader) gave it the needed momentum.
chose to take an extended rest to recover.

As for the path, I think that was an intentional choice to make it an interesting challenge and option rather than a big "F--- You" for the party. The fight is supposed to be fun and interesting, not an exercise in watching your character die.

It was a lot of fun, it made for a more interesting encounter, and it hindered and helped both sides during the fight. The PCs ultimately won ( 4: Cleric, Paladin, Rogue, Wizard), but it was a close fight from which they used an extended rest to recover.

P.S. I got to use an Indiana Jones boulder! Freaking Sweet!

 

[Zephrin the Lost]

I'll be using this room in our game tonight- the first 4e game I've run, and it will have an Indian Jones boulder in it!

Sweet!

--Z

 

[wrshamilton]

This caused a neat moment when I ran it where the party's Paladin/Fighter managed to Tide of Iron the Wyrmpriest off the edge off of his platform, whom then proceeded to get smashed by the boulder before he could get out of the way.

 

[Shadeydm]

I'll be using this room in our game tonight- the first 4e game I've run, and it will have an Indian Jones boulder in it!

Sweet!

--Z

Did I go to the bathroom during this part? I don't remeber a giant boulder or any Indiana Jones music...