KotS and the Bloodreavers (DM only) [Spoiler]

[Evil DM]

Hello folks,

I just wonder how did you handle this encounter in the secon level?

I mean it is possible for the PCs to get the right passwort and then what? Can they just walk freely through the following rooms? Aren't they supposed to earn some xp to reach the next level? Will they be ambushed anyhow? How? All monsters at once?
Shall I make a very complicated skill challenge of that?

How did you handle this?

Cheers, Evil DM.

 

[Evil DM]

C'mon folks.

Do you really wanna tell me none of you had that case? Did all your groups hacked through the hobgoblin camp?

Nobody tried any talk? Bluff?

Cheers, Evil DM.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I haven't been there yet.

Maybe it's skill challenge time? How long can the PCs keep the appearances up?

 

[Klaus]

Hello folks,

I just wonder how did you handle this encounter in the secon level?

I mean it is possible for the PCs to get the right passwort and then what? Can they just walk freely through the following rooms? Aren't they supposed to earn some xp to reach the next level? Will they be ambushed anyhow? How? All monsters at once?
Shall I make a very complicated skill challenge of that?

How did you handle this?

Cheers, Evil DM.

Mind you, the hobgoblons in KotS aren't the Bloodreavers. The Bloodreaver emissaries were killed by Kalarel and their corpses are in the Blue Room. If the PCs give the right password, the hobgoblins will still be suspicious of them. Two will remain by the spider cage, while another will be sent to warn the Underpriest that strangers bearing the correct password have arrived. If the PCs wait until the Underpriest comes, they will have to fight him (and possibly a berserker or vampire spawn), in addition to the hobgoblins in the guard room.

The best the PCs can hope to achieve with the correct password is to take the hobgoblins by suprise. With the correct password and a successful Bluff, Diplomacy or Intimidate check, the PCs can get a surprise round of attacks against a firce that would otherwise be too aware for them to get the jump on.

 

[Cadfan]

I believe the encounter is designed so that no matter what you do, you end up in a fight.

Bluff is specifically pointed out as not working. You either know the password, or you don't know the password. If you don't know the password, you end up in a fight.

The only password you are likely to find before that point is the fake one that lets them know that Ninaren was killed. This results in a fight.

So... no. My group hacked their way through. They didn't realize that Ninaren was a plant until after they got ambushed by her, and they killed her in the fight. Once that happened, there was no way to get the true password.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I think that it is good to reward players who manage to think enough to get the right password. Let them bypass the hobgoblins, or get escorted down to the series of trap rooms (and give them xps for bypassing the obstacle). Have fun role-playing the hobgoblins and move on. Maybe the hobgoblins will be fought on the way out, maybe the hobgoblins could be persuaded or intimidated into leaving the area forever

Players will pick up on the tactics that get rewarded. If you reward thoughtful roleplay and intelligence gathering, they will do more of it. If they end up in a fight no matter what, they will learn it isn't worth bothering with.

My personal preference is to not have 'auto fight to the death' creatures all over the place. I prefer to have bad guys that might talk/negotiate etc. I'd let the style you prefer to influence your judgement on the situation.

Cheers

 

[the Jester]

My group cut and blasted their way through. They didn't even mess with the password nonsense- they charged ahead.

This was the encounter where their tactical thinking finally 'clicked'.

 

[Steveyd]

Actually had this exact situation come up last night. We had gotten the correct password from Ninaren and gave it to the hobgoblins we came across. After receiving the right password the hobgoblins were just confused; they kind of looked to each other to try and figure out what to do about this. They offered to escort us back up above while they sent a message below. We used the opportunity to ambush our escorts and then take our the messenger before he got too far. The fight itself was fun, but it would have been more rewarding and satisfying I think to be have gotten past it without fighting because of the effort we had taken to get the right password. It was also a pretty brutal fight since those hobgoblins are pretty tough. After getting past the trap room (taking more damage...) and fighting that room full of undead we are all but out of resources. Two characters, the paladin and wizard, have no healing surges left and we have 2 encounters ahead of us still. Most of our daily powers are left still but we have to decide to either go on and likely die bravely but in vain trying to save the day, or go rest and face the consequences of the bad guys having 6 hours to prepare or come find us. If we had bypassed the fight we'd be in much better shape. I'm with Plane Sailing on this one.

 

[Evil DM]

Thanks for your answers. I will think about it. Maybe I really try to do some very complex skill challenge.

Cheers, Evil DM.