hennebeck
First Post
Background: I used to play with my little brother and sister. Little being my sister is now 30 and my Bro 26. They live 3 hours away and we obviously don't get to play D&D now.
Until online 4e was announced!
So, super-excited now.
But alas, the VTT is not released yet, so the only logical option was for me and my GF to drive 3 hours Thursday to get to play KOTS as it was meant to be played, Pre-released.
Cast of Characters:
Lamhi Redmaul. (Sister) Dwarf Fighter. Some 3e experience. Really, really into RP.
Aaumus. (Brother) Tiefling Wizard. [made using PrRC] Plays 3.5 every week. Likes High-end game.
Celebriän "Bri" Palantír: (Girlfriend) Half-elf Rogue. [made using PrRC] No RP experience at all.
Meku of Aumantor: (Me-NPC) Human Cleric [PrRC] Playing since 1987.
I used the Missing Mentor Hook.
On the Road-Made it a toll, so no surprise round. Straight up combat once they didn't want to pay. Fighter loved being able to kill 2 minions a round. And AoE from Wizard worked well. Slinger was a pain.
Encounter worked exactly as planned.
Winterhaven-The first time they showed up, they didn't go past the Inn. Headed right back out to the burial site. I found that the Adventure answered all their questions and I was able to RP a bit with them using the answers as guides. Off they went to the burial site to find their missing mentor.
A1- Removed a Dragonshield to make it more in-line with the 4 adventurers. I like that each kobold has powers that make it feel different. The layouts in the book are nice for adventures. It really makes things easy.
A4- The Half-elf didn't want to kill the drakes. Player has a thing for Dragons. I RPd as Agrid, but there was no way he was going to not attack. I should have made it into a Skill challenge. I really wish I had.
They survived & used up their dailies.
They saved their mentor and returned him to Winterhaven.
Rested up and were offered the reward to go hunt kobolds.
A2- Getting all the kobolds together was a very nice thing for the Wizard. it all went well, used about a 4th of their powers, surges or a daily. The slinger ran off. And instead of following they rested outside, waiting for them to come out. No one did. They got back their Encounter powers and headed in.
A4- I removed a Skirmisher and 2 minions. (1,100 XP) Level 7 still, I think. Quite nearly a TPK. 3 dead and one Half-elf that bent the rules a bit, ran outside, used 2 surges and returned, Sneak attacked, and survived the dragonshield and Wyrmpriest. The Slinger ran off yet again.
WAY TOO HARD. Would have been too hard for 5 players. I don't understand putting in an encounter 5 levels higher then the party right off the bat. My sister's comment: You never fight Reds.
Made it back to town, (What fun would it be if the party was dead at first level?) And had their research from the Prescient. Bought healing potions from Bairwin. Complaint: Why have NO info on things that can be bought. Is this an adventure to be played with 4e books or a preview adventure? I think it seems rather simplified if it's the former and not enough info if it is the latter. Some encounter rewards say you get the armor and equipment but there is no table anywhere about how much hide armor is or what the benefits are. Frustrating.
In The Keep.
Area 1- Dwarf charged. She was getting this combat thing. Down the pit she went. Teehee. Once she got out the rats hung on for 3 rounds I love the saving throw and ongoing damage of 4e.
Complaint: No map for the table. The first 3 encounters looked so good with the included maps I felt let down with out one.
And running an encounter in 4e is difficult (IMO) without a grid.
Complaint: The group didn't want to chase the warrior down the hall because it might start another encounter and they wanted to get their encounter powers back first. Too much meta-gaming for me. Though, in hind-sight I should have let them rest and brought the next room TO them.
Area 3-The group was really working together by now. Fighter stood and the Rogue Flanked. The wizard shot things from distance. And the cleric missed. Alot.
Complaint: I love playing clerics. I've always been a supporter. However, the rumors are true. Except for Healing word, the cleric's buffs
are dependent on attack rolls. I dislike that. I haven't figured out if that's planned or a flaw.
Overall, I LOVE 4e. I disliked slightly KOTS as a preview module. Come next week, I'll have the books, and next month I'll make another trip to my Family.
Biggest complaint: Physical Quality of the module. Finger prints on the cover after 2 days of reading it. The back text (The last encounter!) was starting to smear!. No actual back cover. The players could easily see rewards and tactics for Karalel. Because there was no actual cover the book was very flimsy. ( Took and actually lamented the front and back cover to preserve it and make it a bit stiffer.
Quick-start rules and Character sheets. Why weren't the character sheets separate? I used non-WotC pdfs to hand out. And the character sheets don't actually give me permission to make copies. So I have to destroy my book and make illegal copies to get my players their characters.
Sometimes, I really wonder why they don't let us ENWorlders preview new products for just a few moments and let us critique. These things would be perfect within hours.
Thank you all for reading.
Until next time, keep those crits coming. (And remember they don't require confirmation.)
Until online 4e was announced!
So, super-excited now.
But alas, the VTT is not released yet, so the only logical option was for me and my GF to drive 3 hours Thursday to get to play KOTS as it was meant to be played, Pre-released.
Cast of Characters:
Lamhi Redmaul. (Sister) Dwarf Fighter. Some 3e experience. Really, really into RP.
Aaumus. (Brother) Tiefling Wizard. [made using PrRC] Plays 3.5 every week. Likes High-end game.
Celebriän "Bri" Palantír: (Girlfriend) Half-elf Rogue. [made using PrRC] No RP experience at all.
Meku of Aumantor: (Me-NPC) Human Cleric [PrRC] Playing since 1987.
I used the Missing Mentor Hook.
On the Road-Made it a toll, so no surprise round. Straight up combat once they didn't want to pay. Fighter loved being able to kill 2 minions a round. And AoE from Wizard worked well. Slinger was a pain.
Encounter worked exactly as planned.
Winterhaven-The first time they showed up, they didn't go past the Inn. Headed right back out to the burial site. I found that the Adventure answered all their questions and I was able to RP a bit with them using the answers as guides. Off they went to the burial site to find their missing mentor.
A1- Removed a Dragonshield to make it more in-line with the 4 adventurers. I like that each kobold has powers that make it feel different. The layouts in the book are nice for adventures. It really makes things easy.
A4- The Half-elf didn't want to kill the drakes. Player has a thing for Dragons. I RPd as Agrid, but there was no way he was going to not attack. I should have made it into a Skill challenge. I really wish I had.
They survived & used up their dailies.
They saved their mentor and returned him to Winterhaven.
Rested up and were offered the reward to go hunt kobolds.
A2- Getting all the kobolds together was a very nice thing for the Wizard. it all went well, used about a 4th of their powers, surges or a daily. The slinger ran off. And instead of following they rested outside, waiting for them to come out. No one did. They got back their Encounter powers and headed in.
A4- I removed a Skirmisher and 2 minions. (1,100 XP) Level 7 still, I think. Quite nearly a TPK. 3 dead and one Half-elf that bent the rules a bit, ran outside, used 2 surges and returned, Sneak attacked, and survived the dragonshield and Wyrmpriest. The Slinger ran off yet again.
WAY TOO HARD. Would have been too hard for 5 players. I don't understand putting in an encounter 5 levels higher then the party right off the bat. My sister's comment: You never fight Reds.
Made it back to town, (What fun would it be if the party was dead at first level?) And had their research from the Prescient. Bought healing potions from Bairwin. Complaint: Why have NO info on things that can be bought. Is this an adventure to be played with 4e books or a preview adventure? I think it seems rather simplified if it's the former and not enough info if it is the latter. Some encounter rewards say you get the armor and equipment but there is no table anywhere about how much hide armor is or what the benefits are. Frustrating.
In The Keep.
Area 1- Dwarf charged. She was getting this combat thing. Down the pit she went. Teehee. Once she got out the rats hung on for 3 rounds I love the saving throw and ongoing damage of 4e.
Complaint: No map for the table. The first 3 encounters looked so good with the included maps I felt let down with out one.
And running an encounter in 4e is difficult (IMO) without a grid.
Complaint: The group didn't want to chase the warrior down the hall because it might start another encounter and they wanted to get their encounter powers back first. Too much meta-gaming for me. Though, in hind-sight I should have let them rest and brought the next room TO them.
Area 3-The group was really working together by now. Fighter stood and the Rogue Flanked. The wizard shot things from distance. And the cleric missed. Alot.
Complaint: I love playing clerics. I've always been a supporter. However, the rumors are true. Except for Healing word, the cleric's buffs
are dependent on attack rolls. I dislike that. I haven't figured out if that's planned or a flaw.
Overall, I LOVE 4e. I disliked slightly KOTS as a preview module. Come next week, I'll have the books, and next month I'll make another trip to my Family.
Biggest complaint: Physical Quality of the module. Finger prints on the cover after 2 days of reading it. The back text (The last encounter!) was starting to smear!. No actual back cover. The players could easily see rewards and tactics for Karalel. Because there was no actual cover the book was very flimsy. ( Took and actually lamented the front and back cover to preserve it and make it a bit stiffer.
Quick-start rules and Character sheets. Why weren't the character sheets separate? I used non-WotC pdfs to hand out. And the character sheets don't actually give me permission to make copies. So I have to destroy my book and make illegal copies to get my players their characters.
Sometimes, I really wonder why they don't let us ENWorlders preview new products for just a few moments and let us critique. These things would be perfect within hours.
Thank you all for reading.
Until next time, keep those crits coming. (And remember they don't require confirmation.)
