Learn about D&D organized play options

[Riley37]

Tangent question:

As a DM, what gaps do you fill in, in the DDEX adventures?
And would you enjoy comparing notes with how other DMs have filled in the same gaps?

For example, in a mission in Defiance of Phlan, there's two groups who are unaware of each other, and the PCs might tangle with either group or with both groups. The DDEX doesn't say much about how they both happen to be present. I've figured out a back-story, which the PCs might or might not ever learn. Do you do the same?

In another mission of Defiance, there are some prisoners in cages. I have names for each of them, and a specific reason for how each of them ended up in a cage, one or two of which could lead to NPC contacts for the PCs. Do you also find yourself writing out that level of detail?

R.

 

[smerwin29]

Hey Riley, good questions.

My answer to most of your questions is this: I do and I don't. When I wrote the adventure, I did think about "backstory" for many of the less consequential NPCs. The question I then have to answer for myself is this: does it add or detract from the adventure to add that backstory, with the understanding that the adventure is supposed to facilitate the DMing prepping it with little time and running it in an hour or less. Could I have named and given backstories for all of the prisoners? Yep, easily. Would it make enough of a difference to player enjoyment when weighed against the time and the prep limitations? Probably not. Since it was not consequential to the most pressing design goals, it is viable for the DM to create his/her own backstories as required by the players' questions and actions during game play.

Another thing to keep in mind, from the design perspective, is that Adventurers League Writing Directors further develop an adventure after it is written. Since each adventure, especially the first one, is just one small part of a larger story, you want to leave spaces for them to add details that may connect to later adventures. For example, if any of those prisoners would be good to link to another adventure, I need to leave those details blank for them to fill in.

As to your specific questions about the mission, I am not sure which one has 2 groups that the PCs might tangle with. If you are talking about adventure 1, one group is aware of the other, and I think it is spelled out in the adventure why both groups are there. I am avoiding spoilers, but PM me if you want to discuss that further.

However, if you want to create your own stories, especially if you know you will be running later adventures for the same group of players, adding your own details is not only A-OK, but I applaud it. Just remember that any details you change, especially with named PCs, locations, or plots, may be invalidated by later adventures.

Be well!

 

[Riley37]

When I wrote the adventure, I did think about "backstory" for many of the less consequential NPCs. The question I then have to answer for myself is this: does it add or detract from the adventure to add that backstory, with the understanding that the adventure is supposed to facilitate the DMing prepping it with little time and running it in an hour or less. Could I have named and given backstories for all of the prisoners? Yep, easily. Would it make enough of a difference to player enjoyment when weighed against the time and the prep limitations? Probably not.

I'd say you made the best available choice, given (a) high priority on DM being able to "plug and play", including DMs who are just getting started via AL/EX; and (b) DMs being free to run the stories in any order, with no control over what other AL DMs are doing at other AL tables, including possibly another table at the same game store or otherwise under the same roof.

"Wait, Mr. NPC Fulano is acting as if we're meeting for the first time, but last month I played in a session, at The Other Local Game Store, in which the PCs killed him! Did he get resurrected, and lose his memories in the process?" - that's a hazard of the way AL is set up, if I understand correctly.

That said: is there a forum where AL DMs can compare notes, and where one DM can post their particular fill-ins, and then other AL DMs can adopt whatever fill-ins they find most useful for their own table? Including material which YOU had in mind, and which you left out of Story Background in order to avoid overloading DMs who don't have much prep time and who just wanna cut to the chase/conflict scenes. And also, for us to learn from each other's mistakes, possibly, though in a gentle, mutually-supportive manner.

If you are talking about adventure 1, one group is aware of the other

Ah, true, so they are. That group is better positioned, so to speak, to see every other group enter or leave the building.

I added a minor upgrade to that group's plans/preparations/strategy, and as it happens, it didn't actually make life harder for the PCs, instead it gave one of the PCs the opportunity for a Crowning Moment of Awesome, and then a dramatic finale before leaving the scene. I had a BLAST running that session.

 

[smerwin29]

That said: is there a forum where AL DMs can compare notes, and where one DM can post their particular fill-ins, and then other AL DMs can adopt whatever fill-ins they find most useful for their own table? Including material which YOU had in mind, and which you left out of Story Background in order to avoid overloading DMs who don't have much prep time and who just wanna cut to the chase/conflict scenes. And also, for us to learn from each other's mistakes, possibly, though in a gentle, mutually-supportive manner.

I think this is a wonderful idea, and probably the best person to talk to is Robert Adducci, who is the Community Manager for the Adventurers League. You can find his contact information here: http://dndadventurersleague.org/adventurers-league-admins/. Tell him your idea, and he can tell you the best place to make that happen.

I added a minor upgrade to that group's plans/preparations/strategy, and as it happens, it didn't actually make life harder for the PCs, instead it gave one of the PCs the opportunity for a Crowning Moment of Awesome, and then a dramatic finale before leaving the scene. I had a BLAST running that session.

It is not just great when a DM (like you) does this, it is how the system should work. In fact, it inspired me to write a blog post about it yesterday (http://www.encodeddesigns.com/mastering-dungeons-a-team-effort/), so thank you for inspiring me!

Shawn

 

[Tyranthraxus]

In regards to the new season, be very careful when running Mayhem in the Earthspur Mines (Its one of the 5-10s).

Why? Because its missing all bar one of it's scaling boxes. For some reason they didnt include the rest of them and it caused me no small amount of consternation when trying to scale it for a V Weak party (I had 4 players all under the tier)

I have no idea why .. and the response Ive gotten on the facebook group is a little strange but it is what it is.

 

[Roux]

I updated Living Divine based on information on facebook on where you can play scenarios. (I will be playing this weekend at SynDCon, so I may have more information soon).

For Ashes of Athas I added the link to the Where to Play page. As an admin of this campaign I can share that we will have an updated player Campaign Guide document in the near future, clarifying various aspects. The log sheet should make it up onto the site soon. There is a new web page listing the adventures and pregens can be downloaded.

Sounds like it's DC-area only, is that right?

 

[bwatford]

@Tyranthraxus

The official answer on Earthspur Mines was:

"Some of the encounters in DDEX2-4 do not scale. This was an intentional design."

We were advised to not alter them. However another use posted these suggestions...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/adventurersleague/permalink/704047149720842/?hc_location=ufi

Also this module runs really long as written. A lot of the encounters will have to be cut short to get it into the 4 hour time slot. I cut encounters and still ran 6 hours with it.

[sblock]

For a very weak party I would probably cut out all of the gargoyles except for the ones in the Chamber. There simply aren't enough PC levels to absorb all of the damage. Or, let them find and awaken the guardians much faster, so they can help fight the gargoyles and leave the other stuff to the PCs. If the PCs have no magic weapons at all it can really be brutal.[/sblock]

 

[Tyranthraxus]

My scaling was somewhat similar. I guess my biggest beef was the lack of a line saying exactly that 'THere are no scaling for these encounters'. The lack of information either way was my concern and dosnt gel with every other DDEXP adventure that consistently has scaling boxes.

Either way its not really one I want to run again for that reason and other reasons. Also if scenarios are supposed to be designed for 4 hours.. then design them for 4 hours!

It will be interesting to see how this Rage of the Demons storyline influences the next season of Expeditions and where it is set.

Im running my first true Mulmaster adventure: Embers of Elmwood tomorrow and then Drowned Tower the week after.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

My scaling was somewhat similar. I guess my biggest beef was the lack of a line saying exactly that 'THere are no scaling for these encounters'. The lack of information either way was my concern and dosnt gel with every other DDEXP adventure that consistently has scaling boxes.

Actually, there's quite a few other adventures that have encounters without scaling. Most of them are minor encounters with fairly easy enemies so it generally doesn't cause a problem. However, there are at least 2 adventures I can think of where the DM picks a number of encounters based on the party level for a certain area. For instance, "If the PCs are very strong, pick 2 Hard Encounters and a Medium Encounter. If the PCs are average, pick 2 Mediums and an Easy." But none of these encounters scale so the medium encounters are exactly the same strength for the level 10 party as they are for the level 7 party.

In addition to those adventures, there are some scattered encounters within other adventures that just don't scale at all. For instance, there is one adventure involving following a caravan of enemies. The composition of that caravan doesn't scale based on the level of the PCs so if they decide to attack, it is easier or harder depending on the composition of the group. In addition to that, there is a certain extremely powerful monster in one adventure that never scales. If you choose to attack it you MIGHT win if you're the max level for the adventure but it's certain death if you are below that.

I've just gotten used to the fact that certain encounters are designed to be nastier depending on the level of the PCs.

 

[Warunsun]

...games without scaling...

In the past during the RPGA Network years they put a warning line on the cover of the adventure and made it pretty clear. Seems like they should do the same now. Takes very little effort to warn prospective players or DMs.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Having run Embers of Elmwood and The Drowned Tower since I posted some time back: I had no issue with the scaling in these. Embers was run at Average and Drowned Tower at Weak. I quite liked Embers backgrounding with the information it presented on magic and the different Areas of Mulmaster.

THe Drowned Tower was also interesting due to its information on Umberlee which I quite liked.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

FYI - The Milwaukee Summer Revel has a few of the upcoming PotA Adventures posted for play (in July). They are...

DDEX2-10 Cloaks and Shadows (2-4)

DDEX2-11 Oubliette of Fort Iron (2-4) - 2hr

DDEX2-12 Dark Rites at Fort Dalton (2-4) - 2hr

DDEX2-13 The Howling Void (5-10)

DDEX2-14 The Sword of Selfaril (5-10)

DDEX2-15 Black Heart of Vengeance (5-10)

 

[Alphastream]

i think it depends on the objective. Untiered/unscaled encounters in previous organized play campaigns were usually meant to cover "the PCs should know better than to mess with this... if they do, hit them with this and probably it's a TPK." With the Encounters adventures it is really more that the DM is given freedom to create an encounter or to adjust an encounter. The certain cloud encounter in HotDQ comes to mind. That could be poor design (the designers have talked about being blindsided by monster changes) or it could just be that DMs are expected to adjust encounters and give hints.

Regardless of intent, I would argue that the end result for a DM is the later: The point is for everyone to have fun. If an encounter is up to you to design, is a random table roll, or is an untiered encounter with a potential non-combat or challenge-lessening option, then you the DM should adjust accordingly for fun and give tips as needed for fun.

It's never about softballing. But, let's say the party doesn't catch all the previous hints about a powerful creature. Now they are in the throne room and they decide to go straight into combat. As the fight develops, you might place hints in the room: an open journal, it's open page questioning the trustworthiness of the Cult. Or, flowers placed at the base of a portrait of the creature's spouse, showing she recently died (and perhaps begging the question of what happened to her). Add the depth that can trigger players realizing, seemingly on their own, that there is more than just a TPK to be had here. Recast it as almost a combination fight and skill/puzzle encounter, where as the TPK looms they can figure out the way to a non-combat solution. That can be a very awesome experience.

Let's say you roll randomly on a wilderness encounter table and only two rounds in realize that monster(s) is brutal. You could have cultists come in on the scene and demand either payment or proof of allegiance to help the party. Or, a far larger creature comes in and desires the original monster as prey - it becomes a skill encounter to exit the combat with as little notice and damage as possible. There are often options to make this a really fun scene without a non-fun TPK or handwaiving the challenge. And, sometimes the players do just earn a fun TPK. That happens too. But, it is hopefully fair and not due to bad design or a DM not understanding the challenge level.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

FYI - The Milwaukee Summer Revel has a few of the upcoming PotA Adventures posted for play (in July). They are...

DDEX2-10 Cloaks and Shadows (2-4)

DDEX2-11 Oubliette of Fort Iron (2-4) - 2hr

DDEX2-12 Dark Rites at Fort Dalton (2-4) - 2hr

DDEX2-13 The Howling Void (5-10)

DDEX2-14 The Sword of Selfaril (5-10)

DDEX2-15 Black Heart of Vengeance (5-10)

Wow, I havnt seen that handle in a while. I remember you from the good old irc channel Horus. Good to see you are still gaming (had thought you had given it away!)

Alphastream: Thanks for the information.

My previous concern about Mayhem in the Earthspur have been somewhat satiated in terms of the encounters. I did have to do some juggling during that scenario, but to me the fact that the first encounter did have a scaling box and the other encounters in scenario did not (also Encounters in Scenario and Wed Night Encounters is gonna get confusing ) , first made me think 'oh oh, they have forgotten to includ the scaling boxes'. I can see now that the intention was to not include anymore. I think my preference would be all or nothing in regards to the scaling boxes then.

To be honest, as a gm I much prefer the Expeditions. I find fitting the square module into a round hole personally not that appealing when it comes to the Modules like Hoard and Princes and incorporating them into AL. Thats just a personal view, the latter in particular has a very strong story (enough with the cultists already going forward! )

This is just a personal view but I have found I spend a fair bit more prep time with Expeditions than I have done with other organised play campaigns. Im not particulary good at adjusting on the fly which is why I personally rely on the scaling boxes so much.

 

[Alphastream]

Sounds like it's DC-area only, is that right?

Sorry, which one? Living Divine seems to still be active, but I'm not sure where they are running adventures. Ashes of Athas has concluded, but you can PM me to receive a copy of the adventures.

 

[Coredump]

That said: is there a forum where AL DMs can compare notes, and where one DM can post their particular fill-ins, and then other AL DMs can adopt whatever fill-ins they find most useful for their own table? Including material which YOU had in mind, and which you left out of Story Background in order to avoid overloading DMs who don't have much prep time and who just wanna cut to the chase/conflict scenes. And also, for us to learn from each other's mistakes, possibly, though in a gentle, mutually-supportive manner..

This might be what you are looking for...

http://community.wizards.com/forums/132311

It is common for "DM only" threads to pop up talking about details of the various adventures.

 

[Riley37]

This might be what you are looking for...

Thanks! There's that forum, and the general AL forum, at community.wizards. They have been useful!

 

[Raddu]

Rage of Demons, Moonsea Port of Call announced

“Listen here lad, Hillsfar, the City of Trade, is a great place to make your way, as long as you’re not an elf… or a dwarf… or a halfling or well pretty much anything but human. But if you’re human, there is no better opportunity!”
-Isthana Ro, Guildmaster of Rogues

Read up on Hillsfar, the next port of call for D&D Expeditions during the Rage of Demons storyline season.

http://dndadventurersleague.org/state-of-hillsfar/

 

[keterys]

Huh, I imagine that's going to get odd for non-human characters pretty fast.

 

[Alphastream]

Hi all! I've updated the main thread with information on the upcoming Rage of Demons season!

In particular:
- The new information on the Expeditions city of Hillsfar.
- The new info on bonds and backgrounds for Hillsfar.
- The background for Rage of Demons
- Dates and the like, as far as I know them.

This article was recently posted with information on the Gen Con events and adventures.