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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mark CMG" data-source="post: 3115961" data-attributes="member: 10479">I know there's a mix up in the book stating both at different points, and that the designers suggest levels 5 - 10 but as I have been running it, starting with five 5th-level PCs plus two 5th-level NPCs and it was still tough, I've moved toward considering it levels 6 - 12 and even used the online extra encounter to ease them into the adventure. (highlight for spoilers)[spoiler]The group is currently just into section three with four 8th-level PCs plus one 8th-level NPC.  When they tangled with "big blue" I toyed with them.I used no melee attacks, choosing instead to run through the arsenal of SLAs. I had just used the last with not too much damage on "big blue" and was regretting sending them into the situation as unprepared as it seemed they were.  The party was completely softened up and ready for gutting, as in TPK, when they won initial and got three incredibly lucky attacks, including several confirmed critcs from the multiple attackers and a spell that just slipped through the SR.As the text allows "big blue" to be impressed enough to take a powder if the hp go below a certain threashold, I had him skeedaddle.I don't get the impression from the text that the designers had a potential TPK planned for the early middle of the adventure, even though that might be the toughest of that section.  I believe I seriously could have waded into them and finished them all off the next round or two with little risk to the bad guy if I wished to do so.  That they even got as far as they did against it was a bit of a gift.  I can explain it away RPG-wise as arrogance and ego but, except for the dwarf barbarian, the party was laid out like a buffet.[/spoiler]</blockquote>

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