Official Tomb of Horrors 3.5 conversion (merged)

[Crothian]

Doesn't anyone put ruins, tombs, etc. in their world that are beyond the current capabilities of their player's characters.

plenty...the PCs have a chance to explore and go where they want, there are always polaces they don't go or never learn about. And there are some places others get to first.

 

[Slobber Monster]

I thought it was bad form. If they are going to include things that are not from the three core books, they should reprint material in the module.

I would agree if it was something I paid for, but I don't really have a problem with it when it's free.

 

[Nyeshet]

Doesn't anyone put ruins, tombs, etc. in their world that are beyond the current capabilities of their player's characters. While its nice to have adventures appropriate for the characters, a world exists without regard to the PCs and having the existance of a few dungeons, tombs, etc. beyond the capabilities of the PCs should serve as a reminder if the players are too careless not to do research, too greedy, or just too overconfident in their characters abilities that they enter such places. A more accurate conversion of Tomb of Horrors is perfect for such a place

Agreed, although I'll admit that rumors of those (more challenging) locations are typically just for flavor until they're ready for it. If they actually try to seek out such a place I make certain it is far enough away and difficult enough to find / learn about - and has enough challenges along the trail - that they are ready for it by the time they manage to find it.

 

[Wycen]

Did you know we found a way to 'cheat' the Tomb of Horrors?
There IS a way through the Tomb of Horrors, without going through ... the Tomb of Horrors.
At least, that was true in the old 1st Edition module!

Of course, then we had to face Acererak, and ... well ... well, at least one of us survived!

Anyone interested in how to get through the Tomb, without going through the Tomb?
If yes, I'll post a Spoiler Warning, and make some commentary on this (Acererak will have my soul if he hears about it, though.)

And the trick is?

 

[Crothian]

And the trick is?

cheat

 

[brehobit]

I was looking at the demi-lich. The 4th level party (5 characters) I run could kill it in like 2 rounds (if they lived that long). Admittedly they might use the wrong attacks and never kill it, but they could kill it in two rounds if they did the right things...

Thoughts?

 

[Numion]

Doesn't anyone put ruins, tombs, etc. in their world that are beyond the current capabilities of their player's characters. While its nice to have adventures appropriate for the characters, a world exists without regard to the PCs and having the existance of a few dungeons, tombs, etc. beyond the capabilities of the PCs should serve as a reminder if the players are too careless not to do research, too greedy, or just too overconfident in their characters abilities that they enter such places. A more accurate conversion of Tomb of Horrors is perfect for such a place

I, as a DM, rarely can come up with one adventure for the nights game, so it would be very difficult for me to plot the landscape with lots of locations available for PCs. Besides, I don't see the point for including a possible campaign wrecker like ToH in there. That's just a death effect for whole campaign.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

IMO ...

There is no rule forcing the players to seek out the Tomb of Horrors.
Acererak didn't exactly make it an easy place to find! The locations given for the individual campaign worlds, are extremely remote.
If characters INSIST on divining the location of the Tomb, and they INSIST on going to it's location, and they insist on uncovering it (even at point blank range, it's not easy to discover), and they insist on going in ... well, they made their own cake, didn't they?
And even then, it's possible to go back. At the beginning of the Tomb, there are things that clearly show the terrible lethality of the place, which at least some of the party can hope to survive. Perhaps they will take warning from these initial encounters, and leave?
If not, then they must eat their cake.

Note: Krynnish kender are an exception to this rule. They will ALWAYS insist on finding the Tomb of Horrors and exploring it. Talking about it's lethality will only make them more determined. For their own good, kender seeking the Tomb should be imprisoned in a Cube of Force. (Anything less than that, and they'll escape.)

How do you 'cheat' the Tomb?
I've changed my mind. I'm not going into that. Let everyone find their own way here.
I'll just say this: go ethereal in the Tomb, and you just might find Acererak HIMSELF (in his FULL power, with a fully corporeal body and all his spells and everything else!) facing you, and then you have a REAL problem. I should know. (chuckles darkly)

 

[Psion]

Put a real demi lich in. From ELH/SRD. Which is actually a good bit nastier than the classic demi-lich. That'll ratchet up the challenge.

 

[Henry]

There is no rule forcing the players to seek out the Tomb of Horrors... If characters INSIST on divining the location of the Tomb, and they INSIST on going to it's location, and they insist on uncovering it (even at point blank range, it's not easy to discover), and they insist on going in ... well, they made their own cake, didn't they?

That's a point I was making in my post - as written, sheer ego and curiosity is the only thing that drives people onward into that godsforsaken place. Gary did have a few places like that littered in his campaign worlds, according to him and some others.