Out of the Abyss: Multitude of NPCS

[Tyranthraxus]

Hi,

After the TPK in Princes of the Apocalypse through Encounters, I have decided to start up Out of the Abyss. Ive been reading through, got my npcs cards ready to go. I do however am wondering how all of these are going to work having so many npcs trying to escape to. Did people involve these guys in combat, keep them out, or have scenes where one gets chopped down?

I think some people are going to react badly to not having their stuff but Im very much looking forward to the game.

Should I assign the other prisoners to the current characters?


Any advice is great appreciated.

 

[kalani]

As a personal rule, I would recommend keeping the NPCs out of combat unless the PCs ask for aid. You can justify this by saying that the NPCs are busy fighting a second group of NPCs "offscreen". Many of the NPCs actively avoid combat as well, so you could have them cowering in the corner, or hiding nearby.

As stated by the admins/RCs:
If any of the NPCs participate in combat in a meaningful manner - the XP earned for the combat is split with those NPCs. However, the NPC itself does not earn any XP, nor improve in any way (as DMs are not empowered to alter NPC stats) - their share of the XP is simply lost.

IMHO, the NPCs are best used for helping prevent TPKs if the party gets in over their heads, and as sources of roleplaying and information.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Secondly, Im going to be running directly from the book. Obviously more people have gotten a long way through the book by now.

Would anyone kindly please list the points where your group had enough exp to level up?

 

[kalani]

That is a much harder one to calculate, as the adventure is very sandbox (even more so than Princes was) and depending on the order in which the PCs visit the settlements, they might go several sessions without any XP and then suddenly gain a lot all at once.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

How do I factor Downtime and Renown then? Just award them as people level?

 

[kalani]

No. Downtime and Renown are only granted at the end of each chapter (as chapters = episodes). Chapter 2 in particular might be revisited numerous times before it is completed. Bonus renown (but not downtime) may be granted for completing side quests favored by one or more factions (such as was the case with the sidequests in Princes of the Apocalypse), however only those specific factions mentioned for each sidequest earn renown for completing them.

I am not aware of any sidequests in Out of the Abyss which are favored by one (or more) factions. From what I have seen, the sidequests in this adventure are just generic sidequests that grant XP and items.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Thanks, Ive decided to have 3 encounters between Escape and Darklake for the simple fact that I will have a 7 player group again. (Im guessing the encounters are all tipped at 5 character parties) and Im finding the exp on offer from a sngle encounter in addition to the 150 you get from escaping the prison is not gonna be enough to get everyone to 2. So effectively Im looking at two 900 exp encounters. Im just worried with a lack of equipment such encounters are going to go very deadly.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I was a little worried about the “you’re all prisoners of the drow” opening, but my group totally took it in stride. I think the trick is making it hard to escape, but not impossible if they work together. Really, at first level, it’s not like you’re depriving them of all their magic items and fine equipment. Wizards are really the ones that have the most to lose without their starting gear, what with their spellbooks and foci.

As far as the NPCs go, you could totally assign some to the players to run, but others might present problems later on (Sarith, Buppido, Topsy and Turvy, for example, all have possible complications). I just told the PCs that by the end of their escape, three of their choice of NPCs escaped and met back up with them. I honestly didn’t want there to be more major NPCs present than actual PCs.

I think some people are going to react badly to not having their stuff but Im very much looking forward to the game.

Should I assign the other prisoners to the current characters?


Any advice is great appreciated.

 

[Steve_MND]

I just told the PCs that by the end of their escape, three of their choice of NPCs escaped and met back up with them. I honestly didn’t want there to be more major NPCs present than actual PCs.

What I did with my group was to see how the players reacted to and dealt with the various NPC prisoners. If there were some that they created an attachment to in some fashion, or had fun with, then they were more likely to survive the Great Escape itself and accompany the PCs. If, on the other hand, there were any NPCs that the players just flat out ignored or didn't like or never clicked with, then those unfortunate souls were the first targets to meet an untimely end.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Well Im gonna have a scene in which the Shield Dwarf gets murdered by the Drow for refusing an order.