P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens - Fantastic!

[CapnZapp]

I think ambushes are annoying and usually unfair to the players.

They're annoying (especially in 3e where pre-buffing is critical) because the PCs don't have time to prepare for them.

I think ambushes are an adequate storytelling tactic because they convey to the players that hey, the bad guys see you as a serious threat. But there are so many other ways that could be conveyed that don't involve ambushes. Such as:

* bad guy attempts to bribe PCs to stop attacking him or to go elsewhere
* bad guy tries to get the PCs to work for him
* bad guy uses some other person/group as a cat's paw to fight against the PCs
* bad guy packs up his things and abandons his lair, leaving a taunting note for the PCs
* bad guy is so scared that he surrenders rather than face death (not every bad guy has to fight to the death or be an insane cultist)

I think an ambush is the best way of conveying the fact the BBEG see you as a serious threat.

Those other methods are fine too, but not if overdone. Then the players get the feeling the BBEG (and by extension the DM) isn't really out to kill them.

Now, if you're playing 4E, you're in luck. Ambushes are much less unfair now than in the previous edition.

Not only do PCs not need to pre-buff, they will manage even if without their stuff, and hopefully the ambush means they'll be fresh out of an extended rest. Also, there's none of the scry-teleport silliness, meaning that the ambush doesn't always come straight out of the blue like in 3E, and when it does, the party can usually recognize how they should have protected themselves better.

All good. And all factors encouraging you as the DM to really take off the gloves! Assuming the PCs get ambushed because they made a blunder earlier, they will 1) survive even a nasty ambush 2) thank you for it, because they see they deserved the hardship 3) lead to a better adventure 'cause now it's personal!

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Two thoughts:

1) I'm really getting ticked that our RHoD campaign (in which I am a player for a change) is on hiatus. I'm missing out on the best adventure of all time? Grr.

2) Sounds like I need to read this one. Who wrote it?

 

[Endur]

I'll take a look at P1.

In my opinion, Red Hand of Doom was the best produced WOTC module. There are many great WOTC modules, but RHoD had it all.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I think an ambush is the best way of conveying the fact the BBEG see you as a serious threat.

Those other methods are fine too, but not if overdone. Then the players get the feeling the BBEG (and by extension the DM) isn't really out to kill them.

Now, if you're playing 4E, you're in luck. Ambushes are much less unfair now than in the previous edition.

Not only do PCs not need to pre-buff, they will manage even if without their stuff, and hopefully the ambush means they'll be fresh out of an extended rest. Also, there's none of the scry-teleport silliness, meaning that the ambush doesn't always come straight out of the blue like in 3E, and when it does, the party can usually recognize how they should have protected themselves better.

All good. And all factors encouraging you as the DM to really take off the gloves! Assuming the PCs get ambushed because they made a blunder earlier, they will 1) survive even a nasty ambush 2) thank you for it, because they see they deserved the hardship 3) lead to a better adventure 'cause now it's personal!

Ambushes can be easily overdone as well. Especially since they always fail.

 

[Jack99]

I have used quite a decent bit of P1 for my home game, but the encounters/parts I stole worked great.

I do think that the P2 is even better.

2) Sounds like I need to read this one. Who wrote it?

Logan Bonner and Richard Baker if you mean P1, Chris Sims, Mike Mearls and Robert Schwalb if you mean P2.

 

[vagabundo]

P1 just isnt doing it for me - saying that I've not read the whole thing. H2 sucked me in and I will be starting it next month some time.

Maybe I need to give it a proper read through.

 

[C_M2008]

P1 sucks.

Our group is playing through it(I'm not Dming for once) and it just seems to be monotonous monster hacking over and over again. Some of the encounters are well done and most use terrain very well, but that seems to be all their is. There was some RP at the start of the module when we tried to convince the champion in MoonStair to join us, but there has been very little.

I think we're about half-way through the module so maybe it will improve (We "killed" skullmead and his jewel eye flared and he disappeared) and have fought 10 or so encounters so far, but its getting old fast. Their have been no exciting traps, no puzzles and no RP, nothing but combat scenarios so far, it's very very lame.

But I disliked H1 after reading it too, and have never run it either so maybe the WoTC modules just don't suit me.

 

[Jack99]

But I disliked H1 after reading it too, and have never run it either so maybe the WoTC modules just don't suit me.

I think a lot of people didn't like KotS too much, but still like KotT - And if you just killed Skalmad, things are about to become more interesting. Although a lot depends on the DM, obviously.

Cheers

 

[catsclaw227]

Our group is playing through it(I'm not Dming for once) and it just seems to be monotonous monster hacking over and over again. Some of the encounters are well done and most use terrain very well, but that seems to be all their is. There was some RP at the start of the module when we tried to convince the champion in MoonStair to join us, but there has been very little.

I think we're about half-way through the module so maybe it will improve (We "killed" skullmead and his jewel eye flared and he disappeared) and have fought 10 or so encounters so far, but its getting old fast. Their have been no exciting traps, no puzzles and no RP, nothing but combat scenarios so far, it's very very lame.

Is your DM one that typically like RP or is he a tactical combat kind of person? That will weigh heavily in how well the adventure plays out.

 

[C_M2008]

Is your DM one that typically like RP or is he a tactical combat kind of person? That will weigh heavily in how well the adventure plays out.

He's generally fairly RP based, but usually runs his own creations when he does run. I think he may feel constrained by the module, to do exactly what it says.

That said he does fairly well from a tactical point of veiw and encourages stunts, so combat isn't boring, but fighting repeatedly gets old fast.