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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 4429094" data-attributes="member: 7635">I'm with ya Dusty.I ran Expedition to Castle Ravenloft in Eberron. Regular 3.5 rules (no houserules, cept those that Eberron adds) with the following party...1.) Human Wizard/Cataclysm Mage (Arcane Caster)2.) Halfling Artificer (Buffer, Trap Finder)3.) Elf Ranger/Fighter/Reverant Blade* (Melee)4.) Human Cleric/Warlock/Eldrich Disciple* (Healing, Ranged Touch)5.) Warforged Fighter/Cleric/Exorcist of the Silver Flame (Melee, Healing)PCs between 7th-9th level.* Replacement PCs, the first was a feytouched warlock who died of zombie plague, the other was a drow ranger who died by Stahd's hand.Not a optimized party, but balanced. All roles covered. However during the course of the adventure...1.) They had to rest frequently because combat took a lot out of them. They had to rely heavily on ghost-touched items (which were not the warrior's focused wpns) buffs, and force magic to defeat the numerous spectral undead. Both drained resources very quickly. It was common for the group to go only two rooms before resting.2.) The multi-classing of the two clerics meant neither was high enough to cast restoration, neutralize poison, or raise dead. As a result, many PCs suffered though lingering negative status ailments (level drain, poison) which forced them again to retire early.3.) PC deaths, as mentioned, were high. Two, which is my record for mid-level D&D.4.) The artificer, who didn't max out his ranks in Search/Disable Device, often meant the team blundered into or set off nearly every trap Strahd placed in the Castle. More Resting.5.) Eventually, another player and an NPC (fighter, cleric) joined the group to aid the otherwise floundering group, but at the cost of bringing the group to SEVEN PCs!6.) The game crawled though as the group spent nearly 2 weeks of game time (and x4 as long real time) finding Strahd and stopping him. Glad Strahd was in no hurry to get rid of them, because He could've TPK'd the group at any moment after almost any encounter in the damn castle!As a DM, I had to treat the game very liberally if I wanted them to survive! They weren't min-maxers, they had good solid characters, but Castle Ravenloft required multiple rest/return/rest again travel into the Castle and there was no way (even with reserve feats) to get around it.That is the 15 min workday, IMO. And it sucked the atmosphere out of an otherwise awesome module.</blockquote>

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