D&D 5E Prepping for Princes

[Nebulous]

Speaking of names, that's the one thing that's driving me nuts about this module. It looks like the author(s) grabbed a bunch of Boggle dice for the NPC names. My players have given me grief for elven and hobgoblin names, but I'm having a hard time with the human names in this one.

Aw, man, you are so right, the names are AWFUL. Fantasy generic and similar to a fault and hard to pronounce. I think what I'm going to do is give them all a middle "nickname" that is memorable in-between the the first and last.

 

[Nemio]

Does PotA also have pre-gen characters like the Starter Set did?
Or some Personal Goals? If so I'm interested in hearing what they are.

 

[Lidgar]

Does PotA also have pre-gen characters like the Starter Set did?
Or some Personal Goals? If so I'm interested in hearing what they are.

No pre-gens, but there is a list of plot hooks that can be assigned to individual PC's. These can be easily integrate with the PC's background and/or Faction (if any). The plot hooks also describe when you should hand out inspiration for accomplishing various plot milestones.

For example, if a PC has the plot hook to address the local banditry, the DM could award them inspiration when they take out a bandit camp, then again later on when taking out a leader.

 

[Gilladian]

Speaking of names, that's the one thing that's driving me nuts about this module. It looks like the author(s) grabbed a bunch of Boggle dice for the NPC names. My players have given me grief for elven and hobgoblin names, but I'm having a hard time with the human names in this.

I have a few ethnic baby name websites bookmarked, and each nation has a different origin. Just happens that Greenvale is Anglo-Saxon. It helps when you need names in a hurry.

 

[DarenCommons]

Reading the intro I'm not really into the idea of these four cults sitting around making bombs and getting ready to destroy the world. I prefer the Idea that the four prophets are in competition to see who can become a Prince of Elemental Evil. They are not really concerned with the world otherwise and take any opportunities to weaken each other. The elemental catastrophes are side effects of their investigatons into the elder eye.
Also I think the element of madness should be played up as much as the catastrophes. The local towns will be overrun with neerdowells and riffraff. A circus will come to town and refuse to leave. Locals begin dancing uncontrollably. Extreme sports become inordinately popular. Wives leave their husbands. Children stay up past their bedtimes. This is the sort of thing that could ramp up during the campaign to create a sense of increasing craziness and a breakdown in society without having to go full apocalypse. It might allow for a slowerpaced megadungeon style campaign.

 

[Mercule]

I have a few ethnic baby name websites bookmarked, and each nation has a different origin. Just happens that Greenvale is Anglo-Saxon. It helps when you need names in a hurry.

Care to share?

 

[Gilladian]

Care to share?

Http://20000-names.com isn't bad but have a good pop up blocker running or you'll be inundated with ads. And here's a good set of generators for fantasy names: http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-name.php

 

[Nebulous]

Reading the intro I'm not really into the idea of these four cults sitting around making bombs and getting ready to destroy the world. I prefer the Idea that the four prophets are in competition to see who can become a Prince of Elemental Evil. They are not really concerned with the world otherwise and take any opportunities to weaken each other. The elemental catastrophes are side effects of their investigatons into the elder eye.
Also I think the element of madness should be played up as much as the catastrophes. The local towns will be overrun with neerdowells and riffraff. A circus will come to town and refuse to leave. Locals begin dancing uncontrollably. Extreme sports become inordinately popular. Wives leave their husbands. Children stay up past their bedtimes. This is the sort of thing that could ramp up during the campaign to create a sense of increasing craziness and a breakdown in society without having to go full apocalypse. It might allow for a slowerpaced megadungeon style campaign.

I haven't gotten anywhere near reading that far into the campaign book yet, i've just been focus-firing on Red Larch and the immediate adventure sessions, but I like the ideas you provided there. I like having the framework of a story established for me and then I go and tweak it as desired, it makes it more fun (and unique)

 

[Nebulous]

And I totally had to simplify all the names. No one needs a complicated first name and assbackwards last name, not when you're meeting 10 NPCs in one session with names you've never heard. Sir Rel, Leelya, Mellhiko, Jax, I condensed stuff into smaller memorable chunks.

 

[Greyson]

'Ware the Black Earth Priest

Consider the Chamber of Moving Stones in your games. Last night I TPKed a table of eight 2nd-level PCs with the Black Earth Priest (CR 3), Larrakh. The six Bringers of Woe (Bandits CR 1/8) softened-up the party pretty well. But, the real damage was conveyed via the shatter and earth tremor spells.

I think bad PC dice rolls, lack of planning by the PCs and their inability to cooperate as a group started this encounter badly. But shatter sealed the deal. Earth tremor is not a terrible spell, either.

I didn't think an AC of 17 and 45 hit points was that bad, but this party of PCs could not overcame this guy and he laid them low.

Long live Ogremoch!