Q: Bodrins Watch V6

[Atzilla]

Light SPOILER Ahead:

Looking at the map for Bodrins Watch V6 (The Nexus), it seems to me like the gangway near to tunnel 5 connects to the scaffolding on the same level as the main gangway from the east. But near tunnel 6 you have to use two stairs going up? I don't get the architecture of this room.

Any clues?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Chris Knapp]

We noticed the same thing. Another (small) issue is the ceiling is supposed to be 100' above, but the stairs only climb 8 levels + 10" for the final ladder. What my DM did was remove the lower ladder (1) and put a flight of stairs just before them, like every other vent. For the scaffolding, he made the upper platform "ring" by vent 5 not connect to the top control panel, just its own independent ring, like the one below. Finally, the top platform ends on the grid line above (to the west of) the control panel, creating a dead-end the PC's can defend while the smart guys solved the puzzle.

There are a few battlemaps out there where others have made 3 rings by simply drawing a line on the north edge of the top ring indicating that the gangway from vent 5 heads south to its own ring.

But from what I remember, the rings are pretty useless since they all dead end at the central shaft. All the action takes place along the wall and on the top platform.

 

[Hejdun]

Another thing that makes no sense is that those 8 short (5' long) stairways need to add up to 80' of height. Which means for each stairway, you climb 10' with only 5' in distance.

I'm pretty sure halflings would have to make Athletics check to climb that... Heck, probably medium sized creatures as well.

 

[sfedi]

That map is crap, it makes no sense at all.

Follow the spirit of it and modify it.

I thought that the central scaffolds wouldn't be useful, but they are great for ranged attackers to shoot, hide, fall back, etc without the risk of melee contact.
Of course, as the party climbs up the stairs they become less useful.

 

[Atzilla]

Thanks for your help - I modified it a bit and it worked great.

But Tusk owned the party - his at will powers are really tough!
Close to a TPK - one char dead and 2 unconscious carried by the rest to escape...

 

[Herschel]

I lik ethe map, even if the physics are a bit wonky. Tusk really wasn't too big a problem himself for us. The Archer (with help from the Sorcerer) took on the minions and the Warlock (after we were able to get her off the ramp and down below, it was almost an old fashioned shoot out for them) and the rest of the party went after the sergeants and Tusk, rotating the front line with 3.5 characters (Spirit Companion being the .5). The resource/surge depletion before the fight was the hardest part.