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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arcane Runes Press" data-source="post: 45779" data-attributes="member: 402">James;I love that module. Best time (2E) I've had running a module. My advice:1) Let the Dim Triad play with your PCs. In my own game I actually replaced them with "the Stranger", sort of a malignant spirit of the area who did horrible "pranks" and various twisted things to the group. Anyway, had I run it in 3E I would have used the Dim Triad, since they don't just drain levels forever like vamps in 2E. GRRRR. I digress. The point is, the Dim Triad are old, twisted and evil. If the PCs are basically untouchable at night (magic items, whatever), let the Triad use mind games. For example, from my own game, one of the PCs was killed in the swamp while sleeping. The next morning the other characters found the body with its throat slit and a note that read "Hello" stuffed in its mouth. They also each found a numbered scrap of paper on their person. Next morning they found a pile of bodybags on a rock numbered 1-4. Yes, my campaign played fast and loose. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> The point is, work hard to make the swamp creepy. It will make them more paranoid and actually help them survive all the twisted logic of the Tomb.2) Don't telegraph the traps. It's WAY too easy to give away the solution to various puzzles just through concern that the party lives to see the all the neat stuff in the city of Moil. Even worse, it's all too easy to give away some of the more subtle traps by overemphasising the description of certain items. 3) For myself, I changed the Black Academy. Too much like  a dark Hogwarts for my liking. At the least I suggest breaking up the monotony of endless necromancers with some other evil sorts. Monks, rogues, etc...., possibly from the slaveyards area of the city. I used a dark version of my player's characters to give them a good foil. The leader was a fallen paladin (Blackguard in 3E) who was a future version of my wife's paladin. Worked out nicely.  4) Don't be afraid to "cheat". Don't get me wrong, I don't mean cheat in the sense of fudge dice (Though I do this myself), I mean that you shouldn't be afraid to invent non-PHB spells and powers to give the challenges of Moil a more ancient, otherworldly feel. This is a good chance to unleash spells and items from Relics & Rituals or other 3rd party sources. Characters in 3E are generally more powerful than in previous editions. Be generous with the powers and, especially, protections you give the beasties in Moil. 5) Along the same lines, make sure the Ice Wights (name?) have a chance to actually DO something. They are highly intelligent, so make sure they use good tactics.6) Make sure the undead swordsman has a VERY high SR. The encounter is set up as a duel to allow a warrior type to have his moment in the sun. Ensure that he can. Consider giving him protection like an iron golem or rakshase, so that spells simply don't work. Your fighter/ranger/barbarian/monk/samurai etc player will thank you. I have a conversion of the bad guy. I'll try and dig it up if you like. 7) Cut loose as a DM. Have a blast unleashing twisted hell on your players. They will LOVE you for it. Properly run, Return to the Tomb of Horrors makes a great climax for a campaign, or, at the least, an epic adventure not soon forgotten. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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