RTTOEE--What Insights Would You Suggest?

[SHARK]

Greetings!

After some deliberation, I finally cut loose with the $30.00 for Return To The Temple of Elemental Evil. I have only briefly read through some of it, in anticipation of getting in deeper. Now, are there any particular insights that you would recommend to me in integrating this module into my campaign? Any problems to be aware of, or any special additions that would work really well to improve and enhance the module?

Thankyou for your time, and effort!

After reviewing responses here, I plan on printing, and then carefully integrating it into the campaign. In the coming weeks, after it has been prepared, the group should be ready to get into the module.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

 

[Nareau]

A couple of insights...

First off, folks should be wary of posting SPOILERS in this thread. SHARK, would you kindly put a warning in the thread title if anyone reveals too much (I've got players reading these boards!)

Second, check out the RttToEE messageboards on Monte's site.
http://pub58.ezboard.com/fokayyourturnfrm17
And the yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rtttoee/

There's good people over there, and loads of really useful materials.

 

[Nightfall]

I have skimmed it too, Shark. My advice, be wary about the Doomdreamers. They are a pretty psychotic AND powerful bunch. That said, have fun AND enjoy trying to reek havoc with them.

Btw, have you broken down for The Demon God's Fane yet? I think it will work well with RTTOEE.

Oh and if you guys want REAL fun, Rappen Athuk. The grand-daddy of them all!

 

[Glyfair]

My two indirect suggestions:

Look through Monte Cook's forum for RttToEE ( http://pub58.ezboard.com/fokayyourturnfrm17 )

and join the Yahoo group ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rtttoee/?yguid=102285041 ) . The downloads there are worth a browse.

Either group has a list of the eratta for the adventure, it's just easier to find in the Yahoo group downloads.

David A. Blizzard

 

[Plane Sailing]

It works best as a dynamic dungeon, and you need to be very up-to-speed with the whole thing to make it work well in that respect.

It is very easy to kill characters in RttToEE, so if your style isn't high-body-count, be careful.

You can read in Dr. Midnights storyhour "The knights of the silver quill" an entire adventure through RttToEE, which might give some insights. The inner fane stories start http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=220 THe entire story can be found here http://www.rigaming.com/kotsq/tales.htm


My current storyhour "Knightsbridge Chronicles - RttToEE" http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4070 is about a party just starting off on the adventure. There are also some other storyhours on the adventure which I've not looked at.

Most of these have worked the adventure into their own world in different ways, and should give some ideas.

Cheers

 

[hong]

It works best as a dynamic dungeon, and you need to be very up-to-speed with the whole thing to make it work well in that respect.

It is very easy to kill characters in RttToEE, so if your style isn't high-body-count, be careful.

You can read in Dr. Midnights storyhour "The knights of the silver quill" an entire adventure through RttToEE, which might give some insights. The inner fane stories start http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=220 THe entire story can be found here http://www.rigaming.com/kotsq/tales.htm


My current storyhour "Knightsbridge Chronicles - RttToEE" http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4070 is about a party just starting off on the adventure. There are also some other storyhours on the adventure which I've not looked at.

Most of these have worked the adventure into their own world in different ways, and should give some ideas.

Cheers

If we're going to cite Story Hour chronicles, I should mention this one as well:

http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4680

Ya know, we did a heck of a lot in one 12-hour session.

 

[Numion]

I have DM'ed the whole adventure, and there are some recommendations:

1) Don't go out of your way to kill pcs. The bodycount will get high all the same.

2) If your players are unfamiliar with GH, you might want to give them more tips and clues along the way to the 'true badguy' and purpose in this adventure. Otherwise they may lose purpose in the wastness of the dungeons, and start killing things just 'because'.

3) The XP awards seem inappropriate sometimes. You should still award xp by the book, because sometimes PCs get too much and just as often they're shafted. (for example, elementals give much less xp than they're worth.)

4) Make it your own adventure. Return has been criticized (sp?) for being just a very long list of mindless encounters. It's not. Tools for a very athmospheric adventure are in the book. It's your duty as a DM to make it truly work.

 

[Frostmarrow]

I've got three tips for you SHARK.

1) Try to make the bad guys more scary. I found the villains and their minions rather silly. I felt like trying to scare kids with a clown-mask. The baddies are a bit too childish in my opinion. I would put a more adult or mature spin on things were I to DM it again. Less cartoonish and more White Wolf-esque, if I may be so bold.

2) Change the pace. The whole adventure is pretty forced and time is of the essence. This works very well att times but working against the clock for more than a year is too much. If you can include natural breaks in the pursuit of the cultists the wizard-player will thank you. There is no downtime in the adventure as written and I found that lacking. You move from one dungeon to the next with very little time to actually develop your character aside from the stats and levelling. Perhaps you you can use the optional rules for training when levelling up for this effect. I leave the decision in your capable hands.

3) Hommlet is your best friend. Decidedly the best part of the adventure. If I ran it again I'd move stuff and clues from the dungeons into the village. Have fun, we did.

 

[SHARK]

Greetings!

This is excellent! I appreciate all of your contributions! It is very useful. Also, feel free to describe problems and criticisms that you have and have experienced while running the module. Again, thankyou! I'm interested in as many perspectives as possible.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

 

[SHARK]

Greetings!

*BUMP*