Running Expeditions as Encounters?

[Koren n'Rhys]

Could one of the AL coordinators here please clarify how running DDEX adventures as Encounters on Wed nights works?

As I mentioned in another thread, a brand new FLGS has just opened up in my town and there is some interest in getting D&D up and running - mercifully, it's not going to be an all M:tG all the time sort of shop. (Yay!) Along with myself, there are a few other people willing to jump in and DM - though I'm not sure how big the player pool will really be. I know some existing players are more interested in more of a campaign-style game, not just being limited to Tier 1 Encounters, plus I'm not all that keen on OotA and would prefer to run Expeditions myself, leaving Encounters to someone else. Due to the loose morals of people on the internet, I'll admit to already having access to all the DDEN & EX adventures for all three seasons. We're looking at running tables on Wednesdays, but in addition to a proper Encounters table, I'd run one for Expeditions, but still keep it AL legal. Might even get started before the store is properly registered on WPN, tracking things with my DCI# as DM, and the players can add their numbers once they get some.

So, how exactly does that work? We have a 2 hr(ish) timeslot but longer adventures. Is there guidance on splitting them over multiple sessions? Is that even legal? I expect a fairly regular table of players, but given schedules, real life, etc, there could be some drop in/drop out spotty attendance and I'm not entirely sure how to handle that properly.

Thanks!

 

[kalani]

As per the Player's Guide:

If my store finishes D&D Encounters early, what do we do?

• You can fill the remainder of your Wednesday nights for the season by continuing the adventure from where it left off. Someone will need to pick up a copy of the for-sale product, but it’s easy to keep going. The D&D Encounters kit even provides certificates to support play of the entire adventure, including the post-D&D Encounters episodes.
  
  Alternatively, you can schedule D&D Expeditions games on those nights and split the adventures into two sessions of play. If you do this, players must participate in both sessions to obtain the rewards at the end of the adventure (such as renown and downtime).

Due to time constraints, I myself run split-session Expeditions every Tuesday evening. Unfortunately, as indicated above - there is no clear guidelines as to how DMs should split up treasure, XP, downtime, or renown when running these split-session Expeditions. I myself recommend one of the following methods:

Rewarding Downtime/Renown

• Characters who miss the final session gain no downtime or renown, while characters who only participate in the final session are awarded full downtime and renown. This is consistent with the way downtime and renown are awarded in Encounters

Rewarding XP: Calculate the session XP as normal, and then choose one of the following methods to determine how much XP each character receives.

• Option 1
  • Session 1: Award session XP or the minimum XP (whichever is greater). Record the session XP in your DM notes for next session.
  • Session 2: Characters who only participate in session 2 earn either the session XP or the minimum XP (whichever is greater).
    
    Once completed, combine session XP for both sessions. If this number is greater than the minimum XP, characters who participated in both sessions earn the difference. Otherwise (if the combined session XP is equal to or less than the minimum XP for the adventure), characters who participate in both sessions earn 0 XP.
• Option 2
  • Session 1: Award session XP or 1/2 minimum XP (whichever is greater). Record the session XP in your DM notes for next session.
  • Session 2: Award session XP or 1/2 minimum XP to characters who only participate in session 2.
    
    Once completed, combine session XP for both sessions. If this number is less than (or equal to) the minimum XP, award characters who participated in both sessions the difference between the minimum XP and the XP earned in session 1. If this number is greater than the minimum XP, award characters who participated in both sessions the difference between their total XP and the XP earned in session 1.

Rewarding Treasure

• Divide treasure (but not magic items) at the end of session. Characters earn an equal portion of all treasure earned that session. This is consistent with how treasure is divided in Encounters.

Rewarding Magic Items: In an effort to prevent abuse, I recommend the following

• Only those characters who participate in both sessions are eligible to claim (or contest) any permanent magic items gained in the adventure, unless otherwise agreed by the table. Consumable items are contestable by all characters.

Regarding Characters: In an effort to prevent abuse, I recommend the following

• You cannot switch characters between sessions of the same Expedition. If you begin an Expedition with Character A, you cannot use Character B in session 2.
• If your character levels between sessions, you cannot gain the benefit of your new level until such times as you complete a long rest within the Expedition.

 

[Koren n'Rhys]

Ah, excellent - thanks kalani. Should have read the PG a bit closer, I guess. The advice on Treasure, Magic Items and (not) changing characters seem spot on.

And just to be sure I'm clear on your XP options:
Option 1 is full XP (either that session's or minimum) for either one session or the other but not both, plus if they play BOTH, and they'd get the total of session A+B XP, if they add up to more than minimum?
and
Option 2 is partial XP (either that session's or half minimum) for EACH session? And again, they'd get the total of session A+B XP, if they add up to more than minimum?

Also, can you confirm how to record the DM rewards as well? Per the FAQ:

D&D Expeditions & Epics: Rewards are earned at the end of an adventure session, and double length adventures earn double rewards.
--> 200xp and 100gp per tier of play (t1: level 1-4; t2: level 5-10; t3: level 11-16; t4: level 17-20), and 10 downtime days (no tier adjustment; gained at end of chapter/ episode)
--> NOTE: if an Expedition or Epic does not indicate gold rewards for a DM, then the DM **does not** earn any gold rewards for that adventure.

So DMs get the 200XP/100Gp per tier for each session, since they get double rewards for a double length (4hr) adventure? OR 4X that for an 8 hr mod like DDEX03-04?

Apologies if I sound obtuse here. I haven't been involved in AL outside of being a player at GenCon in '14. Trying to wrap my head around it all.

 

[kalani]

Regarding player XP - Correct. DM XP however, is only awarded at the end of a session (if Encounters) or at the end of an adventure (if an Expedition). DMs who run split-session Expeditions only earn DM rewards at the end of the adventure (end of session 2). They earn nothing for completing session 1 as they have not completed the Expedition yet.

 

[Koren n'Rhys]

Ah, OK, got it. But they do still get the 2X or 4X multiple reward?

I suppose my inclination would be to go with Option 1 then, with players getting at least the minimum XP for attending at least one of the sessions, and anyone at the finale and who attended ALL of them getting whatever the total multi-session XP ended up being, if greater than the minimum.

Thank you!

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

Just make sure that players who go to both sessions don't gain more than the listed maximum xp cap. Generally speaking, the minimum xp is 75% of the max.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

I must admit this is why I never run Expeditions on a week night. I know they have brought in the 2 hour scenarios (and it feels like it was done for this very reason) but Im too worried I wont get everyone come back.

 

[Koren n'Rhys]

Well, I expect to have a fairly regular group, to be honest. Of course, if they fail to come back that's on me for either picking an adventure that didn't click with the group, or running it poorly. Hopefully both are less of an issue as we get comfortable as a group.

It's a small town, so I think that we'll settle into a steady group of players pretty quickly. Not so much PC turnover.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Sorry, not saying that its gonna happen to you, its just one of those irrational fears of mine, like clowns and watching a Kardashians show.

I get mostly the same tables but there is always one or two difference faces.