D&D 4E Running player commentary on PCat's 4E Campaign - Heroic tier (finished)

[WizarDru]

That's 40 out of a planned 150 games. I'm about on track plot-wise where I thought I'd be, and I'm already rejecting certain fun sideplots that I probably won't have time to include. It's kind of painful.

Just keep saying to yourself: "Don't want the campaign to run 16 years. Don't want the campaign to run 16 years."

 

[Qwernt]

I want the campaign to run 16 years.
I want the campaign to run 16 years.
I want the campaign to run 16 years.

Seriously, as a LONG time lurker/rare commenter on these boards, I logged in again just to say: This is good Stuff!

 

[Piratecat]

If it runs 16 years, I get - what? - 2 1/2 more campaigns before I kick off from old age? Too few!

Thanks for the kind words. In exchange, and since I don't think any players will check in at this point, I'll give you a preview of tonight's first challenge in the form of a riddle. Why did the adolescent froghemoth cross the swamp?

 

[corwyn77]

You guys are lucky to have a group stick together so well over that much time.

It can be pretty cool. In my group, three of us have been gaming together since '87, two more joined in '90. We do have one piker, age 32, who joined in '98, and two old fogies who I've gamed with on and off since '00.

Though we prefer to run tighter, shorter campaigns. I think the longest was about 2 years though one 'campaign' was really 4 tied together by my dimension-hopping character hunting down a dimension-hopping villain (dnd thrice, GURPS Horror). Recently it's more like 6-8 months though my Deadlands game is at about 18 months.

 

[corwyn77]

Oh, and yeah, Cobalt should totally be nicknamed "Bait".

One of my games had a harper rogue with a chip in his shoulder refer to the party's bard as 'chum'. He would send in the poor sap into a social environment where he would inevitably do or say something stupid and the rogue would see who the 'sharks' were and how they reacted.

 

[Iron Sky]

Why did the adolescent froghemoth cross the swamp?

Because all the other froghemoths were doing it? They're facing a herd of froghemoths?

Reminds me of the one: "How many surrealists does it take to change a lightbulb?"

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

Reminds me of the one: "How many surrealists does it take to change a lightbulb?"

Fish!

 

[jydog1]

Why did the adolescent froghemoth cross the swamp?

because it was lady froghemoth night at the canteen and he was hoping for some amphibian action?

 

[Piratecat]

because it was lady froghemoth night at the canteen and he was hoping for some amphibian action?

You misspelled "hopping."

Sagiro will write it up, but it was a good game. My adolescent froghemoth was an elite brute with an attack selection better suited to a solo (on purpose - I wanted a tough but fast fight), and then it was chock full 'o traps that required some thinking to outwit.

[sblock=O froghemoth, O don't you cry for me]
Adolescent froghemoth Level 9 Elite Brute
Large beast (aquatic) XP 800
HP 246; Bloodied 123
AC 20; Fortitude 21; Reflex 20; Will 19
Speed 4, swim 10, climb 4
Resist 5 lightning, 10 fire; Vulnerability 5 radiant (that'll teach it to live in the dark)
Saving Throws +2 If stunned, instead dazed; if dazed, instead restrained; Action Points 1
Initiative +9
Perception +9
All-Around Vision, Darkvision, Low-Light Vision

Traits
Aquatic Hunter
+2 to attack and defense when it and a foe without a swim speed are in water

Submerged Predator
+15 bonus to stealth checks when submerged with only eye stalks sticking out of water

Standard Actions
m Tentacles • At-Will
Attack: Reach 3; +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 8 and target is pulled 2 and grabbed until escape.
Special: The adolescent froghemoth can only Grab two targets at once with its tentacles. If any enemies are grabbed by the tentacles, it can not use its Flailing Assault attack.

M Flailing Assault • At-Will
Effect: The adolescent froghemoth makes four Tentacle attacks.

Move Actions
Tongue • At-Will
Attack: Reach 4; +10 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d10 + 8 and target is Pulled 2 squares and Grabbed until escape.

Constrict • At-Will
Attack: (Targets an enemy currently Grabbed by tentacles); +10 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d10 + 5.

Minor Actions
Bite • At-Will
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 8.

Triggered Actions
C Shuddering Croak (thunder) • Encounter
Trigger: When first bloodied.
Attack (Immediate Reaction): Close burst 5; +10 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 3d10 + 6.

Skills Endurance +15, Stealth +11
Str 20 (+9) Dex 14 (+6) Wis 11 (+4)
Con 23 (+10) Int 2 (+0) Cha 11 (+4)
Alignment unaligned Languages —

[/sblock]

 

[Aegeri]

That has my interest, would you post that encounter up at some point?

Also, traps are apparently getting the whole "New stat block" treatment like monsters did in future. A good thing.