D&D 4E Running player commentary on PCat's 4E Campaign - Heroic tier (finished)
AbdulAlhazred
Legend
There are various FOSS programs you could try. I'm not sure which features of Visio made it especially attractive, so I am not sure if these are good alternatives or not, but they're programs I've used.
Open Office Draw - This is the diagramming package for Open Office. It is more equivalent to PowerPoint than to Visio, but is quite capable if what you're after is drawing shapes, lines, fills, etc. Pretty straightforward to use and I think you can import Visio diagrams, at least to some extent.
Inkscape - This is a full featured vector graphics program similar to things like Quark or Adobe Illustrator. A fine program, kind of the equivalent of GIMP to Photoshop for the vector graphics world. Definitely more of a learning curve than something like Draw, but also infinitely more powerful. You can do professional quality maps in this for sure.
I think either one might be a useful free alternative to Visio. Visio has a lot of sophisticated features, but most of them are more oriented to things like software engineering work and such. There are many many other open source drawing programs too BTW. Dia for example. KOffice has one that is similar to Draw. I've done a bunch of overland maps with Inkscape personally. The only caveat I'd give you there is the program is pretty hungry for RAM, 4 gigs is your friend (but thankfully cheap these days). Helps to have a reasonably modern CPU as well, but nowadays even really low-end machines are fine in that department as long as it is something made in the last 3-4 years.
Open Office Draw - This is the diagramming package for Open Office. It is more equivalent to PowerPoint than to Visio, but is quite capable if what you're after is drawing shapes, lines, fills, etc. Pretty straightforward to use and I think you can import Visio diagrams, at least to some extent.
Inkscape - This is a full featured vector graphics program similar to things like Quark or Adobe Illustrator. A fine program, kind of the equivalent of GIMP to Photoshop for the vector graphics world. Definitely more of a learning curve than something like Draw, but also infinitely more powerful. You can do professional quality maps in this for sure.
I think either one might be a useful free alternative to Visio. Visio has a lot of sophisticated features, but most of them are more oriented to things like software engineering work and such. There are many many other open source drawing programs too BTW. Dia for example. KOffice has one that is similar to Draw. I've done a bunch of overland maps with Inkscape personally. The only caveat I'd give you there is the program is pretty hungry for RAM, 4 gigs is your friend (but thankfully cheap these days). Helps to have a reasonably modern CPU as well, but nowadays even really low-end machines are fine in that department as long as it is something made in the last 3-4 years.
Rel
Liquid Awesome
God Bress you too.
The_Warlock
Explorer
Also worth considering is AutoREALM, an RPG mapping program akin to Campaign Cartographer, which shares many of the joys and failings of the latter as an AutoCAD mapper for role-players.
WizarDru
Adventurer
I use Campaign Cartographer, which is enough of an investment in time that I don't use it that often for actual battlemaps.
One time-saver I do use is occasionally visiting the Cartographer's Guild and using some of those choices for my needs.
One time-saver I do use is occasionally visiting the Cartographer's Guild and using some of those choices for my needs.
Iceman
First Post
pymapper (pymapper | Dungeon Tile Mapping Software) puts together map images using WotC's dungeon tiles.
If you're comfortable with what is available through that (which is fairly robust by now), you can put some awesome stuff together.
And it's free!
-VIC
If you're comfortable with what is available through that (which is fairly robust by now), you can put some awesome stuff together.
And it's free!
-VIC
bah! Messed up on the XP screen; finger slip, comment forever ruined. Ah, well.
You could run it as a reverse-skill challenge. By using the PCs skills to throw up roadblocks (infiltrate sanctum, bribe guards, ruin breakfast to throw off his focus) countered by the NPC's own skill training, they could "drain him of surges". Functionally, the PCs set the DC for the challenge, and force the big bad through it. After a week of subtle sabotage and gas-lighting, he should be ripe for the picking-- or as hoppin mad as a froghemoth, If there weren't enough success on the PCs part!
---
PC, both you and Sagiro are an inspiration. I picked up 4e two weeks ago because what I know of the system lends it to "hey, let's strt a D&D game RIGHT NOW!" and then skips the 6 hour character creation splat-book combing- but I thought the cost was depth. I'm seeing more and more that depth is what the rules don't cover. Rather than stopping when there's no more print on the page, though, one must begin to shine via their own merit.
And stea- er, borrow from yo- um, other DMs
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
Siuis, you're exceptionally kind - thanks! My complaints about 4e revolve around excess complexity (particularly surrounding Conditions and Condition tracking), a slightly excessive focus on tactical play and a tough learning curve for players. There's lots I love about it, though, and a lack of depth is definitely not one of the problems I've seen. There's an endless amount of possibility here.
An example. Let's take the skill challenge I set up for this last game. The 10th level party has been teleported to Capria, the heart of civilization. This is the headquarters of The Enlightened, a guild of kenku assassins who (for whatever reason) have a contract out on the party's shaman Bramble. My skill challenge had a couple of goals:
- underscore the unique nature of The Enlightened
- create a tough fight that's unwinnable by normal means, and give the PCs a chance to win or solve it
- get the PCs to see or experience a few of the unique landmarks in this part of the city (some from this brainstorming thread, which my players should not read.)
- encourage the PCs to have a running chase, in which they kept moving and where each round happened in a different location
- make a cinematic, memorable battle/chase
- try to kill Bramble with pigeons
...ah, who am I kidding? That last one was the important one.
So here's the skill challenge. I set the DC high - DC 23, half way between the new "difficult" DC of 21 and the old non-errata one of 25. The group needed 12 (!) successes before 3 failures to succeed.
I only told the group some of this information: the bonuses for running and the way attacks can be used instead of skill checks. I didn't tell them that they could reduce Bramble's damage by helping shield her, or how much damage she'd be taking and why.
The group started on Conqueror's Bridge in round 1. An awning became a net (and then an impromptu pigeon-bludgeoning club), alchemical items were thrown, fire blasts filled the air, a DR-granting spell was cast, and there were hundreds of dead birds - with thousands more winging in from blocks away, all focusing on Bramble with their hard little black eyes. Remarkably, 5 successes and no failures. Pigeons swarmed the shaman, pecking and tearing for 30-odd points of damage. Never has "coo, coo" sounded so scary.
Because they said they were running, at the end of the round I described how they came off the bridge - thousands of pigeons blackening the air behind them - and had a choice of going left down the Forest of Slaves (an avenue lined with the crucified skeletons of a slave rebellion 15 years back) or right into the Spice Markets. Round 2 took place in the middle of the spice market, with customers screaming and ducking while tarps were ripped, spices thrown and incendiaries set off. Cobalt used an athletics check to shield Bramble with his own body while running, Logan used alchemical fire to ignite the fine dust of thrown spices, Caldwell used a nature check to cause the pigeons to shy away from the smell of their own dead, and Strontium blasted a huge number out of the air with fire scythe. Bramble, being clever, healed herself. Burning pigeons rained down onto the spice market as the group ran for the fortified counting house; the first failed skill check allowed some pigeons to swarm into the building along with the heroes. With 4 more successes (and one failure) under their belt, they finished round 2 inside. Round 3 finished when Cobalt used a thrown dagger to drop a massive chandelier on himself and Bramble, killing the remaining pigeons who had gotten in to the building. He unfortunately said "I'll pay for this!" before he knew it was worth 45,000 GP. The skill challenge ended with 12 successes and 1 failure, and the group took shelter and explained themselves while pigeons slammed against the closed door and windows, sounding like hailstones in winter.
My players should weigh in, but for me the skill challenge/chase/fight was a lot of fun. Even better, it managed to communicate the feel of the city while still keeping the PCs focused on staying alive. And my total design time, start to finish? 5 minutes. I'll argue it's just as easy to do this sort of skill challenge as it is to make one dry, boring and tedious.
An example. Let's take the skill challenge I set up for this last game. The 10th level party has been teleported to Capria, the heart of civilization. This is the headquarters of The Enlightened, a guild of kenku assassins who (for whatever reason) have a contract out on the party's shaman Bramble. My skill challenge had a couple of goals:
- underscore the unique nature of The Enlightened
- create a tough fight that's unwinnable by normal means, and give the PCs a chance to win or solve it
- get the PCs to see or experience a few of the unique landmarks in this part of the city (some from this brainstorming thread, which my players should not read.)
- encourage the PCs to have a running chase, in which they kept moving and where each round happened in a different location
- make a cinematic, memorable battle/chase
- try to kill Bramble with pigeons
...ah, who am I kidding? That last one was the important one.
So here's the skill challenge. I set the DC high - DC 23, half way between the new "difficult" DC of 21 and the old non-errata one of 25. The group needed 12 (!) successes before 3 failures to succeed.
Attacked by pigeons
Difficult skill challenge: (12 successes before 3 failures.)
Goal: escape or slay the thousands of pigeons trying to rip Bramble to pieces.
Skills: Open to the PCs, but generally any skill that can be used to evade, hide from, confuse or kill pigeons.
Special:
- Using skills and attacks while running gives a +2 bonus, while staying still gives a -4 penalty.
- Attacks (bursts or blasts only) can be used in lieu of skill checks. They must hit a defense of 23 to be successful. A burst or blast gives +1 to another skill roll from that round for every 5 points of dmg it inflicts, or can count as its own success if it is not an at-will.
- Every round, Bramble takes 2d6 damage for every success not yet attained out of 12 (reduced by half if Bramble's own skill check that round is successful). This damage increases to 2d10 per success left if the PCs have 9 or more successes, as the few remaining pigeons fly into a frenzy.
- If other PCs surround Bramble, damage is shared.
- If the skill challenge is failed, there are consequences - but I don't want to share them here, since my players read this.
Difficult skill challenge: (12 successes before 3 failures.)
Goal: escape or slay the thousands of pigeons trying to rip Bramble to pieces.
Skills: Open to the PCs, but generally any skill that can be used to evade, hide from, confuse or kill pigeons.
Special:
- Using skills and attacks while running gives a +2 bonus, while staying still gives a -4 penalty.
- Attacks (bursts or blasts only) can be used in lieu of skill checks. They must hit a defense of 23 to be successful. A burst or blast gives +1 to another skill roll from that round for every 5 points of dmg it inflicts, or can count as its own success if it is not an at-will.
- Every round, Bramble takes 2d6 damage for every success not yet attained out of 12 (reduced by half if Bramble's own skill check that round is successful). This damage increases to 2d10 per success left if the PCs have 9 or more successes, as the few remaining pigeons fly into a frenzy.
- If other PCs surround Bramble, damage is shared.
- If the skill challenge is failed, there are consequences - but I don't want to share them here, since my players read this.
I only told the group some of this information: the bonuses for running and the way attacks can be used instead of skill checks. I didn't tell them that they could reduce Bramble's damage by helping shield her, or how much damage she'd be taking and why.
The group started on Conqueror's Bridge in round 1. An awning became a net (and then an impromptu pigeon-bludgeoning club), alchemical items were thrown, fire blasts filled the air, a DR-granting spell was cast, and there were hundreds of dead birds - with thousands more winging in from blocks away, all focusing on Bramble with their hard little black eyes. Remarkably, 5 successes and no failures. Pigeons swarmed the shaman, pecking and tearing for 30-odd points of damage. Never has "coo, coo" sounded so scary.
Because they said they were running, at the end of the round I described how they came off the bridge - thousands of pigeons blackening the air behind them - and had a choice of going left down the Forest of Slaves (an avenue lined with the crucified skeletons of a slave rebellion 15 years back) or right into the Spice Markets. Round 2 took place in the middle of the spice market, with customers screaming and ducking while tarps were ripped, spices thrown and incendiaries set off. Cobalt used an athletics check to shield Bramble with his own body while running, Logan used alchemical fire to ignite the fine dust of thrown spices, Caldwell used a nature check to cause the pigeons to shy away from the smell of their own dead, and Strontium blasted a huge number out of the air with fire scythe. Bramble, being clever, healed herself. Burning pigeons rained down onto the spice market as the group ran for the fortified counting house; the first failed skill check allowed some pigeons to swarm into the building along with the heroes. With 4 more successes (and one failure) under their belt, they finished round 2 inside. Round 3 finished when Cobalt used a thrown dagger to drop a massive chandelier on himself and Bramble, killing the remaining pigeons who had gotten in to the building. He unfortunately said "I'll pay for this!" before he knew it was worth 45,000 GP. The skill challenge ended with 12 successes and 1 failure, and the group took shelter and explained themselves while pigeons slammed against the closed door and windows, sounding like hailstones in winter.
My players should weigh in, but for me the skill challenge/chase/fight was a lot of fun. Even better, it managed to communicate the feel of the city while still keeping the PCs focused on staying alive. And my total design time, start to finish? 5 minutes. I'll argue it's just as easy to do this sort of skill challenge as it is to make one dry, boring and tedious.
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(if you have the creativity and exceptional feel for encounters that Piratecat has...)
Very cool!
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