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Save My Game - Wilderlands & Dragons
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<blockquote data-quote="S'mon" data-source="post: 5527806" data-attributes="member: 463"><p>I've now read the article - the number of Surges lost seems a bit harsh, unless you're running a Dark Sun survivalist campaign, the PCs are exploring rugged mountains or searing desert, etc. For more temperate climes I'd typically just make it 1 lost surge per failed hazard check, depending on the situation. I guess 1d6-CON surges per day without provisions might be ok; but I would want to consider whether the PCs are eg dying of thirst while trekking the searing desert (big loss per day) or merely starving while seated in place (1 surge per several days). </p><p></p><p>For encounters, I think "1 EL +2 to +4 per day" seems tedious and grindy. I would (a) include lower-level encounters and (b) increase uncertainty by having several checks per day, most of which don't produce an encounter, but always having a check per extended rest. A good probability would be 1 in 6 or 1 in 10. It would probably be a good idea to have an extra check after each encounter, so the PCs can never really relax. This uncertainty is what allows for lower level encounters to feel threatening.</p><p></p><p>Example: The PCs are trekking through the wilderness, they have an EL+1 encounter, take some damage, and rest soon after. During the rest the DM rolls a '6' on d6 encounter check and generates an EL+0 encounter, which ambushes the party in camp. This makes it tougher than usual, but the PCs win, they resume their rest. The DM rolls for the follow-on check - '6' again, and a third encounter attacks the PCs a couple hours later.... </p><p></p><p>In this example, with a bit of bad luck the PCs are attacked 3 times in 1 day, with the latter 2 fights being attacks on their camp on unfavourable terms for the PCs. By the time of the third battle even an EL+0 may be very challenging, certainly at Heroic tier.</p><p></p><p>This doesn't have to happen often to keep the PCs on their toes.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="S'mon, post: 5527806, member: 463"] I've now read the article - the number of Surges lost seems a bit harsh, unless you're running a Dark Sun survivalist campaign, the PCs are exploring rugged mountains or searing desert, etc. For more temperate climes I'd typically just make it 1 lost surge per failed hazard check, depending on the situation. I guess 1d6-CON surges per day without provisions might be ok; but I would want to consider whether the PCs are eg dying of thirst while trekking the searing desert (big loss per day) or merely starving while seated in place (1 surge per several days). For encounters, I think "1 EL +2 to +4 per day" seems tedious and grindy. I would (a) include lower-level encounters and (b) increase uncertainty by having several checks per day, most of which don't produce an encounter, but always having a check per extended rest. A good probability would be 1 in 6 or 1 in 10. It would probably be a good idea to have an extra check after each encounter, so the PCs can never really relax. This uncertainty is what allows for lower level encounters to feel threatening. Example: The PCs are trekking through the wilderness, they have an EL+1 encounter, take some damage, and rest soon after. During the rest the DM rolls a '6' on d6 encounter check and generates an EL+0 encounter, which ambushes the party in camp. This makes it tougher than usual, but the PCs win, they resume their rest. The DM rolls for the follow-on check - '6' again, and a third encounter attacks the PCs a couple hours later.... In this example, with a bit of bad luck the PCs are attacked 3 times in 1 day, with the latter 2 fights being attacks on their camp on unfavourable terms for the PCs. By the time of the third battle even an EL+0 may be very challenging, certainly at Heroic tier. This doesn't have to happen often to keep the PCs on their toes. [/QUOTE]
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