Shadowdark Shadowdark General Thread [+]

[Fenris-77]

More lower level PCs isn't really the same as fewer higher level ones from a balance perspective. Not that SD does balance is a really granular CR kind of way ( thank goodness). I might include an L10 foe in a game with lower level PCs but not with the expectation that they would able to handle it simply based on combined levels. Higher level PCs have better defense and much stronger offensive tools at their disposal than that larger low level group.

 

[Mannahnin]

More lower level PCs isn't really the same as fewer higher level ones from a balance perspective. Not that SD does balance is a really granular CR kind of way ( thank goodness). I might include an L10 foe in a game with lower level PCs but not with the expectation that they would able to handle it simply based on combined levels. Higher level PCs have better defense and much stronger offensive tools at their disposal than that larger low level group.

All of this. 7 PCs with 12 levels between them? So averaging just over 2nd level? Yikes. I'd be hesitant to even throw L5 monsters at them without clear ways to avoid the fight.

 

[Velderan]

We finished up the CS#3 gauntlet dungeon last week and had plenty of time leftover in our usual playtime to talk about the game and what people thought. The thing that surprised me was since I completely randomly generated their level 0 PCs, including ancestry, I didn't expect them to want to keep the character they survived as but near the end of the dungeon when they were deciding how to achieve the vague goal I gave them ("Come back once you've proved your worth"), they started giving more personality and quirks to their PC so by the time they were done half of them wanted to continue on with that character at level 1 since they were enjoying the character they created as things went along. The other 2 didn't particularly care one way or the other, so they went with the flow and we ended up with a fighter, thief, priest, and wizard because that was each person's best stat rolled 3d6 down the line.

Spoiler: CS#3 gauntlet dungeon spoiler I guess?

They encountered the group of nords with their leader Garatha, who demanded they find the Axe of Nine Eyes so their leader could claim her rightful spot as ruler. One of them decided combat was a good idea and quickly died, while the others quickly surrendered and promised to find it for her. They eventually found the axe in the possession of the former king's undead form and hearing him want vengeance on Garatha, they went back to her and told her they found it, but could not touch it since they were unworthy. Luring her back since only she was worthy, the undead king murdered her for them and let them bring the axe back since "one who is worthy can become king". I left it vague so they can decide if that's one of them or if they want to get behind one of the leaders of the settlements in the area.

It probably will be another few weeks before we play again, since this was just something to try out in place of our regular PF2e campaign while we were missing a couple players. None of the people I run games for has ever played in a true sandbox game, but they do a pretty good job of taking published APs off the rails so it shouldn't be a problem.