Sunless Citadle - ran it/been in it? (spoilers)

[Simon Magalis]

I think the bigger issue here is that 3rd Edition is a MUCH more lethal system for the "kick in the door" style of player. A character or group of characters that rushes into battle will end up dead sooner or later. I have run the first 4 Adventure Path (sunless cit. etc, etc) and the party has gotten more and more cautious as it has progressed. I never saw a 2nd ed. party behave that way. Also, the only player that has died (twice now) is the one player who still charges ahead, isolates himself, and still believes his PC to be invincible. You can call it roleplaying or just badplaying (hehe) but a reckless character who refuses to negotiate is going to pay with his life. Period. Seems pretty realistic I think. If you were an adventurer, what kind of party would YOU want to be in?

 

[Roland Delacroix]

Agree with everyone else, dumb players die. So, in a way, you are running it good if idiots find it a challenge.

When your party says they suck, you answer should be YES YOU DO! They are only 2nd level. Farmer Bob probably has more hit points, a bettter strength, and swings a scyth better than your fighters. Your players need to realize, guess what, 2nd level is no big deal. In some ways lvls 1-4 are the most fun because a single rat is a serious threat. In some ways, it really sucks. When they get to 5-10th level they will do much better, but thats just the way the game is. They need to develop some tactics, this is what low level play does.

 

[Broken Fang]

I think the other problem is they are still thinking 1st/2nd ed where you could go through multiple fights without having to take a break. It just doesn't happen in 3rd ed unless you are fighting a bunch of low EL creatures (and even then they can get out of hand). Maybe it would be easier on them if all the monsters were stupid.
Oh well, so far none have died, but the have made an enemy of the kobold queen...she doesn't know but the goblins wiped out the rest of her clan after she and the remaining guards were forced to retreat. When the party retreated from teh goblins and rested the goblins found the unguarded young. No more kobolds.
I hope they notice the defensive network the goblins are setting up and plan to use his and run tactics against them. If not they are going to learn that you can't just rush in. I emailed the group that we would have an after action report once we finish the module and see what they all think.

 

[Broken Fang]

Darn...just noticed I spelled the name of the module wrong...sorry.

 

[Some guy from Ohio]

I've run it. I am running it again for 4 1st level characters on the 23rd.

They did not mess with the water tanks so did not fight the Water Mephit...which was a good thing (DR 5/+1 and no magic items in the party).

I had great fun with the mephit! It was a wonderful way to knock down a few cocky players that were scoffing at "lowly" kobalds.

 

[EOL]

Dumb players definitely die, and most WoTC modules I've played or ran really hammer that home. If you're running for a group that likes to kill everything they see without much planning then the modules can be pretty tough. This does not mean that it's a bad way of playing. I run a campaign for some of my relatives, most of whom have never played before, and are far more interested in having fun then planning battles. In situations like this I am generally pretty easy on them, which as written WoTC modules are not....

 

[Shadowdancer]

I ran this for five characters, all second level: three figher 1/rogue 1, one fighter 1/cleric 1 and one bard 1/sorcerer 1. Maybe because the almost all had a level of fighter, they did pretty well. They all advanced to third level before the climactic battle on the second level of the dungeon.

They negotiated with the kobolds. They didn't use hit-and-run tactics against the goblins, but they did easy their way in going through the back door with Meepo showing them the way. They caught a break by discovering a side passage to the goblin king's lair that bypassed many of his guards in other rooms, so after defeating him and his bodyguards, they mopped up the other goblins with no problem.

The second level of the dungeon was a little tougher on them, but they used smart tactics to survive. With three fighter/rogues in the party, they quickly became adept at using flanking in combat to improve their chances. They all sustained a lot of damage in the big showdown battle, but came through OK. The best thing they did there was they killed the druid and his minions before attacking the tree.

They missed the encounter with the water mephit, and did encounter the dragon priest until on their way out of the dungeon, and they ganged up on him so quickly, the battle was over in two rounds.

 

[Dave Blewer]

Due to decidedly dodgy tactics on our own part we nearly got wiped out by the Bugbear and his Dire Rat pets...

But this is what happens when you decide to climb down a pit in relays with all the characters arriving at different times

My character (Druid) was killed, two fighters were knocked unconcious but managed to stabilise themselves. We only prevalled when the Sorcerer drowned the bugbear and rats in summoned Badgers

Good scenario though

 

[Moon_Goddess]

I just started running the Sunless Citadel last weekend, We continue this Saturday.

Out of the party of 5 players only 2 had ever played before, and only 1 of those had any real experience with 3e.

Regardless of this I allowed them to make whatever character desicions wise or stupid they wanted during character creation.

Wound up with

1 Human Fighter, total tank, newbie
1 Human Monk, Experienced player
1 Half-Elf Rouge, newbie
1 Dwarven Barbarian
1 Elf Bard, newbie

Looks like the Bard player won't be ruturn to the game this week but will be replaced by another player who says he wants to play a druid. (Finnally a true spellcaster)

A series of bad rolls and newbie tatics left the bard dying at -3 HP on the stairs, an untrained Heal check from the Monk stabilized him. Ruluctant to make the trip back to town so quickly after begining, They pressed on carrying the bard. The Dwarf fell into the pit trap, unconsious and dying. A critacal hit from the fighter's bow killed the dire rat there, and they stabilized the Dwarf and retreted back to town, all the while the Monk complaining that in all his years of DND he'd never had to retreat back to town, and me making fun of them for being killed by rats.

Having not money for magical healing they spend a week with natural healing and untrained heal checks getting back to health.

When they returned I was happy to see that there attitute about just how dangerous anventuring can be had changed. They were willing to talk to the kobolds, and started looking for traps.

Now If I can just avoid a TPK while still having some death occur I'll be happy.

 

[jasper]

YES 3rd edition has an old player liking it. His quote, "I am now scared of rats and orcs again. "
suggestion is to cut the price of healing potions in town, or make a contract with the paladin the town healer will heal for a full cut of treasure.

Sunless is not for hack slashers or even room broom cleaners. You know the type. the ones who will chech each door and level.