D&D 5E TftYP - Running Sunless Citadel

[mightybrain]

Maybe they did but couldn't figure out the riddle?

Thanks. Although I'd have to change the text: "As the door opens, a hissing noise and a puff of dust around the door indicate that the chamber beyond has been sealed for ages. Dust, long undisturbed, covers every surface in this large gallery. The air here is stale." My players are real sticklers for consistency and details. It can be a blessing, but also a burden.

 

[mightybrain]

I think I'll go with the kobolds being too frightened to open the door. (Of course, they'd never admit that.) It explains why it's not been opened and also why they would be willing to give it away.

 

[Onslaught]

I'm currently DMing Sunless Cidadel for a group of friends (6 players), we're two sessions in and they've just got Calcryx (at Level 1) and managed to survive.

I'd like to hear opinions on the following topics/doubts/ideas:

1st) They basically went straight to Calcryx's lair (southern door) and smashed through it (no Rogue), clearing the areas before it (namely 31-33 corridors), and retreated to Kobold Lair to collect their prize. I'm thinking of using Goblins from Area 36 to replenish Area 31-33. Any other ideas of how the Goblins would act upon it?

2nd) The group used the following tactic quite a lot: open a chamber carefully and use Mage Hand with a Torch to scout and kite monsters. I ruled it would work "OK" with the Giant Rats (which are stupid animals), but anything else I think it will just alert whoever is in the area so they try to Surprise the group. Anyone think I'm being mean?

3rd) I though Calcryx would actually kill one of them because they went there head on as Lvl 1, but in the end the Breath dropped only one character (well, others Saved, roll was kinda low) and he only got two chances to act: one against the Raging Barbarian (who had caused him most damage) and other trying to get Meepo (who being the last to act had just appeared to Calcryx), which made him get hit by a lot of Opportunity Attacks... Was I too soft?!?

4th) Since they're many (6 characters), I think I should add another Goblin in pretty much every scenario to make this feel like a real threat. Otherwise they just steamroll the encounters, which was what was happening with the Rats before.

 

[Prakriti]

1st) They basically went straight to Calcryx's lair (southern door) and smashed through it (no Rogue), clearing the areas before it (namely 31-33 corridors), and retreated to Kobold Lair to collect their prize. I'm thinking of using Goblins from Area 36 to replenish Area 31-33. Any other ideas of how the Goblins would act upon it?

That's what I did. If the forward guards are killed, then the rear guards have to move up, for two reasons: (1) The goblins don't want to lose territory and (2) the forward positions are the most defensible.

2nd) The group used the following tactic quite a lot: open a chamber carefully and use Mage Hand with a Torch to scout and kite monsters. I ruled it would work "OK" with the Giant Rats (which are stupid animals), but anything else I think it will just alert whoever is in the area so they try to Surprise the group. Anyone think I'm being mean?

It would be boring for everyone if this tactic had the same result every time. Some monsters would not be taken in by the trick. Maybe make an Intelligence check to see if the goblins are fooled by it. Also, maybe change one of the doors to a hanging cloth (highly flammable). See what the players do.

Also, keep in mind that the D&D tradition is that dungeon doors are very loud and require a lot of effort to open. They usually have rusted hinges and the door itself is often stuck in the frame, so it scrapes across the jamb or the stone floor when it opens. No amount of carefulness is going to prevent monsters from knowing that a nearby door has been opened.

3rd) I though Calcryx would actually kill one of them because they went there head on as Lvl 1, but in the end the Breath dropped only one character (well, others Saved, roll was kinda low) and he only got two chances to act: one against the Raging Barbarian (who had caused him most damage) and other trying to get Meepo (who being the last to act had just appeared to Calcryx), which made him get hit by a lot of Opportunity Attacks... Was I too soft?!?

You weren't too soft, your players were just lucky. All part of the game.

4th) Since they're many (6 characters), I think I should add another Goblin in pretty much every scenario to make this feel like a real threat. Otherwise they just steamroll the encounters, which was what was happening with the Rats before.

Yes, 6 players is a lot. I would add more goblins and either remove Erky from the adventure or have him leave as soon as he's rescued.

 

[mightybrain]

1st) They basically went straight to Calcryx's lair (southern door) and smashed through it (no Rogue), clearing the areas before it (namely 31-33 corridors), and retreated to Kobold Lair to collect their prize. I'm thinking of using Goblins from Area 36 to replenish Area 31-33. Any other ideas of how the Goblins would act upon it?

That's exactly the suggestion from the book. Also that they should set up an ambush.

 

[mightybrain]

2nd) The group used the following tactic quite a lot: open a chamber carefully and use Mage Hand with a Torch to scout and kite monsters. I ruled it would work "OK" with the Giant Rats (which are stupid animals), but anything else I think it will just alert whoever is in the area so they try to Surprise the group. Anyone think I'm being mean?

It's good that your players are being creative. I don't think it would work in the sense that I doubt giant rats would follow a magically floating torch around. With intelligent creatures they would definitely be alerted. They might indicate their presence, but they would again be unlikely to follow the torch. They'd probably attack it.

 

[mightybrain]

4th) Since they're many (6 characters), I think I should add another Goblin in pretty much every scenario to make this feel like a real threat. Otherwise they just steamroll the encounters, which was what was happening with the Rats before.

I have 7 players so I'm more or less doubling the enemies. Sometimes the enemy numbers are specific to the environment, e.g. the 5 skeletons from 5 sarcophagi. In that case, rather than redrawing the maps, I gave the skeletons additional hit points. The fights can get very cramped when you increase the numbers, but that encourages interesting tactical approaches. We are using dungeon tiles and minis, but we're not sticking exactly to the squares.

 

[Aiden_Keller_]

Don't make Meepo cute. That's obviously more of an aesthetic thing - I don't like cute monsters. My Meepo was bloodthirsty and disgusting.

But shouldn't he be cute?

 

[iserith]

But shouldn't he be cute?

A lot of people make him cute. And I find that deeply disappointing.

 

[Aiden_Keller_]

A lot of people make him cute. And I find that deeply disappointing.

But Deekin Scalesinger is my favorite kobold of all time!

Can't Meepo be ultimately the same?