NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ahnehnois" data-source="post: 5056121" data-attributes="member: 17106">This sounds like a major undertaking. I'd plan on taking three or four six-hour sessions. I'd first get a clear picture of what the artifact is (creating whatever game stats I need) and have some general idea of what the location is.The henchmen I'd divide into probably four discrete groups or so, each with a leader and henchmen. I'd stat up each group with the leader in great detail, each group (5 NPCs or so) taking up a page of fairly dense text (fron & back). I'd add brief descriptions to the spells and items indicating what they do, and price the items. The leader of each group I'd reference thoroughly, using a ton of books for classes and feats, etc.; I would use the MIC almost exclusively for items for everyone. I'd divide up the classes and roles for each group (rogue-led group searches, fighter-led group guards the entrance). Other NPCs after the leaders I'd do stats in a tad less detail (no action points, prestige classes, etc.).I'd stat up another page or so of random undead, using LM heavily, and then stat up the necromancer last, using extra care to find the best stuff available. I'd come up with a plan of action should he face the PCs, and stat up special items or traps for him. The back of his page would go to some non-hostile or other NPCs or monsters to spice things up; another character searching for the artifact or a native monster.I'd copy and edit the magic item lists from the NPC stats in order to give them to victorious PCs (maybe).This is a ton of stat work probably at least five pages of dense text front and back, and would probably take several hours in total (as much as to run a session), which I would do interspersed with music/other work over several sittings over the course of at least a week.I'd also look over old stats and see if any monsters recycle well for this; I usualy have some lying around. Given that this seems to be a dungeon-crawl,  I might look up a few traps or hazards. I'd also think through some major conversations with any DMPCs or NPC patrons established for the campaign and I'd think about how to tie the artifact, stronghold, derro, etc. into the larger plot and think about where they came from, what their goals are, etc. If the conncections weren't clear, I'd turn to Ultimate Toolbox and roll up some thoughts or maybe post on ENWorld <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />. I'd think about each PC and how they could contribute, and go back and modify the challenges or add a puzzle/scenario if someone seems to be left out. There would be little other written product, but I'd devote a lot of time to this, although this would be while I'm going to sleep or sitting on a subway or otherwise engaged. I can't even guess at the time-it would be on my mind until the whole adventure was complete.I'd run a heavily improvisational series of sessions, using whatever plot points the Toolbox or my campaign gives me and making up the geography as I go along. After each session, I'd write and post on my group's message boards a detailed review and address rules questions or issues (at least another hour). After each session, I'd look at how things ran and alter the remaining battles for difficulty if needed, maybe even stat up something new to spice things up.I'd stat up the leader, two or three star henchmen (spellcasters or monsters or just really good assassins), and some generic "assassins" (prob rogue 3 or so). Probably about a page, front and back, and an hour or two of hard statwork including items. I'd create detailed stats for the leader and powerful monsters, and basic stats taking up a half-dozen lines of text for the low-level assassins. I'd think up some plotlines involving the assassin; maybe write down the names of victims or names or stats of hostages (depends what the campaign needs) and spend some time thinking on how I'd work the battle into a game session.I'd devote a whole page of glorious stats for the demon, referencing FCI & various monster books and creating powerful custom-made items. I'd spend some time trying to find a feat that does the tail sweep, and if not just look at another monster (dragon) and give the demon as similar ability. I'd use ample vile feats and describe all the creature's abilities in shorthand on the character sheet. The stats might take over an hour to write. Again, I'd think about the plot points leading to the monster's discovery. Given the importantce, I'd probably have the demon have a specific agenda with the PCs and run through key dialogue in my head. I'd try to find some plot twist (demon knows a PCs secret or the PCs patron is secretly possessed, etc.) using Toolbox if I can't think of anything. I'd give some thought to the lair location and have my random-planes chart ready in case some cataclysmic event should happen...In the actual session, there would be a lot of exploring and I'd use my background planar knowledge to figure some interesting locales. I'd have the party talk with (non-statted) NPCs about the battle to come, and probably use a recycled monster or somethin early in the session.Ecstasy. While it was a medocre book Savage Species standardizing monster hit dice progressions (feats, skills, etc.) was one of the great innovations in D&D history. The ability to add a hit die or change ability scores and easily calculate the results is wonderful. Templates are wonderful. Monsters with class levels are wonderful. So few monsters use spells that the main source of headaches is eliminated; I think NPC spell lists are the hardest thing and there's no way to simplify them, so I prefer monsters w/ Sp abilities.I almost never use a monster out of the book. Each one will have a custom stat block with ability scores determined using the same method as the PCs (although probably not as good numbers), carefully researched feats and magic items, and frequent templates or custom-added abilities. I use every piece of stats I create, recycling monsters frequently if I don't use them when I originally meant to. Finding creative ways to incorporate these monsters drives the plot, an I can't be bothered to browse monster books during a session.I keep a template statblock on hand, copy-paste, and delete the entries that aren't needed.The Magic Item Compendium and to a lesser extent, Spell Compendium are fantastic; I research NPC stuff there and don't use my mass of books for this (sadly, there's no Feat Compendium).I eliminate some houserules for NPCs/monsters that don't need them (background skills, action points, etc.).I freely modify rules to suit my needs.I prepare almost exclusively monster stats and item lists. My world map I made many years ago and I tweak it as needed to start a campaign, but I never use area maps. I also rarely use traps or environmental hazards.I recycle stats and ideas frequently and creatively.I think about plot during spare time rather than making actual notes.I improvise.As above, spells. Magic items used to be so, but MIC helped. Also, I always forget to roll hit points; I dread my typos and omissions. I dread preparing terrain hazards, traps, and anything that isn't a monster because that detracts from whatever the plot is (I'm not saying it has to, just that in my games it typically does).Fun topic to think about.</blockquote>

Verification