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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 3781585" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dungeon Crawl Classics #2 The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho An Adventure for First Level CharactersOverall score out of 10: 5.3Play time: Approx 12 bloody hours.Review:Less liked than the first scenario, this one hung in there, forever laying one or another of the party members low, it became a war of attrition very quickly in the second session of play. It also became necessary for me to adjust the damage done by all of the Kobolds, the scenario quotes damage stats for medium weapons instead of small weapons, which the Kobolds should be wielding. The problem is, what with the Kobold’s high AC, the best fighter in the party has only a 25% chance of hitting, this chance is reduced to, on average, 15% for the other party members. The Kobolds have a similar chance of hitting the PCs, and there are lots of them, and there are other monsters with better chances to hit.The players commented on conclusion that it would have taken perhaps two sessions tops to play through the scenario, and would encourage much more open play, if the Kobold’s stat blocks had been left alone, at least have done with the AC 19 Footmen which made up a majority of their adversaries.The overall scenario, asks more questions than it answers, particularly of the DM- see below. That said the finale proved, for its chaotic conclusion, to be almost worth the wait. Notes and Quotes:The Ogre proved a fair start, and from the outset demonstrated to the players their ability, like Mr. R. said in the last scenario, sort of- when you know what’s ahead it’s lots easier, and thus it proved to be for the Ogre- dead in two rounds.The passage from the Ogres cave into the Vault of Tsathzar-Rho was expected, at least something was bound to be there, after all I hadn’t encouraged the players to put away the Take Away food menus.All players expressed their preference for Stirges, they had indeed felt cheated that Stirges didn’t play a part in their first adventure.They also liked the way up into the scenario, the climb, an entrance into the unknown that takes effort to get too, not often do you get this at lower level.The initial contact with the Kobolds was equally terrifying and exciting- particularly as Mr. W. (Newt) was on his own at the time, perhaps the first time ever he was glad to see Mr. R. (Cas).Mr. W. (Newt)- “I’m sorry, I said I was sorry… now get up here.”Mr. R. (Cas) just sits there grinning, a smile you want to punch.Likewise the trek into the river cavern leading to the party split was most enjoyable; all the fighters running off to leave a first level Rogue, Magic User and Cleric facing off against four Dire Rats and six heavily armoured Kobolds, it felt like adventuring. This mirrored by the warriors own calumny- fighting half-a-dozen more Kobolds, and the Kobold Wizard, complete with Magic Missile Wand and Burning Hands spell, which resulted in just Bec left standing. It felt like heaven to this lowly DM, every dice roll monitored, and not just by the roller, players screaming at each other-Mrs. R. (Ala)- “Shut up, and just bloody hit it.”That kind of thing- good work, I really thought at this point it was going to be a cracker.This of course lead to the first marital tiff, Mrs R. (Ala) enquiring of Mr. R. (Cas).Mrs. R. (Ala)- “What the bloody hell do you think you were doing running off?”Mr. R. (Cas)- “I…”Particularly amusing, the Paladin getting told off, scratch that, scolded, by the Cleric- like a naughty schoolboy. And so the adventurers make it to the river, after first looting the Kobold Wizard and getting away with a new Wand of Magic Missiles for Miss P. (Anya), and a Pearl of Power I (Anya, again), and Bracers of Armour +1 (Bec).Newt had also been robbing the remainder of the party blind at this point with the three-fingered pendants- good work.And so the first session ended with high hopes.The second session starts ok; they all see the logic of the return to Tetknee for supplies, after Cas has explained it to them.The destruction of the Fire Beetles, six in total, was easy, more of a distraction- and good solid first level dungeon fodder. The Darkmantle was also an enjoyable encounter, if only for Miss E.’s (Bec) natural ‘20’. The fighting milk-maid dollies wouldn’t go away for a while, mainly because of their hardness and the difficulty of the environment.The session then went from okay to stuffed, very quickly, they liked the Giant Spider, they stopped liking it however when Cas got bitten to buggery and ended up with a Strength score of around ‘7’, but I guess that’s there look out.This lead on to them landing on the Undead side of the street, the Ghoul proved good fun, particularly when they decided to use Newt as live bait, actually I think he suggested it.The graveyard area likewise proved to be a good fight; that is until they started to count the cost- the hits they’d taken in making the place into their new lair, the spells, and Turning attempts they’d expended in the effort. A rest stop was inevitable, as I’ve said about first level characters, one bad fight, or even two fair ones, with some bad dice rolls and your scuppered for a while.Mr. R. liked his Magic Sword though.Rested they returned, and kicked ass, only to be laid low again. Two dozen Kobolds may not seem like much of a fight but wrap them in mail and give them crossbows, and good pluses to hit and they all become potential death traps. I understand it’s not meant to be easy, but at first level it’s hard to make a grind like this sustainable, and yet here we are. So the majority of the session was spent in a dice rolling fury, admittedly this was teaching some of my players a useful lesson, again.As Mr. R. also said last time, you leave your best stuff/moves for the big bad guy at the end- which results in players being insulted by being held to a draw, almost, by a bunch of lowly Kobolds, while all the time trying not to expend their favourite one-shots. Miss. P. however was going through her Magic Missile Wand at one charge per round, every round.So they kicked some ass.Then met up with the Derro and their poisoned crossbow bolts- result two dead Derro but also Cas back on Strength ‘8’, Bec on a little more, and Ala hovering on 1 HP, and most of the others still wounded- and two of them holding out on the Healing Potions, particularly Mr. W. (Newt) who had four of them stashed away.Result- they go back to bed for a day, the second session draws to a close and they’re liking the scenario less and less. It needs to be said that I made a judgement call in letting the players remain holed up in the hidden graveyard because-1.    It was hidden, and hard to get to.2.    The Kobolds were without leadership- uncoordinated.3.    The Kobolds do not stray from their positions.4.    The Kobolds feared the Undead that occupied this section, and avoided it.5.    The Kobolds don’t have any more rafts.This however allowed the PCs to correctly presume that this area was safe, and therefore allow them to get through the rest of the scenario knowing that they had somewhere to run and hide in.On to the third session, which started out as fun but drifted into another heavy dice rolling session. And so like professionals they adapt to survive, they’re ready for the Kobolds this time around, Bec Rages, Newt flings Thunderstones, Ala summons a Badger (which only slows things down but hey-ho). They rip through the first set of Kobolds.And then Miss E. (Bec) does a runner, which is what he always does when his Rage is still going- looking for something else to smash.This led to another fight with a Kobold Wizard, his guards, and a bunch of Elite Kobolds, which would have been more fun if the Kobolds had been something less Koboldy, although their look had changed they remained the same one hit to kill bad guys. Thus the only dice roll that mattered was the To Hit roll, there was no sense of it being a big fight- not enough leader types, the two wizards encountered so far rocked, they both hung around. In between times it was very short rounds, five people roll to hit, missile or melee, maybe one or two succeed, Anya shoots one dead with her wand. If a Kobold hits it does approx two points of damage- there wasn’t the same feeling of danger being generated. This may, once again, have been down to the parties head on approach but circumstances also worked against them at times.This was also the start of the shadows, and random Will saves for the players, this an effect of the scenario, the growing terror- which, the saves which served to slow down play a little more, were almost always passed- inevitably the only time the players rolled anything good, anything that was guaranteed to hit the Kobolds.Miss P. (Anya) is also quids in again with the Spellbook, and another Wand, this time of Burning Hands.They press on to the Lemure’s, and they’re more like it, the sense of danger is palpable, particularly as the players get to exchange blows with the creatures, simply put- they stick around for a little while.The chamber with the Portals to the Elemental Planes received a mixed reaction, some players felt it epitomised all that is bad about the ‘old school’ scenarios, they want to believe that this sort of sophisticated magic awaits them at later levels, yes it was just a trap, but it was all a bit too much like the scenario was trying to do everything- throw the kitchen-sink at them. It was also the time that Miss E. (Bec) failed her saving throw with the lowest number on the die, which led to the invention of the toasted cheese sandwich- so at least some good came of it.If Bec hadn’t have failed his save then they would have worked their way around the possible traps, probably without injury, by using the Kobold notes provided, and, of course, Miss P. (Anya) ends up with the Necklace of Fireballs.Then they rest up again- undisturbed.I thought I was going to enjoy the attack of the Bird Kobolds but the Burning Hands Wand soon put paid to my fun, particularly galling as I’d just got a nice critical on Mr. A. (Jim).And then the Dragonkin Kobold on the stairs down- lovely, it put up a fight, why not have weaker Kobolds throughout and more boss type creatures, with more Hit Points. That said they loved the Pod room, and torching it, a ‘that’s why we’re here’ moment.Likewise the Kobold High Priestess’ fleshy chamber went down well, once again the fact that the Kobold Priestess was a major enemy was much appreciated- the player’s sense of achievement-ometer went up several notches. Ala’s coming good, the critical certainly left a smile on everyone’s face, except perhaps Miss E. (Bec), who once again fell foul of her terrible Saving Throw (Will -1).The next fight went better for me, the Teleportation pillars were, as the players said later, ‘cheesy’, but they didn’t half shake them up, particularly when the second Dragonkin Kobold appeared behind them; Mr. A. (Jim) was right.I’d also planted some seeds here, notes had been passed throughout the game, and e-mails sent out of game- Mrs. R. (Ala) was starting to crack- parts of the scenario’s plan were at least working. The scenario calls for a sense of paranoia, which wasn’t really getting through to the players. I’d primed Bec, Newt and Ala earlier and they’d got some nice role-playing in- setting up divisions within the party. The problem was the endless supply of Kobolds which produced long sessions of dice-rolling.However this was the first time the group had elected to sleep in the spooky part of the scenario- and thus the dream sequence, the Gods intervene and send them a renewed sense of hope, and a Bless spell.A little late in the day perhaps, they were all but finished, then again that’s probably the best time to do it.And so the third session came to a close, and with the players feeling happier for the extra Hit Points and improved To Hit that comes at Level 2.The fourth, and final, session started well with the slaying of the maddened Derro, this time Newt remembered about the crossbows and located some poisoned bolts- which would prove to be worth their weight in gold later.The water room, sorry- blood tide chamber, was a bit too silly, and easily overcome- don’t go in there, shoot them. The Kobolds lead by a no-brain Barbarian fell into the players trap, and were destroyed, although Baraz, the leader, got in some good hits.Which leaves the climax, which was either great or terrible, depending on which player you ask.Mr. R. (Cas)- “Loved it.”Mrs. R. (Ala)- “Same.”Miss P. (Anya)- “Good-ish.”Mr. W. (Newt)- “I hit once, when it mattered, and then never again- bloody dice.”Miss E. (Bec)- “Oh great, I brained Ala.”Mr. A. (Jim)- “Rubbish, I didn’t even get to see it until is was all over.”And so Jim who passed his Will saving throw every time didn’t actually see what was going on in the room until it was all over. Cas and Ala on the other hand were in the mix from the very beginning, and Ala’s critical proved to be a fitting ending, particularly as she’d been brained by Bec- who didn’t enjoy the finale at all, for obvious reasons. Newt’s poisoned crossbow bolt reduced Tsathzar-Rho’s Strength score to ‘9’, without any Secondary Poison Damage being rolled, so it could have been worse. This reduced the creatures To Hit pluses dramatically making its death inevitable. Still that falls under the category of good play.Overall there were some good bits however, the two trap rooms at the end, Teleporting Pillars and the Blood Tide were deemed silly, just plain daft, reminiscent of some of the bad dungeon features of 1st edition. Which is of course what the designer/writer was aiming for, probably. The Kobolds were a little too difficult, and felt unsatisfactory, particularly as there were so many of them. That said the leader types were always fun. Perhaps my players are just whingers, perhaps I am too, regardless the scenario became repetitive in the middle section- and took too long to complete.Next Turn: Grimbo</blockquote>

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