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<blockquote data-quote="Michael Silverbane" data-source="post: 3522729" data-attributes="member: 38016">A couple of things that I do to help me prepare for a more player choice driven approach...Mini-Scenarios:&nbsp; You want to have lots and lots of mini-scenarios planned out, or at least outlined, in the case that your players balk at any of the larger scenarios that you toss at them.&nbsp; These are quick, easy scenarios for which you require very little setup...For instance, a couple of mini-scenarios might look like this:Golem Trouble: A wizard has lost control of his new construct.&nbsp; He needs someone to 'dismantle' it before it escapes from his laboratory and starts wreaking havoc on the area.Setup: The party come upon the wizard arguing with local guard, or read a help wanted post in a pub, or are approached directly by the wizard.&nbsp; He offers payment if the adventurers destroy his golem.Setting: A wizard's tower.Special Considerations: The wizard would appreciate it if as little damage could be done to the house as possible while fighting the construct.Consequences: If the party succeeds, they recieve payment.&nbsp; If they keep damage to the house down, the payment is more.&nbsp; If the party turns down the job, there is a 50% chance that some other group will take care of it.&nbsp; Otherwise, the berzerk golem escapes, wreaking havoc upon the populace.Chupacabra: Livestock have gone missing from several local farms and ranches.&nbsp; What&nbsp; is happening to them?Setup: The party witness a town meeting wherein farmers and ranchers complain about someone or something making off with their livestock, or read a help wanted post in a pub, or are approached by a local official for help determining the cause of and putting a stop to the cattle disappearances.Setting: A rural community.&nbsp; A troll's lair.Special Considerations: The party must determine the cause of the disappearances.&nbsp; This may entail talking to the farmers and ranchers to find out when where and what happened.&nbsp; They may also perform a stakeout of one or more locations (check for sleepiness) or need to track the culprit to its lair.Consequences:&nbsp; If the party is successful, they will encounter one or more trolls, either at a ranch/farm (relatively in the open) or in its lair (a natural cave or rough domicile), and probably kill it.&nbsp; If the party doesn't take the job, there is a 50% likelihood that some other group will take care of it.&nbsp; Otherwise the troll (or trolls) kill all the available cattle and start eating the farmers and ranchers.Quick stat-blocks:&nbsp; For most of these mini-scenarios...&nbsp; You only need one or two stat-blocks (the golem for the first one and the troll for the second one) even so...&nbsp; If you develop a lot of them, you'll have quite a lot of stat-blocks overall, so dumping any excess information that you don't really need is quite a space-time saver.[code]Golem, Stone: CR 11AC:&nbsp; 26 (8 touch)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; HD: 14&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; HP: 107Init: -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Speed: 20 ft.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Space: 10 ft.Attacks: 1 (2 on full attack) Slam +18 (2d10+9)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Reach: 10 ft.Fort: +4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Ref: +3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wil: +4Special:Slow every 2 rounds (free action), 10 ft range DC 17 Will to negate.Magic Immunity: Spells with SR: Yes do not function.Bull Rush: The berserked golem will attempt to bull rush creatures into stuff.&nbsp; Provoke AOO, d20+13 vs. Strength Check.&nbsp; Pushing back 5 ft for each 5 points of success.&nbsp; Getting pushed into tables and counters will cause things to get broken.&nbsp; See special considerations in scenario.[/code][code]Troll:&nbsp; CR 5AC:&nbsp; 16 (11 touch)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; HD: 6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; HP: 63 (regen 5)Init: +2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Speed: 30 ft.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Space: 10 ft.Attacks: 1 (2 on full attack) Claw +9 (1d6+6), and Bite +4 (1d6+3)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Reach 10 ft.Fort: +11&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Ref: +4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Will: +3Special:Regen 5: Acid and fire deal normal damage.&nbsp; All other attacks deal subdual, which is recovered at a rate of 5 points per round.Rend: If he hits with both claws, he deals an extra 2d6+9 points of damage.Lair: Feel free to use more than one of these for higher level parties.[/code]Obviously, your needs may vary, but if you enter the information and create the layout yourself, you'll have an easier time finding and remembering it all, which will make combats easier to manage, as well.Outlining and flow-charting: Another method, for use with longer scenarios, is to keep to an outline or flow chart format.&nbsp; This means that, instead of full chunks of boxed text or whatever, you keep your layout simple and brief.&nbsp; You'll be able to fill in the blanks for your adventure easily once you are in front of your players, so you don't need to spend a lot of time writing stuff down.Latersilver</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Michael Silverbane, post: 3522729, member: 38016"] A couple of things that I do to help me prepare for a more player choice driven approach... Mini-Scenarios: You want to have lots and lots of mini-scenarios planned out, or at least outlined, in the case that your players balk at any of the larger scenarios that you toss at them. These are quick, easy scenarios for which you require very little setup... For instance, a couple of mini-scenarios might look like this: [b]Golem Trouble:[/b] A wizard has lost control of his new construct. He needs someone to 'dismantle' it before it escapes from his laboratory and starts wreaking havoc on the area. Setup: The party come upon the wizard arguing with local guard, or read a help wanted post in a pub, or are approached directly by the wizard. He offers payment if the adventurers destroy his golem. Setting: A wizard's tower. Special Considerations: The wizard would appreciate it if as little damage could be done to the house as possible while fighting the construct. Consequences: If the party succeeds, they recieve payment. If they keep damage to the house down, the payment is more. If the party turns down the job, there is a 50% chance that some other group will take care of it. Otherwise, the berzerk golem escapes, wreaking havoc upon the populace. [b]Chupacabra:[/b] Livestock have gone missing from several local farms and ranches. What is happening to them? Setup: The party witness a town meeting wherein farmers and ranchers complain about someone or something making off with their livestock, or read a help wanted post in a pub, or are approached by a local official for help determining the cause of and putting a stop to the cattle disappearances. Setting: A rural community. A troll's lair. Special Considerations: The party must determine the cause of the disappearances. This may entail talking to the farmers and ranchers to find out when where and what happened. They may also perform a stakeout of one or more locations (check for sleepiness) or need to track the culprit to its lair. Consequences: If the party is successful, they will encounter one or more trolls, either at a ranch/farm (relatively in the open) or in its lair (a natural cave or rough domicile), and probably kill it. If the party doesn't take the job, there is a 50% likelihood that some other group will take care of it. Otherwise the troll (or trolls) kill all the available cattle and start eating the farmers and ranchers. Quick stat-blocks: For most of these mini-scenarios... You only need one or two stat-blocks (the golem for the first one and the troll for the second one) even so... If you develop a lot of them, you'll have quite a lot of stat-blocks overall, so dumping any excess information that you don't really need is quite a space-time saver. [code]Golem, Stone: CR 11 AC: 26 (8 touch) HD: 14 HP: 107 Init: -1 Speed: 20 ft. Space: 10 ft. Attacks: 1 (2 on full attack) Slam +18 (2d10+9) Reach: 10 ft. Fort: +4 Ref: +3 Wil: +4 Special: Slow every 2 rounds (free action), 10 ft range DC 17 Will to negate. Magic Immunity: Spells with SR: Yes do not function. Bull Rush: The berserked golem will attempt to bull rush creatures into stuff. Provoke AOO, d20+13 vs. Strength Check. Pushing back 5 ft for each 5 points of success. Getting pushed into tables and counters will cause things to get broken. See special considerations in scenario.[/code] [code]Troll: CR 5 AC: 16 (11 touch) HD: 6 HP: 63 (regen 5) Init: +2 Speed: 30 ft. Space: 10 ft. Attacks: 1 (2 on full attack) Claw +9 (1d6+6), and Bite +4 (1d6+3) Reach 10 ft. Fort: +11 Ref: +4 Will: +3 Special: Regen 5: Acid and fire deal normal damage. All other attacks deal subdual, which is recovered at a rate of 5 points per round. Rend: If he hits with both claws, he deals an extra 2d6+9 points of damage. Lair: Feel free to use more than one of these for higher level parties.[/code] Obviously, your needs may vary, but if you enter the information and create the layout yourself, you'll have an easier time finding and remembering it all, which will make combats easier to manage, as well. Outlining and flow-charting: Another method, for use with longer scenarios, is to keep to an outline or flow chart format. This means that, instead of full chunks of boxed text or whatever, you keep your layout simple and brief. You'll be able to fill in the blanks for your adventure easily once you are in front of your players, so you don't need to spend a lot of time writing stuff down. Later silver [/QUOTE]

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