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<blockquote data-quote="WizarDru" data-source="post: 5579394" data-attributes="member: 151">In context, he was pointing out that actually fighting Acererak was unfair...but that you didn't have to fight him...in fact, you could bypass him, get some treasure and escape.&nbsp; He's effectively a deadly trap, just like everything else.My take is this:&nbsp; Gary Gygax held this module up as an equalizer.&nbsp; He had heard and encountered plenty of players who bragged how they could handle any dungeon, as their characters had managed (likely by 'Monty Haul' methods) numerous magic items, spells and equipment.&nbsp; They felt they were invulnerable.&nbsp; Gary set out to prove them wrong and designed ToH, a module specifically intended to wipe the smirks off the faces of the arrogant.&nbsp; Said arrogant players had grown incautious or overconfident, certain that no task could defeat their characters.&nbsp; ToH was designed to humble such players.But it is not unfair.&nbsp; Players aren't told that they are about to enter the Tomb of Soft Cuddly Bunnies.&nbsp; IIRC, Gary warned them upfront that the ToH would be a tough module full of death-traps and danger.&nbsp; The real question was how quickly it would take them to realize how vulnerable they actually were and adjust their tactics accordingly.&nbsp; Celebrim's point isn't that it isn't HARD or UNCARING or LETHAL.&nbsp; His point is that it PLAYS FAIR.&nbsp; Unlike some modules, with traps that have no possible way of being decoded short of painful experience (iirc, Tsocjanth has several of these...there is no clue that one color is good and another bad, that one face on a pedestal is a boon and the other a curse, etc.), ToH presents players with a chance to figure things out.ToH is fondly remembered for being both of these things.&nbsp; It was the Unholy Grail of modules, if you will.&nbsp; It gained a reputation in whispered circles as THE module to beat, THE module to marvel at.&nbsp; I'd wager far fewer DMs actually used the module than read it, but it got played plenty, even so.&nbsp; So it is justifiably remembered as this terrible thing, but it was also remembered that some folks DID beat it, fair and square.&nbsp; That's the key to its reputation, IMHO.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="WizarDru, post: 5579394, member: 151"] In context, he was pointing out that actually fighting Acererak was unfair...but that you didn't have to fight him...in fact, you could bypass him, get some treasure and escape. He's effectively a deadly trap, just like everything else. My take is this: Gary Gygax held this module up as an equalizer. He had heard and encountered plenty of players who bragged how they could handle any dungeon, as their characters had managed (likely by 'Monty Haul' methods) numerous magic items, spells and equipment. They felt they were invulnerable. Gary set out to prove them wrong and designed ToH, a module specifically intended to wipe the smirks off the faces of the arrogant. Said arrogant players had grown incautious or overconfident, certain that no task could defeat their characters. ToH was designed to humble such players. But it is not unfair. Players aren't told that they are about to enter the Tomb of Soft Cuddly Bunnies. IIRC, Gary warned them upfront that the ToH would be a tough module full of death-traps and danger. The real question was how quickly it would take them to realize how vulnerable they actually were and adjust their tactics accordingly. Celebrim's point isn't that it isn't HARD or UNCARING or LETHAL. His point is that it PLAYS FAIR. Unlike some modules, with traps that have no possible way of being decoded short of painful experience (iirc, Tsocjanth has several of these...there is no clue that one color is good and another bad, that one face on a pedestal is a boon and the other a curse, etc.), ToH presents players with a chance to figure things out. ToH is fondly remembered for being both of these things. It was the Unholy Grail of modules, if you will. It gained a reputation in whispered circles as THE module to beat, THE module to marvel at. I'd wager far fewer DMs actually used the module than read it, but it got played plenty, even so. So it is justifiably remembered as this terrible thing, but it was also remembered that some folks DID beat it, fair and square. That's the key to its reputation, IMHO. [/QUOTE]

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