We're Going To Do Return to the Tomb of Horrors and One Player has Freaked Out!

[jonesy]

Return to the Tomb of Horrors a.k.a. Deathtrap.

Been there two times.

First time everyone in the party simply died. No chance of survival at all.

The second time (different group) we made it all the way to A and, well, decided to...uh...investigate the...ah...how can I say this without spoiling anything...umm...the Thingy That Kills All Living Thingys. Yeah. It was like our very own Head of Vecna.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Frankly, in that situation there is no way that a character of mine would be interested in entering a death-trap.

Play it as a one-off adventure possibly, with one-off characters, but overturn a whole campaigns worth of development? No thanks. I think the player is actually acting rationally.

Plus, after a few communes and legend lores about this tomb of horrors I'd think the rest of the party would agree with him!

Cheers

Our choices at the moment in terms of things that need to be done in the world are:
1) - Start an expedition to retrieve the worlds most massive ruby from a red dragon of legend
2) - Enter Chuvash better known as the City of Liches (literally) and start depopulating
3) - Hunt down one of the parties hated enemies thus causing civil war as well as attracting the attention of every bounty hunter in the west of Beltratia or...
4) - Investigate some undead occurences that have led us to an abandoned structure where a powerful but secluded wizard used to live that seems to be presently overrun by giants.

As you can see, the fourth option seems to be the easiest one at the moment. I suppose this is why we're trying to play in character and not go on out of campaign information.
I mean... is the place really that bad?

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Siding with the player on this one, I wouldn't want to play it either. I looked it over, it does not look like fun for the players, and frankly, if the players aren't having fun neither would I. I did not like the original ToH either, ran it halfway, stopped and decided that the characters woke up after eating too much cold pizza.

The Auld Grump

 

[cmanos]

Let the things fall as they may. If you do the ToH and the Knight doesn't want to come along, tell him, and his player, to wait until he's called on again. It's a frickin' game. Death is around every turn.

Now wait a minute???? He's a KNIGHT and he's AFRAID of some undead????? Paralyzed by fear even????? What kind of knight is he??? Just make comments about his pink lace undertunic and the thigh-high fishnet greaves....and I mean IN character....

 

[MrFilthyIke]

Siding with the player on this one, I wouldn't want to play it either. I looked it over, it does not look like fun for the players, and frankly, if the players aren't having fun neither would I. I did not like the original ToH either, ran it halfway, stopped and decided that the characters woke up after eating too much cold pizza.

Wow, your taverns are all swanky-like, with pizza ovens and everything.

 

[sullivan]

My rule of thumb is that if you, the player, have an overwhelming fear of the PC dieing then it's time for the PC to retire.

Sure the Sorcerer (you misread cmanos, it's not the Knight) may have an uneasy feeling about this adventure, call it PC intuition. But I'm sure he knows someone that can fill in for him in the part.

I'd be inclined also to say "Play the Sor, play another character, or don't play.", with the proviso that if he plays another character he not play it recklessly in a way that weakens the party and thus endangers the other PCs. The devious side of me likes the Rakshasa idea, perfect fit for subbing in for a Sorcerer with how Sor levels stack with the base Rak. Hell, the Sor could hire the Rak to stand in for him without the rest of the party knowing (except for you, i guess). Under contract the Rak could be compelled to [mostly] look out for party safety and goals, or DM magic could slap a Helm of Opposite Alignment on him.

Either that or postpone the adventure long enough that the Sorcerer can make himself into a Lich and stash away his little box of life somewhere safe, thus increasing his odds of surviving even a total party "kill".

YMMV depending on player group dynamics.

 

[hong]

Return to the Tomb of Horrors a.k.a. Deathtrap.

Been there two times.

First time everyone in the party simply died. No chance of survival at all.

The second time (different group) we made it all the way to A and, well, decided to...uh...investigate the...ah...how can I say this without spoiling anything...umm...the Thingy That Kills All Living Thingys. Yeah. It was like our very own Head of Vecna.

Eh, mang, you haven't lived until you've seen a cleric try to channel positive energy into a floating skull.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

My rule of thumb is that if you, the player, have an overwhelming fear of the PC dieing then it's time for the PC to retire.

Sure the Sorcerer (you misread cmanos, it's not the Knight) may have an uneasy feeling about this adventure, call it PC intuition. But I'm sure he knows someone that can fill in for him in the part.

And it is my rule of thumb that if everything you have heard about an adventure says that its only purpose is to kill characters in new ways and the DM insists on running it anyway then it is time to retire the DM.

It is a game, and games are supposed to be fun. Risk is needed, but you don't run your arm through a bandsaw just to see what it feels like.

The Auld Grump

 

[diaglo]

Frankly, in that situation there is no way that a character of mine would be interested in entering a death-trap.

Play it as a one-off adventure possibly, with one-off characters, but overturn a whole campaigns worth of development? No thanks. I think the player is actually acting rationally.

Plus, after a few communes and legend lores about this tomb of horrors I'd think the rest of the party would agree with him!

Cheers

ditto.

if he wants out. let him. if you try and bully him. he ain't gonna have fun. you will spoil the game for him and yourselves.

 

[Gentlegamer]

What is he? Chicken?

*bawk*
*bawk*
*bawk*