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What do you want in a published adventure? / Adventure design best practices?
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 7157349" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>[MENTION=32659]Charles Rampant[/MENTION] Thanks for the example, that really helps me better understand how the boxed text is useful to the DM. I never read <em>Hoard of the Dragon Queen</em>, so didn't realize it was so egregious in its muddled/hidden descriptions. </p><p></p><p>Here's an example of how I personally have tried to combine boxed text with dynamic elements, in this case a multi-tiered well with a different description depending on which dungeon level the PCs approach it...</p><p></p><p>[SECTION]<strong>Well</strong></p><p>An open arch is inscribed with Ignan runes: <em>Death begins in water and ends in fire.</em> It leads to a cool quiet semicircular chamber 15’ (4.5 m) in diameter. At the center is an 8’ (2.5 m) diameter circular well accessed via four pointed arches arranged in the cardinal directions. A winch-operated chain hangs down the middle, connected to a bucket. A narrow 6” (15 cm) brick ledge spirals along the inside of the well.[/SECTION]</p><p>On the upper level…</p><p>[SECTION]The well is 60’ (18 m) deep before reaching water, with four pointed archways at about midway and four more archways at the bottom.[/SECTION]</p><p>On the main level…</p><p>[SECTION]The well is 30’ deep before reaching water, with four pointed archways at the bottom. The well’s shaft continues up for another 30’ (9 m) where there are four more archways at the top.[/SECTION]</p><p>On the lower level…</p><p>[SECTION]This is the base of the well, with a bucket floating on the cold dark water. The well’s shaft extends 60’ (18 m) up, with four pointed archways at about midway and four more archways at the top.[/SECTION]</p><p></p><p> [MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION] Terrific reply <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I've run a few "zoo / fun house" type dungeons where this approach makes sense because you're hardly ever repeating the same enemy type twice and spellcasters were relatively rare.</p><p></p><p>However, if you have a stronghold of spellcasting cultists (er, pretty much my current scenario), then you have a compounded problem of recurring enemies with spells. Actually, innate spellcasting & spellcasting occur frequently enough in 5e for this to be an issue. And your page count increases significantly if you include multiple instances of monsters like...</p><p></p><p><strong>Oni:</strong> Large giant LE; AC 16; HP 110; Saves Str +4, Dex +3, Con +6, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +5; #Att 2 glaive, Large +7 (10 ft), 2d10+4 slashing / Medium +7 (5 ft) 1d10+4 slashing; Spd 30, fly 30; Senses 14 (darkvision 60 ft); Lang common, giant; Special change shape, magic weapons, regeneration (10), Innate Spells (save DC 13)</p><p style="margin-left: 20px">At will: <em>darkness, invisibility</em></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">1/day: <em>charm person, sleep, gaseous form, cone of cold</em></p><p>CR 7 (2,900 XP); Monster Manual 239.</p><p></p><p><strong>Flame Mage:</strong> Medium humanoid any evil; AC 14 (with <em>mage armor</em>); HP 38; Spd 30; Senses 15; Lang common, ignan, jhatab’enar; Resist fire; Saves Str +0, Dex +1, Con +1, Int +6, Wis +5, Cha +0; #Att 1 <em>fire bolt</em> +6 (120 ft), 2d10 fire; dagger +4 (5 ft), 3 (1d4+1) piercing; Special <em>geased</em>; Spells (save DC 14, attack +6) </p><p style="margin-left: 20px">cantrips <em>control flames (EE), fire bolt, light, mage hand</em>; </p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">1st (4) <em>burning hands, detect magic, mage armor</em>; </p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">2nd (3) <em>flaming sphere, scorching ray, suggestion</em>; </p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">3rd (3) <em>dispel magic, fireball, haste</em>; </p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">4th (1) <em>wall of fire</em>;</p><p>CR 6 (2,300 XP); p. #.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 7157349, member: 20323"] [MENTION=32659]Charles Rampant[/MENTION] Thanks for the example, that really helps me better understand how the boxed text is useful to the DM. I never read [I]Hoard of the Dragon Queen[/I], so didn't realize it was so egregious in its muddled/hidden descriptions. Here's an example of how I personally have tried to combine boxed text with dynamic elements, in this case a multi-tiered well with a different description depending on which dungeon level the PCs approach it... [SECTION][B]Well[/B] An open arch is inscribed with Ignan runes: [I]Death begins in water and ends in fire.[/I] It leads to a cool quiet semicircular chamber 15’ (4.5 m) in diameter. At the center is an 8’ (2.5 m) diameter circular well accessed via four pointed arches arranged in the cardinal directions. A winch-operated chain hangs down the middle, connected to a bucket. A narrow 6” (15 cm) brick ledge spirals along the inside of the well.[/SECTION] On the upper level… [SECTION]The well is 60’ (18 m) deep before reaching water, with four pointed archways at about midway and four more archways at the bottom.[/SECTION] On the main level… [SECTION]The well is 30’ deep before reaching water, with four pointed archways at the bottom. The well’s shaft continues up for another 30’ (9 m) where there are four more archways at the top.[/SECTION] On the lower level… [SECTION]This is the base of the well, with a bucket floating on the cold dark water. The well’s shaft extends 60’ (18 m) up, with four pointed archways at about midway and four more archways at the top.[/SECTION] [MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION] Terrific reply :) I've run a few "zoo / fun house" type dungeons where this approach makes sense because you're hardly ever repeating the same enemy type twice and spellcasters were relatively rare. However, if you have a stronghold of spellcasting cultists (er, pretty much my current scenario), then you have a compounded problem of recurring enemies with spells. Actually, innate spellcasting & spellcasting occur frequently enough in 5e for this to be an issue. And your page count increases significantly if you include multiple instances of monsters like... [B]Oni:[/B] Large giant LE; AC 16; HP 110; Saves Str +4, Dex +3, Con +6, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +5; #Att 2 glaive, Large +7 (10 ft), 2d10+4 slashing / Medium +7 (5 ft) 1d10+4 slashing; Spd 30, fly 30; Senses 14 (darkvision 60 ft); Lang common, giant; Special change shape, magic weapons, regeneration (10), Innate Spells (save DC 13) [INDENT]At will: [I]darkness, invisibility[/I] 1/day: [I]charm person, sleep, gaseous form, cone of cold[/I][/INDENT] CR 7 (2,900 XP); Monster Manual 239. [B]Flame Mage:[/B] Medium humanoid any evil; AC 14 (with [I]mage armor[/I]); HP 38; Spd 30; Senses 15; Lang common, ignan, jhatab’enar; Resist fire; Saves Str +0, Dex +1, Con +1, Int +6, Wis +5, Cha +0; #Att 1 [I]fire bolt[/I] +6 (120 ft), 2d10 fire; dagger +4 (5 ft), 3 (1d4+1) piercing; Special [I]geased[/I]; Spells (save DC 14, attack +6) [INDENT]cantrips [I]control flames (EE), fire bolt, light, mage hand[/I]; 1st (4) [I]burning hands, detect magic, mage armor[/I]; 2nd (3) [I]flaming sphere, scorching ray, suggestion[/I]; 3rd (3) [I]dispel magic, fireball, haste[/I]; 4th (1) [I]wall of fire[/I];[/INDENT] CR 6 (2,300 XP); p. #. [/QUOTE]
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