World's Largest Dungeon in actual play [Spoilers!]

[twofalls]

Rather than Gestalt characters you can just adjust the power of the encounters a little. I don't think four 1st level characters will have a hard time with this adventure, particuarly if they attain level 2 at the appropriate time and 3rd before hitting room 103. If they charge into the Stirge room after the glowing ring... then they deserve a TPK. But if they are your tyical cautious dungeon delvers who utilize thier search and trap skills I think that in play you may well find that the region is well balanced as written.

 

[twofalls]

Another Idea

For those of you worried about survivability in Region A, I have another idea that I used in my game. I changed A22 - A23 a bit.

In A22 I placed 4 orcs with the Ogre and then made the waters heal 1d4pts of damage per day if someone drinks from them. Naturally I made the magic not work outside the room to avoid endless minor Potions of Healing from being taken from it. The PC's secured the room at night by tying a rope to the handle of the doors between A22 and A23. I further hid 4 cure mod potions in secret compartments within the walls, each resting upon a small silver platter engraved with the holy emblem of the sun with an eye above it. This saved them when they hit room 103 later.

I loved the theme from A23 and in my game when the players entered they found themselves in an arboreal forest. After searching they found a delirious orc who was dying from wounds and an infection caused by severe Lemure wounds. It was delirious and feverish, dreaming about its home as it was dying, thus the scenery. They healed it and then when it became aware the illusion faded, unable to communicate with it the orc fled from them into room A22... thus reinforcing the orcs already there.

Room A25 lost the silence but instead was a level up room with a softly glowing sphere in the center of the room. When good or neutral characters approached and supplicated the gods with a simple prayer they were enveloped in a warm glow and were healed as well as leveled. When the one evil player approached the room grew dim and the glob took on a dangerous grey cast. Thunder rolled and the character was infused with energy... he wasn't healed but he leveled and walked away pale and with steam rising from him as the globe regained its usual color.

The group used A22 as their base of operations for exploring the entire level. 1d4 might not sound like a lot, but being able to sip both before and after resting makes that 2d4, and for low level characters that’s huge.

 

[spacecrime.com]

Maybe they shouldn't have messed with the idol.

Well, looks like my PCs found out the hard way that 4th level characters have a tough time with 10d6+10 lightning traps.

All hail Room B45, for it done smoketh three PCs tonight!

cheers,

 

[doseyclwn]

Is it just me, or is the lightning bolt trap in room a87 just a little too harsh? I dunno, anyone run folks through there yet?

 

[spacecrime.com]

My gang didn't make it to that room, but I think it's okay.

It's 6d6 damage, so an average of 21 hp, reduced to 10 if you make the save. Most 2nd or 3rd level PCs can handle that. You're also only hitting one PC at a time, so after the first one gets crisped they have a chance of rethinking their actions.

One thing you could do to give them more choice is to hint at the trap in your doorway description. You could point out a series of metal bits embedded into the lintel. That might make them suspicious enough to test it and see that lightning springs from the metal bits. They're still challenged to figure out how to get around the trap, but they don't have to find out the hard way what it does.

cheers,

Chris Aylott

 

[jim pinto]

Well, looks like my PCs found out the hard way that 4th level characters have a tough time with 10d6+10 lightning traps.

All hail Room B45, for it done smoketh three PCs tonight!

cheers,

you know there's a line at the end of each encounter called, "scaling:"

right???

and yes, this is a particularly gruesome trap.

chris burns made the walls metal and i added all the stray damage.

but anyone careless enough to grab an idol of a pedestal, knowing that
other creatures live in the region... jeesh

wait. spacecrime? are you the one killing people off like cabbage with your online game?

 

[Azurecrusader]

What is the deal with DM's wanting to kill their players so much??? Am I the only one running this dungeon for the players? It's easy to kill your players if that's you goal, I don't understand why so many people are bragging about how many characters they've killed or plan on killing. . .

I'm not trying to troll or anything, this whole "KILL THE PLAYERS!!! ROAR!!! DIE!!!" attitude seems a bit ridiculous.

 

[twofalls]

Everyone approaches the game in their own way and so long as everyone involved agrees and is having a good time then each approach is as valid as any other.

I met a group a couple of years ago that take on opposing roles. The GM creates a scenario and balances it according to the rules, then the players "run the gauntlet" and attempt to use the rules to survive. He who knows the rules best and can outsmart the other with thier application wins. I can't imagine having fun in that type of game, but after spending half an hour describing how my group roleplays (method acting according to Robin Laws model) they thought I was a crackpot.

Everyone has thier idea of how to game, and with limited exposure to other ideas that becomes the way the game is played to each of them. That can be applied easily to the WLD, it can support any number of different ideas on how to game.

 

[Arholly]

Prestige Classes

Okay, time for some more questions about how people are thinking of running it. This has to do with Prestige Classes. What ones are people allowing/disallowing off the bat? I'm obviously thinking anything that has a "guild" or "organization" requirement is probably a no-go.

I'm using the SRD for my Prestige class list at this point:

Allowed: Arcane Archer (could easily be allowed if you make a mentor from the elves), Archmage, Blackguard (plenty of monsters to try and be peaceful with), Dragon Discipline, Duelist, Dwarven Defender (again, a few dwarves they could learn from maybe), Eldritch Knight, Hierophant, Loremaster, Mystic Theurge, Shadowdancer, Thaumaturgist.

Maybe's: Arcane Trickster, Horizon Walker

Disallowed: Assassin (no guild to join).

 

[Arholly]

Psionics

And what are people's takes (especially Jim's), on the use of Psionics in the WLD?