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

[Hussar]

To be honest, I didn't have the problem with non-core stuff. I let the players min-max to their hearts content and it didn't really matter. The monsters are still pretty capable of ganking PC's.

Couple of pointers:

1. Move about 1/3 of the encounters into hallways to make them more dynamic.

2. Be careful of the sardine can of monster rooms where you have small rooms filled to the brim with big monsters that actually cannot fight in that room.

3. Figure out some way to replace dead PC's.

4. Take a bit of time to make sure the players can get information. Let stuff surrender and draw maps for the PC's, tell them the lay of the land, that sort of thing.

 

[ckelble]

To be honest, I didn't have the problem with non-core stuff. I let the players min-max to their hearts content and it didn't really matter. The monsters are still pretty capable of ganking PC's.

Couple of pointers:

1. Move about 1/3 of the encounters into hallways to make them more dynamic.

2. Be careful of the sardine can of monster rooms where you have small rooms filled to the brim with big monsters that actually cannot fight in that room.

3. Figure out some way to replace dead PC's.

4. Take a bit of time to make sure the players can get information. Let stuff surrender and draw maps for the PC's, tell them the lay of the land, that sort of thing.

I am thinking of changing up some of the monster in case some of them have read some of the campaign in the years since its come out.

I am aware that there are some monsters that don't fit in the room they were designed for.

For #3 and #4 I was thinking of utilizing the Archons in the regions as well as other tidbits for resurrections and information.

I also have been trying to think of whether or not to have the dungeon with a path for the players or leave it as is for exploration. My only concern is if the party goes straight north when the enter and then decide to go back south where the challenge rating and experience is lower then the players. My group is the type to want to explore everywhere not just kill the boss and get out.

 

[Hussar]

I wouldn't worry too much about the challenge ratings to be honest. For one, the dungeon is bloody lethal, so, even if they have a bit of an easier time in one place, there's still lots of challenge to be had. Besides, if they head straight north, they are going to get curb stomped by the creatures in E long before you have to worry about them coming back for easier pickings.

 

[ckelble]

I have only gotten through the first 50 pages of the forum but does anyone still have the writers notes that he wasn't able to publish in the book? He has an email address posted but I receive a email error message when I attend to contact him.

 

[erucsbo]

I have only gotten through the first 50 pages of the forum but does anyone still have the writers notes that he wasn't able to publish in the book? He has an email address posted but I receive a email error message when I attend to contact him.

IIRC they were posted in the thread - perhaps you haven't reached them yet?
There was a bundle of pages that got lost in a server crash too, but don't think those posts were in that lot.
I may still have a copy floating around somewhere if you can't find them.

 

[erucsbo]

Question for those who have played through this, especially if it has been a few years.
What stands out in your memory as iconic moments / scenarios / encounters from WLD? And why?

 

[JediSoth]

Question for those who have played through this, especially if it has been a few years.
What stands out in your memory as iconic moments / scenarios / encounters from WLD? And why?

The biggest things that stand out in my memory is Darkmantles in Area A and the chest mimic inside the gelatinous cube (which my players never found, but I wanted them to SO BAD).

Oh, there was the time when an entire area exploded in fire because the PCs weren't fast enough doing something or another. Most of the players took their lumps, but one guy wanted to argue with me about the saving throw he didn't get because there was no was for him to avoid damage (it would be like saying you could survive immersing yourself in lava if you were lucky enough).

 

[erucsbo]

The biggest things that stand out in my memory is Darkmantles in Area A and the chest mimic inside the gelatinous cube (which my players never found, but I wanted them to SO BAD).

Oh, there was the time when an entire area exploded in fire because the PCs weren't fast enough doing something or another. Most of the players took their lumps, but one guy wanted to argue with me about the saving throw he didn't get because there was no was for him to avoid damage (it would be like saying you could survive immersing yourself in lava if you were lucky enough).

How far did you get through the dungeon?

 

[Hussar]

We finished the bad boy - I added an exit to Area D after the defeat of the Tarrasque (which stands out in my mind since the group flawlessed this bad boy).

Memorable moments:

1. The gobling thief (PC) getting suggestioned by the wererat in A and avoiding THREE grapple attempts by much larger PC's before jumping into the portal, thus getting shredded across several planes.

2. The four way free for all between the PC's, the black dragon, the giants and the parcel of undead guarding that evil book. That was fun.

3. Epic (as in golly wow, not level) battle between the angels and the demons in area K (IIRC - the one with the big angel garrison), with the PC's fighting on the side of the angels. Best quote - the orc barbarian PC was armed with Blackrazor, an intelligent, soul sucking battleaxe, and commented that babau demons (being covered in acid) gave him indigestion.

 

[erucsbo]

[snip]
3. Epic (as in golly wow, not level) battle between the angels and the demons in area K (IIRC - the one with the big angel garrison), with the PC's fighting on the side of the angels. Best quote - the orc barbarian PC was armed with Blackrazor, an intelligent, soul sucking battleaxe, and commented that babau demons (being covered in acid) gave him indigestion.

I thought that was G. K was the Shallows and had the hags, merfolk, tritons, and Thorodon the green dragon.
We skipped G (would have loved to have done that but I don't think it would have really suited my group).