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[D&D 4E OOC & Recruitment] The Tomb of Horrors! aka Rocks fall, everyone dies

Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
edited June 2011 in Critical Failures
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Somewhere under a lost and lonely hill of grim and foreboding aspect lies a labyrinthine crypt. It is filled with terrible traps and not a few strange and ferocious monsters to slay the unwary. However it is also rumoured to be filled with rich treasures, both precious and magical! And something about an unkillable demilich still haunting the halls but nobody concentrates on that bit. A significant settlement has grown up at the base of the hill, turning selling stuff to the greedy and stupid adventurers that attempt to raid the crypt into a thriving industry. They do not offer credit as they rarely see a repeat customer.

You are a greedy and stupid adventurer! That or you're incredibly arrogant and all those other guys only met a horrible death because they simply weren't as great as you are.

So. I'm looking for five, 9th-level characters to throw themselves into the meat grinder that is the Tomb of Horrors, recently all 4th-ed up and given away as a freebie via the RPGA.

Note. This adventure is old skool. Gygax himself made it as a tournament dungeon. The 4thing up of it has softened the edges a little but it's still very brutal and out to kill you. Fair is not the word. Make your guy, but don't take too long over it or get too attached to him as his life expectancy on crossing the threshold of that dungeon isn't exactly peachy.

Assuming we get enough applicants I'll pick a balanced starting party at random. If (when) casualties occur I'll drop in new players from any excess applicants as I see fit.

Play by post. Rolls on invisible castle or similar. Standard point buy stats and starting gear. If it's in the CB it's legal. No character backgrounds (let's not pretend your creations for this have any depth now).

Oh, and for obvious reasons, if you've played or read this classic dungeon before please stay out. It's no fun if you know what's coming :P

I'm sure I've forgotten stuff so ask away if you have any questions.

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Jam Warrior on
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Posts

  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    awesooooome

    Tofystedeth on
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  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Tomb of Horrors is the best thing.

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • smeejsmeej Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Already familiar with everything in it but I will watch with glee.

    Wizards released a big brutal follow up to Tomb of Horrors recently, also.

    smeej on
    IT'S A SAD THING THAT YOUR ADVENTURES HAVE ENDED HERE!!
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    My only worry is as to whether there are enough innocents who don't already know the details of The Tomb on the forum.

    Jam Warrior on
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  • Foolish ChaosFoolish Chaos Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Bah. I ran the 3.5 adventure a few years ago.

    I've heard the 4e version is actually a series of adventures?

    Foolish Chaos on
  • deadonthestreetdeadonthestreet Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    When you say "no backgrounds" do you mean "don't pick a background for the +2 to a skill"?

    deadonthestreet on
  • Fondor_YardsFondor_Yards Elite Four Member: Hydra Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Hmm I've never run in a ToH game before, so by some sort of D&D law I have to join this don't I?

    Fondor_Yards on
    Secrets, lies, and tragedy. The trifecta.
    3DS Code: 5043-2172-1361
    Xbone Tag: Salal al Din
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    There are confusingly, two identically named products. One (this one) is a fairly faithful update of the classic Gygax dungeon and was given away free via the RPGA. The other is some kind of super-adventure/mini campaign featuring themes and encounters inspired by the original and is for sale.

    Jam Warrior on
    MhCw7nZ.gif
  • KamikazeCommunistKamikazeCommunist Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Hmm I've never run in a ToH game before, so by some sort of D&D law I have to join this don't I?

    Same here, guess I'm pretty much obligated to apply.

    KamikazeCommunist on
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    When you say "no backgrounds" do you mean "don't pick a background for the +2 to a skill"?

    Yup. In a non-roleplay heavy one-shot adventure it's just a freebie and I'm mean so no freebies!

    Jam Warrior on
    MhCw7nZ.gif
  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I've heard of it, and heard people tell little snippets, but otherwise I'm fresh.
    Thinking of making a paladin.

    Tofystedeth on
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  • Fondor_YardsFondor_Yards Elite Four Member: Hydra Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Clearly we all must role strikers, and charge headlong to see how far we get before we die. We'll get rid of the traps russian style, by throwing waves of bodies at them.

    Fondor_Yards on
    Secrets, lies, and tragedy. The trifecta.
    3DS Code: 5043-2172-1361
    Xbone Tag: Salal al Din
  • PhyphorPhyphor Building Planet Busters Tasting FruitRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    We will defeat the [strike]killbots[/strike] traps by throwing wave after wave of our own men at them!

    Never played ToH, definitely signing up

    Phyphor on
  • KeldonusKeldonus Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Heard about this, never played. Sounds like a blast.

    What about equipment? Standard gold for 9th level?

    Keldonus on
  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Clearly we all must role strikers, and charge headlong to see how far we get before we die. We'll get rid of the traps russian style, by throwing waves of bodies at them.

    But if I roll a nice beefy pally you can throw me through 2 or 3 traps before I run out of meat to shield you with.

    Tofystedeth on
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  • streeverstreever Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I would love to sacrifice my heroic Mike Moustaches! Originally created for a SEARCHERS OF THE UNKNOWN 1 page RPG session, I will create him as a level 9 rogue. It won't be really intensive I imagine, with no RP and quick death?

    streever on
  • KayKay What we need... Is a little bit of PANIC.Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I have never played the Tomb of Horrors.

    Maybe I'll roll a striker.

    Kay on
    ew9y0DD.png
    3DS FCode: 1993-7512-8991
  • smeejsmeej Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Bah. I ran the 3.5 adventure a few years ago.

    I've heard the 4e version is actually a series of adventures?
    It's more of a sequel to Tomb of Horrors and yeah involves numerous tombs and adventures (four, I think) ranging from level 10 to 22-ish.

    And it's pretty brutal. I really want to run it one day.

    smeej on
    IT'S A SAD THING THAT YOUR ADVENTURES HAVE ENDED HERE!!
  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    TOMB OF HORROR WAT?

    LOLZ IMMA KICK THIS GAME'S ASS!!!!


    TROGGOTH SKULLBASHER

    DRAGONBORN BARBARIAN

    The Ender on
    With Love and Courage
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    This is the original, lovingly and painstakingly ported over to 4e? Count me the fuck in. Brb making a character.

    DarkPrimus on
  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    For those who haven't played Tomb of Horror before: this scenario is hilariously awesome, but you absolutely must buy into the whole 'losing is fun' thing to have a good time.


    Oh. And don't touch the glowy orb!

    The Ender on
    With Love and Courage
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Ender wrote: »
    For those who haven't played Tomb of Horror before: this scenario is hilariously awesome, but you absolutely must buy into the whole 'losing is fun' thing to have a good time.


    Oh. And don't
    touch the glowy orb!

    Don't give away secrets! GAWL!

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • KamikazeCommunistKamikazeCommunist Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Character completed, here goes nothing!

    Kreth Kalla
    Githzerai Avenger


    Image

    Sheet

    KamikazeCommunist on
  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Don't give away secrets! GAWL!

    It's not really much of a secret anymore. And besides that, it's the one part of the tomb that's just plain no fun.

    The Ender on
    With Love and Courage
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Ender wrote: »
    Don't give away secrets! GAWL!

    It's not really much of a secret anymore. And besides that, it's the one part of the tomb that's just plain no fun.

    Being no fun IS the fun!

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    ...Are we actually going for an all-striker party?

    'Cuz that would be priceless.

    The Ender on
    With Love and Courage
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Bronzestone Tunnelfoe

    Dwarf Rogue



    Image

    Sheet

    DarkPrimus on
  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    FUCK YES

    The Ender on
    With Love and Courage
  • Foolish ChaosFoolish Chaos Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Ender wrote: »
    Don't give away secrets! GAWL!

    It's not really much of a secret anymore. And besides that, it's the one part of the tomb that's just plain no fun.

    I thought this adventure was for ToH virgins?

    And man, the 3.5 version at least was hardly... fun. Unless you liked waiting around while the rogue took step by step to spot/search/disable *step* spot/search/disable.... :P

    Hilariously brutal though, it totally was

    Foolish Chaos on
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Ender wrote: »
    FUCK YES

    I can make up an entire stable of Dwarf characters if need be. Shit, I'll make an entire 5-man party of them, that way I can just play by myself! :P

    DarkPrimus on
  • mightyjongyomightyjongyo Sour Crrm East Bay, CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I would totally play, except i don't have ddi so i think it would take me forever to take a character to level 9 just to see it die.

    mightyjongyo on
  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I thought this adventure was for ToH virgins?

    What? I didn't see that part of the OP.

    EDIT:

    Whoops. My bad.

    :oops:


    I'd like to point out, though, that ToH has been around for, what, at least a decade now? Any spoilers for it's contents are pretty much past their expiry date; you can probably count the number of D&D players who haven't at least read the module by now (or other people's experiences with it) on one hand.
    And man, the 3.5 version at least was hardly... fun. Unless you liked waiting around while the rogue took step by step to spot/search/disable *step* spot/search/disable....

    Hilariously brutal though, it totally was

    That's why you have to buy into the whole 'losing is fun' thing. If you try and play to win (constantly making perception checks, checking every single tile for a trap trigger, etc), the adventure just becomes dumb.

    You have to run into it guns blazing, content in the knowledge that you're randomly going to get hacked to bits.

    The Ender on
    With Love and Courage
  • KelorKelor Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Ender wrote: »
    I thought this adventure was for ToH virgins?

    What? I didn't see that part of the OP.

    EDIT:

    Whoops. My bad.

    :oops:


    I'd like to point out, though, that ToH has been around for, what, at least a decade now? Any spoilers for it's contents are pretty much past their expiry date; you can probably count the number of D&D players who haven't at least read the module by now (or other people's experiences with it) on one hand.

    I don't know, I think you'd find there's a lot of people like myself who jumped on board in 4E and have only heard about how awesomely lethal it is.

    Kelor on
  • KayKay What we need... Is a little bit of PANIC.Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Also, given what the OP says, I think the point is to kill as many characters as possible and rotate in new ones, so ToH Newbies are the way to go! (Like me. I wanted to make an avenger.)

    Kay on
    ew9y0DD.png
    3DS FCode: 1993-7512-8991
  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Is there much combat in ToH? Like, would it really matter what powers you chose for character besides maybe utility and healing?

    Tofystedeth on
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  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    It's mostly traps/hazards.

    Also, it's like a meat grinder for characters anyway... so you may not want to worry too much lest you start having feelings for your character that would not be compatible with having it ripped from your hands :P

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Chanus wrote: »
    It's mostly instant, spectacular death!

    Also, it's like a meat grinder for characters anyway... so you may not want to worry too much lest you start having feelings for your character that would not be compatible with having it ripped from your hands :P

    fixed.


    There are a.. erm... couple of bad guys to fight too.

    The Ender on
    With Love and Courage
  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Well, yes, there are... a few...

    Chanus on
    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • smeejsmeej Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The Ender wrote: »
    I thought this adventure was for ToH virgins?
    I'd like to point out, though, that ToH has been around for, what, at least a decade now?
    :lol:

    smeej on
    IT'S A SAD THING THAT YOUR ADVENTURES HAVE ENDED HERE!!
  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Tofystedeth on
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