MY SKT party is definitely in TPK territory when we start our next session on Friday. If it happens, it happens, but I won't feel good about it.
They've held out remarkably well so far against a handful of fire giants and two handfuls of ogres, but they're really struggling now. The barb and the cleric have been downed and brought back and downed again and brought back... so they're toe to toe and on thier last legs. The ranged rogues are scattered and the bard and wizard are also scattered. Their only saving grace so far is that I choose to have two of giants who where tossing boulders decide they were bored and had them start to run around the whole dungeon to get to the floor below to melee the party, which take some time. But the party is planning on a fighting retreat into the unknown regions of the dungeon, where there are no less than EIGHT more fire giants and a few more ogres, and a salamander to contend with before they could make to the mines and conceivably escape, hide, rest, and come back again. At the end of last session, the Bard cast major illusion so as to make it appear as if Klauth (whom they've met, and who's cultists are currently acting as thier airship Uber drivers) just burst in the main door to act as a distraction. So we're going to pick up right there.
I don't really know what I'm going to do. I'd feel a little guilty about a TPK because while the party, IMO, did err by not clearing out the goons before the main boss.... I am the one who decided to drop 4 encounters worth of bad guys at the same time onto the party right after a boss fight. Now, I don't regret it, per se. I feel like its entirely fair for the Boss to send up an alarm two rounds before his death and, hell yeah, his goons will come running. But that may indeed lead me to TPK. The only thing I can think of as a save would be instead of the illusion of Klauth bursting through the door.... Klauth himself bursts through the door (itself a huge barrier to the party escaping) routing the giants who themselves would flee into the mines to regroup. Klauth would also then give the party shit for the unauthorized use of his likeness (this isn't the first time) and would proceed to loot the Vonindod for himself. Would that be too much of a blatant DM saving thier asses?
I mean, it wouldn't be the end of the world if the campaign ended. I've never been too excited to run SKT anyway. I'd much rather do Avernus anyway!
Is there an official/sem-official (Unearthed Arcana) D&D 5e subclass that uses HP and/or hit dice as resources for their tricks?
Blood Hunter uses HP to activate it's powers,
which is apparently not official, I though the official Critical Role book added it.
I know there is at least one subclass that allows you to use hit dice more actively in combat, like spend a bonus action use a hit die kind of deal, but I can't remember which one, I think it is a fighter sub class but I may be wrong.
Is there a sewer or drainage system that they could come across whilst exploring that leads out into the mountains (or even just a cistern for an uncomfortable rest. Have them hear some water moving or a few drips, and perhaps a corridor that feels a little cooler than the others have been and let them find it themselves. That way they have made their own escape rather than having some event come and save them. Or they are just back in the fight if they just need a short rest.
Is there a sewer or drainage system that they could come across whilst exploring that leads out into the mountains (or even just a cistern for an uncomfortable rest. Have them hear some water moving or a few drips, and perhaps a corridor that feels a little cooler than the others have been and let them find it themselves. That way they have made their own escape rather than having some event come and save them. Or they are just back in the fight if they just need a short rest.
Unfortunately, due to the layout of the dungeon, no such thing exists. The Fire Giants stronghold is buttoned up tight. Their only escape options are 1) out through the main door, which can only be opened by giants. 2) Wait for the automatic chain driven elevator that leads up into the mountain but won't be back for another 5 to 10 MINUTES at least which is forever in a combat scenario and 3) Move through the still occupied half of the dungeon to the mine entrances and to get lost within.
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Is there a sewer or drainage system that they could come across whilst exploring that leads out into the mountains (or even just a cistern for an uncomfortable rest. Have them hear some water moving or a few drips, and perhaps a corridor that feels a little cooler than the others have been and let them find it themselves. That way they have made their own escape rather than having some event come and save them. Or they are just back in the fight if they just need a short rest.
Unfortunately, due to the layout of the dungeon, no such thing exists. The Fire Giants stronghold is buttoned up tight. Their only escape options are 1) out through the main door, which can only be opened by giants. 2) Wait for the automatic chain driven elevator that leads up into the mountain but won't be back for another 5 to 10 MINUTES at least which is forever in a combat scenario and 3) Move through the still occupied half of the dungeon to the mine entrances and to get lost within.
Your the DM. You can change the dungeon if you want.
Is there a sewer or drainage system that they could come across whilst exploring that leads out into the mountains (or even just a cistern for an uncomfortable rest. Have them hear some water moving or a few drips, and perhaps a corridor that feels a little cooler than the others have been and let them find it themselves. That way they have made their own escape rather than having some event come and save them. Or they are just back in the fight if they just need a short rest.
Unfortunately, due to the layout of the dungeon, no such thing exists. The Fire Giants stronghold is buttoned up tight. Their only escape options are 1) out through the main door, which can only be opened by giants. 2) Wait for the automatic chain driven elevator that leads up into the mountain but won't be back for another 5 to 10 MINUTES at least which is forever in a combat scenario and 3) Move through the still occupied half of the dungeon to the mine entrances and to get lost within.
Your the DM. You can change the dungeon if you want.
Of course I can. But the layout has already been established and, mostly, explored. Suddenly sliding in a convienient sewer access onto the battlemap where before there was not one,to me, would to break versimilitude more than a saviour dragon (who they've met before, are kinda-sorta working for, and who really wants to steal giant loot as a motivation rather than save the PC's) would. And putting such an access in one of the unexplored areas is functionally the same thing as the mine tunnels escape route.
MY SKT party is definitely in TPK territory when we start our next session on Friday. If it happens, it happens, but I won't feel good about it.
They've held out remarkably well so far against a handful of fire giants and two handfuls of ogres, but they're really struggling now. The barb and the cleric have been downed and brought back and downed again and brought back... so they're toe to toe and on thier last legs. The ranged rogues are scattered and the bard and wizard are also scattered. Their only saving grace so far is that I choose to have two of giants who where tossing boulders decide they were bored and had them start to run around the whole dungeon to get to the floor below to melee the party, which take some time. But the party is planning on a fighting retreat into the unknown regions of the dungeon, where there are no less than EIGHT more fire giants and a few more ogres, and a salamander to contend with before they could make to the mines and conceivably escape, hide, rest, and come back again. At the end of last session, the Bard cast major illusion so as to make it appear as if Klauth (whom they've met, and who's cultists are currently acting as thier airship Uber drivers) just burst in the main door to act as a distraction. So we're going to pick up right there.
I don't really know what I'm going to do. I'd feel a little guilty about a TPK because while the party, IMO, did err by not clearing out the goons before the main boss.... I am the one who decided to drop 4 encounters worth of bad guys at the same time onto the party right after a boss fight. Now, I don't regret it, per se. I feel like its entirely fair for the Boss to send up an alarm two rounds before his death and, hell yeah, his goons will come running. But that may indeed lead me to TPK. The only thing I can think of as a save would be instead of the illusion of Klauth bursting through the door.... Klauth himself bursts through the door (itself a huge barrier to the party escaping) routing the giants who themselves would flee into the mines to regroup. Klauth would also then give the party shit for the unauthorized use of his likeness (this isn't the first time) and would proceed to loot the Vonindod for himself. Would that be too much of a blatant DM saving thier asses?
I mean, it wouldn't be the end of the world if the campaign ended. I've never been too excited to run SKT anyway. I'd much rather do Avernus anyway!
Remember that fire giants are slavers, the party can TPK and wake up being prodded by a salamandar in the mines
Recently I did this dungeon, and my party TPK'd in the fucking yakfolk village of all places through a series of colossally bad moves, but the Yalkfolk took them as slaves and put them in a hut. One of them was dead dead and tossed into the river
The rogue escaped and got them their equipment back during lights out, and they played smarter and killed a few yakfolk (and didnt have to deal with losing a massive amount of HP to poisoned food ahead of time) and they killed the chief and negotiated a surrender of the yalkfolk, freeing the slaves and calling their frost giant ally in (bout fucking time) and then began an infiltration of the fire giant dungeon through the mines
they ended up "kidnapping" Zalto's daughter after offering her "Everything she always wanted" to help, and split Brimskarda and Zalto on continuing their shenanigans, while the rogue used the retrieved-from-drow flask to capture the primordial and they beat feet out of there, party also got the conch they wanted
Cinderhild is very petulant and unhappy to be living in the town the party runs but she got what she wanted, she's free to go whenever - into the largely dwarf controlled lands around the town that are not giant friendly. They won't keep her here forever, just long enough to assure that Zalto won't interfere in what comes next
I'm amazed they lost to the yakfolk but didnt lose anyone to the fire giants. The dead sorceress was retrieved and raised before heading into Ironslag
If possible you can have Cinderhild even beckon them to the cave to escape, the salamander missing, and have her share her plan to "Escape" maybe
MY SKT party is definitely in TPK territory when we start our next session on Friday. If it happens, it happens, but I won't feel good about it.
They've held out remarkably well so far against a handful of fire giants and two handfuls of ogres, but they're really struggling now. The barb and the cleric have been downed and brought back and downed again and brought back... so they're toe to toe and on thier last legs. The ranged rogues are scattered and the bard and wizard are also scattered. Their only saving grace so far is that I choose to have two of giants who where tossing boulders decide they were bored and had them start to run around the whole dungeon to get to the floor below to melee the party, which take some time. But the party is planning on a fighting retreat into the unknown regions of the dungeon, where there are no less than EIGHT more fire giants and a few more ogres, and a salamander to contend with before they could make to the mines and conceivably escape, hide, rest, and come back again. At the end of last session, the Bard cast major illusion so as to make it appear as if Klauth (whom they've met, and who's cultists are currently acting as thier airship Uber drivers) just burst in the main door to act as a distraction. So we're going to pick up right there.
I don't really know what I'm going to do. I'd feel a little guilty about a TPK because while the party, IMO, did err by not clearing out the goons before the main boss.... I am the one who decided to drop 4 encounters worth of bad guys at the same time onto the party right after a boss fight. Now, I don't regret it, per se. I feel like its entirely fair for the Boss to send up an alarm two rounds before his death and, hell yeah, his goons will come running. But that may indeed lead me to TPK. The only thing I can think of as a save would be instead of the illusion of Klauth bursting through the door.... Klauth himself bursts through the door (itself a huge barrier to the party escaping) routing the giants who themselves would flee into the mines to regroup. Klauth would also then give the party shit for the unauthorized use of his likeness (this isn't the first time) and would proceed to loot the Vonindod for himself. Would that be too much of a blatant DM saving thier asses?
I mean, it wouldn't be the end of the world if the campaign ended. I've never been too excited to run SKT anyway. I'd much rather do Avernus anyway!
Remember that fire giants are slavers, the party can TPK and wake up being prodded by a salamandar in the mines
Recently I did this dungeon, and my party TPK'd in the fucking yakfolk village of all places through a series of colossally bad moves, but the Yalkfolk took them as slaves and put them in a hut. One of them was dead dead and tossed into the river
The rogue escaped and got them their equipment back during lights out, and they played smarter and killed a few yakfolk (and didnt have to deal with losing a massive amount of HP to poisoned food ahead of time) and they killed the chief and negotiated a surrender of the yalkfolk, freeing the slaves and calling their frost giant ally in (bout fucking time) and then began an infiltration of the fire giant dungeon through the mines
they ended up "kidnapping" Zalto's daughter after offering her "Everything she always wanted" to help, and split Brimskarda and Zalto on continuing their shenanigans, while the rogue used the retrieved-from-drow flask to capture the primordial and they beat feet out of there, party also got the conch they wanted
Cinderhild is very petulant and unhappy to be living in the town the party runs but she got what she wanted, she's free to go whenever - into the largely dwarf controlled lands around the town that are not giant friendly. They won't keep her here forever, just long enough to assure that Zalto won't interfere in what comes next
I'm amazed they lost to the yakfolk but didnt lose anyone to the fire giants. The dead sorceress was retrieved and raised before heading into Ironslag
If possible you can have Cinderhild even beckon them to the cave to escape, the salamander missing, and have her share her plan to "Escape" maybe
KEEP THEM AS SLAVES!!! Of course. DMing 101. Why didn't I think of that?!? OK, lets call that plan B. The only problem is that, for me, is that the Duke is headless on the floor and the Duchess may not survive the fight. I'll have to whip up some motivation (probably horrible, horrible torture. He'd like that.) for Zaltember to even entertain keeping the party alive vs. squishing them outright. But that's a minor problem.
I have Cinderhild and her two hobgoblin servants trying (and failing horribly) to sneak out the main door while the fighting is going on. The party has noticed the emo/goth teenage girl giant and her servants with travelling clothes and stuffed backpacks making their way to the main doors. But the party, who has not officially met her yet, has no idea of her motivations, and haven't clued in that she's going to open the door and potentially give the party an out. Zaltember is among the giants in the forge room, currently tossing slaves into the furnaces, where it was too loud of hear the alarm.
Has the party met Harshnag yet? Him showing up to help as Cinderhild opens the door is another potential out
Edit: another option I just thought of, Fire Giants are *not* stupid. They know Resurrection/Raise magic exists in the world, it just isn't something they can do. That gives another reason Zaltember might spare the party, if he recognizes them as powerful adventurers, it could stand to reason that they might know where a healer could be found to bring his father back to life
I used that one to yuk my way out of TPKing my party in my very first campaign after they killed the evil dwarflord's little girl (entirely by accident!)
Has the party met Harshnag yet? Him showing up to help as Cinderhild opens the door is another potential out
Edit: another option I just thought of, Fire Giants are *not* stupid. They know Resurrection/Raise magic exists in the world, it just isn't something they can do. That gives another reason Zaltember might spare the party, if he recognizes them as powerful adventurers, it could stand to reason that they might know where a healer could be found to bring his father back to life
I used that one to yuk my way out of TPKing my party in my very first campaign after they killed the evil dwarflord's little girl (entirely by accident!)
They have. However, as per the module, Harshnag went out like a champ saving the party from Imryth and letting them escape. I've been saving him for later and don't want to ruin that story beat in this scenario.
Is there a sewer or drainage system that they could come across whilst exploring that leads out into the mountains (or even just a cistern for an uncomfortable rest. Have them hear some water moving or a few drips, and perhaps a corridor that feels a little cooler than the others have been and let them find it themselves. That way they have made their own escape rather than having some event come and save them. Or they are just back in the fight if they just need a short rest.
Unfortunately, due to the layout of the dungeon, no such thing exists. The Fire Giants stronghold is buttoned up tight. Their only escape options are 1) out through the main door, which can only be opened by giants. 2) Wait for the automatic chain driven elevator that leads up into the mountain but won't be back for another 5 to 10 MINUTES at least which is forever in a combat scenario and 3) Move through the still occupied half of the dungeon to the mine entrances and to get lost within.
Your the DM. You can change the dungeon if you want.
Of course I can. But the layout has already been established and, mostly, explored. Suddenly sliding in a convienient sewer access onto the battlemap where before there was not one,to me, would to break versimilitude more than a saviour dragon (who they've met before, are kinda-sorta working for, and who really wants to steal giant loot as a motivation rather than save the PC's) would. And putting such an access in one of the unexplored areas is functionally the same thing as the mine tunnels escape route.
It sounds like you want to do the dragon option to be honest, and why not - but if you do, you should add in something that requires the PCs to then assist.
Massive dragon save, yeah - that's going to be a cool moment. However if one giant turns up with some dragon fighting gear - a huge long chain with a weight on it to hit the wings or throat to prevent breath weapon attacks or flight out for a few turns, then we now have a dragon that needs help (cementing the relationship between PCs and Dragon, whilst also having them also being involved in their own salvation). I had the old Council of Wyrms setting in 2nd ed that was largely giant vs dragon, and one of those humans with the fancy kit for killing dragons starting to talk to the giants was the apocalypse as far as they were concerned.
And once a dragon turn up, all eyes are focused there - whilst a dragon might not be able to divide attention between the dragon slaying giant and the regular giants if the latter are about to set upon it with axes. Whilst Klauth deals with the regular giants, and starts flexing it's wings after getting the dragon equivalent of a dead leg, the PCs can focus on one particular giant (who's less well equipped for smaller foes), then one the dragon starts generating lift again - race for a lift from a grateful dragon...however, you might need a side mission where your new patron asks you to seek out and kill however taught that giant, as that kind of knowledge is the stuff that can kill dragons. What the PCs then do is up to them, whilst the current state of the dragon slayer is up to you (and old man, a young naïve apprentice who has been left masterless or some random who found a book).
Is there a sewer or drainage system that they could come across whilst exploring that leads out into the mountains (or even just a cistern for an uncomfortable rest. Have them hear some water moving or a few drips, and perhaps a corridor that feels a little cooler than the others have been and let them find it themselves. That way they have made their own escape rather than having some event come and save them. Or they are just back in the fight if they just need a short rest.
Unfortunately, due to the layout of the dungeon, no such thing exists. The Fire Giants stronghold is buttoned up tight. Their only escape options are 1) out through the main door, which can only be opened by giants. 2) Wait for the automatic chain driven elevator that leads up into the mountain but won't be back for another 5 to 10 MINUTES at least which is forever in a combat scenario and 3) Move through the still occupied half of the dungeon to the mine entrances and to get lost within.
Your the DM. You can change the dungeon if you want.
Of course I can. But the layout has already been established and, mostly, explored. Suddenly sliding in a convienient sewer access onto the battlemap where before there was not one,to me, would to break versimilitude more than a saviour dragon (who they've met before, are kinda-sorta working for, and who really wants to steal giant loot as a motivation rather than save the PC's) would. And putting such an access in one of the unexplored areas is functionally the same thing as the mine tunnels escape route.
It sounds like you want to do the dragon option to be honest, and why not - but if you do, you should add in something that requires the PCs to then assist.
Massive dragon save, yeah - that's going to be a cool moment. However if one giant turns up with some dragon fighting gear - a huge long chain with a weight on it to hit the wings or throat to prevent breath weapon attacks or flight out for a few turns, then we now have a dragon that needs help (cementing the relationship between PCs and Dragon, whilst also having them also being involved in their own salvation). I had the old Council of Wyrms setting in 2nd ed that was largely giant vs dragon, and one of those humans with the fancy kit for killing dragons starting to talk to the giants was the apocalypse as far as they were concerned.
And once a dragon turn up, all eyes are focused there - whilst a dragon might not be able to divide attention between the dragon slaying giant and the regular giants if the latter are about to set upon it with axes. Whilst Klauth deals with the regular giants, and starts flexing it's wings after getting the dragon equivalent of a dead leg, the PCs can focus on one particular giant (who's less well equipped for smaller foes), then one the dragon starts generating lift again - race for a lift from a grateful dragon...however, you might need a side mission where your new patron asks you to seek out and kill however taught that giant, as that kind of knowledge is the stuff that can kill dragons. What the PCs then do is up to them, whilst the current state of the dragon slayer is up to you (and old man, a young naïve apprentice who has been left masterless or some random who found a book).
Not really. I was focused on the idea of real Klauth saving the day (and taking the treasure for himself) because the Bard's illusion was of Klauth busting in the door. I thought it would be a cool way to flip the illusion play, a play my party has run before, to being the real deal. I wasn't happy with it, but if I did not want a TPK, it was the only idea I had in my mind.
Overdrive's idea of making them slaves of the Fire Giants after they go down is the better route. Something I've never done with this group of players before. Unless the players pull off a surprise, this is the way its going to go down. They'll wake up the next session being chained to wheel of pain.
You could also have some sort of extra planar entity stop time and offer them some sort of shady deal in order to get them out of this jam. Asmodeus is always looking for good help.
There's nothing quite like the feeling of having all the PCs look eagerly towards the DM, waiting in obvious anticipation of the deus ex machina that's about to unfold.
"So..." their eyes say with incredible eagerness.
"You're dead. Get a fresh character sheet," replies the DM.
There's nothing quite like the feeling of having all the PCs look eagerly towards the DM, waiting in obvious anticipation of the deus ex machina that's about to unfold.
"So..." their eyes say with incredible eagerness.
"You're dead. Get a fresh character sheet," replies the DM.
This HAS crossed my mind. I mean, Descent into Avernus is right there....
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
Killing PCs as a DM is so passé.
Raking PCs over the emotional coals by doing everything but killing them, keeping that tiny window of hope and victory alive, just to repeatedly shunt and twist where they eventually land? Take 'em on that sweet, torturous ride and never let them off.
[For serious though, I honestly believe buy-in from your players is Priority #1. If the Session 0 understanding is that PCs may bite it, en-mass even, then cool! That style of D&D doesn't often appeal to me and my friends though, so instead I get to concoct ever more torturous reasons why a PC getting faceplanted results in them not getting sent to the great beyond.
Spoiler: In my semi-homebrew game, I broke the afterlife, and so death is weird now and doesn't follow the normal D&D cosmological rules. The players don't know this yet. :twisted: ]
You could also have some sort of extra planar entity stop time and offer them some sort of shady deal in order to get them out of this jam. Asmodeus is always looking for good help.
Hey fellow CoS DMs, got a question for you all. Who did you pick for the party's ally? The card reading with Madame Eva should be this Sunday and I can't decide who to pick for my party! I keep going back and forth between Ezmeralda, Izek, or Piddlewick... or should it be someone else?!?!?
Hey fellow CoS DMs, got a question for you all. Who did you pick for the party's ally? The card reading with Madame Eva should be this Sunday and I can't decide who to pick for my party! I keep going back and forth between Ezmeralda, Izek, or Piddlewick... or should it be someone else?!?!?
I let my party draw cards for real. For ally they got
some mentally deficient shopkeeper assistant in Village of Barovia
but after seeing Eva literally never ever went again to that location so...
I made it be Irena's brother instead, who had already been traveling with them all the way to Krezk.
Hey fellow CoS DMs, got a question for you all. Who did you pick for the party's ally? The card reading with Madame Eva should be this Sunday and I can't decide who to pick for my party! I keep going back and forth between Ezmeralda, Izek, or Piddlewick... or should it be someone else?!?!?
Almost all of them
the final mission into ravenloft is going to have several objectives, the party focusing on strahd while sending the allies in certain directions (in conveniently party sized groups so they can control their exploits)
They dont like some of them so I anticipate people like Godfrey getting uh
Aww, square grid only. Also, the assets look to be primarily fantasy; some day someone will make a dungeon builder not primarily aimed at D&D-like settings. Some day.
I don't suppose it's something the DM buys and then hosts for others to join in without having to pay again themselves?
I'll have to pull out an oooooold 2nd ed Monster Compendium but I'm curious how those gem breath weapons line up. I remember, vividly, that the Amethyst dragon's breath weapon was basically it hocks up and spits a gem out that explodes.
Aww, square grid only. Also, the assets look to be primarily fantasy; some day someone will make a dungeon builder not primarily aimed at D&D-like settings. Some day.
I don't suppose it's something the DM buys and then hosts for others to join in without having to pay again themselves?
they have an incoming cyberpunk art asset pack.
in future they plan on releasing a slim client for players (dm requires a full game version), but atm it isnt implemented.
I'm cautiously optimistic that this'll be awesome. DPS hasnt been uodated in years
I'll have to pull out an oooooold 2nd ed Monster Compendium but I'm curious how those gem breath weapons line up. I remember, vividly, that the Amethyst dragon's breath weapon was basically it hocks up and spits a gem out that explodes.
most of the breath weapons (though not for gem dragons) are from the Fantasy supplement to Chainmail which was then later used in the first version of D&D in 1974.
It's pretty weird what things they included in that considering how few pages there are.
Attacked by tweeeeeeees!
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
Interesting that they moved Breath Weapon from a full Action, to instead taking a single attack from an Attack action you take (so Classes with multiple attacks don't have to lose an entire turn of attacks just to Breath).
Also interesting that they normalized Line breath to chromatics and Cone breath to metallics.
The party's main ally (the one they drew from the deck) is Arabelle, who is a Diviner and now a wereraven and excellent at "definitely not railroading" my party where I want them to go because she's a little shit
where they are at level 10 she's level 6 companion so sort of useful, she's got spells like haste and enhance ability to make the party happy to have her around, because everyone loves being hasted
Posts
Blood Hunter uses HP to activate it's powers,
which is apparently not official, I though the official Critical Role book added it.
They've held out remarkably well so far against a handful of fire giants and two handfuls of ogres, but they're really struggling now. The barb and the cleric have been downed and brought back and downed again and brought back... so they're toe to toe and on thier last legs. The ranged rogues are scattered and the bard and wizard are also scattered. Their only saving grace so far is that I choose to have two of giants who where tossing boulders decide they were bored and had them start to run around the whole dungeon to get to the floor below to melee the party, which take some time. But the party is planning on a fighting retreat into the unknown regions of the dungeon, where there are no less than EIGHT more fire giants and a few more ogres, and a salamander to contend with before they could make to the mines and conceivably escape, hide, rest, and come back again. At the end of last session, the Bard cast major illusion so as to make it appear as if Klauth (whom they've met, and who's cultists are currently acting as thier airship Uber drivers) just burst in the main door to act as a distraction. So we're going to pick up right there.
I don't really know what I'm going to do. I'd feel a little guilty about a TPK because while the party, IMO, did err by not clearing out the goons before the main boss.... I am the one who decided to drop 4 encounters worth of bad guys at the same time onto the party right after a boss fight. Now, I don't regret it, per se. I feel like its entirely fair for the Boss to send up an alarm two rounds before his death and, hell yeah, his goons will come running. But that may indeed lead me to TPK. The only thing I can think of as a save would be instead of the illusion of Klauth bursting through the door.... Klauth himself bursts through the door (itself a huge barrier to the party escaping) routing the giants who themselves would flee into the mines to regroup. Klauth would also then give the party shit for the unauthorized use of his likeness (this isn't the first time) and would proceed to loot the Vonindod for himself. Would that be too much of a blatant DM saving thier asses?
I mean, it wouldn't be the end of the world if the campaign ended. I've never been too excited to run SKT anyway. I'd much rather do Avernus anyway!
I know there is at least one subclass that allows you to use hit dice more actively in combat, like spend a bonus action use a hit die kind of deal, but I can't remember which one, I think it is a fighter sub class but I may be wrong.
https://www.wowhead.com/news/day-of-the-undead-blood-and-thunder-undead-stat-sheet-321764
Unfortunately, due to the layout of the dungeon, no such thing exists. The Fire Giants stronghold is buttoned up tight. Their only escape options are 1) out through the main door, which can only be opened by giants. 2) Wait for the automatic chain driven elevator that leads up into the mountain but won't be back for another 5 to 10 MINUTES at least which is forever in a combat scenario and 3) Move through the still occupied half of the dungeon to the mine entrances and to get lost within.
Your the DM. You can change the dungeon if you want.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Of course I can. But the layout has already been established and, mostly, explored. Suddenly sliding in a convienient sewer access onto the battlemap where before there was not one,to me, would to break versimilitude more than a saviour dragon (who they've met before, are kinda-sorta working for, and who really wants to steal giant loot as a motivation rather than save the PC's) would. And putting such an access in one of the unexplored areas is functionally the same thing as the mine tunnels escape route.
Remember that fire giants are slavers, the party can TPK and wake up being prodded by a salamandar in the mines
Recently I did this dungeon, and my party TPK'd in the fucking yakfolk village of all places through a series of colossally bad moves, but the Yalkfolk took them as slaves and put them in a hut. One of them was dead dead and tossed into the river
The rogue escaped and got them their equipment back during lights out, and they played smarter and killed a few yakfolk (and didnt have to deal with losing a massive amount of HP to poisoned food ahead of time) and they killed the chief and negotiated a surrender of the yalkfolk, freeing the slaves and calling their frost giant ally in (bout fucking time) and then began an infiltration of the fire giant dungeon through the mines
they ended up "kidnapping" Zalto's daughter after offering her "Everything she always wanted" to help, and split Brimskarda and Zalto on continuing their shenanigans, while the rogue used the retrieved-from-drow flask to capture the primordial and they beat feet out of there, party also got the conch they wanted
Cinderhild is very petulant and unhappy to be living in the town the party runs but she got what she wanted, she's free to go whenever - into the largely dwarf controlled lands around the town that are not giant friendly. They won't keep her here forever, just long enough to assure that Zalto won't interfere in what comes next
I'm amazed they lost to the yakfolk but didnt lose anyone to the fire giants. The dead sorceress was retrieved and raised before heading into Ironslag
If possible you can have Cinderhild even beckon them to the cave to escape, the salamander missing, and have her share her plan to "Escape" maybe
KEEP THEM AS SLAVES!!! Of course. DMing 101. Why didn't I think of that?!? OK, lets call that plan B.
I have Cinderhild and her two hobgoblin servants trying (and failing horribly) to sneak out the main door while the fighting is going on. The party has noticed the emo/goth teenage girl giant and her servants with travelling clothes and stuffed backpacks making their way to the main doors. But the party, who has not officially met her yet, has no idea of her motivations, and haven't clued in that she's going to open the door and potentially give the party an out. Zaltember is among the giants in the forge room, currently tossing slaves into the furnaces, where it was too loud of hear the alarm.
Edit: another option I just thought of, Fire Giants are *not* stupid. They know Resurrection/Raise magic exists in the world, it just isn't something they can do. That gives another reason Zaltember might spare the party, if he recognizes them as powerful adventurers, it could stand to reason that they might know where a healer could be found to bring his father back to life
I used that one to yuk my way out of TPKing my party in my very first campaign after they killed the evil dwarflord's little girl (entirely by accident!)
They have. However, as per the module, Harshnag went out like a champ saving the party from Imryth and letting them escape. I've been saving him for later and don't want to ruin that story beat in this scenario.
It sounds like you want to do the dragon option to be honest, and why not - but if you do, you should add in something that requires the PCs to then assist.
Massive dragon save, yeah - that's going to be a cool moment. However if one giant turns up with some dragon fighting gear - a huge long chain with a weight on it to hit the wings or throat to prevent breath weapon attacks or flight out for a few turns, then we now have a dragon that needs help (cementing the relationship between PCs and Dragon, whilst also having them also being involved in their own salvation). I had the old Council of Wyrms setting in 2nd ed that was largely giant vs dragon, and one of those humans with the fancy kit for killing dragons starting to talk to the giants was the apocalypse as far as they were concerned.
And once a dragon turn up, all eyes are focused there - whilst a dragon might not be able to divide attention between the dragon slaying giant and the regular giants if the latter are about to set upon it with axes. Whilst Klauth deals with the regular giants, and starts flexing it's wings after getting the dragon equivalent of a dead leg, the PCs can focus on one particular giant (who's less well equipped for smaller foes), then one the dragon starts generating lift again - race for a lift from a grateful dragon...however, you might need a side mission where your new patron asks you to seek out and kill however taught that giant, as that kind of knowledge is the stuff that can kill dragons. What the PCs then do is up to them, whilst the current state of the dragon slayer is up to you (and old man, a young naïve apprentice who has been left masterless or some random who found a book).
Not really. I was focused on the idea of real Klauth saving the day (and taking the treasure for himself) because the Bard's illusion was of Klauth busting in the door. I thought it would be a cool way to flip the illusion play, a play my party has run before, to being the real deal. I wasn't happy with it, but if I did not want a TPK, it was the only idea I had in my mind.
Overdrive's idea of making them slaves of the Fire Giants after they go down is the better route. Something I've never done with this group of players before. Unless the players pull off a surprise, this is the way its going to go down. They'll wake up the next session being chained to wheel of pain.
There's nothing quite like the feeling of having all the PCs look eagerly towards the DM, waiting in obvious anticipation of the deus ex machina that's about to unfold.
"So..." their eyes say with incredible eagerness.
"You're dead. Get a fresh character sheet," replies the DM.
This HAS crossed my mind. I mean, Descent into Avernus is right there....
Raking PCs over the emotional coals by doing everything but killing them, keeping that tiny window of hope and victory alive, just to repeatedly shunt and twist where they eventually land? Take 'em on that sweet, torturous ride and never let them off.
[For serious though, I honestly believe buy-in from your players is Priority #1. If the Session 0 understanding is that PCs may bite it, en-mass even, then cool! That style of D&D doesn't often appeal to me and my friends though, so instead I get to concoct ever more torturous reasons why a PC getting faceplanted results in them not getting sent to the great beyond.
Spoiler: In my semi-homebrew game, I broke the afterlife, and so death is weird now and doesn't follow the normal D&D cosmological rules. The players don't know this yet. :twisted: ]
Mephistopheles is a fun guy too.
I let my party draw cards for real. For ally they got
I made it be Irena's brother instead, who had already been traveling with them all the way to Krezk.
Almost all of them
the final mission into ravenloft is going to have several objectives, the party focusing on strahd while sending the allies in certain directions (in conveniently party sized groups so they can control their exploits)
They dont like some of them so I anticipate people like Godfrey getting uh
https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/draconic-options
Dragonborn now have chromatic, metallic,and gem subraces. Emerald Dragonborn get psionic breath weapons!
I'm sure there's some hidden cheese there with damage types somewhere, but I just think it's a neat throwback
Interesting. They "Fixed" Kobolds as a player race. No more pack tactics, but also no more sunlight sensitivity.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
It's a mix of tabletop simulator and roll20!
I don't suppose it's something the DM buys and then hosts for others to join in without having to pay again themselves?
they have an incoming cyberpunk art asset pack.
in future they plan on releasing a slim client for players (dm requires a full game version), but atm it isnt implemented.
I'm cautiously optimistic that this'll be awesome. DPS hasnt been uodated in years
This makes me want to make an Aberrant Soul Emerald Dragonborn.
most of the breath weapons (though not for gem dragons) are from the Fantasy supplement to Chainmail which was then later used in the first version of D&D in 1974.
It's pretty weird what things they included in that considering how few pages there are.
Also interesting that they normalized Line breath to chromatics and Cone breath to metallics.
where they are at level 10 she's level 6 companion so sort of useful, she's got spells like haste and enhance ability to make the party happy to have her around, because everyone loves being hasted