Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - [DF] Question about "You All Meet at an Inn" [Pyramid 98]

genin · 11-19-2017, 09:56 AM

Thank you so much, everyone, for your thoughts on this thread.

Especially, thanks to Bruno for recounting her experience with this adventure!

I agree that the adventure should make the assumption that no one starts with a magic weapon. This is a separate issue, that might deserve its own thread, but I've never seen why anyone would start with an enchanted weapon (aside from Staff, obviously). By the time I've paid for the Wealth to afford the enchantment, I could have purchased many extra levels of weapon skill or ST for damage or whatever other ability I wanted to have, and it would work with *any* weapon I happen to be wielding rather than only the one magic weapon (which is likely to be lost/broken/stolen unless I purchase Signature Gear for it too).

I think my main concern with the scenario under discussion is with the bottleneck of descending the well. The text seems to indicate that the monsters appear as soon as characters emerge from the well shaft: "Near the bottom of the well shaft, a rough opening leads to.... The room is initially empty, but if anyone enters [a Flame Lord and the first Toxifier spawn]." There doesn't seem to be any option for the party to gather in the room before the monsters spawn.

If the party could all gather in the room before the enemies spawn, then that seems more winnable (though perhaps still challenging, at least for folks new to DF). There should be a caster present by that point, so they'd have a chance. But how to get them all down there at once? I get that DF isn't exactly about realism, but it strains credulity, for me, to have multiple SM=0 characters climbing down a well with a < 1 yard diameter entrance at the same time. Perhaps if they threw down multiple ropes and climbed down slightly staggered, that could work. Or if some casters know Levitation.

Maybe I could just modify the adventure so that the monsters spawn once someone touches the far door, as it sounds like Bruno's GM did.

So let's see, for defeating the Toxifiers, what did we come up with?

- If using the optional rule for worthy foes, they'll drop at 0HP
- They'll likely drop unconscious fairly quickly, due to HT10, even without the rule above, once reduced below 0HP
- Holy symbols to keep them at bay until you can douse the torches (and maybe force them into the well???)
- True Faith (though the Toxifiers only need to be 1 yard away, so they can still hit you with their attack...)
- Area of effect or cone spells to bypass Diffuse
- Air spells that produce wind to deal double damage (not that there are a lot of those)
- Banish spell (though the spell costs a *lot*, no? I haven't added up the point total of a Toxifier, but the spell costs 1 energy per 10 points of the target)

Some of these require the delvers to know what they're fighting. So Hidden Lore (Demons) would be helpful.

Anything else I'm missing or not understanding?

11-19-2017, 09:56 AM	#22
genin Join Date: Dec 2004	Re: [DF] Question about "You All Meet at an Inn" [Pyramid 98] Thank you so much, everyone, for your thoughts on this thread. Especially, thanks to Bruno for recounting her experience with this adventure! I agree that the adventure should make the assumption that no one starts with a magic weapon. This is a separate issue, that might deserve its own thread, but I've never seen why anyone would start with an enchanted weapon (aside from Staff, obviously). By the time I've paid for the Wealth to afford the enchantment, I could have purchased many extra levels of weapon skill or ST for damage or whatever other ability I wanted to have, and it would work with any weapon I happen to be wielding rather than only the one magic weapon (which is likely to be lost/broken/stolen unless I purchase Signature Gear for it too). I think my main concern with the scenario under discussion is with the bottleneck of descending the well. The text seems to indicate that the monsters appear as soon as characters emerge from the well shaft: "Near the bottom of the well shaft, a rough opening leads to.... The room is initially empty, but if anyone enters [a Flame Lord and the first Toxifier spawn]." There doesn't seem to be any option for the party to gather in the room before the monsters spawn. If the party could all gather in the room before the enemies spawn, then that seems more winnable (though perhaps still challenging, at least for folks new to DF). There should be a caster present by that point, so they'd have a chance. But how to get them all down there at once? I get that DF isn't exactly about realism, but it strains credulity, for me, to have multiple SM=0 characters climbing down a well with a < 1 yard diameter entrance at the same time. Perhaps if they threw down multiple ropes and climbed down slightly staggered, that could work. Or if some casters know Levitation. Maybe I could just modify the adventure so that the monsters spawn once someone touches the far door, as it sounds like Bruno's GM did. So let's see, for defeating the Toxifiers, what did we come up with? - If using the optional rule for worthy foes, they'll drop at 0HP - They'll likely drop unconscious fairly quickly, due to HT10, even without the rule above, once reduced below 0HP - Holy symbols to keep them at bay until you can douse the torches (and maybe force them into the well???) - True Faith (though the Toxifiers only need to be 1 yard away, so they can still hit you with their attack...) - Area of effect or cone spells to bypass Diffuse - Air spells that produce wind to deal double damage (not that there are a lot of those) - Banish spell (though the spell costs a lot, no? I haven't added up the point total of a Toxifier, but the spell costs 1 energy per 10 points of the target) Some of these require the delvers to know what they're fighting. So Hidden Lore (Demons) would be helpful. Anything else I'm missing or not understanding?