[Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

I just run my first DFRPG game today. I run "I Smell a Rat" with only a little modification. I will discuss some of the content of the adventure, so people should stop reading this post if they have not played or read "I Smell a Rat".

The PCs were 4 sample characters from "Delvers to Go". A Human Cleric, a Half-Ogre Barbarian, a Halfling Thief, and a Half-Elf Wizard.

Two of the players where well experienced in GURPS 3e but had limited experience in 4e. One was completely new to GURPS. The last one had played 2 GURPS Lite games in the past.

I ignored some rules from the system: Facing, Deceptive Attack, Faint, and Rapid Strike.

I kept Shock, but simplified Major Wounds/Stun/falling to "If you take more than 1/2 HP damage in one turn, you have a -4 penalty to your defenses the next turn". I really wanted to lower the number of times you roll against HT.

The only rule I think I should have kept is Deceptive Attacks. It would have helped the Barbarian against the foe with multiple Parries at 13 (I kept succeeding every Parry roll). Every other rule was worth cutting, though I will probably try to strike a different balance for Shock/Stun next time.

Everyone enjoined the adventure, even though we had to end the game after 2 major battles, for both character resource and play time reasons. The battles (except the random encounters) where tough and the gimmicks where appreciated.

It was pointed out that there wasn't a clear enough motivation to go beyond the rat-killing phase. There was also not enough reason to look for the secret door at the location where it was. I think these are fair criticisms, and I will amend the structure of the adventure when I play it next time to give clearer motivation and guidance to the PCs.

Re: [Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

I don't know the adventure, bit i will give some general dungeoneering advice. It should not be a foregone conclusion that the party will interact with every feature of a dungeon. Finding everything and winning every fight equals a perfect game; the average expedition will be less than perfect. If they miss something, that's normal and expected. Don't sweat it.

Re: [Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

Our regular gaming group is losing two players for a month, and we're going to run DFRPG instead of our normal GURPS games for the month, so I've been gearing up to GM that in November. I too find there to be a legitimate reason for players to shrug their shoulders and be done after the first room. Even though our group is unlikely to do so.

Making the dirt pile in the corner into something other than a dirt pile, or even removing it completely seems like a good way to deal with an incurious party. Another option having Lee track them down and demand they finish the job, since the root problem hasn't been solved and on the second trip, have the pile excavated already by a large group of rats. Of course, then you've got another hidden door that might be missed, leaving them to wander the sewers aimlessly.

For my game, I'm going to besiege the city with a group of crusaders responding to reports of a great evil in the city, and threatening to put it to the torch if the problem isn't remedied. Probably I'm not going to need to tug that string, our group being what it is, but, if necessary, I'll use that to push them to explore more deeply.

Re: [Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

My suggestion, not having read the adventure, make those "spot secret doors" rolls yourself... and if it's really important for the continuance of the adventure that they find one of them, just have them do it.

Re: [Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

Stormcrow, I agree with everything you say. However, in this adventure, the issue is not one or two features, it's like three quarters of the whole adventure!

My adventurers had no problem entering the sewer, but the problem was the time it took to find the secret door to the next set or rooms. They were looking for more rats to kill, not a secret door that the rats obviously don't use!

I might just add metal bars to the sewer so the PCs won't wander away too far. I could also put wooden boards in the tunnel, that Merle used to avoid stepping into the sewer. That would encourage the PCs to look near the tunnel.

My players have suggested that the dirt pile might be a good place to hint at hidden evil, like idols of evil gods and such. This could also lead to Lee requesting the PCs to find out what her uncle was up to.

That's nice. I think it will be good to add some hints for the great evil scheme.

Re: [Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

A question: Do they need to be actively searching or is this a simple Perception or Observation roll which you could make for them when they are near enough to notice the feature?

Now that is a good idea. If the PCs seem hesitant to go spelunking after Merle's secrets themselves, dangle a money pouch in that direction!

Re: [Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

From the description in the adventure, you need to actively search for it. You roll "Once per attempt to find hidden doors".

Waiving the requirement and the GM rolling, as you suggested, would be a reasonable way to advance the adventure.

That's the idea. Since they were hired for one dangerous task, it will be natural for them to perform more dangerous tasks if they are offered to be paid for it.

Re: [Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

If you have to roll to find something that leads to the rest of the adventure, that's poor adventure design. Change it. If they just happen to miss most of the goodies along the way, that's poor dungeoneering. Encourage them to look harder next time.

Re: [Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

I haven't run it yet, but on reading through the adventure, I couldn't help but think that my players would clear the cellar, and try to seal up the cave to the sewers and call it a day.

Without some heavy handed GM prodding (or even with it), which is something I HATE to do, they probably wouldn't go into the sewers at all. And if they did, then I expect them to also be looking for rats rather than look for hidden doors. If they did find the door, I'd think that they would mark it for further exploration later, but still "finish the job".

My players are very "single minded" (except for when they aren't, but I can't really predict or count on that). And I have burned myself in the past by having an adventure with a stated goal of X when the "real" goal was "Y". (My) Players will pursue X to the ends of the earth and assume Y is some sort of distraction or worse.

So if (when) I run this adventure I'm going to have to tweak it a bit to make sure that the the PCs know the "real" adventure is beyond the rats. My thoughts are to start off by having some rumors of Merle having "treasures" hidden under his Inn, or of evil emanating from under the town, or whatever (based on characters particular drives). Then, when the players take the job to deal with the rats, they are already looking at it as an opportunity to achieve "their" true goals.

Re: [Dungeons][DM only]My first experience in DFRPG/"I smell a Rat"
 

Yeah. I really like the adventure, my only concern is that as written an incurious group will be done in the first room. An imperceptive group will be done in the second. From then on, the group will find the end if they survive the encounters. They'll miss secrets, but that's okay.