Nov 16 2008

Kobold Love on Hiatus until January

November 16, 2008 – 4:13 pm
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Kobold Love | Comments (2)

In order for me to better attack the Kobold Love project, I will be writing the next 3 scenes offline in the next few weeks.

I’ll then break those in chunks and post them based on a more regular schedule from January onwards.

I tackled Kobold Love full of resolve and completely drunk on the Aftermath of Gen Con 2008.  I overhyped it and was unable to keep up with it.  For this I take full responsibility and I chalk it up to experience.

By writing it offline, with some editorial help, I can avoid the quality issues I foresee by trying to rush this.

Thanks for bearing with me.  This project has been a test bed for future endeavors of mine in RPG publishing and I’m learning a lot from it.  There’s already enough of the project out to allow people to adapt it for their own needs.  I’m now going to finish it at a level of quality I can be proud of.

Cheers!

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Kobold Love | Comments (2)
Nov 06 2008

Scene 2: On the Road, Old School Style!

November 6, 2008 – 1:47 am
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Comments (10)

Its been a long time… Almost too long.

According to the adventure plan, scene 2 pits the PCs, traveling to Hope’s Point, against a generic adventuring party traveling the other way to their dungeon.

After the playtest at Draconis (where I skipped this scene for time reasons), I realized just how stale that scene felt, compared to Scene 1 and 3.  It brought nothing more to the adventure than a tribute to Keep on the Shadowfell that many players would possibly not “get”.

That’s when I had a series of ideas to makes the scene better:

  • Maintain the reverse Ambush model as planned
  • Make this scene into a tribute to the old school level 1 party by making all adventurers into minions!
  • Provide plot exposition to the PCs
  • Provide PCs with props to use as disguises to sneak into the city.
  • Make the scene last no more than 15-20 minutes unless players enjoy it enough to stretch it.

So without further ado:

Scene 2: Introduction

The City of Hope’s Point is 2 full days of traveling southwest through forested hills and open grasslands (abandoned farmlands).  After one day of trekking the PCs reach the region’s main road which snakes through semi-forested lands toward the city.  This is a natural resting point with plenty of nooks and crannies for safety-concerned kobolds.

This road is seldom traveled anymore, the city’s commerce passing through the much safer King’s Highway further south. However a group of eager (and very inexperienced) adventurers, calling themselves the Order of the Blackcloaks, are traveling up to the dungeon and making a lot of noise.

This encounter is not meant to be a challenge to the player, quite the contrary.  Its meant to showcase the relative power of the PCs against a bunch of low level adventurers.

If the players require it, they can setup snares and traps as they did in scene 1. Feel free to make this into a foraging Skill Challenge to obtain the material and build the traps: 4 Successes/3 Failures, Main Skills: Dungeoneering, Thievery, Nature, DC 17. The players must explain how they make traps out of common elements found in nature.

Give out one trap power (As describe here), minus one per failure, to be distributed among the PCs.

The descriptive paragraph below assumes the PCs have setup camp near the trail and the Road meet.  Adjust it if the players decide otherwise.

You have traveled about halfway from your Subterranean home to the city, following a sinuous trail leading to a disused road.  According to the Oracle, the City lies southwest at the end of this road.  You have made camp to rest for the day.   After a few hours, your rest is rudely interrupted by voices in that ghastly noise that surface dwellers call ‘Common”, several yammering creatures are coming your way.  They seem to be all wearing black cloaks and are heavily armed.

If PCs remain hidden, they catch bits and pieces of Common speech about a Quest and about the Caves of Doom.  They will know that the adventurers are headed for their home!

If the PCs are spotted, the adventurers scream ‘Ambush!’ and attack.

Chatty’s Note: I plan to have the PCs spotted by the Halfling Rogue (See below) leaving his group to relieve himself away from the road.

Map: Any Roadside Map will do, Wizards’ King’s Road is a good one.

The Opposition:

Dwarf Fighter, Medium Natural Humanoid, level 5 Minion

Initiative: 2 Exp: 50
HP: 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC: 20 Fortitude: 17 Reflex: 15 Will: 15
M Battle Axe: +10, 5 Damage

Str: 17 (+5) Dex: 10 (+2) Wis: 9 (+1)
Con: 16 (+5) Int: 11 (+2) Cha: 8 (+1)

Equipment: Scale Mail, Large Shield, Battle Axe, black cloak, Standard Adventurer’s Kit

Fluff Quote: Pfaa Kobolds, always easy to kill!

Human Fighter, Medium Natural Humanoid, level 5 Minion

Initiative: 3 Exp: 50
HP: 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC: 20 Fortitude: 17 Reflex: 16 Will: 15
M Longsword : +10, 5 Damage

Str: 16 (+5) Dex: 12 (+3) Wis: 10 (+2)
Con: 16 (+5) Int: 10 (+2) Cha: 14 (+3)

Equipment: Chain Mail, Large Shield, Longsword, black cloak, Standard Adventurer’s Kit, Quest Scrolls

Fluff Quote: Slay them! We need the Experience!

Elven Wizard, Medium Natural Humanoid, Level 5 Minion

Initiative: 5 Exp: 50
HP: 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC: 19 Fortitude: 17 Reflex: 17 Will: 15
R Hand Crossbow: +9, 3 Damage Range: 5/10
Burning Hands: Encounter, Close Blast 3, +11 vs Ref. 5 fire damage

Str: 10 (+2) Dex: 10 (+2) Wis: 10 (+2)
Con: 14 (+4) Int: 16(+5) Cha: 10 (+2)

Equipment: Robes, Wand, Hand Crossbow, 20 bolts, Spellbook (Ritual: Comprehend Languages), black cloak, Standard Adventurer’s Kit

Fluff Quote: Don’t worry! They’re minions, I’ll deal with them!

Halfing Rogue, Small Natural Humanoid, Level 5 Minion

Initiative: 7 Exp: 50
HP: 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC: 19 Fortitude: 17 Reflex: 18 Will: 14
M Dagger: +10, 5 (8 with Combat Advantage)

Str: 10 (+2) Dex: 16 (+5) Wis: 8 (+1)
Con: 14 (+4) Int: 10 (+2) Cha: 10 (+2)

Equipment: Leather Armour, Dagger, black cloak, Fresh Rations, Standard Adventurer’s Kit

Fluff Quote: Ambush! Wait a minute, these kobolds are bigger than me!

Human Cleric, Medium Natural Humanoid, Level 5 minion

Initiative: 2 Exp: 50
HP: 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC: 19 Fortitude: 16 Reflex: 15 Will: 17
M Mace: +10, 5 damage
Cure Light Wounds: At Will, Standard,  Heals a Fallen Ally by 1 hp.

Str: 12 (+3) Dex: 10 (+2) Wis: 16 (+5)
Con: 12 (+3) Int: 10 (+2) Cha: 16 (+5)

Equipment: Scale Mail, Large Shield, Mace, Silver Holy Symbol (25 gp), black cloak, Scroll of Gentle Repose, Standard Adventurer’s Kit, 2X Healing Potion

Fluff Quote: Don’t you guys die on me!

Tactics: Somewhat unused to working together, the fighters will engage the strongest looking characters while the rogue will try to flank one to sneak attack.  The Wizard will try to catch the most kobolds with his Burning Hands spell.  The Cleric will stay behind, ready to heal fallen companions.

After the (hopefully short) fight, if the PCs search the adventurer’s possession they’ll find a pair of scrolls kept by the Human Fighter.  The first on, written in Common reads:

Go forth in the nearby Caves of Doom and find an old Kobold Crone possibly living with a small band of kobolds and give her this scroll. Kill everything else!

The second Scroll, written in an  ancient dialect of Draconic the Crone taught the PCs:

Respected Oracle, I hear rumors that you have been harboring my creatures for many years.  They are MINE and I ask that you return them NOW! Otherwise, I’ll keep sending these idiotic adventurers to kill your beloved kobolds time and time again. Send them into Hope’s Point to the Heroes’ Rest inn.  I’m convinced they’ll manage to find me.

Chatty’s Note: Oh, now that’s an interesting twist, I just thought of.  Has the crone truly gotten a prophecy or did she get an earlier copy of this message and decided to send the PCs to their fate to stop the attacks?

As always, I’m open to your feedback.

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Comments (10)
Oct 29 2008

Kobold Love Playtest Report, Part 2

October 29, 2008 – 12:01 am
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (5)

See part one here.

Scene 3: Skill Challenged Kobolds in the City

As currently designed, this scene featured 2 ways of getting in the city:  convincing the guards to let the kobolds in or sneaking into the sewers, negotiate with a pack of starved wererats and reach the inn from below.

It’s interesting to note that the morning group went for the guards while the afternoon group went for the sewers… Thanks guys!

Disguised with the adventurer’s cloaks from the previous scene, the morning group struck a conversation with the very dense, very Pratchet-inspired guards.

Played as a pretty hard Skill Challenge  (8 successes) the scene went really well. Although I hit one of the weaknesses of D&D 4e’s definition of Skill challenges:

Sometimes, a social skill-fueled roleplaying scene has reached a point where its obvious that the player have achieved their objectives, but the requisite number of success rolls have not been reached.

Now the rules stickler in me tried to see the Skill challenge to its end.  In the game, the PCs had already convinced the Guards that they were adventurers and could not really show their faces because they wanted to be incognito.  At one point they gave 65 gp to one guard (a hefty sum) to be let in, yet the challenge was still missing something like 4 successes, although in terms of the story, the guards should have let them in.

I managed to have the other guard complain that he should get a ‘goodwill’ payment too and we argued back and forth, bringing the number of success to 6.

At that point I just could not feel stretching this and I said the challenge was a success and we moved on.

Which I think is the way to go… In the case of skill challenges, narrative imperative (i.e. when the story makes sense) you should feel free to conclude a Skill challenge with the most logical outcome.

The other playtest group decided to climb down the cliff and enter the Sewers.  There too I experienced a weird feeling that the Skill Challenge was in the way of the story and I rapidly moved through it to get the players to the next scene.  (They promised the hungry wererats that they would come back with lots of Human food and the rats bought it).

Conclusion:

  • Reduce the number of success needed to convince guards, but keep difficulty high.
  • Leave Sewer as is, but add suggestion to DM to make it into an embedded 5 room dungeon built around the Wererats, Otyugh and possibly a group of adventurers looking for trouble.
  • Add a 3rd skill challenge, based on physical skills, to inflitrate city from walls

Scene 4: How to kill PCs!

Once in the city, the Kobold PCs made their way to the inn and, always posing as cloaked up adventurers, sat down and looked around.

The stranger was alone in a corner, gibbering to himself.  A group of adventurers was sitting at another table, looking like it was working its courage to go talk to the stranger.  I explained that the other party was watching the PCs suspiciously, as is they were wary of having the PCs get a quest from the stranger first.

The first part of this scene was played hilariously by the players.  I made the waitress a copy of Dragonlance’s Tika and made her really really dumb and easy to confuse.  At one point, I had her say ‘Hmmm, I’m like, really confused now so I think I’ll like go into the kitchen and come back later”.

I also downplayed the opposing party as somewhat incompetent and silly, which influenced the PCs to underestimate them.

As predicted, a fight broke out when one PC ran to the stranger.

It turns out, as I mentioned in the comments here, that the NPCs I had made for this scene were far too powerful, especially combined with the Stranger’s controlling abilities. The players nearly all died and only the presence of 2 healers and the rapid change of focus from the adventurer NPCs to the Stranger allowed the group to win.

In fact, the NPCs were so overpowering that when the stranger fell dead, I could not help myself from making a MMORPG joke and tell the players that all the adventurers (none of them were even bloodied at that stage) all popped out of existence, disconnecting from the game because the Quest giver had been ganked.

Oh and the other group suffered a Total Party Kill.

Conclusion:

  • Make NPCs a lot less powerful, in fact bring them inline with the PCs to make for an interesting, if not too dangerous fight.  The goal of the scene is reversing the Inn trope.
  • Put stranger in next scene with guards
  • Add interactive elements to Inn scene, like Chandeliers, Braziers and such to encourage Kobolds to be more mobile.
  • Plan for PCs to approach scene differently like setting traps in Inn and poisoning the food.

Scene 5: The great reveal

…was a complete failure. While I was warned that springing a ‘you just killed your daddy’ scene would not work, I decided to try it and the reveal was met with blank stares at best or “WTF?” ones at worse.

The whole scene will be changed for sure:

  • Put Stranger on inn’s second floor, in a corner, guarded by 2 of his other creations… possibly bigger, kobold hybrids like Kobold Ogres, or Kobold Trolls or maybe a WereRat Ogre… I always liked those.
  • Make scene have 2 possible endings.
    • One where the Stranger is the PC’s creator and was looking to get them back from the Oracle
    • One where the stranger is an avatar of the Kobold god and blesses his children for having passed the ‘test’

Overall Conclusion:

The adventure works beyond my expectations.  All players liked it as is.  If I can manage to make each scene similar to scene 1 in koboldy goodness, the adventure will be perfect.

I’ll be focusing on specific, well defined aspect of the Reverse Dungeon and kobold tropes in each scene so I can manage to make each one stand out. I’m ready for this… Its taking longer than expected but the final product will be worth it.

Up next: Scene 2!

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (5)
Oct 15 2008

Kobold Love Playtest Report, Part 1

October 15, 2008 – 1:55 am
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Kobold Love, Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments (5)

Earlier in October, I attended the Draconis Gaming Con in Montreal.

It was small-sized Con with a surprising number of tabletop games for all tastes.  I had registered 2 sessions of Kobold Love, one in English on Saturday morning and one in French on Saturday afternoon.

It was a success… even though the second game ended up as a TPK.

Here’s a run down of the morning session, since it featured a full group.  In a future post I’ll touch on the lessons of playing this with less than 5 players.

Setup:

For the game, I packed each scene in a separate large Ziplock bag. Minis and maps and Scene-specific powercards were placed in these bags.

I printed out 2 sets of PCs (one per game) but only one set of Powercards (these take a long time to print). I sleeved each power card in a Collectible Card Game sleeve.  I packed each set of power card in a Sandwich Ziplock along with a Kobold/Trogrlodyte/Lizard man mini for each PC.

Now, while totally unrelated to playing the actual scenario at home, all this prep made for absolutely no time wasted during the game.  Power cards (including class features cards) saved on referring to the Players Handbook and I had to look it up just once in more than 8 hours of playing!

The group had 5 players and they played:

  • Wizard
  • Fighter
  • Warlord
  • Cleric
  • Rogue

(You can download the PCs here and see the 1/2 kobold template here)

I introduced the setting with a condensed version of  “This dungeon has had many names… for you it’s home” and presented the PCs as being “some sort of big, ugly kobolds”.

Scene 1: Dungeon Diplomacy

This scene, the only one yet fully designed worked PERFECTLY for both groups.  I think it’s because all of its aspects: The cowardly audience waiting to be manipulated, a strong NPC (The Gnoll Leader), the novelty of playing kobolds, the trap encounter powers and the combat-embedded skill challenge.

Everything meshed in a truly synergistic fashion! That’s what I strive for in all scenes!

I introduced the prophecy and, in the guise of the old Kobold crone, discussed it with the PC.  As the early part of the scene unfolded, I kept describing how fearful Kobolds and Goblins kept entering the cave and hiding in its numerous nooks and crannies, foretelling the coming of the dungeon faction champions.

Throughout the scene, I kept referring to the Goblin/Kobold crowd, basically treating it like a NPC.  It helped convey information to the PCs about the opposition and was pivotal in motivating the Social-skilled PCs to participate in the Skill Challenge instead of attacking.

Now in both games, it was interesting to see players go directly in character and start debating the finer points of kobold survival:

Cleric:

So these factions champions are coming to kill us? Then why not tell them we don’t believe in this prophecy anymore, send them back home and then we sneak out to do our quest?

Rogue:

No!  I say we show them that we’re not weak and we trash their butts!

I knew I had a successful game from that point forward.

Then I gave the players their trap encounter cards (As explained here), setup the battlemap (the Mushroom Cave from the Hellspike Prison) and put the Faction champions minis.

I started the scene by having the Gnoll make his canned speech, which created strong reactions in the players.

The party decided to let the gnoll finish and then went into very convincing counter tirade, aimed at the audience. I immediately started the Skill Challenge.  The player running the cleric was a very good orator and fine roleplayer and I gave him a hefty bonus for his rolls (plus additional bonuses from other PCs chiming in on the scene) (Going up to +8 in some cases).

The crowd was convinced to intervene and, as indicated on the  I gave the PCs a free ‘use now’ Trap.  They chose to play it as an area effect trap that killed several of the orc minions.  This started the fight.

The players alternated using their powers, trap cards and moving the skill challenge along.  As mentioned everything meshed up perfectly. So much so that after the 90 minutes limit I put on the scene (since it was a 4 hour con game), all players agreed to see the scene to completion.  They won

Here’s a  pair of quotes that more or less resumed the scene’s tone:

Wizard:

I cast (flips through numerous cards) Stinking Cloud!

ChattyDM:

Being monsters that are fighting monsters, I say that the cloud smells like… Vanilla Cupcakes!

Ogre (caught in cloud):

Arghhh, please stop, I’ll be good Ogre now!

Later, when the Kobold audience sprung the net trap on the Ogre, suspending it upside down from the ceiling, face in the stinking cloud.

Ogre: Hey, why you steal floor?  Why kobold walk on ceiling now? Arghhh, the smell!

Scene 1:Conclusions

The scene is, IMHO, nearly perfect. A few things come to mind for the published adventure

  • Make a point in the description to play up the crowd. Also make sure that Gnoll is the main speaker for factions.  This keeps things simple and moving.
  • The cleric pre-generated PC would be more useful to the group as a Battle cleric build instead of ranged one (it’s got no melee weapons)… but that may discourage player from doing the skill challenge so it’s a toss up.
  • The Battle Wight’s AC is too high (25) for 5th level PCs… that ended up stretching the scene for 15 minutes for nothing, I’ll  lower it to 20-22.
  • There is clear possibility that the players will decide to leave the cave and flee the encounter before the faction show up.  In that case, clearly spell out that several kobolds and goblins will get slaughtered and that their heroic shine will be tarnished, even if they succeed in their mission.
  • That scene takes a long time to play, at least 2 hours, so you may want to reduce the number of HP of the monsters to speed it up if at a Con.  Otherwise it works perfectly for a multi session adventure.

Scene 2

…was skipped since we spent more than 2 hours on scene one.

I did describe that they met a group of Generic Adventurers and killed them.

While reviewing the adventure after the Con, I found this scene to be the stalest of the adventure.  When compared to the others, it does feel like a featureless fight of dubious meaning that also happens to be a homage to the ‘old-school’ ambush.

However, the players gave me an idea that may save it.

During Scene 3, a player asked if  they could have taken the adventurer’s clothes from Scene 2 to disguise themselves to sneak in the city.  I allowed it and it made scene 3 work better than planned.

So here’s what I think I’ll do with the whole scene:

Make all Generic Adventurer NPCs into minions (i.e. old-scholl low level PCs!)!  Each with one minor, class-flavored power.

Then make the whole party be members of ‘The Order of the Black Cloaks’ a Five Man Band of Emo Kids wearing large, features-hiding cloaks and full adventurer’s gear.

That would be a funny, provide tools for later in the adventure.  It would provide an interesting Roleplaying situatuon and any actual combat could be both very short and reminiscent of old school Encounters where level 5 PCs met a random encounter of goblins with 3 hp each.

All right, I’ll stop here for tonight.

Up next the rest of the playtest and then I’ll tackle scene 2.

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Kobold Love, Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments (5)
Oct 07 2008

Playtest Prep Notes: Scene 4 and 5

October 7, 2008 – 12:30 pm
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (8)

Scene 4:

PCs make it to the Tavern where they meet a roomfull of the some of the most known D&D archetypes/clichés characters. Among others, they’ll meet a dual-scimitar Drow Ranger, a Naive Fighter and his sickly Wizard brother. a wisecracking halfling rogue and, of course, the Stranger in the Corner.
An epic, very hard fight ensues… with a possible Roleplaying “out”

Battlemap: The Tavern from the ‘City of Perils’ Fantastic Location by Wizards of the Coast.

As I was planning last week’s work to get a working prototype of Kobold Love, I quickly realized that I would be running out of time. That’s why I called upon my friends to share the work.

My good friend DNAPhil recently jumped his own cliff and started a GM for Hire part time gig.  I subcontracted creating a level 9 party of Clichéd NPCs and boy did he deliver!

Here they are:

Female Barbarian Cleric

Iskimmor Level 6 Elite Brute
Medium (Human Cleric) XP 500
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +6
HP 160; Bloodied 80
AC 20; Fortitude 21, Reflex 18, Will 20
Saving Throws +2
Speed 6
Action Points 1
M Greatclub (Standard; at-will), Weapon
+9 vs. AC; 2d8+4.
m Righteous Brand (Standard; at-will), Weapon
+9 Vs. AC; 2d8+4 and one ally within 5 squares gains a power bonus to melee attack roll of +3 until end of your next turn.
m Split The Sky (Standard; encounter), Weapon
+7 vs. Fortitude; 2d8+4 thunder damage, and target is pushed 2 squares and knocked prone.
Cure Light Wounds (Standard; encounter)
Melee Touch; target regains hit points as if it spent a healing surge.
Weapon Of The Gods (Minor; encounter)
Until end of the encounter, all attacks made with the weapon deail an extra 1d6 radiant damage. When the weapons hits an enemy, the enemy takes a -2 penalty to AC until the end of the next turn.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Skills Heal +11, Insight +11, Athletics +7
Str 19 (+7) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 16 (+6)
Con 10 (+3) Int 16 (+6) Cha 16 (+6)
Equipment Greatclub, Hide Armor (but still sexy)

Keldary The Red, Unaligned Wizard

Keldary The Red Level 5 Elite Artillery
Medium (Human Devastator) XP 400
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +4
HP 88; Bloodied 44
AC 19; Fortitude 16, Reflex 22, Will 19
Saving Throws +2
Speed 6
Action Points 1
M Quarterstaff (Standard), Weapon
+12 vs. AC; 1d8 damage.
r Magic Missile (Standard; at-will), strong>Force
Ranged 20; +12 vs. Reflex; 2d4+4 force damage.
a Fireball (Standard; encounter), Fire
Area burst 3 within 20 squares.
Target: Each creature in burst; +10 vs Reflex.
Hit: 3d6+4 fire damage.
Miss: Half damage.
a Web (Standard; encounter)
Area burst 2 within 20 squares.
+10 vs. Reflex; The target is immobilized (save ends).
Effect: The burst creates a zone of webs that fills the area until the end of the encounter or for 5 minutes. The zone is considered difficult terrain. Any creature that ends its move in the web is immobilized (save ends).
Spell Shaper
Whenever Keldary uses a close burst or an area attack power, it can choose up to two allies in the power’s are of effect. Those allies are not targeted by the power.
Endless Power (Minor; recharge 6)
Keldary regains the use of an expended encounter power.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Draconic
Skills Arcana +12, Diplomacy +9, History +12
Str 8 (+1) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 10 (+2)
Con 8 (+1) Int 21 (+7) Cha 15 (+4)
Equipment Quarterstaff, Red Robes, Pouches of Spell Components

Ninat, The Bodyguard

Ninat Level 5 Elite Soldier
Medium (Human Bodyguard) XP 400
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +4
HP 132; Bloodied 66
AC 23; Fortitude 20, Reflex 19, Will 17
Saving Throws +2
Speed 5
Action Points 1
M Greatsword (Standard; at-will), Weapon
+12 vs. AC; 2d8+4
m Dizzying Blow (Standard; recharge 6), Weapon
Requires Greatsword: +12 vs. AC; 3d8+4 and target is immoblized (save ends).
Indomitable Presence
Every time a bodyguard attacks an enemy, whether the attack hits or misses, it marks that target. The mark lasts until the end of the bodyguards next turn. When a target is marked, it takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls if the attack doesnt include the bodyguard as a target. A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place.
In addition, whenever a marked enemy that is adjacent to the bodyguard shifts or makes an attack that does not include the bodyguard, the bodyguard can make a basic melee attack against that enemy as an immediate interrupt.
Shieldbearer
Allies adjacent to Ninat gain a +2 power bonus to AC.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Skills Athletics +11, Endurance +11, Intimidate +9
Str 18 (+6) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 15 (+4)
Con 18 (+6) Int 15 (+4) Cha 15 (+4)
Equipment Sword, Scale Mail, Shield, Horned Helmet

Teb-dan, The Non-evil Drow Ranger

Teb-dan Level 9 Skirmisher
Medium (Drow) XP 400
Initiative +11 Senses Perception +12
HP 97; Bloodied 48
AC 23; Fortitude 21, Reflex 22, Will 21
Speed 7
M Scimitar (Standard), Weapon
+14 vs. AC; 1d8+5
m Blade Mastery (Standard), Weapon
The Drow Ranger makes two scimitar attacks per round.
m Hindering Cut (Standard; recharge 5,6), Weapon
Requires Scimitar: +12 vs. Fort; 3d8+5 and target is slowed until the next of their next turn.
c Cloud Of Darkness (Minor; encounter)
Close Burst 1; this power creates a cloud of darkness that remains in place until the end of the Drow’s next turn. The cloud blocks line of sight for all creatures except the Drow Ranger. Any creature entirely wihtin the cloud (except the Drow Ranger) is blinded until it exits.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common, Drow
Skills +14 Acrobatics, +12 Athletics, +14 Stealth
Str 17 (+7) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 17 (+7)
Con 17 (+7) Int 20 (+9) Cha 17 (+7)
Equipment Pair of Scimitars

Worler, The Halfling Handler

Worler Level 9 Lurker
Medium (Hafling) XP 400
Initiative +11 Senses Perception +12
HP 80; Bloodied 40
AC 23; Fortitude 22, Reflex 21, Will 21
Speed 6
M Short Sword (Standard; at-will), Weapon
+14 vs. AC; 1d8+5.
m Mobile Melee Attack (Standard; at-will), Weapon
Worler can move up to 3 squares and make one melee basic attack at any point during that movement. Worler doesnt provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of his attack.
m Bait and Switch (Standard; at-will), Weapon
+12 vs. Will; 3d8+5 damage. In addition Worler switches places with target and can then shift up to 3 squares.
Vicious Sneak Attack
When Worler has combat advantage he does an additional +2d6 damage.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +14, Stealth +14, Thievery +14, Streetwise +12
Str 17 (+7) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 17 (+7)
Con 17 (+7) Int 20 (+9) Cha 17 (+7)
Equipment Short Sword, A number of pouches, and a half-eaten sandwich

And last but not least (made by me)

The Stranger in the Corner

The Stranger in the Corner Level 7 Controller
Medium Natural Humanoid XP 300
Initiative +1 Senses Perception:
Maddening whispers (Psychic) aura 5; defeaned creatures are immune; any enemy in the aura at the start of its turn takes 1d6 psychic damage.
HP 62; Bloodied 31
AC 19; Fortitude 16, Reflex 19, Will 18
Speed 6
M Shocking Grasp (Standard; at-will), Electricity
+9 vs Ref; 1d6+5 electricity and target is dazed (save ends)
m Touch of Chaos (Standard; recharge 5,6), Psychic
+10 vs Will; 2d6+4 psychic damage and the target moves up to its speed and makes a basic attack against its nearest ally as a free action.
c Thunder Blast (Standard; at-will)
Close Blast 3: +9 vs Fortitude: 1d6+4 thunder damage, and the target is pushed 3 squares
Alignment Evil Languages
Str 10 (+3) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 8 (+2)
Con 12 (+4) Int 18 (+7) Cha 14 (+5)

If they look too strong, believe me, they are. I’ll touch on this in the playtest report.

Thanks for the help Phil!

Scene 5:

As the stranger in the corner dies, he drops 2 scrolls. The first, written in common, says “Go forth in the nearby Caves of Doom and find an old Kobold Crone living with a small band of kobolds and give her this scroll. Kill everything else!”

The second scroll, written in a secret language the Crone taught the PCs says “My love, I miss you so! I’m ready to be a good father now, if you’ll still have me”

Roll Credits.

I decided to play Scene 5 as is… I’ll tell you how bad it went :)

Up next: The Playtests report!

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (8)
Oct 06 2008

Playtest Prep Notes: The Pre Generated PCs

October 6, 2008 – 12:54 pm
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (3)

I play tested 2 sessions of Kobold Love over the last weekend and it was a great experience.  Enough to tell you upfront that Kobold Love will be a game table success.

I’ll revert later here with a report.  I must however rest and recharge my creative batteries, so I’ll complete my playtest prep series.

Today is going to be short and Sweet, I give you the pre-generated PCs (they are 7,7 MB each).

They were designed by my good friend and long time player Yan. As I expected, he built the party like a Deck of Magic: the Gathering and they are full of hidden synergies that smart team players may pick upon.

Here are his design notes:

-They were made to keep the ennemy as far possible from them so that they don’t finish thier move next to ennemies (through the use of the Shifty feat or reach weapons)

-The powers were selected to affect enemy mobility (Immobilize, Fall prone, Daze, etc)

-Use of powers that confer mobility and or Combat Advantage to the PCs so that the Rogue can Sneak Attack without having to flank.

Up next, the NPCs of Scene 4 and then the Playtest report.

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (3)
Oct 02 2008

Playtest Prep Notes: Scene 3

October 2, 2008 – 12:27 pm
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (5)

Gah!  I had issues with my printer, Vista and Adobe last night so I spent 3 hours printing Power Cards for the pre-generated PCs!  I freaking hate that part of Convention Games prep, but it makes the game so much easier!

Last night I completed the play test draft for Scene 3 which is about:

Kobolds have to get into the city. Various ways are made available, including climbing the outside wall at night, Bluffing the City guards (Skill challenge: Disguise, Bluff, Diplomacy) and sneaking into the sewers

Here’s what I have:

Hope’s Point is a city that sits by a Cliff overlooking the Ocean.

It’s a walled community with a pair of competent looking Guards posted on each gate and periodic patrols on the walls, shouting ‘”All’s well” periodically.

A cursory scouting of the City reveals 2 ways to sneak in, both playable by skill challenges.

Convincing guards to let party enter any gate

Skill Challenge (8/3, DC 21)
Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight

Prerequisite: PCs must hide their features to be allowed to initiate the Challenge

Success: PCs allowed in city

Failure: Rebuffed from gates and threatened with alerting the whole city.  If the city is alerted, stress how guards and adventurers are pouring out of the city to engage the PCs.

Personality traits: The guards are polite but of the dumb and stubborn type.  Meeting everything strange with the fake-idiot cunning of long time police constables.

Fluff Quotes:

  • So you guys are those Cloistered Monks that made a Vow of Hiding you Faces huh?  My brother in law is from that Monastery too, you may know him, name’s Jim? Yeah? Fancy that! His name is Bob.
  • Careful Jin, they might be monsters in disguise from them Caves!
  • Shut up Mort, everyone knows monsters don’t ever leave that place.

Entering through the Sewer:

Visible from the Cliff (Easy DC) , a 4′ Pipe leading to the sewers can be accessed by climbing (Moderate DC). The Pipe leads to a large area inhabited under the city. Populated by a band of 5 Were-Rats , an Otyugh and an Ochre Jelly (+2 level).

They’ll be willing to let the PCs pass if they can be convinced….

Skill Challenge (4/3, DC 17)
Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight, Dungeoneering, History

Failure without successes: PCs attacked.
Failure with one success: Entry refused
Failure with 2 successes: Rats let PCs pass but forget to mention Otyugh and Ochre Jelly
Failure with 3 successes: “You can pass, provided you manage to feed this Otyugh to it’s heart’s content”

Fluff Quote:

We’d love to help you, but we’re oh so hungry and everyone knows Kobolds taste like Chicken!

Battle Map: Sewer from Wizards of the Coast’s City of Peril Fantastic Location

Stat Adjustments:

Level 4 Ochre Jelly , 400 XP

HP: 122; Bloodied 61
AC:20, Fort 18, Ref 16, Will 16

Slam
+10 vs AC, 2d6+2 and ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends)

Tomorrow: Scene 4!

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (5)
Oct 01 2008

Playtest Prep Notes: Scene 2

October 1, 2008 – 1:01 pm
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (5)

I thought some would like to see some of the notes I’ll be using at Draconis over the Weekend.

Note: These are not the final scenes, they are rapidly put together encounters to have the crunch to go with the fluff I have in mind.  I’ll re-write and re-post them after the Con.

Here’s what I have for Scene 2, but 1st let’s repost what the plan said about it.

Scene 2, On the Road…Again

As the Kobolds make their way to the nearest Human city, they have to rest near a road. During their rest, a generic adventuring party is passing by to raid their dungeon. If the PCs are spotted, the party of adventurers cries ‘Kobold Ambush!’ and attacks.

Chances are PCs will attack if unspotted, turning this into a real ambush!

Chatty’s Comments:

This scene is a tribute to Keep on the Shadowfell and countless other In Media Res adventures. I just had to put it in!

Do this is a straight Road Ambush.

Battlemap: The Kings Road, from Wizards of the Coast’s Fields of Ruins Fantastic Adventure.

Opposition (All from the Monster Manual)

Budget: A level 5 threat for 6 level 5 PCs.

  • Dwarf Hammerer
    • Fluff Quote: Pfaa Kobolds, always easy to kill!
  • Elf Ranger (Advanced by 3 levels)
    • Fluff Quote: Don’t let them near me!  I’m a ranged combatant!
  • Gnome Arcanist (Advanced by 2 levels)
    • Fluff Quote: I am NOT a monster!
  • Human Mage (Advanced by 1 level)
    • Fluff Quote: Don’t worry they’re minions, I’ll deal with them!
  • Halfling Thief (Advanced by 1 level)
    • Hey, why are these Kobolds bigger than me? Have we switched editions again?
  • Eladrin Fey Knight
    • Slay them! We need the experience

While I can’t re-post the stats, here’s the Advanced info for each:

Level 5 Elf Archer

HP: 50; Bloodied 50
AC:18, Fort 14, Ref 16, Will 15

Short Sword
+8, 1d6+5
Longbow
+10, 1d10+5

Level 5 Gnome Arcanist

HP: 62; Bloodied 31
AC:18, Fort 15, Ref 17, Will 15

Dagger
+8, 1d4+1
Scintillating bolt
+8 vs Fort, 1d6+5
Starling Glimmer
+9 vs Will
Illusory Terrain
+9 vs Will

Level 5 Human Mage

HP: 48; Bloodied 24
AC:18, Fort 14, Ref 15, Will 16

Quarterstaff
+5, 1d8
Magic Missile
+8 vs Ref, 2d4+4
Dancing Lighting
+8 vs Ref, 1d6+4
Thunder Burst
+8 vs Fort, 1d8+4

Level 5 Halfling Thief

HP: 58; Bloodied 29
AC:19, Fort 16, Ref 18, Will 17

Dagger +7, 1d4+4

Tomorrow, I’ll post the playtest version of Scene 3.

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (5)
Sep 30 2008

Kobold Love: Dungeon Diplomacy! Part 2

September 30, 2008 – 12:01 am
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged , | Comments (4)

See Part 1 here.

The encounter, budget and design

The encounter will be a combat encounter with a Skill Challenge embedded into it. As the challenge’s successes are achieved, the Kobold and Goblin onlookers may get to interfere on behalf of the PCs (See next section).

I want the combat to be hard- very hard- so that Players wishing to dish it out will need luck and near flawless strategy to succeed.

According to the Dungeon Master Guide, a hard encounter’s level should be up to 4 levels above the party’s average level.  Given the ‘helping elements’ I’ll describe below, I’ll go and make the whole encounter a Level 9 encounter.

Since we assume 5 players, this gives us a budget of 2000 XP to spend.

I’d also like to have 4 factions, so that roughly translates to 500 XP per representative/group.

So my pass through the Monster Manual (with one template added) gave me:

  • Orc Faction: Eye of Gruumsh (Leader Controller, 200 XP) and 6 Orc Warriors (Minions, 600 XP)
  • Undead Faction: Battle Wight (Soldier, 400 XP)
  • Gnoll Faction: 1 Gnoll Huntmaster Ranger (Level 6 Templated Elite Brute, 500 XP)
  • Ogre Faction: Ogre Skirmisher (Skirmisher, 350 XP)

Total budget: 2050

Perfect!

Now here’s the templated Gnoll lord:

Grak Mankiller, Gnoll Ranger Level 6 Elite Artillery
Medium Natural Humanoid XP 500
Initiative +6 Senses Perception: +11; low-light Vision
HP 62; Bloodied 31
AC 21; Fortitude 18, Reflex 19, Will 15
Saving Throws +2
Speed 7
Action Points 1
M Handaxe (Standard; at-will), Weapon
+10 vs AC; 1d6+3 damage or 1d6+5 while bloodied; see also pack attack.
r Cut and Run (Standard; encounter), Martial, Weapon
+12 vs. AC, two attacks against one or two targets, 1d10+5 or 1d10+7 damage while bloodied; see also pack attack, +2d12 on critical hit. After First or Second attack, Grak mankiller can shift 3.
r Twin Strike (Standard; at-will), Martial, Weapon
+12 vs. AC, two attacks against one or two targets, 1d10+2 or 1d10+4 damage while bloodied; see also pack attack, +2d12 on critical hit
r Excruciating Shot (Standard; daily), Martial, Weapon
Hit: +12 vs. AC, 3d10+5 or 3d10+7 damage while bloodied and target is weakened (save ends). Miss: Half Damage and target is not weakened.
Pack Attack
Grak Mankiller deals an extra 5 damage on melee and ranged attack against an ennemy that has two or more of Grak’s allies adjacent to it.
Defensive Mobility
Gain +2 AC vs opportunity attacks
Hunter’s Quary (Minor; at-will)
Designate nearest enemy as Quarry. Once per round, deal 1d6 extra damage to quarry on one succesful attack.
Prime Shot
If no allies are nearer to target enemy, Grak Mankiller receives a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls against that target.
Weave through the Fray (Immediate Interrupt; encounter)  Martial
Trigger: An enemy is beside Grak Mankiller. Effect: Grak mankiller can shift up to 2 squares
Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages Abyssal, Common
Skills Intimidate +8, Stealth +11, Dungeoneering +10, Athletics +11
Str 16 (+6) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 14 (+5)
Con 14 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 10 (+3)
Equipment Leather Armour+2, Handaxe, Viscious Longbow +2, quiver of 30 arrows

I tried giving him 2 magic items (+2 Leather armour and a +2 Vicious Longbow) that would be useful for PCs but with the Magic Threshold rule of the DMG and the Twin Strike power, I might have gotten a bit confused with my numbers.

I’d appreciate it if someone checks my numbers. The monster is made up of: Gnoll Huntmaster + Ranger template + Items.

The faction champions all arrive at the same time, unified in purpose and deferring to the Gnoll lord.  Grak Mankiller addresses the whole room (feel free to paraphrase) until interrupted by attacking or arguing PCs:

Puny insects of the weak and cowardly tribes! How DARE you get behind this preposterous so-called prophecy. Why should WE, the denizens of this kingdom of darkness, leave our safe underground abode to go kick at the hornet’s nest that is the surface?  This is madness!

For decades, you have been the first line of defense of our homes against the sporadic forays of these accursed adventurers.  Granted, their recent raids have been more successful than before. That’s just because YOU have grown soft!  You have become lazy from lack of leadership and guidance from US, the mightier and smarter forces of the lower levels! Guidance we are now here to provide!

(While it’s unlikely that at this point the PCs haven’t attacked, here’s the last part)

We do not leave the dungeons!  That’s just not done!  Our elders and gods have placed us here for a reason.  Disturbing that pre-ordained order is asking for death, or worse, slavery from the vile surface dwellers!

Mark our words and ignore this farce that your Oracle calls a “prophecy”!

So far you have been wise in your sniveling ways to not directly defy us.  You all realize that our forces could wipe you out of these caves with ease!

Let us show you once and for all that such ugly, weakling Kobolds are not fit to be called champions!  We shall kill them so that you shall all live!

Tactics: All champions will try to take all the PCs at the same time.  While united in their mission (each faction group counts all others as ‘allies’ for the purposes of powers), they are not particularly adept at fighting together and will not systematically try to eliminate one PC before going for another.  They fight to the death.

Enterprising PCs may decide to meet this initial verbal assault with arguments, trying to win the crowd.  If they do, start the skill challenge described below before the fight starts.  Whatever happens, as soon as the Goblins/Kobold onlookers make a move against the factions’ champions, the enraged antagonists attack the PCs.

Dungeon Diplomacy, or fight and talk at the same time!

As things stand, the Goblin and Kobold populations surrounding the caves are both angry and scared.  While they are far more numerous than the faction the hostile champions represent, they don’t currently dare do more than give timid support to the prophecy’s cause.

But they can be swayed by silver tongued PCs!

Whenever PCs, be it before or during the fight, try to sway the numerous kobold and Goblin onlookers, start the following skill challenge:

Primary skills: Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate, and History.
DC: 17 (Moderate difficulty for a level 5 encounter)
Difficulty: 6 successes/3 failures
Actions:
  • Standard: Roll against one primary skill (modified by roleplaying and situation modifiers). Success = one skill challenge success.
  • Minor: Roll against a primary or related skill (DM’s call).  Success = Target player gets a +2 to his Skill Challenge roll until the end of his next turn.

Alternatively, if a player makes an impressive combat maneuver or scores a critical hit, you may grant his PCs a primary skill challenge roll as a minor action instead of a standard one.

For each primary skill successes, the crowd cheers the PCs tremendously, giving each a +2 bonus on their next attack roll.

Additionally:

  • 2 successes: The Kobolds trigger one of the traps in the room.  Roll 1d6: 1-2: Damage, Single target; 3-4: Damage, Multiple targets. 5-6 Restraining,  Single target.  The trap is played as a free action, like a trap power, by the player who succeeded the last skill roll. (Part 1 contains details of all the trap powers.)
  • 4 successes: Ogre Skirmisher gets snared by a group of kobold allies, and is hanging from the dungeon roof. He is immobilized, grants combat advantage to all attackers, and can only make melee basic attacks (save ends all three). After the first save, he becomes slowed (save ends).
  • 6 Successes: A gang of Goblins lunges in and takes down (i.e. remove from combat) one remaining faction, starting with the Orcs. If the Orcs are already gone, then the Battle Wight, and otherwise the Ogre.

Each time a success is achieved, the DM needs to stress how enthusiastic and hopeful the amassed audience is.

Chatty’s Design notes: The idea of a combat-embedded Skill Challenge is to make spending a Standard Action worth at least the equivalent of using an At-Will power.  Otherwise, players will just hack at the monsters and hope to get lucky.  I’ll playtest this one next Saturday and will re-visit it if it does not work as I think it should.

Once defeated, the PCs are cheered as heroes while rumors explode that all hostile factions are siding with the new Prophecy champions. They can rest for one full day and are urged to leave the dungeon immediately afterward.  They are given a potion of healing each and any mundane equipment they require.

End of Scene

Comments, suggestions?

Credits: Graham Poole (Skill Challenge), Dave Chalker (Editing), Wizards of the Coast (Image)

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged , | Comments (4)
Sep 29 2008

Kobold Love: Playtest Prep, Getting the help I need.

September 29, 2008 – 1:10 pm
By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (2)

My 1st playtest game of Kobold Love is next Saturday at Montreal’s Draconis Gaming Convention.

As things stand, I only have an intro, the racial template and the first scene finished.

Can you say crunch time?

However, this week I had a plan to actually make it through unscathed, host my bi-weekly D&D game and manage to post on all my websites.

I wrote all my posts over the weekend and scheduled them to be posted over the week.

My D&D game is a published adventure that I know pretty well and  can hack on the fly.

I will handle Scene 2 (Ambush) and Scene 3 (Sneak into town) of Koblod Love myself.

My friend Yan, who’s getting quite good at making PCs accepted to design the pre-generated characters (Thanks man).

Scene 5 is just the last reveal and the conclusion…. I can wing it.

Scene 4 implies creating a party of cliched NPC adventurers and face the PCs.

Since I want them to be a bit more than canned Monster Manual creatures, I knew that I’d need to spend a lot of time on this.

That’s why I turned to my friend, DNAPhil, a newly self-appointed DM for hire.  Here’s the gist of the Email I sent him Saturday morning:

Phil,

I need your services GM services and rapidly. (How convenient, I know)

I will have to playtest Kobold love at a Convention next Saturday and to be quite frank, I’m way behind and I need help.

I’m asking a friend of mine to design all half-kobold PCs. Scene 1 is finished.   I’ll handle Scene 2, 3 and 5

I need you to design me the opposition of Scene 4: a group of 5 archetypal “PCs” that represent big D&D clichés.

I want it to be a level 8 encounter for 5 PCs, using the Monster Manual’s/DMG ‘cheats’.

I’m thinking:

  • A Drow Double Scimitar yielding Ranger (go for Drow flavour, not accurate downgrading the cruch of the MM’s drows)
  • A Sickly human wizard (ex: Apply an elite template to the level 5 Human Mage and tweak powers to make it into Raistlin)
  • A Brawny but not too bright Human Fighter (Caramon, Ex: Human Guard with Bodyguard template)
  • A fat Halfing Rogue
  • A female, barbarian-themed cleric (Apply Cleric template to Human Berserker)

Not real PCs, no magic item (unless represented as Powers).

Feel free to get creative outside of my requirements, I trust you.

I need them done in Asmor’s Monster Maker by Friday morning.

(…)

We negociated a payment/service trade and he graciously accepted.

So I start this week knowing exactly what needs to be done and confident I won’t crash and burn by Thursday night.

The great thing about this deadline is that I’ll have most of the Crunch material I need to post the other scenes.

Have a great week.

Oh and by the way, part 2 of Scene one goes up tonight!

Cheers

By The Chatty DM | Posted in Adventure Design, Kobold Love | Tagged | Comments (2)
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