tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682721872439417235.post5470341182736867763..comments2019-02-14T20:13:30.837-08:00Comments on Uncle Matt's Place: The Caves Of ChaosUncle Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02372568503602699725noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682721872439417235.post-73555623099169131882012-06-08T09:40:49.994-07:002012-06-08T09:40:49.994-07:00That's my plan. There's a more-than-fair c...That's my plan. There's a more-than-fair chance that my players won't want to kill anyone who isn't already trying to kill them. Since my playtest group includes my children, I encourage this attitude...Uncle Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02372568503602699725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682721872439417235.post-78680276540305691872012-06-08T08:02:44.680-07:002012-06-08T08:02:44.680-07:00You know, that's an interesting point, because...You know, that's an interesting point, because if I'm remembering correctly there aren't any guidelines for dispensing XP. So I guess I'm free to go the "story XP' route, where I'd award some equivalent amount of points for negotiating or otherwise neutralizing a threat as I would for mass slaughter.David Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04133630988557116729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682721872439417235.post-71956955645503632322012-06-08T06:44:00.288-07:002012-06-08T06:44:00.288-07:00I like the idea of setting the PCs up as competito...I like the idea of setting the PCs up as competitors with the cave denizens. Maybe they'll kill them, maybe they'll work with them, maybe they'll set themselves up as kingmakers...<br /><br />If they go for negotiation rather than murder, how will you handle XP?Uncle Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02372568503602699725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682721872439417235.post-48936851603655548092012-06-08T06:28:11.726-07:002012-06-08T06:28:11.726-07:00That makes a lot of sense for something designed a...That makes a lot of sense for something designed as an introduction for new players and GMs. But for a new edition playtest? I'd wager that a majority of people involved in the 5e playtest -- and a supermajority of people GMing the playtest -- are experienced roleplayers. I'd like to see the playtest materials be a little more creative.Uncle Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02372568503602699725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682721872439417235.post-46731084253543414962012-06-07T18:24:56.766-07:002012-06-07T18:24:56.766-07:00Yeah, I really liked those "why are we here?&...Yeah, I really liked those "why are we here?" seeds too. In fact, it saved the module for me. It gives some focus to the expedition beyond wandering from one monster Levittown to another. I mashed the "eye of Gruumsh" seed with the lyrics from a Sword song and the group is now combing the Caves for a Fire Lance of the Ancient Hyperzephyrians (as are the other humanoids, something else I liked about that particular seed). With a strong focus like that, the repetetiveness of the caves shouldn't be too much of a problem, and once they find their artifact that will be that--there's no impetus to "cler the dungeons," thank god.David Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04133630988557116729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4682721872439417235.post-36565883857223046542012-06-07T12:22:08.454-07:002012-06-07T12:22:08.454-07:00I get the impression (having and currently running...I get the impression (having and currently running the original B2 module) that the caves and the surrounding keep are intentionally written as simple, and slightly repetitive. The original module is written with a minimally reproduced collection of the core rules, and filled with detail on how to play the game itself. My guess is the entrance, guard, guard, storage, chief patters in in part to allow a new DM multiple attempts at the same basic structure to get a feel for DMing, without having it always be the same monster or the exact same layout for the players.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com