Exciting Eberronian Encounters! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Exciting Eberronian Encounters! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kinger
11-13-04, 08:12 PM Hey all,
This was inspired by this post (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=323824) by SirEvets. He's remade the beginning of the Forgotten Forge adventure to involve a fight atop a runaway carriage, which in his opinion (and mine aswell :D ) was a tad more exciting than "you find a body on the bridge."

That's the sort of thing I've not really experienced as a player very often: environmental hazards. Typically it's been "You're in a room 30ft by 20ft, and there are three orcs in front of you." Granted, it can be exciting just like that. But wouldn't it be more exciting if the room was on fire, or the floor was collapsing, or what-have-you?

Well, Eberron is all about excitement, innit? I've begun thinking about some exciting environments to stage encounters in. The sewer-battle in the Forgotten Forge is a good one, I think. Random blasts of water add an unpredictable and exciting aspect than what you normally get in the standard "mugging in a hallway" encounter.

So, here's what I've come up with so far. I'm sure the majority of forumgoers can think of something much better, so if you do, why not post it? :)

- Fight within a clocktower, reminiscent of the final fight-scene of Shanghai Knights. 5-foot wide catwalks criss-cross a hollow tower full of clockwork. Staying on the catwalks is completely safe, but being bull-rushed off the side sure isn't.

- Battle atop the Lightning Rail. Moving against the wind slows speed by 50%, while moving with it gives +50%. Bullrushes get -4/+4 going against/with. Mundane ranged attacks get a straight -4. Once every 1d20 rounds the lightning rail enters a tunnel, forcing all those who aren't prone to make a DC 15 reflex save or be knocked off, taking 6d6 damage + fall damage. Spot checks are given every round to see it coming.

- Fight in a house on fire. Walls are on fire, as is the majority of the furniture. Sections of floor have caved in. Characters standing directly adjacent to a wall or burning article of furniture must make a DC 10 reflex save or take 1d6 fire damage. Being bullrushed/thrown/what-have-you into a wall or piece of furniture deals 2d6 fire damage with no save. The rooms are incredibly hot (the house is on fire), so all take 1d6 subdual damage (fire) from the heat on a failed Fortitude save of DC (10 + the number of minutes the house has been on fire). Each round there is a 1% chance the section of floor beneath a character collapses (roll individually). Just like in the movies, smoke inhalation doesn't matter.

- In Xen'drik, fight within a semi-volcanic cavern. Not lava, but geysers and hotsprings. Steam from crevices fills the room with steam (10% miss chance from concealment for each 5ft increment beyond one's self). 6 geysers scattered throughout the room randomly vent superheated steam, forcing anyone adjacent to take 3d6 fire damage on a failed DC 12 reflex save (roll 1d6 every 1d6 rounds). Each time all within the cavern must make a DC 10 fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds from the overwhelming smell of sulfur. Cavern is very hot, using the severe heat rules found in the DMG on page 303.

Any more ideas?
Possum
11-14-04, 09:41 AM -Jumping from Skycoach to Skycoach while being harassed/chased/aided by Skymages and Warlocks who can fly. This makes for a very Star Wars: Episode 2 speeder chase through the busy streets and skyways of Sharn. Not a bad way to get into the fast paced feel of the City of Towers

-In the middle of a gigantic battle during the Last War, this could be a representation of what your characters did before the war ended and give background and that cinematic flare to the opening of a new campaign

-Fight in a dinner theater (Starfire Dragon, etc.) while a play about the Last War is going on. The actors desperately try to keep their cool and further the play as the fight escalates to swords and magic. People duck and cover or run for safety but the show must go on! It is nice to say what is happening in the play at the beginning of each round ... adds drama ... no pun intended.

... more to come soon
Argonel
11-15-04, 10:32 AM We had a good thread on this before but I don't remember the title. it would probably be worht looking for a ressurecting instead of starting from scratch again.
Endless_Helix
11-15-04, 05:54 PM How about leaping from tree to tree in the eledeen reaches during a lightning storm, with torrential downpour and high speed winds. The mud would require a choice, move at half speed or take a strength check equal to DC5 + the number of minutes since it started raining to move at full speed. Climbing into the trees would be hazardous, Climb checks would take a -5 penalty, and there would have to be a 1% chance to be hit by lightning (3d6 damage, as per the call lightning spell). Visibility would be poor, limited to 60 ft and ranged attacks would take a -4 penalty. Gods, that'd be fun to fight in!
Sucros
11-15-04, 07:08 PM A gust of wind cast by a pursuing craft crashes your ship into an iceburg in the Lhazzar sea. Navigate your way across the debris and thin ice to get to the ship while being hailed upon by arrows and spells.
Apophis
11-15-04, 10:28 PM How about atop a floating tower/column in a major metropolitan city such as Korth or Sharn? An explosion from a fireball or a trap set by the adversaries of the PCs could have knocked something out of alignment and caused the tower/column to begin falling while the PCs are battling their foes who can fly/spider climb/leap from one bit of debris to the next to get at them. They would have to be falling quit a long distance to get this done, but considering how high those damn floating towers soar... ;)

The initial blast from the explosion could call for a DC 15 Reflex save to stay on the tower and not plummet off (assuming the characters don't have something like Spider Climb already active). Then you could make DC 15 Jump checks (DC 10 with Feather Fall) to leap from one bit of falling peice of tower to the next whenever you're moving to attack an enemy, and further Reflex saves to avoid being hit by debris falling down from further up the tower. The fall in itself is probably going to be fatal unless you're of pretty high level or got something like Feather Fall. This certainly seems like something exciting out of the movies. :coolcthul
richard_k
11-16-04, 05:56 AM how bout monk vampires with the various weapon feats coming at you from a room where each wall and the ceiling has objectional gravity relative to its surface, some kind of wizards tower, and every six turns or so they all switch, so suddenly your on your feet, then your feet are on the ceiling and your plummeting down.
GoodGuy89
11-16-04, 04:29 PM The previous thread was made by WotC_Doog and was made after Keith's article of swashbuckling...

Here it is:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=287428

And Keith's swashbuckling article, should anyone have missed it: (Heathens!)
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040803a

I should go pull a Karrnathi on that thread...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kinger 11-13-04, 08:12 PM	Hey all, This was inspired by this post (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=323824) by SirEvets. He's remade the beginning of the Forgotten Forge adventure to involve a fight atop a runaway carriage, which in his opinion (and mine aswell :D ) was a tad more exciting than "you find a body on the bridge." That's the sort of thing I've not really experienced as a player very often: environmental hazards. Typically it's been "You're in a room 30ft by 20ft, and there are three orcs in front of you." Granted, it can be exciting just like that. But wouldn't it be more exciting if the room was on fire, or the floor was collapsing, or what-have-you? Well, Eberron is all about excitement, innit? I've begun thinking about some exciting environments to stage encounters in. The sewer-battle in the Forgotten Forge is a good one, I think. Random blasts of water add an unpredictable and exciting aspect than what you normally get in the standard "mugging in a hallway" encounter. So, here's what I've come up with so far. I'm sure the majority of forumgoers can think of something much better, so if you do, why not post it? :) - Fight within a clocktower, reminiscent of the final fight-scene of Shanghai Knights. 5-foot wide catwalks criss-cross a hollow tower full of clockwork. Staying on the catwalks is completely safe, but being bull-rushed off the side sure isn't. - Battle atop the Lightning Rail. Moving against the wind slows speed by 50%, while moving with it gives +50%. Bullrushes get -4/+4 going against/with. Mundane ranged attacks get a straight -4. Once every 1d20 rounds the lightning rail enters a tunnel, forcing all those who aren't prone to make a DC 15 reflex save or be knocked off, taking 6d6 damage + fall damage. Spot checks are given every round to see it coming. - Fight in a house on fire. Walls are on fire, as is the majority of the furniture. Sections of floor have caved in. Characters standing directly adjacent to a wall or burning article of furniture must make a DC 10 reflex save or take 1d6 fire damage. Being bullrushed/thrown/what-have-you into a wall or piece of furniture deals 2d6 fire damage with no save. The rooms are incredibly hot (the house is on fire), so all take 1d6 subdual damage (fire) from the heat on a failed Fortitude save of DC (10 + the number of minutes the house has been on fire). Each round there is a 1% chance the section of floor beneath a character collapses (roll individually). Just like in the movies, smoke inhalation doesn't matter. - In Xen'drik, fight within a semi-volcanic cavern. Not lava, but geysers and hotsprings. Steam from crevices fills the room with steam (10% miss chance from concealment for each 5ft increment beyond one's self). 6 geysers scattered throughout the room randomly vent superheated steam, forcing anyone adjacent to take 3d6 fire damage on a failed DC 12 reflex save (roll 1d6 every 1d6 rounds). Each time all within the cavern must make a DC 10 fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds from the overwhelming smell of sulfur. Cavern is very hot, using the severe heat rules found in the DMG on page 303. Any more ideas?
Possum 11-14-04, 09:41 AM	-Jumping from Skycoach to Skycoach while being harassed/chased/aided by Skymages and Warlocks who can fly. This makes for a very Star Wars: Episode 2 speeder chase through the busy streets and skyways of Sharn. Not a bad way to get into the fast paced feel of the City of Towers -In the middle of a gigantic battle during the Last War, this could be a representation of what your characters did before the war ended and give background and that cinematic flare to the opening of a new campaign -Fight in a dinner theater (Starfire Dragon, etc.) while a play about the Last War is going on. The actors desperately try to keep their cool and further the play as the fight escalates to swords and magic. People duck and cover or run for safety but the show must go on! It is nice to say what is happening in the play at the beginning of each round ... adds drama ... no pun intended. ... more to come soon
Argonel 11-15-04, 10:32 AM	We had a good thread on this before but I don't remember the title. it would probably be worht looking for a ressurecting instead of starting from scratch again.
Endless_Helix 11-15-04, 05:54 PM	How about leaping from tree to tree in the eledeen reaches during a lightning storm, with torrential downpour and high speed winds. The mud would require a choice, move at half speed or take a strength check equal to DC5 + the number of minutes since it started raining to move at full speed. Climbing into the trees would be hazardous, Climb checks would take a -5 penalty, and there would have to be a 1% chance to be hit by lightning (3d6 damage, as per the call lightning spell). Visibility would be poor, limited to 60 ft and ranged attacks would take a -4 penalty. Gods, that'd be fun to fight in!
Sucros 11-15-04, 07:08 PM	A gust of wind cast by a pursuing craft crashes your ship into an iceburg in the Lhazzar sea. Navigate your way across the debris and thin ice to get to the ship while being hailed upon by arrows and spells.
Apophis 11-15-04, 10:28 PM	How about atop a floating tower/column in a major metropolitan city such as Korth or Sharn? An explosion from a fireball or a trap set by the adversaries of the PCs could have knocked something out of alignment and caused the tower/column to begin falling while the PCs are battling their foes who can fly/spider climb/leap from one bit of debris to the next to get at them. They would have to be falling quit a long distance to get this done, but considering how high those damn floating towers soar... ;) The initial blast from the explosion could call for a DC 15 Reflex save to stay on the tower and not plummet off (assuming the characters don't have something like Spider Climb already active). Then you could make DC 15 Jump checks (DC 10 with Feather Fall) to leap from one bit of falling peice of tower to the next whenever you're moving to attack an enemy, and further Reflex saves to avoid being hit by debris falling down from further up the tower. The fall in itself is probably going to be fatal unless you're of pretty high level or got something like Feather Fall. This certainly seems like something exciting out of the movies. :coolcthul
richard_k 11-16-04, 05:56 AM	how bout monk vampires with the various weapon feats coming at you from a room where each wall and the ceiling has objectional gravity relative to its surface, some kind of wizards tower, and every six turns or so they all switch, so suddenly your on your feet, then your feet are on the ceiling and your plummeting down.
GoodGuy89 11-16-04, 04:29 PM	The previous thread was made by WotC_Doog and was made after Keith's article of swashbuckling... Here it is: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=287428 And Keith's swashbuckling article, should anyone have missed it: (Heathens!) http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040803a I should go pull a Karrnathi on that thread...