Post/Author/DateTime	Post
OrionArisen 10-12-07, 11:40 AM	Not really a new DM, just a DM with a new party. Finished the first session last night(mainly character creation) The party seems to be... Level 7 Human Druid with Mark of Handling Level 7 Elf Duskblade 3/Knight 4 Level 7 Human Artificer with Mark of Making Level 7 Changeling Fighter/Stoneblessed/Dwarven Defender(not sure if he actually is taking a dwarven defender or what the level make up is, he had to leave early) Level 7 Halfling Spellthief with Mark of Healing. Can't remember any of the character names. Any specific weaknesses that this party has that I should keep an eye out for? Since five people showed up, would it be okay to periodically give them a CR 8 challenge rather than CR 7? Also since it's an Eberron campaign, what are some good ways to change an encounter from normal DND action to the cinematic action that the ECS likes to tell you Eberron is all about? I'm thinking of making the first adventure a dungeon crawl in Darguun. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
Shady314 10-12-07, 06:16 PM	Not really a new DM, just a DM with a new party. Finished the first session last night(mainly character creation) The party seems to be... Level 7 Human Druid with Mark of Handling Level 7 Elf Duskblade 3/Knight 4 Level 7 Human Artificer with Mark of Making Level 7 Changeling Fighter/Stoneblessed/Dwarven Defender(not sure if he actually is taking a dwarven defender or what the level make up is, he had to leave early) Level 7 Halfling Spellthief with Mark of Healing. Can't remember any of the character names. Any specific weaknesses that this party has that I should keep an eye out for? Since five people showed up, would it be okay to periodically give them a CR 8 challenge rather than CR 7? Nope if they all play to their potential I think that group would actually be quite powerful. And yes a periodic CR 8 should be fine. Obviously though you'll need to see how well they handle combat first. Also since it's an Eberron campaign, what are some good ways to change an encounter from normal DND action to the cinematic action that the ECS likes to tell you Eberron is all about? 1) Remember the Action Points and encourage players to use them. 2) http://forum.rpg.net/archive/index.php/t-227680.html A whole thread of ideas. 3) Group combat if you can handle it. A fight that another party jumps into, preferably in the middle of it, (usually the watch) can really mix things up. I'm thinking of making the first adventure a dungeon crawl in Darguun. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. I don't know if a Dungeon crawl in goblin territory is really going to make players think Eberron is different from standard Greyhawk fare. I seriously suggest using Sharn for a first adventure with new players. Always. Nothings says Eberron like that city and you can have any adventure, including a dungeon crawl. There are numerous ruins hidden with Sharn from the days of the War of the Mark, .... and the days it was a Dhakaani(Goblin) city. If you really, really want a goblin dungeon crawl.
_Radagast_ 10-12-07, 06:50 PM	The CR system in 3rd Edition is a bit off. The only way to truly gauge what your party can handle is trial and error. Use a DM screen, and feel free to fudge. :)
ChimericalWolf 10-13-07, 12:08 AM	It's probably said early on in Shady's link, but I can emphasize that a battle on top of a lightning rail or the deck of an airship can be a wonderful difference from the dungeon. If they do end up in Darguun, make sure they have non-combat encounters with monstrous creatures. Perhaps a tense dinner with the local lord of the area they're checking out? And perhaps that lord is a Medusa? Wearing a veil, of course, but still... You've got three Marked Heirs, perhaps one or more of them is approached by a representative of their House and given a secret mission?
krappleby2 10-18-07, 11:49 AM	currently i have a group of 6 players, all at lvl 8, they are at this moment in the process of fighting against a lvl 13 mage, they are holding their own, at the momentm, i am using him to occassionally entice the characters to fight, but using recall he jumps out before they cankill him, even thought they are level 8 they still do an excessive amount of damage to him, in the last small encounter they had one character gave him 47 points of damage in one blow (fighter warforged lvl 8) i am tormenting them with him. if you find the challange is winning, allow some descrepencies, get the challange to make a mistake or two, or forget a spell, so as to put him on more an even par.. so far, my guys have fought this guy, 3 times.. PS. the baddy is a lvl 13 priest. 1st time, characters tried to grapple and pin the challange, although achieving sometimes often failed.. One character almost died from snake poison, from summon monster. When he couldnt get free he used recall to teleport away 2nd time, The priest used his disguise self ability to look like one of the characters then hit another character before escaping again with word of recall (ps this is over a day or two) 3rd time, The priest again used his disguise self ability, but to look like someone lost in the ruins. only three of the six new something was up, but by that time they had to deal with severeal snakes and other creatures, he had summoned Im waiting to get them inside the tomb, which is where the fun is going to start..