Help starting a new campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help starting a new campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Outaline
07-19-03, 12:43 AM I'm a struggling DM, with PCs who can't stay focused unless I keep the action high. I am toying with the idea of a drow campaign set in Cormanthor and the surrounding Dalelands. Could you guys give me advice on how to keep the PCs interested, providing some adventure hooks would be nice also. I'm thinking starting them as lowly members of House Jaelre. Please respond.
Faeryl Zauvirr
07-19-03, 03:51 AM If you want to keep the PCs focused on action use a dungeon crawl with the minimum of non-combatant NPCs. Have the average ECL one level above the parties'. This should really force them to focus on action. ;)

In concerns to your ideas of playing an evil campaign, and playing with PCs as members of House Jaelre may seem like a good idea, but it could be a nightmare. House Jaelre has enemies everywhere, and unless you want to focus your first few adventures on survival, have the PCs start at a higher level. What about equipment and other supplies? Having the PCs raid a Zhent caravan for their supply of arrows is exciting the first time around but will quickly wear thin. In addition to this, Underdark traders rarely come up to the surface and a party of desparate low-level drow will have to be very resourceful to con surface dwellers into a 'fair' trade.

You mustn't forget the trusty drow hierarchy too. Again a great source of adventures, but will your PCs be able to handle the insults and degrading jobs that come with being down the bottom.

Currently I am doing the City of the Spider Queen and my players are all drow from House Jaelre. We arn't far into the camapign (barracks in Szith Morcane) and already we have had three retreats and one day lost to conflicts. An example is when two PCs left another to die on the massive spider web. Fun by all means, and I encouraged this (after all this what drow are all about) but it was very messy. It detracted from the storyline, ate up valuable time and resources and took the life of an NPC till I was able to calm the situation down. I have no doubts that this situation will flair up again - and it will be worse then before.

If that is what you want in a campaign then by all means, go ahead. I gave my players strict talks on the first day about what I expected from an evil drow. I told them that I will always be the judge on what is appropiate. However they still slaughtered the first HOUSE JAELRE patrol they came across.
Outaline
07-19-03, 10:51 AM Well, I was thinking of starting the drow at a higher level so I wouldn't have to worry bout the mere fact of survival at early levels... What would be an appropriate level?

And, you said you had strict talks when you started your campaign with expectations of evil drow, what did you tell your PCs?

I may indeed just buy the City of the Spider Queen and work from there...

Thanks,
Bazcasta
07-19-03, 11:35 AM I would say 6th or 7th lvl for starting. Or higher if you want it realy high, in that case 13th-15th lvl.

For adventure hooks: Treasure, wealth, things that their characters want or need.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Outaline 07-19-03, 12:43 AM	I'm a struggling DM, with PCs who can't stay focused unless I keep the action high. I am toying with the idea of a drow campaign set in Cormanthor and the surrounding Dalelands. Could you guys give me advice on how to keep the PCs interested, providing some adventure hooks would be nice also. I'm thinking starting them as lowly members of House Jaelre. Please respond.
Faeryl Zauvirr 07-19-03, 03:51 AM	If you want to keep the PCs focused on action use a dungeon crawl with the minimum of non-combatant NPCs. Have the average ECL one level above the parties'. This should really force them to focus on action. ;) In concerns to your ideas of playing an evil campaign, and playing with PCs as members of House Jaelre may seem like a good idea, but it could be a nightmare. House Jaelre has enemies everywhere, and unless you want to focus your first few adventures on survival, have the PCs start at a higher level. What about equipment and other supplies? Having the PCs raid a Zhent caravan for their supply of arrows is exciting the first time around but will quickly wear thin. In addition to this, Underdark traders rarely come up to the surface and a party of desparate low-level drow will have to be very resourceful to con surface dwellers into a 'fair' trade. You mustn't forget the trusty drow hierarchy too. Again a great source of adventures, but will your PCs be able to handle the insults and degrading jobs that come with being down the bottom. Currently I am doing the City of the Spider Queen and my players are all drow from House Jaelre. We arn't far into the camapign (barracks in Szith Morcane) and already we have had three retreats and one day lost to conflicts. An example is when two PCs left another to die on the massive spider web. Fun by all means, and I encouraged this (after all this what drow are all about) but it was very messy. It detracted from the storyline, ate up valuable time and resources and took the life of an NPC till I was able to calm the situation down. I have no doubts that this situation will flair up again - and it will be worse then before. If that is what you want in a campaign then by all means, go ahead. I gave my players strict talks on the first day about what I expected from an evil drow. I told them that I will always be the judge on what is appropiate. However they still slaughtered the first HOUSE JAELRE patrol they came across.
Outaline 07-19-03, 10:51 AM	Well, I was thinking of starting the drow at a higher level so I wouldn't have to worry bout the mere fact of survival at early levels... What would be an appropriate level? And, you said you had strict talks when you started your campaign with expectations of evil drow, what did you tell your PCs? I may indeed just buy the City of the Spider Queen and work from there... Thanks,
Bazcasta 07-19-03, 11:35 AM	I would say 6th or 7th lvl for starting. Or higher if you want it realy high, in that case 13th-15th lvl. For adventure hooks: Treasure, wealth, things that their characters want or need.