Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 03:50 PM	I've decided I am going to try my hand at DMing, as my DM is getting tired of it. I have thought up a campaign (more like a short adventure, not long enough to be considered a campaign) that is kind of cliche, but should still be pretty fun. The PCs will be entered in a gladiator style arena thing with about 10 trials, but I don't want any more than 2 of the trials to be mainly just a combat trial, and I want the fighting trials to be interesting. The PCs much prefer thinking up solutions to situations and especially like tricking NPCs. (For example, last session we had a party of two people, me and another guy, and we were pretty much just con men. I used my illusions to trick people into thinking stuff and to win bar bets, etc.). So far I thought up 3 trials, all of them pretty simple. Trial 1: There is a long, 65 ft high wooden pole in the middle of the arena. An archer comes and shoots an arrow into the top of the pole. The PCs must get this arrow by any means necessary within 3 minutes. If they take longer than 3 minutes, then some animals will be released and the PCs have to deal with that, and then still get the arrow afterwards. I decided that each climb attempt would take about 1 minute, so they'll have three attempts. I made the DC of climbing it be 20. Of course, climbing isn't the only solution, they could also try to chop it down, or if there is a magic user he could use some type of spell. Trial 2: The PCs will be released in the town and have 30 minutes to get 75 GP. The crowd will be watching this via some sort of illusion. I think the PCs will particularly like this one, because they like conning people out of money. Trial 3: A combat trial. There will be a turret style thing in the middle of the arena. Some goblins will be released, some with crossbows, some with longswords. The turret il only be accessible via climbing up ropes, which will provoke an attack of opportunity, right? The turret will provide them with 1/2 cover (that's some sort of AC bonus, I don't remember what, but it's pretty good). So if they are smart they will run for that, and the crossbowmen goblins definitely will. Depending on how well they did in the previous trials the crowd will like them or dislike them by now, so they will throw tomatoes and crud either at the goblins (if they like the PCs) or at the PCs (If they dislike the PCs). They will have to do a reflex save for these tomatoes with DC 15. If they get 10-15, they are hit and provoke an attack of opportunity. if they get <10 they are blinded for one round and provoke an attack of opportunity. So I need about 7 more trials, anybody got any ideas? (or ways to improve the existing ones) 1 is very easy...what could I do to change it? Also, the party will be 1 druid (lvl 3), 1 paladin(lvl 2) (I just found out about this a few minutes ago, this is going to cause real problems with the druid, who likes to be a con man, and this will particularly make #2 difficult). There will possible be a third person, possibly not. He is a human fighter (lvl 2). Edit: I removed a sentence that I had posted that was regarding another site that I posted this on that one of the PCs views.
Cyra 05-15-05, 03:55 PM	Trial 4: can you kiss your own elbow??? but no seriously how about some kind of performance? like jokes or accrobatics, something stupendous and complicated that can't be done with a mere perform check!
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 04:01 PM	but no seriously how about some kind of performance? like jokes or acrobatics, something stupendous and complicated that can't be done with a mere perform check! Hmmm...that could work...perhaps I could impliment that into #1. I could, instead of having them just climb up a pole, have them jump from pole to pole, balance across a beam, etc. to get an arrow thats stuck into the side of a ledge. I could draw a sketch of it and show it to them to let them decide their own route (give them mroe than 1 route, and maybe they will be smart enough to have the guy thats good at jumping take the more jumping oriented route, and the guy that's good at climbing do more climbing)
Cyra 05-15-05, 04:03 PM	thats a bit more of an obstacle course, which does work for #1. However I was thinking about competing for the crowd like "Star Search" or what not, getting points for how over the top it is.
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 04:06 PM	thats a bit more of an obstacle course, which does work for #1. However I was thinking about competing for the crowd like "Star Search" or what not, getting points for how over the top it is. Oh I see, that could work. I'll have there be another group of gladiators and I'll have them do some type of performance and then the PCs will do one, and the audience will decide which is better. The druid would probably be good for that, because he could have his animal companion do something cool. Now I gotta think of something the other group can do that wouldn't be TOO hard for the PCs to top...
Cyra 05-15-05, 04:08 PM	a man... on a horse... dowsed in oil... on fire... AND JUMPING OVER 20 PONIES!!!! SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 04:09 PM	Brilliant!
Shaken, not Stunned 05-15-05, 04:13 PM	Trial 1: A character can move half their speed in a round with a successful climb check. The DC for climbing something you can wrap your arms around is probobly around 20, especially if you say it has been specially treated (to make it easier or harder if either is required). You probobly should decrease the time the players have to get at the arrow, as it will take a human only 4.5 successful checks. I would suggest loosing animals (maybe wolves) right away and saying the have 8 rounds to get at the arrow. At 65 feet, it will be out of range of any spell I can think of accepting levitate. One levitate spell and yuor first challenge is toast. Trial 2: Sounds awesome. Be prepared with stats for town gaurds in the event the PCs go on a killing spree. Trial 3: 1/2 cover is like +4 to AC, I think. Climbing does provoke an attack of opportunity, and I believe the targe is considered flat footed while climbing. Remember a person can only make AoO if they threaten a square, and ranged weapons do not threaten any square. Only goblins with melee weapons can make AoO against a climber. Thus far climb is very useful. This means strength is also useful. Consider soem dex-based challenges like a fight on a series of poles. Also consider lock-picking, trap dodging, jumping, and ranged combat skills.
Yruc 05-15-05, 04:13 PM	maybe a maze? Your PC's compete against a group of NPCs and who ever gets to center first and gets xxx wins. You can have traps, monsters, dead ends, etc automatic loss if they go over the top of the maze. Jousting, archery contest, puzzles, perfoming,
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 04:38 PM	Trial 1: A character can move half their speed in a round with a successful climb check. The DC for climbing something you can wrap your arms around is probobly around 20, especially if you say it has been specially treated (to make it easier or harder if either is required). You probobly should decrease the time the players have to get at the arrow, as it will take a human only 4.5 successful checks. I would suggest loosing animals (maybe wolves) right away and saying the have 8 rounds to get at the arrow. At 65 feet, it will be out of range of any spell I can think of accepting levitate. One levitate spell and yuor first challenge is toast. Yeah, you're probably right. I'll have wolves or something be released right at the beginning. The best climber can go up to it while the other people try to hold off the animals. The druid also has an animal companion, so that might be very good at climbing too. I think I'll just say that they have 8 rounds to do it, and release a few wolves. Trial 2: Sounds awesome. Be prepared with stats for town gaurds in the event the PCs go on a killing spree. Well, there's a paladin in the group, so I doubt that's going to happen, but if it does (the other person/people run off) I guess you're right. Trial 3: 1/2 cover is like +4 to AC, I think. Climbing does provoke an attack of opportunity, and I believe the targe is considered flat footed while climbing. Remember a person can only make AoO if they threaten a square, and ranged weapons do not threaten any square. Only goblins with melee weapons can make AoO against a climber. Trial 3 is one that im a little worried my PCs may lose if they don't play it smart. I am going to have the goblins head straight for the turret, so hopefully the players will do the same before the goblins all climb up it and cut the ropes, then just pick off the PCs. Well, If they use any commmon sense at all they'll realise the strategic importance of the middle turret. Thus far climb is very useful. This means strength is also useful. Consider soem dex-based challenges like a fight on a series of poles. Also consider lock-picking, trap dodging, jumping, and ranged combat skills. That fighting on a series of poles sounds interesting, would that be like a DC 20 balance check every round? I think I just had an idea... There could be 2 poles, 1 for a chosen member of the PCs (probably either the paladin or the fighter) and 1 for an NPC. They will have to fight on it while balancing. Each round they would have to make a balance check (DC 15 I'll say) or fall off and lose. Are their any rules in the PhB or DMG about this? Such as trying to attack while balancing? I'll make the poles have about a 2 foot diameter. So now we're up to 5 trials I think? (the original 3, this one, and the performance one)
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 04:43 PM	Also, I plan to give GP/XP rewards for every trial they complete, how much would you reccomend for each trial?
Cyra 05-15-05, 04:48 PM	There could be 2 poles, 1 for a chosen member of the PCs (probably either the paladin or the fighter) and 1 for an NPC. They will have to fight on it while balancing. Each round they would have to make a balance check (DC 15 I'll say) or fall off and lose. Are their any rules in the PhB or DMG about this? Such as trying to attack while balancing? I'll make the poles have about a 2 foot diameter. ....kinda like american gladiators with the q-tips of pain???
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 04:49 PM	....kinda like american gladiators with the q-tips of pain??? Pretty much.
TinManFan 05-15-05, 04:51 PM	One good ol' fun time, remember the Sensates? In 2ed Planescape, they liked going around experiencing new things. The requirement to join was to show them something the judges never saw before. Given that the judges were usually senior members of the order, it was quite difficult. "Juggling Burning Holyphaunts while dousing yourself in burning oil singing the national anthem of Cormyr? Like we haven't seen that 20 times..... this morning!"
Cyra 05-15-05, 04:52 PM	OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! how about swimming to the bottom of a lake to grab an item! no magic though, and they have to look through the murky waters since they don't know where in the lake it is
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 04:59 PM	OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! how about swimming to the bottom of a lake to grab an item! no magic though, and they have to look through the murky waters since they don't know where in the lake it is Nice! that could work, except why wouldn't magic be allowed? If they have it, they can use it, otherwise what's the point of having magic? If the druid is any smart he'll summon a water creature (if it's possible for him to) and have it get the item. So now I have 6 trials! I'll work the kinks out of this one later. So I have 4 trials left to think of. Anybody got ideas for one that would be similar to trial 3? (#3 seems like the one that would be the most fun for me)
darkness ninja of light 05-15-05, 04:59 PM	My DM used a thing from one of the Dragon Magazines (or perhaps it was Dungeon...I forget) where it was a challenge of 10 puzzles. Some of the puzzles were very good! I can't remember what magazine it was in though. Perhaps if you found it you could use some of those. I don't know if posting some of the puzzles and their answers would be stealing or not, so I won't risk it.
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 05:02 PM	I just thought of one! A riddle! Anybody know any good riddles that My PCs probably never heard before? (I know this may be kind of TOO har of a trial, but I could make it be so that they roll an intelligence check and I give a hint to them depending on how well they did on the check, because their character would have an easier job of solving the riddle if they're more intelligent.
Cyra 05-15-05, 05:04 PM	ok so allow magic. As for a more combat centered one how about... CLIMB THE GIANT!!! the goal is to climb one huge or larger creature (I used the word giant as a catch all in this case not the actual creature) the creature is allowed any way to keep you from climbing him (you might have to tweak it be less dangerous)
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 05:09 PM	That climb the giant thing sounds kind of funny. Maybe instead of just having to climb him, you need to get a bandana or something off of him, that way you can either choose to climb him or just kill him/stun him... Ill think of more while im off in the bathroom!
Cyra 05-15-05, 05:13 PM	Ill think of more while im off in the bathroom! thanks for the update chief.
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 05:17 PM	thanks for the update chief. No problem!
Cyra 05-15-05, 05:28 PM	how many trials are we at?
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 05:41 PM	how many trials are we at?\ 1-3: The original three (#1 is modified) 4: The performance thing 5: The american gladiators thing 6: The diving into a tank of water thing 7: Nothing yet (possibly the giant thing if we can work that out to be better0 8: nada 9: nope 10: Negative
Cyra 05-15-05, 05:57 PM	so 6 and a half? dang
Siuntio 05-15-05, 06:38 PM	For something that’s totally strategy oriented with no combat (for the PC's at least). You could have them go against another group of NPC's and have each group command a group of Kobolds. It can be like a little battle simulation with Kobolds. The arena could be covered with runes and obstacles so you could have a little more strategy coordinating attacks
Cranium8768 05-15-05, 09:20 PM	Just thought of another one (similar to #2) A scavenger hunt type thing. Each of the PCs will be sent into the town again, and they must each get a different item within an hour. They can choose to split up or work together. I hope that they choose to split up, because the paladin will likely make it difficult for the con man to get his item, with his ethics and stuff. They will be items that NPCs have, but the NPCs do not know they are part of the contest. The first item will be a bottle of very expensive elven wine from some inn. The innkeeper will be a lizard man. They could choose to buy it (I will make the cost be 500 GP, but possibly lowered to slightly less if they haggle well, but still more than they would want to pay, or could even afford), steal it (obviously not if the paladin is with them when they do this), or do something else that hopefully they'll be able to think up. The second item will be a toe of any humanoid. Hopefulyl they'll be creative with this. (would it be against paladin ethics to slay an evil creature just so he can have its toe? After all, it IS an evil creature, assuming he casts detect evil and sees that it's evil...) The third item (if there's a third person) will be a certificate that an NPC will have in his sack, but not know it's in there or what it is. The heads of the arena placed it there just so that the PCs would have to get it. The PCs will know who it is via a spell cast on the NPC allowing them to single him out.
Cranium8768 05-16-05, 04:53 PM	I'm gonna go ahead and bump this...
seTiny 05-16-05, 06:02 PM	Make a Life size chess match with Kobolds (or other creatures). Normal chess rules, except attempting to capture a piece causes the two pieces to battle. Loser is captured. The more powerful the piece the more powerful the creature or weapon they have.