Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Tyranthraxus Nov 24, 2014 23:58:36	This thread is for DM's only. It involves discussion of the Expeditions scenario Outlaws of the Iron Route
#2 Tyranthraxus Nov 24, 2014 23:59:48	Has anyone else looked at this yet. The King's Pyre area is immense and could provide some interesting quandries.   Between this place and the Prison Tower there are going to be a LOT of table maps required.
#3 cave2626 Nov 25, 2014 7:32:30	We ran a slot 0 of this adventure at my FLGS for the DMs this past weekend. It was by far the best 5e D&D Expeditions adventure we’d played so far (and we’ve played them all more than once). The absence of tactical maps encouraged theatre of the mind and role-playing. We didn’t use minis or full-scale maps at all during the 5 hours we played. The players spent about 3 hours exploring King’s Pyre. I gave them the player handout and that was fine. When combat happened we just described the parts that pertained to the PCs directly. For the final climatic battle we barely used dice at all. Instead we just described the scene. It was still exciting and thrilling. So DMs take note, you don’t NEED maps beyond what’s provided. Encourage the players to be imaginative and really get into the story.
#4 Sorxores Dec 03, 2014 6:02:37	last time i tried theater of the mind, the picture that the DM had and teh picture that the player had was 2 completly different pictures and it cause so much confusion and problem that we said never again.   Player: I walk 23 feet to the left and shoot an arrow to the Orc (the player beliebing the door is to the left preparing his escape) DM: Ok my Orc move to the right and flip the table receiving some cover (I knowing the door is to the right and now my Orc barricaded the doors) Player I shoot an arrow to the orc and escape the room by the door: DM: the door is behind my baricade, you need a double move and you'll take 3 attack of opporunity if you just rush the barriacade Player: No the door is right behind me. DM: no the door was at the left Player: that not how I was seeing it, I would have want right then I was planning my escape DM: and if you would have went right, the orc woul dhave attack you in melee instead of attacking with javelin Player I would have disensage and dodge DM: they would have swarm you then etc...   and now we are doing an what if hypothetical scenario instead of playing.   Maybe my group like the tactical aspect too much for it, and you need an experience DM able to describe the environement very well and you need good player who listen, and remember the details IMO
#5 Jeraxle Dec 07, 2014 12:40:23	we use the maps provided and use a plastic cover so we can use fine tipped dry eraser markers with the group I game/run adv with this eliminates any of the above post problems no minis but lets you have a small lay out so you can see what is going on.
#6 AlHazred Dec 07, 2014 17:17:26	Sorxores wrote:
#7 M_Aurelius Dec 15, 2014 10:55:07	Keep in mind I really enjoy this expedition as one of my favorites.  Has anyone had the experience of their players taking the land route to Jarella's side of the camp first?  Because I have not.  I was on it once, and have since ran it twice as the DM.  The first time we caused a gang war and never even went to Jarella's side of the camp.  The second time, the players also in a series of clever events never went over there.  The third time I pretty much railroaded the party into going over there to explore.  I feel like you can have a completely rewarding and fun adventure and never once see any of that part of the quest.  I was just curious what everyone else's experience is.
#8 Undrhil Dec 20, 2014 21:51:13	How are you guys handing the Minotaur combat?  If you run this as an adventure for 1st and 2nd level characters, that guy can easily make a TPK happen.   Our DM ran us through it Friday as a "at level" adventure with two first levels, two second levels and a third level character.  It did enough damage to outright kill a level 1 War domain Cleric.  It was with a Charging Gore attack.   Which brings up another question: does the DR from Heavy Armor Master (DR 3 vs. blungeoning, slashing, and piercing) apply individually to the Gore damage and the extra damage from it being a charge attack?  It is specifically called out as "extra damage" which usually means it's all one damage source, correct?
#9 M_Aurelius Dec 20, 2014 22:10:12	With the minotaur I usually give a lot of chances to survive, but just get a taste of how in a straight fight they would get destroyed.  For example, I usually put Rathene on the second floor supported by beams.  So the first charge attack is to take out the beams and cause the floor to collapse.  The players over the area need to make a dex save to prevent falling.  If they all save, the minotaur is large, so he can easily attack the players with the beam.     Also, if he is dropping a player a round I usually send in two guards to either use a help action for another player or just as canon fodder after he drops 1 or 2.
(Reply to #8) Hibiki54	Undrhil wrote:
(Reply to #10) Undrhil	Hibiki54 wrote:
#12 Hibiki54 Dec 28, 2014 10:38:25	Undrhil wrote:
#13 Oraibi Dec 30, 2014 23:27:46	Undrhil wrote:
#14 janosicek Jan 15, 2015 2:38:03	I have problems with the size of the King's Pyre location:   ...effigy of a king carved into the stone of the cliff face, a full eighty feet tall from toe to crown... If you look at the drawing of the location and measure the height of the statue, both camps, west to east measure about 160 ft. ...Creatures within 60 feet of a waterfall have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing... Each square of the camp is within 60 ft of some waterfall. ...Both cave mouths are 45 feet above ground level... Measuring on the map the cave mouths are 25-35 ft above ground.  The longship is 8 feet at the beam, 60 feet in length... By my measurement the ship is 30 ft in length. Significantly less than the statue. The statue’s head and shoulders rest against the upper heights of the cliff face, some twenty feet below the cliff’s edge... Shoulders ARE 20ft below cliff edge. Top of the head is 5-10 ft below the edge. The rope stretches all the way to the statue’s shoulder, roughly sixty feet west and forty feet above... This is more like 40ft west and 30ft above   The camp feels awfully small. Kobolds have area 50x30 at best (plus cave) and Patriots 40x60. Patrolling the perimeter of such tiny area is a strange sight. And the whole camp has mist + waterfall roar and disadvantage on all perception.   I am thinking about making the statue taller. Maybe up to twice as written. Then the size of the longship, height of cave mouths and the rope will be more correct. Also there will be some parts of the camp without the waterfall roar...   Any ideas?
#15 Oraibi Jan 15, 2015 4:34:55	That could make more sense, yeah. I noticed the map scale was wonky the times I played and ran this adventure, but really it didn't detract from the enjoyment much. Everyone just ran with it and didn't think about it too much!
(Reply to #12) Pauper	Hibiki54 wrote:
#17 BRJN Feb 13, 2015 19:11:00	M_Aurelius wrote: