Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Avross Aug 05, 2015 5:51:19	↵ So the groups in our LGS are getting through the Sacred Stone Monastery, and both DMs are looking at that stairwell that leads down to the Temple of Black Earth.   And after chatting with several DMs from other stores, we know that *if* they go down there, it's probably going to be a party wipe.   We've thrown some hints that there will be places in this setting they don't want to go until they have more levels under their belt.  But most of these players, especially the unofficial leaders of the parties, don't take hints well and have already been dropped by random encounters well above their level.   I've got some ideas on approaches for this, but I'm wondering what other DMs have been successful with. Having them find the dwarf historian only to realize that he has some sort of injury which is beyond the cleric's ability to heal, so they need to get him out before he dies.   (Not sure this is going to work with some of the players, who are...less than empathic towards NPCs) Outright railroading: Simply change the entrance to the Temple so that it is invisible to the party.   (Personally, not my favorite since it will likely lead to confusion later on) Letting them barrel on down there and having it be a learning experience for them.
#2 sim-h Aug 05, 2015 6:25:05	The book suggests (as a general rule for players heading into the temples) having a powerful force emerge as the players try to descend - something they will definitely run from. I'm not too sure how well that will work with all players however. Many would try to fight, I'm sure.   Personally I plan on having some sort of timed appointment the players need to keep - maybe one or more chars are supposed to meet a contact that night or there is some other event that will end if they delay to explore a new site (e.g. the Wicker Man ritual or a rendezvous with reavers or feathergale knights). In that case they could find the entrance but be led to believe there is an extensive dungeon that they should come back to if they want to make the other event, meeting or appointment.   But I haven't got that far yet (my lot take forever to play, which is fine) so sorry that this is only theory for now...
#3 pukunui Aug 05, 2015 12:22:03	I vote for the third option. PotA is meant to be a fairly open-ended sandbox. Don't "baby gate" anything. Just let the PCs roam free. You gave them a warning. If they weren't paying attention, that's their fault.   That being said, there's no reason you couldn't give them one last warning. If they go to the stairs, tell then they feel uneasy about going down there. If they insist, a feeling of dread creeps up on them, intensifying the farther they go down. If they still don't get the hint, don't sweat it and let them waltz on down to their doom.
#4 dingo06 Aug 05, 2015 13:59:43	I am running POTA with 2 different groups right now. Both groups have gone completely "out of order" as far as what Haunted Keeps to explore first, so they have constantly encountered incredibly difficult fights, etc. Let them explore sandbox style like the book suggests. If they die, they die. Make new characters. The best way I have been able to deflect TPKs is by having NPCs flat out tell the party that they are too weak. Especially captured NPCs, or potential allies (like the djinn in the Temple of Howling Hatred). Upon meeting the neutral djinn, he flat out told my party of 5th level heroes, "You do not have what it takes to defeat Aerisi Kalinoth. Or what it takes to defeat me. Combined? You have no chance for survival." The PCs trusted him, he had nothing to lose by being honest. After all, they are his best bet for freedom if they can eventually destroy his lamp.   Bottom line, spell it out for them in-game, but don't railroad them. If they're dumb/stubborn enough to charge ahead, let 'em. That's the magic of the game.
#5 Sorsohka Aug 07, 2015 6:08:18	Personnally I would create a huge "encounter" like 3 earth golem walking down the stair. The golem fail to see the party and pass ingoring the stair case.   Now the player have a choice, fighting 3 earth golem and other similar encounter or go back upstair and do the other surface keep and gain some level before clearing this.   My group we want down in the fire temple at level 4 and we manage to RP our way throught. our sorcerer took the robe from a priest in the surface tower and we took the armor of the surface guard, and the sorcerer simply want down and start giving order to the guard and we manage to dispatch some guard to the surface to see what was happening, we foudn ally down there, rolled 20+ to onvince them to join our cause and fough the entire level 9 dungeon at level 4 with the help of numerous ally that our sorcerer with the help of the paladin manage to convince.   If even with the warning of 3 earth golem, they still decide to rush and attack, then I guess it will be a learning experience for them.
#6 Avross Aug 09, 2015 9:08:15	Thanks.    What we ended up working out between the DMs was to have a stone golem guarding the entrance, with orders to prevent anyone from heading down before giving the 'sign'.   We also suggested that the duergar often got drunk and after a few incidents, the golem was instructed to deal non-lethal damage...   Much amusement was had by all when the rogue couldn't take the hint.