Post Con Update

Saturday I DMed a scenario at a local con - "Revenge of the Rat God." Unfortunately, we started about an hour late and weren't able to complete the scenario and the Rat God didn't make an appearance. My plan was to have him inhabit the body of the overlord of the city after the PCs killed him in the final battle, kinda like the concluding battle of King of the Trollhaunt Warrens.

I wanted skill challenges to play a significant role in the adventure, so before the con I spent quite a bit of time adapting a couple of them to my scenario. I really liked "Moving Through Suderham" as presented in DMG2, so I used that as the basis for "Moving Through Tarkash," Tarkash being the hobgoblin city. I spend a lot of time drawing out a map which PCs could use as a basis for this skill challenge. In addition, in Dungeon 174's adventure Test of Fire there is a skill challenge where PCs participate in ritual combat to gain the favor of a leading efreet noble. I thought this would be cool to use as the basis for PCs attempting to sway a militaristic hobgoblin commander to their side.

But for all my prep, I found that the players didn't really care for the skill challenges. When they got to Tarkash, the players of the barbarian and cleric wanted to hole up in the slums while the more stealthy illusionist and assassin went around the city looking for their contact. Indeed, when I suggested they all travel together I encountered a great deal of resistance from those players. Of course, this makes perfect sense - traditionally, keeping a low profile as they move about the city is the purview of the roguish types. However, a Suderham-style skill challenge requires that all PCs have travel together, and I couldn't think of a convincing explanation for all the PCs to travel through town together. I eventually went with saying the hobgoblin commander they were trying to convince wanted to see all of the PCs or the deal would be off. Because of time constraints, I opted to forgo the ritual combat skill challenge and just sent them off to the next combat encounter.

Finally, I learned that paragon level PCs are just too much a one-off con game. I was hoping to have experienced 4e players, as they would have a better handle on how the game works. But even experienced players have a hard time keeping track of all their powers, feats, and so on. When I next run a scenario at a con, it'll definitely be in low or mid heroic tier.

But there were some positives I can take away from the experience. First, the assassin was played by the most savvy 4e player of my group, so I got to see an experienced player try out the class and it was really cool. Several times during fights I noticed that assassin darting next to targets, attacking, then darting away, which is how I think an assassin should operate.

Second, I got to make a cool map of Tarkash and I thought more about my house setting. I also got some more experience adapting published skill challenges to my own needs. I probably would never have written up what I did were it not for the con.

Third, I finally realized - after almost two years! - that wizards are basically as versatile as they always have been. In the back of my mind, ever since PH1 I've felt wizards have lost some of their trademark versatility. But as I was making the gnome wizard pregen, I recalled that when I created wizards in earlier editions, I would tend to pick one or two "trademark" attack spells and then have a bunch of utility spells. It occurred to me that this was exactly how I was making the gnome - my at-wills, encounters, and dailies were my trademark attacks, and the crap ton of rituals I had were my utility abilities.

I guess in summary, while I didn't have a particularly good time running my scenario, I do feel I learned a lot that I can apply to future games I run, at conventions or otherwise.

Insightful Warlord

In the most recent WotC poll, they are asking if people want to have previews for the Insightful Warlord build or the Skirmishing Warlord. I'm excited about this, because the Insightful Warlord seems to be very much like the savant class I proposed a few days ago! Hopefully most people are interested in the Insightful Warlord so I can get an early preview... ;)

Revenge of the Rat God

Last year, I ran a game at local con. The scenario was entitled "Lair of the Rat God," and it involved a bunch of level 4 PCs - a dwarf fighter, elf druid, human warden, human cleric, and human ranger. The fighter and druid were ardent 2e players who didn't care so much for 4e because the PCs could do too much. The ranger was played by a guy who hated 4e. If that guy decides to play again, I hope he feels better about the game ...

The con is coming back for its second year this weekend, and I'm running a sequel of sorts called "Revenge of the Rat God." Taking place a year later, this scenario would feature the original PCs, plus a few others, upgraded to level 11. Here's the tagline for the scenario:

It has been one year since stalwart adventurers foiled the plans of Squerrik, the odious Rat God. Those hardy souls who stood fast against the Rat God's evil have moved on to a grander stage, becoming paragons of cunning, strength, and bravery.

However, war between the hobgoblins of Tarkash and the free peoples of Rivermeet threatens to undo all that has been built. To find the means with which to best the sinister allies of Tarkash, the adventurers must delve deep into the Underdark, dare the terrors below, and avoid ... the revenge of the Rat God!

I know it's really important to be well prepared for a con game, but I've been battling writer's block for some time now. I don't have much ready for it, but finally tonight I had a breakthrough and have a much clearer path about where to take the adventure. Essentially, PCs will be sent to the hobgoblin city, where they'll have to lay low for a while, gathering intelligence about the hobgoblin threat. I think I'll steal a lot from the Suderham skill challenge in DMG2.

During their reconaissance, PCs will learn they have to delve into the Underdark, battle a purple dragon, then return and put a stop to Tarkash's aggressive ambitions.

What I like about writing this scenario up is that I'm doing a lot of incidental world building. I'm mostly throwing names onto a page, but here's a bit from my DM "intro blurb":

For decades after the fall of Nerath, Rivermeet was controlled by a succession bandit lords swearing fealty to the hobgoblins of Tarkash. That all ended just over five years ago, when an alliance led by Raelen Vistanar, last scion of the former ruling family of Rivermeet, cast out the bandit rulers and reforged the broken pact with the elves of Moonwood. With the reopening of a safe trade route through that perilous woodland realm, Rivermeet is well on the way to reclaiming its prominent role as a center of trade for the Northmarch.

But with the reemergence of Rivermeet, Tarkash has seen its once prominent role decline. Anger simmering, the High Command of Tarkash – led by the grim Overlord Belkod – have bided their time, waiting for the opportunity to exact vengeance. Hobgoblin priests of Torog, one of the patron deities of Tarkash, formed an unlikely pact with the drow of the Underdark, and Tarkash mustered troops. As Rivermeet's allies grew preoccupied with their own concerns, Belkod and his aggressive faction within High Command have determined that now is the time to strike.

I find it neat how just a few words can begin a world. Rivermeet, Tarkash, and the Northmarch could all make a neat campaign world in my opinion. Perhaps someday I'll run an actual campaign there and flesh it out some more.

The Savant

I've had an idea for an intellectual class using the Martial power source for a while now. Called the savant, members of this class would be amazingly intelligent, able to instantly assess and exploit weaknesses. They would have an uncanny knack for preparation, being ready for almost any contingency. They also would be very knowledgeable, perhaps getting a bonus to all knowledge skills.

Originally I called this class the "mastermind," but after I read AD&D's "Lost" Second Edition - an article discussing some of Gygax's ideas for his version of 2e - I came to prefer the term savant. "Savant" avoids the overtly sinister overtones of "mastermind," and the connection to a version of D&D that never was appeals to me. I feel as if I'm channeling the shade of Gygax, even if I'm not actually on his level as a game designer!

I don't feel that this kind of cerebral adventurer, getting by primarily through supreme intellect, is easy to represent with the current lineup of classes. Wizards are intelligent enough, but their powers are all obviously magical. Rogues don't really rely on a sharp intellect so much as quick reflexes. Tactical warlords are close, but that class is a bit too warlike for my tastes. Psions also come close, but much like the wizards I'd prefer less obviously magical individuals. Given what's available at this juncture, perhaps a hybrid psion|warlord would best fit the idea?

I think when new classes are being discussed, it's helpful to have an image from literature or the movies that crystallizes the look and feel of the class. Recently, this is what happened when I watched the movie Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey, Jr., and it didn't take long. Near the beginning of the movie there's a scene where, with only a glance at his foe, Holmes is able to plan out his next moves in minute detail. Then, Holmes executes his moves exactly as he thought them out. Immediately I thought to myself "That's what I want a savant to feel like!" Other characters that I think are a good fit for the savant label are Van Helsing from Dracula, Croaker from Glen Cook's Black Company novels, Batman as portrayed by Christian Bale in Batman Begins, the folkloric Zhuge Liang as depicted in The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Grand Admiral Thrawn from the Heir to the Empire trilogy set in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

Another important consideration is what Role the savant would have. Given my thoughts on how the savant has amazing perceptive abilities and is an expert at foiling the plans of his adversaries, I think either a Striker or Controller would be appropriate. However, the general thrust of the powers and features I imagine this class having - ruining the plans of enemies, manipulating the flow of battle on a larger scale - suggest that Controller might be a slightly better fit. I'll just have to start thinking up some powers!

Locathah in 4e

Recently I posted about the locathah in a thread concerning the fourth PH3 race. I liked what I wrote there so much I thought I'd write my first blog post about it.

Locathah have been cool to me ever since I read about the secrets of Rog'osto, City of Spires in Al Qadim. In that setting, the locathah were the ancient, forgotten builders of these wonderful, silvery spires. The idea of a powerful, fish-like race was further cemented when I read the 3e Wilderlands of High Fantasy material. In that setting, the Viridians are an ancient, sorcerous race descended from the gods and merfolk.

I think this background, coupled with the current description of the race as being intelligent, nomadic hunter-gatherers, make the locathah a good fit for the 4e world.

Ages ago, a powerful empire of locathah dwelled beneath the waves. Avid students of the arcane and of psionics, the piscine race was composed of brilliant builders. Not the least of their achievements was their capitol city, the marvellous City of Spires. However, during the course of their studies, they contacted a variety of malign, alien entities. These eldritch terrors were brought to the world for further research, but something went horribly wrong and the locathah civilization was destroyed utterly.

The locathah who survived the cataclysm fled to the coastal lands and lost most of the lore of their storied race. They became wanderers and nomads, travelling the coastlines of the world. But to this day, tribal chiefs tell tales of the wonders of their ancestors, inspiring the adventuresome spirits of their listeners to seek out their ancient homeland.

Some locathah still dwell in the deeps. These deep ones commune with Dagon, where they learn foul secrets and magic. Others were thought to completely degenerate, becoming kuo-toa, or to give themselve over to savagery, instinct, and evil, becoming sahuagin.

For playability reasons, I'd make the locathah a primarily land-dwelling race. They would still be able to breathe water and to swim well, but most of them still have a great fear of returning to the deep waters of the world. I definitely would give them a +2 to Int to reflect their natural intelligence, but I'm not sure where I'd put their other ability bonus. I like +2 Wis because it would make locathah good shamans, druids, wizards, and psions, but I also like +2 Con to reflect their hardiness and ability to survive the ocean depths.