@ Marklos: Have you been reading my mind?
@ Daniel: The intention is not that you log on for the first time, do the dungeon and get accepted. It's more of a nice cookie for people who are already nearly "in". Or ignore the "graduation" part and just run sessions in it. I've only called it that because I've no DMing experience and had to think of something that I could understand.
@ Everyone: Thanks for the ideas, I think I've got the design pretty much done now.
Last question. How many encounters/combats/dangers of what level is appropriate? If an encounter of an equal CR to the party level is supposed to use up 20% of party hp/spells does that mean that 5 encounters without the chance of resting and restocking is going to result in total party wipeout? If yes then how close to losing your character are you willing to get? Or what do you consider fair?
TIA,
TnD
Dungeon Design
Moderator: ALFA Administrators
Re: Dungeon Design
Assumptions: 4 players of 1st level. Live DM. Session length 2-3 hours(?).
Keep in mind that 3 hours for a lot of people is just too big a chunk of their day. If they have njublings (I don't) 2 hours might be wishful thinking.
Encounters... How many? How difficult? How often?
While there's nothing wrong with fodder there ought to be challenges that make the players actually feel vulnerable. Waltzing through a dungeon and never dropping more than 1/4 your hp is tedious. As for numbers/frequency and CR...the challenge can lie in either as far as I'm concerned.
BIG Note: If NPCs are using uber custom gear and they don't drop it it's EXTREMELY annoying. You want your NPCs to have flaming swords? We want the swords if we kill them. Standards probably isn't an issue on the OAS but you should still prepare prospective players for the 'real' thing.
Skill use... Lock pick/Spot/Disarm trap... What DC? (I'm guessing 14)
Needing a rogue or at least a scout to survive a dungeon is a fundamental part of D&D as far as I'm concerned. Don't know about DCs - but keep in mind that if the PCs can't make the DC there ought to be imaginitive alternatives.
Puzzles... Do we like them? Pull the lever? Find the keys? Move things into order?
YES. Rotate the mirrors to reflect light. Match the elemental spells to the doors. Etc. The more imaginitive the better.
General... What rocks? What sucks?
A challenge that gets everyone involved rocks. Being left out and being too uber for the place sucks. This'll largely depend on players having the courtesy to step out when they should.
Keep in mind that 3 hours for a lot of people is just too big a chunk of their day. If they have njublings (I don't) 2 hours might be wishful thinking.
Encounters... How many? How difficult? How often?
While there's nothing wrong with fodder there ought to be challenges that make the players actually feel vulnerable. Waltzing through a dungeon and never dropping more than 1/4 your hp is tedious. As for numbers/frequency and CR...the challenge can lie in either as far as I'm concerned.
BIG Note: If NPCs are using uber custom gear and they don't drop it it's EXTREMELY annoying. You want your NPCs to have flaming swords? We want the swords if we kill them. Standards probably isn't an issue on the OAS but you should still prepare prospective players for the 'real' thing.
Skill use... Lock pick/Spot/Disarm trap... What DC? (I'm guessing 14)
Needing a rogue or at least a scout to survive a dungeon is a fundamental part of D&D as far as I'm concerned. Don't know about DCs - but keep in mind that if the PCs can't make the DC there ought to be imaginitive alternatives.
Puzzles... Do we like them? Pull the lever? Find the keys? Move things into order?
YES. Rotate the mirrors to reflect light. Match the elemental spells to the doors. Etc. The more imaginitive the better.
General... What rocks? What sucks?
A challenge that gets everyone involved rocks. Being left out and being too uber for the place sucks. This'll largely depend on players having the courtesy to step out when they should.
Jagoff.