Pens and Papers

[Ruki]

Has anyone run a behold battle? My Out of the Abyss part is going to be fighting one soon, and annoyingly, a battlemap is NOT included. So I am looking for a map that would work well for a beholder fight. 

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Our GM dug out the old Fighting Fantasy RPG ruleset from 1984 and we played it on stream over the last couple of Saturdays. It's wonderfully simple. Apparently the adventure we played was supposed to take 90 minutes in the early-80s approach to roleplaying which was focused on the combat, looting and traps.

In our group's roleplaying-centric approach it was over 5 hours of entertaining nonsense.

[GhostMachine]

19 hours ago, Ruki Returns said:

Has anyone run a behold battle? My Out of the Abyss part is going to be fighting one soon, and annoyingly, a battlemap is NOT included. So I am looking for a map that would work well for a beholder fight. 

Can't help with the map, but I'll offer up this piece of equipment that could be used as an adventure hook or reward/quest item. (It can be a tale that's just a legend, if you'd rather not introduce the actual item:

Tzasvia's Revenge - A heater shield, non-descript except for a single amethyst gemstone set just above the point at the bottom. The shield was commissioned by the adventuress Tzasvia, after several friends died in a vain attempt to destroy a Beholder that made the ruins of a castle its home. Tzasvia carried the shield into multiple battles and slew over a dozen Beholders and Beholder-kin throughout her career, but mysteriously vanished 70 seasons ago. There has been no trace of her or the shield since. Against most opponents, the shield is nothing more than a mundane shield, providing no extra protection or benefits. However, against Beholders (and their various kin), the shield has special abilities. First of all, when the shield is equipped, the gem will glow when within 50' of a Beholder-type, but the glow will be green if it is an undead variant (ie, Death Tyrant). The shield is completely immune to any magic-draining abilities, but does not provide that protection to any other equipment the wielder has. If the Beholder uses its Death Ray, Petrification Ray or Disintegration Ray on the wielder, both the wielder and the DM roll 1d20. If the wielder only rolls 19 or 20, the ability has no effect on them. If the GM only rolls 19 or 20, then proceed as normal. HOWEVER, if both the wielder and DM roll 19-20, the shield causes the magic to backfire; instead of the ability's normal effect taking place, the shield casts a spell (roll 1d6: 1-3: CURE LIGHT WOUNDS. 4-6: Haste, but only lasts 2 rounds) on the wielder and the Beholder suffers 2d4 of crushing damage. 1d8+1 damage if the Beholder is an undead variant. (Obviously, the shield is more or less useless except as a shield against variants that do not possess the 3 abilties the shield protects against.)

 

[thepunkrockicon]

On 14/11/2021 at 22:04, Ruki Returns said:

Has anyone run a behold battle? My Out of the Abyss part is going to be fighting one soon, and annoyingly, a battlemap is NOT included. So I am looking for a map that would work well for a beholder fight. 

I've not run one, but if I were to give advice, or try and run a Beholder combat for my group, I'd include probably too much cover for them to protect themselves from the eye stalks. But I'd make it destructible, because I'm not sure what the right amount of cover would be, but if I overshoot, then I can have the Beholder or its minions destroy some of the cover throughout the battle and that makes it feel dynamic for the players when it's really just me adjusting difficulty to make it properly challenging. Part of the fun of a Beholder combat is how they're gonna deal with the eye stalks and in particular the anti-magic field, so I'd try and base the combat around that

[Ruki]

I got to run the Maze Engine in Out Of The Abyss tonight. Highlight of a campaign that needs some highlights. 

Spoiler

Activating the Engine

A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check is needed to activate the device by puzzling out its array of gears and levers. It then takes 12 rounds for the engine to “align itself” and activate its magical effect. If an initiative order hasn’t already been established by the time the engine activates, have everyone in the party roll initiative.

If the tridrone from “March to Nowhere” accompanies the characters, it can instruct them how to activate the Maze Engine without a check and inform them of how long it takes for the magical effect to occur.

Shaking Loose

The engine, which weighs two tons, is ordinarily set on a solid stone surface. Being wedged partway down a crevasse makes its operation more problematic. When the engine is activated, the vibration of its clacking gears sends showers of loose stones down the crevasse walls.

Once the engine has been activated, it “acts” on initiative count 15.

Mephit Madness

On the round after the Maze Engine activates, two magma mephits fly out of the magma on initiative count 10. Two more magma mephits emerge from the magma each round thereafter on the same initiative count, until a dozen mephits have appeared. The mephits attack anyone on or near the Maze Engine.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll

At the end of its turn during round 3, the engine shifts. Any creature standing on it must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. If the save fails by 5 or more, the creature is knocked off the engine into the magma. Otherwise, a creature failing its save slides down the spherical side of the engine but automatically grabs one of its bands before falling. The creature can use an action to try to climb back onto the engine, doing so with a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check.

At the end of its turn during round 6, the engine shifts again. The effect is the same as described above, except that a creature hanging onto one of the engine’s bands has disadvantage on the saving throw.

If a creature falls from the Maze Engine, another creature adjacent to the falling creature and hanging onto one of the engine’s bands can attempt to use a free hand to grab the falling creature, doing so with a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. A creature saved in this manner can use its action to try to climb back onto the engine, doing so with a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. If the check fails and the creature’s weight exceeds the carrying capacity of the creature that grabbed it (see “Lifting and Carrying” in chapter 7 of the Player’s Handbook), the creature grabbing it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength check at the start of its next turn or lose its grip on the fallen creature, which then plunges into the magma.

At the end of each of its turns starting on round 9, the Maze Engine slides down the crevasse, dropping 10 feet toward the magma each round. Any creature on the engine must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw each time it drops down to avoid being thrown off. Resolve the effects as described above. On its turn during round 13, the Maze Engine sinks into the magma and is destroyed.

Shutting Down the Engine

The engine shuts down if any part of it comes into contact with an antimagic field or if it is targeted by a successful dispel magic (DC 19). Otherwise, it can only be shut down by a wish spell or divine intervention.

Maze Engine Effects

The Maze Engine was damaged when the crevasse opened underneath it and swallowed it up. The engine can’t be repaired, and once activated, it does strange and unpredictable things on each of its turns until it is deactivated or destroyed.

On each of the engine’s turns, roll a d100chrome-extension://gnblbpbepfbfmoobegdogkglpbhcjofh/images/icons/badges/custom20.png and consult the Maze Engine Effects table to determine what the engine does.

chrome-extension://gnblbpbepfbfmoobegdogkglpbhcjofh/images/icons/badges/normal32.pngROLL TABLE TO VTT

d100chrome-extension://gnblbpbepfbfmoobegdogkglpbhcjofh/images/icons/badges/custom20.png	Effect
01	The engine emits a flash of golden light. All magic items within 300 feet of the engine are destroyed, except for artifacts, which are cast into the Astral Plane.
02–08	Arcs of white light play across the surface of the engine until the end of its turn.
09–10	The engine emits a bright flash of white light. All player characters are transported back in time, as they are now, to the moment when the adventure began. They appear in Velkynvelve’s slave pen, unshackled and unbound, with all of their experience points, abilities, equipment, and memories.
11–15	The engine makes a loud “WHAAAH” sound until the start of its next turn. For as long as the sound lasts, the engine projects an antimagic field (as the spell) around itself.
16–19	The hollow interior of the engine flickers with crimson light until the end of its turn, whereupon one dead character or NPC of the DM’s choice is restored to life, as though subjected to a resurrection spell. The revived creature appears in a safe, unoccupied space within 120 feet of the engine.
20–22	The engine spews slippery goo that splatters across its outer surface. Saving throws to avoid being knocked off the engine and ability checks made to climb the engine have disadvantage until the engine’s next turn.
23–27	The engine crackles with lightning. All creatures within 30 feet of the engine must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 10d6chrome-extension://gnblbpbepfbfmoobegdogkglpbhcjofh/images/icons/badges/custom20.png lightning damage. A target made primarily of metal or wearing metal armor has disadvantage on its saving throw.
28–32	The engine hums until the end of its turn, at which point a green slaad appears in a safe space within 120 feet of the engine. The slaad rolls initiative and, on its turn, attacks any other creatures it sees.
33–35	The engine groans loudly and turns each creature within 120 feet of it invisible. A creature’s invisibility lasts until it attacks or casts a spell.
36–39	Loud whispers emanate from the hollow interior of the engine. Each character in direct contact with the engine can increase one ability score of his or her choice by 2, to a maximum of 24.
40–43	Multicolored arcs of light play across the surface of the engine, which casts a polymorph spell (save DC 18) on each creature within 20 feet of it. Any creature that fails the saving throw is polymorphed into a flying snake.
44–48	The engine spits out multicolored gemstones. Any character within 20 feet of the engine can use his or her reaction to catch a 500 gp gem with a free hand. The rest of the gemstones fall into the magma and are destroyed.
49–52	The engine emits a flash of yellowish-white light. A randomly determined magic item appears in a safe location within 120 feet of the engine. Roll on Magic Item Table G in the Dungeon Master’s Guide to determine what appears.
53–57	The engine emits a flash of green light. Each creature in direct contact with the engine must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 10d6 + 40chrome-extension://gnblbpbepfbfmoobegdogkglpbhcjofh/images/icons/badges/custom20.png force damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it is disintegrated. A disintegrated creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except artifacts, are reduced to fine dust.
58–60	The engine flickers with blue light and casts faerie fire, targeting all creatures within 20 feet of it (save DC 18). The spell’s effect has a duration of 1 minute.
61–66	The engine spews harmless, multicolored sparks until the start of its next turn.
67–70	The engine emits a flash of violet light. Each creature within 20 feet of the engine must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be petrified until the engine’s next turn.
71–76	The engine plays calliope music. The next time this result is rolled, the music stops.
77–80	The engine makes a horrible grinding noise. All lawful creatures within 30 feet of it regain all of their hit points.
81–00	The engine emits a flash of violet-white light. All extraplanar creatures within 100 miles of the engine instantly return to their native planes of existence.

 

I also threw in two demon lords, that vanished on turn 4 thanks to the engine. Killed a player, then two turns later brought them back to life with the rez option. Just hugely chaotic.

[Ruki]

Nearing the end of two different campaigns!

My Out of the Abyss game will be done in likely 2 sessions. I've cut out random travel encounters (because they are level 12 now), I've thrown in a boss fight against a reoccurring enemy, and cut out the entire section of Menozoberanzin. Out of the Abyss is a decent idea, very poor execution and very poor in the way of resources for DMs.

 

My Storm King's Thunder game is going against the final battle this weekend. Gonna get some wicked high level equipment (which you should, from an ancient dragon horde) and then do some 'post game content' to wrap up loose ends, as they have like... 3 other high level enemies.

 

Of the prewritten campaigns that I've ran/read, I'd order them as: Wild Beyond The Witchlight, Waterdeep Dragonheist, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Lost Mines of Phandelvor, Storm Kings Thunder, and then Out of the Abyss trailing behind. 

[GhostMachine]

17 minutes ago, Ruki Returns said:

Nearing the end of two different campaigns!

My Out of the Abyss game will be done in likely 2 sessions. I've cut out random travel encounters (because they are level 12 now), I've thrown in a boss fight against a reoccurring enemy, and cut out the entire section of Menozoberanzin. Out of the Abyss is a decent idea, very poor execution and very poor in the way of resources for DMs.

 

My Storm King's Thunder game is going against the final battle this weekend. Gonna get some wicked high level equipment (which you should, from an ancient dragon horde) and then do some 'post game content' to wrap up loose ends, as they have like... 3 other high level enemies.

 

Of the prewritten campaigns that I've ran/read, I'd order them as: Wild Beyond The Witchlight, Waterdeep Dragonheist, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Lost Mines of Phandelvor, Storm Kings Thunder, and then Out of the Abyss trailing behind. 

Glad things are going well.

I've not heard much good about Out of the Abyss.

 

[Toe]

11 hours ago, GhostMachine said:

Glad things are going well.

I've not heard much good about Out of the Abyss.

 

I ran it for some friends when it came out and it was fun in the beginning, but they lost interest pretty quickly. I think they were level 5 when we stopped?

The Rime Of The Frostmaiden game I'm in has been fantastic. It feels like we are nearing the end, but I've had a total blast the whole time. I highly recommend it to others.

[Ruki]

Storm Kings Thunder comes to an end! The party were successful in planning and whooped the shit out of an ancient blue dragon (with 4 storm giants... one of which turned on the party)... who managed to escape with only 74hp thanks to teleport. 

[Ruki]

And now Out Of The Abyss comes to an end! They did the final battle against Orcus (was supposed to be Demogorgon, but we did a kaiju battle of the remaining demon lords and Orcus came out on top), and it was a fucking cinematic ending. Orcus dropped one of the PCs, rolled natural 20 on death save, stand up and kill him with a final attack. 

[Hajjhowe]

The making Demon Lords fight to decide a last boss type is probably my favorite part of OOTA. I've wanted to actually start a campaign like that with the players each getting one, playing them as they see fit and then going from there. Doesn't need to just be done with Demon Lords of course but yeah. How did your beholder fight end up going @Ruki Returns

[Ruki]

24 minutes ago, Hajjhowe said:

The making Demon Lords fight to decide a last boss type is probably my favorite part of OOTA. I've wanted to actually start a campaign like that with the players each getting one, playing them as they see fit and then going from there. Doesn't need to just be done with Demon Lords of course but yeah. How did your beholder fight end up going @Ruki Returns

Not as exciting as I had hoped. They basically took out all its hp right away so I added some more, but then the main tank got charmed, the fighter petrified, and the cleric dusted. Thankfully most got better. 

[OctoberRaven]

 

[Ruki]

I have learned last night... a level 20 battle royale takes WAYYYY too long. Although, that might have been from the lesser experienced players taking FOREVER. My turns were done in less than 2 minutes. 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Had my first character death. Esrhinn is a silver dragonborn fighter. This happened in a Westmarches games. We headed into a pocketwatch that contains another dimension. We were the distraction for another party and this was supposed to be a diplomatic mission. After finding that they had kidnapped our friend (an elf they were using to experiment with time, her being a good choice because elves live for so long and they needed a "year for a year"). We started to fight them. I was paralyzed in the first round of combat. A construct that was built to look just like me (I had entered the pocketwatch before), struck me twice, both criticals because of the paralysis. 

Vesk, the elven girl trapped, broke the glass. I auto-failed my dex save and went down. I failed a death saving throw on my next turn. Next up was the Eshrinn look-alike hits me while I'm down. Three failed saving throws. Our cleric tries to save me but since we are using Matt Mercer's ressurection rules, the revivify roll failed. 

 

[Toe]

At least you went down swinging. My first character death was a Level 12 rogue (in D&D 2E) failing a climb check and falling over 100 feet to an instant death. The wizard could have saved me with Feather Fall but didn't see me fall, so I was out of range before they could get to me.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Woah, that is brutal.

[Ruki]

I might get to play in a campaign again soon! I think the DM is leaning towards Strahd... so I might have a character death or two!

[GhostMachine]

If you want a game where death is assured, go play Legend of the Five Rings. And I don't mean the D&D Oriental Adventures version, but the AEG versions. (Can't say anything about the Fantasy Flight Games version, as I haven't played it.) Its a miracle if at least two players don't die per game. I was in a game at a con once playing a Dragon clan character (I usually played Crane), and was one of the few whose character wasn't either dead or dying at the end.

And in D&D, when you die due to constantly failing saving throws rather than player stupidity or taking too much damage, then frankly rules that can prevent you from being resurrected should go out the window. A player having extreme bad luck should not permanently end a character. 

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by GhostMachine

[Ruki]

Yes and no. There needs to be some risk or threat to it happening (plus, it makes a great story)... but on the other hand if you don't want your character to die, I'm sure the DM can come up with something. (In my SKT game, my wife has a ring of mind shielding, that when she dies, her soul goes into that so I'd be able to do something with that).