tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post5560776479797823963..comments2024-03-26T22:17:42.458-04:00Comments on Semper Initiativus Unum: On Running B1 In Search of the UnknownWayne Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11347401495298367324noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-81419898944029197212013-09-03T11:08:28.926-04:002013-09-03T11:08:28.926-04:00I've been thinking of more thiefly things I co...I've been thinking of more thiefly things I could have done and have a few idea. As for the dungeon, just having a few of the cabinets locked would have at least allowed me to break out my thief tools. As far as backstab, I didn't think surprise was sufficient, I thought you actually had to be behind. When we were fighting the goblins, I wanted to run around behind them but didn't know if there actually was a back way around. As for recon, I couldn't see in the dark so I'd have to do it with a torch which would be pretty pointless.<br /><br />I run torches as you do. If you have a chance of them going out when dropped or randomly, you can really kill off a low-level party pretty easily. Hedgehobbithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17606283586332210195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-12408476639335007522013-09-02T10:23:23.534-04:002013-09-02T10:23:23.534-04:00I remember in my early games as a thief (for the f...I remember in my early games as a thief (for the first year or two I played nothing else), what made me happy were sheer surfaces. Most of the other skills were pretty hopeless at low levels, but it was great being able to get the party past pits of boiling lava or up impassable cliffs.Vile Travellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11431855585620506995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-18760698045359774372013-09-01T22:27:07.450-04:002013-09-01T22:27:07.450-04:00Sounds like a fun game. I'd love to play somet...Sounds like a fun game. I'd love to play sometime but it's hard for me to find extra time these days.<br /><br />Thanks for pointing out the roll-under 3d6 stat check. I think that's the earliest D&D version I've heard. At least for TSR, there may be one in A&E.Zenopus Archiveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14069501995927451558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-72719729518069071452013-09-01T20:23:02.569-04:002013-09-01T20:23:02.569-04:001 - You didn't run into any of the features th...1 - You didn't run into any of the features that would've made the long mazy corridors problematic. A lot of this was Gygax's style of dungeon design, which - if you look at the photos floating online of his Castle Greyhawk maps - was implemented with maps more complicated than those in B1. In my own dungeons I've tried to be a bit closer to Jaquays-style design that focuses on multiple paths rather than simply being maze-like.<br /><br />2 - I'm curious what you'd like to have added. More opportunities for recon? You didn't run across any traps, so that wasn't there. You could've backstabbed when you had surprise but your side tended to use that on demanding surrender.<br /><br />3 - Yes, that's a house rule I was using and should've noted - rolling a 1-2 opens the door with a chance for surprise, rolling a 3-5 opens it without. I could make the opening on 3-5 the player's option.<br /><br />4 - I was tracking time but not being fiddly on torches. I am tempted to go really hard on it and make it a logistical time pressure - but I suspect players generally would run out of torches instead.<br /><br />5 - I think a lot of that comes from playing the thief, since thieves are usually clearing doors before moving ahead. It's an interesting dilemma for hangout games. In games with no thief it tends to be a bit more open as to who is the "leader".Wayne R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04118962136054206381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-65793623947140653352013-09-01T19:50:57.181-04:002013-09-01T19:50:57.181-04:00A couple of my thoughts from last night:
1-Long, ...A couple of my thoughts from last night:<br /><br />1-Long, maze-like corridors don't really serve any purpose. For the mapper (me, in this case) it is frustrating whereas the non-mappers are just waiting around. I noticed that as the game progressed, the walking down corridors part of the game was just a description of it's twists and turns. There weren't any decisions to be made. The only thing worse than a wandering corridor is a corridor that ends in a door, and when you open the door, the corridor just continues. <br /><br />2-The DM (or module writer) really has to work to add things for low level thieves to do. The parts of the module we made it through didn't really have many thiefly opportunities (some of it was my fault as I don't generally play thieves). I ended up as a poor substitute fighter especially as our number dwindled. <br /><br />3-I noticed that we seemed to open all stuck doors regardless of what we rolled. I'm not sure why but I've seen talk of treating the roll as time it takes to open the door rather than a pass/fail. However, in a dungeon like this where there are many ways around and, often, multiple ways to get into a room, having the players fail to open a door isn't actually bad. For one thing, it creates a sort of danger zone behind the party which can explain wandering monsters. Secondly, a low level party will typically run out of hit points before they run out of rooms. Having doors the players can't open will result in the players going deeper into the dungeon rather than concentrating on cleaning out the area immediately around the entrance, which is exactly what we did.<br /><br />4-Lighting is always a problem. Keeping track of torches is just too fiddly. It was an issue in our first fight but got ignored from then on. I'm starting to think that it would be a better game if dungeons had faint illumination throughout except is special designated areas. I don't know the answer. <br /><br />5-This is the second time I've played an online/hangout game with people I don't know and in both cases I ended up as the party leader/caller. I'm not sure why that is but since I spend 99% of my game time as a DM, I can't stand dawdling. Hedgehobbithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17606283586332210195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-6244927984154309572013-09-01T10:59:40.393-04:002013-09-01T10:59:40.393-04:00I was hoping to join last night, but I had to fini...I was hoping to join last night, but I had to finish my dad's taxes for 4 years ago. And I did!Brett Slocumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09240226222507995367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-49573606303288971072013-09-01T10:08:48.725-04:002013-09-01T10:08:48.725-04:00Nice. I will def get in the next one. Nice. I will def get in the next one. Chris Matahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970387879179700009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-6402362683311401742013-09-01T09:44:10.543-04:002013-09-01T09:44:10.543-04:00Sounds like it was a blast, Wayne! Wish I could...Sounds like it was a blast, Wayne! Wish I could've joined in! One of these days!S.M.Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00910829769008403931noreply@blogger.com