Top Mud Sites Forum - View Single Post - AD&D players: Need advice on a campaign...

Slanted · 04-30-2003, 10:31 AM

When it comes to questions like these, I like to first ask myself a few questions:

1) Does it make sense in game for this monster to be here? Go back and carefully read the description of a mummy. Since this is a very high CR monster for the level (and beleive me, unless your characters are min-maxed, a mummy can very easily kill most of them), there should be a dang good reason for it to be there.

2) Have I worked its existance into the adventure well enough? Again, this should probably be the BIG bad guy of the adventure... and as such should appear somewhere after hints to its existance are given. Did you give the characters a chance to find a journal detailing the curse put upon this individual? Did they have a chance to do research of the area they went to explore beforehand? While it is not necessary for them to know 100% that they are going to face a mummy, I would think it likely for them to expect some form of bad bad undead. Giving them a warning will allow them to prepare in more detail. I find this essential when dealing with monsters that permanently effect characters (especially in such a low level campaign).

3) Is the terrain designed so that the characters can deal with the encounter creatively? I always like to give the characters a chance to use the terrain and other creative choices to their advantage in boss battles. If you simply put the mummy in a 40 by 40 room with no furniture and lock the doors behind the characters... well all you are going to get is boring rolling. Think about adding a lamp, the only remaining posession of the mummy's living counterpart, that will entrance him hidden somewhere in the room. Think about making the room slope downward and putting old wine casks the characters can roll toward the mummy. Think about a lot of stuff... boss battles shouldn't be merely about statistical might (and again, unless your characters are twinked to high ####, the mummy will have a distinct advantage statistically), but instead they should be about advancing the story and a solid use of tactics. ####, usually, I just put random objects in a room with no idea how the characters will use them... if they are smart, they will probably surprise you (that is a good thing, remember you are not trying to win, you are trying to make it fun for everyone).

If you can answer all of those questions, then I wouldn't say a mummy is too much. However, tough battles like these can very easily kill your entire party if you don't think them through. Be wary with them.

04-30-2003, 10:31 AM	#11
Slanted New Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 29	When it comes to questions like these, I like to first ask myself a few questions: 1) Does it make sense in game for this monster to be here? Go back and carefully read the description of a mummy. Since this is a very high CR monster for the level (and beleive me, unless your characters are min-maxed, a mummy can very easily kill most of them), there should be a dang good reason for it to be there. 2) Have I worked its existance into the adventure well enough? Again, this should probably be the BIG bad guy of the adventure... and as such should appear somewhere after hints to its existance are given. Did you give the characters a chance to find a journal detailing the curse put upon this individual? Did they have a chance to do research of the area they went to explore beforehand? While it is not necessary for them to know 100% that they are going to face a mummy, I would think it likely for them to expect some form of bad bad undead. Giving them a warning will allow them to prepare in more detail. I find this essential when dealing with monsters that permanently effect characters (especially in such a low level campaign). 3) Is the terrain designed so that the characters can deal with the encounter creatively? I always like to give the characters a chance to use the terrain and other creative choices to their advantage in boss battles. If you simply put the mummy in a 40 by 40 room with no furniture and lock the doors behind the characters... well all you are going to get is boring rolling. Think about adding a lamp, the only remaining posession of the mummy's living counterpart, that will entrance him hidden somewhere in the room. Think about making the room slope downward and putting old wine casks the characters can roll toward the mummy. Think about a lot of stuff... boss battles shouldn't be merely about statistical might (and again, unless your characters are twinked to high ####, the mummy will have a distinct advantage statistically), but instead they should be about advancing the story and a solid use of tactics. ####, usually, I just put random objects in a room with no idea how the characters will use them... if they are smart, they will probably surprise you (that is a good thing, remember you are not trying to win, you are trying to make it fun for everyone). If you can answer all of those questions, then I wouldn't say a mummy is too much. However, tough battles like these can very easily kill your entire party if you don't think them through. Be wary with them.