It's interesting seeing how the characters are working together more so than during our first game. They're working really hard to make sure that they get the rogue the flanking bonus, and that the warlord is there to give him a free basic attack.
In asking about what they enjoyed and didn't after the game, they both said that the last fight with Blagron and the 3 sharpshooters was rather brutal. I followed up asking if they enjoyed it in spite of that? The responce it got back was that it was "Awesome, but brutal" so I think it's ok. Just so long as I don't make every fight that brutal. This was the first time the terrain really favored the bad guys. Most of the time it's been either in the players favor, or rather neutral.
I must admit, knocking the rogue down a 10 foot drop, shooting him with a crossbow, and then having 2 guard drakes attack him... That was kind of brutal.
As for changes made, there wasn't actually much different from the adventure as written. I did add the goblin guards in the ruins, and I gave one of the Snowden's wand. This was in place of the holy symbol of battle that was in the dig site originally. I adjusted the hobgoblin torturer's armor to be leather instead of hide for the thief to use. And lastly I changed the +1 wand that Blagron had (for no good reason) into an Amulet of Protection +1.
Time wise for both games we played for about 9 hours. In that time we got through 7.5 encounters. The first game we got through 6 encounters plus a bunch of actual role playing.
> must admit, knocking the rogue down a 10 foot drop, shooting him with a crossbow, and then having 2 guard drakes attack him... That was kind of brutal<
ReplyDeleteShit, if my guy survived it I would for sure be all "That was brutal man - but awesome!"
Really, lower levels are where it's fun (and easy) to knock PC's around. Great/brutal action early on in a campaign is a good thing.