Okay, so: the group will be heading into 'DeathHouse' here shortly (this next Friday, February 28th), and the party makeup has me a little concerned for the groups future success in Barovia. So, I'd like to run the circumstances by fellow DM's and experienced players to settle my own mind on how things look from a "let the dice fall as they may!" approach, as well as what if any options I as the DM should consider from a "this is a game, it's intended to be fun, but at the same time: This is freaking *Ravenloft* and the Domains of Dread." Basically, making sure fun is had while still trying to stay as true as possible to the intended themes and style.
I'm currently working under the assumption the party will include: 1 Half-Elf Paladin, 1 Half-Elf Rogue, 1 Half-Orc Wizard, a finesse fighter of some sort (this makes me think Fighter, Monk, Ranger (?), Rogue, or Blood Hunter) and one unknown (assume it is not a healer of any sort).
Now, I *am* including Jeny Greenteeth from the Adventurer's League add-on (or however it's characterized) who can offer spellcasting services for healing and cures, as well as some relatively low level potions, all at a minimal markup though with with the additional cost of some vile service to be rendered (the least of these would be requesting a lock of hair, a vial of blood, a personal memento etc. which she would then turn around and probably sell to someone else (hello Scrying!). But she's an NPC that's not going to be traveling with the party herself, assuming the players were crazy enough to try and retain her services for such. Also, it's very likely that at some point in the adventure, circumstances will make her unavailable to the party (they either insult or otherwise infuriate her, or tick Strahd off enough that he makes them persona non grata and declares all that aid them to be his enemies).
Now, if the general feeling is that the one Paladin and access to a semi mobile town healer (I plan on having Jeny located primarily in the Village of Barovia, but she may change location once or twice as the adventure goes) is simply not enough, I'm looking to the next part below. If the Paladin & the semi mobile town healer should be good 'nuff, then awesome.
With that in mind, there are really only two options I see to cover the PC's for healing + cures while they wander Barovia. First, I can implement the rule in the DMG, Dungeon Master's Work Shop for Healing Surges. "As an action, a character can use a healing surge and spend up to half or his or her Hit Dice. For each Hit Die spent in this way, the player rolls the die and adds the character’s Constitution modifier. The character regains hit points equal to the total. The player can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll. A character who uses a healing surge can’t do so again until he or she finishes a short or long rest. Under this optional rule, a character regains all spent Hit Dice at the end of a long rest. With a short rest, a character regains Hit Dice equal to his or her level divided by four (minimum of one die)." There are two concerns I have about this: firstly, It feels a bit like adding such a benefit to the party as would be equivalent to adding a another party member that the party doesn't need to split loot or experience with. Secondly, it does nothing for conditional or status effects. The second option: add in a DMPC of equivalent level to serve as the healer. I'd share control with the party (assigning one or two players for any session to run the healer) but butt in if the party tried to do something that conflicted with the character's goals or ideals, etc.
What do you think? Is there anything I missed, or other suggestions you'd make?
A Paladin and a Grave Domain Cleric would be more that sufficient for a party of five. Five is already plenty of characters without you trying to pile more characters in there because you're afraid they may come into a challenge. Part of the fun in playing is the near death experiences that are provided. Particularly in the town of Barovia itself and in the Death House. I'm currently playing with a party of three with the only healer being a druid. Played by yours truly. That's not a primary healing class, but gets the job done. Several encounters have left us close to death, but there have been no official player deaths yet.
I say leave out Greentooth and leave out your plans for a DMPC. Part of the allure of this campaign is the intensity of it. If your DM is babying you the entire time, you never feel the breath of death on the back of your neck or the intensity of nearly losing your character. There is always the backup for rescue. The players choose their characters. Regardless what happens, they are the adventuring party that has made their bed. Let them sleep in it. That's not to say you can't fudge rolls when need be, particularly at level 1, but you don't want to outright kill the suspense of one of the BEST adventures D&D has to offer. Not to mention there are SOOOO many NPCs throughout the story already and many of them try to tag along in the story.
That said....I also don't believe in balanced parties. When I DM, I prefer everyone come up with a character idea, present it and then make the character on Beyond. This last campaign I'm DM'ing several people wanted to change classes because someone else was the same class. Just like two of my players are also named Henry...they don't get to change their name for real life balance. For the sake of realism, I don't like people changing classes either. Now, it's all for fun and if they really feel that they themselves won't have fun playing just because someone else is also a Fighter or a Ranger and because that sway in "balance" will personally affect them, I'll let them change. Not because I support them doing so, I let them know I fully disagree. But, because if they refuse to have fun over a small issue, they don't need to drag the table down. Point being, I care MUCH more about the dynamic and fun being had at the table than the exact characters and balance being portrayed at the table. You can always work around balance. So, don't stress the small stuff. Plus, they recoup HP when taking rests. ;)
@ManOfValor – With respects, you did catch that I'm preparing for *if* the Grave Cleric opts to play something that is not a healer in any sense, right? (I edited the OP to better explain that, apologies if it was a TLDR kinda thing) That would leave just the paladin. Also, I'm afraid that this particular group has two players in it with experience in Curse of Strahd. One is doing an active campaign with which they are ... less than enthused. Another player has DM'd the adventure but will be working within player knowledge and is experienced enough I trust them to do so. I plan on letting the dice fall as they may with the adventure, certainly, but I have concerns about how the group handles that. And I'm still getting a feel for the group, Curse of Strahd is just the adventure I have available on the VTT and is the one I can use to both get a feel for the DnD Mechanics while noting any house rules or other changes that may occur. It's the adventure I'm using the shake the rust of my old DM self before going with a homebrew campaign.
Edit: I should mention that I *am* considering what you suggested, which is just letting the players play and if the party doesn't work out, then they may need to revise their party. Also, 3 players and one a druid? Did you start with equipment greater than what was expected for a 1st level group, or what sorts of houserules are being applied? From my understanding, 3 characters should be suicide. I don't mean to be rude and apologies where I am – I've done some extensive prep on this adventure already with reading other parties experiences and they seem to run vastly counter to your own. I'm not planning on introducing a lot of extra stuff into the adventure item wise, so it's not like they're getting anything beyond basic potions from the merchant Jeny Greenteeth, who seems to be a pretty common extra I've seen included.
If no other healer turns up, I'd let it ride and see what happens. Better they get killed fighting the shambling mound without a healer and redo their party than get attached to their characters and have to reroll at level 6 when Jenny's basic potions stop being useful. Besides, it's probably good to establish up front that CoS is a horror game and lethality should be unusually high.
I have only one campaign either running or playing in, which even has a cleric in it. There was one which we had two, and it resulted in a TPK. Healing in combat is really not that necessary, healing out of combat just takes fictional time...
One option is to use the following homebrew "Potent Potion of Curing".
This potion has 2 charges and grows stronger as the party levels up. A player may spend a charge to regain 1D8+Con hit points. You may spend additional charges to increase the healing done. Add an additional 1D8 for each charge spent beyond the first. The potion regains all charges after a long rest.
Now just follow the Cleric spell casting table and have the potion gain a number of charges equal to the total number of spell slots a cleric would have at the average PCs (2 for level 1 up to 27 for level 20) level and you basically have a cure wounds spell available on demand. It can be up to the party how quickly they go through the charges.
Remember that characters can spend hit dice during a short rest and fully heal over a long rest; at lower levels that's going to be the majority of your healing anyway. If you're running a full 6-7 encounter day that might be insufficient by mid levels, but a lot of CoS isn't really set up that way.
All right fair enough. Another argument I've seen made in another thread is that when the DM has spent sufficient time prepping the adventure and warning / advising players of the tone and themes of the adventure, plus what they can expect to face in terms of difficulty - how much responsibility for the parties decisions lie with them? Thanks everyone!
There are a number of problems in the adventure with no listed solutions other than Greater Restoration, which could pose a problem, though I don't think any of them are actually essential to solve.
There are a number of problems in the adventure with no listed solutions other than Greater Restoration, which could pose a problem, though I don't think any of them are actually essential to solve.
Yeah, I know, but there's only so much warning I can provide to the players of what they face and what to expect. I've basically stated that this is the Darkest Dungeon of D&D: Gothic, Rogue like, Fantasy Horror, with challenging tactical combat where you need to minimize your weaknesses, maximize your advantages, and prepare for the idea that your character might die regardless. If I just keep rubbing that in, there comes a point where I'm doing the party prep and basically railroading them. They're all experienced gamers and so I can only imagine that they understand the idea of wanting a Tank, a Striker / DPS'r, a Healer, and maybe a Controller in addition to a skill monkey or having a number of skills covered. With 5 players and thus 5 characters, they should be able to look at a number of options with party make up.
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Edited to clarify Group Composition.
Okay, so: the group will be heading into 'Death House' here shortly (this next Friday, February 28th), and the party makeup has me a little concerned for the groups future success in Barovia. So, I'd like to run the circumstances by fellow DM's and experienced players to settle my own mind on how things look from a "let the dice fall as they may!" approach, as well as what if any options I as the DM should consider from a "this is a game, it's intended to be fun, but at the same time: This is freaking *Ravenloft* and the Domains of Dread." Basically, making sure fun is had while still trying to stay as true as possible to the intended themes and style.
I'm currently working under the assumption the party will include: 1 Half-Elf Paladin, 1 Half-Elf Rogue, 1 Half-Orc Wizard, a finesse fighter of some sort (this makes me think Fighter, Monk, Ranger (?), Rogue, or Blood Hunter) and one unknown (assume it is not a healer of any sort).
Now, I *am* including Jeny Greenteeth from the Adventurer's League add-on (or however it's characterized) who can offer spellcasting services for healing and cures, as well as some relatively low level potions, all at a minimal markup though with with the additional cost of some vile service to be rendered (the least of these would be requesting a lock of hair, a vial of blood, a personal memento etc. which she would then turn around and probably sell to someone else (hello Scrying!). But she's an NPC that's not going to be traveling with the party herself, assuming the players were crazy enough to try and retain her services for such. Also, it's very likely that at some point in the adventure, circumstances will make her unavailable to the party (they either insult or otherwise infuriate her, or tick Strahd off enough that he makes them persona non grata and declares all that aid them to be his enemies).
Now, if the general feeling is that the one Paladin and access to a semi mobile town healer (I plan on having Jeny located primarily in the Village of Barovia, but she may change location once or twice as the adventure goes) is simply not enough, I'm looking to the next part below. If the Paladin & the semi mobile town healer should be good 'nuff, then awesome.
With that in mind, there are really only two options I see to cover the PC's for healing + cures while they wander Barovia. First, I can implement the rule in the DMG, Dungeon Master's Work Shop for Healing Surges. "As an action, a character can use a healing surge and spend up to half or his or her Hit Dice. For each Hit Die spent in this way, the player rolls the die and adds the character’s Constitution modifier. The character regains hit points equal to the total. The player can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll. A character who uses a healing surge can’t do so again until he or she finishes a short or long rest. Under this optional rule, a character regains all spent Hit Dice at the end of a long rest. With a short rest, a character regains Hit Dice equal to his or her level divided by four (minimum of one die)." There are two concerns I have about this: firstly, It feels a bit like adding such a benefit to the party as would be equivalent to adding a another party member that the party doesn't need to split loot or experience with. Secondly, it does nothing for conditional or status effects. The second option: add in a DMPC of equivalent level to serve as the healer. I'd share control with the party (assigning one or two players for any session to run the healer) but butt in if the party tried to do something that conflicted with the character's goals or ideals, etc.
What do you think? Is there anything I missed, or other suggestions you'd make?
A Paladin and a Grave Domain Cleric would be more that sufficient for a party of five. Five is already plenty of characters without you trying to pile more characters in there because you're afraid they may come into a challenge. Part of the fun in playing is the near death experiences that are provided. Particularly in the town of Barovia itself and in the Death House. I'm currently playing with a party of three with the only healer being a druid. Played by yours truly. That's not a primary healing class, but gets the job done. Several encounters have left us close to death, but there have been no official player deaths yet.
I say leave out Greentooth and leave out your plans for a DMPC. Part of the allure of this campaign is the intensity of it. If your DM is babying you the entire time, you never feel the breath of death on the back of your neck or the intensity of nearly losing your character. There is always the backup for rescue. The players choose their characters. Regardless what happens, they are the adventuring party that has made their bed. Let them sleep in it. That's not to say you can't fudge rolls when need be, particularly at level 1, but you don't want to outright kill the suspense of one of the BEST adventures D&D has to offer. Not to mention there are SOOOO many NPCs throughout the story already and many of them try to tag along in the story.
That said....I also don't believe in balanced parties. When I DM, I prefer everyone come up with a character idea, present it and then make the character on Beyond. This last campaign I'm DM'ing several people wanted to change classes because someone else was the same class. Just like two of my players are also named Henry...they don't get to change their name for real life balance. For the sake of realism, I don't like people changing classes either. Now, it's all for fun and if they really feel that they themselves won't have fun playing just because someone else is also a Fighter or a Ranger and because that sway in "balance" will personally affect them, I'll let them change. Not because I support them doing so, I let them know I fully disagree. But, because if they refuse to have fun over a small issue, they don't need to drag the table down. Point being, I care MUCH more about the dynamic and fun being had at the table than the exact characters and balance being portrayed at the table. You can always work around balance. So, don't stress the small stuff. Plus, they recoup HP when taking rests. ;)
@ManOfValor – With respects, you did catch that I'm preparing for *if* the Grave Cleric opts to play something that is not a healer in any sense, right? (I edited the OP to better explain that, apologies if it was a TLDR kinda thing) That would leave just the paladin. Also, I'm afraid that this particular group has two players in it with experience in Curse of Strahd. One is doing an active campaign with which they are ... less than enthused. Another player has DM'd the adventure but will be working within player knowledge and is experienced enough I trust them to do so. I plan on letting the dice fall as they may with the adventure, certainly, but I have concerns about how the group handles that. And I'm still getting a feel for the group, Curse of Strahd is just the adventure I have available on the VTT and is the one I can use to both get a feel for the DnD Mechanics while noting any house rules or other changes that may occur. It's the adventure I'm using the shake the rust of my old DM self before going with a homebrew campaign.
Edit: I should mention that I *am* considering what you suggested, which is just letting the players play and if the party doesn't work out, then they may need to revise their party. Also, 3 players and one a druid? Did you start with equipment greater than what was expected for a 1st level group, or what sorts of houserules are being applied? From my understanding, 3 characters should be suicide. I don't mean to be rude and apologies where I am – I've done some extensive prep on this adventure already with reading other parties experiences and they seem to run vastly counter to your own. I'm not planning on introducing a lot of extra stuff into the adventure item wise, so it's not like they're getting anything beyond basic potions from the merchant Jeny Greenteeth, who seems to be a pretty common extra I've seen included.
If no other healer turns up, I'd let it ride and see what happens. Better they get killed fighting the shambling mound without a healer and redo their party than get attached to their characters and have to reroll at level 6 when Jenny's basic potions stop being useful. Besides, it's probably good to establish up front that CoS is a horror game and lethality should be unusually high.
I have only one campaign either running or playing in, which even has a cleric in it. There was one which we had two, and it resulted in a TPK. Healing in combat is really not that necessary, healing out of combat just takes fictional time...
One option is to use the following homebrew "Potent Potion of Curing".
This potion has 2 charges and grows stronger as the party levels up. A player may spend a charge to regain 1D8+Con hit points. You may spend additional charges to increase the healing done. Add an additional 1D8 for each charge spent beyond the first. The potion regains all charges after a long rest.
Now just follow the Cleric spell casting table and have the potion gain a number of charges equal to the total number of spell slots a cleric would have at the average PCs (2 for level 1 up to 27 for level 20) level and you basically have a cure wounds spell available on demand. It can be up to the party how quickly they go through the charges.
Remember that characters can spend hit dice during a short rest and fully heal over a long rest; at lower levels that's going to be the majority of your healing anyway. If you're running a full 6-7 encounter day that might be insufficient by mid levels, but a lot of CoS isn't really set up that way.
All right fair enough. Another argument I've seen made in another thread is that when the DM has spent sufficient time prepping the adventure and warning / advising players of the tone and themes of the adventure, plus what they can expect to face in terms of difficulty - how much responsibility for the parties decisions lie with them? Thanks everyone!
There are a number of problems in the adventure with no listed solutions other than Greater Restoration, which could pose a problem, though I don't think any of them are actually essential to solve.
Yeah, I know, but there's only so much warning I can provide to the players of what they face and what to expect. I've basically stated that this is the Darkest Dungeon of D&D: Gothic, Rogue like, Fantasy Horror, with challenging tactical combat where you need to minimize your weaknesses, maximize your advantages, and prepare for the idea that your character might die regardless. If I just keep rubbing that in, there comes a point where I'm doing the party prep and basically railroading them. They're all experienced gamers and so I can only imagine that they understand the idea of wanting a Tank, a Striker / DPS'r, a Healer, and maybe a Controller in addition to a skill monkey or having a number of skills covered. With 5 players and thus 5 characters, they should be able to look at a number of options with party make up.