Reading for a future campaign and I decided to do Waterdeep: Dragon Heist campaign during the Autumn season.
So I was wondering a few things, here we go:
First, during the rooftop chase, how long should it last? No where on the description of the Drow Gunslingers says they escape after X amount of rounds. Do you guys know when it's suppose to end? Also, do I use complication? As it seems that it's only present for the winter's chase. Is it present for the Autumn one as well as the Drows aren't flying creature. Also, where on the map is the Tower? Trying to find it on the waterdeep map so I can estimate how far it is to Mistshore.
Second, I feel like there's a step missing. In Mistshore's encounter, the Drow Gunslingers are hiding from the character and once they interact with the PCs, after 2 rounds, they have help from a submarine to escape. The book only mention what happen if they don't escape. It is bound to happen that they never make it out alive? If so, when do my PCs ever face Jarlaxle? Seems to me that it's unclear if the encounter suppose to end with my players finding the stone and then go to the vault.
Third, I guess it goes back to second. When do my players goes to the vilain's lair? I feel like we are given information on the lair (Maestro's Fall for my example) but I haven't seen a scenario where my players needs to go there... unless that's the point, they don't?
On the Rooftop Chase... at the top of the section on Rooftop Chase, it says you use the Complications table for anyone not flying. As for "when" it should end, I think that is open to you. Basically they are heading to Mistshore, so how many checks to you want to give them before they capture the Drow or the Objective or whatever or do they get away? As the descriptions say "An Old Tower in the Dock Ward" and Mistshore is at the upper end of the Dock Ward, I would say that trying to map this exactly is just going to frustrate you. This is meant to be the high point moments of a Chase Sequence. Just pick how many checks you want and go for the dramatic in your telling.
As for the missing step, either the PCs acquire what the Drow has or they give it to "The Boss". In the Summary Section of the Encounter Chains (the top of that chapter dealing with each of the seasons), there is a part about "If the villain gets the... " which will cover what happens if the PCs fail. And where you meet him depends on what happens. We met him coming out of the Vault... which is perfect for Jarlaxle... we did the work, he reaped the reward and we at least managed to escape with our lives.
As for going to the Villain's Lair, we made it out to the main ship before the Parade, the Eyecatcher (we never even knew there was a submarine). Of course, we met him in disguise... and then we met him again at the end. So, some of this stuff is available, but only if the PCs get some lucky dice rolls in some key spots. I've only run through this campaign once as a player... I need to revisit it on another season...
Not that it answers any of your questions, but I’ve played it twice- once as a player and once as a dm- as a player that chapter was just eye rolling and felt pointless. As a dm, I cut out half of the scenarios (including the roof chase) and it moved along much better-but even then some of the players were getting tired of chasing the stone by the time we got through that chapter.
huh - wasn't half...(felt like half though, when i was planning everything - lol). I put the real stone in old tower (encounter 7) and then just cut out encounter 5 and 2. you're chasing a stone that usually seems one step ahead of you. i think you can just drop it in pretty much any encounter, which then jumps you to the last encounter.
You can. We certainly took a swipe at the stone in the Old Tower. Our chase worked out well for us. The one holding the stone was caught and captured... I'm pretty sure we bludgeoned him down after his buddy left him, tied him up and the druid turned into a horse and we rode him back to the manor (got stopped a couple of times but managed to pass him off as drunk) and begin to question him and what drow were doing in Waterdeep. We didn't get too aggressive, but did get a couple of answers and then turned him over to the guard as there had been a dark figure raising suspicion and causing murders in the Dock Ward (which meant sneaking him back out of the house before morning... we should have just questioned him in the street and called for the guards).
As long as the chase sequence isn't too long and the pace is maintained, it can be very entertaining. If it is put under a microscope and everyone's turns takes 2 minutes... yeah, it is going to drag. I think we each got 30 seconds or less to say what we were doing and it moved along pretty well.
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Good day fellow DM,
Reading for a future campaign and I decided to do Waterdeep: Dragon Heist campaign during the Autumn season.
So I was wondering a few things, here we go:
First, during the rooftop chase, how long should it last? No where on the description of the Drow Gunslingers says they escape after X amount of rounds. Do you guys know when it's suppose to end? Also, do I use complication? As it seems that it's only present for the winter's chase. Is it present for the Autumn one as well as the Drows aren't flying creature. Also, where on the map is the Tower? Trying to find it on the waterdeep map so I can estimate how far it is to Mistshore.
Second, I feel like there's a step missing. In Mistshore's encounter, the Drow Gunslingers are hiding from the character and once they interact with the PCs, after 2 rounds, they have help from a submarine to escape. The book only mention what happen if they don't escape. It is bound to happen that they never make it out alive? If so, when do my PCs ever face Jarlaxle? Seems to me that it's unclear if the encounter suppose to end with my players finding the stone and then go to the vault.
Third, I guess it goes back to second. When do my players goes to the vilain's lair? I feel like we are given information on the lair (Maestro's Fall for my example) but I haven't seen a scenario where my players needs to go there... unless that's the point, they don't?
Hope you guy can help me with the confusion.
Thanks,
On the Rooftop Chase... at the top of the section on Rooftop Chase, it says you use the Complications table for anyone not flying. As for "when" it should end, I think that is open to you. Basically they are heading to Mistshore, so how many checks to you want to give them before they capture the Drow or the Objective or whatever or do they get away? As the descriptions say "An Old Tower in the Dock Ward" and Mistshore is at the upper end of the Dock Ward, I would say that trying to map this exactly is just going to frustrate you. This is meant to be the high point moments of a Chase Sequence. Just pick how many checks you want and go for the dramatic in your telling.
As for the missing step, either the PCs acquire what the Drow has or they give it to "The Boss". In the Summary Section of the Encounter Chains (the top of that chapter dealing with each of the seasons), there is a part about "If the villain gets the... " which will cover what happens if the PCs fail. And where you meet him depends on what happens. We met him coming out of the Vault... which is perfect for Jarlaxle... we did the work, he reaped the reward and we at least managed to escape with our lives.
As for going to the Villain's Lair, we made it out to the main ship before the Parade, the Eyecatcher (we never even knew there was a submarine). Of course, we met him in disguise... and then we met him again at the end. So, some of this stuff is available, but only if the PCs get some lucky dice rolls in some key spots. I've only run through this campaign once as a player... I need to revisit it on another season...
Not that it answers any of your questions, but I’ve played it twice- once as a player and once as a dm- as a player that chapter was just eye rolling and felt pointless. As a dm, I cut out half of the scenarios (including the roof chase) and it moved along much better-but even then some of the players were getting tired of chasing the stone by the time we got through that chapter.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
How did you do it? bWhat did you cut?
huh - wasn't half...(felt like half though, when i was planning everything - lol). I put the real stone in old tower (encounter 7) and then just cut out encounter 5 and 2. you're chasing a stone that usually seems one step ahead of you. i think you can just drop it in pretty much any encounter, which then jumps you to the last encounter.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
You can. We certainly took a swipe at the stone in the Old Tower. Our chase worked out well for us. The one holding the stone was caught and captured... I'm pretty sure we bludgeoned him down after his buddy left him, tied him up and the druid turned into a horse and we rode him back to the manor (got stopped a couple of times but managed to pass him off as drunk) and begin to question him and what drow were doing in Waterdeep. We didn't get too aggressive, but did get a couple of answers and then turned him over to the guard as there had been a dark figure raising suspicion and causing murders in the Dock Ward (which meant sneaking him back out of the house before morning... we should have just questioned him in the street and called for the guards).
As long as the chase sequence isn't too long and the pace is maintained, it can be very entertaining. If it is put under a microscope and everyone's turns takes 2 minutes... yeah, it is going to drag. I think we each got 30 seconds or less to say what we were doing and it moved along pretty well.