Going to do my first DND experience starting this weekend, and I’m the DM for my family group... have been reading through the material repeatedly and I keep thinking the end battle is rather weak, dramatically. I had an idea pop in my head, but I wanted to run it by experienced people first...
I was thinking of having my PC’s come across the husk of Sildar Hallwinter covered in webbing (who looks to have been dead for quite some time) shortly before the bugbear / Doppelgänger battle, and that the Doppelgänger has been manipulating the PCs and Gundren from the start, wanting Gundren’s map for the Black Spider.
just wondering if that’ll be an issue or not, and wanted some feedback. Thanks.
I’ve not played it through, but in general, changing things is always ok. It’s your campaign, and the D&D police won’t come knocking if you want to do something differently. Especially it shouldn’t matter at the end, where there no real downstream consequences.
Unrelated, but after what he did to The Last Airbender, that director’s name should not be used in polite company.
Dont the players usually find him alive in cragmaw hideout?
My idea is that the Sildar the PC’s meet isn’t the real one. He’s been dead for a while, and the Black Spider has had his doppelgänger who is the manipulator for most of the adventure be the one to be found in cragmaw hideout.
just note that sildar can be a great asset for you as a DM to nudge the players in the right direction. Motivate them to find the missing dwarf etc.
if hes a doppelganger working for the black spider, who wants the location of the mine to remain hidden, then it would not be logic to help the party but instead just send them away with a bit of gold.
just note that sildar can be a great asset for you as a DM to nudge the players in the right direction. Motivate them to find the missing dwarf etc.
if hes a doppelganger working for the black spider, who wants the location of the mine to remain hidden, then it would not be logic to help the party but instead just send them away with a bit of gold.
Well, as I said, this is end game, final area we’re talking about. Missing dwarf would be found.
also, I figured it could work because the opening bit says the grunder has a map the spider wants. Spider knows where the mine is, but doesn’t know where the magical forge is. Being that these are melodramatic fantasy baddies and not the mafia, they have to have elaborate schemes to get what they want, instead of a simple drive by and loot.
Complex bad guys are always a plus! And it doesn't matter if the PCs ever know half of what their motivations are. If you do, then it helps you keep it consistent and rational... even when it looks crazy.
And sure, M. Night Shamalan made a misstep with where he took Airbender, but that doesn't negate his entire body of work. You never know who all had "creative" or "artistic" oversight or direction of what were requirements. Heck, even if he did it all by himself, that doesn't mean that he should be held accountable for being perfect, right? I know I sure don't want to have someone evaluate ALL of my life choices... or movie choices... or dating choices... or car buying choices... etc. etc. etc. I'll give him as much slack as I would hope others would cut me...
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Going to do my first DND experience starting this weekend, and I’m the DM for my family group... have been reading through the material repeatedly and I keep thinking the end battle is rather weak, dramatically. I had an idea pop in my head, but I wanted to run it by experienced people first...
I was thinking of having my PC’s come across the husk of Sildar Hallwinter covered in webbing (who looks to have been dead for quite some time) shortly before the bugbear / Doppelgänger battle, and that the Doppelgänger has been manipulating the PCs and Gundren from the start, wanting Gundren’s map for the Black Spider.
just wondering if that’ll be an issue or not, and wanted some feedback. Thanks.
I’ve not played it through, but in general, changing things is always ok. It’s your campaign, and the D&D police won’t come knocking if you want to do something differently. Especially it shouldn’t matter at the end, where there no real downstream consequences.
Unrelated, but after what he did to The Last Airbender, that director’s name should not be used in polite company.
Lol never watched airbender or the cartoon, so that’s a non-issue with me. Was thinking more along the lines of Unbreakable.
thanks for the insight.
How did sildar hallwinter get there?
Dont the players usually find him alive in cragmaw hideout?
My idea is that the Sildar the PC’s meet isn’t the real one. He’s been dead for a while, and the Black Spider has had his doppelgänger who is the manipulator for most of the adventure be the one to be found in cragmaw hideout.
Ah ok.
just note that sildar can be a great asset for you as a DM to nudge the players in the right direction. Motivate them to find the missing dwarf etc.
if hes a doppelganger working for the black spider, who wants the location of the mine to remain hidden, then it would not be logic to help the party but instead just send them away with a bit of gold.
Well you should stop whatever you’re doing and watch it right now. It’s on Netflix.
Well, as I said, this is end game, final area we’re talking about. Missing dwarf would be found.
also, I figured it could work because the opening bit says the grunder has a map the spider wants. Spider knows where the mine is, but doesn’t know where the magical forge is. Being that these are melodramatic fantasy baddies and not the mafia, they have to have elaborate schemes to get what they want, instead of a simple drive by and loot.
Eh. Not my thing tho. Thanks anyway.
Complex bad guys are always a plus! And it doesn't matter if the PCs ever know half of what their motivations are. If you do, then it helps you keep it consistent and rational... even when it looks crazy.
And sure, M. Night Shamalan made a misstep with where he took Airbender, but that doesn't negate his entire body of work. You never know who all had "creative" or "artistic" oversight or direction of what were requirements. Heck, even if he did it all by himself, that doesn't mean that he should be held accountable for being perfect, right? I know I sure don't want to have someone evaluate ALL of my life choices... or movie choices... or dating choices... or car buying choices... etc. etc. etc. I'll give him as much slack as I would hope others would cut me...