My players are going to be exploring a volcano very soon. (I'm running a campaign loosely based on PotA.) I'm looking for suggestions on how to handle the environmental heat.
In the PotA adventure, a similar volcanic dungeon has the area designated as being in Extreme Heat, with more extreme areas having a higher DC. The thing of it is, I'm not too impressed with Extreme Heat as a complication. Water consumption is a mechanic that generally gets relegated to book keeping, half the party already has fire resistance (so they ignore Extreme Heat), and the Cleric and Druid have spells to give them as much water as they need.
How would you go about making the environment feel dangerously hot? I think the easiest way to go, without changing too much, would just be to say that no amount of water can bypass the save against exhaustion, but I'm open to suggestions.
My players are going to be exploring a volcano very soon. (I'm running a campaign loosely based on PotA.) I'm looking for suggestions on how to handle the environmental heat.
In the PotA adventure, a similar volcanic dungeon has the area designated as being in Extreme Heat, with more extreme areas having a higher DC. The thing of it is, I'm not too impressed with Extreme Heat as a complication. Water consumption is a mechanic that generally gets relegated to book keeping, half the party already has fire resistance (so they ignore Extreme Heat), and the Cleric and Druid have spells to give them as much water as they need.
Then maybe you should just not try to make Extreme Heat be an issue beyond forcing people to prep for it?
I recently ran through a volcano as well. The effect the heat had on us was that anyone in heavy armor moved at 1/2 speed, medium armor was reduced as well.
Maybe have players move in and out of more extreme areas, where they suffer some. (Although I'd feel a bit robbed if my tiefling got heat stroke.)
Vents with noxious gasses could also be hazards to avoid, fight through, or hurry past. Poison resistant characters get to feel awesome there, heat resistant characters feel awesome in the heat. Cleric and druid feel awesome dumping cold water on flagging allies. Anyone with shape water can create long lasting ice out of water, coating armor or outer clothing with water (shape like scales or droplets so it can still move) and then freezing it. Anyone with prestidigitation can make clothing that stays cold for an hour, rinse and repeat...
I live in a desert, so we think about these things!
Honestly, exhaustion is not fun for players. It really ruins their fun at the first level of exhaustion, and since it's really hard to get rid off, making it harder to avoid will probably mean that your players have less fun.
If I were you, I would insist on the harshness of the environment, but point out that since your players actually are heroes and have taken the right steps, they manage fine in this unnatural setting. This is what High Fantasy is about, in the end.
Also, a lot of DMing is about showing, not telling, so show the effect on NPCs who are not as prepared, for example.
On the other hand, don't hesitate to take advantage if and when the players neglect their precautions, or are unable to take them (maybe the cleric and druid are out of spells and you ask them to make the difficult choice of providing water or being ready for another fight).
This is a fair assessment. While exhaustion makes for a great consequence to highlight seriousness, it can drive the adventure to a standstill. Everyone leaving the dungeon to go rest is not terribly exciting.
I do like the idea about the effect on NPCs. Prisoners will not be nearly so well kept as adventurers.
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My players are going to be exploring a volcano very soon. (I'm running a campaign loosely based on PotA.) I'm looking for suggestions on how to handle the environmental heat.
In the PotA adventure, a similar volcanic dungeon has the area designated as being in Extreme Heat, with more extreme areas having a higher DC. The thing of it is, I'm not too impressed with Extreme Heat as a complication. Water consumption is a mechanic that generally gets relegated to book keeping, half the party already has fire resistance (so they ignore Extreme Heat), and the Cleric and Druid have spells to give them as much water as they need.
How would you go about making the environment feel dangerously hot? I think the easiest way to go, without changing too much, would just be to say that no amount of water can bypass the save against exhaustion, but I'm open to suggestions.
Then maybe you should just not try to make Extreme Heat be an issue beyond forcing people to prep for it?
I recently ran through a volcano as well. The effect the heat had on us was that anyone in heavy armor moved at 1/2 speed, medium armor was reduced as well.
Maybe have players move in and out of more extreme areas, where they suffer some. (Although I'd feel a bit robbed if my tiefling got heat stroke.)
Vents with noxious gasses could also be hazards to avoid, fight through, or hurry past. Poison resistant characters get to feel awesome there, heat resistant characters feel awesome in the heat. Cleric and druid feel awesome dumping cold water on flagging allies. Anyone with shape water can create long lasting ice out of water, coating armor or outer clothing with water (shape like scales or droplets so it can still move) and then freezing it. Anyone with prestidigitation can make clothing that stays cold for an hour, rinse and repeat...
I live in a desert, so we think about these things!
This is a fair assessment. While exhaustion makes for a great consequence to highlight seriousness, it can drive the adventure to a standstill. Everyone leaving the dungeon to go rest is not terribly exciting.
I do like the idea about the effect on NPCs. Prisoners will not be nearly so well kept as adventurers.