A short while ago I was playing DDAL 0905: Faces of Fortune at my local game store. Due to time we were not able to finish the session and we had to stop before we could find the traitor for Mahadi. The DM didn't want to continue the session another week (we didn't feel much for it either) as we had already split the race and the search over two evenings.
Because we didn't finish the session the DM gave us the story "reward" for being kicked out of Mahadi's camp (along with a very welcome soul coin). This means I will start ever tier 2 adventure in Avernus with half my HP en 1 exhaustion point.
I already don't have a lot of HP to begin with (level 5 spellcaster), my character is very descent at ability checks and I just like playing her, so I don't want to send her to her death when there is no need for it (there is a difference with being killed in a session and being killed with the knowlegde you have a huge disadvantage).
Maybe I sound a bit childish, but can I choose to ignore this session and it rewards?
“No Exceptions You’ve broken Mahadi’s only rules: “No fighting! No spellcasting! No exceptions!” By choosing to break the rules, you’ve been kicked out of Mahadi’s emporium. Now you must survive in the wastes without its safe shelter. You start any tier 2 Avernus Rising adventure at half hit points and with a level of exhaustion that can’t be removed.”
Not succeeding at the objective of the quest is NOT the same as breaking the rules. You should only receive this story award IF your party was involved in a fight or cast spells. If you didn’t do these things then Mahadi is likely disappointed but you didn’t break the rules and should not receive this story award.
Unless there was more that went on that you didn’t mention, I would talk to the DM involved since based on your description your characters should not have this story award.
probably depends on who the DM is at your next game...if it's the same guy, just keep it - its not a big enough deal to argue over.
If its a new DM, ignore it - its not a big enough deal to worry about.
Not to speak for the folks who actually put this stuff together, but one of the main goals of AL is to ensure people have enough fun that they come back to the table. Despite all the 'don't break the rules, follow these instructions to the letter, etc, etc' hoopla, that goal trumps (imo).
probably depends on who the DM is at your next game...if it's the same guy, just keep it - its not a big enough deal to argue over.
If its a new DM, ignore it - its not a big enough deal to worry about.
Not to speak for the folks who actually put this stuff together, but one of the main goals of AL is to ensure people have enough fun that they come back to the table. Despite all the 'don't break the rules, follow these instructions to the letter, etc, etc' hoopla, that goal trumps (imo).
Unfortunately, I have to disagree that it isn't worth arguing over.
The penalty is intended for folks who break the "No fighting! No spellcasting!" rule. The idea is that no one should break this rule without massive and sudden consequences. The story award reduces your hit points by 50% and gives a level of exhaustion that can't be removed at the start of ALL season 9 content that the character plays. A level of exhaustion is permanent disadvantage on all ability checks forever in season 9 content. It is a major negative impact on the character and personally, I think a negative story award of this magnitude is unwarranted. I think the goal was to force the party to solve the situation without resorting to combat or spells.
If the characters in this case simply failed to complete the module and did not resort to combat or spellcasting then they shouldn't have this story award. Anyway, because of the significant negative effect that will make it much less fun to play this character through season 9 content, I think it is well worth discussing with the DM and potentially arguing over it (assuming the characters didn't actually break the rules).
If it's only for 1 session... then I guess it can be pretty understoodable ( house duties / house chores / babies / etcetera..... ).
In that specific case, the missed session could be managed by the DM. Then the reward could be managed like this =
* 10 % of any coin for the group, 90% for the player who missed the session.
* the items earned have a 5% to be in a "curse" condition.
If the person who missed the session dosen't brings a proof of his/her not appearance, then the next rewards could be distributed to the rest of the party there.
A phone call to the DMs is also considered as a proof.
If it's only for 1 session... then I guess it can be pretty understoodable ( house duties / house chores / babies / etcetera..... ).
In that specific case, the missed session could be managed by the DM. Then the reward could be managed like this =
* 10 % of any coin for the group, 90% for the player who missed the session.
* the items earned have a 5% to be in a "curse" condition.
If the person who missed the session dosen't brings a proof of his/her not appearance, then the next rewards could be distributed to the rest of the party there.
A phone call to the DMs is also considered as a proof.
This is Adventurer's League play. The first rule is that you have to play to receive any rewards. Your character can't tag along as an NPC if you can't make it. (If you aren't playing AL you can do whatever you like).
The following are current for AL season 9:
Gold rewards are based on hours played to a maximum/level. The actual gold/treasure dropped in the module isn't relevant in AL as long as there is enough treasure to cover the gold/hour played rates. The characters do not receive any excess.
Characters in tier 1 earn 20gp/hour with a cap of 80gp for the level. Each level in tier 1 requires 4 hours of play in a hardcover adventure. Tier 2 and above levels require 8 hours of play to reach the next level. Tier 2 rewards 30gp/hour to a maximum of 240gp for each level in tier 2. Tier 3 and 4 are higher gold amounts.
In addition, the DM can award a level as a milestone if they choose (usually this is done to keep the characters at a level appropriate for the content).
Magic items in AL are also handled differently. Unless a magic item is a Story Award, every player present can choose to take a copy of any magic item that is dropped in an adventure. For example, if an adventuring party found a cloak of protection then every character in the party is allowed to take a cloak of protection. The number of permanent Magic items (basically everything except potions/scrolls/ammunition/common magic items) a character may have is limited. A Tier 1 character can have one magic item. A tier 2 character can have 3 magic items, a tier 3 is 6 and a tier 4 is 10. So characters have to choose which magic items they wish to keep as they level up and experience new content.
AL is designed so that the characters can be played in any AL content, anywhere. You can take an AL legal character and expect to be able to play it in an AL game at a convention or at a game store across the country from where you usually play. All of these restrictions are designed to offer a more level playing field to characters played at a wide variety of locations. The gold constraints mean that other characters are less likely to have masses of gold that you don't (unless they played previous seasons before the rules were introduced), they won't have more magic items, and since AL content is usually grouped by tier (hardcovers being an occasional exception) you usually end up playing with folks about the same level.
That story award is meant to be given out only if you cast spells inside Mahadi's camp. If you cast spells in Mahadi's camp regardless of module completion you get this story award. However, it's also upon the DM to very clearly state the rules of the camp. When I DMed these mods I made sure that it was one of the first things I mentioned, but I still had a few people cast guidance on themselves, or rule lawyer things to say that they thought only leveled spells counted.
Does it suck to start out the season's tier 2 mods at half HP and exhaustion? Yes it does! But the point of these story awards is to add to the roleplay element of adventurers league and to help your character build their history. There are some that are good, and some that are bad. Them's the breaks.
When DMing this season's modules the DM is supposed to ask all the players if they have played in any of the previous modules for the season, and ask details. Don't lie and cheat because you want full HP. Roleplay that your character is parched, dirty and exhausted. Drink a health potion or two to get back to max HP (Should be easy if your HP is as low as you say) and play it smart in combat.
The DM clearly stated the rules of Mahadi's Camp and none of us used any form of violence or magic within the camp walls (we even had a nice chat with the hag in one of the shops). However we started using violence when we entered the bandits camp behind the hill.
I'm not in for lying to an DM about a previous session. I started this thread, because I wanted to know if there was a legal way.
RPG with an exhausted character is nice and interesting to do. I'm doing this with another character in another setting. However there is not much RPG at "my" AL table and most of it comes down at combat. On top of that, there are not that many tier 2 players at my table. Usually we are with three total so we have our hands full with staying alive (oh, and I am the one with the healing spells. I could use that at the beginning of my session I still don't like the continues disadvantage)
I'm not planning to lie and cheat for the full HP. I could use the one standard healing potion we have at the start of every AL session. I could even sacrifices some spell slots for healing. It sucks, but I could live with that. However I also have a disadvantage of all my ability checks. Multiply this by the two other players who were also given this "reward" and you have a party who is doomed to suck.
Having a party who is exhausted can be funny and interesting in a homebrew campaign where there can be a focus on regaining those HP, finding a save haven to rest or something like that. However the next part of the AL probably will be another fight against those fiends or bandits and what not (not to mention all the other dangers). Besides that Avernus doesn't have a lot of shops where you can find healing potions or such things and you need soul coins.
This could be a fun reward who can get players more into RPG if it would only be there for one more session. Now I have to hope that the rolls of the other players and myself are good enough to survive the next three sessions in this hell. Otherwise I lose a character where I put a lot of effort in.
Is that the nature of DnD/AL? Well, if you have to enter a deep ravine and you can choose between using your rope or just jumping straight down you would rather use the rope I assume (unless your RPG provides otherwise)?
The bandit camp isn't part of Mahadi's camp. It's ok to go full murderhobo there. As long as you didn't steal, didn't fight in the camp, or didn't cast any spells including cantrips while inside Mahadi's camp then you should not have the story award. Try talking to the DM about that award and explain that as none of those things happened IN the emporium that the story award doesn't apply.
From what I'm reading either the DM has arbitrarily assigned the story award (Which they cannot do unless you meet the conditions of the story award) or they misinterpreted the rules thinking they meant no magic or fighting through the WHOLE mod. Give them a chat and see what they say about it.
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Warning: slight spoilers (I guess?)
A short while ago I was playing DDAL 0905: Faces of Fortune at my local game store. Due to time we were not able to finish the session and we had to stop before we could find the traitor for Mahadi. The DM didn't want to continue the session another week (we didn't feel much for it either) as we had already split the race and the search over two evenings.
Because we didn't finish the session the DM gave us the story "reward" for being kicked out of Mahadi's camp (along with a very welcome soul coin). This means I will start ever tier 2 adventure in Avernus with half my HP en 1 exhaustion point.
I already don't have a lot of HP to begin with (level 5 spellcaster), my character is very descent at ability checks and I just like playing her, so I don't want to send her to her death when there is no need for it (there is a difference with being killed in a session and being killed with the knowlegde you have a huge disadvantage).
Maybe I sound a bit childish, but can I choose to ignore this session and it rewards?
“No Exceptions
You’ve broken Mahadi’s only rules: “No fighting! No spellcasting! No exceptions!” By choosing to break the rules, you’ve been kicked out of Mahadi’s emporium. Now you must survive in the wastes without its safe shelter. You start any tier 2 Avernus Rising adventure at half hit points and with a level of exhaustion that can’t be removed.”
Not succeeding at the objective of the quest is NOT the same as breaking the rules. You should only receive this story award IF your party was involved in a fight or cast spells. If you didn’t do these things then Mahadi is likely disappointed but you didn’t break the rules and should not receive this story award.
Unless there was more that went on that you didn’t mention, I would talk to the DM involved since based on your description your characters should not have this story award.
probably depends on who the DM is at your next game...if it's the same guy, just keep it - its not a big enough deal to argue over.
If its a new DM, ignore it - its not a big enough deal to worry about.
Not to speak for the folks who actually put this stuff together, but one of the main goals of AL is to ensure people have enough fun that they come back to the table. Despite all the 'don't break the rules, follow these instructions to the letter, etc, etc' hoopla, that goal trumps (imo).
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
A rather comprehensive list of free WotC D&D resources
Deck of Decks
Unfortunately, I have to disagree that it isn't worth arguing over.
The penalty is intended for folks who break the "No fighting! No spellcasting!" rule. The idea is that no one should break this rule without massive and sudden consequences. The story award reduces your hit points by 50% and gives a level of exhaustion that can't be removed at the start of ALL season 9 content that the character plays. A level of exhaustion is permanent disadvantage on all ability checks forever in season 9 content. It is a major negative impact on the character and personally, I think a negative story award of this magnitude is unwarranted. I think the goal was to force the party to solve the situation without resorting to combat or spells.
If the characters in this case simply failed to complete the module and did not resort to combat or spellcasting then they shouldn't have this story award. Anyway, because of the significant negative effect that will make it much less fun to play this character through season 9 content, I think it is well worth discussing with the DM and potentially arguing over it (assuming the characters didn't actually break the rules).
If it's only for 1 session... then I guess it can be pretty understoodable ( house duties / house chores / babies / etcetera..... ).
In that specific case, the missed session could be managed by the DM. Then the reward could be managed like this =
* 10 % of any coin for the group, 90% for the player who missed the session.
* the items earned have a 5% to be in a "curse" condition.
If the person who missed the session dosen't brings a proof of his/her not appearance, then the next rewards could be distributed to the rest of the party there.
A phone call to the DMs is also considered as a proof.
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk
This is Adventurer's League play. The first rule is that you have to play to receive any rewards. Your character can't tag along as an NPC if you can't make it. (If you aren't playing AL you can do whatever you like).
The following are current for AL season 9:
Gold rewards are based on hours played to a maximum/level. The actual gold/treasure dropped in the module isn't relevant in AL as long as there is enough treasure to cover the gold/hour played rates. The characters do not receive any excess.
Characters in tier 1 earn 20gp/hour with a cap of 80gp for the level. Each level in tier 1 requires 4 hours of play in a hardcover adventure. Tier 2 and above levels require 8 hours of play to reach the next level. Tier 2 rewards 30gp/hour to a maximum of 240gp for each level in tier 2. Tier 3 and 4 are higher gold amounts.
In addition, the DM can award a level as a milestone if they choose (usually this is done to keep the characters at a level appropriate for the content).
Magic items in AL are also handled differently. Unless a magic item is a Story Award, every player present can choose to take a copy of any magic item that is dropped in an adventure. For example, if an adventuring party found a cloak of protection then every character in the party is allowed to take a cloak of protection. The number of permanent Magic items (basically everything except potions/scrolls/ammunition/common magic items) a character may have is limited. A Tier 1 character can have one magic item. A tier 2 character can have 3 magic items, a tier 3 is 6 and a tier 4 is 10. So characters have to choose which magic items they wish to keep as they level up and experience new content.
AL is designed so that the characters can be played in any AL content, anywhere. You can take an AL legal character and expect to be able to play it in an AL game at a convention or at a game store across the country from where you usually play. All of these restrictions are designed to offer a more level playing field to characters played at a wide variety of locations. The gold constraints mean that other characters are less likely to have masses of gold that you don't (unless they played previous seasons before the rules were introduced), they won't have more magic items, and since AL content is usually grouped by tier (hardcovers being an occasional exception) you usually end up playing with folks about the same level.
That story award is meant to be given out only if you cast spells inside Mahadi's camp. If you cast spells in Mahadi's camp regardless of module completion you get this story award. However, it's also upon the DM to very clearly state the rules of the camp. When I DMed these mods I made sure that it was one of the first things I mentioned, but I still had a few people cast guidance on themselves, or rule lawyer things to say that they thought only leveled spells counted.
Does it suck to start out the season's tier 2 mods at half HP and exhaustion? Yes it does! But the point of these story awards is to add to the roleplay element of adventurers league and to help your character build their history. There are some that are good, and some that are bad. Them's the breaks.
When DMing this season's modules the DM is supposed to ask all the players if they have played in any of the previous modules for the season, and ask details. Don't lie and cheat because you want full HP. Roleplay that your character is parched, dirty and exhausted. Drink a health potion or two to get back to max HP (Should be easy if your HP is as low as you say) and play it smart in combat.
i dont know about skipping a session but you might be able to
Okee dokee.
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk
Thank you for all your replies!
The DM clearly stated the rules of Mahadi's Camp and none of us used any form of violence or magic within the camp walls (we even had a nice chat with the hag in one of the shops). However we started using violence when we entered the bandits camp behind the hill.
I'm not in for lying to an DM about a previous session. I started this thread, because I wanted to know if there was a legal way.
RPG with an exhausted character is nice and interesting to do. I'm doing this with another character in another setting. However there is not much RPG at "my" AL table and most of it comes down at combat. On top of that, there are not that many tier 2 players at my table. Usually we are with three total so we have our hands full with staying alive (oh, and I am the one with the healing spells. I could use that at the beginning of my session I still don't like the continues disadvantage)
At your serve, Master !!!!
You order... we serve.......
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk
I'm not planning to lie and cheat for the full HP. I could use the one standard healing potion we have at the start of every AL session. I could even sacrifices some spell slots for healing. It sucks, but I could live with that. However I also have a disadvantage of all my ability checks. Multiply this by the two other players who were also given this "reward" and you have a party who is doomed to suck.
Having a party who is exhausted can be funny and interesting in a homebrew campaign where there can be a focus on regaining those HP, finding a save haven to rest or something like that. However the next part of the AL probably will be another fight against those fiends or bandits and what not (not to mention all the other dangers). Besides that Avernus doesn't have a lot of shops where you can find healing potions or such things and you need soul coins.
This could be a fun reward who can get players more into RPG if it would only be there for one more session. Now I have to hope that the rolls of the other players and myself are good enough to survive the next three sessions in this hell. Otherwise I lose a character where I put a lot of effort in.
Is that the nature of DnD/AL? Well, if you have to enter a deep ravine and you can choose between using your rope or just jumping straight down you would rather use the rope I assume (unless your RPG provides otherwise)?
The bandit camp isn't part of Mahadi's camp. It's ok to go full murderhobo there. As long as you didn't steal, didn't fight in the camp, or didn't cast any spells including cantrips while inside Mahadi's camp then you should not have the story award. Try talking to the DM about that award and explain that as none of those things happened IN the emporium that the story award doesn't apply.
From what I'm reading either the DM has arbitrarily assigned the story award (Which they cannot do unless you meet the conditions of the story award) or they misinterpreted the rules thinking they meant no magic or fighting through the WHOLE mod. Give them a chat and see what they say about it.