I am trying to write down an adventure (tier 1, Elemental Evil). At some point the party is on a ship and have to endure an non-natural storm. And I was thinking to "play" storm as follows:
Please fell free to share your thoughts and suggestions.
I wouldn't roll the effects, I'd simply say that the storm is after the ship and it's not ceasing.
Then, while out of combat, I would impose disadvantage on any RP checks using Dex or Str.
Then... it's pretty reasonable that a nearby smaller ship - upon identifying the PCs' ship and seeing that the PCs' ship have way more chances of withstanding the effects of this storm - would attack the PCs' ship and try to take it, as a mean to increase their chances of not dying. Those NPCs would try and approach stealthily, then try and steal the ship and throw everybody overboard. Upon noticing they don't stand a chance, they may want to strike a deal, offer servitude in exchange for their lives, or ask for mercy and offer a treasure map (nearby island, the one they were leaving when the storm hit) if the PCs let them live.
Then, while in combat, this would be the rules: The whole ship is difficult terrain; and at the beginning of each round, everybody makes a Str saving throw 13, upon failure they are thrown 10 ft towards one of the sides of the ship, and fall prone, this doesn't provoke OAs. If they hit the sides of the ship, they make an Athletics or Acrobatics check 15 to try and avoid being thrown in the sea.
I wouldn't roll the effects, I'd simply say that the storm is after the ship and it's not ceasing.
Then, while out of combat, I would impose disadvantage on any RP checks using Dex or Str.
Then... it's pretty reasonable that a nearby smaller ship - upon identifying the PCs' ship and seeing that the PCs' ship have way more chances of withstanding the effects of this storm - would attack the PCs' ship and try to take it, as a mean to increase their chances of not dying. Those NPCs would try and approach stealthily, then try and steal the ship and throw everybody overboard. Upon noticing they don't stand a chance, they may want to strike a deal, offer servitude in exchange for their lives, or ask for mercy and offer a treasure map (nearby island, the one they were leaving when the storm hit) if the PCs let them live.
Then, while in combat, this would be the rules: The whole ship is difficult terrain; and at the beginning of each round, everybody makes a Str saving throw 13, upon failure they are thrown 10 ft towards one of the sides of the ship, and fall prone, this doesn't provoke OAs. If they hit the sides of the ship, they make an Athletics or Acrobatics check 15 to try and avoid being thrown in the sea.
My thinking was that this storm happens without a combat. it is meant to be just a skill challenge.
I have this idea that the scene becomes more fun if you actually add a solvable conflict for the PCs, especially if the conflict can be solved in a number of different ways.
If you roll the dice and get a 1, for example, then you describe the strong winds and how they are making movement difficult, and how it made the PCs fall hard on the ship floor, and then you ask for a saving throw and deal damage (or not) to the group, the experience your PCs will have is not as interesting as when they are in a scene in which they have a conflict and they can try to take different possible actions to try and solve this conflict. For the PCs they will hear a description of an event, they may even never know this event was random, and they will have little option (get inside the boat, grab the rails) to avoid taking damage.
You'll improve your scene if you make the damage dependent on a PC action instead of a passive damage. And you'll also improve the scene if you add an interesting conflict and ways for them to think and solve this conflict.
I'm gonna give you another suggestion without combat (since you said your idea was for it to happen without combat).
You describe the storm coming and getting worse and worse. Then you hint that maybe the storm isn't natural (maybe a Perception check), and that the storm seems to be chasing their ship. Then, take the highest Passive Perception PC you have and describe something like: in the distance you see a faint glowing light that seems to be following your ship, it's right in the middle of the storm. Then explain that the storm will delay their travel and that they may even get lost and that it's probably better if they find a way to get rid of the storm (maybe one of the crew members tell them this, like the old, experienced saylor on board). Then ask for actions. If someone decides to go check the glowing light, tell him the winds are strong and that it's hard to move around the ship, ask for the saving throw and deal damage (notice that now, the damage was the result of a player action, this is way more interesting). Investigation check. Maybe Arcana check. A glowing orb that seems to be summoning the storm. If it takes them too long to fix the storm, you start asking for Survival checks and describe how it's getting harder and harder to get their bearings. They may try to attack the orb, whenever they hit, they destroy the orb and dissipate the storm. Every missed shot makes the orb call a lightning upon them, Dex saves all around, lightning damage (this one too is the result of a player action). Or they may try to cast something (Counterspell? Dispel Magic? Magic Missiles? let them be creative). Or they may try to block the orb movement somehow. Or they may try to retrieve the orb somehow. Or they may try... it doesn't matter, what matters is that now the PCs have a conflict to solve, they have options, they can create interesting outcomes (what if they get the orb, the party may get a new Magic Item), they can inspire you to create a new NPC (who sent the orb to delay their travel?).
There you go, now you have a scene with conflicts, lots of possibilities, outcomes. This scene is engaging, creates tension, forces the players to try and find smart solutions.
Hey, I hope your PCs like your scene. If you want, you can leave a reply after the session describing how you decided to run the scene and how it went. I'm curious to know. Cheers!
I am trying to write down an adventure (tier 1, Elemental Evil). At some point the party is on a ship and have to endure an non-natural storm. And I was thinking to "play" storm as follows:
Please fell free to share your thoughts and suggestions.
I wouldn't roll the effects, I'd simply say that the storm is after the ship and it's not ceasing.
Then, while out of combat, I would impose disadvantage on any RP checks using Dex or Str.
Then... it's pretty reasonable that a nearby smaller ship - upon identifying the PCs' ship and seeing that the PCs' ship have way more chances of withstanding the effects of this storm - would attack the PCs' ship and try to take it, as a mean to increase their chances of not dying. Those NPCs would try and approach stealthily, then try and steal the ship and throw everybody overboard. Upon noticing they don't stand a chance, they may want to strike a deal, offer servitude in exchange for their lives, or ask for mercy and offer a treasure map (nearby island, the one they were leaving when the storm hit) if the PCs let them live.
Then, while in combat, this would be the rules: The whole ship is difficult terrain; and at the beginning of each round, everybody makes a Str saving throw 13, upon failure they are thrown 10 ft towards one of the sides of the ship, and fall prone, this doesn't provoke OAs. If they hit the sides of the ship, they make an Athletics or Acrobatics check 15 to try and avoid being thrown in the sea.
Gotcha.
I have this idea that the scene becomes more fun if you actually add a solvable conflict for the PCs, especially if the conflict can be solved in a number of different ways.
If you roll the dice and get a 1, for example, then you describe the strong winds and how they are making movement difficult, and how it made the PCs fall hard on the ship floor, and then you ask for a saving throw and deal damage (or not) to the group, the experience your PCs will have is not as interesting as when they are in a scene in which they have a conflict and they can try to take different possible actions to try and solve this conflict. For the PCs they will hear a description of an event, they may even never know this event was random, and they will have little option (get inside the boat, grab the rails) to avoid taking damage.
You'll improve your scene if you make the damage dependent on a PC action instead of a passive damage. And you'll also improve the scene if you add an interesting conflict and ways for them to think and solve this conflict.
I'm gonna give you another suggestion without combat (since you said your idea was for it to happen without combat).
You describe the storm coming and getting worse and worse.
Then you hint that maybe the storm isn't natural (maybe a Perception check), and that the storm seems to be chasing their ship.
Then, take the highest Passive Perception PC you have and describe something like: in the distance you see a faint glowing light that seems to be following your ship, it's right in the middle of the storm.
Then explain that the storm will delay their travel and that they may even get lost and that it's probably better if they find a way to get rid of the storm (maybe one of the crew members tell them this, like the old, experienced saylor on board).
Then ask for actions.
If someone decides to go check the glowing light, tell him the winds are strong and that it's hard to move around the ship, ask for the saving throw and deal damage (notice that now, the damage was the result of a player action, this is way more interesting).
Investigation check. Maybe Arcana check. A glowing orb that seems to be summoning the storm.
If it takes them too long to fix the storm, you start asking for Survival checks and describe how it's getting harder and harder to get their bearings.
They may try to attack the orb, whenever they hit, they destroy the orb and dissipate the storm. Every missed shot makes the orb call a lightning upon them, Dex saves all around, lightning damage (this one too is the result of a player action).
Or they may try to cast something (Counterspell? Dispel Magic? Magic Missiles? let them be creative).
Or they may try to block the orb movement somehow. Or they may try to retrieve the orb somehow. Or they may try... it doesn't matter, what matters is that now the PCs have a conflict to solve, they have options, they can create interesting outcomes (what if they get the orb, the party may get a new Magic Item), they can inspire you to create a new NPC (who sent the orb to delay their travel?).
There you go, now you have a scene with conflicts, lots of possibilities, outcomes. This scene is engaging, creates tension, forces the players to try and find smart solutions.
I like the second part. Including Arcana checks is interesting.
I will try also to test the combat situation.
Thanks for the suggestions @Fisherman!
Hey, I hope your PCs like your scene.
If you want, you can leave a reply after the session describing how you decided to run the scene and how it went. I'm curious to know.
Cheers!
I would have the players make a survival check and the DC is determined by 1d4.
1-Long and Dangerous Storm
2- Short and Dangerous Storm
3- Long and Non-Dangerous Storm
4-Short and Non-Dangerous Storm
Then roll 1d100 for a random encounter for costal.
Its just a suggestion, but I think it would make it seem more natural if it had random effects.