In order to keep my players from becoming murderhobos, I've designed a set of static lynchpins in the action called "LoDTs" Life or Death Tasks, they're stategically placed so as to keep the players from accidentally wandering into an are with monsters that are too hard, or that has weather conditions that they aren't equipped to survive. That's a BIG one. These tasks are made so that you have to complete them all in order to progress to the next part of the story. There's no particular order to them except for the Regional Boss (mini-bad) never show themselves before these other conditions have been met. For example; to leave the first province, the PC's must manage to;
make travel safer during the day by clearing at least 3-7 known bandit camps.
find an artifact that will reveal a big secret.
end a citywide lockdown.
secure passage between Hearth and The Sea of Jabarrah.
Then before leaving, they have to kill Arkley, the mad red mage.
Do you think this kind of holding system is a decent set up? The PC's haven't started the LoDT's yet, but they just got into a guild so they have access to free room and board as long as their in a city with a Ranger Cadre Headquarters anyways. I'm trying to make sure that they have plenty to do so they get strong enough to survive the coming Trials. Even after completing every LoDT except for ending the big bunch of big bads (crimson court) they still have to actually find the Doorways of the Trials and complete each of those tasks to truly achieve victory.
This is something I actually need feedback on asap, because they did seem slightly overwhelmed at the map this morning. I'm not trying to make a Skyrim. Too much looting and busywork is still a bad thing. But they'll need the extra toughness to beat the crimson court and pass the Trials.
Every combat oriented guild has a similar set of uber objectives. Rangers hunt legendary monsters, the Militia members have to find all of the bandit strongholds and clear them all out.
The Inquisition has to find and destroy the four heretical cults spread across all three provinces, they will not come into contact with the last one until they gain access to the far northern province of Hakhan.
I didn't think about it but if you need more intel, each province has 5 LoDT's and they're called that because they are matters of life and death. You can try to bypass them and find alternate ways forward, but the enemies will be considerably stronger and PC's get a large amount of xp and treasure to get stronger themselves and get stronger gear.
Really need an answer guys and gals. I can't just ask my players because they don't know what they have to do for the LoDT's and I'd prefer to keep it that way until they start doing them.
I'd accept a MOD's answer too, if you've got time to give it. This late in the evening, I've just got tonight to make up an all new map if I need to. Just, is the Life or Death Tasks system too much? I happen to like a full world map, that lets me know that the map maker planned lots of awesome stuff for us. Not everyone is me though.
All in all, counting the LoDT's, epic bounties, and artifact hunts (only LoDT's and Artifacts are mandatory) there are 15 LoDT's; 5 in each province. There are 12 epic Lairs known, so that's all that I marked on the map for those. But the Artifact Hunts, that could be a problem because there are 20 in total. 15 are items or armor. and 5 are either relics that will weaken specific bosses or weapons.
At this point I'll take a yes too many objectives or no sounds fine. I wouldn't keep pestering about this if I didn't wonder about it myself. They did seem a tad overwhelmed when they say the updated world map this morning.
I think it's a pretty good Idea, but you should probably try and spin it in a way that sort of doesn't exactly make it seem like you're doing it. Maybe link all the things together so that the PCs end up spending longer than they intended to, just as you planned?
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"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Also, if players are going to wander into a higher level area, you could either just throw lower level stuff instead, or you could have townspeople warn them of all the things that lie ahead, and if they go ahead anyway, it's their own fault their upper body ends up here and their lower body over there instead of connected to their upper body, like it should be.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Thank you. I think it was equal parts surprise that I put that much effort into a map as well as the sheer number of things to do. Because just the mandatory things to get to the finale means completing upwards of 35 tasks
The LoDT's are spread quite far apart since this is a survival based campaign. So part of the excitement is in the journey. I've never seen somebody so excited to see something like a slightly magical leather patch you can get wet on one side then press to a torn waterskin and it seals like a patch on an inflatable raft. They dig some of the survival trinkets I made for them. Especially the Everfloe Stone. Put it in an empty water skin or glass bottle, then shake the container once and it fills it with fresh clean drinking water. But only usable once per day.
But I make sure to sprinkle in humor and levity where I can. In the merchants' fair in the city the PC's started in, they got offered some "Genuine Gnomish" pocket watches by a gnome wearing a wide brim hat, sunglasses and an oversized "hustler coat". Pssst hey you! Yeah youz! You wanna buy some watches? Then he opened his coat and had a bunch hanging in the side of the coat. And the lady that sold survival gear was basically a human version of Aunt Fanny from robots.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
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In order to keep my players from becoming murderhobos, I've designed a set of static lynchpins in the action called "LoDTs" Life or Death Tasks, they're stategically placed so as to keep the players from accidentally wandering into an are with monsters that are too hard, or that has weather conditions that they aren't equipped to survive. That's a BIG one. These tasks are made so that you have to complete them all in order to progress to the next part of the story. There's no particular order to them except for the Regional Boss (mini-bad) never show themselves before these other conditions have been met. For example; to leave the first province, the PC's must manage to;
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
Do you think this kind of holding system is a decent set up? The PC's haven't started the LoDT's yet, but they just got into a guild so they have access to free room and board as long as their in a city with a Ranger Cadre Headquarters anyways. I'm trying to make sure that they have plenty to do so they get strong enough to survive the coming Trials. Even after completing every LoDT except for ending the big bunch of big bads (crimson court) they still have to actually find the Doorways of the Trials and complete each of those tasks to truly achieve victory.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
This is something I actually need feedback on asap, because they did seem slightly overwhelmed at the map this morning. I'm not trying to make a Skyrim. Too much looting and busywork is still a bad thing. But they'll need the extra toughness to beat the crimson court and pass the Trials.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
Every combat oriented guild has a similar set of uber objectives. Rangers hunt legendary monsters, the Militia members have to find all of the bandit strongholds and clear them all out.
The Inquisition has to find and destroy the four heretical cults spread across all three provinces, they will not come into contact with the last one until they gain access to the far northern province of Hakhan.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
Come on somebody! I need to know if this is too much because if it is, I've only got tonight to make a whole new map!
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
I didn't think about it but if you need more intel, each province has 5 LoDT's and they're called that because they are matters of life and death. You can try to bypass them and find alternate ways forward, but the enemies will be considerably stronger and PC's get a large amount of xp and treasure to get stronger themselves and get stronger gear.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
What say you? Do you think its too much?
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
Really need an answer guys and gals. I can't just ask my players because they don't know what they have to do for the LoDT's and I'd prefer to keep it that way until they start doing them.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
I'd accept a MOD's answer too, if you've got time to give it. This late in the evening, I've just got tonight to make up an all new map if I need to. Just, is the Life or Death Tasks system too much? I happen to like a full world map, that lets me know that the map maker planned lots of awesome stuff for us. Not everyone is me though.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
I'm not trying to be pushy but I mean, come on somebody. Anybody. Moonlight's a wasting.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
All in all, counting the LoDT's, epic bounties, and artifact hunts (only LoDT's and Artifacts are mandatory) there are 15 LoDT's; 5 in each province. There are 12 epic Lairs known, so that's all that I marked on the map for those. But the Artifact Hunts, that could be a problem because there are 20 in total. 15 are items or armor. and 5 are either relics that will weaken specific bosses or weapons.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
At this point I'll take a yes too many objectives or no sounds fine. I wouldn't keep pestering about this if I didn't wonder about it myself. They did seem a tad overwhelmed when they say the updated world map this morning.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
I think it's a pretty good Idea, but you should probably try and spin it in a way that sort of doesn't exactly make it seem like you're doing it. Maybe link all the things together so that the PCs end up spending longer than they intended to, just as you planned?
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Also, if players are going to wander into a higher level area, you could either just throw lower level stuff instead, or you could have townspeople warn them of all the things that lie ahead, and if they go ahead anyway, it's their own fault their upper body ends up here and their lower body over there instead of connected to their upper body, like it should be.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Thank you. I think it was equal parts surprise that I put that much effort into a map as well as the sheer number of things to do. Because just the mandatory things to get to the finale means completing upwards of 35 tasks
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
The LoDT's are spread quite far apart since this is a survival based campaign. So part of the excitement is in the journey. I've never seen somebody so excited to see something like a slightly magical leather patch you can get wet on one side then press to a torn waterskin and it seals like a patch on an inflatable raft. They dig some of the survival trinkets I made for them. Especially the Everfloe Stone. Put it in an empty water skin or glass bottle, then shake the container once and it fills it with fresh clean drinking water. But only usable once per day.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
But I make sure to sprinkle in humor and levity where I can. In the merchants' fair in the city the PC's started in, they got offered some "Genuine Gnomish" pocket watches by a gnome wearing a wide brim hat, sunglasses and an oversized "hustler coat". Pssst hey you! Yeah youz! You wanna buy some watches? Then he opened his coat and had a bunch hanging in the side of the coat. And the lady that sold survival gear was basically a human version of Aunt Fanny from robots.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways