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View Full Version : Putting the Squeeze on PCs Underground



Armoury99
2009-01-17, 06:44 PM
Hi again, Playgrounders!

So... my party wil soon be delving into the underdark, and I really want to put the (literal) squeeze onto them as they travel a network of narrow passages. I want a big spelunking theme and lots of varied terrain. This part I have covered, but I'm thinking about the various spells/abilities that PCs might pull out and how prevent them from begating the jumps, climbs, falls, and other problems without simply nerfing their abilities to uselessness.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks in advance.

zakk2to2
2009-01-17, 06:54 PM
tuckers kobolds (http://www.tuckerskobolds.com/)

Inyssius Tor
2009-01-17, 06:54 PM
Need more data!

What level are your players? What class?
Do you have any ideas about your Underdark? As far as you've planned it out, what and who lives there?

Seffbasilisk
2009-01-17, 07:01 PM
Track food/water, dead end routes, places where a DC 30 escape artist check is required to squeeze through...

Adamantine weaponry tunneling can cause instabilities, cave-ins, bring wandering monsters...

Spider Climb will be very useful, but stalactites/stalagmites can make anyone without perfect maneuverability stay close to the ground.

Jack_Simth
2009-01-17, 07:06 PM
Hi again, Playgrounders!

So... my party wil soon be delving into the underdark, and I really want to put the (literal) squeeze onto them as they travel a network of narrow passages. I want a big spelunking theme and lots of varied terrain. This part I have covered, but I'm thinking about the various spells/abilities that PCs might pull out and how prevent them from begating the jumps, climbs, falls, and other problems without simply nerfing their abilities to uselessness.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks in advance.
Unless they've got abilities like Spider Climb and Fly at-will for the entire party, simply throwing a LOT of such at them will take care of it. Skills have the big advantage of being at-will. Spells have limited per-day uses. For a very, very long climb, taking 10 at the Climb skill is much more effective than is the Spider Climb Spell, spammed four times ... that is, if everyone has ranks in the skill (which is not likely).

Curmudgeon
2009-01-17, 09:15 PM
I agree. Make it so that using spells to bypass obstacles will burn through their spells quickly, or cause greater difficulties. Stone Shape is easy -- except it can lead to collapses if they change the structure supporting all that weight above. And Passwall is dangerous if you make a passage through to a large chamber full of water. Any air movement of 2.3 MPH or faster (a very gentle breeze) is faster than what you can achieve in Gaseous Form.

Small passageways will immediately nerf Enlarge Person, and make Reduce Person desirable instead. Plus stringing the party out and making them use the squeezing rules will give them the claustrophobic willies.

And all of this just uses the most common underground features, in the most common fashion, so that your players shouldn't feel that you're out to get them. Real underground exploration, as opposed to constructed dungeons, is risky business.