PDA

View Full Version : Creating fun adventures for low level characters



Melamoto
2009-05-25, 10:25 AM
So, i've finally managed to start DMing. I've gotten the PCs to level 2, and they're at a city, where they travelled to for different reasons. They are not likely to leave this city, as it was their objective for the 1st level, and they each have reasons to be there.
These players are definitely not powergamers, and never will be. They don't even care about creating powerful characters, or an efficient group. They have also never played before. And there are 2 of them.
It's a gestalt game, and they are an Elven Sorcerer/Ranger and a Half-Orc Fighter/Monk. I added a DMPC to help them by bridging the gaps in their party, a Cleric/Rogue (Before you worry about power trips, I have given him deliberate flaws, and he's less powerful than the PCs, so he won't belittle the PCs). We also only have the core rulebooks and ToB, but I am using a Fighter Fix (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107513). I was considering using a different one (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108643), but the Fighter player isn't very good at the kind of complications involved, which is of course another problem.

So, does anyone have any ideas on what kind of adventures could be used to challenge these guys without destroying them? It doesn't just have to be combat, as these guys enjoy a good puzzle. Appropriately, the Elf is smarter than the Half-Orc IRL, but they are still both fairly smart. Any kinds of puzzles, combats, or quest ideas would be appreciated.

Kol Korran
2009-05-25, 10:36 AM
what will make a fun adventure/ encoutner depends on what is fun for the characters. do they like to feel uber powerfull, moderately challanged, or constantly living on the edge? do they want their player backgrounds to come into play or prefer the character grow in game? do they make an effort to play the characters, or do they prefer to focus on the more tactical aspects of the game? do they like the villain to be easely identifiable or more obscure? do they like consistency in the opponenets they face or care more for new, cool monsters? do they like their acts to be known and influence the crowds or be more covert? there are many more possible questions...

as you see there is much information you should gather before jumping into what might be called a fun adventure. take Tomb of Horrors for example- some laove it, some hate it. and it doesn't depend on the module, but on the players...

once you tell us a bit more, maybe we can help you better. otherwise we'll just be shooting in the dark.

Melamoto
2009-05-25, 10:56 AM
what will make a fun adventure/ encoutner depends on what is fun for the characters. do they like to feel uber powerfull, moderately challanged, or constantly living on the edge? do they want their player backgrounds to come into play or prefer the character grow in game? do they make an effort to play the characters, or do they prefer to focus on the more tactical aspects of the game? do they like the villain to be easely identifiable or more obscure? do they like consistency in the opponenets they face or care more for new, cool monsters? do they like their acts to be known and influence the crowds or be more covert? there are many more possible questions...

as you see there is much information you should gather before jumping into what might be called a fun adventure. take Tomb of Horrors for example- some laove it, some hate it. and it doesn't depend on the module, but on the players...

once you tell us a bit more, maybe we can help you better. otherwise we'll just be shooting in the dark.

Ok, i'll give a bit more about the players.

The Elven Sorcerer/Ranger player mainly started playing just because me and the other player were going to, but he's grown to like D&D. He sometimes gets a bit off-topic, but is the one who plays smartest. He's always cautious about traps, he thinks before he acts, and enjoys it when plots play out and mysteries get solved. He still enjoys combat quite a bit, and would rather be hunting goblins than bartering with a merchant. However, he built his character with bluffing and deception in mind as well, and went Sorcerer/Ranger because he likes the style of them, i.e. tracking, hunting, and working around situations.
His character is focused around those aspects, and favours Evocation over other schools, mainly because he wants to feel powerful and badass. True Neutral. His goal in the city is to gain money adventuring for his family back in elven lands. He has a backstory involving a long ancestry of wizards, and he was a born sorcerer, but he left it to me to fill in anything if I wanted to. He's not too interested in it, but he would probably find any kind of quest involving his past interesting. Midway between Role-playing and Roll-playing, but he stays in character just fine.

The Half-Orc Fighter/Monk likes to be uber and strong, with a great strength and agility score but low intellect and charisma score. He still likes puzzles, but the combat is what really keeps him interested. If it's any hint as to his personality about the game, he dual wields Nunchuku. He would like to expose the captain of the guard's corruption, but would afterwards like to beat the crap out of him. He pretty much built his character to be a complete beat-em-up, swift, strong, and light on his feet.
His character has few skills, and is dedicated almost wholly to combat. Chaotic Neutral (Houseruled chaotic monk). His goal in the city is to hone his skills and become a true master of battle. He also doesn't know who his parents are, as he was adopted by a Monastery when he was left on their doorstep (He lacks creativity at times). A definite Roleplayer, who has interests in his backstory and has essentially left it to me to come up with the rest of his past for an adventure.

The DMPC Cleric/Rogue was built to be paranoid, and have ties with many underground societies, most prominently the thieves guild. I did this to provide plenty of Plot Hooks for the party, and so that he would have some life. Mainly, he's secretive (They don't even know his name), but he is on their side at least. His reason for going to the City was so that he could meet with a contact, who was going to provide him with safety and a business deal. The PCs don't know his reasons, however. Also, I have it planned that the contact has sold him out to the thieves guild and is going to ambush him when he meets up with him as an extra adventure.

That's pretty much what i've got.

Berserk Monk
2009-05-25, 11:29 AM
-Clear out a tavern basement full of dire rats.
-Stop some kobolds raiders.
-Kill a rust monster that's been harming a blacksmith's business.
-Deliver a package to a far off town that requires you go through a dangerous woods (this could actually work for any campaign where teleport or other such transportation means are not available to the PCs).

Melamoto
2009-05-25, 11:37 AM
-Clear out a tavern basement full of dire rats.
-Stop some kobolds raiders.
-Kill a rust monster that's been harming a blacksmith's business.
-Deliver a package to a far off town that requires you go through a dangerous woods (this could actually work for any campaign where teleport or other such transportation means are not available to the PCs).Even if they are a little clichéd, those are some good ideas that i'll use, especially the rust monster one. And the Kobold raids tie in to an overarching plot line I have going. The last one also works pretty well, seeing as the city is located on the borders of a huge forest.

Kol Korran
2009-05-25, 12:28 PM
ok, that is quite the info actually. i can try and work with that. here are a few ideas:
- before the DMPC meets the contact he is quite nerveous, fidgety, after talking to another contact. he jokes with the party and tells them some sort of a clue of where to find him if things go wrong. he comes to the meeting with the PCs, when the ambush is struck! some fighting, and in the middle of it the DMPC runs away (perhaps using a potion of invisibility he has, or just expeditious retreat potion or the like). he yells to the PCs he is sorry, but he realy is too much of a coward and runs away. as the PCs are about to win the fight, one of the baddies escape as well, not before yelling that all losse ends must be cut down!
what basically happens is that for some reason there is a an attempt to powershift at the thieves guild. the head thief has been killed (perhaps also the rest of his relatively high level big hunchos), no one knows by whom, and now people are trying to fill the gap. and by doing so they try and eliminate any opposition, which the DMPC is considered to be, him being aligned with a rival character.
the PCs now try and track their companion. the clue given to them before the meeting should be vague, so they'd have to do some guessing work to try and find him. have several locations possible for explorations (suggestions: cemetery, brothel, a temple, the sewers, the docks). in the meantime the DMPC and the PCs are hunted by friends of the guy that escaped, so there should be plenty of opportunities for roleplay and battle (how about a battle in the brothel, with some of it's... "proffesionals"?) the idea is that the PCs explore the city a bit.
in the end they can find him on their own, or a fellow thief might track them by the ruckus they make, and point them at the right direction. once they meet their friend, things become a bit clearer, and the DMPC realy pledges himself to the two, if they will help him solve this.
from here you can play it in several ways, small street/ sewer fights, some tactical fights using the allied thieves of their part, or maybe a mission to sneak and take out the head of the other party (or their wizard or so on) i do suggest you leave the mystery of who killed the head guy unanswered (my idea: he stole something he shouldn't have, and was tracked down and killed for it. or perhaps he knew too much) the PCs now have a place in the city, but there are still questions abounding...
possible power groups in the struggle: a small group of halfing who decided their kind should rule, a more religious sect that worships more enlightened/ darker god of thievery, several were rats that seek to infect all the guild, someone who wants to expand operations beyond thievery to assasination and brutality, a noble that is also secretly a rogue, and more...

(i think this appeals to both your players, it has elements to fit both. the first part is more "puzzly", the second one is more "battley", but each part can have enough of both if you plan it right)

2) Kord (or a similar god of strength), now holds a great festival, celebrating great warriors and fits of strength in the past. a similar thread here ("city based ideas" i think it is called) holds one of my ideas for festivals. but for this particular festival there is a twist. the high priest of kord announces a tournament of battles, for a great reward! all contestents must fight in pairs, and heavy betting is allowed. a duo may participate 2 fights per night: one against the other duos, to climb up the ladder, and another against foul monsters that were captured for this event especially. defeating the creatures would reward the players with substantial rewards as well.
considering your half orc i think it is very likely they will join the competition. the trick is not to make it just a series of battles, but also integrate intrigue and plot behind it. some ideas:
- the party find some of the fighters don't relay want to fight (do this with especially effective fighters). they are either controlled magically, or someone blackmails them somehow (perhaps the blackmailer holds a loved one somewhere, and he forces the able combatant to win fights, and therefore raise the stakes against him, and later on he plans on making him lose intentionally. of course, there could be more sinister ideas). the party must first learn of this (which could be a problem in itself), and then find a way to "Free" the combatant from his obligation, without alarming the blackmailer. (an interesting puzzle for the elf)

- someone who wants the PCs to fail befriedns them, buys them drinks, gets to know them, and then uses that information against them- perhaps besmirching their names, perhaps brigning some ghost from their past (this could work well with both characters).

- as a continuation to this, you could have the characters face a particularily challanging battle if they have been poisoned just before the battle, perhaps by a "power potion" given to them by their "friend".

- the party may be captured and replaced by dooplegangers, so they could lose, and someone in the know win a hefty bet. the party needs to escape, maybe stop the fights in time, and if not find a way to prove it wasn't them!

- unknown to the party the festival's true intent is to find the two that were prophesized. whomever wins the trounament (or comes second or whatever) are the ones who'se arrival was foretold. now what kind of prophecy is it? i don't know. it could lead them to another quest, it could lead them to be attacked and hunted by the priests of kord as "a danger that must be extinguished!". i suggest making a vague prophecy, that could be read in several ways, and that could be desciphered for several meanings. this would keep the elf busy for a loooooong while.

this idea appeals to both players, providing you supply with enough roleplay opportunities outside of battle. this could be especially interesting if you entangle this plot with another plot (like the thieves guild one), so the players have something to do during the day, and during the night (the fights in the tournament and the ceremonies shouldn't take too long)
key point: create interesting characters outside of combat, and combatants.

i gotta go now, but this will hopefully help you get started. i might drop in later and add a few more thoughts.

Melamoto
2009-05-25, 12:57 PM
ok, that is quite the info actually. i can try and work with that. here are a few ideas:
- before the DMPC meets the contact he is quite nerveous, fidgety, after talking to another contact. he jokes with the party and tells them some sort of a clue of where to find him if things go wrong. he comes to the meeting with the PCs, when the ambush is struck! some fighting, and in the middle of it the DMPC runs away (perhaps using a potion of invisibility he has, or just expeditious retreat potion or the like). he yells to the PCs he is sorry, but he realy is too much of a coward and runs away. as the PCs are about to win the fight, one of the baddies escape as well, not before yelling that all losse ends must be cut down!
what basically happens is that for some reason there is a an attempt to powershift at the thieves guild. the head thief has been killed (perhaps also the rest of his relatively high level big hunchos), no one knows by whom, and now people are trying to fill the gap. and by doing so they try and eliminate any opposition, which the DMPC is considered to be, him being aligned with a rival character.
the PCs now try and track their companion. the clue given to them before the meeting should be vague, so they'd have to do some guessing work to try and find him. have several locations possible for explorations (suggestions: cemetery, brothel, a temple, the sewers, the docks). in the meantime the DMPC and the PCs are hunted by friends of the guy that escaped, so there should be plenty of opportunities for roleplay and battle (how about a battle in the brothel, with some of it's... "proffesionals"?) the idea is that the PCs explore the city a bit.
in the end they can find him on their own, or a fellow thief might track them by the ruckus they make, and point them at the right direction. once they meet their friend, things become a bit clearer, and the DMPC realy pledges himself to the two, if they will help him solve this.
from here you can play it in several ways, small street/ sewer fights, some tactical fights using the allied thieves of their part, or maybe a mission to sneak and take out the head of the other party (or their wizard or so on) i do suggest you leave the mystery of who killed the head guy unanswered (my idea: he stole something he shouldn't have, and was tracked down and killed for it. or perhaps he knew too much) the PCs now have a place in the city, but there are still questions abounding...
possible power groups in the struggle: a small group of halfing who decided their kind should rule, a more religious sect that worships more enlightened/ darker god of thievery, several were rats that seek to infect all the guild, someone who wants to expand operations beyond thievery to assasination and brutality, a noble that is also secretly a rogue, and more...

(i think this appeals to both your players, it has elements to fit both. the first part is more "puzzly", the second one is more "battley", but each part can have enough of both if you plan it right)

2) Kord (or a similar god of strength), now holds a great festival, celebrating great warriors and fits of strength in the past. a similar thread here ("city based ideas" i think it is called) holds one of my ideas for festivals. but for this particular festival there is a twist. the high priest of kord announces a tournament of battles, for a great reward! all contestents must fight in pairs, and heavy betting is allowed. a duo may participate 2 fights per night: one against the other duos, to climb up the ladder, and another against foul monsters that were captured for this event especially. defeating the creatures would reward the players with substantial rewards as well.
considering your half orc i think it is very likely they will join the competition. the trick is not to make it just a series of battles, but also integrate intrigue and plot behind it. some ideas:
- the party find some of the fighters don't relay want to fight (do this with especially effective fighters). they are either controlled magically, or someone blackmails them somehow (perhaps the blackmailer holds a loved one somewhere, and he forces the able combatant to win fights, and therefore raise the stakes against him, and later on he plans on making him lose intentionally. of course, there could be more sinister ideas). the party must first learn of this (which could be a problem in itself), and then find a way to "Free" the combatant from his obligation, without alarming the blackmailer. (an interesting puzzle for the elf)

- someone who wants the PCs to fail befriedns them, buys them drinks, gets to know them, and then uses that information against them- perhaps besmirching their names, perhaps brigning some ghost from their past (this could work well with both characters).

- as a continuation to this, you could have the characters face a particularily challanging battle if they have been poisoned just before the battle, perhaps by a "power potion" given to them by their "friend".

- the party may be captured and replaced by dooplegangers, so they could lose, and someone in the know win a hefty bet. the party needs to escape, maybe stop the fights in time, and if not find a way to prove it wasn't them!

- unknown to the party the festival's true intent is to find the two that were prophesized. whomever wins the trounament (or comes second or whatever) are the ones who'se arrival was foretold. now what kind of prophecy is it? i don't know. it could lead them to another quest, it could lead them to be attacked and hunted by the priests of kord as "a danger that must be extinguished!". i suggest making a vague prophecy, that could be read in several ways, and that could be desciphered for several meanings. this would keep the elf busy for a loooooong while.

this idea appeals to both players, providing you supply with enough roleplay opportunities outside of battle. this could be especially interesting if you entangle this plot with another plot (like the thieves guild one), so the players have something to do during the day, and during the night (the fights in the tournament and the ceremonies shouldn't take too long)
key point: create interesting characters outside of combat, and combatants.

i gotta go now, but this will hopefully help you get started. i might drop in later and add a few more thoughts.
...wow. These are incredible ideas. I'd be killing my own campaign if I didn't include these.

Tsotha-lanti
2009-05-25, 01:01 PM
Emphasize meaningful choices and decisions over rolls. Leave lots of room for cleverness and the players' own ideas - reward it and encourage it. When they go in a direction, go with them. Try not to "block" by saying no, but find some way to turn their idea around so it works. (Unless, obviously, it's just inane.)

The most memorable and fun adventures are the ones where you got to come up with something cool, clever, or effective, and do it.