DMing Help

[SirTalen]

Hi all,

This is my first post on the forums please forgive any major errors.
My problem is thus, I've managed to convince my girlfriend to play a game of dungeons and dragons (we're going to do the H1: Shadowfell keep for 4E) but shes said she'll only play if she gets a horse to ride. Thats fine but it seems that a horse would be very reluctant to enter any of the areas the PC's would need to enter to play the Adventure properly. Of course it could always be left outside but I think she maybe reluctant to take this method
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Also any tips on maximising non combat encounters over combat ones?

Thanks in advance

[Kaun]

To beef up your non combat encounters make your NPC's more 3d and more fleshed out and make your tricks and traps more involved.

To drop down your combat encounters substitute mobs with minions so the fights still look big but dont last as long. Just leave the leaders with there full hp.

Thats just a couple of quick ideas.

[holywhippet]

Use rule 0 to create either a horse figurine which she can use to summon in a horse from another plane when she needs it. When she needs to go indoors she can dismiss it. You could make it some kind of golem if you really want - the figurine grows/shrinks when given a command word.

Non-combat encounters? Try adding some diplomacy challenges or throw some puzzles/riddles at the party.

[Lioness]

If it's a mount, can't you randomly summon and de-summon it at will?

[dsmiles]

Use rule 0 to create either a horse figurine which she can use to summon in a horse from another plane when she needs it. When she needs to go indoors she can dismiss it. You could make it some kind of golem if you really want - the figurine grows/shrinks when given a command word.

This. Look back to earlier editions' Figurines of Wonderous Power for the mechanics on it.

[DonEsteban]

Or she might be willing to play a small character with a riding dog. Much easier to take along in dungeons...

[Optimystik]

If it's a mount, can't you randomly summon and de-summon it at will?

And don't forget its extraplanar saddlebags (http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1273) :smallwink:

[Ashtar]

I'd say, don't play H1: Shadowfell keep. Be inspired by it, but write your own adventure, made for her, improvised around what gives her the most satisfaction.

Then you'll have someone who wants to repeat the experience.

Don't make her go through a badly constructed module, with endlessly long, hard and boring fights, just to make her suffer like the others who started 4e using that.

Give her a fun quest about riding across the country to deliver a message to the king of a foreign land, before the war is declared (*bonus points if she is the princess of the country in question, running from agents who are supposed to be loyal to her father). Of course, this plot was shamelessly stolen. :smallbiggrin: