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View Full Version : Help me get out of a Rut (DMing advice)



BRC
2010-03-22, 02:50 PM
Recently, I've noticed a pattern with my adventures, they've more or less boiled down to a list of three encounters (The amount that fits in the timeframe of a standard session with my group). While we've been having fun with this, I feel like I could make things alot more interesting, especially now that my group is more experienced. Especially since the first campaign I ran was generally very light on combat, it bugs me to see myself showing up to sessions with little more than a few statblocks week after week.

I'm hoping to change that next session.
The PC's need to acquire a Macguffin, it is currently in the hands of a fire-specialist Vampire Wizard who is also a mob boss, he is currently trying to take over a City the PC's have visited before. Last time they were here, they befriended the Red Kid, a mob boss who happens to be a red dragon (Spends most of his time in human form.)

The Vampire Mob Boss was able to handle the other big crime lords in the city, primarily by burning their establishments to the ground with them inside, or just scaring them off. Now, since the Red Kid is immune to fire, that wouldn't work on him (True the vampire and his minions are fire resistant, but the Red Kid could still tear them apart with his bare hands).
So, the VMB kidnapped the Red Kid's mate (Ms Frost, white dragon, spends lots of time in human form), and is essentially holding her hostage in order to keep the Red Kid quiet while he consolidates control over the rest of the city. So while the VMB works to eliminate the last of his opponents, the Red Kid remains unwilling to act, and has ordered his minions to do nothing besides defend his territory while the rest of the city burns.

It is this situation that the PC's will find when they enter the city. The PC's encounter one of the Red Kid's lieutenants, who fills them in, and offers to help them out, without the Red Kid noticing. If the Red Kid finds out, he'll try to stop them, afraid of provoking the Vampires. So this gives the PC's a limited timeframe in which to take out the vampire before the Red Kid learns that they're in town/what they're up to.

Here is the way I'd like this adventure to go. The VMB is powerful by himself, and very well defended. The PC's get a day or two to prepare themselves for the fight, and to weaken the VMB's defenses in whatever way they can. What I'm looking for is ideas for things they can do. I'd prefer to avoid big combat encounters, as those tend to take lots of out of game time, besides,
By the way, the Vampires here are trading their Cold and electricity resistance for Fire Resistance 20.
the big fight is at the end. Here are some ideas I had so far.
The VMB has a particularly nasty lieutenant, a massive brute nicknamed "The Hammer" (Refluffed Minotaur with the Savage Vampire (LM) template). His coffin is not in the VMB's headquarters, the PC's can try to find it and kill him while he sleeps. If not he'll join the VMB in the final battle (Probably by smashing through the wall like the Kool Aid Man).

The VMB has done a good job of taking out silvered weapons in the city, but it's said that a supply of Silversheen is hidden somewhere, the PC's can try to find it.
The PC's can try to acquire a map of the mansion the VMB is using as a headquarters.
An Alchemist had been making potions of Fire Resistance, but the VMB scared him into stopping. The PC's can try to get some from him, one way or another.

The VMB's mansion is guarded by Hellhounds. Maybe the PC's can find something to help them take care of those.

Godskook
2010-03-22, 03:22 PM
So what's the problem? How is it you get exactly 3 encounters into a session? Are you throwing the same sized groups with a CR = Party's ECL at them every time? Are they or you rushing non-combat activities in order to fit 3 combats to a session?

Also, you're plot sounds very much more than "statblocks for 3 encounters". So much so that I have a hard time believing that piece of self-description. In fact, it sounds like a game I'd enjoy playing in.

Private-Prinny
2010-03-22, 03:28 PM
So, what's the problem? You said that you don't roleplay enough, and then you type out a fun, interesting, and well thought out plot. If you have a perfect model of how to fix your own problem, what do you need suggestions for?

BRC
2010-03-22, 03:46 PM
So what's the problem? How is it you get exactly 3 encounters into a session? Are you throwing the same sized groups with a CR = Party's ECL at them every time? Are they or you rushing non-combat activities in order to fit 3 combats to a session?
Also, you're plot sounds very much more than "statblocks for 3 encounters". So much so that I have a hard time believing that piece of self-description. In fact, it sounds like a game I'd enjoy playing in.
When I plan each session, I plan for 3 encounters (Since encounters are some of the biggest Time Sinks in DnD). 3 encounters and a bit of other stuff generally fills up the time we have, I haven't done much in the way of major challenges or plot advancement that wasn't the PC's and monsters slugging it out for some time.
This is me trying to get myself out of that mindset. As for the purpose of this thread, I'm looking for more ideas on ways the PC's could tilt the odds in their favor, or expansion on the ideas I posted above. For example what sort of things are protecting Charles's Coffin. How might the PC's get past those hellhounds. I need specific ideas, I don't want it to be "We convince the alchemist to give us the potions" "Okay, roll for diplomacy" "23" "Success. He makes you the potions". If the PC's say "We try to find Charles's Coffin" I want to be able to respond with something more than "Roll for gather information".