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SoD
2010-06-13, 02:43 AM
Yeah, title pretty much says it all. I'm going to be running the Savage Tide adventure path, and my party is pretty much all evil, or at least non-good. So far I have; a NE cleric of Nerull, his ally, an entropic reaper (read; undead skeleton dude with a big scythe), his butler (NPC rogue, non-combatant) someone who's said he wants to play 'something really evil', and I've got one more person who typically plays N characters.

This will be my first experience running the Savage Tide adventure path, any tips, either in general, or for specifically running it for an evil party, or for running an evil party?

Rumpus
2010-06-13, 12:11 PM
I'll be very curious to hear how this works out. Unless you go totally off the rails, your PCs are still going to be battling Demigorogn at the end with the fate of the world in the balance. No matter how evil your PCs are, they can't be worse than Demigorgon and Company, so they can torture as many small children as they like in their downtime, they will still be the relative good guys. I think the way to make it work from a story perspective is that you still run everything as normal, but make EVERYBODY in the world amoral, a la The Black Company universe. People will always be willing to hire mercenaries when they need violence done, and not many people who are willing to kill for treasure are the most stable people out there.

All that being said, there is a huge difference between evil PCs and monstrous evil PCs. Humans who wear black may just be baddasses (or New Yorkers), and even an orc or bugbear may be acceptable in town if he is clearly restraining himself, but a skeleton walking around with a huge scythe isn't going to find many people who don't either run away screaming or roll for initiative as soon as they see him. Not saying it shouldn't be allowed, but the skellie being present ought to limit the PC's diplomatic options to Intimidate with all but the most jaded NPCs. Plus, I know breathing isn't a problem for the skeleton, but there is no possible way for him to swim: he doesn't float, and there is no flesh between his bones to push the water. Any time he hits the ocean, he's going to sink like a rock. Might not be a problem in most campaigns, but since so much of Savage Tide is seaborne there may be difficulties. His first magic item needs to be a giant orange vest that allows him to float!

oxybe
2010-06-13, 12:39 PM
by the end of our savage tide game my warlock & the party's wizard were decidedly evil. the wizard in a power-mad kind way and my warlock was just well... Shump was Shump.

he did what he had to do because he liked the prime material plane: all his favortie stuff was there. though the destruction of the plane would cause all accursed boat spiders to be destroyed, the loss of his stuff (and especially Mr.ChimChim and Sebastian the III) would be a major bummer.

evil characters can have loves and likes and their own reasons to save the world. they might not have the most valorous of reasons, but if faced with a choice that's effectively : relocate to a plane where you're not the highest level thing on the continent (or even city block), lose all your stuff and go into hiding since the guy who DID blow up your world will probably be coming for you... or go off the wanker for being a jerk and retire in luxury (or die trying).

Shump was proud. violent, sadistic, kinda crazy and proud. he wasn't about to let a little thing like a Demon Prince stop him from achieving immortality, REAL ULTIMATE POWER and keeping his favorite places all in one piece.

so he offed Demoman (well, the final blow at least). he then retired to his personal island resort with following of cultists, a high level-lich on his buddy list (whom he brought to the prime material as well and helped settle in) and the pet monkey Mr.ChimChim and Sebastian the III, faithful pack mule left at the estate, both of which he's had since level 1 (he only traveled with the monkey in the later end of the game).

life is good when you're the hoboverlord.

on a side-note: skeletons in D&D can swim. sure, it doesn't make sense biologically/physically but IMO neither does a giant being able to walk and run (the giant's legs should probably let out in all honesty. a humanoid body shouldn't be able to grow to that size)