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Adam...?
2012-04-19, 11:23 PM
So I've been DMing this drawn out semi-sandbox game for awhile, and I've gotten myself a little bit stuck.

Skipping over a bunch of backstory, the PCs have allied themselves with an invading army. There's this enemy fort they want to capture. Unfortunately, via strange and mysterious magics, the fort defenders have been transformed into clockwork golem monstrosities. Now the PCs figure rank-and-file troops will get torn to shreds trying to attack the powerful constructs, so they want to take on the fort by themselves. Seeing as the PCs are level 13, I figure that's pretty reasonable.

However, they way I envision this, the PCs will fly over the walls, bombard whatever golems are in the courtyard, then bust through the front doors and fight their way through any opposition until it is no longer able to oppose them. And while that would work, I'm just seeing a bunch of encounters against the exact same enemies over and over again. And that sounds like it'd get boring fast.

So my question to you is: how would you make this series of encounters more interesting?

Some seed ideas:
-More varied enemies? I've already got basic golems statted up, as well as some hulking hurler style guys who can toss giant gears. And a huge "boss" style guy. I figure that should at least keep the battles from being being a simple slugfest, but it'll still get old fast.

-Interesting objectives? Right now, I think the PCs will take "kill all defenders" as their goal. Somehow convincing them to accept a series of interesting objectives could keep things fresh for longer. However I can't think of anything that would both be interesting and actually make sense. The classic "open the gate from the inside" scenario doesn't really work when your army is trying to stay away from the guys inside in the fort.

-Speaking of which, maybe adding some element that involved the supporting army would work? In a modern setting, giving the PCs the option to call in airstrikes and the like would be fun, but I can't think of how it could apply in a fantasy setting. Backup battlemages tossing in targeted spells or something?

-Interesting terrain? I know there's not really much room to include cool structural features in a standard fort, and most of the PCs will probably be flying anyways, but terrain always makes combats more unique. Maybe some sort of situation where a series of portcullises can be used to stop enemies from getting to them?

-Really, you're still reading this? That's pretty impressive. Feel free to elaborate and/or tear down these ideas, or just shout out something completely new. Really, I'd appreciate any input on the matter.

Heatwizard
2012-04-19, 11:37 PM
You could extend the clockwork theme to the building itself, might not be too much of a stretch. Put some gears around the fort; on the walls, on the floor, on the ceiling. You step on a floor gear, you spin around on it. You can grab vertical gears and ride them up to the next floor, or push enemies into them and watch them get crunched like tin cans. Entire rooms that spin vertically, clock arms sweep the stage, one room can have a big pendulum swing through every other round.
(I have most of a clock tower dungeon drawn up in one of my notebooks, can you tell?)

Pyron
2012-04-20, 12:44 AM
So my question to you is: how would you make this series of encounters more interesting?

I think the issue is that if the players are going to storm the gates by themselves and kill all defenders, then it goes have the potential to get boring fast because the objective is straight forward.

The question that I should ask is, exactly, how powerful is the clockwork army compared to the rank-and-file army. Also is there anything that could be done to even the odds. Once you figured this out, these could be your interesting objectives.

Do the golems have any elemental or other weaknesses that could be exploited. For example, if they function like hive-minded robots, then it might be possible to draw them out and set up an ambush that give the PC's army the edge. The thing here is that, instead of having the players just charge in the fortress, they seeking to ways to shape the battle in their favor.

Or, if strange magic caused the transformation, is there a way to undo the spell. For example, if there is an artifact that turned the men into golems then destroying (or obtaining) it could be a better objective. Alternately, you could take a page from TPM and have the PCs destroy the "control runes" that's powering the golem, causing them all to shut down.

If you want to spice-up the supporting army, then that could be an objective in itself. If the player want an army that can call an airstrike, have them go out an recruit some young metallic dragons in their ranks. If I may go on slight tangent, I don't see why the enemy army should always gets cool things, like golem forts, while the PC's ally army are just rank-and-file soldier who would get slaughtered. Granted, I don't really how you have things set up, but I've been in plenty of games where the enemy army has all these creative unit types and the 'good guy' is limited to elven archers and dwarven pikemen. I say, let the good guys be creative and build an army with Ent "siege weapon", dragon "artillery", or Pegasus skirmishers.

However, if the PCs do decide to storm the fortress by themselves, then you're on the right track of at least having varied monsters. Also, if you're afraid of encounters being too repetitive, then just have them play through the "interesting encounters" with the boss monster and hand wave the rest. Really, if they can defeat the fortress' leaders, then does it make sense for them to mop up the minions.

Those are my ideas.

Kol Korran
2012-04-20, 02:31 AM
Or, if strange magic caused the transformation, is there a way to undo the spell. For example, if there is an artifact that turned the men into golems then destroying (or obtaining) it could be a better objective. Alternately, you could take a page from TPM and have the PCs destroy the "control runes" that's powering the golem, causing them all to shut down.



i think that and varied monsters might be a way to do it. the artifact/ McGuffin is inside the fort, and it doesn't only turn people into these golems, but also repairs them from nearly every damage (they have some sort of regeneration against nearly everything. the PCs might not know it in their first attempt to take the fort, but as they see the ones behind them suddenly reassembling? :smalleek:

also, it is altering the golems, making modifications. so the golems might get stronger, and more formidable in 2 ways: first, they might gain resistances/ immunities/ SR and so on to attacks by the party, (the artifact making them learns) and also gives them some SLAs that help defeat the party's main strategies. you can make different "purpose" golems by the defenses and offenses you give them. even the simple Dispel Magic can run havoc on a party.

the party will need to get into the fort (which will be protected against scrying and/ or teleporting) and destroy the artifact... the longer they wait, the tougher it will become.

prepare the defenses of the fort, if you like to make it interesting, from a certain radius and inwards, the artifact starts making the PCs into golems (first their skin might change, then perhaps they feel something... turning in their stomach?) and so on... if you can i suggest making the final fight either with some massive golem, or the artifact itself (or both?)

the party will need to find a way to fend of the reanimating golems somehow, or they might be swarmed at the final battle (enter walls of stone and the like).

about using the army... once the party realizes the real danger (after the first foray) the army can be used in 2 ways: first as a diversion (enabling the PCs to try a more stealthy approach) or the amry could have stronger individuals/ units) that might be able to come with the PCs and hold their backs (most likely at the cost of their lives) as they enter the fort, keeping most of the defending golems at bay, for at least a little while.

i hope this helps! :smallsmile:

Golden Ladybug
2012-04-20, 07:05 AM
prepare the defenses of the fort, if you like to make it interesting, from a certain radius and inwards, the artifact starts making the PCs into golems (first their skin might change, then perhaps they feel something... turning in their stomach?) and so on... if you can i suggest making the final fight either with some massive golem, or the artifact itself (or both?)

This. This right here.

I may be speaking with a bit of personal bias (given that such a situation relates quite well to an intense phobia I have), but fighting my way into the Golem Fortress, and slowly noticing that I was being changed into something...other...

Suddenly you've got a time limit, and it isn't about beating up some Golems anymore. You need to stop this, now, before whatever is transforming you finishes, or starts to work on your mind.

Furthermore, I suggest that as the PCs fight their way through the Golems, the fights start getting harder. If the first Golem they fight tries to smash them with its fists, the second one tries to Grapple them. As you get towards the end, the Golems are using Ambush tactics, working together, using magic items and tactical positioning. If the PCs have a spellcaster who really likes using Orb of Acid, then the later Golems begin to have Acid Resistance. Making the early Golems 1HD wonders will set up a good contrast between the early encounters and the later ones. This Artifact is smart, and its making its pawns better suited to defeating these intruders.

Or maybe not defeating? Maybe just...stalling.

Another suggestion that can really mess with the PCs and set the mood of the encounter is to make a CD that lasts about as long as you think it'll take the PCs to defeat the Golems and get to the Artifact. To start with, its high tempo, high-energy songs, well suited for battle music (there is a thread about good music for battles floating around at the moment if you need inspiration). As time goes on, however, the music starts to slow down, becoming more mournful and quiet. Use your own judgement, but at key moments, turn the volume down a bit.

As the music becomes slower and quieter, you describe the changes that are occuring to the PCs. The skin taking on a grey hue. The heaviness of their limbs. The slowness of the actions. The strange twisting feeling in their guts. The eventual clang as they take a step. The strange tiredness that slows their thoughts...

The transformation will be complete when the music stops.

You don't have much more time.