Help with dungeon ideas for a 1st level all-caster party [3.5]

[Somensjev]

okay, it's been a while since i've made a thread in this subforum
Tomorrow i'm going to be running a 3.5 session for my four friends, who've never played a proper game of dnd before. Using only the core rulebooks.
I've given them the option of telling me what they want for a character, and i'll do the crunchy bits, and they can fluff them, so far they've all taken that option.
so, this game will mostly be just teaching them to play, and stuff. but i've told them that if they enjoy it, and the characters, we could make a campaign out of it.


the problem is, they're all really into magic stuff, so they all want to play full casters, so far i'm certain that one wants to be a cleric who debuffs his enemies and heals the party when needed, and one wants to be a sorcerer. the other two will most likely pick either wizard or sorcerer, probably sorcerer, since they cast more, though, there might potentially be a druid in there.

i'm rather inexperienced at being DM, and i have some trouble making dungeons for a well-rounded party. i'm not sure where to start for an all-caster party. especially since combat will be near-suicide for at least half the party :smalleek:



i was thinking of a "dungeon" more set up for atmosphere, and stuff, with sparse combat. that could be traversed over a number of in-game days. so there'd be rooms every so often that could be barred from all entry, that the party could use as a sort of 'safe zone' to rest. so there'd be a couple of combat encounters spread throughout this decently large "dungeon", there might be a couple small traps (not deadly, just dangerous or inconvenient), some problems solvable by spells that they have, and maybe a couple harmless, but seemingly dangerous, things just to increase paranoia/atmosphere.


does that sound decent for a party of casters. would you play in a dungeon like that? how would you improve it?
also, what spells would you suggest for a first level debuffing cleric? preferably core, but possibly other sources

any help would be appreciated, thank you.

[ericgrau]

1st level is dangerous for everyone, but especially for those with d4 hp and 1st level spells that simply aren't as reliable as 1st level damage. The key to avoiding sudden death is lots of weak monsters rather than powerful individual foes. Groups of kobolds and so on. If you like other challenges that's great too, just keep the damage low. Plus if you include a lot of plot that might naturally introduce some non-combat challenges. These are far more fun than arbitrarily forced puzzles.

1st level debuffing cleric: I don't see much in core. Command and cause fear are loose fits. Doom! is fun to say but pretty pathetic. Clerics are a bit better at buffing than debuffing and even those are pretty weak. Bless is alright. I checked spell compendium and likewise couldn't find anything. Honestly if I was a 1st level cleric in such a party I'd pick up inflict light wounds. Perhaps even be a neutral cleric who channels negative energy. Then I'd prepare cure light wounds, bless and cause fear, or something like that. Sorcerers/wizards using necromancy, conjuration and/or transmutation make nice debuffers.

[Inept]

Have a campaign which revolves around investigation rather than combat.

Have the group find a series of scrolls in a library.

get the group to spend gold to buy some mercenaries to escort them to the ancient library... and protect them when they do their work. *may place them in debt of someone later?
Maybe after they find the valuable scrolls they get betrayed and ambushed by the mercs...?

consider using fiendish traps that inflict stat damage rather than hp damage. such damage might be permanent until a restoration is cast.

consider using the characters backgrounds, maybe a scribe overhears something unpleasant and need to inform someone (a social adventure), or counting house is held to ransom and the players are inside. they have to escape and raise the alarm?

I hate 1st level campaigns in D&D. and so tend to make them role playing games with problem solving rather than combat oriented until about 3rd level. Then the gloves are off!:smallfurious:

[ericgrau]

NPC meatshields are a nice idea. Except rather than have the PCs hire them and be in their debt, perhaps the PCs could be hired to provide some missing magic to a group of non-casters since they are facing a supernatural challenge. I know normally casters are overhyped and the use of others under-rated, especially at level 1. But when you bring in those others you want to make the players feel special and put the spotlight on them more than the NPCs. In fact I suggest warriors and experts for the NPCs.

On that note cheap easily available so-so quality warrior or expert mercenaries that the PCs could hire for a little coin could be a thing. So now the PCs are doing the hiring but still seems like the PCs are the important ones.

[endur]

This is easy. low-level, all caster party.

Hogwarts. :)

Seriously, any wizard's apprentice movie should provide great inspiration.

Or other cultist caster type stories.

[HolyDraconus]

Or allow the complete series and give em beguiler and war mage. Both can handle 1st level woes and still be full casters

[Tarlek Flamehai]

This is easy. low-level, all caster party.

Hogwarts. :)

Seriously, any wizard's apprentice movie should provide great inspiration.

Or other cultist caster type stories.

I will +1 this. Some sort of challenge plot. Lots of traps and puzzles, a few non-lethal encounters to overcome (low level prankster fey or territorial animals). Probably one skirmish, I recommend skeletons, and the final boss...something meaty but not intelligent. I would go carrion crawler.