Tyranny of Dragons question (spoilers!)

[Pinjata]

Hey guys,

I have been reading through the module and I may have missed one thing (or it just isn't there) and I want to check. My question is: What happens if PCs do not gather all "good" factions to their side for final assault? There is a chart on how do factions react to PCs and how much influence must there be for each faction to cooperate, but ... what are the consequences? Or is gathering the allies just roleplay aspect of the module?

thanks

[Pinjata]

Surely, someone played/DM-ed this module ... :smalleek:

[Steampunkette]

Consequences? Failure.

Without the support of the various factions, the players wind up fighting EVERYTHING that the other factions would have held off while the PCs head for the main goal of stopping the ritual.

Instead they get swarmed by massive armies and killed.

Let them know, OOCly, that they -know- they can't defeat the forces arrayed against them, by themselves, and that they'll need help. Then let them live or die on their choices.

You -could- rewrite the module to give the players time to take out the enemy group's support structures one leg at a time, breaking the different forces arrayed against them, one by one, as they move to their final goal. Or you could rewrite them as being elsewhere in the world, fighting other battles.

If you want the players to succeed, or have a chance to, rewrite the scenario. If you want them to follow the real story, they die.

[Pinjata]

Thanks. But let's say PCs only fail to persuade giants to join. DOes that mean that PCs will face 100 giants themselves?

[Steampunkette]

By the book? Yes.

You can come up with various reasons for those giants to not join, or be elsewhere, or get checked by another group of heroic folks.

Or you could allow the players to fight the giants in a series of small skirmishes and battles to whittle their numbers down 'til they're not a real consideration in the final confrontation.