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crimson77
2008-10-25, 12:57 PM
[Note: My players please do not read.]

In my current campaign, the players have come into a dungeon where they have been offered safe passage through by the owner if they pay 10,000 gp each or face 3 challenges. One player negotiated some information for an additional challenge. Now the players can decide to trespass in the dungeon and face monsters and traps and hopefully find their way out of the dungeon. It is four characters all around level 10 (2 cavaliers, 1 bard, 1 cleric).

Here are my thoughts for each of the challenges. They were originally going to be a physical (combat), intellectual (riddle), and metaphyiscal (magic). I need some help on a few.

1st challenge

The players will fight either 1 Greater Earth Elemental or 2 Large Earth Elementals. Which do you think would be the greatest challenge?


2nd challenge

This is a riddled trap. The players have to answer a riddle in a certain amount of time. I have already chosen the riddle and do not want to post it until after it has been answered for obvious reasons.

3rd challenge <--Help

This is a metaphysical challenge that I want to revolve around magic. I was thinking about having a key suspended up high that they had to use magic to get.

I would like to get the playgrounds ideas on this challenge. Maybe i could make it better.

4th challenge
I was thinking of either having another riddle or combat depending upon how the first two challenges went.

Anyone have any good ideas?

Break
2008-10-25, 01:16 PM
EDIT: Didn't read the post completely. >_<

Starbuck_II
2008-10-25, 02:20 PM
1st challenge for level 10:

So one CR 9 or 2 CR 5's?
I'm not a fan of one big enemy (too easy to gang up on)
Why not 2 Huge ones? It would be a CR 9 encounter then also.

To make it more challenging

But lets look at original plan:
Both have DR (higher for CR 9). Low AC for CR (CR 9's is higher).
CR 9 hits easily, unlike the two CR 5's.

So either two huges or 1 CR 9 work:
Even better why not the CR 9 and 3 CR 3's (meduim) = ECL 9.9 (still doable).



Challenge 3

Magic like levitate, Fly?
Or dispelling magic to stop it from floating?


Anyone have any good ideas?

Why not do some more elementals, but this time Mephits.

6 Earth Mephits and 6 Salt Mephits (Breath weapon will hurt them unless have evasion though low damage individually)
CR 10 basically (possibly easier if have AoE's).
They also each have 25% chance to summon more.

The Salt Mephits can also Glitterdust the party. Earth ones can Soften Earth (being a nuisance at least).
Salt mephits can also deal burst effect that deals 2d8 DC Fort 1/2. 6 x2d8 =12d8 (sure they will make save but ouch) so average 54 so 27.

Basically, the party will hurt alot, but won't kill them.

only1doug
2008-10-25, 02:39 PM
Challenge 4:


the chess game:

giant chess board, 4 pieces missing on players side (king, bishop, 2 knights)

PC's can play by rules or fight; (can switch from playing to fighting at any point)

Pieces to be determined.
when pieces are taken they are coup de gras'd

So in theory the PCs will play as in the harry potter film, unless one of them is going to be taken, then they can fight (and it'll be a Big fight).

Gaiwecoor
2008-10-25, 10:31 PM
Challenge 3

So ... you want it to be more of a challenge than levitate or fly, I take it? Here's my thought:


Suspend the key from the ceiling with something mundane - a bit of twine, perhaps. It should be kept within 10 feet of the ceiling, however. Houserule an antimagic field centered on the key; if they try to fly up to grab it, they start to fall once they're 10 feet away.

Some possible solutions that immediately spring to mind:

A ranged slashing weapon attacking the string. This could be someone with spider climb and a reach weapon or a thrown slashing weapon ... there are a few options.
Mundane flight. If the team's Sor/Wiz's familiar or Druid/Ranger's animal companion can fly, it can probably just go up and grab it. This requires active thought about familiars, though. Summoned creatures also could fall into this category.


So as to not unbalance things too greatly, make sure the lock destroys the key once the lock opens.


[Edit]
And yes, I like this:

Challenge 4:


the chess game:

giant chess board, 4 pieces missing on players side (king, bishop, 2 knights)

PC's can play by rules or fight; (can switch from playing to fighting at any point)

Pieces to be determined.
when pieces are taken they are coup de gras'd

So in theory the PCs will play as in the harry potter film, unless one of them is going to be taken, then they can fight (and it'll be a Big fight).

Yahzi
2008-10-25, 11:19 PM
Don't forget the good old moral challenge.

They can either a) let an orphan die, or b) give up 1/2 the treasure they will be getting from the dungeon.

monty
2008-10-25, 11:27 PM
Don't forget the good old moral challenge.

They can either a) let an orphan die, or b) give up 1/2 the treasure they will be getting from the dungeon.

That's easy, unless there's a paladin in the party. There're plenty more orphans (some probably thanks to the PCs anyway), but loot is hard to come by.

Vexxation
2008-10-25, 11:30 PM
That's easy, unless there's a paladin in the party. There're plenty more orphans (some probably thanks to the PCs anyway), but loot is hard to come by.

Besides, even a Paladin could be Diplomacy'd or Bluff'd into "Think about it. We take the loot we get for killing the orphan, use it to save more orphans later. With loot we get doing that, we raise this orphan. Nothing lost, lots gained!"

crimson77
2008-10-25, 11:31 PM
I am liking these ideas.

Challenge 1: I am thinking of going with the 2 Huge Earth elementals. I am a little worried since they do not have a lot of magical items. However, I will start the fight with just one and then bring in the other when they start destroying it.

Challenge 3: I am hoping they have one of those spells. There are no familiars in the party to help get the object. I will give them 24 hours (so that if they do not have the spell ready they have time to prepare.

Challenge 4: I like the chess idea. I am thinking about having them move some of the pieces around to find a door. Maybe have a few come alive. Anyone have a good chess riddle?

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-10-25, 11:31 PM
Don't forget the good old moral challenge.

They can either a) let an orphan die, or b) give up 1/2 the treasure they will be getting from the dungeon.Also, a lot depends on the party's level. A dungeon is usually enough to level a party once. The difference between level 10 and 11 WBL is 17k GP, for example. A party of 4 could let the orphan die, collect the loot, True Resurrect the kid, and still make a profit over what they'd get out of letting him live(assuming all loot is in the form of coins and trade goods, saleability changes the numbers).

Prometheus
2008-10-25, 11:40 PM
A room full of pigeons and the PCs have to get all the pigeons in the box without harming them, in the meantime, of course, the pigeons are attacking the PCs for minor damage here and there, flying around, distracting spellcasters, and obscuring sight and communication. If they are much higher level, progress to hawks, imps or mephits, etc. The point however, is to make a ridiculous amount and either a real time limit or one set by the constant minor damage the pigeons accumulate against the PCs over time.

Pokemon Battle! Chose an ECR that is much higher than that of the players (by say about four). You choose a creature or a group of creatures equivalent to that level and the party does, each without you knowing what the other picked. Than the two fight on a stage in which the PCs can't intervene. If they win, they proceed (optional, they get to use this creature in the next challenge, to help fight the earth elemental), if they lose, the PCs have to finish the creature(s) off.

crimson77
2008-10-26, 12:01 PM
I do not think i like the moral challenge.

I would not allow them to resurrect the person later. One cannot have their cake and eat it too in my campaigns.

Starbuck_II
2008-10-26, 12:07 PM
I do not think i like the moral challenge.

I would not allow them to resurrect the person later. One cannot have their cake and eat it too in my campaigns.

What about eat their cake and still have it?

crimson77
2008-10-26, 12:56 PM
What about eat their cake and still have it?

Have one's cake and eat it too (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_your_cake_and_eat_it_too)