(3.5) Sticking to RAW when writing professional modules.

[Ozreth]

I am in the beginning phases of writing a module that I plan to promote around the internet for free and have a question (with many more to come I'm sure).

In my home games I have never had a problem hand waving events or rules, or at least manipulating them to fit our group. I mean thats what the game is all about really :)

With that being said I feel that my approach should be much more professional when writing for something I plan to have people outside of my group play, or at least look over.

My first question is this: If the group is in a battle and almost dead and are rescued by a crew of 15+ people who show up just in the nick of time, should they actually come into initiative order and be controlled by the DM or can the rescuers coming in and utterly destroying the danger just be written and assumed? 3.5 tends to stick to "stats and equilibrium for everything" so I am not sure how far off of that path I can stray?

[bloodtide]

It's fine to leave such things vague. After all I've seen this done in dozens of professional adventures.

They just put 'if the PC's get into trouble with the encounter, have Zorth come in and save them'.

The DM controls all NPC's anyway, you don't really need to say that.

And you can always to the plot effect: The White Knight rides in and his sheild glows with Great Fear and all the goblins run away.

[Comet]

Yessir. Watching 15 NPCS fight against other NPCS is going to be boring for the players. Skipping straight to the end is preferable by a mile. And since you're skipping the fight, I don't see much reason to worry about the mechanics.

[Ozreth]

Thanks guys. I guess I've never seen this situation in any of the 3.5 modules I've played so wasn't sure how it should be handled. I agree that watching me control a ton of NPC's fighting other NPC's would be ridiculously pointless and boring, and is something I would skip even if a module told me to do so. Thanks!