Need some Campaign Opnions

[DragonSlayerDan]

Okay, so me and a friend are co-dming a campaign this summer, it is gonna be fun..hopefully. It is a desert-based area, and we plan to involve a Dry Lich and some other cool stuff. But I have a few questions and need some answers/suggestions:

1.) We will both be NPCing a character, that will help the party fight early in the game/help advance the story, etc. We WON'T be guiding them by the hand, but will you know..help. But yeah, I chose my NPC to be a Human Wizard (Very original, I know) since they didn't have an offensive spell caster. I was trying to think of how to introduce him, and I remembered we were going to have them run into a group of bandits early on, and I was thinking of making the bandits ride a pirate ship..that went on sand..I know it's crazy but I like the concept, and was wondering if a Wizard would be a good spellcasting class that would allow a ship to ride over sand..but he would have to be around lvl 3-4..so need some ideas.

2.) Would 9 PC's be able to defeat a level 15-18 Lich and some minions? Like Mummy lords or something?

I think that is all the questions I have for now..so only 2..thats not to bad right? If I rambled on a little bit, sorry..was tyring to not sound stupid lol.

[terror_drone]

Not sure about 1, but to tell the truth he'd have to be higher level if he wanted to be behind the ship's ability to go through sand.

As for 2, what levels would they be? They would have to be close to the levels of the lich or perferably the same if not higher. If they don't have an anti-undead/are not prepaired for an undead fight even the same level party could have trouble if its a group fight.

[DragonSlayerDan]

They would all be around level 9-10 when the campaign is over..and when they face the Dry Lich.

And if I DIDN'T want him behind the ability, how could I incorperate a ship on sand?

[Emperor Tippy]

Okay, so me and a friend are co-dming a campaign this summer, it is gonna be fun..hopefully. It is a desert-based area, and we plan to involve a Dry Lich and some other cool stuff. But I have a few questions and need some answers/suggestions:

1.) We will both be NPCing a character, that will help the party fight early in the game/help advance the story, etc. We WON'T be guiding them by the hand, but will you know..help. But yeah, I chose my NPC to be a Human Wizard (Very original, I know) since they didn't have an offensive spell caster. I was trying to think of how to introduce him, and I remembered we were going to have them run into a group of bandits early on, and I was thinking of making the bandits ride a pirate ship..that went on sand..I know it's crazy but I like the concept, and was wondering if a Wizard would be a good spellcasting class that would allow a ship to ride over sand..but he would have to be around lvl 3-4..so need some ideas.

Page 104 of Sandstorm for the ships.

As for the wizard, maybe a custom magic item on the ship that can control the wind behind the sails, allowing you to move much faster than normal and go whatever direction you want, that requires a mage to control.

2.) Would 9 PC's be able to defeat a level 15-18 Lich and some minions? Like Mummy lords or something?

That depends on party configuration, items, player skill, and player level.

I think that is all the questions I have for now..so only 2..thats not to bad right? If I rambled on a little bit, sorry..was tyring to not sound stupid lol.

You sounded fine, better than the guy who can't stop quoting Firefly.

[terror_drone]

Simple with the power of the all knowing plot...

As to that level, that would be one hella fight. Granted I've never tried a party of nine but how many minions were you planning on throwing at them?

[DragonSlayerDan]

Ohh, maybe I should consult the books before bugging the nice folks here at the playground. Sweet. Gotta look at that page.

And The party consists of healers/tanks/normal fighters/sneaky fighters/spellcasters..so a little of everything.

They arn't very bright though... Lol.

Not to many minions.

[MeklorIlavator]

If you have 9 PC's you shouldn't need any DMNPC's, and there really isn't anything that can make a ship sail on the sand, especially at the lower levels(though a permanent Fly might work, but that is only available at higher levels.)

For your second question, it depends on the level of the PC, and the comparative power of the lich and his minions. But if it is anything like normal liches, then the PC should be in the mid teens before they attempt to take him out, and the will most likely take casualties along the way without serious DM fait.

[DragonSlayerDan]

Hmm..I see...well the problem with the Dry Lich, he has to have that Walker prestige class...so thats why he has to be in his mid-teens..and it seems we will have to have them level a little bit higher before they take him out.

[Emperor Tippy]

Fiat is spelled Fiat, not fait.

Thats my asinine comment for the day.

As for the ship sailing on sand, they are in sandstrom and cost at most 16K (for the galley). Which is, interestingly enough, about half the price of a seaworthy galley.

[DragonSlayerDan]

Hmm sweet...And the NPC's won't be around for a very long time.

So they shouldn't effect to much of the plot.

[Funkyodor]

You could have him chained up in a room on the Ship doomed to repeated casting of Tensers Floating Disk to keep the ship moving through the sand. Would explain the PC's desire to keep you as your a prisoner of the pirates, and why you wouldn't be able to help with their pirate fight because all you can cast is above mentioned spell. Just my 2 cents.

[Bender]

Just some magic ship that needs wizard levels/spellcraft/knowledge arcana/profession(sand sailor)/use magic device... to be controlled. You shouldn't really need more than that (if even that). If you don't want the PC's to be able to control the ship, you can say it requires years of training or just wreck the ship.

I think it's best for the mage to be controlling the ship against his will, otherwise he might end up death when the PC's fight the bandits.