OOC Discussion II: The Return

[Storm11]

There are tons of things we can do if we work together and get some preparation time. During the day in the village we are seemingly safer.

Putting strength spells on the fighter or the half-elf or the dark elf cleric could give Upto an extra +3 damage and +2 to hit and lasts four hours if cast by the half-elf or 6 if cast by the magic-user. It might be worth him trying to learn the spell. Castran could possibly teach the magic-users invisibility, or suggestion or mirror image etc.

Dispelling some of our continual light spells on weapons and such would mean that Illuq wouldn't suffer any penalties when fighting. And having enchanted stones covered up for when and if we do need them still as an option. Castran has some already cast.

The druid with a days prep could conjure upto 80 goodberries. These last a week. Distributing them to the party means that each person has on hand healing upto 8 hps a day and then still possibly 8 more the next without worrying about if we can rest and freeing up spell slots. Cute light wounds is unlikely to heal 8 hps but 8 goodberries will and then cure light on top. With the 2nd Lvl spells lots available to the Druid it would only take about 10 hours.

Tibbius and Tumbler could benefit from Castrans phantom armour spell. It creates quasi shadow platemail going the recipient an armour class of 3. It absorbs 5 hps of damage before being dispelled and gives a +1 to magical saves that magic armour would give. Effectively 5 extra hps. It doesn't stack with protection rings and armour but Dex and say blue or protection from evil it does stack with. Carry a spear suit of leather for when it gets dispelled or the Wizards bracers and pop then on once it's gone.

Tumbler and Tibbius could also do with hanging out under invisibility. We could all become invisibile before we return to the castle.

Folded sheets with glyph's of warding, brooches or clasps or boxes with Fire traps, memorising negative plane protections and putting them on the front line fighters, protections from evil on the front liners etc.

Illuq could use the spare +3 mace and one of his +1 hammers and still dual weild. Tumbler could then use the +1 hammer instead of his +1 dagger (he has a none magical one so I assume he can use a hammer) and Castran could get his +1 dagger to dual weild as well. That all equates to more damage done per round.

Aggrippo has the sunsword, but if he's specialised in longspear he gets two attacks per round with his +1 spear and only 3 in 2 with his sunsword. Against average foes that's +2 to hit and +4 damage twice per round with spear vs +2 to hit and +3 damage twice one round and once the next with the sword. Against undead it's +3 to hit and +4 damage 3 in 2 rounds and add another 10 vs vampires. If he gets a strength spell from Tibbius say that could go up significantly, so really the sunsword isn't any better than the magical spear for anything except vampires to the fighter.

I hate players that tell everyone else what to do, and I promise hand on heart am not trying to do it here either. I think we all need to combine our thinking and come up with some solid tactics coz let's face it Ravenloft is hard ass stuff. Let's hear everyone's ideas out and discuss what we all think is a good plan going forward.

Personally I think scrying for Ireena using Roberts reflecting pool spell is a good plan. But first we need to rest and recover back at the village, and get rid of this vampire woman

[Zhym]

I think we all need to combine our thinking and come up with some solid tactics coz let's face it Ravenloft is hard ass stuff.

Truth.

I obviously have no comment on most of those ideas, but learning and inscribing a spell takes time. BtB, it's one day per spell level.

[GreyWolfVT]

all of those ideas are great and I had tried the strength spell on someone once before but it did little to help the situation at the time. Most of these are great ideas safer done back in the village as you said it is likely far safer in the day to be in the village not the castle.

[Dram]

Sounds like a good idea Storm. But we need make a plan in a safe place.


GW

Most of these are great ideas safer done back in the village as you said it is likely far safer in the day to be in the village not the castle.

[GreyWolfVT]

safe place lol i can't believe we are talking about a safe place in Ravenloft of all locations

[GreyWolfVT]

hmm starting to get to be old party versus new no hatred towards the old party btw. Agrippo appears to like taking things out on Fendt.

[Zhym]

Speaking of hatred between party members...

FWIW, this might end up in a TPK, but it might not. It's going to depend on tactics and die rolls.

[GreyWolfVT]

now I'm really startin to think I shoulda gone back with the oafs and the first fair maiden...

[Zhym]

I think everybody involved shoulda stood in bed.

[GreyWolfVT]

well I will have to inform you I am now officially sick of ravenloft and this may very well be the first and last time i ever play it

[Zhym]

I'll say it again: Ravenloft is deadly. Probably more so than Tomb of Horrors, at the levels printed on the box.

Please don't search Dragonsfoot for Ravenloft (there be spoilers), but if you did you'd find threads where DMs talk about how often their Ravenloft groups ended in TPKs. Any vampire is a seriously deadly opponent, as you're finding out now. A castle ruled by an extra-powerful vampire, full of undead? It's amazing anyone makes it out alive.

But like I said: this doesn't necessarily end in a TPK. But it's going to take some smart play and good rolls for most of the party to survive.

And if not, I hope everyone would be willing to roll new characters and try again. There's a lot of cool stuff in the castle, and you haven't seen half of it.

[GreyWolfVT]

honestly don't know why anyone would ever want to go into a castle riddled with vampires and other creatures of the undead overpowering nature.

[Cwreando]

If it's that hard why not bump up the levels allowed to balance it out a bit. Just because it says it for level x-y of x# of folks it may need more. Just saying.

[greyarea]

Have everyone roll three characters and run it as a funnel.

[GreyWolfVT]

lol greyarea I had at one time a couple of reserve characters made up and saved in my archive. Funny how you and I think semi alike.

[Zhym]

When I ran Ravenloft in a table session, I had everyone roll up new characters so they wouldn't lose anyone they actually cared about. Some DMs find ways for players to use their regular characters without it being "real"—e.g., they're projecting into another plane, or playing out a story they're being told.

Next time around (if there is one), I think I push hard for henchmen. They make good backup characters.

I wouldn't want to bump the power level much. Ravenloft is supposed to be deadly. It's a horror module, after all. You shouldn't be able to march through the castle and kill everything without a problem. Ravenloft takes careful planning. It is possible to win it at the stated levels, if you play intelligently and your definition of "win" doesn't require that all the characters survive. Storm11 had it right in his post up above: there's a lot you could do to maximize your chances.

Recent lessons: (1) sometimes someone you think is a vampire is a vampire, and (2) don't split the party.

[Storm11]

I think it would not be quite AS bad without the horrendous wandering monster tables. 12 wraiths! For 5-7th level PCs? Even 25 pcs of that level range would be toast.

[GreyWolfVT]

only split the party because some goof balls thought they needed to go in the carriage house instead of wait for us to open the gates....

[greyarea]

only split the party because some goof balls thought they needed to go in the carriage house instead of wait for us to open the gates....

I blame those who concentrated on the gate when the answer was clearly in the carriage house!

[GreyWolfVT]

and I'll counter argue that we wanted to leave not play in the carriage house