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[Neonivek]

Boo!

[Dwarmin]

Well, it was pretty clear Arwen had no/very little chance of winning-and if he did, there was a whole army waiting to step in. If I was running it, I could have made Cyanwrath just knock him out, not judging it worthy to even bother killing him-it wasn't much of a fight, and he obviously has some idea of honor. Then again, our intrepid fighter did go out of his way to antagonize the lizardknight...

But, from a story standpoint, setbacks can be just as defining as victories. I figure that's what this is. You should have hard choices and dangerous moments in your campaigns to make things exciting. Even Gandalf died...for a little while.

Still, it'd be pretty unfair for Arwen to be killed here. Then again, life is unfair.

I mean, honestly, it doesn't demean his sacrifice-he knew what he what was getting into, and knew full well he could probably going to die to save those civilians. If there was really no risk to him, or any of us-it cheapens the encounter and the entire campaign. Johanna just ran through a hoard of monsters with less than 10 HP and no spells. I could have run back to the keep, but I didn't. I knew full well I could die if I was in the wrong spot at the time.

The encounter has evil GM written all over it, but it's not unfair. We could have sent the captain out, right? Or decided that charging Cyanwrath here and now and attacking his army would spare many more lives than the ones we sacrificed. Could have played this many ways.

Ultimately, what makes it different than a plotkill is the fact we were given a choice. As long as we have a choice, I'm fine with it.

[FelixSparks]

I'M NOT DEAD YET. HELP ME DAMMIT! And then Arwen can realize he's NOT the strongest, have a character building moment, and LATER stomp Cyanwrath's face in.

[Neonivek]

I haven't read the adventure path.

So don't worry, I can't spoil anything.

[Dwarmin]

I'M NOT DEAD YET. HELP ME DAMMIT! And then Arwen can realize he's NOT the strongest, have a character building moment, and LATER stomp Cyanwrath's face in.

I can't do anything, sorry. In fact, no one in the entire party can do anything to save you, I think. We're all out of spangly stuff.

Better hope those nameless NPC's can help you!

[Culise]

...well, dang.  Seems I missed the fireworks. 

Actually, as far as helping is concerned, I have a healer's kit to let me stabilize him without a save, which puts me at precisely on par with the NPCs.  It's just that no one has had the ill grace to die thus far, so it hasn't seen much use yet.

[Dwarmin]

...well, dang.  Seems I missed the fireworks. 

Actually, as far as helping is concerned, I have a healer's kit to let me stabilize him without a save.  It's just that no one has had the ill grace to die thus far, so it hasn't seen much use yet.

Well, go and help.

If there's no chance of messing up the roll, Arwen just has to not fail both checks, or roll a critical fail...

[Culise]

...well, dang.  Seems I missed the fireworks. 

Actually, as far as helping is concerned, I have a healer's kit to let me stabilize him without a save.  It's just that no one has had the ill grace to die thus far, so it hasn't seen much use yet.

Well, go and help.

If there's no chance of messing up the roll, Arwen just has to not fail both checks, or roll a critical fail...

Already on my way. ^_^

[Dwarmin]

Oh yeah, I tempted fate in my last post so...sorry, Felix.

*goes to check waitlist*

[FelixSparks]

Oh yeah, I tempted fate in my last post so...sorry, Felix.

*goes to check waitlist*

YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU. HOW DARE YOU. I'm gonna live, and wreck Cyanwrath later!

[Dwarmin]

Interesting reaction.

I found a quote from the guy who wrote the module that pretty much agrees with my own philosophy.

A mistake (from my perspective) that many people seem to be making is assuming that every situation in D&D should be “fun.” If my ambition is to have nonstop “fun,” I’d be better off playing Lego Star Wars or Whack-a-Mole. D&D can also be thrilling, frightening, inspiring, maddening, depressing, frustrating, immensely gratifying — name a reaction on the human emotional scale and there’s probably a place for it in D&D. The match against Cyanwrath was never meant to be “fun.” It was meant to trigger an emotional response — anger, even hate, and a desire for revenge against the Cult of the Dragon. I haven’t seen much to indicate that it isn’t doing that. – Steve Winter, designer of Hoard of the Dragon Queen, on EN World.

[FelixSparks]

Anger.... Check. Revenge? Oh HELL yes check. This is a good module so far.

[GiglameshDespair]

Well, it was pretty clear Arwen had no/very little chance of winning-and if he did, there was a whole army waiting to step in. If I was running it, I could have made Cyanwrath just knock him out, not judging it worthy to even bother killing him-it wasn't much of a fight, and he obviously has some idea of honor. Then again, our intrepid fighter did go out of his way to antagonize the lizardknight...

Well, he kind of did be less lethal than necessary: he could have coup de grace'd him and we don't have any magic ducttape to strap his head back on if he did.

I would find it odd if Big Blue only tried to knock out his opponent, considering he explicitly challenged him to duel. In truth, a greatsword doesn't seem a very non-lethal weapon. As for honour, well... I'm not sure holding a defenceless woman and her children hostage really counts as too honourable.

[My Name is Immaterial]

Still, it'd be pretty unfair for Arwen to be killed here. Then again, life is unfair.

I've run the math. He'll probably live. If my math is right, he's got a 71% chance of living. The biggest danger he faces is dying before the healers reach him. And of course, that's assuming I don't fudge the numbers.

The encounter has evil GM written all over it, but it's not unfair. We could have sent the captain out, right? Or decided that charging Cyanwrath here and now and attacking his army would spare many more lives than the ones we sacrificed. Could have played this many ways.

Ultimately, what makes it different than a plotkill is the fact we were given a choice. As long as we have a choice, I'm fine with it.

You had lots of choices. They weren't good ones, but they were choices.

Oh yeah, I tempted fate in my last post so...sorry, Felix.

*goes to check waitlist*

YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU. HOW DARE YOU. I'm gonna live, and wreck Cyanwrath later!

Interesting reaction.

I found a quote from the guy who wrote the module that pretty much agrees with my own philosophy.

A mistake (from my perspective) that many people seem to be making is assuming that every situation in D&D should be “fun.” If my ambition is to have nonstop “fun,” I’d be better off playing Lego Star Wars or Whack-a-Mole. D&D can also be thrilling, frightening, inspiring, maddening, depressing, frustrating, immensely gratifying — name a reaction on the human emotional scale and there’s probably a place for it in D&D. The match against Cyanwrath was never meant to be “fun.” It was meant to trigger an emotional response — anger, even hate, and a desire for revenge against the Cult of the Dragon. I haven’t seen much to indicate that it isn’t doing that. – Steve Winter, designer of Hoard of the Dragon Queen, on EN World.

I have no idea what you're talking about, Dwarmin.

* The DM shifts in his chair, and tries to hide a smile, refusing to make eye contact.

[Dwarmin]

*Dwarmin moves his bowl of dorito's back to his side of the table in an unspoken gesture of rebuttal*