D2 : Shrine of the Kuo-Toa - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

D2 : Shrine of the Kuo-Toa

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Elendur
Sep 26, 2006 10:45:33 Anyone have any advice/experience running this module? My players should get there next session.
#2
zombiegleemax
Sep 26, 2006 14:33:19 What edition of the game are you using for this adventure?
#3
Elendur
Sep 27, 2006 11:22:48 3rd edition. It shouldn't matter though. I'm interested in how other groups of players ran through it, whatever the version.

Technically they've already started the module, completing the first two encounters before the shrine itself.
#4
Elendur
Oct 02, 2006 10:22:49 No one has run or played through this one?

The mod poses a few problems, I was curious how other people handled it.

First is the "walk right through" problem. They could bypass the whole complex if they really wanted to. The warrens from D1 has a similar problem. Luckily the party has a pretty strick 'always run right' policy which means they tend to plow through every thing.

The second problem is the level is pretty undifferentiated, just a whole bunch of Kuo-Toa organized under the same leadership. Once the alarm sounds it will just devolve into a giant battle(which always sounds better than plays out, in my experience).
#5
bastrak
Oct 02, 2006 17:11:48 I think the lack of response might well have something to do with the age of the adventure. A lot of older DMs will have run it decades ago and in the case of newer DMs many will have never run it.

The problems with the adventure you raise are completely valid IMO. The first time I ran D2 the party decided to largely bypass much of the Shrine of the Kuo-Toa. If they decide to do this there is little that can be done without trying to railroad the players.

I'm currently running a 3.5 conversion of D2 where the party is fully exploring the Shrine. As soon as the alarm is sounded the party will inevitably find itself in a running battle with the primarily Kuo-Toa inhabitants.
#6
Elendur
Oct 02, 2006 17:21:32 I may repost this over on the OOP forum, although generally I've had better luck over here with my GDQ questions.

Can you give me some more details of your game? Levels of characters, etc. Are you running this as part of GDQ?

Any encounters/details I may have missed in my first read through?
#7
grodog
Oct 02, 2006 21:17:18 Elendur---

There are several threads on the GDQ series on Dragonsfoot, which could prove worthwhile reading.

I've run all of GDQ modules several times in the past, and I've found that, yes, both D1 and D2 are absolutely possible to walk/sneak through without much in the way of interaction/combat (if the PCs are so inclined, of course).

In terms of differntiating D2, I think that can really vary based on the players' approach to the shrine: if they pose as pilgrims or traders, they'll have a very different experience; if they try to slay every single keyed encounter, then, yes, they'll be bored after awhile ;)

Did you have anything in particular you wanted feedback on?
#8
Elendur
Oct 03, 2006 20:37:41 Nope, just looking for stories from people who've run it and general suggestions.

So far D1-2 has been a bit of a let down to DM after G1-3. The players seem to be having fun anyway.

ps Thanks for the dragonsfoot suggestion, I signed up over there today.
#9
max_writer
Oct 06, 2006 10:38:01 It's been over 20 years since I ran this and I don't really remember what happened (I only started keeping a role-playing journal in 1991). I there there was some fighting but I don't think there was much. Both times, the group kind of just slipped by.

That's why I didn't answer before. Sorry.
#10
Elendur
Oct 06, 2006 11:08:10 I feel better about this mod having read it some more. I'm just going to let it be what it is. The only thing I'm going to add is some craziness if they try to destroy the statue of Blibdoolpoolp.
#11
zombiegleemax
Oct 11, 2006 9:55:57 What level of characters are going through it?
#12
Elendur
Oct 11, 2006 11:31:24 5 14th level PCs, and 2 12th level NPCs.
#13
zombiegleemax
Oct 11, 2006 17:40:50 I can barely remember running through this many many years ago, back in 1E days... IIRC, we managed to bypass a lot of it, and we really didn't mind... we really wanted to nail those darn drow...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Elendur Sep 26, 2006 10:45:33	Anyone have any advice/experience running this module? My players should get there next session.
#2 zombiegleemax Sep 26, 2006 14:33:19	What edition of the game are you using for this adventure?
#3 Elendur Sep 27, 2006 11:22:48	3rd edition. It shouldn't matter though. I'm interested in how other groups of players ran through it, whatever the version. Technically they've already started the module, completing the first two encounters before the shrine itself.
#4 Elendur Oct 02, 2006 10:22:49	No one has run or played through this one? The mod poses a few problems, I was curious how other people handled it. First is the "walk right through" problem. They could bypass the whole complex if they really wanted to. The warrens from D1 has a similar problem. Luckily the party has a pretty strick 'always run right' policy which means they tend to plow through every thing. The second problem is the level is pretty undifferentiated, just a whole bunch of Kuo-Toa organized under the same leadership. Once the alarm sounds it will just devolve into a giant battle(which always sounds better than plays out, in my experience).
#5 bastrak Oct 02, 2006 17:11:48	I think the lack of response might well have something to do with the age of the adventure. A lot of older DMs will have run it decades ago and in the case of newer DMs many will have never run it. The problems with the adventure you raise are completely valid IMO. The first time I ran D2 the party decided to largely bypass much of the Shrine of the Kuo-Toa. If they decide to do this there is little that can be done without trying to railroad the players. I'm currently running a 3.5 conversion of D2 where the party is fully exploring the Shrine. As soon as the alarm is sounded the party will inevitably find itself in a running battle with the primarily Kuo-Toa inhabitants.
#6 Elendur Oct 02, 2006 17:21:32	I may repost this over on the OOP forum, although generally I've had better luck over here with my GDQ questions. Can you give me some more details of your game? Levels of characters, etc. Are you running this as part of GDQ? Any encounters/details I may have missed in my first read through?
#7 grodog Oct 02, 2006 21:17:18	Elendur--- There are several threads on the GDQ series on Dragonsfoot, which could prove worthwhile reading. I've run all of GDQ modules several times in the past, and I've found that, yes, both D1 and D2 are absolutely possible to walk/sneak through without much in the way of interaction/combat (if the PCs are so inclined, of course). In terms of differntiating D2, I think that can really vary based on the players' approach to the shrine: if they pose as pilgrims or traders, they'll have a very different experience; if they try to slay every single keyed encounter, then, yes, they'll be bored after awhile ;) Did you have anything in particular you wanted feedback on?
#8 Elendur Oct 03, 2006 20:37:41	Nope, just looking for stories from people who've run it and general suggestions. So far D1-2 has been a bit of a let down to DM after G1-3. The players seem to be having fun anyway. ps Thanks for the dragonsfoot suggestion, I signed up over there today.
#9 max_writer Oct 06, 2006 10:38:01	It's been over 20 years since I ran this and I don't really remember what happened (I only started keeping a role-playing journal in 1991). I there there was some fighting but I don't think there was much. Both times, the group kind of just slipped by. That's why I didn't answer before. Sorry.
#10 Elendur Oct 06, 2006 11:08:10	I feel better about this mod having read it some more. I'm just going to let it be what it is. The only thing I'm going to add is some craziness if they try to destroy the statue of Blibdoolpoolp.
#11 zombiegleemax Oct 11, 2006 9:55:57	What level of characters are going through it?
#12 Elendur Oct 11, 2006 11:31:24	5 14th level PCs, and 2 12th level NPCs.
#13 zombiegleemax Oct 11, 2006 17:40:50	I can barely remember running through this many many years ago, back in 1E days... IIRC, we managed to bypass a lot of it, and we really didn't mind... we really wanted to nail those darn drow...