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Thread : The Keep on the Borderlands
Started at 11-13-05 01:57 PM by Omir
Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=535783
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[Post 1]
Author : Omir
Date : 11-13-05 01:57 PM
Thread Title : The Keep on the Borderlands

I want to get back into the game and want to start by running The Keep on the Borderlands.  It's been a long time since I played this one and don't remember how tough it is. The module says 6-8 characters of 1-3 level.  

We will have 4 1st level characters.  The players are all highly experienced and very resourceful. I want it to be challenging but not overwhelming.
My question is do they have a fair shot at making it through this adventure without me having to use NPCs?  

What are your thoughts on the difficulty of this adventure?

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[Post 2]
Author : WizzyBlackmore
Date : 11-13-05 05:54 PM

As long as they paly smart (not fight everything they encounter/roll for monster rxn) they should be ok......you also may be able to pick up some npcs from wandering monster terrain charts (appendix of DMG 1st ed.) for outdoor encounters if things get too crazy.

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[Post 3]
Author : WizO_Cat
Date : 11-13-05 06:40 PM

Yeah, it can be done as noted earlier.  However, you could just have the party hire the 2-5 men-at-arms at the tavern who work for 1 gp/day.  They're truly not NPC in the sense of class levels but allow some added firepower for the party.

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[Post 4]
Author : selunatic2397
Date : 11-13-05 08:44 PM

It's a great adventure! I had an experienced group who did okay...as long as they kept reminding themselves that their characters did not have the hit points that they were used to. I had to keep forcing myself to not think better than the monster in question could. I was asked  " What did you do that for? you're smarter than that! " I replied that the monster in question had a low int. and it seemed to make sense to him. I tend to use a int. check by rolling under the critter's int on a d20 before I get too clever for my own good.

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[Post 5]
Author : diaglo
Date : 11-14-05 12:41 PM

here's a thread for you full of ideas: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=303122

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[Post 6]
Author : Omir
Date : 11-14-05 04:59 PM

Okay I guess hiring some men-at-arms is advisable since standard first level Basic D&D PCs are very fragile.  I also plan to let the party start out with max hit points and some healing potions.

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[Post 7]
Author : rogueattorney
Date : 11-15-05 10:57 AM

It sounds like you've already figured it out, but just in case...

Keep with just four first level players with no NPC help will be just brutal if you're playing as written.  Of course, as written, it assumes that the pcs are getting npc help.  Check out the Tavern and the Appendix at the back of the book for more info.

R.A.

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[Post 8]
Author : Varia
Date : 11-30-05 10:23 AM

6-7 characters is much better than 4 for most 1.0 dungeons, so NPC's or other additional firepower is a good idea.  They CAN try to play smart, but it will be nasty, and will only get nastier as they gain levels when the opponents start to get spells.

*Hugs*
Varia

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