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1 year ago ::
Jan 30, 2012 - 4:38PM
#1
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My friends and I had the opportunity to play this at DDXP and I wish I could offer some feedback, but unfortunately our DM did such an awful job that I don't think I've actually played the mod as it was intended to be experienced by the author. I'm not even sure what the plot was. I suspect it was quite good. There was one scene where I got a glimmer of what was happening and thought, "wow, they set that up ages ago and I didn't see it coming. Nice..."
The DM didn't speak clearly, didn't acknowledge or answer questions, explained the situation poorly, read us the raw text intended for the DM, was disorganized in combat, routinely forgot key monster abilities and tactics, had inaccurate and ugly maps and miniatures, no way to mark conditions, and basically spent most of the time staring at printed pages of the mod as if he has never seen it before, despite having run it the previous day. It went on from 8am until it mercifully ended around 11pm; something to be endured rather than enjoyed. We were never seriously challenged.
Looking at the tables around us with beautiful maps and enthralled players, we felt like impoverished orphans looking at a feast and hoping for scraps. It was bad. Nothing like our experience with EPIC3-1 the year before.
We'll have to play it again at home when it comes out on the website so that we can truly appeciate it.
I think this illustrates how especially important the DM is at epic level. I've run an epic campaign and can attest that it is a challenge. So much is going on at that level...
I fully appreciate also how much work the authors and (most) DMs put into the epic campaign. It is a huge endeavor, ultimately enjoyed by only a fortunate few; a labor of love. Even as players we made extensive preparations for this event. I think most participants in epic realize that it is something special, demanding our best efforts. Our DM handled it like some ad-hoc pickup game thrown together at the last minute. Hopefully we'll have better luck next time.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 30, 2012 - 4:53PM
#2
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I'm sorry you had such a bad experience.  Did you report the DM to HQ and/or Dave C.?
Lori Anderson
WotC Freelancer, LFR author
@LittleLorika
CALI3-3 The Agony of Almraiven (co-author)
NETH4-1 Containing Shadow (co-author)
CALI4-1 Plain of Stone Spiders (author)
QUES4-1 Liberation (co-author)
EPIC5-1 Plaguewrought Prism (co-author)
TotalCon: http://www.totalcon.com/RolePlaying.html
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1 year ago ::
Jan 30, 2012 - 5:32PM
#3
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I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. Did you report the DM to HQ and/or Dave C.?
No, do they accept complaints on DMs? That seems obvious in retrospect, but I wasn't aware if so. The had a DM feedback form for the BI but not the epic. Is there any way to report it after the fact?
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1 year ago ::
Jan 30, 2012 - 7:42PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Jun 21, 2007
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Dave and the Baldman Games staff are always looking for feedback, be it positive or negative. I don't have the direct email address handy, but if you go to baldmangames.com you can find it there, I'm sure.
In addition, if you have feedback or a special request (for whatever reason) you can find one of us in the blue shirts as we start marshaling out the tables and we can relay that feedback if you have it written down already.
Best course of action? Find the really tall bald guy and talk to him directly, he's the big dog. Sorry you had a bad experience, man.
Writing Director, Abolethic Sovereignty storyline Spoiler:
Show
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1 year ago ::
Jan 30, 2012 - 9:09PM
#5
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Played DDXP with the author as GM on Saturday. Fighter, Paladin, Elf Bow Ranger, Bard, and my Warden. Spoiler:
Show
We all groaned at the appearance of the Mistress of the Night again but it is a great way to flit about the world. I was looking forward to ending Tsien Chiang's threat for good.
A visit to Candlekeep library was nostalgic for me from reading the pre-Spellplague novels. I'm a big fan of separating the party as the library fight did. The two MYRE's I have written each did that for one encounter. It forced some characters into different roles than they were used to. Fortunately the ranger and I faced the efreet together while the other 3 were alone. The bard did surprisingly well but his success was dependent on 3 crits. I liked that our resistances were not automatically turned off but choosing to save the books did require a heavy sacrifice. Having in-game consequences from losing books affecting the PCs' abilities later was great. Often this is just something that appears on a story award without actually making a difference.
The story of Myth Dralas' fall was interesting and I wanted to explore it. I pictured the bard using Arcana to partially breach the Mythal, then the fighter and warden pulled it open with the ranger slipping nimbly through the opening. Unfortunately the hapless paladin (who really struggled with his rolls all night) didn't make it through safely.
The fight against the dragons was more fun than dragon fights usually are. Their different auras and the dominating treasure piles were a good combination. We had enough clues that we chose to subdue the male earth dragon, bloodied the air dragon, and broke through the magic controlling her so they could withdraw. Not your standard "kill anything that moves" encounter.
Fun fight against Tsien and her elementals. High bridge and large temple room made mobility key and the garden provided an out for any PC who didn't have fly/teleport. Always nice to see the author provide something that a PC might be missing if poorly designed or surprised. Paladin and my warden were unconscious after we saved 4 of Sehanine's power statues. We felt hope when the Mistress of the Night appeared to pick us up with combat continuing, only to then feel despair when Tsien hijacked our ship. I like Captain Pahnaq's parting salute and I hope to free him from her control.
Gathering our armies was a fun role-playing opportunity. This opportunity to have an extended rest was less charged than the one from 3-2. Only two of us took advantage of it, the bard's ext rest ended up being crucial to our success in the final encounter.
Assaulting I'Cath presented enough skill options that any character should have a reasonable chance to succeed unless they made no effort to gather an army. Even then there were options to boost your armies' success by sacrificing powers. Besides taking casualties I liked how lower levels of army victory hurt the PCs and higher rolls provided in-game bonuses.
Fight against the generals to enter the Palace of Bone wasn't too tough.
I did enjoy Spite's treachery against her sisters. We cannot choose our family but she did choose the family she preferred. We were able to subdue all her minions and finish her sisters before her. You gave her great options to help us in the combat while seeming to fight against us. If parties chose to kill her though I can see how the war room provided the necessary information.
We didn't fare well in the attempt to free the holy defenders of their taint. We were total defensing, making the diplomacy checks, and aiding another for the arcane and insight checks. The fighter and I even assisted the bard on an arcane check. My warden first dropped his weapon and shield, then next round dropped prone in an attempt to prove his peaceful intentions. I can see how finishing the angels, losing to the angels, and opening their eyes were all valid options depending on the players' preferences.
Finally into the Room of Contemplation. Super-tough fight. Taking away players' resistances, conditions, mark enforcements and defenses, and healing was vicious and forced us to choose what was most important to our group. I expect most parties focused on healing first. With 3 defenders we also tried to keep the mark/immediate powers available and made no attempt for the conditions/temps/DR. Making the skill checks Move or Minors was great so we could still participate in the fight. Very difficulty fight. The bard's extended rest let him recharge 2 item powers and a daily power-with all 3 active for this fight we got up to a +22 damage bonus per attack-without that there was no way we were victorious. Near the end the fighter and I were unconscious, ranger bloodied in the corner, paladin bloodied facing 1 glabrezu and the angel, and the bard was dazed. Ugh. Paladin ran through all his powers, we got up, and finished victorious. Paladin redeemed all his bad rolls by critting to finish the angel.
It was disappointing that Tsien continued to avoid the justice she so richly deserved but we did feel good about finishing that corrupted angel. Arriving back at the Palace of Bone, we were horrified to find our armies long-dead. This was after we had all gone to the realms where we were most respected and asked for their help-we led those armies to a death they were helpless to avoid.
Now I am impatient to find out how the rest of the world has changed.
Two of the combats were particularly difficult and saw multiple PCs unconscious. The bard saved us both times. The harder encounters, whether fight or skill challenge, gave PCs help if they needed it to shore up a weak area. Rather than limiting us to a few things we could do, every encounter let us use our best options to be epic.
Great maps and minis that look like what they are really do make a difference. Our GM was well-prepared and we finished 1 hour early overall despite not rushing and taking time to role-play. Treasure bundles were impressive, I'm having trouble choosing only two. Thank you for a great experience. I'm sorry not everyone had as much fun as we did. Brad
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1 year ago ::
Jan 31, 2012 - 8:47AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Aug 22, 2007
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I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. Did you report the DM to HQ and/or Dave C.?
No, do they accept complaints on DMs? That seems obvious in retrospect, but I wasn't aware if so. The had a DM feedback form for the BI but not the epic. Is there any way to report it after the fact?
This comes up every year. I dunno, I am not the big kahuna and there may be good reasons not to do this, but maybe rating cards would be good for the big cons? Keep it simple like a conference seminar feedback form. On a scale of 1-5, my GM was a X.
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1 year ago ::
Jan 31, 2012 - 11:42AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Aug 10, 2007
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Grondag,
Please contact the Baldman himself (through the baldman games website) and provide this feedback. Another EPIC adventure will be premiring in January 2012, and he needs to know this.
Please do not condemn a table next year to a similar experience. ( . . . and it could be you again!)
Sincerely,
Dan Anderson
@EpicUthrac
Living Forgotten Realms Calimshan Writing Director
Living Forgotten Realms Epic Writing Director
Meet me at TotalConfusion:
http://www.totalcon.com/RolePlaying.html
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1 year ago ::
Jan 31, 2012 - 5:37PM
#8
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Thanks all for the info and encouragement. I did send feedback via the baldman games website in the hope that a repeat can be prevented in the future.
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1 year ago ::
Feb 01, 2012 - 1:15PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Mar 17, 2005
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In addition to giving feedback to the con staff (which is a must if you have a great or aweful judge, otheriwse how will we know) the BI does give out those comment cards. Everyone who plays, please make sure you fill out in detail and return those cards (both rating your DM and the adventure). We do make changes and listen, so all the feedback you give us is welcome.
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1 year ago ::
Feb 02, 2012 - 8:49AM
#10
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Date Joined:
Aug 22, 2007
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In addition to giving feedback to the con staff (which is a must if you have a great or aweful judge, otheriwse how will we know) the BI does give out those comment cards. Everyone who plays, please make sure you fill out in detail and return those cards (both rating your DM and the adventure). We do make changes and listen, so all the feedback you give us is welcome.
Yeah, the BI comment cards are awesome and people should absolutely fill them out. Do it do it do it.
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