The holiday season brings no rest for this adventurer. I have a bunch of stuff planned for this week and even some exciting things on the horizon for 2024.
Video
Putting together the Into the Unknown page-through took a lot out of me. I realized that there is no way I can keep the pace of reviewing an entire book each week. It worked fine when it was just a 32-page adventure setting or a short adventure, but most of the 4e books are at least 160 pages. I need more time to give them justice. I might reduce the book reviews to a monthly cadence.
But that does not mean there will be no videos. I have been thinking a lot about skill challenges. It is something that people seem to blame 4e for, but they are in no way exclusive to that edition. And I think they have a lot of potential if approached properly.
This week I offered my thoughts on them.
The biggest problem I have with Skill Challenges is that they are presented with a list of specific things that the players can do. Almost like if you had a combat encounter that indicated the monster could only take damage from a greataxe or that sneak attack could only be used after a wizard attack with Magic Missile.
I am a believer that the encounter should present WHAT the party is facing, but it is completely up to the party to decide HOW to deal with it.
I would love to hear ideas on how everyone runs skill challenges and how they could be improved.
Monster Monday
This week’s featured monster is the remorhaz. I love these monsters.
I ran an encounter a while back where the party had to go through an ice cave. There were a bunch of holes in the ice and indicators of what caused them, but no one in the party picked up on it (they were new players). The encounter featured only baby remorhazes, but they just about took out the party.
I particularly like the trait where someone who attacks the remorhaz with a melee weapon actually takes fire damage. Traits like that force the party to come up with creative strategies, which is always fun.
Remorhaz encounter ideas (1d8)…
🗡️ While traversing a snowy wasteland, which is difficult terrain, the party is ambushed by a remorhaz bursting from beneath the ice.
🗡️ The party discovers a cavern within an active volcano where a remorhaz has made its nest. It blocks the exit before they can escape
🗡️ Inside an ice cave, the party encounters a remorhaz attempting to devour a frost giant.
🗡️ The party is pursued by a remorhaz through a narrow canyon filled with geysers and pockets of molten lava.
🗡️ Deep within a network of underground tunnels, the party stumbles upon a remorhaz lair filled with eggs and a mother remorhaz that is not happy.
🗡️ The party finds a baby remorhaz that is injured with only a single hit point.
🗡️ A fire giant has tamed a remorhaz as a pet and is using it to attack a remote village.
🗡️ The party comes upon a fire elemental and a remorhaz engaged in combat.
Deals
Getting into the holiday season, there are a couple nice deals out there.
Paizo dropped a new humble bundle containing a bunch of legacy 2e products. This is not the new remastered content, but still some great stuff that can be used with any game. 25 items for $25.
The 5th edition mega-bundle was extended for a week. This set includes content from several different creators like Kobold Press, Necromancer Games, Frog God games, and more. 73 items for just $25.
Coming This Week…
On Monday, my video about skill challenges drops
Tuesday trivia will test your knowledge of D&D 4e at-will fighter powers
On Wednesday, we’ll find out what campaign setting has the edge for the community
And on Thursday’s live stream we play through the next encounter in Keep on the Shadowfell
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Have a Skill Challenge planned for this month’s session. My players just reached level 2 so up for something different before some more combat encounters. In town each member of the party will have a task to do that requires 2 successes on various skill checks. If successful they will get an item or benefit individually & if 3 are successful they will secure enough votes from town council members to become official defenders of the town with additional benefits such as food and lodging and help from town guards if needed.