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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 11:46:37
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My girlfriend and I haven't played D&D for a few months and we were thinking of starting again, but we haven't found a new group yet.
We tried playing solo adventures where one of us DM'ed and the other played, but that didn't work out.
However, the 4e DMG has a section about generating random dungeons and playing without a DM (p. 190-195). Based on that I've made my own random dungeon tables. We also both made hybrid characters to cover all the character roles (and to experiment with different hybrid builds  ).
So, I was wondering of someone had done something similar before and how it turned out. I also have these small dungeon tiles with corridors and rooms you can connect like a puzzle. Has anyone seen or used those before?
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 12:05:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Tyranthraxus
My girlfriend and I haven't played D&D for a few months and we were thinking of starting again, but we haven't found a new group yet.
We tried playing solo adventures where one of us DM'ed and the other played, but that didn't work out.
However, the 4e DMG has a section about generating random dungeons and playing without a DM (p. 190-195). Based on that I've made my own random dungeon tables. We also both made hybrid characters to cover all the character roles (and to experiment with different hybrid builds ).
So, I was wondering of someone had done something similar before and how it turned out. I also have these small dungeon tiles with corridors and rooms you can connect like a puzzle. Has anyone seen or used those before?
I've never done it (no DM/random dungeon), but my recommendation, if you can handle it, is to use two characters each instead of Hybrids to cover all the roles. A Hybrid I find makes a better 5th party member. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 12:25:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
I've never done it (no DM/random dungeon), but my recommendation, if you can handle it, is to use two characters each instead of Hybrids to cover all the roles. A Hybrid I find makes a better 5th party member.
I thought of that, but we decided to go with 1 character each. We didn't want to have twice the paper work cluttering the table(our dining table is only 1 by 1 meter) and I really wanted to experiment with hybrid characters as I never got the chance to play one  . |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 12:56:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Tyranthraxus
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
I've never done it (no DM/random dungeon), but my recommendation, if you can handle it, is to use two characters each instead of Hybrids to cover all the roles. A Hybrid I find makes a better 5th party member.
I thought of that, but we decided to go with 1 character each. We didn't want to have twice the paper work cluttering the table(our dining table is only 1 by 1 meter) and I really wanted to experiment with hybrid characters as I never got the chance to play one .
Give it a shot. If you find your characters dying too much, then maybe try having one person run a Hybrid and do the Dungeon, and the other run two pure classes. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4429 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 14:06:22
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Well met Tyranthraxus,
I've done a game similar, where a DMPC was present. I can warn you that there us lits of paper work seeing as you have to keep tabs on your character and monsters in addition to campaign notes, etc. It's do-able, just more difficult. As long as you can keep your meta-gaming in check, you should be fine. I'd suggest published adventures to make things easier on you.
As for the tiles i've only used the WotC ones that dont connect, but should work just fine. |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 15:10:48
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I don't have my book with me, so I can't check what it says, and thus you're already doing this, but if not . . .
If you only have two PCs, go easy on the monsters. Most published encounters (and the mechanics in general) are balanced for a party of five, each of whom represents a different role, and if you only have two, you're pretty seriously outgunned in one of those battles.
I recommend your standard encounter being one standard monster and four minions, or two standard monsters. You can fight an elite as a big bad boss, and if you're going to try a solo, pick one at least 2-3 levels lower than you, or reduce its hit points by half.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2011 : 16:40:42
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
I don't have my book with me, so I can't check what it says, and thus you're already doing this, but if not . . .
If you only have two PCs, go easy on the monsters. Most published encounters (and the mechanics in general) are balanced for a party of five, each of whom represents a different role, and if you only have two, you're pretty seriously outgunned in one of those battles.
I recommend your standard encounter being one standard monster and four minions, or two standard monsters. You can fight an elite as a big bad boss, and if you're going to try a solo, pick one at least 2-3 levels lower than you, or reduce its hit points by half.
Cheers
And at first, try not to have too many encounters before an extended rest to get a feel for how many encounters is survivable (I'd say maybe 4-5, but that depends on specific character builds, monster selection and which group (monsters or PCs) the dice favor). |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2011 : 01:55:32
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The only problem I have now is how to incorporate Skill Challanges. I was thinking of making a table to randomize the difficulty and making a table with the skills that has to be rolled 3 times for the skills involved. Any suggestions
I also found this link:
http://donjon.bin.sh/4e/dungeon/
Maybe just what I needed, I just have to adjust the encounters. Probably use half the monsters per encounter, rounded down. |
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[4e] Random dungeons and playing without a DM
