Need advice for The Sunless Citadel DMing

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Kharnacier
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Need advice for The Sunless Citadel DMing

Post by Kharnacier »

Hi,
I'm a D&D 3.5 player (a little bit of experience) and started DMing for friends the Sunless Citadel. They're pretty new to D&D and reached the room 12. Tomb of a Failed Dragonpriest. They fought the Dragon Priest Troll and dropped it (subdual damages). After that they plan to rest a bit.
Knowing that the Troll isn't really dead but regenerating, how would you play it ? Is it faking being dead until back to full potential ? Is it getting up as soon as it's back to consciousness (for probably 1 round before being dropped back) ? What about XP if it comes back either ways ?
Thx for your time and advice :)
PS: english isn't my mother tongue ;)

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aliasmask
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Re: Need advice for The Sunless Citadel DMing

Post by aliasmask »

I usually wait until he's back at full health which shouldn't be that long. If they're just resting, then he should attack then, but if they're going to sleep, then I would wait. The players don't get double the xp, just a good life lesson about Trolls.

Kharnacier
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Re: Need advice for The Sunless Citadel DMing

Post by Kharnacier »

Wow, your players are taught the hard way :)
Thx for your answer... I still don't know what I'm gonna do, but maybe wait for them to sleep, so everybody is 100% for round 2 :)

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Full Bleed
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Re: Need advice for The Sunless Citadel DMing

Post by Full Bleed »

Here are my thoughts:

Trolls are stupid. They have a 6 INT. The Dragon Priest Troll, is even dumber than most because it is also insane. It has a 4 INT and a 3 WIS!

But because it is a "Dragon Priest" troll it does have the Iron Will Feat... meaning it can make a decent decision every once in awhile. So I would give that Troll a DC 10 Will Save every round to see if it can show enough restraint and heal a little bit before attacking again. It has a +0 Will Save, so that means it will attack before it regenerates to full strength. It is only healing 3HP a round (lower than the 5HP a round a standard troll heals.)

This should make it easier to kill again, *BUT* make sure that when it does attack it gets a surprise round and that its first attack hurts. Hit some flat-footed vulnerable character... it should know instinctively to attack the weakest member of the group. The players should be vulnerable. They are probably trying to take its treasure when it attacks. They do need to learn a lesson about trolls and a memorable lesson will be the best lesson.
Maptool is the Millennium Falcon of VTT's -- "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."

Kharnacier
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Re: Need advice for The Sunless Citadel DMing

Post by Kharnacier »

Thx for your idea, I like it alot !! :)
Not sure it will attack the weaker PC though, because it could instant kill him... :shock:

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Full Bleed
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Re: Need advice for The Sunless Citadel DMing

Post by Full Bleed »

Kharnacier wrote:Not sure it will attack the weaker PC though, because it could instant kill him... :shock:
That's what monsters are supposed to do. Especially the scary "special" monsters. ;)

Players need to fear the chance of death.

If it kills a character and you really want to avoid that you could be nice and add a cleric scroll with a Raise Dead spell on it. It was a "Dragon Priest" so it would make sense that it could have something like that.

The cost of the Raise is substantial (-1 level). It will suck to take the level loss, but overcoming hard times builds character! :)
Maptool is the Millennium Falcon of VTT's -- "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."

Kharnacier
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Re: Need advice for The Sunless Citadel DMing

Post by Kharnacier »

Full Bleed wrote:It will suck to take the level loss, but overcoming hard times builds character! :)
Haha, nice one ! :D

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