Last night we had an interesting session because not only did we have a plan going in, we also devised an escape plan and rally point. What? I know, we got our forward thinking caps on.
The deal was we were approaching a goblin/orc fortification. It was in bad shape structurally as the GM pointed out, but our party focused on the stone walls didn't matter as much as the number of the enemy inside. We were there to save the dwarf. The dwarf that hired us in the first session. Took us a little while to get around to this part.
We stealthed our way in. We were able to take a chuck of foes without being detected. We agreed to leave the noisy loot behind until it was tie to run. All went well until the ceiling collapsed on our ranger. Then it hell broke loose, but instead of sticking around and being heroes. We used our escape plan and it worked very well. The GM got to use his Chase cards and we got out unscathed.
Until I had watch. My not-so-perceptive rogue was attached by a trio of stirges. Remember how I mentioned surprise was a huge advantage in a fight. Well, the three stirges would have had my rogue taking a dirt nap if it hadn't been for a bless amulet I'd been wearing. I was conscious enough to yell.
The mage in our party didn't like being disturbed and sat up long enough to tell me to shut-up, cast sleep on the stirges then he immediately fell back into his trance.
I don't think three stirges would have been so deadly to a 3rd level rogue/thief in other systems. Except the original where death is always one roll away.
Well, you came out of it just a little dehydrated and with a story to tell.
ReplyDeleteYeah, just a little parched. But they don't tell you how damn itchy those wounds get.
DeleteSo, here's a question. Did all of that pre-planning and strategizing seem to slow the game down in a negative way? I ask because I tend to be a "scream and leap" kind of player (almost always a barbarian or fighter), and others in my current group are borderline meta-gamey in their planning. And when you combine that with the delicious crunch of 3.5...well, it can get bodgged down. I'm just wondering if the faster rules compensate for that in any way.
ReplyDeleteWe kept it simple. That was part of our discussion, keeping it as simple as we could. Our escape plan was determining a rally point if we got separated and setting up a few trip lines. To give us a little distance between us and pursuers.
DeleteOur party has been beat up nearly every battle because we failed to plan and stood when we probably should have ran. This time we went in with the mind set of a tactical team instead of front rushing heroes. None of us make good heroes.
Just don't pick the scabs.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure there's anything as great as a plan working and completely shafting the DM's "expectations." Seeing the DM's jaw drop as we orchestrate and successfully perform maneuvers the DM never expected is a priceless thing.
Wait, there IS one thing better...having the plans fail, but SPECTACULARLY. That makes for a truly memorable session.