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jordanz
Senior Scribe
556 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 03:35:23
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you've played?
"Tomb of Horrors" is legendary for it's difficulty.
"A Paladin in Hell" seems like it would be tough.....
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 04:47:37
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The Throne of Bloodstone is the most difficult adventure I have personally ever played in.
It was the most dire of adventures Dalor Darden ever took part in...hands down...ever!
EDIT: I don't know honestly which encounter scared me more: 25 T-Rex bad-mofos...or the half-dozen Death Knights we encountered as a "Random Encounter"...the city of a 100 frickin' Liches...or if instead it was the encounter with the Demon Orcus himself (on his home plane...full of power...and pissed!). Probably the 100 Liches! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
Edited by - Dalor Darden on 22 Jun 2012 05:03:27 |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 04:51:18
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| Although it's 3.0, I ran a good chunk of City of the Spider Queen. I've read many a gamer's description of it as a meat grinder and I agree: it's a very tough adventure. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 05:15:47
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S1: Tomb of Horrors (the original AD&D Gygax version, not the nerfy rewrites) was definitely the hardest, in terms of casualties. I'd hesitate to call it an adventure, it was really just more of a gauntlet of traps leading up to some treasure on a pedestal.
The original I6: Ravenloft was definitely an adventure and unsurprisingly much more difficult to survive than DMs and players might normally expect. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 05:25:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
S1: Tomb of Horrors (the original AD&D Gygax version, not the nerfy rewrites) was definitely the hardest, in terms of casualties. I'd hesitate to call it an adventure, it was really just more of a gauntlet of traps leading up to some treasure on a pedestal.
The original I6: Ravenloft was definitely an adventure and unsurprisingly much more difficult to survive than DMs and players might normally expect.
You know, Ravenloft WAS hard! I mean, the intricate castle was pretty sweet too! I can't even remember the character I played in that adventure though...I'm pretty sure I was a Cleric; but I can't recall.
Later when I ran the adventure myself, I remember TPKing the party...oops.  |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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jordanz
Senior Scribe
556 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 05:30:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
The Throne of Bloodstone is the most difficult adventure I have personally ever played in.
It was the most dire of adventures Dalor Darden ever took part in...hands down...ever!
EDIT: I don't know honestly which encounter scared me more: 25 T-Rex bad-mofos...or the half-dozen Death Knights we encountered as a "Random Encounter"...the city of a 100 frickin' Liches...or if instead it was the encounter with the Demon Orcus himself (on his home plane...full of power...and pissed!). Probably the 100 Liches!
That's pretty damn insane. What were the level requirements for that one? |
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jordanz
Senior Scribe
556 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 05:38:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
S1: Tomb of Horrors (the original AD&D Gygax version, not the nerfy rewrites) was definitely the hardest, in terms of casualties. I'd hesitate to call it an adventure, it was really just more of a gauntlet of traps leading up to some treasure on a pedestal.
The original I6: Ravenloft was definitely an adventure and unsurprisingly much more difficult to survive than DMs and players might normally expect.
I'm going to look for that Ravenloft adventure, it sounds interesting.
I never actually played through Tomb of Horrors, just read it for entertainment. It was just plain SPOOKY, those crazy murals on ht e walls and deathtrap entwined with mystery and foreboding...really an amazing mood alternating experience.
I could read a D&D novel today and never get anywhere close to that aura fear that a got when perusing Tomb of Horrors...
Was the treasure at the end even worth it? It seemed like you needed rare enough weapons and magic just to defeat the demilich. The true demilich that is. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 05:45:14
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quote:
Originally posted by jordanz
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
The Throne of Bloodstone is the most difficult adventure I have personally ever played in.
It was the most dire of adventures Dalor Darden ever took part in...hands down...ever!
EDIT: I don't know honestly which encounter scared me more: 25 T-Rex bad-mofos...or the half-dozen Death Knights we encountered as a "Random Encounter"...the city of a 100 frickin' Liches...or if instead it was the encounter with the Demon Orcus himself (on his home plane...full of power...and pissed!). Probably the 100 Liches!
That's pretty damn insane. What were the level requirements for that one?
The pre-generated wizard was level 19...and most of the other characters were too (though I think the thief was 22 and the bard higher as well).
We went through the module with the following:
Me (Dalor Darden) Illusionist 14-17 and Magic-User 20-something(I can't remember his level honestly at this time).
Mangar "The Merciless" human (Ftr 9?/Cleric 14?/Magic-User 16?), formerly Dalor's first apprentice
Dar and Sargon (twin humans) Ranger 17+ and Wizard 18+ (Sargon had previously been Dalor's Apprentice)
I can't remember the thief's name, but he was near level 15 I think.
And a HORDE of henchmen.
Out of everyone, the only survivors were Dalor, Mangar, Dar and Sargon.
Our DM worked it so that Gareth Dragonsbane and his folks stayed in Bloodstone Pass in case the Witch-King attacked...and so we went in. Dalor and his allies were lured by the secret agreement that Dalor made with the "Sage" Emlyn the Grey. In return for aiding the paladin Gareth, our group would be given certain treasures, as well as any and all spoils of the Witch-King's tower...Dalor was after magical power...as were Mangar and Sargon.
The module did have a LEVEL 100 alternate adventure...but that was sheer madness!
EDIT: I forgot about the Monk/Magic-User Legan! He was a 10th+ level Monk and level 18+ wizard too...he survived as well. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
Edited by - Dalor Darden on 22 Jun 2012 06:02:39 |
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 06:05:45
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earlier than 3e I didn't really get into the modules other than Planescape stuff, which I never got the chance to run.
In 3e, it was definitely Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil and City of the Spider Queen were brutal to me as a player (and I don't get it as a GM, having purchased them later), and certain chapters of the Shackled City Adventure Path for me as a GM.
For H |
"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 06:37:18
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| It's a shame that no "legendary" modules came out for Planescape (unless you count the Planescape: Torment CRPG). None for Spelljammer either. Yes they both had some (smallish) number of modules ... just no modules which really stood apart, plenty of great weird stuff but no definitive stories to link the detail-heavy setting to the heroes and villains in a memorable fashion. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 13:54:18
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2e's equivalent of CotSQ is Night Below, and it's a really brutal adventure. I've never gotten very far in it, because all the players keep dying. This is especially true because of how powerful 2e psionics are, and in NB you go up against the two main psionic races: illithid and aboleth. The final part of the adventure, where you're assaulting an aboleth city, it pure madness.
Right there with it was the original Temple of Elemental Evil. I've read through that one plenty of times, and if you just try to bull your way through, you'll end up dead every time. About the only way to make it work is to start turning the factions against each other, but even if you pull that off your odds aren't very good. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 16:58:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
It's a shame that no "legendary" modules came out for Planescape (unless you count the Planescape: Torment CRPG). None for Spelljammer either. Yes they both had some (smallish) number of modules ... just no modules which really stood apart, plenty of great weird stuff but no definitive stories to link the detail-heavy setting to the heroes and villains in a memorable fashion.
Planescape had its own legendary adventures. My personal favorites were Dead Gods, the Great Modron March, and Harbringer House.
Faction War was amazing, even if it destroyed what I really loved about the setting (the factions!). It did it in an good in-world and in-game explanation. It even brought in a new status quo, which had been boiling for quite some time.
Not as familiar with Spelljammer... so I have to fail at that response. |
"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36814 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 18:10:00
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| Spelljammer only had a dozen modules, or so. And I don't know that I'd call any of them all that major, except maybe for Under the Dark Fist, Heart of the Enemy, and Goblins' Return. The latter two dealt with the Second Unhuman War, and I recall them having an impact on the war, but I don't recall how decisive that impact was... One of the things that didn't help the setting was most of the modules were somewhat disconnected from each other. |
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Apex
Learned Scribe
USA
229 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2012 : 21:04:45
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| I would say the hardest module by far (taking into account suggested levels) is Tomb of the Lizard King. And it isn't even close (IMHO). An absolute meat grinder, with wicked traps (2 of the deadliest ever to appear in print), nasty encounters (many with level drainers), and of course, the Lizard King himself. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2012 : 00:01:24
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I did say 100 liches right?
EDIT:
All teasing aside, that was the single most desperate encounter I've ever had in my life as a player of D&D in any form. The ONLY thing that saved us was that we ran...in a quick manner! Even then, it took us some time to dodge the pursuing Death Knights from the same city, who were worse than the Liches I think! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
Edited by - Dalor Darden on 23 Jun 2012 00:03:27 |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2012 : 00:15:03
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quote:
I did say 100 liches right?
Careful with that. We don't want Wizbro to publish a "Return to Bloodstone" remake with 100,000 liches. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 23 Jun 2012 00:16:17 |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2012 : 00:19:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
quote:
I did say 100 liches right?
Careful with that. We don't want Wizbro to publish a "Return to Bloodstone" remake with 100,000 liches.
Well, there was a Zombie City with like 10k zombies...maybe they upped their skilz.  |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2012 : 01:18:14
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Monument of the Ancients. Sh*t was brutal.
:D |
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jordanz
Senior Scribe
556 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2012 : 02:08:46
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| Taking on Orcus, 100 liches....what could be tougher than that? |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jun 2012 : 02:10:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
Monument of the Ancients. Sh*t was brutal.
:D
Will any of these DDI/Living Modules be made public in the future do you think? |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Graytor Holom
Acolyte
Peru
6 Posts |
Posted - 13 Mar 2013 : 06:23:29
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Ive played Throne of the blood stone too with a fighter cleric lvl 12/12. It was as tough as hell(in fact we were in hell). Dont remember much but the fight with Orcus and with Tiamat herself. (5 heads do more damage than one). With Tiamat all the party was killed except my character who killed Tiamat with one last roll of 20 with 8 hp left...
Another adventure that was indeed tougher for mee and i agree with Apex is Tomb of the Lizard King. I dont know why but i felt it deadlier than even throne..of all 9 characters we used,only 3 remained,inluding Graytor Holom, my character in that adv. The chopping off of the lizard kings head was more celebrated than Orcus defeat...
An adventure that i havent played but seems pretty tough is How the mighty are fallen.. |
Winter is Coming |
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Derulbaskul
Senior Scribe
Singapore
408 Posts |
Posted - 15 Mar 2013 : 08:26:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
Monument of the Ancients. Sh*t was brutal.
:D
Will any of these DDI/Living Modules be made public in the future do you think?
You can get it now.
Get a one month subscription and download every single DDi article, adventure and/or magazine that you desire.
quote:
Originally posted by Apex
I would say the hardest module by far (taking into account suggested levels) is Tomb of the Lizard King. And it isn't even close (IMHO). An absolute meat grinder, with wicked traps (2 of the deadliest ever to appear in print), nasty encounters (many with level drainers), and of course, the Lizard King himself.
Agreed.
16 wights on one room. That's insane in 1E. |
Cheers
D
NB: Please remember: A cannon is a big gun. Canon is what we discuss here. |
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Graytor Holom
Acolyte
Peru
6 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2013 : 07:26:34
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| yep, it was insane, i still remember clearly how our dm, in the intro of the advnture, started counting 10,9,8....3,2,1 and we were like what is he doing? we were just being briefed of the problem in town (rarely somthing happens at that stage) and when he reached 0 he received us into the adventure with a huge flame strike. From that point on, we understood that we were sent to be cannon fodder... |
Winter is Coming |
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Aulduron
Learned Scribe
USA
343 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2013 : 17:33:20
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| I really wish I could find Bloodstone Pass, and the Queen of the Demonweb Pits, even if it's just to read them. |
"Those with talent become wizards, Those without talent spend their lives praying for it"
-Procopio Septus |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 17 Mar 2013 : 00:41:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Aulduron
I really wish I could find Bloodstone Pass, and the Queen of the Demonweb Pits, even if it's just to read them.
Go to DriveThru RPG...I'm pretty sure they have the Queen of the Demonweb Pits for sale right now at like 4.99? |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
Edited by - Dalor Darden on 17 Mar 2013 00:42:29 |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 17 Mar 2013 : 09:46:20
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Any and all of the well designed adventures are very difficult if done by a good DM. DMs that let things slide, allow characters that are too powerful, don't follow random monster rules, or have allowed unbalancing magic make the low level adventures seem easy sometimes.
The most difficult I have ever done was Dragon mountain - there are literally thousands of goblins in there. Take one turn and you're in big trouble.
There are also many published "puzzle" type adventures, which really make you have to think to get past obstacles. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36814 Posts |
Posted - 17 Mar 2013 : 13:19:22
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quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
The most difficult I have ever done was Dragon mountain - there are literally thousands of goblins in there. Take one turn and you're in big trouble.
Wasn't it kobolds? |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 17 Mar 2013 : 13:40:27
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| It was kobolds...and the dungeon where I had a party team-member get destroyed when a hollow block fell over him and we thought he was dead...so we cast disintegrate on the block/him and moved on. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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What are some of the toughest D&D modules
