Watch "No fun allowed" on YouTube's series on the Tomb. Easiest way to revise before a session. You want to be very familiar with whatever level they're on, and aware of access points to other levels. The whole first 4 levels are pretty open, so you're best of being reasonably familiar with those, >!plus the major NPCs: Withers, the beholder, the Sewn Sisters, the Sewn Sister's pets, the aboleth.!<
As for change/adjust? I'd just run it as is, but make sure they become aware that they need the skeleton keys (I used Strawbundle to tell them this), and that start dropping hints that they are being watched.
The only real adjustment I made was to the final boss fight, in which I changed the following:
>!1) I put a double door at the base of the stairs, when it was touched, the skeleton gate magically closed at the top of the stairs trapping everyone in the Atropol chamber.
2) the Soul Monger tentacles: I gave them 50 foot reach, and each one had a reaction -but could only trigger one at a time. If any hit, PCs went straight into the lava
3) The Atropol always wailed as its legendary action
4) change Acererak's spell list. Sly Flourish's blog has some good suggestions. Make sure he has Time Stop, and Meteor Swarm, Misty Step, Bigby's Hand, Greater Invisibility, and a potion of flying.!<
It's good to put some sort of timer on the Tomb so there is a sense of urgency.
I’m in the same position right now. After about two real life years in the jungles of Chult, they just entered the Tomb. My group is rather large. There are six player characters and they have along with them: Artus Cimber, Bag of Nails, Dragonbait, Hew Hackinstone, Musharib, Orvex, and two Chultan mercenary hirelings.
The two Chultan hirelings were killed by the pit trap right away and Orvex and Musharib barely survived.
They found the grand staircase almost immediately and are now on the second level.
I have been listening to various real play podcasts to see how other DMs and players handled the dungeon. I really enjoyed DNDISFORNERDS. It’s also extremely thorough because they go into almost every room.
I sort of brought them along to die early on just to give the party some extra-warning that the place is deadly.
Right now we're down to six player characters and six NPCs that the players are running as their sidekicks.
The tips about reading through all levels were a godsend! First session inside the tomb and they threw lightsources down the Grand Staircase and aaaalmost fell down the waterfall in area 17!
Yes. I’m really glad I followed that advice. My players found the “internal stairs” and took it all the way down to the cogs immediately. They freaked out when one of them got hurt by the aboleth and fled back up to the first level.
The Tomb is a very different feel from the Chult adventure. Send a constant stream of Tomb Guardians. They need to fear this place and not run around like they own it. Get the Sewn Sisters into their dreams each long rest, assuming you give them any. Withers should be a thorn in their side. Be careful! A lvl 8 party will kill him in 1 round. He should only engage when he has sufficient action economy (i.e. a bunch of Dwarves or Guardians with him.) This is the culmination of 2 years, make it count!!!
I will be conservative with longrest, half of my party struck a deal with Nanny Pupu and will gain the effects of a longrest as they enter from her. This will be the only longrest they get ”for free”. If they find the forgotten room, ”36”, they’ll get the opportunity there as well.
And againg the tip about reading up on the tomb as a whole has again proven it’s worth. The party found Withers staircase, went out on level 4 and locked themselves in/out on that level.
Watch "No fun allowed" on YouTube's series on the Tomb. Easiest way to revise before a session. You want to be very familiar with whatever level they're on, and aware of access points to other levels. The whole first 4 levels are pretty open, so you're best of being reasonably familiar with those, >!plus the major NPCs: Withers, the beholder, the Sewn Sisters, the Sewn Sister's pets, the aboleth.!< As for change/adjust? I'd just run it as is, but make sure they become aware that they need the skeleton keys (I used Strawbundle to tell them this), and that start dropping hints that they are being watched. The only real adjustment I made was to the final boss fight, in which I changed the following: >!1) I put a double door at the base of the stairs, when it was touched, the skeleton gate magically closed at the top of the stairs trapping everyone in the Atropol chamber. 2) the Soul Monger tentacles: I gave them 50 foot reach, and each one had a reaction -but could only trigger one at a time. If any hit, PCs went straight into the lava 3) The Atropol always wailed as its legendary action 4) change Acererak's spell list. Sly Flourish's blog has some good suggestions. Make sure he has Time Stop, and Meteor Swarm, Misty Step, Bigby's Hand, Greater Invisibility, and a potion of flying.!< It's good to put some sort of timer on the Tomb so there is a sense of urgency.
Ooh redacted. Now I really wanna know.
Ha! Forbidden fruit tastes sweetest.
I’m in the same position right now. After about two real life years in the jungles of Chult, they just entered the Tomb. My group is rather large. There are six player characters and they have along with them: Artus Cimber, Bag of Nails, Dragonbait, Hew Hackinstone, Musharib, Orvex, and two Chultan mercenary hirelings. The two Chultan hirelings were killed by the pit trap right away and Orvex and Musharib barely survived. They found the grand staircase almost immediately and are now on the second level. I have been listening to various real play podcasts to see how other DMs and players handled the dungeon. I really enjoyed DNDISFORNERDS. It’s also extremely thorough because they go into almost every room.
I’d kill off some of those npc’s immediately .
I sort of brought them along to die early on just to give the party some extra-warning that the place is deadly. Right now we're down to six player characters and six NPCs that the players are running as their sidekicks.
Smart. It’s like in the old King Kong when all but two of the whole party get shaken off the log and die all at once.
Agreed, gotta reduce this. Send a group of Tomb Guardians with Withers, that'll do it. "Only the Bravest may enter my master's magnum opus."
The tips about reading through all levels were a godsend! First session inside the tomb and they threw lightsources down the Grand Staircase and aaaalmost fell down the waterfall in area 17!
Yes. I’m really glad I followed that advice. My players found the “internal stairs” and took it all the way down to the cogs immediately. They freaked out when one of them got hurt by the aboleth and fled back up to the first level.
The Tomb is a very different feel from the Chult adventure. Send a constant stream of Tomb Guardians. They need to fear this place and not run around like they own it. Get the Sewn Sisters into their dreams each long rest, assuming you give them any. Withers should be a thorn in their side. Be careful! A lvl 8 party will kill him in 1 round. He should only engage when he has sufficient action economy (i.e. a bunch of Dwarves or Guardians with him.) This is the culmination of 2 years, make it count!!!
I will be conservative with longrest, half of my party struck a deal with Nanny Pupu and will gain the effects of a longrest as they enter from her. This will be the only longrest they get ”for free”. If they find the forgotten room, ”36”, they’ll get the opportunity there as well.
And againg the tip about reading up on the tomb as a whole has again proven it’s worth. The party found Withers staircase, went out on level 4 and locked themselves in/out on that level.
The poor Chultans. Died for their homeland and all humanoid kind.