Advice for a new Judge..NPC Wizard will kill them..

A forum for DCC RPG judges. This forum covers adventure design, monsters, judges' advice, campaign building, and all other such things.

Moderators: DJ LaBoss, finarvyn, michaelcurtis, Harley Stroh

Post Reply
hughnme
Ill-Fated Peasant
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2013 12:25 am

Advice for a new Judge..NPC Wizard will kill them..

Post by hughnme »

Hi gang,

I’m about three quarters of the way through a DCC mini module, I’m a brand new Judge and this will be only my second session. I’ve listened to a lot of Spellburn/Iron Tavern podcasts so I think I have a bit of an idea as to the “vibe” of DCC.

Thing is the PC’s are about to come up against a 6th level Wizard, said Wizard will-if I play him like a PC would play- burn luck to go first in the Initiative check and then unleash hell with spells killing most, if not all of the adventurers.

What do you do in this circumstance? Play for keeps or let the PC’s in with a chance and let some of them go first? I’d be grateful for any advice.
User avatar
Doug Kovacs
Deft-Handed Cutpurse
Posts: 202
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 7:43 am
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Advice for a new Judge..NPC Wizard will kill them..

Post by Doug Kovacs »

I never use the PC spell rules for NPC's. Magic for monsters (or NPCs) is different, and the way a wizard engages with it is only one possible way.
Do what you want , but I find it goes against the mystery of magic for the players to understand spell burn as a rule of magic and therefore can start to expect it. Try to keep your players surprised and they might appreciate it.
DOUG KOVACS
Artist/Illustrator
dk@dougkovacs.com
http://dougkovacs.com
The Drain Chamber (Blog)
http://dougkovacs.com/dkblog/
User avatar
GnomeBoy
Tyrant Master (Administrator)
Posts: 4126
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 1:46 pm
FLGS: Bizarro World
Location: Left Coast, USA
Contact:

Re: Advice for a new Judge..NPC Wizard will kill them..

Post by GnomeBoy »

hughnme wrote:...the PC’s are about to come up against a 6th level Wizard...
Levels in DCC are roughly equivalent to double the level in another D&D-type game.

So a 6th Level Wizard is like a 12th Level Wizard in another OSR type game, in terms of the raw power he could unleash.

If the PCs are, say, 1st Level, going up against a "12th Level" opponent is obviously a deathtrap for them. Knock your NPC Wizard down to maybe 3rd Level, and it's still an uphill challenge, just based on what spells that NPC could have access to...

Also, DCC is very swingy in the way the dice do the deciding on power levels. So a party of 1st Level characters could take out a 3rd Level Wizard without breaking a sweat -- if the dice go their way. Or he could wipe them all out, if the dice go his way.

But, y'know, if you've started the game at a higher level, maybe 6th is fine.
...
Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.

Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters

bygrinstow.com - The Home of Inner Ham
hughnme
Ill-Fated Peasant
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2013 12:25 am

Re: Advice for a new Judge..NPC Wizard will kill them..

Post by hughnme »

Thanks for the prompt replies. Love your work Mr Kovacks!

The party is Level 4 and the Wizard is level 6.The Wizard has particular spells defined in the module. So if I’m understanding correctly just use the spells without spellburn and enter initiative only slightly modified (he has a +1).
User avatar
Jobe Bittman
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 57
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 10:55 pm

Re: Advice for a new Judge..NPC Wizard will kill them..

Post by Jobe Bittman »

You should go for it and report back. Roll up some ability scores for the wizard. When he spellburns, negatively adjust his ability score modifiers and saves. I'd love to hear how it goes. If you find that you are going to TPK the group, you could always have the wizard direct the attacks solely at a single PC and totally obliterate them as an example to the others. Or sleep them all and the characters wake up with all their money gone. Long story short, don't <b>f*ck</b> with a level 6 wizard.
Gameogre
Deft-Handed Cutpurse
Posts: 245
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:14 pm
Location: Teleports at will.

Re: Advice for a new Judge..NPC Wizard will kill them..

Post by Gameogre »

My npc Wizards use the same rules as the pc's with a few nods towards the differences. Npc wizards will probably not spell burn as much as a pc Wizard could or will start with some points already spellburned.

Because of the way I use npc Wizards,Wizards are NOT to be trifled with. The party will engage a enemy wizard with the utmost of caution or wild abandon with everyone doing there all to take out the enemy wizard NOW.

NPC wizards scare the crud out of them and have killed more than just a few of the parties mightiest characters.

I also always make those battles transparent,all rolls are made out in the open so when the evil wizard does spell burn and roll very well,the groans and yells of alarm come hot and heavy.
AQuebman
Hard-Bitten Adventurer
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:59 am

Re: Advice for a new Judge..NPC Wizard will kill them..

Post by AQuebman »

My way of dealing with this is to handle NPC Wizards exactly like PC Wizards along with spellburn. Generally wizards in my campaigns only spellburn big in drastic situations and thats the same with my NPCS. My NPC Wizards will only use a minor amount as needed but if they are on death's door or something critical has occurred then they will burn to their hearts content.

I agree with the above that Wizards are deadly and I make sure that's very obvious to my players but I don't immediately burn luck for init or burn all my points because to me that's not realistic.. My evil wizards have other foes and things to use their spellburns on just like my players.
Post Reply

Return to “Judges' Forum”