Goodman Games

OK, last night I started running my players through DCC 13 - Crypt of the Devil Lich. They are using the pregen characters. So far the adventure seems quite unchallenging - 100% due to that Rod of Life.
I just don't get it. No matter what the players do, any/all damage or death is just erased at any time with a quick hit of the Rod of Life. Why bother checking for traps? Why bother avoiding straight melee? Anyone who gets hurt or killed just gets brought back to full.
I could see if the thing had like 8 charges, so they could only raise 1 person and heal 3, but 25 charges?!? That'll last a lifetime when you add in the cleric's massive list of healing spells.
Luckily everyone had a good time last night, but as soon as they fully realize that they are all Gods, incapable of sustaining any long-term damage or even being able to be killed for more than a round - what fun will be left?
Am I missing something? Have other DMs come up with a good solution?

I'd like to add that the adventure is 100% brilliant! Every room is original and well-created. Two thumbs up for the designers! This will be a classic to sit alongside Temple of Elemental Evil and Tomb of Horrors.
My ONLY complaint is that darned Rod.

The raise dead function of the rod takes 5 charges. That alone should limit its use.

Yeah, like he said -- it takes 5 charges. Dude, if you think this module is a cakewalk, you're definitely not taking something into account! Presumably it's the rod... also don't forget that PCs can't rest within the crypt, so there's no recovery of spells/hp while they're down there. In my group, we had 5 deaths before the module ended. Brother Jharo died twice, accounting for two of them. The PCs walked into the final encounter with two of them literally at 0 Strength... they were actually dragged into the encounter by the other PCs... and by the time it was done, only 2 out of 6 PCs walked out of the dungeon. They killed Chalychia, but 4 of 6 died in the process. Definitely check how many charges you're using for that rod's abilities...

goodmangames wrote:The PCs walked into the final encounter with two of them literally at 0 Strength... they were actually dragged into the encounter by the other PCs.

*LAUGH* That is just too cool for words.

I love this module, which is why I couldn't bear to have my players hate it. Therefore, I put a 2 day time limit on the dungeon, which limited their resting somewhat. They still had multiple deaths, and the Devil Lich escaped.

More importantly.....I survived as the DM. This dungeon is so nasty that if I had played it as was done to me at Gencon, I think my friends would have killed me!

Ben "superfan" Waxman

WOW!! This module is just incredible!!

So my players finished level 1 last night. 2 of them died in the last room on lvl 1. That 'heal' spell is just awesome! They ended up burning a total of 14 charges off that wand on level 1. I think they were getting lazy in their tactics by the last room, figuring the 'wacky stick' would save them. Once they burned 11 charges for the last room (outside the room of course), they are singing a different tune. The look on their faces when they hit the Lich with the staff and the Lich healed up to full!!!

Anyway, I retract my initial complaint. I should have waited until we had finished the first level!

Thank you Goodman Games for bringing us the best adventures in decades!!!