tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post911131920559823634..comments2024-03-28T20:36:33.364-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Review: Stonehell DungeonJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-2497313517144336192009-11-21T02:53:11.306-05:002009-11-21T02:53:11.306-05:00You're right about Stefan Poag's maps in T...You're right about Stefan Poag's maps in The Mines of Khunmar. They have a marvelously organic feel to them and many lively 3d elements.<br /><br />And although they lack the 3d quality per se, I love the look and feel of Melan's Khosura. The absence of the grid combined with something about the geometry and architectural organization of his maps feels so very natural, so plausible, so right. His dungeon really breathes.Rick Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01707062453047354335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-17602662467614815002009-11-20T15:35:13.073-05:002009-11-20T15:35:13.073-05:00Using this dungeon for other games or other versio...Using this dungeon for other games or other versions of the game should be no difficulty - I ran it using a mutant hybrid of 0e and B/X, had a lot of fun. I did a couple of tests using Savage Worlds, and it changes the play a lot, but nothing is lost. <br /><br />One thing to bear in mind for 3.5/Pathfinder or 4e is that this dungeon is populated semi-organically, semi-randomly, without real reference to play balance. Surely if you're reading Grognardia you are familiar with this feature of old-school play, but just in case: don't expect the challenge level of any encounter to "match up" to the party's expected abilities, except in the broadest sense (e.g., orcs and goblins on level 1, hobgoblins a bit deeper). My players found that the "big tough" monsters of level 1 were a breeze, while the 1/2 HD rats nearly TPK'd at every encounter. <br /><br />So if you do 'convert' the dungeon, you may find it useful to warn your players about this, and set expectations.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-87823244774557922452009-11-20T11:29:03.359-05:002009-11-20T11:29:03.359-05:00Carl,
I love that particular piece of artwork. Fo...Carl,<br /><br />I love that particular piece of artwork. For that matter, all the art in <i>Stonehell</i> is excellent and really nicely sets the mood of the piece. I wish there was more of it, of course, but what's included is very good.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-13273193273475604982009-11-20T11:27:29.545-05:002009-11-20T11:27:29.545-05:00Since I first saw it I have liked Stonehell, but i...<i>Since I first saw it I have liked Stonehell, but it feels limited by that template.</i><br /><br>To clarify: I don't hate the One-Page Dungeon format and recognize its utility. I simply think that, like all such things, it works best when used sparingly or at least flexibly. Stonehell's first three levels all use the format a mite too religiously; they have a uniform appearance to them that distracts me. Level 4 and 5 are a little more creative in their use of the format, but they still conform to a 4 x 4 grid that feels unnecessarily artificial.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-18678302356362553842009-11-20T11:24:21.481-05:002009-11-20T11:24:21.481-05:00James, could you mention a megadungeon or two that...<i>James, could you mention a megadungeon or two that takes the wilder and woollier approach, other than your own unreleased material, of course?</i><br /><br>There aren't many examples of such a thing in print, unfortunately. Arneson's Blackmoor levels form FFC have this vibe, as does Rob Kuntz's stuff like <i>The Living Room</i> or <i>Bottle City</i>, but they're not full dungeons, just individual rooms/levels. The reason I crave such material is that it's rare in print and Michael definitely shows he has the chops for this style of dungeon. I just want to see more of it.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-43651320807558827042009-11-20T06:35:32.804-05:002009-11-20T06:35:32.804-05:00great, I was really looking forward to it after th...great, I was really looking forward to it after the three free level Michael gave for free on his blog!MTNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10389626031147642433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-41513765056675588652009-11-19T21:57:25.059-05:002009-11-19T21:57:25.059-05:00I know having the dungeon spread out on different ...I know having the dungeon spread out on different pages isn't cool, but if you bought the PDf version of StoneHel you can easily make a hardcopy of the dungeon by simply printing out the floor plans and assemble them together with scotch tape.crowkinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03066821931343968827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-79977676408653424492009-11-19T19:26:19.029-05:002009-11-19T19:26:19.029-05:00I am of two minds about the way each quadrant of e...I am of two minds about the way each quadrant of each level is its own self contained map. I definitely hear and understand the complaint that it feels artificial and constrained. On the other hand, for someone like myself who is unlikely to use the dungeon whole cloth but will be instead lifting sections out to use individually, this modularity is a real bonus. For instance, there is a level with a bunch of cool greenhouses and crazy plants, and I am going to use it in my Mutant Future game - the way the maps are constructed means I don't actually have to make any changes to them at all, really, to remove them from the bigger dungeon.<br /><br />On a personal note, I must say how rewarding it has been for me to see my artwork in a publication, and I certainly willing to do more drawings if anyone else out there wants a budding young new-old-school dude to whip up something for your project. The monsters and maps I drew for James' Megadungeon project got me started, and the two drawings I did for Stonehell really got my creative juices flowing. <br /><br />(I did the ogreface arch drawing, which is the cover for the free preview level as well as appearing as an interior illustration in the full product, and the illustration of the black bear in the canyon)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07648499022366444265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-38857147644351663072009-11-19T16:34:06.785-05:002009-11-19T16:34:06.785-05:00I'm with James on this. Since I first saw it I...I'm with James on this. Since I first saw it I have liked Stonehell, but it feels limited by that template.AndreasDavourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17170806742393291962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-40931552814112599532009-11-19T15:07:33.178-05:002009-11-19T15:07:33.178-05:00I'll correct my own second comment above. Base...I'll correct my own second comment above. Based on "Welcome to Stonehell" in the free preview, it sounds like he's probably following the one-page format for all ten levels.Rick Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01707062453047354335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-44608841805604656112009-11-19T14:52:56.532-05:002009-11-19T14:52:56.532-05:00The conversion is probably easier from Pathfinder ...The conversion is probably easier from Pathfinder to LL, as you can do it on the fly. But I don't see any reason you can't do it. As far as I can see from the preview / supplement, there are very few stats. For most common creatures, just use your standard Pathfinder monster of the same name. For new monsters, keep the HD, and damages, just convert AC (ascendingAC=20-descendingAC). The biggest part of the conversion is for NPCs, which will need to rebuild them, keeping class, level and abilities for humans. Dwarves and halflings are fighters, Elves are Fighters-mages.Nicolas Dessauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03010015806129652185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-59912880539972221642009-11-19T14:28:49.595-05:002009-11-19T14:28:49.595-05:00I know i'm going to be crucified as a pariah o...I know i'm going to be crucified as a pariah or burnt at the stake for this: <br /><br />How hard is it to convert LL to 3.5/Pathfinder? Easy? Difficult?<br /><br />Be gentle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-31544521000524453872009-11-19T14:07:46.735-05:002009-11-19T14:07:46.735-05:00James, could you mention a megadungeon or two that...James, could you mention a megadungeon or two that takes the wilder and woollier approach, other than your own unreleased material, of course?Rick Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01707062453047354335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-86439945843614331592009-11-19T14:04:44.836-05:002009-11-19T14:04:44.836-05:00Me, too. Great review, James, of a megadungeon I&#...Me, too. Great review, James, of a megadungeon I've been eagerly looking forward to playing with, but I share your preference for more wild and woolly structures and hope his next release for Stonehell breaks through those constraints.Rick Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01707062453047354335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-8057315641497149132009-11-19T13:23:14.373-05:002009-11-19T13:23:14.373-05:00Damn, great review JM. And you know I don't ha...Damn, great review JM. And you know I don't hand out praise lightly.<br /><br />I've looked over dozens of dungeons in magazines and modules that I never even ran. But they were always fun to read, and this one sounds like one of those fun reads. I may have to get it just for that, if not to actually use in game (although I could use a nice tropey dungeon in the future). Based on this review, consider me sold.Kevin Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com