Here are some guidelines for the upcoming True Horde event at TDC.
A BIG thanks to Eric Chiang for doing a bunch of work on this, and thanks also to Stu, Raven and Kim who will be helping out during the event, too.
I will be playing the Jeffagorgon, so y'all better watch out!
Here are some details about the event:
There will be three teams of 10 players each. They will be Team Eric, Team Raven and Team Stu.
Each team of 10 will fill out a different party card and will figure out class selection normally within that team. (e.g. you can have up to one Druid on each team for a total of three Druids in True Horde).
Teams do not need to determine a difficulty level. Instead, when completing the party card, DM's will identify novice or under-equipped players and inform them that they will be receiving a modifier (e.g. 1/2, 1/4) to damage they receive from monsters. This modifier is applied via the normal procedure for determining damage (e.g. first subtract point-based modifiers and then apply percentage-based modifiers). These do not stack with other percentage-based modifiers - use the highest one.
When filling out the party card, token effects only apply to your team of 10. (e.g. Charm of Synergy, Cabal set, Artifact group effects). Remember that a given player can only benefit from one Artifact group effect.
As with True Grind, treasure-enhancing tokens do not provide extra treasure. You are still allowed to wear them and their non-treasure-enhancing effects still work.
Just like with True Grind, you will get +1 Max HP for coming with your character stats already calculated. You can also get +1 Max HP for submitting your equipment list.
The variable token effects are the same as for the rest of the True Dungeon Celebration:
UR Special: You get +1 level. In addition, as a free action (instead of at a pre-determined point in time) you get a fresh character card (same class), thus resetting all your cast spells, powers, HP, etc. All negative effects are removed. All positive effects remain (runestones, etc.)
Eldritch Runestone: You may equip one extra ioun stone
Amulet of Wonder: You become a Sygaldry Master. Show a runestone (any, other than Eldritch) to your coach:
• Gain triple the effect (if applicable)
• If the runestone normally effects only a certain attack/weapon type, it affects all your attacks
• You may keep the runestone
There will be one big combat board and the plan is to have everyone slide at once.
There will be several "rooms", and when a period ends all "1 room" effects will end. The DM's will let you know when a new room has begun.
Spells and effects that affect "all" or the whole party can affect any one of the three parties. So a Bard's Soothe Wounds will heal 3 HP to all members of any one team. The Cleric can cast Bless or Prayer on their own team or on a different team.
When a player dies (I'm not even using an "if" qualifier!), that player may still participate in combat by sliding one empty puck, as if he/she were wearing a Shirt of Spiritward. If a player actually does wear a Shirt of Spiritward, then they may slide two empty pucks or if we run out of pucks, they may slide one empty puck and then reslide it. Such spirits may either help their living team members or attempt to curry the favor of the dreaded Jeffagorgon!
There may be times when the Jeffagorgon attacks multiple targets. In those cases, DM's may use a single die roll result for multiple players or an entire team. For example, if the Jeffagorgon attempts to charm all the players with promises of Golden Tickets, instead of rolling 30 saving throws, the DM's might simply have the players roll 3 times - once for each team.
Here are some special limitations for class skills:
- Bardsong only applies to that Bard's team.
- The Cleric's Restore Power ability CANNOT be used on another Cleric's Restore Spell ability.
- The Dwarven Defender's Aura of Devotion only works on their team.
- If a monster is taunted multiple times and doesn't have sufficient attacks, excess Taunts
are wasted. Plus, you don't want to push the Jeffagorgon too far with taunts!!!
- The Paladin's Guard can only be used on someone on the same team.
That's it for now...please let us know your questions.
Token Conjurer
Geek Dreamweaver
Nerdomancer
Author of the never-to-be-released "The Secret of Trees"