My buddy called me up today and asked what's with all the bear stuff lately. I explained it's "Bear Week" and then realized I'm pretty much out of steam. Part of that is due to the usual exhaustion and part of it is...well, I think it's all pretty much due to exhaustion. I still like bears, but I'm going to end this series early.
I DID want to show one of the miniatures I picked up over last weekend, however...check it out:
Now THAT is pretty awesome. While the current adventure I'm running has ZERO bears in it, I find just having a beast like that on the table conveys most of what I need to say about my attitude towards the game. Because of the relatives staying with us this weekend, I won't have time to paint the new critter for awhile, but maybe I'll have a chance to finish it up before we head to Mexico.
Oh, man am I tired...my eyes are burning right now. I'm shutting off; talk at y'all later!
: )
Just wanted to say I really enjoyed Bear Week. Whenever I open a Monster Manual I tend to skip over all the real animals to get to the "good stuff," but all these posts have really inspired me. My next campaign will definitely feature the party being stalked by a bear.
ReplyDeleteI thought of you last night. My group is in Dyson's Delve (the best mini meagdungeon out there), and they'd made it down to the 8th level. Easily dispatching the two ogres guarding the stairway, they went in further and found a doorway leading to a series of natural caverns.
ReplyDeleteThe old cave bear (hd7 hp29, dmg 1-8/1-8/2-12) surprised them. It did minimal damage the first round, but the second round hit with claw, claw and bite on the poor dwarf in front as well as wrestled him to the ground. The damage rolls of 7, 6, 8, and then the bear-smash for 11 were far too much for poor Murray as his wrecked body got flung to the side as the bear looked for more.
It was a stunningly swift and surprising end to a pc that had been in the campaign since the start (14 weeks).
As the party stared at me in amazement (and sadness, it was pretty traumatic), I briefly thought of you.
Did I miss a post on laser bears? Love them, hate them?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.redbubble.com/people/lazerbears/art/2641965-the-great-animal-war-vintage
Holy hell, Greg! Your dice were on fire!
ReplyDelete@ Ducky: That was kind of the point.
ReplyDelete: )
@ Greg: Yeah, forgive me but (can't believe I'm saying this) cave bears may be a bit of "over-kill." The only time I've ever had them show up in a game were as wandering monsters on the Isle of Dread (module X1), and they were very much all or nothing kind of monsters: a PC cleric with "speak with animals" spell could get past 'em with a good reaction roll; otherwise, they tended to tear apart (Expert-level) characters with ease.
They're a veteran group. Third level dwarf, third level fighter (with an 18 con), and two fifth level clerics and two first level soldiers carrying torches and treasure for them. They'd gotten nonchalant and cocky and paid for it with a life. It was a bit of bad luck (the to hit rolls of 18, 19, 19 were pretty ugly), but they are a solid group that generally overcomes obstacles.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part was the dwarf had enough xp to get to fourth level - and this was the last fight of the night. If they'd quit for the night before fighting the bear, Murray would likely have just survived the severe mauling.
The player of the dwarf has a third level thief in the campaign that's been laid up - she's recovered and will be back with the group (and 4th and likely 5th level pretty quick).
(I also did a running tally on deaths through the 14 weeks - winning pc killing monster? zombies - and that's with two clerics in the group)