jedibcg wrote:
Fred Kessler wrote: I was reading the thread on nightmare difficulty level and it gave me an idea.
What about running a True Dungeon tournament somewhere like TDC?
The participants are given a specified set of tokens (none beyond rare and exactly the same group of tokens for all players) for each run (likely with the players not being told which ones in advance). You get a total of something like 30 points in tokens per player(using the trade values of 6, 3, 1 for rare/uncommon/common). With those characters, you have to beat a run as a group in groups of 5 players. Groups are scored based on having completed the dungeon and everyone surviving (perhaps time as well or other factors that could give extra points). A page could be stolen from the D&D Open where a group could earn additional points by giving up points in tokens.
Groups would have to beat both the puzzle and combat challenges (this could be a good way to test out new runs) and score in the top 5 in total points to make it to the finals.
The finals would have the same token rules and a progressively more difficult set of wave of monsters. The group that lasts the longest in the true grind finals, wins.
Allow 20 groups of 5 players. Each one does 2 runs with 25% or more fall out due to failure each round. Knowing you could run puzzle and combat of different runs simultaneously - you could do the whole thing in a day.
Entry fee of something like $100 per person with the winners getting token prizes or something similar. Alternately, increase the entry fee to $250 or whatever level the equivalent would be in token spend to likely get these (for all entrants combined) and give the 5 winners golden tickets for the next year.
It could be a cool thing to do at TDC that combines knowledge of True Dungeon with skill and cleverness.
Fred
I like that you are thinking outside the box. But I personally love that TD is not a competition. I like the cooperativeness of it that is both on individual runs and as a community as a whole. I would prefer not to see a competitive element enter even for one event, but that is me and I will drop out of the conversation now.
I'm all for new ways to play. I'm viscerally and passionately opposed to asking Jeff to put even $1 into prizes or special tokens for people who choose to do something more challenging.
For years I've suggested something I call Nightmare+. The idea is the groups compete, if you want to call it that, by "bidding" to take on a handicap that can be managed by the players. (Don't get the DMs involved, they have enough to do.)
Basically, have your party card filled out, obviously, and ask the coaches to give everyone "-X" to all ACs, saves, and to-hits. Whenever the DM says "take Y damage," take an extra X as well. But ask the DM to give the monster an extra X*100 HP.
No fees, no prizes. Just bragging rights.
As far as I know, nobody has tried it. It is easy enough to implement. Just decide you want to do it, and do it.
Everyone is thinking it, so I'll say it: there are only 40 GT per year, and they're crazy tough to find already. And much of TD is on the honor system. If you cheat, you're cheating yourself. Siphon off 5 GTs for prizes and there will be rioting and pitchfork-wielding, and with a $1000 prize on the line, the incentive to cheat will be irresistible.
It's easy to cheat. When your HP goes below zero, just don't. Nobody's looking over your shoulder.
Plus, Jeff does enough for players already. He's a generous guy. Asking him to do even more by contributing any sizable prize pool isn't something I'd endorse.
"Ceci n'est pas une pipe" - Magritte
