TOPIC: GHC runs compared to GC runs (SPOILERS!)

I figured it could be useful to capture some of the differences I noticed between the runs at GHC vs GenCon and see what others noticed that I missed. And of course see what people thought of the differences.

General differences:

• monster stats seemed to be reduced some (and didn't initially include Epic stats)
• complex room and hallway layouts got simplified (more rectangular)

N2

Room 1 (Valkyrie):

• video projectors seemed to be displaying a different scene than what was done at GenCon.
• less "snow" around the room
• maybe just due to colder drier air, but I seemed to pick up a bunch of static electricity every time I left room 1 at GHC, but it never happened at GenCon
• no significant changes to how the room itself played

Room 2 (Ice dragon):

• clue on scroll modified due to change to room 3

Room 3 (snow puzzle):

• completely changed to a different puzzle.
• Loved this new puzzle! Lots if fun to play with the snow!

Room 4 (troll shaman):

• monster didn't draw runes, but effects still happened
• the annoying column that messed up party slide flow thankfully did not make an appearance at GHC

Room 5 (arrows): (was room 6 at GenCon)

• swapping the order of rooms seemed like a better flow to most people I ran with
• clues on the wall seemed the same
• I think there were fewer red herring arrows at GHC, as we only had two that were left unplaced. I recall there being more left over at GC.

Room 6 (Giants): (was room 5 at GenCon)

• at Nightmare (and lower difficulties?) Giants picked a player up and threw them at another player. This felt a bit more balanced to me than the 'swing and hit everyone" mechanic (which was kept at Epic difficulty).

Room 7 (world tree):

• I think this was exactly as it was at GenCon, though I think the positions of which lights are controlled by which stones may have changed.

N3

Room 1 (altars):

• Puzzle works the same, but clue moved onto a scroll.
• Main hall was wider, and the traps were not present (moved to a later transition hallway)
• you could drink some green water if you wanted to still be contaminated

Room 2 (corrupted priest):

• Combat seemed to mostly as it was at GenCon
• Room layout was a bit better, and corruption trap was not present

Room 3 (7 things):

• Same puzzle and ghost effect. Awesome that this survived as I was expecting it would have to be rethought for GHC

Room 4 (drinking song):

• The corruption traps showed up in the hall leading to this room. It seemed like with trying to usher out the previous party, there wasn't a good way for the DM to also keep an eye on who triggered the traps.
• The puzzle itself stayed the same
• I still wish there was some indicator prior to the music starting, as the party always stumbles to catch up

Room 5 (swords):

• A much better clue was on the wall at GHC.

Room 6 (hellkyries):

• Combat seemed same as GenCon

Room 7 (guardian):

• Mr. Wiggles took the stage, I suspect easier to transport?
• The actual combat seemed the same overall though.
• Smoke seemed to be a bit overwhelming at times (and I feel sorry for the DM inhaling that all day for three days)

Seems pretty accurate to me.

I saw the troll shaman draw runes with its staff onto the combat board a couple times. I don’t know if that was used for the combat or if it was just for fun though.

The giants did pick up players on normal but it was only 5 damage to each player.

Arrows were definitely removed from that puzzle.

The N2 changes were great I thought. The reordering and the snow puzzle.

I agree entirely with the summary.
Our after-dinner post-run review didn’t come up with all of these, but did not many of them.

Having done 6 runs of each dungeon at GHC (most of them with you), I feel pretty confident that your list is accurate.

I thought the blue cube in N3 R7 had a command word and power attached to it at GC. At GHC it was just a storytelling device.

Joseph wrote: I thought the blue cube in N3 R7 had a command word and power attached to it at GC. At GHC it was just a storytelling device.

Not that I recall as that was a red herring, I helped DM that room for a shift at Gen Con. What was different was the opening speech telling you about the weapons and i believe a rogue box or clue telling you one of the command words.

Good write up and agree with you on the points.

On late runs Sat it felt like the speakers on the giants in N2 were going bad and getting hard to hear.

N3 room 1

The clue was moved onto a scroll because we could not find the sign during build.

Harlax wrote: N3 room 1

The clue was moved onto a scroll because we could not find the sign during build.

LOL!

My group loved the new puzzle for N2 Room 3. Huge improvement. And I think we believe that not just because we solved the new version (and totally bombed on the prior puzzle), but because the clues were fair and the mechanic was cool. I also liked that there was some ambiguity about the proper starting/ending points. We guessed wrong at first, but it was pretty easy to re-work the solution to get it right.