B2 TIPS FOR THE PLAYERS-REVISED

B2 – The Keep on the Borderlands Part Two

The history and purpose behind the revered module known as “The Keep on the Borderlands”, I won’t summarize again. For more information, you can read my previous article. Instead, I will dive into the section titled “Tips for the Players” found on page 25 of 26 of the module.

Tips for the Players

This is not the best place to give player tips. After the adventure. If you want to avoid spoilers, a player who has picked up the module will have stopped reading around page 2, where it tells them to stop. This section is not mentioned in the introduction text. Therefore, a player cannot find it before playing.

I’m guessing that TSR wanted to fill in some blank space at the end of the text. Someone dropped these short tips into the whitespace. I could be mistaken. I could be wrong. I don’t really know. It doesn’t matter why you place player tips in the back. This is not the best area to give this type of advice.

Let’s get started! The section is divided into five short paragraphs, each with a brief advice.

Organized and Cooperative

This advice is still relevant today. This advice is organized in a way that basically says “know your character” and “be ready to respond.” A DM cannot know every single ability of each character. The DM has enough to do on his side of the screen. You, as the gamer, should know your character enough to answer questions such as “Does anybody have [insert abilities here]?”. If you must look at the character sheet to find the answer, it’s okay, just know where to locate the information.

The cooperative section of this section uses the phrase “… “a variety of classes and alignments.” This is an extremely narrow view of the differences that exist between characters (and humans in general). It shows how the game focused on class and alignment choices back then. I’m happy that we now incorporate subtler aspects of character in modern gaming. But, this is probably for a separate post. This paragraph stresses that players should have their characters form a close-knit group despite the differences between them. If cooperation isn’t part of the game, it will “… lead to delays, attract monsters and result in deaths for some or all members.

DM Rulings

This paragraph is a little harsh for my taste. This implies that players may be disruptive and whiny if they don’t agree with the DM. Although the advice is good, I dislike the way it’s written. We’ll update this a little bit. Let’s get started.

The DM has the final say on rules and rule conflicts. However, the DM will welcome any reasonable ideas and input from players when making the final decision. When a player disagrees, disruptive or abusive behavior is to be avoided. Accept the ruling and continue. The player can choose to leave the game if the final ruling was egregious or unsafe or even harmful. Disrupting the game over a disagreement about rules can be frustrating for all, including those who are not involved.

Planning

The paragraph is focused on equipment, which is great, but the last sentence is what really grabs my attention. This paragraph ends with “Plans must be considered when encountering monsters or casting spells.” It would have been nice to see more advice along these lines.

While resting, the PCs can decide on a watch-order and then a marching-order when moving through open areas and dungeons. The DM will be able to run a smoother adventure, particularly when encounters happen. Players should be familiar with all the abilities of each character, but don’t feel like they have to memorize everything. Know that the wizard can cast powerful spells, but has low hitpoints. You should know that the cleric is a healer and the fighter is the strongest armor in the group. These points will help everyone stay as safe as they can when an encounter occurs.

It is important to know which spells the party has at any given moment. Spell casters must also be able to determine when certain spells are appropriate. It’s probably not the best idea to fireball two goblins who are surrounded with the rest of your party, but you could cast Magic Missile on them. Clerics must also know how to use their limited healing. It would be wasteful to cast powerful healing spells when someone is down only a few hitpoints, but the same spell can bring the fighter back in the fight at a moments notice.

Caution

This paragraph is still true today, without any changes. There is one exception. There is one exception: dangers may also arise from within the group through deception and lying. This may still be the case with some groups but not with those I play with. The party is literally a team fighting for its survival. Lies, tricks, backstabbing and duplicity within the party are sure to guarantee failure and even character death. Avoid it at all costs.

However, the rest of the paragraph is well-written and strong. It basically says that caution is needed. Prepare yourself before you go or prepare to face the end. Too much caution can be as harmful as not enough. Sometimes, quick and bold action is needed to prevent a catastrophe.

Thinking

This is an excellent closing paragraph. This paragraph tells players to use their brains and imaginations in order to solve problems. It also says that luck and brute force will not get them very far. The last sentence states, “The challenge to think is a large part of the fun of this game.”

This last statement is absolutely true.