Clean up Crew

[Burgesse]

Module version 230708 Strife 8057
Quest name Clean up crew
Quests giver 'Albert'
ZQA: Arabel:Rotting goblin tribe
Level range 4-9
Party requirements 1-10
Number of people that did the quest: 1
Party composition with levels: 9
Quest turn in gp and xp: 250/150

Okay, for a quest about undead, the actual threat isn't undead. Let me explain.

Each encounter was:
1 bone rat (not a threat.)
1 goblin spirit with a strength drain aoe (the con save can be annoying and it doesn't wear off. While you 'can' rest to remove it, I want to argue that it shouldn't need restoration type potions to clear.)
1 raging goblin. (+12/7 before raging and ac 21~ This barbarian goblin has the AC of a fighter in plate. He is not fun to fight and it's AB means you either are a fighter with expertise or you tank it until it dies. They also don't drop anything.)

The last time, it had some very nasty traps and arbalests with a crossbow specced fighter build who could shoot outside render range.

The problem:

This is not a fun quest. The chest loot is what I'd expect from a 4-6 and very little is actually dropped. For all the talk of undead goblins, they are very much a minor sideshow to the mooks that can and will hit like a truck. The crossbow goblins seemed very crit happy and a raging goblin with an axe is always a threat above and beyond most others.

Some of these mobs have an AB so high that only platemail+towershield fighters with imp- expertise have a good chance of taking on more than 1 spawn at a time without needing items.
Or just roll through with a cleric/summoner.

I don't think any class outside a frontliner can actually do this solo, and even a group will need a dedicated fronter, imo. I'm sure a self buffing caster can do it too, but not everyone plays one.

I'm sure there are some who can blaze through this, but lets be honest, if you're burning through buff potions and a wand of healing to get paid 250, something is wrong.

The version of this with actual zombie goblins was fun. This one just feels like more power creep where mobs get increasingly high AB to hit those few pc's who went bulwark. It encourages using an invis potion and doing an end run.

Ideas for changes?

Actual zombie goblins, and no raging ones. Or have 1 as a mini-boss type with an escort of toughs. Goblin's strength is numbers, not solo champions, so it feels weird that a quest about undead goblins doesn't have any undead goblins. (ghosts don't count. Or the rats.)

Maybe more drops/chests? Maybe a review of the loot table for this quest?
Loot I found? a cure light wand, some lvl 1 scrolls and goblins armor. Banded mail is the worst armor in the game and +1 doesn't make it much better.

Maybe there are more hidden areas, but I'm not a fan of 'the real loot needs a +12 search in this one spot!' mechanics.

Also noticed some pathing problems on the catwalk sections.

This is not a 'this quest too hard' thing, it's a 'this isn't fun and the reward isn't.'

[JoeKickAss]

@burgesse the arbalists can be very nasty

[V-Rage]

Party composition

Level 7 cleric, Level 9 fighter

Turn in gold 250 each.

If you have a level 9 on the quest the quest spawns a lot of raging goblins which have high damage and high HP.

The loot is mostly low prestige stuff that would be found on a 4 to 6 quest not a 4 to 9 quest.

[Echo]

pretty sure the quest started as a 4-6 and i bumped it to 4-9
may need to put it back as 4-6

[V-Rage]

It'd be fine as 4 to 9 without the raging goblins that come from a 7 to 10 quest.

The Goblin Arbalests that spawn if no one is level 9 are quite nasty in large numbers without being overpowering

[Puffy]

@Burgesse said in Clean up Crew:

Actual zombie goblins

Updated the quest to be about actual undead goblins
Lowered the level to 4-6