Thursday, October 4, 2012

(Stat Crunch) Spawn of Azathoth

While everyone harps on Masks of Nylarahotep being a meat grinder, no one dares mention how Spawn of Azathoth is a complete slaughterama.  Outside of Providence, the opportunity for the complete annihilation of the party lurks in every corner of every other location. It is a campaign for a calculating, experienced party looking for a grand finale, and what better musician is better to send them off but Azathoth?

For those who haven't discovered my previous analysis, each chapter is broken down into the noted skill checks, total possible sanity loss (worst/best case), total sanity reward, and any Cthulhu Mythos earned via text, although not monster.

Providence
Accounting x4
Anthropology
Biology x3
Chemistry x2
Climb x1
Credit Rating x8
Cthulhu Mythos
Fast Talk x5
First Aid x2
Law x4
Library Use x12
Locksmith x2
Mechanical Repair x1
Medicine x7
Occult x2
Persuade x 3
Psychoanalysis x2
Psychology x8
Spot Hidden x10
Zoology x2

Providence is huge, not only in sheer page count, but to accumulate sufficient plot hooks. The good news is the team should be able to piece together enough to go forward with the big picture, even if no one has points in Medicine.

Montana
Art: Song
Astronomy
Bargain
Cthulhu Mythos
Electrical Repair
First Aid
Geology
Hide
Law
Locksmith
Medicine
Natural History
Pharmacy
Sneak
Spot Hidden x6
Track

Potential SAN loss1-28
Potential SAN reward 1-19
Cthulhu Mythos 0

Montana could get nasty in a fight, but it can be accomplished with minimal SAN loss, and a potential to actually gain SAN.

Florida
Bargain
Credit Rating
Diving
Fast Talk x2
Library Use x11
Jump
OL: Latin
OL: Spanish
Persuade
Sneak
Spot Hidden x4
Track

Potential SAN loss1-28
Potential SAN reward 1-19
Cthulhu Mythos 0

Florida is more investigation, some ocean adventure, and a lot of chances to be killed. Sanity ain't that bad.

Andaman
Climb
Cthulhu Mythos
Geology
Library Use

Potential SAN loss 2-21
Potential SAN reward 2-20
Cthulhu Mythos 0

Tropical exploration and action, not much for the traditional skill set.

Ulthar
Credit Rating
Fast Talk x3
Jump
Library Use
Listen x2
Persuade x3

Potential SAN loss 1-33
Potential SAN reward 1-3
Cthulhu Mythos 0

Eternal
Bargain
Climb
Cthulhu Mythos
Fast Talk
Grapple
Hide
Listen x2
Medicine
Persuade
Sneak x2
Spot Hidden x4

Potential SAN loss  2-52
Potential SAN reward 0
Cthulhu Mythos 0

Perhaps it's the previous two chapters that set the tone of a meat grinder. Every positive step in the right direction causes three steps of misery.

Tibet
Anthropology x3
Archaeology
Biology
Climb
Cthulhu Mythos  x3
Dodge
English
First Aid
Geology
Hide  x2
History
Jump
Medicine
Natural History
Occult
OL: Mandarin
OL: Tibetan
Listen
Sneak x4
Spot Hidden x6
Swim x3
Track x2
Zoology

Potential SAN loss 4-124
Potential SAN reward 12-36
Cthulhu Mythos 0

The finale fits the mold.

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