Orb is kinda lame

Yeah, I guess... though why would anyone want to create such an overpowered enemy is beyond me. It's not even a reasonable challenge - just a gamble for your chars :/

Oh well - the overall quality of gameplay in vanilla toee is well. I had no more bug encounters with any patch (mostly 3.0) than just the save corruption, which happens I think often only with 1.0

I really want to see what the co8 mod has uncovered - like all the old inked in stuff. That's the most interesting thing ever in a game ^___^. Though I'm surprised at the fact that people had been plagued by so many bugs.

 

Interesting. Was he also that tough in D&D ed. 1?

IIRC the module was meant for parties up to level 10, and the nodes were supposed to be populated by multiple dragons, etc... or was it that level 10 in D&D 1st ed is equivalent to a higher level in 3rd ed?

 

Well, in the instances you describe, it really comes down to how a given DM runs their campaign. I've seen monty haul campaigns where the DM throws magic items and gold at you so a low level party can fighter tougher opponents. I've seen worlds where magic was very rare and to get an item meant that your god was smiling on you.

To answer your question, it's quite difficult to gauge how 1st edition compares to third edition. They both have pros and cons. Third edition is all about higher end fantasy where characters meet some really overpowered and just plain retarded monsters, such as werewolf oozes and half-ogre/half-human/half-satyr vampiric paladins and 200 foot tall grave elementals :roll:. Third edition has many more options for a character to be exactly whatever they want to be, like a halfling barbarian/flesh grafter that collects magic items and abnormal monster appendages to sew onto his body, such as an aboleth ear.

1st edition didn't have all of those pre-made ideas back then. You had to rely more on your imagination rather than being spoon fed all these crazy whacked-out, highly improbable scenarios.

Was a type VI demon tough in 1st edition? Hell yes, if you had a DM worth their salt and played the balor with the intelligence they are supposed to have. A balor, in my mind, is basically a balrog. They are noble demons in hell, ranking high in hell's heirarchy(sp?).

1st edition, when the gaming universe was young (like myself back then), wasn't as...desensitized/jaded/afflicted with boredom. Adventuring was new, and everyone's imagination of things was much brighter, because it hadn't been encountered all the time. What I am trying to convey is that there was still some mystery to it, unlike now, where everything has been done to death and it is really hard to find a really good original idea.

Please excuse my rambling. I love 1st edition ad&d because that's what I was brought up on. I love talking about it and reminiscing. I really don't want to come off as hating 3rd edition, 3.5 edition, 4th edition, 12.6th edition, 34 5/8 edition, because I really don't. Like I said before, and it really can be summed up with this one thought...it all depends upon the DM and how he/she runs their campaign.

The Keep On The Borderlands was brutal when ran properly. Like, you didn't just meet a group of 5 kobolds and they run in to die on your swords. Uh-uh. They want to live too. They set up ambushes on the party and gave themselves every advantage possible because they are, after all, quite small. They might drop a nice net on a party, throw some flaming oil on them while shooting arrows, lol. Or make the party chase them so they fall into a large pit with a few poisonous snakes. It's all up to the DM.

*EDIT*
Wall of text rambling with the extended and maximised spell feats, lol. :Being_a_s

 

Balors were very tough in 1st Ed, but didn't have most of those powers previously listed. They had great melee attacks and had a wide variety of spell-like abilities. There Summon other demons powers were also amazing when utilized properly.

As the hierarchy of Demonkind, they should (and are) be extremely powerful.

You guys are gonna make me pull out my old 1st Ed MM aren't you?

 

Actually, Sitra, the original module had NO DEMONS in the nodes. There were, however, some dragons. Also there were no gateways out of the nodes. The gems were found in the lairs of the corresponding elemental grues.

In dungeon area 351 (Z's area) and in each node, anyone standing on one of these symbols for three segments is sent from there to the appropriate elemental node. The user arrives at the center of the node map; see the appropriate area description for details. Each node map contains only three of the symbols, the one corresponding to the node itself being omitted.

Dungeon area 419 (Greater Temple) has many halls which lead to gates to the nodes (and to the actual elemental planes as well), as noted in the area descriptions. Each gate bears a corresponding symbol, and each works in similar fashion (but is stepped through, rather than stood upon).

Anyone possessing a power gem for the Yellowskull can modify the transportation
effect of the corresponding glyph (e.g. the smoky quartz can affect the air glyph—the
circle—but no other). The user must hold the gem (either loose or mounted) while
entering the glyph, concentrating on another identical glyph (those in the
dungeon or another node). After the usual three segments, the user—and any other
creature(s) entering the glyph during the same round—is sent to one of the identical
glyphs, rather than the center of the corresponding node. Use 1d4 to randomly find the
actual destination: 1-2 = the same symbol in a node, 3 = dungeon level 3 (area 351),
4 = dungeon level 4 (area 421, 422, 424, 425, 427, 428, 431, or 432 as per symbol).
The glyph at the point of arrival is deactivated for one round by this use, but must be evacuated quickly lest it send the traveler(s) away in the next round (after the usual
three segments of occupation). Note that the Orb itself is not needed for the above change in the use of the symbols; only one of the appropriate gems is required.

Each gem radiates a strong enchantment. When touched, a loose gem immediately
transports all creatures within 50 feet to the corresponding Elemental Node. No saving
throw applies, and the victims arrive in the center of the Node map (q. v.). The gem travels with the victims. No other effect occurs, and no powers are bestowed. No
effect occurs if a gem is touched while in its corresponding Node, but remember that the
transport effect occurs elsewhere whenever the loose gem is touched. Repeat trips may
thus occur before the possessor realizes that a container (ideally the Orb) must be used
to prevent involuntary travel.

 

Ahem... yeah... XD lol

 

I remember trying the orb a while ago in my first go around against the Balor. The monsters don't seem to do anything. I think the first time, I managed to kill it with a few timely hits with my melee guys (before they got killed) and then finished him off with a whole bunch of Magic Missiles. A paladin seems to hit quite often with his Smite ability.

Recently, I just craft weapons with holy, axiomatic, frost, shock +3 enchantments. I hit often enough that I can kill him with these. I don't think I was able to win without losing at least one party member. By then, I'm already at level 10 and raise dead doesn't seem to cause a level loss. Just XP.