How to counter door blocking + Crossbow LoS issues

[Goblin-King]

We've all tried it...
A beautiful room full of monsters, but the heroes doesn't enter...
Instead the barbarian blocks the doorway while the elf hails arrows...

Question is: How do you counter this without inventing new content like double sided doors or random events and stuff like that?
Stuff that can be handled via quest notes are most welcome.
Here is what I could come up with:

* Place fireball shooting statues in the hallways. Force the heroes into the room.

* Place two doors to the same room. Once one is opened the other opens automatically as well. Flank the heroes.

* Make two rooms connected. Once one is opened the other opens automatically as well. Flanking again.


That's it... I'm out of ideas...

Post yours!

[chaoticprime]

The Elf isn't allowed to shoot through the Barbarian.

[sajungzak]

I use my turn to set up the monsters to get the most attacks once they step in.
If they refuse to enter, perhaps an orc finds a pass through rock scroll in the corner, go attack the wizard

[knightkrawler]

The Elf isn't allowed to shoot through the Barbarian.

Let me counter the counterargument: He's not allowed to shoot diagonally through the door if the square in front of the door and adjacent to the Elf is occupied.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

[The Road Warrior]

Post yours!

I've tried to tackle this problem by using open doorways in the quest notes.

Check out The Revenant (note C) and Kasarin's Tomb as examples.

[torilen]

I whole-heartedly agree that the elf would not be able to use the bow and arrow in such a situation.

Second, I always like the idea of open-doors/archways...this allows for monsters to move freely once
the heroes have been spotted by a room or group of monsters.

Third - my idea(s):
Introducing the idea of monsters with reach weapons is great for this - sure, a barbarian
might be able to stand up to one monster at a time at the door - but if three are going at him at once, the
odds go down quite a bit. I might even say to reduce his ability to defend in such a situation, as well...though
that might be seen as a bit heavy handed.

You could try reducing any treasure found in rooms when this is done - I would explain this ahead of time, though,
to make sure the players understand the reasoning behind it...that being that the point of the game is not for the
barbarian to stand at the door and fight all the monsters available.

And again, at the start of the game, make sure the players understand the point of the game. A lot of the problems
I see everybody post on here seem to come down to the fact that players don't really want to play the game as intended.
Much like those D&D players who play thieves and assassins simply so they can steal from their fellow players and kill them
when the chance arises. That's not what the game is about. You're heroes...you're friends...you're comrades in arms. The
idea behind the game is for everyone to work together and have fun. If players don't want to play the game like this, it
might be time to pick out something else to play.

[The Road Warrior]

And again, at the start of the game, make sure the players understand the point of the game. A lot of the problems
I see everybody post on here seem to come down to the fact that players don't really want to play the game as intended.

Too true. There is nothing 'Heroic' about standing in the doorway and bludgeoning the monsters to death one at a time.

Third - my idea(s):
Introducing the idea of monsters with reach weapons is great for this

Now that you mentioned this... Monsters with ranged weapons have a similar effect. It may not encourage the Heroes into the room but whoever stands blocking the doorway is going to go down in a hail of arrows (maybe )

[Sotiris]

Try this:
as only the heroes may open doors, enable the monsters to close'em (free action, only monsters may close doors). A re-closed door needs an action to be opened again.

If heroes are playing clockwise it will be more effective!

[Schmidt]

Give the monsters bows and chaos spells if barbie won't move!

[Redav]

The Elf isn't allowed to shoot through the Barbarian.

Agreed. I use the magic line of sight rule for the crossbow. I don't allow people to shoot over the dwarf either.

For the original rules, I don't have any suggestions but this tactic gets annoying. For my revised rules, (as mentioned) the monsters might have weapons that allow more flexibility. I am looking also forward to Eddie's double and portcullis doors. Maybe you could have a portcullis door behind them which is opened by a monster in that room and lets out more monsters?

Maybe add in a falling roof trap over the entrance to the door?
Or a rolling boulder behind them?
Or allow monsters to move - attack - move against people camping out in the doorway?
Or point out that the door has toilet door hinges that keep closing after a players turn?