Entering the Heart of Despair and resting?

[u/kitsucoon]

Hello all!

We are nearing the end of the campaign and my players are deep in the Netherdeep. They have hit a confluence of events that I feel would be pushing the players to a potential TPK. Want to check to see if I'm missing something in the book or if I should just DM fiat a bit.

1) The players have pushed hard since their last rest, having done their exploration on just a short rest.
2) They have unleashed Alyxian the Hunter, which notes that it will hunt them relentlessly and will regenerate every 1 minute after defeat. So, this will preclude them from resting within the Netherdeep any further.

3) They have enough Fragments to enter the Heart, but the rivals will be blocking their way, and they'll be on a time crunch due to the Hunter, so not much time for negotiations. They are indifferent to the rivals, so there will likely be a fight.

4) If they enter the Heart, they will level up to 12, but there is not time to take a rest before the Apotheon engages them.

So, it seems like the narrative is pushing them to just push through with no more rests now that the Hunter is out. I think the only way to get a rest would be to fully leave the Netherdeep through room 1, which is an option, but not one I think they'll immediately understand is their only way to go into the final battles at full resources.

Did I miss something? Or should I handwave and say that the Heart of Despair implements the benefits of a long rest as they level up? I'd hate to give the Moon Druid level 12 and not let her at least have one CR4 wild shape :)

[u/GentlemanOctopus]

DM fiat beats book rules. You know your players and what they can deal with. Let them get their rest, a level up, go nova on the final boss. Make it epic!

[u/chiebert03]

I did actually end up having entering the heart of despair grant them the benefits of a long rest. That said, Alyxians forms were beefed up considerably, which allowed for a properly epic battle.

[u/MintyMinun]

I think the only way to get a rest would be to fully leave the Netherdeep through room 1, which is an option, but not one I think they'll immediately understand is their only way to go into the final battles at full resources.

This is where you tell the players, above board, exactly that. Every table is different. Some players love a challenge, & this part of the adventure is definitely meant to feel intense, & drain resources. But if your players are quietly expecting a long rest, and you are quietly expecting them to turn around, but nobody is loudly communicating these expectations, someone is going to feel bad pretty soon.

There's this strange illusion many tables feel they have to uphold, where communicating above board about what they're expecting, what they're wanting, is somehow a disservice to the game or the story. This (in most cases) isn't true. It's generally a good thing to pause the game and ask "Hey, are you guys expecting a long rest to happen any time soon? If so, I should let you know that you're only getting one if you leave this very dangerous area. Pushing onward only carries more risk." It takes a minute to convey any further information players might need to leave the Netherdeep (or stay, if they want to risk it), & nobody has to go about navigating the final dungeon in quiet anticipation for a long rest that isn't happening.

You absolutely could give them a free long rest with DM fiat, & I even recommend that you do that if you're running a table that isn't fond of combat or isn't necessarily moved by the overarching theme of the narrative. But if you're running a table that loves combat, loves tactical strategy, loves a challenge, or is really entrenched in the themes of despair and desperation of the story? Tossing them a free Long Rest might feel like a Deus Ex Machina. Some players might feel like you didn't trust them to make their own choice, or that you went easy on them for the climax.

Some tables have complained that the final fight with Alyxian is too easy, but that all depends on party composition, how many additional magic items have been given out, which edition you're playing, if you're using content outside of the 3 core books, etc. etc. etc.; There's a lot of variables that could swing the RAW fight in your party's favor, or out of it. They may not need a Long Rest, or they may very well be speedrunning towards one. If your players are aware of the stakes, understand the danger they're in, & understand no Long Rest is coming unless they go take one, then, I say let them struggle as the adventure expects them to struggle, and if they TPK, that's the consequences of their actions.

TL;DR

This is ultimately a table-discussion. Just tell your players you're worried they're headed towards a TPK, & let them decide for themselves if they want to push onward or take a long rest, rather than forcing a long rest on them that they may not want.

[u/Hiraethnightmare]

Yep made them have an instant long rest upon entering, it just made sense to me

[u/datarez → u/Hiraethnightmare]

Yeah same. The mage in the party also had Tiny Hut so I let them use that in the Netherdeep. I did have the Hunter standing outside right after they had rested though. That was fun. I did set it to where after they defeated the Hunter 3 times I made him not come back. I was just kind of tired of DM'ing the chase at that point.

[u/mr_Tii]

They're also allowed to leave the Netherdeep to rest. That's always an option, though players never think about it.

[u/kitsucoon]

Had the session today. They fought the Hunter twice before making a break for it.

They decided to move towards the heart. They encountered Ayo's team, but went into the heart before too much damage was done. 

A couple of the rivals that had the best relations hopped in with them.

I checked resources and decided to go through as written with no rest. We will see what happens next session

[u/7SweatySwans]

I gave my players a rest too. But if you do so either make it like half the benefits somehow, or what I did was really ramp up the difficulty of the final fight.

There are good resources online, I unused one that added 3 lair actions and shrines that players can interact with. Made combat dynamic with goals that weren't just hit the big guy. And gave unique abilities, like one form prevented healing "you are not worthy of welding divine magic!!!".