Singe the Ashbringer of Torch!!! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Singe the Ashbringer of Torch!!! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
primemover003
05-29-07, 10:21 PM All right so I'm thinking of sicking Singe the Ashbringer of Torch on my group of 10 PC's and am planning out tactics for her to use. She's a Fiendish 1/2 Red Dragon Smoke Drake. The battleground is a small Fire gnome Hamlet built at the edge of a 500 ft Chasm on the 1st layer of Ysgard that leads to Muspelheim (the 2nd layer).

Arrys, Air Genasi Scout 5 - exp. dodge, mobility
Bulwark, Neraph Ardent 5 - Force, Energy (p), Life, Freedom mantles
Cyrus, Spellscale Harbinger 6 (variant bard) - Party Face, Bardic music has opposite normal effects (morale penalties, fear affects)
Elias, Grey Elf Wizard 6 - likes debuffs (RoE, Blind/Deaf)
Havoc, 1/2 minotaur dwarf Galdiator 5 (homebrew class like Thayan gladiator PrC) - Knockback/ Power attack, 20 Str, Powerful Build, Large Dw. Warpike
Pierce, Spiker Monk 5 - Grappler
Rach, Human Dragon Shaman 5 (copper) - Vigor, Energy Shield Auras, Intimidate, breath weapon (line)
Solars, Gloaming Wizard 4 - likes rays
Thorn, Fey-ri Rogue 4 - archer/infiltrator
?new PC?, Half-Fey Human Clr 3 of Ralishaz - Chaos, Luck domains
The PC's have been escorting two merchants (a Planar trade Consortium agent and a minor proxy of Vergadain) who have the Drake's eggs in their possession. They'll know they've got a Dragon to face by seeing it early in the adventure, they'll dig the info out of their reluctant patrons eventually, and be warned before they reach their destination that the Dragon has been seen in the area. Hopefully this allows them to prepare accordingly (with cold spells, ammo, etc).

Now the Smoke Drake in general is pretty weak in ranged combat which is probably why it has the smoke cloud BW. With the Incindiary cloud usable only once per day I figured throwing the 1/2 red Dragon template would add some versatility with the cone of fire BW, especially because both my Wizards have Gust of Wind! I figure to choke the open streets of the hamlet in smoke leaving only rooftops open and hopefully driving them up. I wanna avoid the Minodwaur Gladiator and his knockback cause with a 27 Str and being large he'll have a good chance to knock the Drake back as she only has a 23 AC and his reach weapon prevents her from using FlyBy attack on him.

Any other suggestions for tactics? The Hamlet's building are stone with slate roofs most are 1 story but the Alehouse, two Warehouses, the Gates and Watchtowers are 2 stories. The Fire gnomes are of course immune to fire and the PC's who are travelling to this place will have some Fire resistance magic available. The houses in general can withstand some tremendous heat but the Dragon is Large and can do some fair damage.
primemover003
05-30-07, 04:19 PM Here's her stats if that would make any difference...
SINGE THE ASHBRINGER OF TORCH CR 13
Female fiendish ½ red dragon smoke drake
CE Large Dragon [Air, Extraplanar, Fire]
Init +4; Senses Darkvision 60', Lowlight Vision, Blindsense 60'; Listen +19, Spot +19
Languages Common, Draconic, Ignan, Infernal

AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 19 (+4 dex, -1 size, +10 natural)
hp 192 (12 HD); DR 10/magic
Immune Fire, Sleep, Paralysis
Resist Cold 10; SR 17
Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +10
Weakness Vulnerable to Cold

Spd 40 ft.; Fly 120 (good)
Melee Bite +15 (2d6+8) and 2 Claws +13 (1d8+4) and Tail Slap +13 (1d8+12)
Space 10 ft; Reach 5 ft
Base Atk +12; Grp +24; Bullrush +16
Atk Options Breath Weapon, Fly By Attack, Smite Good

Abilities Str 27, Dex 18, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 15
Feats Alertness, Fly By Attack, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Track
Skills Escape Artist +19, Hide +15, Move Silently +21, Search +15

Breath Weapon (Su) Singe has 3 separate breath weapons she must wait 1d4 rounds between use of any of them.
• Once every 1d4 round Singe may expel a Smoke Cloud with a 30ft. radius spread. The cloud provides concealment (20% miss chance)and lasts for 1 minute or until dispersed by either a Moderate Wind (11+ mph) in 4 rounds or a Strong Wind (21+ mph) in 1 round.
• Once per Day Singe may expel an Incendiary Cloud that deals 2d6 points of Fire damage to all creatures within the cloud each round (Ref DC 20 ½) and functions identically to her Smoke Cloud.
• Once per Day Singe my breathe a 30ft. Cone of Fire that deals 6d8 points of Fire damage to all within the cone (Ref DC 20 ½).

Smite Good (Su) Once per day while making a normal attack Singe may choose to deal an extra +12 damage to a good foe.
sensestaker
05-30-07, 04:57 PM Hahaha, your party is DOOMED! The physical combatants won't be able to hit her and the casters only have a 40% chance to break her SR and even if they do she's all but guaranteed to make the save. Havoc will be her only real challange, it looks like, so use both damage dealing BW's on him (he'll probably fail the saves-brawlers aren't known for hig ref's), then if he's still standing (and good) use her smite. How does knockback work? That's something I am unfamiliar with.
primemover003
05-30-07, 05:45 PM Knockback is a feat from Races of Stone that allows a PC using power attack to perform a free bullrush when they hit. The PC doesn't move with them however. They add their normal bullrush mods (Str, Size, Imp. Bullrush) and add the Power Attack Damage as well. For every 5 they beat the opponent by they move the opponent 5 feet back. So Havoc has 20 Str, Imp Bullrush, Powerful Build and generally PA's for 4... making that a +21 to his bull rush on average. He knocks most medium creatures in excess of 30 feet per hit. He's moved a Large creature 20 feet (Skullcrusher ogre).

Well the 1/2 red template pushed her from AC 19 to 23. AC 19 seemed to be fairly automatic to most of the fighter-types in past encounters so I wanted her to be really tough! I also wanted to reduce the effectiveness of the Knockback feat by making her harder to hit. Smoke clouds make for effective ranged weapon/spell foils as well.

Of course fighting on Ysgard is the real reason I felt I could take the gloves off and hand them a TPK (as they feel invincible fairly often) without worrying about how it will affect the campaign overall. Free True Resurrections for valiant death is a nice perk!!!
sensestaker
05-30-07, 06:09 PM Havoc has 20 Str, Imp Bullrush, Powerful Build and generally PA's for 4... making that a +21 to his bull rush on average.

5 char levels (good BAB?, or 3/4 like Thayan Glad?) plus STR 20 plus +1 weapon(?) minus 4 pwr attack equals attack bonus of +7 at best So first he has to hit, then he's still gotta go against the drakes bull rush, which at +16, ain't to shabby. She'll only move an average of 5 ft back, so then she can just 5 foot step back forward and go back to attacking. Most likely he figures out pwr att isn't working and stops, dropping him back down to +17 bull rush and it all comes down to the d20

They could still beat her. Enough pc's and eventually somebody rolls a nat 20.
primemover003
05-30-07, 07:27 PM Yeah he's +11 to attack currently, Full BAB. Knockback thankfully only activates when you power attack.

Throw some Rays of Enfeeble and Clumsiness out there though and the drake is a little more vulnerable, though SR and my smoke screens should mitigate those tactics unless they use some Gust of Wind action.
TurnCloak_Kobold
05-31-07, 04:59 PM hmmm, as a player of dragons, its all about tactics. if your looking for a party wipe, then give the dragon every advantage for example, have them in a crevise where everyones mobility is cut down to the minimum, also, use the terrain itself, like have it push boulders onto the party.

use its smoke breath weapon on tself as often as possible if it is sitting still, and have it elevated to give it bonuses, this hurts both the spell casters, increasing the miss chance so that even if they do beat its SR they have a miss chance, if its a ranged attack.

now for the brawlers, i agree that the use of the breath weapons on the thayin minotaur is a good thing, but a grappling anything is a mean opponent, try to take them out first, so that one dosent hold him still, while the other bashes in his head.
primemover003
05-31-07, 06:40 PM Well the Drake is gonna attack them as they arrive at the fire gnome hamlet of Nibli. The hamlet is surrounded by a 10' iron fence, boast 2 watch towers with light ballista and backs onto a chasm called the Burning Rift. The Rift is an opening from Ysgard to Muspelheim about 3 days from Himinborg and allows quick travel to the 2nd layer and an elemental gate to the City of Brass maintained by an Efreeti enclave.

The hamlet boast about a score of small stone homes, an Inn, a shrine to Flandal Steelskin, two secure storage warehouses, a few shops that cater to travelers using the rift, and a foundry building that serves as a keep. Two gravel cart paths serve as the main roads in the burg connecting the main gate and the foundry, and the two watchtowers crossing in the center of town between the Inn, outfitters, shrine, and warehouses.

I'll be using the smoke clouds to cut lines of sight obscuring the town center, then each watchtower. The gnome militia will break and run once one of the watchtowers fall even though they're immune to the Drake's breath weapons. When the PC's move out to engage I'll use the incendiary cloud to spread them out and fly-by attacks to pick on single opponents. Once the incendiary cloud is dispersed or abates I'll use my cone of fire when they regroup. Then I'll use another smoke cloud to enter melee.
TurnCloak_Kobold
05-31-07, 07:14 PM it sounds good, especially if the gnomes break and run, cursed gnomes, but hatred for gnomes aside. be real carefull, i dont know your PCs but mine are hard to split up, no matter what happens.

now your drake is a high cr compared to the party, but if it starts to go south, not saying it will, but if it does, never forget to put in something really fun, and in some cases cute, a rust monster or two, wondering what exactly all the comotion is about might take the opurtunity to feed on some gnomish equipment while the gnomes are frightened, and in so doing, might encounter a player charector....>.>

now that is how to inspire fear, a few fly by attacks, liberal use of its fear affect, and a rust monster coming out of the smoke to gnaw on some PC metal.
primemover003
05-31-07, 07:52 PM Elemental Drakes don't naturally have Frightful Presence. Besides they've been fighting their way through a portion of Gzemnid's realm already and half my beholderkin have Cause Fear. It'd be overdone if the drak used it too.

Splitting up my group won't be a problem, they tend to do it themselves quite naturally. :dragon:
TurnCloak_Kobold
05-31-07, 08:09 PM lol, i wish my group would do that.

and schmee, i dont play drakes, but there close enough to dragons in my book. but in either case i wish you the best of luck, ^_^ though i also wish you a few rust monsters >.>

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
primemover003 05-29-07, 10:21 PM	All right so I'm thinking of sicking Singe the Ashbringer of Torch on my group of 10 PC's and am planning out tactics for her to use. She's a Fiendish 1/2 Red Dragon Smoke Drake. The battleground is a small Fire gnome Hamlet built at the edge of a 500 ft Chasm on the 1st layer of Ysgard that leads to Muspelheim (the 2nd layer). Arrys, Air Genasi Scout 5 - exp. dodge, mobility Bulwark, Neraph Ardent 5 - Force, Energy (p), Life, Freedom mantles Cyrus, Spellscale Harbinger 6 (variant bard) - Party Face, Bardic music has opposite normal effects (morale penalties, fear affects) Elias, Grey Elf Wizard 6 - likes debuffs (RoE, Blind/Deaf) Havoc, 1/2 minotaur dwarf Galdiator 5 (homebrew class like Thayan gladiator PrC) - Knockback/ Power attack, 20 Str, Powerful Build, Large Dw. Warpike Pierce, Spiker Monk 5 - Grappler Rach, Human Dragon Shaman 5 (copper) - Vigor, Energy Shield Auras, Intimidate, breath weapon (line) Solars, Gloaming Wizard 4 - likes rays Thorn, Fey-ri Rogue 4 - archer/infiltrator ?new PC?, Half-Fey Human Clr 3 of Ralishaz - Chaos, Luck domains The PC's have been escorting two merchants (a Planar trade Consortium agent and a minor proxy of Vergadain) who have the Drake's eggs in their possession. They'll know they've got a Dragon to face by seeing it early in the adventure, they'll dig the info out of their reluctant patrons eventually, and be warned before they reach their destination that the Dragon has been seen in the area. Hopefully this allows them to prepare accordingly (with cold spells, ammo, etc). Now the Smoke Drake in general is pretty weak in ranged combat which is probably why it has the smoke cloud BW. With the Incindiary cloud usable only once per day I figured throwing the 1/2 red Dragon template would add some versatility with the cone of fire BW, especially because both my Wizards have Gust of Wind! I figure to choke the open streets of the hamlet in smoke leaving only rooftops open and hopefully driving them up. I wanna avoid the Minodwaur Gladiator and his knockback cause with a 27 Str and being large he'll have a good chance to knock the Drake back as she only has a 23 AC and his reach weapon prevents her from using FlyBy attack on him. Any other suggestions for tactics? The Hamlet's building are stone with slate roofs most are 1 story but the Alehouse, two Warehouses, the Gates and Watchtowers are 2 stories. The Fire gnomes are of course immune to fire and the PC's who are travelling to this place will have some Fire resistance magic available. The houses in general can withstand some tremendous heat but the Dragon is Large and can do some fair damage.
primemover003 05-30-07, 04:19 PM	Here's her stats if that would make any difference... SINGE THE ASHBRINGER OF TORCH CR 13 Female fiendish ½ red dragon smoke drake CE Large Dragon [Air, Extraplanar, Fire] Init +4; Senses Darkvision 60', Lowlight Vision, Blindsense 60'; Listen +19, Spot +19 Languages Common, Draconic, Ignan, Infernal AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 19 (+4 dex, -1 size, +10 natural) hp 192 (12 HD); DR 10/magic Immune Fire, Sleep, Paralysis Resist Cold 10; SR 17 Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +10 Weakness Vulnerable to Cold Spd 40 ft.; Fly 120 (good) Melee Bite +15 (2d6+8) and 2 Claws +13 (1d8+4) and Tail Slap +13 (1d8+12) Space 10 ft; Reach 5 ft Base Atk +12; Grp +24; Bullrush +16 Atk Options Breath Weapon, Fly By Attack, Smite Good Abilities Str 27, Dex 18, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 15 Feats Alertness, Fly By Attack, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Track Skills Escape Artist +19, Hide +15, Move Silently +21, Search +15 Breath Weapon (Su) Singe has 3 separate breath weapons she must wait 1d4 rounds between use of any of them. • Once every 1d4 round Singe may expel a Smoke Cloud with a 30ft. radius spread. The cloud provides concealment (20% miss chance)and lasts for 1 minute or until dispersed by either a Moderate Wind (11+ mph) in 4 rounds or a Strong Wind (21+ mph) in 1 round. • Once per Day Singe may expel an Incendiary Cloud that deals 2d6 points of Fire damage to all creatures within the cloud each round (Ref DC 20 ½) and functions identically to her Smoke Cloud. • Once per Day Singe my breathe a 30ft. Cone of Fire that deals 6d8 points of Fire damage to all within the cone (Ref DC 20 ½). Smite Good (Su) Once per day while making a normal attack Singe may choose to deal an extra +12 damage to a good foe.
sensestaker 05-30-07, 04:57 PM	Hahaha, your party is DOOMED! The physical combatants won't be able to hit her and the casters only have a 40% chance to break her SR and even if they do she's all but guaranteed to make the save. Havoc will be her only real challange, it looks like, so use both damage dealing BW's on him (he'll probably fail the saves-brawlers aren't known for hig ref's), then if he's still standing (and good) use her smite. How does knockback work? That's something I am unfamiliar with.
primemover003 05-30-07, 05:45 PM	Knockback is a feat from Races of Stone that allows a PC using power attack to perform a free bullrush when they hit. The PC doesn't move with them however. They add their normal bullrush mods (Str, Size, Imp. Bullrush) and add the Power Attack Damage as well. For every 5 they beat the opponent by they move the opponent 5 feet back. So Havoc has 20 Str, Imp Bullrush, Powerful Build and generally PA's for 4... making that a +21 to his bull rush on average. He knocks most medium creatures in excess of 30 feet per hit. He's moved a Large creature 20 feet (Skullcrusher ogre). Well the 1/2 red template pushed her from AC 19 to 23. AC 19 seemed to be fairly automatic to most of the fighter-types in past encounters so I wanted her to be really tough! I also wanted to reduce the effectiveness of the Knockback feat by making her harder to hit. Smoke clouds make for effective ranged weapon/spell foils as well. Of course fighting on Ysgard is the real reason I felt I could take the gloves off and hand them a TPK (as they feel invincible fairly often) without worrying about how it will affect the campaign overall. Free True Resurrections for valiant death is a nice perk!!!
sensestaker 05-30-07, 06:09 PM	Havoc has 20 Str, Imp Bullrush, Powerful Build and generally PA's for 4... making that a +21 to his bull rush on average. 5 char levels (good BAB?, or 3/4 like Thayan Glad?) plus STR 20 plus +1 weapon(?) minus 4 pwr attack equals attack bonus of +7 at best So first he has to hit, then he's still gotta go against the drakes bull rush, which at +16, ain't to shabby. She'll only move an average of 5 ft back, so then she can just 5 foot step back forward and go back to attacking. Most likely he figures out pwr att isn't working and stops, dropping him back down to +17 bull rush and it all comes down to the d20 They could still beat her. Enough pc's and eventually somebody rolls a nat 20.
primemover003 05-30-07, 07:27 PM	Yeah he's +11 to attack currently, Full BAB. Knockback thankfully only activates when you power attack. Throw some Rays of Enfeeble and Clumsiness out there though and the drake is a little more vulnerable, though SR and my smoke screens should mitigate those tactics unless they use some Gust of Wind action.
TurnCloak_Kobold 05-31-07, 04:59 PM	hmmm, as a player of dragons, its all about tactics. if your looking for a party wipe, then give the dragon every advantage for example, have them in a crevise where everyones mobility is cut down to the minimum, also, use the terrain itself, like have it push boulders onto the party. use its smoke breath weapon on tself as often as possible if it is sitting still, and have it elevated to give it bonuses, this hurts both the spell casters, increasing the miss chance so that even if they do beat its SR they have a miss chance, if its a ranged attack. now for the brawlers, i agree that the use of the breath weapons on the thayin minotaur is a good thing, but a grappling anything is a mean opponent, try to take them out first, so that one dosent hold him still, while the other bashes in his head.
primemover003 05-31-07, 06:40 PM	Well the Drake is gonna attack them as they arrive at the fire gnome hamlet of Nibli. The hamlet is surrounded by a 10' iron fence, boast 2 watch towers with light ballista and backs onto a chasm called the Burning Rift. The Rift is an opening from Ysgard to Muspelheim about 3 days from Himinborg and allows quick travel to the 2nd layer and an elemental gate to the City of Brass maintained by an Efreeti enclave. The hamlet boast about a score of small stone homes, an Inn, a shrine to Flandal Steelskin, two secure storage warehouses, a few shops that cater to travelers using the rift, and a foundry building that serves as a keep. Two gravel cart paths serve as the main roads in the burg connecting the main gate and the foundry, and the two watchtowers crossing in the center of town between the Inn, outfitters, shrine, and warehouses. I'll be using the smoke clouds to cut lines of sight obscuring the town center, then each watchtower. The gnome militia will break and run once one of the watchtowers fall even though they're immune to the Drake's breath weapons. When the PC's move out to engage I'll use the incendiary cloud to spread them out and fly-by attacks to pick on single opponents. Once the incendiary cloud is dispersed or abates I'll use my cone of fire when they regroup. Then I'll use another smoke cloud to enter melee.
TurnCloak_Kobold 05-31-07, 07:14 PM	it sounds good, especially if the gnomes break and run, cursed gnomes, but hatred for gnomes aside. be real carefull, i dont know your PCs but mine are hard to split up, no matter what happens. now your drake is a high cr compared to the party, but if it starts to go south, not saying it will, but if it does, never forget to put in something really fun, and in some cases cute, a rust monster or two, wondering what exactly all the comotion is about might take the opurtunity to feed on some gnomish equipment while the gnomes are frightened, and in so doing, might encounter a player charector....>.> now that is how to inspire fear, a few fly by attacks, liberal use of its fear affect, and a rust monster coming out of the smoke to gnaw on some PC metal.
primemover003 05-31-07, 07:52 PM	Elemental Drakes don't naturally have Frightful Presence. Besides they've been fighting their way through a portion of Gzemnid's realm already and half my beholderkin have Cause Fear. It'd be overdone if the drak used it too. Splitting up my group won't be a problem, they tend to do it themselves quite naturally. :dragon:
TurnCloak_Kobold 05-31-07, 08:09 PM	lol, i wish my group would do that. and schmee, i dont play drakes, but there close enough to dragons in my book. but in either case i wish you the best of luck, ^_^ though i also wish you a few rust monsters >.>