Aquatic Ghasts [Archive] - Wizards Community

Aquatic Ghasts [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Saiph
02-04-05, 02:22 PM I'm toying with using an aquatic version of the ghast in a still, underground lake. They'll try to drag PC's out of their boat and drown them.

Now, the question is, considering how so very common swim is for PCs (yeah, right) am I overdoing it, or how many should I use?

Party is 5 10th level characters. One is a warforged juggernaut and cant drown. Or really swim either... A spirit shaman, a necromancer, a warlock (who'll likely save his but with fell flight), and.... a dwarven mellee tank (in battle plate)

Water dept is 10 ft.

I'm also trying to figure out the various mechanics behind the grapple to drag people out of the boat and try to drown them.

Any comments, critiques, suggesstions, etc are welcome.

I'm guessing standard grapple initiation check, grapple check, and another to try to move the victim into the water. But once in, how hard does grapple make it to swim? I'm assuming a pin stops any attempt to swim, but what about the standard grapple?
x-Wraith-x
02-04-05, 09:37 PM So you mean Lacedon Ghasts?

I really not really the best person to ask as to many you should use (maybe 6 or so), but I do have a few suggestions. First of all remember that unless you're advancing them of changing their stats, ghasts only have a grapple of +5. That is very unlikely to get any of the characters grappled (even the casters have a BAB of +5), much less into the water. So I'd suggest advancing them and then using the number aprropriate to pose a threat to an 11th level party or so (after all they're 5, not 4 players).

Other suggestions: Increase the depth of the water to 50 feet or so (possibly have it be a pit, that way you could have the other members have to get the warforged player out of the bottom of the lake after the encounter), I'd say you'd just get pulled along by the creature grappling you until you escape the grapple, I suggest having the ghast have to grapple a player first, then on its next round have it and the grappled character make opposed strength checks. If the ghoul won it would throw the character into the water. Just to finish, I think it would be cool to have the water effect that characters like the ghast's stench ability, as I bet them living there for an extended period of time would leave its mark.
krichaiushii
02-04-05, 10:12 PM Is it feasible for the lacedons to attack the vessel they are in, instead? This has the added benefit of scattering gear stored in the boat bottom across the bottom of the water - a nice way to lose things if its a muddy bottom.

If the boat sinks, the lacedons only have to worry about grappling the lightly armored guys anyhow - as the others sink.

Come to think of it, once someone is paralyzed, I would think grappling becomes much easier. Then again, if you use the ghast template on something with a stronger grapple (merrow or scrags, perhaps), then things might work more to your advantage.

Be sure to figure out the encumbrance penalties to swim checks that the PCs accrue before the session the attack is anticipated - it will lead to a better transition without breaking the tension to do math.
PhaedrusXY
02-04-05, 11:11 PM Ugh, beware how deadly the drowning rules are. If any of your PCs roll a 1 vs. the paralysis or stench, they are likely to die.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Saiph 02-04-05, 02:22 PM	I'm toying with using an aquatic version of the ghast in a still, underground lake. They'll try to drag PC's out of their boat and drown them. Now, the question is, considering how so very common swim is for PCs (yeah, right) am I overdoing it, or how many should I use? Party is 5 10th level characters. One is a warforged juggernaut and cant drown. Or really swim either... A spirit shaman, a necromancer, a warlock (who'll likely save his but with fell flight), and.... a dwarven mellee tank (in battle plate) Water dept is 10 ft. I'm also trying to figure out the various mechanics behind the grapple to drag people out of the boat and try to drown them. Any comments, critiques, suggesstions, etc are welcome. I'm guessing standard grapple initiation check, grapple check, and another to try to move the victim into the water. But once in, how hard does grapple make it to swim? I'm assuming a pin stops any attempt to swim, but what about the standard grapple?
x-Wraith-x 02-04-05, 09:37 PM	So you mean Lacedon Ghasts? I really not really the best person to ask as to many you should use (maybe 6 or so), but I do have a few suggestions. First of all remember that unless you're advancing them of changing their stats, ghasts only have a grapple of +5. That is very unlikely to get any of the characters grappled (even the casters have a BAB of +5), much less into the water. So I'd suggest advancing them and then using the number aprropriate to pose a threat to an 11th level party or so (after all they're 5, not 4 players). Other suggestions: Increase the depth of the water to 50 feet or so (possibly have it be a pit, that way you could have the other members have to get the warforged player out of the bottom of the lake after the encounter), I'd say you'd just get pulled along by the creature grappling you until you escape the grapple, I suggest having the ghast have to grapple a player first, then on its next round have it and the grappled character make opposed strength checks. If the ghoul won it would throw the character into the water. Just to finish, I think it would be cool to have the water effect that characters like the ghast's stench ability, as I bet them living there for an extended period of time would leave its mark.
krichaiushii 02-04-05, 10:12 PM	Is it feasible for the lacedons to attack the vessel they are in, instead? This has the added benefit of scattering gear stored in the boat bottom across the bottom of the water - a nice way to lose things if its a muddy bottom. If the boat sinks, the lacedons only have to worry about grappling the lightly armored guys anyhow - as the others sink. Come to think of it, once someone is paralyzed, I would think grappling becomes much easier. Then again, if you use the ghast template on something with a stronger grapple (merrow or scrags, perhaps), then things might work more to your advantage. Be sure to figure out the encumbrance penalties to swim checks that the PCs accrue before the session the attack is anticipated - it will lead to a better transition without breaking the tension to do math.
PhaedrusXY 02-04-05, 11:11 PM	Ugh, beware how deadly the drowning rules are. If any of your PCs roll a 1 vs. the paralysis or stench, they are likely to die.