Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Greyfell 02-26-06, 02:42 PM	I'm currently DM'ing for a party that varies between 6-8 players a night. Their all level 4 now. Dwarf fighter: Flail, improved trip/disarm, high AC but touch AC 10 half Orc MOnk 2/fighter 2: Loves to grapple. Going reaping mauler as prestige as soon as he can meet the requirements. Human druid 4 (wolf companion): Scimitar, likes Produce Flame and entangle (wont help here, fight will be underground in stone cavern) Human Rogue 4: Crossbow sniper, rapier. Halfling cleric 4: Enhanced healing feat.... she's happy to just run around and be a combat healer 99% of the time. rarely attacks. Elf wizard 4: Loves magic missile, falls back on his long bow if he runs low on spells. Human Paladin 4: Bastard sword and shield fighter. Again, high AC but low touch AC Ghostwise Halfling Ranger 2/Barbarian 2: Double Kukri speed fighter. Loves to rage and wade in swinging. Having a bit of trouble challenging this widely diverse group at times. The next big encounter is going to be a showdown with a opposing arcane caster (first time they've faced one of any note). She's a half blue dragon/elf sorceror 6 (so CR 8 with template). Her support is a 6th level Bane cleric. They'll also have a lot of orcs and human zombies to be cannon fodder. The fight will take place in a large, open cavern. the only way in is a relatively narrow, winding passage. The entire cavern is "Desecrated' to make it harder for the undead to be turned. The ceiling is at least 30 feet high, and the Sorceress is going to take advantage of that to use her boots of levitation to take up a sniper spot hidden up in the stalactites. anyhow, any good combat tactics ideas? I really want this to be a tough tough fight for the PC's. Specifically, I could use some advice for spell lists etc for the Sorceror and cleric 6's.
Greyfell 02-26-06, 02:49 PM	Sorceror 6, 20 charisma spells per day (with charisma bonus) 0/1/2/3: 6/8/6/4 spells known (0/1/2/3) 7/4/2/1 Shilek (1/2 dragon) tends to focus on affects that can allow her to disable her enemies, as her group wishes to loot them and then sell them off to Underdark slavers for a profit. Imrin, Human cleric of bane 6 Spells (0/1/2/3): 5/4+1/4+1/3+1 (with bonus for 16 wisdom) Imrin's an older, pudgy and unattractive man who's never rose far in the ranks of the Bane clergy. He know's he's not going to be able to do much against adventurers in head to head combat. His domains are Law and Evil.
Zarron 02-26-06, 02:56 PM	I see the words "narrow passage" and "small area" and wonder why our enemy spell casters are not going to soften the party up as they come down said narrow passage with area of effect spells. Have the spell caster throw an area of effect spell into the middle of the passage, and have traps at the end. The natural instinct (run from the AoE spell) will go counter their normal instincts (search carefully). If one of the traps sections off the area, then you have created a new challenge. While the fight normally would be a cake walk for the PCs, if they were all together, they have been divided. Don't do this often (as PCs like to fight together), but if their opponents are smart and has had time to prepare, I can see them taking the time to prepare to divide and conquer.
talkingbeatles 02-26-06, 02:56 PM	You might not like this, and I'm almost postive your PCs won't like this, but split them up. It sounds like the group works pretty well all together, so now split them up and see how they fare in smaller groups. This will probably help the overall team work of the group and form tighter friendship bonds between characters. Just remember to bring them back together for big 'boss' battles.
Greyfell 02-26-06, 03:00 PM	About what I was thinking. Since the Sorceror wants to capture/loot the party, I was planning a web+ stinking cloud at the entrance of the cavern to try to KO as many PC's as possible right off. If she has time to prep, she'll use a Eagle's Splendor to boost her already formidable save DC's and make it that much tougher.
ubernex 02-26-06, 03:25 PM	I see the words "narrow passage" and "small area" Narrow passageways and doors are the arch-nemisis of large groups of PCs. The one game in which I play has a lot of PCs in it. If we can bring our full weight to bear we can usually defeat whatever confronts us pretty quickly - but it is hard to do so when our mob-o-heroes has to try and get into the room through a single medium sized door. All those PCs need room to do their thing - small openings and tight passageways make things really hard.
Dragonchild 02-26-06, 03:28 PM	Nobody ever asks for a ROLE-playing challenge, do they?
Zarron 02-26-06, 03:32 PM	Role-playing challenges are easy to think up. Knowing how to fry your PCs is hard.
Greyfell 02-26-06, 03:37 PM	Just last night I managed to hold a narrow corridor against the entire party onslaught for 7+ rounds with just four 2nd level warriors and a 5th level fighter. The cramped quarters took away the parties ability to swarm and push back the defense by sheer weight of metal. Looking at the map of the encounter areas, I see a plan forming. There's several long and deep side caverns perfect for hiding fairly big groups of cannon foddeer like orcs. The entire reason the party is down in this abandoned mine is to rescue a well liked female druid NPC who was kidnapped. The party like her, and at least one male character has roleplayed up being quite smitten with her. So I'll give a bait of having said NPC scream or be seen being dragged away to lure them on fast, hopefully without bothering to check the side corridors. Between Web, Stinking cloud and a simple Deadfall or maybe pit trap near the entrance to the main 'BBEG lair cavern", I'm pretty sure I can split the party up as several of them move slower then the others. Then the cannon fodder can wave attack the back of the seperated party while the front ones have their hands full with two nasty caster types and more cannon fodder. Any thoughts on cleric spells for the 6th Bane priest? I'm not terribly good at picking ones for 3.0/3.5 clerics....
Zarron 02-26-06, 03:41 PM	I don't have my Player's with me. But when I think of a guy who knows he's no match for melee with something, I see a guy with Augmented Summoning and lots of Summon Spells.
Adlar Hodge 02-26-06, 04:04 PM	Have an Orc that commands the other Orcs. Perhaps make him a 4th level Fighter or something that directs the attack and becomes the last line of defense between the party and the spellcasters. Have the zombies (maybe double the # of zombies so there are 2 zombies/PC) rush the PCs. While that's going on have the spellcasters use their defensive spells that last for rounds at a time (the party should have alerted them to their location in time to cast spells like Mage Armor and such). Look at Cleric spells in the Spell Conpendium. Some ones I would use include Infernal Wound, and Clutch of Orcus are good ones to use. Also the arcane spell Burning Weapon might be handy. If all else fails Summon Undead. Remember...Clerics can use Hold Person early enough to have at least a few prepared for this, so utilize that often with swarming of zombies/orcs. Blindness can really turn the tide too. Good luck
Greyfell 02-26-06, 04:40 PM	but I do have the "Complete" series, FRCS, and such. HOld person worked in a earlier fight with the party to slow down key melee types. Not sure about summoning as I dont really see anything truly nasty at 3rd level that could slow the party down, even with +4 str and con tacked on. Maybe a Dretch, because they can't get around its DR... but even then its going to be tricky.
WhiteRaven810 02-26-06, 04:59 PM	Three words. Close. Range. Catapult. Imagine your Half-Orc's surprise when he knocks down a set of double doors to discover a team of baddies not even ten feet away firing a pepper shot of boulders at your party. Or have it fling a corspe to dumb down the damage. Muwhahahaha. Keeping the catapult close is a three fold benefit. First, it's simply kick ass. Second, it increases it's effectivness. Third, it makes it easy for the party to advance on the device, preventing it from being used again (making it a one trick pony). Maybe I've watched "Fellowship of the Ring" a few too many times, but mount a goblin or three on the back of a Ogre. Assuming this well liked Druid is in the BBEG's lair, you could set something up like the Moon Base from "The Spy Who Shagged Me". Save the girl or save the planet. Or maybe save the girl, or a larger group of slaves. Or save the girl, or defeat the Expedious Retreating Sorcerer. Please though, no time machines. This may not work too incredibly well as you do have a party of eight. . . Meh.
Dragonchild 02-27-06, 10:45 AM	Role-playing challenges are easy to think up. Knowing how to fry your PCs is hard.If you say so.
Greyfell 02-27-06, 04:43 PM	when it comes to role playing. The dwarf has a face only a mother could love, plus is rude, crude and socially unacceptable (despite being lawful good) The druid's blunt to the point of driving townsfolk and mayors the groups talks to crazy. She's almost tanked negotiations for greater rewards for a task or quest completed, simply by verbally sniping the NPC in question :) The halfling Rng/Barb players the real kicker. He does a great job of playing a 'dumb, backwoods savage" but actually has higher CHA and INT then most the group..he just never shows them that part :) I tend to follow my old buddies advice when it comes to Role playing versus roll playing challenges: Put explosive characters in explosive situations and let the fun start all by itself :)
Voran 02-27-06, 05:38 PM	Close Quarters and a Grease type spell, hilarity ensues. Or someone opening up with a firehose pressure effect from a decanter of endless water could be fun too. Caltrops under an inch or two of regular water is also fun.
Voran 02-27-06, 06:02 PM	*woops thread burp*
Kiklio 02-27-06, 09:47 PM	Two rounds into combat, your spellcasters levitate up high, set up a couple of wind walls, and trigger the main trap. The room then fills with swarms of captured locusts, flies, and wasps. Meanwhile, the zombies go to town. Except they're not normal zombies- each of them has swallowed an unbroken flask of alchemists fire beforehand. Then you've got flaming zombies and fiery locusts on your hands. Not enough? Your NPCs animate random objects for more zany fun. Then, the insects are washed out by said decanter...only then a giant boulder falls from a chute ala Indiana Jones. At the same time, orc ninjas burst through the windows and rain shuriken upon your hapless heroes. One throws a thunderstone at the fallen boulder, which bursts open to reveal...a gelatinous cube! Of course, the cube contains a kobold sorceror under the influence of protection from elements. Another trigger activates the lightning lances your grell mercenaries have planted in the walls. If your players haven't died (or left the session), the real fight can begin as your casters stop their custom buffs and dismiss the walls.