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#1 paulstrait Aug 08, 2011 0:37:51

I've been struggling to make encounters that can actually challenge my epic tier (level 23) party without just throwing super high level monsters at them.  I created an encounter for our last session that was in the magical laboratory of an archwizard, so there were lots of magical equipment everywhere spread out over several tables in the room, as well as a magical circle in the middle of the room and portals in three of the corners (the fourth had a ladder leading up to an attic in which a wyvern mount was housed).  I thought I'd share this in case it could be of use, either as is or more likely tweaked a bit.  The encounter went pretty well -- during the encounter, the players whined a bit about the terrain, but after the battle they commented that it actually was a lot of fun. For every encounter, I generally just give my players the information about the terrain directly, either automatically or after they have examined things.  In this case, before the combat started, they had a few minutes to examine the laboratory and figure out how the various things worked.  Here is the terrain information I gave them: *Tables provide cover to adjacent creatures. *Central circle -- Creatures standing within the circle may take a move action to teleport anywhere in the room. *Blue circle --  As a standard action, a character standing within the circle can channel its energy to recharge an expended magic item power. *tables - #1 -- Creatures can target a table to cause an explosion (ranged vs. reflex 40, or melee vs. ac 30).  Make an Arcana check.  <25 = ??? html_removed [possible backfire, my discretion based on context], >35 = attack gets a +5 bonus, >40 = attack does double damage.  Hit: Close burst 5, all creatures take 6d10 damage, save = half damage, cover provides +2 bonus to save. Does not apply to sorting tables.  Square tables can be used in this way once.  Longer tables can be used in this way twice, one for each half.  Tables damaged in this way cannot be used to achieve the other table effect described below (table - #2).  *tables - #2 -- Adjacent creatures can take a minor action to attempt to amplify an arcane/shadow power.  Doing so provokes an opportunity attack from adjacent foes.  Make an arcana check.  <25 = ??? [possible backfire, my discretion based on context].  <35 = nothing happens.  >35 = choose 1 benefit. >40 = choose 2 benefits. >45 = choose 3 benefits.   Benefits: 1) add a damage type (e.g., lightning) to the attack. 2) attack does 15 extra damge. 3) double range. 4) add 2 to burst or blast size. 5) origin square of attack can be from any square on the table. 6) [costs 2 benefits] - if attack is an encounter power, it's use is not expended. 7) [costs 3 benefits] - if attack is a daily power, it's use is not expended.   Benefits may be chosen more than once (e.g., if your arcana check is a 42, you may choose to make the attack do an extra 30 damage.)   **Special -- I will entertain other possible effects/bonuses/penalties that you can think of relating to the devices in this room, contingent on appropriate skill checks, so feel free to be creative.  What do you guys think?   Like I said, my players enjoyed the encounter, and they made use of that last provision to temporarily shut down two of the portals through which reinforcements were arriving (it hadn't occured to me that they would try this, though in retrospect it seems obvious, but I allowed it and it helped them dramatically.  Anyhow, I need to create more encounters like this, so any critique/advice/thoughts are helpful, as well as similar suggestions!