AKAN 2-1 - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Zathris Jul 17, 2010 3:06:33	Since I can't seem to find "Dak" on various searches, I'll have to give him props for Set Adrift here. I love any mod that frustrates my PCs as much as they usually do to me, and I do love a good skill challenge that matters for the fights, instead of just being a "Roll d20s for a chance to not get full XP" Show It was highly amusing watching the warlock bloody himself trying to hit with a power that blinds and teleports only to tell him "The Flying Kraken flickers as you try to teleport him, but seems unmoved." I did have a couple comments/questions however: The tactics for Encounter 2: The Ship indicate a 2nd Marauder, however neither the Setup nor the Scaling allow for another Marauder, only a 2nd Whip with 6 players, and the only Marauder is removed with only 4 Players. Which was the typo? Was the Kraken built with the intent of being effectively 2 levels higher than it actually was listed? Having recreated the beast in the Monster Builder I found myself hitting the up arrow a lot.
#2 trollbill Jul 18, 2010 12:25:10	Please use Spoiler blocks when posting spoiler information. Show When I ran this adventure I was worried about how deadly the Kraken encounter might be. Note, however, that the Kraken loses most of its immunities once it became bloodied. Plus the Kraken and its allies start 20 squares away from the party and in the air. The party I ran included 2 rangers and a wizard. Before the Kraken even went, he was bloodied and slowed (the one condition he actually isn't immune to). So when the monsters actually started their turn, the Kraken was slowed 20 squares from the party and the elementals had to spend the first round double moving just to get in range with their attacks. The only way the Kraken was even a threat to them at this point was that I had it dive back under the water in order to approach the ship and then rise back out after it finally got there.
#3 Zathris Jul 18, 2010 19:12:46	Show I did find the starting range to be a bit odd, it's strongly in favor of ranged parties, and slightly against melee parties. Instead of "he's flying and can't be attacked by melee" or "you can attack the tentacles since there's so many" I went with a 3rd option, saying that tentacles grabbing someone could be attacked, but once they were they'd release, this allowed the rogue to hit him with Knockout (and do over 200 damage that round) but didn't remove the advantage of flight and reach. It's almost worse than the Surprise or Be Surprised fights. I'm a bit surprised rangers would have that easy a time bloodying a 34 AC since at best they'd need a 14 to hit, but sometimes the dice gods are cruel to the DM. Still, you did the right move taking him underwater, and I hope you AP'd on that wizard hard!

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

Zathris

Jul 17, 2010 3:06:33

Since I can't seem to find "Dak" on various searches, I'll have to give him props for Set Adrift here. I love any mod that frustrates my PCs as much as they usually do to me, and I do love a good skill challenge that matters for the fights, instead of just being a "Roll d20s for a chance to not get full XP"

Show

It was highly amusing watching the warlock bloody himself trying to hit with a power that blinds and teleports only to tell him "The Flying Kraken flickers as you try to teleport him, but seems unmoved."

I did have a couple comments/questions however:
The tactics for Encounter 2: The Ship indicate a 2nd Marauder, however neither the Setup nor the Scaling allow for another Marauder, only a 2nd Whip with 6 players, and the only Marauder is removed with only 4 Players. Which was the typo?

Was the Kraken built with the intent of being effectively 2 levels higher than it actually was listed? Having recreated the beast in the Monster Builder I found myself hitting the up arrow a lot.

trollbill

Jul 18, 2010 12:25:10

Please use Spoiler blocks when posting spoiler information.

Show

When I ran this adventure I was worried about how deadly the Kraken encounter might be. Note, however, that the Kraken loses most of its immunities once it became bloodied. Plus the Kraken and its allies start 20 squares away from the party and in the air. The party I ran included 2 rangers and a wizard. Before the Kraken even went, he was bloodied and slowed (the one condition he actually isn't immune to). So when the monsters actually started their turn, the Kraken was slowed 20 squares from the party and the elementals had to spend the first round double moving just to get in range with their attacks. The only way the Kraken was even a threat to them at this point was that I had it dive back under the water in order to approach the ship and then rise back out after it finally got there.

Zathris

Jul 18, 2010 19:12:46

Show

I did find the starting range to be a bit odd, it's strongly in favor of ranged parties, and slightly against melee parties. Instead of "he's flying and can't be attacked by melee" or "you can attack the tentacles since there's so many" I went with a 3rd option, saying that tentacles grabbing someone could be attacked, but once they were they'd release, this allowed the rogue to hit him with Knockout (and do over 200 damage that round) but didn't remove the advantage of flight and reach.

It's almost worse than the Surprise or Be Surprised fights. I'm a bit surprised rangers would have that easy a time bloodying a 34 AC since at best they'd need a 14 to hit, but sometimes the dice gods are cruel to the DM. Still, you did the right move taking him underwater, and I hope you AP'd on that wizard hard!