My group has just finished the sawmill and are ready to take on Xanesha in the Clock Tower.
The problem is that they are still 5th level, but there are 7 of them. All were made with Pathfinder Beta, and all have max hitpoints each level (house rule).
Human Cleric of Desna (travel & good domains)
Dwarf Fighter, wielding two dwarven waraxes (he has the dex and feats)
Human Wizard
Human Ranger, bow specialty
Halfling Rogue (twin daggers)
Halfling Bard
These guys are good, very good at using their abilities. Assuming I don't modify Xanesha at all, am I looking at a TPK?
-- david
Papa.DRB
Who's # 7? (I can only count 6..)
It's touch and go I'd say. They'e low in levels, but 7 in number.
Ideally they should get an extra level before going up against Xanesha, but that might not be practical? (depends on wether they're close/far from levelling, of if you could sidetrek them without loosing momentum).
You could exchange Xanesha with the other Lamia (from the barge later on) a lot people seems to have done that.
Should you decide to run Xanesha against your level 5 party, then a TPK is not unlikely. But you say your players are smart and resourceful, so this could be a great fight for them - but make sure that they are not rushing in unprepared.
I would let the most sensetive of them a "bad feeling", as they get close to the clock tower. A sort of fair warning that something nasty is lurking here, so they aren't unprepared.
Sorry I can't do better than this and, please let us know how this turns out!
GRU
My group has just finished the sawmill and are ready to take on Xanesha in the Clock Tower.
The problem is that they are still 5th level, but there are 7 of them. All were made with Pathfinder Beta, and all have max hitpoints each level (house rule).
These guys are good, very good at using their abilities. Assuming I don't modify Xanesha at all, am I looking at a TPK?
Biggest question on that is do they have enough healing capacity (in potions/wands) to be fully healed by the time they *get* to her?
You might have a "crazy beggar" spouting about "the serpent atop the tower" as they go up, so they know to prepare before going to the roof.
Remind them of the "Aid Another" action.
Human Cleric of Desna (travel & good domains)
His two Protection from Good's will be very useful.
Dwarf Fighter, wielding two dwarven waraxes (he has the dex and feats)
He won't hit dual-wielding, you might suggest early he switch to two-handing one of them (+4 to hit vs. dual)
Human Wizard
Once the silence is gone, the Wizards should help a lot, though she's got Shield (to block Magic missile) and a decent touch AC I think. Still SR to deal with though - you might be a little lenient there since they are two levels lower.
Human Ranger, bow specialty
As she flies, he'll do well, plus bow users usually have very high attack bonuses (though no flanking)
Halfling Rogue (twin daggers)
Good luck. Find some way to make him feel useful, then or before.
Halfling Bard
MVP, guaranteed (except for whoever has dispel magic prepped).
They've got a chance. With max hp they have about the hp of 7th level characters, but she'll still drop one of them per round. You might send a couple town guards with them if they are smart enough to talk to them before going.
I think they can do it as long as they are at full power (spells HP and so forth)
Who's # 7? (I can only count 6..)
Oops... Half-Orc Monk, who always goes into battle with mage armor and shield of faith cast on him (damn 25 or so AC).
-- david
Papa.DRB
Since the cleric is a DM NPC (no one wanted to play one), I will make sure he has Dispel Magic prepared. Also, with Channeling, he will be able to make sure that they are at max before entering, and they have several wands of cure moderate to top off after the scarecrow and perhaps the "bell problem".
Yea, the double war axe dwarf usually will go single if he does not hit the first round and has rolled decently.
The crazy beggar in the street. That is a good idea. I'll foreshadow the fight, and that should be enough of an edge.
I'll let you all know how it turns out. Next session is Sunday 05/31.
Thanks for the tips.
-- david
Papa.DRB
I'd distract them with a small side mission in Magnimar, giving them a bit more experience before they tackle the tower. I'd throw a couple of scrolls of greater dispel magic into the side-quest's treasure.
In one of my games, Shayless traveled to Magnimar with the party. She found work in the city, nursemaiding an elderly nobleman.
The brash girl promptly needed help from her adventurous friends, as the old man's abusive grandson (a cruel sorcerer) and his thuggish friends were robbing her patron blind and threatened the girl's (questionable) virtue.
Violence ensued, followed by legal complications. The party was saved from prosecution when several Magnimaran relatives of the Scarnettis vouched for the adventurers' innocence. The party was more than a little concerned about the potential cost of the Scarnettis' aid.
If the Half-Orc monk can get to grapple her, then she could be in trouble!
GRU
If the Half-Orc monk can get to grapple her, then she could be in trouble!
GRU
Yea, and that is his favorite tactic!!!
-- david
Papa.DRB
If the Half-Orc monk can get to grapple her, then she could be in trouble!
GRU
Yea, and that is his favorite tactic!!!
-- david
Papa.DRB
Now, if the grapple works and they position themselves right the rouge could sneak attack (mmm, juicy!)
so, it's going down this Sunday? Love to hear how it turns out...
GRU
I've heard Xanesha is a bit of a softie:)
Now Chelish Clowns - they're something worth worrying about...
I've heard Xanesha is a bit of a softie:)
Now Chelish Clowns - they're something worth worrying about...
"To Grapple a Clown"-
A Collection of stirring poetry.
I just went over Grapple and CMB for Xanesha. *ugh*... Her CMB is 19 (12 bab, 6 str, 1 size), so her defense is 34!!
Monk CMB is 11 (5 bab (monk thing), 4 str, 0 size, 2 improved grapple). He CAN NOT Grapple her !!! Even with a Bull Strength it is only 13.
They are screwed....
-- david
Papa.DRB
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'To ditch, slip, or retreat is often brave' is an anagram for
Which may also be sound tactical advice for your group.
But I've got $10 saying your players pull it off, but at least four of them will go down and at least one more in the single digits.
And if not
But I've got $10 saying your players pull it off, but at least four of them will go down and at least one more in the single digits
I would not take that bet. They often pull things off that I am amazed at.
And I think that I know how they can do it. Dispel Magic does not allow SR, and my DM NPC cleric and the wizard both usually prepare a Dispel Magic. Now, they have to roll 14's to bring spells down, but she has 8 spells on her, and I'll just make sure that Mage Armor and Shield are the first two dispelled. The rest will be dispelled if they make the rolls.
With Mage Armor and Shield down, her AC is back down to 25 or 26 and the tanks have a chance on hitting that (roll 15 or 16).
Oh, and I put a wand of Dispel Magic with a couple of charges as treasure with the Golem on the first floor, just in case the wizard decides to be an idiot tonight.
In any case, I'll post either tonight or tomorrow morning with the outcome.
-- david
Papa.DRB
I was leaning towards an unhappy ending until you said you were going to feed them some dispel magic resources.
That could turn the tide.
Make sure you check her corrected stats in the errata thread, her stat block does not reflect the bonuses she should have.
I've run it twice.. 5 players at 7th level, and 6 player at 6th level.. she always killed at least one or more. And I pulled a couple punches after a death. Neither group was particularly stupid; at worst, mildly unlucky with the die rolls.
Extra dispel magic though? Could make a big difference.
Monk dead. Dwarf fighter up and down from single digits to enough hit points to not be not killed the next round because the bard & cleric kept healing him.
Bard (wand) & Wizard (spell in head) used dispel magic three times and brought down all the spells. Till then no one was hitting her. The cleric also rolled a 20 to bypass her SR and cursed her -6 dex.
The called in all favors in Magnimar and had the monk raised.
Good fight...
If I did not throw in the wand of dispel magic with 2 charges they would it would have been a lot more dead, but probably they would have won, but just barely.
-- david
Papa.DRB
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Just ran that fight last night, had 2 PCs hit by the bells on the way up, brought them down to the 20s. They went thru the stalkers in 2 rounds with some lucky rolls. And then came Xanesha, wasted half their higher spells fighting an illusion, then flanked her with their Ftr, Clr, and Druid. A very brutal fight and both she and the cleric were dead, the fighter and druid both injured heavily, but the bow weilding rogue, not a scratch. She probably coulda' done more damage if the fighter didn't have the knack for rolling natuural 20s on will saves, and he pulled a crit with his earth breaker when she tried to Dimension Door, dealt out 99 points of damage after figuring in power attack. I watched each roll he made, max's on every one of those dice. We'll be talking about that for a while.
Just ran that fight last night, had 2 PCs hit by the bells on the way up, brought them down to the 20s. They went thru the stalkers in 2 rounds with some lucky rolls. And then came Xanesha, wasted half their higher spells fighting an illusion, then flanked her with their Ftr, Clr, and Druid. A very brutal fight and both she and the cleric were dead, the fighter and druid both injured heavily, but the bow weilding rogue, not a scratch. She probably coulda' done more damage if the fighter didn't have the knack for rolling natuural 20s on will saves, and he pulled a crit with his earth breaker when she tried to Dimension Door, dealt out 99 points of damage after figuring in power attack. I watched each roll he made, max's on every one of those dice. We'll be talking about that for a while.
Ah.. nothing brings joy to players like a fairly earned critical hit like that,