Sorry for the long post but I just had to get this out.
lhoward0043 wrote:
Ok, I'm running There is No Honor (eberron conversion, pathfinder rules) with a group of 4 2nd level PCs, 36 point buy,
They've had it easy up to now, and when they face Rowyn and Gut Tugger I want to make sure it gives them a good challenge. Looking at Rowyn's stat block, though, I've realized that she's sort of weak sauce. How would you guys buff her? I already know that I'm going to max out her HP to match the PCs, and I'm going to give her a couple of action points. I've thought about changing her bard levels to fighter...
I too ran this event similarly to previous posts however I had laid a lot more ground work prior to it. My Rowyn had not only been involved with Vanthus but was also a childhood friend of Lavinia from finishing school. So she ended up meeting the PCs early and was following their exploits and becoming increasingly worried about the hindrance they were becoming.
Because my group consisted of 6 pcs of 2nd to 3rd level I realised she had to take them on in the practice room. Since she knew they were coming and also due to the runners she had keeping her informed during their progress through the hideout she had 6 rogues take 20 on disguising themselves as practice dummies.
She sat on the throne with GT by her side (I buffed her and GT a level in bard and rogue respectively). In a line before her, to stop potential chargers she had the Bugbear zombie from her private area as well as 2 zombies of previously killed PCs that died under Parrot Island (when she heard about the groups troubles under the island she had the bodies retrieved).
Needless to say when the party opened the door and were invited in by someone they thought of as their friend (she had also dated a couple of the characters to get more info by this time) they were completely dumbfounded. They entered the room and were doubly shocked to see their 2 dead friends while completely failing their spot checks to notice the rogues.
They listened to her proposal to come and work for her. After seriously considering this for a while they figured they had the numerical advantage and decided to attack. One surprise round later and they were retreating for the door. During an epic battle that followed they chased Rowyn into her chambers. Then after overcoming the guard Rhagodessa she had released on the way, she then managed to turn gaseous and escape while taunting the party the whole time.
Since that event Rowyn has been far more of a motivator for the party than the rarely seen Vanthus. So I have just re-written Rowyn to take over Vanthus’s role and the party has just witnessed her sacrificing him to Demogorgon. I’m sort of in the middle of HTBM but we are still in Sasserine (it's a long story). I really didn’t like the way you just start to get all these hooks in the city then off you fly to the Isle of dread.