Strangler McGee's page

Interesting. Where does that creature come from? Or, if you made it up, how did you come up with the CR?

Strangler changes to a gold dragon and breathes fire.
DC 33: 12d8=40

The scorpions keep constricting.
1d20+50=60 1d20+50=54 4d8+24=40 4d8+24=39

Uh, when did they change wall of force preventing it being a hemisphere?

Man I really need to DM higher level games more often...learning more here than anywhere...

My mistake...I'll get it clarified...You didn't mention it earlier when it affected the fire elemental...LoL

It was changed between 3.0 and 3.5.

I assumed that the spell affecting the elemental was Forcecage, not Wall of Force.

Where is the wall of force? Remember that it has to be a "flat plane", not a circle, for instance. Also, Antipathy affects a location or object, not a person, and the casting time is usually 1 hour.

Strangler uses his last flame strike as the two inverted scorpions crush their prey.

flame strike: 15d6=52
grapple checks: 1d20+50=56 1d20+50=68, constrict damage: 4d8+24=45 4d8+24=47

The unicorn mews pitifully...

Don't forget: a blinking creature only takes 50% damage from area effects.

The mindless scorpions attack relentlessly.

Scorpion 1:
1d20+34=49 1d20+34=36 1d20+29=40
2d8+12=23 2d8+12=20 2d8+6=16
grapple/constrict: 1d20+50=69 1d20+50=65 2d8+12=21 2d8+12=15

Scorpion 2:
1d20+34=51 1d20+34=41 1d20+29=48
2d8+12=18 2d8+12=20 2d8+6=17
grapple/constrict: 1d20+50=58 1d20+50=62 2d8+12=23 2d8+12=23

Strangler casts a Flame Strike and howls obscenities, slandering the creature's mother.
15d6=57

Wouldn't the 40' tall scorpions only fall about 10'? Not that it makes a big difference.

Who are we waiting on now?

Strangler Will save: 1d20+31=34
Scorpion Fort save: 1d20+25=27
Unicorn Fort save: 1d20+18=36, Unicorn Will save: 1d20+17=33

Strangler casts Quickened Baleful Polymorph (into a turtle, DC 29, +25 modifier against SR) and another Giant Vermin to create another colossal giant scorpion (casting defensively automatically succeeds).

The first giant scorpion double moves towards the monstrosity.

The confused unicorn fights back with a horn and two hooves, if it can.
1d20+23=28 1d20+15=35 1d20+15=31
1d8+12=15 1d4+5=8 1d4+5=7

Note that Blink doesn't help you avoid area effect attacks completely -- it only reduces the damage by 50%. Targeted spells have a 50% miss chance, though.

unicorn vs. confusing thoughts: 1d20+17=22
Strangler vs. confusing thoughts: 1d20+31=42

Oh, I missed the fact that there are two Will saves. I'll roll it later.

Will Save: 1d20+31=48 Fort Save: 1d20+25=45

Unicorn Will save: 1d20+17=18

The unicorn flees in terror, but the mindless scorpion and the staunch druid fare better.

Strangler turns into a huge black dragon (free action, AC 46, +4 more Con) and growls: "So he does na' mind lightning and acid, eh? How about fire?" as he casts Quickened Flame Strike and Fire Storm.

He adds: "Beware the invisible creature crawlin' from the pit!"

I'll try to hit both creatures with Flame Strike and Fire Storm.

Spell penetration for the elemental: 1d20+25=36 1d20+25=28
1d20+25=26 1d20+25=45
flame strike: 15d6=51 (1/2 divine) DC 26, fire storm: 20d6=75 DC 29

The scorpion continues to squeeze its prey.
grapple: 1d20+50=63 constrict: 4d8+24=50

We've all acted; we're just waiting for the earth elemental to do its thing.

By the way, is the elemental grappled by the scorpion or not?

and that can be sooooo abused....

Yes, particularly for the gorgon (area effect petrification) and androsphinx (HUGE area effect fear/paralysation/Str damage). The DCs are even worse with the arcane bloodline level 15 ability (+2 DCs to one school) or the universal school level 20 ability (+2 DCs for all schools).

BTW, I didn't realise that the scale was 10' per square; that's why I assumed I could get both the elemental and Govagug.

And how did you arrive at DC33? It's CON based and your own 9th spells aren't even DC33...I come up with 26:DC 10 + ½ breathing creature’s racial HD (10) + breathing creature’s Con modifier (+6)

From the description of the Polymorph subschool:

"The DC for any of these abilities equals your DC for the polymorph spell used to change you into that form."

In this case, the spell is Shapechange (base DC 31) and Strangler has Spell Focus (Transformation) and Greater Spell Focus (Transformation), for a total DC of 33.

Make a Acrobatics (Vertical Jump) check to get up on the raised platform.

Can't Strangler's 60' cone breath weapon reach the enemies without jumping?

Strangler casts Quickened Giant Vermin to create a Colossal monstrous scorpion, then shapechanges into a gorgon (free action) and moves over and breathes on Gargamel (Fort DC 33 or turn to stone) and the earth creature, carefully avoiding any of his allies with his breath weapon.

The scorpion attacks the earth monster immediately.
claw/claw/sting: 1d20+34=36 1d20+34=40 1d20+29=37
Grapple checks: 1d20+50=61 1d20+50=57
claw/claw/sting damage: 2d8+12=21 2d8+12=21 2d8+6=13
constrict damage, if grapple succeeds: 2d8+12=16 2d8+12=21

The unicorn casts Divine Power.

Strangler's talking staff says: "Beware! Something moveth underground, beneath the pit!"

Spellcraft: 1d20+25=33 Will save: 1d20+31=40

Don't forget there's a Magic Circle against Evil generated by the unicorn. Strangler will stop delaying after he saves vs. spells.

Does Strangler hear or see anything? Does his staff detect anything with its 120' blindsense?

Did you see that part of the post?

I just realized he's in the wrong position on the Rd2 Map, and I think I moved Grumble a bit far also...(are the wings of flying affected by the haste you guys think?)

A cackling nut isn't dangerous. A cackling nut casting a spell or swinging a sword is dangerous. :-)

P.S. Haste increases flight speed as well, including that from a magic item.

Strangler delays until some danger appears.

Strangler and the unicorn move into the room and the unicorn uses Cure Moderate Wounds on Strangler.

2d8+5=10 damage healed

I noticed that Lilliana is missing a +3 modifier for most of her skills (for being a class skill).

The unicorn will use its Good domain power to give a +7 to the Disable Device check, if allowed to.

Disable Device: Take 20, for a 35.

If you take 20, some of our buffs will start wearing off and our summoned animals will disappear...

Saves: 1d20+16=34 1d20+13=20

Strangler saves for half.
Unicorn fails save, but resists 10 electric damage.

Init: 1d20+3=19
Strangler 19

Strangler and the unicorn move forward; unicorn casts Bless.

"Who wants to do th' honours of openin' th' door?" Strangler growls in a low voice. "If ye all are too lily-livered to do so, I'll do it meself!"

I missed Death Ward (21 min) and Longstrider (21 hours).

character sheet:

Ongoing effects:
Shapechange (domain slot) -- lasts 210 minutes, currently in human form
Protection from Energy (fire) -- lasts 160 minutes, from staff
Greater Magic Vestment x2 -- lasts 16 hours, from staff
Barkskin -- lasts 210 minutes
True Seeing -- lasts 21 minutes
Foresight -- lasts 210 minutes
Resist Energy (cold) -- lasts 210 minutes

Prebuffs:
sacrifice Shapechange (non-domain slot) to summon a celestial charger unicorn
Mass Owl's Wisdom -- for everyone
unicorn casts Prayer

Sorry -- this weekend was busy, but I should be raring to go tomorrow...

I'm not quite finished, but I should be done by this weekend.

Strangler full attacks one of the barbed devils.
1d20+20+1=36 1d20+15+1=18 1d20+10+1=29 1d20+15+1=32 1d20+15+1=20
1d6+2d6+7+7+4=28 2d8+2d6+3+4=28

(56 damage, all good-aligned due to Holy amulet.)

The elemental full attacks, too.
two natural 20s! 1d20+19=39 1d20+19=39
confirms: 1d20+19=20 1d20+19=33
2d8+4=11 4d8+8=32

The other elemental does a single attack.
1d20+19=37
2d8+4=12

I've got to tip my hat to the fighter...!

Elementals 1 and 3 move over and attack the exposed barbed devil (for some slight damage).
1d20+19=34 1d20+19=33
2d8+6=15 2d8+6=17

Strangler defensively casts Heal on Sleepy the monk. He easily makes his Spellcraft check. Sleepy is now up and fully healed.
1d20+18=33

Strangler full attacks the barbed devil again, missing completely...
1d20+20=29 1d20+15=19 1d20+10=18 1d20+15=26 1d20+15=23

Strangler McGee wrote:

Strangler's AC is 38 because of the Barkskin he cast in the prep round. Also note that he has DR 5/-- (from Elemental Body IV).

Thanks, that brings his damage down by 23 points.

The round 4 post is edited to reflect that now.

Actually 48 points:

20 point hit from barbed devil misses
23 point hit from horned devil misses
5 points from horned devil hit stopped by DR

Strangler's AC is 38 because of the Barkskin he cast in the prep round. Also note that he has DR 5/-- (from Elemental Body IV).

Strangler full attacks a barbed devil with three unarmed attacks and two slams.

attacks: 1d20+22=41 1d20+17=29 1d20+12=32 1d20+17=18 1d20+17=27

damage: 1d6+2d6+7+7+6=28 1d6+2d6+7+7+6=30 -- damage is good aligned due to Holy amulet of mighty fists

Note that Bartimus's channel energy does its normal healing in addition to turning outsiders. Also note that the bralani acutally hit with one arrow attack (it was a natural 20). Also note that Strangler is good-aligned, so he takes 14 damage from Unholy Blight.

Strangler floats forward and tries to hit a barbed devil with an unarmed strike. (Note his 15' reach.)

1d20+22=28 1d6+2d6+7+7+6=32

From page 248 Magic Circle against Evil:

"All creatures within the area gain the effects of a protection from evil
spell, and no nongood summoned creatures can enter the area either."

Swap out non-good for non-evil and anything neutral or good will be excluded.

From page 248, Magic Circle against Good:

"This spell functions like magic circle against evil, except that it is similar to protection from good instead of protection from evil."

From page 260, Protection from Good:
"This spell functions like protection from evil, except that the deflection and resistance bonuses apply to attacks from good creatures, and good summoned creatures cannot touch the subject."

Note that it says "good" and not "non-evil". Yes, that technically makes Protection from Evil (which protects against all summoned creatures except for good creatures) better than Protection from Good (which protects against good creatures). It's a well-known "bug" in the rules.

The spell in place is Magic Circle against Good.

Technically speaking, according to the rules Protection from Good/Magic Circle against Good only keep out good-aligned summoned creatures, not non-evil summoned creatures.

In that case, the air elemental sit with one flying directly above the devils, one sitting to the north (above the lava) and one sitting to the west (above the lava, again).

Can you check to see if the two barbed devils are sucked up by the whirlwind first of all? That will make a difference as far as tactics go.

Strangler will wait until the devils act before deciding what to do.

Strangler init: 1d20+4=6
Air elemental inits: 1d20+13=29 1d20+13=33 1d20+13=29

Strangler tells one of the elementals to turn into a whirlwind and try to scoop up the two barbed devils (Reflex DC 22) and fly straight up. The other two air elementals will flank the horned devil and use their slam attacks.

elem 1: 1d20+19+2=29 2d8+6=18 elem 2: 1d20+19+2=31 2d8+6=20

Round 1: Sacrifice Reverse Gravity to summon 1d4+1 augmented Huge Air Elementals. Intelligent staff casts CL 16 Magic Vestment on shield.
1d4+1=3 elementals summoned

Round 2: Intelligent staff casts CL 16 Protection from Fire on Strangler. Strangler wild shapes into Huge Air Elemental and casts Quickened Barkskin.

Spells already running: CL 19 extended longstrider, CL 19 extended Greater Magic Fang (unarmed strike), CL 19 extended Greater Magic Fang (slam), CL 16 Magic Vestment (on armor)

Elmora will hold her action, waiting for Grumble to free her.

Why doesn't Elmora just cast a spell (e.g. Glitterdust)? The Spellcraft DC is pretty trivial -- DC 17.

Remember -- being grappled is way, way less painful than it is in 3.5. You can even make (one-handed) attacks normally, if you want.