Ibid's first arrow strikes (1d2 ⇒ 2) the last mirror image. The second arrow flies straight for the creature's chest before passing uselessly through thin air as it blinks out of existence once more, reappearing safely in front of Gunari. Woo hoo! No more mirror images to deal with.
Next up: Amaranti, Kaisharga.
Combat table:
Active Global Conditions:Inspire courage, Dim light (20% miss chance)
Individual Conditions:Cyrus -6, Adhukait -2 and is blinking.
Ok, all caught up! Sorry, there was a lot going on there, so I had to re-read it a few times to get it all. You gotta RUN to keep up with this space cadet. /puffs chest
Edit: One more thing. Not to get nit-picky, but the only way he stops my movement is if I try to go through his square. I did attempt to go around him, but in retrospect I should have spent a ki point (no need to retcon, lesson learned) because the check was likely impossible because I was moving at full speed to do it. I still get my movement, he just also gets his AoO.
Male Human (Garundi), Summoner 10, HP: 93/93 | AC: 19[21] FF: 17[19] Touch: 13 | Saves: Fort: +11[+13] Ref: +9[+11] Will: +11[+13] | Perception: +2 SM +0| Init: +2 | CMB: +16 | CMD: 27 | Speed: 30 | Spells 1st: 6/6 2nd: 4/5 3rd: 2/4 4th: 1/1| Wand of MA 39/50(1) | Wand of IH 38 / 50 | Active conditions: heroism 200 min, greater invisibility 10 rounds
Uncertain what the weird-looking demon is capable of, Amaranti touches Kaisharga, and with words of power compels the demon to focus it's attacks on the eidolon.
Cast Compel Hostility. If the demon tries to attack anyone else than Kaisharga, must make Will save DC13 or attack Kaisharga instead
"So, a meat shield, then? Risking my immortal bodily form for you and your comrades? Your will be done, master!" Kaisharga whispers in Amaranti's head, with somewhat sarcastic tones.
Without fear, the eidolon slithers past the combatants, eventually moving into flanking position.
Drawing AoO while moving
Once past his master's friends, Kaisharga reveals its fangs and takes a striking position.
Bite, IC, flank:1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 25 Damage:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 Miss change, 51+ hits:1d100 ⇒ 79
Cyrus, sorry about that! I thought you were going through his square - I focused on "ducking" without reading the "around" (it's actually easier to move through than moving at full speed, but does risk the movement stop). Since Kaisharga then didn't need to move like that or attract an AoO to fulfill Amaranti's tactics, I've swapped your spaces with Kaisharga.
Cyrus gets into position, but much to his chagrin, half of the creature spins ghoulishly on a bone that impales it through the chest in order to face Cyrus directly while the other half still faces Gunari. It grins mischevously at the slightly deflated ninja (cannot be flanked).
Kaisharga lashes out and scores a solid hit. However, its fangs do not manage to pierce the strangely resistant demon-skin.
As the battle rages, a distant sound becomes more and more apparent, until it drowns out even the mocking laugh the demon emits after each failed blow. Scores, perhaps even hundreds, of monkeys are whooping and screaming at the open windows to the temple. Stealing a quick glance in the simians' direction, the Pathfinders see that these monkeys are macaques. One is holding a tankard with another tankard emblazoned upon it - clearly pilfered from Gunari's belongings on their first morning in the jungle (the warpriest had thought someone else was using it). These, apparently, are the same macaques who visited the hunting party some three days ago.
The whooping increases in pitch and volume, echoing of the ancient walls of the temple until it is almost deafening, "CURSE YOU RAGDYA YOU DISEASED MONKEY PIZZLE!" screams the demon's voices in unison, "THIS TEMPLE IS MINE! WE ASURAS WILL WIPE YOUR FOUL CREATURES FROM THE FACE OF GOLARION!" Despite its bravado, the adhukait asura is visibly shaken.
Try as it might, reluctantly or no, Kaisharga cannot convince the demon to attack it instead of Gunari. Just before it strikes the warpriest, the last of the wound dealt by Finarin seals over without a trace.
Trembling slightly as it is from the shouts of the monkey, not a one of the creature's attacks manage to pierce Gunari's sturdy armor or the invisible shield with which Cayden protects him. Both heads spit a curse in infernal, "מאַנגקיז!!!"
Next up: Finarin, Gunari, Amaranti, Kaisharga, Ibid, Cyrus, Miro.
Combat table:
Active Global Conditions:Inspire courage, Dim light (20% miss chance)
Individual Conditions:Cyrus -6, Adhukait is shaken and is blinking.
Defeated:Nothing.
Round 1:
Finarin <= shockingly little
Gunari <= smashed an image
Amaranti <= kill this friend instead
Kaisharga <= too tough to chew
Ibid <= destroyed an image, then the air
Cyrus <= unable to sickle
Miro <= reposition
Return to the planet of the apes: cheers and jeers
I am a bit confused: a cold iron +1 weapon did no damage? I assume some sort of electrical DR canceled out the shocking grasp.
To get into the mechanics rather than descriptions: the cold iron weapon didn't overcome its DR, but managed to do 2 damage (ie. it has DR 5 / something other than cold iron. It has electricity resistance that completely canceled out the shocking grasp damage (so resist electricity higher than 6.
Is Gunari able to 5ft to F4 or F5? That way he and Cyrus would still be flanking and would not give cover versus Amaranti and Ibid
It is possible to go to F5 (but not F4), if Gunari wants to. No flanking bonus possible, though. As Cyrus discovered, the entwined creature is immune to flanking. Just make a shot from Amaranti if you like as though it doen't have cover. We'll assume Gunari complies.
He remembers that this is an adhukait asura, part of the warrior legions for the race of demons that wish fervently to see creation undone in their quest revenge against the gods. It is vulnerable only to good aligned attacks - it has DR 5 / good and regeneration 5 (good) - and can perform a particularly nasty maneuver in combat known as the dance of disaster*.
* Dance of Disaster (Su):
Whenever an adhukait hits with a melee attack during a full-attack action, it can move 10 feet before making its next attack. The adhukait's normal speed does not limit this movement—it can move 10 feet after any successful hit among its four attacks, as long as it has another attack to make.
Male Human (Garundi), Summoner 10, HP: 93/93 | AC: 19[21] FF: 17[19] Touch: 13 | Saves: Fort: +11[+13] Ref: +9[+11] Will: +11[+13] | Perception: +2 SM +0| Init: +2 | CMB: +16 | CMD: 27 | Speed: 30 | Spells 1st: 6/6 2nd: 4/5 3rd: 2/4 4th: 1/1| Wand of MA 39/50(1) | Wand of IH 38 / 50 | Active conditions: heroism 200 min, greater invisibility 10 rounds
Ah, missed the no-flanking part..
The enemy seems to be unnaturally resistant to attacks, and would most likely require some specific kind of material to overcome. This Amaranti doesn't have, but he does know one method to bypass defences of any kind. And that is brute force.
With a terrible roar, Amaranti strikes the creature, his arms extending to bizarre length.
Once again, fear begins to creep into Cyrus' mind. It is a fear mixed with exhilaration however, as the foe before them continually manages to ignore or avoid their attempts to harm it.
"Is that what this is about? Defiling a temple to a god? Ha! You won't stand a chance!" Cyrus spouts, suddenly emboldened.
His confidence is checked slightly as he realizes that his normal precision is much tougher to do with this double headed beast. He
This is a standard action, and moving doesn't make much sense at this point, so I will stay where I am, and hopefully next turn I can hit him with sneak attack damage. This looks like the only way I am going to be able to do decent damage...
Yeah, this is the BBEG for a group of level 4-5 characters. You're an average of 2 whole levels below that! Even with the 4 player adjustment this is brown trousers time. I'll resolve actions in more detail later, but in short: nothing has hit!
Gunari, frustrated by the beast, invokes his Weapon of the Chosen feat as a swift action, making his weapon magical, chaotic, and good (the good comes from the blessing before). He will also be able to reroll a miss due to concealment.
Were it not for the fact that he already was the preferred target, he'd think he'd just provoked the ire of the beast.
"Amaranti," he says, "I can forgo my next attack if you think you can do better with your lance. I can grant it the Blessing of the Drunken Hero, making it a Good weapon. What do you think?"
So, Infernal is Hebrew? Hmm... And a Demon is hissing in infernal not abyssal? Odd.
So, I just thought of a reason to move... Is it ok to add a movement to my turn? I want to spend a ki point to tumble through his square and end up to his right, so he can't sneak down that hall. If that is ok, I will roll below. If not (which is ok too) then ignore!
So, Infernal is Hebrew? Hmm... And a Demon is hissing in infernal not abyssal? Odd.
An Asura is neither demon nor devil and speaks Infernal. It was incorrectly identified as a demon by the looters, and everyone has said "demon" since... so I've kept it up in the descriptive text. Ibid has identified it correctly now, though, so I'll change my ways. Also, growing up as a Catholic, I believe that Latin is the language of God and those who say otherwise (especially if they say so in Yiddish) are speaking Infernal as far as I'm concerned. :-P --> Of course, it could just be that I thought Yiddish script looked cooler.
Finarin attempts another slice with his scimitar, hoping for more damage this time. Unfortunately, blinking or no, his blade goes wide of his dextrous target. Amaranti faces similar issues with his lance, not quite managing to connect. Kaisharga scores what would have been a devastating tail attack, were it not for the fact that the asura was no longer there by the time the eidolon's tail comes across.
Similarly, Ibid's arrow flies true, but flies through empty air as the asura disappears. Cyrus moves quickly past the double-bodied horned creature, and successfully puts it off its balance for Cyrus's next attack (succeeded at the feint, no issues with the move).
Gunari tires of being the focus of the beast's attention, and show's it how a real warrior fights. The rapier easily pierces its flesh, smoking as it does so. The asura's skin sizzles and blackens, and does not begin to heal, "YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT PRIEST OF THE PRETENDER GOD! HE WAS ELEVATED AFTER OUR GRUDGE BEGAN, BUT HE WILL DIE ALL THE SAME. FIRST, THOUGH, I WILL SLAKE MY THIRST ON HIS FOLLOWER!"
Next up: Miro.
Combat table:
Active Global Conditions:Inspire courage, Dim light (20% miss chance)
Individual Conditions:Cyrus -6, Adhukait -11 [11] is blinking.
If it weren't for the alcohol habitually running through his veins, that speech might have concerned Gunari. That being said, he does consider switching to more defensive tactics, if needed. With his rapier being guided by Cayden Cailean, perhaps fighting on the defensive would still work. Time will tell what the warrior priest will do. Time will tell.
He wonders, did anyone think to purchase oils of Align Weapon or Bless Weapon?
Male CG Halfling Bard 6 | HP 33/33 | AC 24 (15 Tch, 21 FF) | CMB +1, CMD 14 | F +7, R +10, W +8 | Init +7 | Perc +11, SM +12 | Speed 20 ft | [ooc| Inspire 16/18[/ooc] | Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4 | Active Conditions: Short Sword shrunk
Miro waves his sword at the beast, hoping to catch it's attention. In particular, he tries to get the beast to not focus on Amaranti and his powerful lance.
Aid Another on Attack Roll, Amaranti:1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13
So Amaranti should get + 2 on his next attack roll, in addition to the +1 from inspire.
Miro decides that he's not cut out for a direct assault and instead helps the summoner with his lance attack.
The slightly frustrated but still self-assured asura smiles manacingly at Gunari and raises its twin kukri knives. The macaques suddenly pour in through the windows and cracks in the walls, shrieking noisily. They swarm over the asura, almost comically climbing up its twisted form and then falling to the ground as it disappears only to climb up again. Eventually, the monkeys wrest the kukri blades from the asura as it swats at them. Hooting and whooping, they disappear as quickly as they came towards the front of the temple.
"RAGDYA, I WILL PERSONALLY LEAD THE VANGUARD THAT TEARS THROUGH YOUR REALM AND SMEARS EVERY DAMN DIRTY APE APART!" the adhukait cries, "YOU'RE STILL FIRST IN LINE, PRIEST OF THE POSER!"
The asura swipes at Gunari angrily with its claws.
Male NG Elf Magus 8 | HP: 57/57| AC: 22[21] (16[15] Tch, 16Fl) | CMB: +6, CMD: 22 | F: +9, R: +10[9], W: +8 | Init: +6 | Perc: +9, SM: +2 | Speed 30ft | Arcane Pool Point 8/9, GM Reroll: 1/1, Pearl of Power: 1/1 | Active conditions: Fatigued, Shaken, Haste; 5 images
Go big or go home
Summoning his arcane power, the magus unleashes a small ball of icy slush towards the demon. As it approaches the ball grows ever larger in size. Moments before impact, the ball encompasses the demon in a sheathe of ice.
Taking a severe wound, and realizing that he cannot rely on only his own skill at arms, Gunari steps back, and blesses Ibid's bow (which now glows in a silver-white glow). He then uses his Fervor to heal himself a little.
fervor healing:1d6 ⇒ 6
If there were only something that I could use my move action on!
"Ibid, find a fire lane, and have at it!"
Ibid, your bow is now Good, and adds 1d6 holy damage to all attacks. It will grant this bonus onto your arrows.
"Gun..." The name gets caught in his throat in a moment of panic as he sees the priest take a viscous blow.
Rather than spend any time thinking, Cyrus seizes the opportunity he created by causing the creature to lose sight of him momentarily as he feinted and ducked around him.
"You better not die! I need someone to put in a good word for me with your cousin!" Cyrus tries his best to lighten the mood, simultaneously hoping that doesn't make its way back to Sheeba...
Cyrus then blinks out of the visual realm, suddenly going invisible. 1 ki point to use vanish, only 1left now.
Attack #2 attack(longbow, deadly aim, pbs, IC, ranger's focus):1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 Ibid would need to roll a 6 on his inspiration check to reach a 20 vs. AC, so he will hold off on using the 2nd two uses of inspiration.
"Not goin' anywhere, Cyrus! At least I don't have any plans to let this... beast... send me to the Boneyard! Keep hitting like that, and I'll talk to Sirena... you haven't been dallying with Sheeba, have you?" Gunari banters with the young ninja, trying to keep him from worrying to much. "Besides, that blow barely hurt!"
Finarin and Amaranti again mirror one another's movements and miss their marks. Gunari steps in to enchant the ranger's arrows, praying to Cayden for his good friend's aim to be true. Meanwhile, Cyrus strikes a vicious blow with his sickle, slicing on of the creature's calf tendons. The shorter and more deformed of the torsos turns to see who would dare assault its person but is left wondering as the ninja disappears in the instant before it would have seen him. Cyrus's wound begins to close, however, as the creature's regenerative abilities resume their normal function.
Ibid draws upon his innermost reserves to shoot an accurate shot, and it wounds the asura deeply, smoke pouring from yet another wound that calcifies and turns black as the arrow falls back out, "IT BURNS! YOUR DOING, PRIEST? YOU SHALL PAY FOR THIS PAIN WITH PAIN OF YOUR OWN!" Cyrus notes with satisfaction that the wound he caused ceases to heal, and the new flesh instead decays as the essence of good from his companion's arrow poisons the outsider's body.
Also, I had forgotten to compel hostility on that first attack - it is an effect present on Kaisharga, not the creature, so I need to roll every round.
Its all good.
Gunari, comforted by the support of his companions, bellows out, "Bring it, monstrosity! My friends and I are protected by the Drunken Hero! Who protects you?"
You think I need protection, priest? the question is not spoken but burns itself into Gunari's mind, Ha! You are more foolhardy than I thought. These wounds are but fleeting things in the scheme of eternity. Weakling, all I need to do in order to see your destruction is to wait but a century. Tearing your limbs off, however, will be far more fun.
Male CG Halfling Bard 6 | HP 33/33 | AC 24 (15 Tch, 21 FF) | CMB +1, CMD 14 | F +7, R +10, W +8 | Init +7 | Perc +11, SM +12 | Speed 20 ft | [ooc| Inspire 16/18[/ooc] | Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4 | Active Conditions: Short Sword shrunk
Finding most of his allies have retreated from the beast, Miro takes a step back Please move me one space to the left. He then casts Cure Light Wounds, holding the charge, preparing to cast it on Gunari or anyone else who takes a decent hit.
Amaranti to overcome spell resistance:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19-- pass! Asura will save:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20— also pass.
The compel hostility spell has now expired.
"MY VICTORY WILL BE ALL THE SWEETER FOR YOUR ARROGANCE, MORTAL!" cries the asura in its strange dual-voice, perhaps even enjoying the banter. It steps forwards and...
... unleashes an unholy hail of blows against the warpriest. Rending and tearing with its claws, the asura turns poor Gunari's armor and skin into a torn and bloody mess. Blood drips from the adhukait asura's four claws as it exults in thrill of its minor assault, despite the fact that its last attack passed harmlessly through Gunari's throat while it was on the ethereal plane. Both its mouths twist upwards in a wicked smile, "HAD ENOUGH, PRIEST? WHY NOT SIMPLY LAY DOWN AND FACE YOUR DEATH LIKE THE CATTLE YOU ARE?"
Next up: Finarin, Gunari, Amaranti, Kaisharga, Ibid, Cyrus, Miro.
Combat table:
Active Global Conditions:Inspire courage, Dim light (20% miss chance)
Individual Conditions:Cyrus -6, Gunari -20, Adhukait -44 is blinking, Miro held cure light wounds charge.
FYI - With Karshaiga's Aid Another, Gunari's armor class is 26! So, claw #3 shouldn't hit, right?
Gunari, wanting to drop the thing quickly, hopes that his companions are up for the healing part of the game. So, he uses his swift action for his Weapon of the Chosen, and attacks. He'll also take a 5' step to allow Miro and Finarin the ability to touch him with their healing magics.
Correct! I thought there was a bonus, but I couldn't find it and it was still 24 on the tagline. Please remove the hit and the 6 damage. The asura is looking less assured.
Walk me through those two miss chances. Why two? Why not just one?
Prerequisites: Weapon Focus with deity’s favored weapon, must worship and receive spells from a deity.
Benefit: As a swift action, you can call upon your deity to guide an attack you make with your deity’s favored weapon. On your next attack in that round with that weapon, your weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction or striking an incorporeal creature. If your attack misses because of concealment, you can reroll your miss chance one time to see whether you actually hit.
Also, if it helps, the only discussion I saw that made any sense with a little searching... not a lot, had James Jacobs effectively confirming that Blink was a concealment effect. However, he's a self-proclaimed "not a rules guy" so take it as you will.
The only confusion there is whether Blink is a Concealment miss, or something else. In any case, I've rolled high on the first attacks, but if this is not a concealment miss chance, which I can live with, he'll be wanting to do something else with his swift action. Such as heal himself with a Cure Light Wounds as a swift action via Fervor CLW:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7. Just let me know!
I could get used to this invisible thing, wish I had figured out how to do this sooner!
Cyrus slides around the corner unseen, flanking with Ibid momentarily until the ranger steps back to fire his bow. He shouts with glee and confirmation of Gunari's call as he blinks back into the visual realm, sickle slicing down hard at the wicked thing's unprotected flank.
Moved over to make room for Finarin in case he wanted to get in on the melee, Miro has a CLW charged up and ready to deliver to Gunari so he might not need you to cast it from the wand just yet.
Male NG Elf Magus 8 | HP: 57/57| AC: 22[21] (16[15] Tch, 16Fl) | CMB: +6, CMD: 22 | F: +9, R: +10[9], W: +8 | Init: +6 | Perc: +9, SM: +2 | Speed 30ft | Arcane Pool Point 8/9, GM Reroll: 1/1, Pearl of Power: 1/1 | Active conditions: Fatigued, Shaken, Haste; 5 images
Seeing the brave warpriest take all the damage the foul demon can unleash, the elf takes out his wand of Cure Light Wounds. After healing his friend, he moves into a more advantageous combat position hoping to get at least one good hit on the mouthy demon.
Hearing Gunari's call, Ibid pulls back on the bowstring and releases two additional arrows. As the missiles leave the bow, one after another, the old man realizes the erratic phasing of the creature, as it seems to drop from existence from moment to the next, has caused his aim to falter...
Poor Ibid! Roll great followed by roll crap. As per the discussion, Gunari's attack hits, and he uses fervor to heal himself instead.
Gunari's rapier blade strikes good and true, piercing on of the asura's four shoulders. He then heals himself quickly, and Finarin also piles on the healing with his wand. Cyrus manages to slice solid flesh with his sickle, drawing demonic blood which splashes over the ground, hissing. As with before, the wounds blacken and fester rather than healing.
Ibid steps forwards and fires of two magnificently accurate arrows, one for each head. Alas but they fly through vacant space as the asura disappears moments before they would have hit. Oddly, the asura has no taunts this time. Perhaps the wounds are starting to affect it...
Next up: Amaranti, Kaisharga, Miro.
Combat table:
Active Global Conditions:Inspire courage, Dim light (20% miss chance)
Individual Conditions:Cyrus -6, Gunari -5, Adhukait -69 is blinking, Miro held [i]cure light wounds charge.[/i]
Male CG Halfling Bard 6 | HP 33/33 | AC 24 (15 Tch, 21 FF) | CMB +1, CMD 14 | F +7, R +10, W +8 | Init +7 | Perc +11, SM +12 | Speed 20 ft | [ooc| Inspire 16/18[/ooc] | Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4 | Active Conditions: Short Sword shrunk
Miro steps forward, reaching forward and laying his hand on the warpriest, releasing the healing magic he had been saving.
CLW:1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
That done, he goes ahead and prepares another one to release to keep Gunari up and in fighting shape.
Male Human (Garundi), Summoner 10, HP: 93/93 | AC: 19[21] FF: 17[19] Touch: 13 | Saves: Fort: +11[+13] Ref: +9[+11] Will: +11[+13] | Perception: +2 SM +0| Init: +2 | CMB: +16 | CMD: 27 | Speed: 30 | Spells 1st: 6/6 2nd: 4/5 3rd: 2/4 4th: 1/1| Wand of MA 39/50(1) | Wand of IH 38 / 50 | Active conditions: heroism 200 min, greater invisibility 10 rounds
Sweat glistens on Amaranti's brow. The fight has not been easy, but after initial shock, the pathfinders have been able to damage the creature one cut at a time. The Garundi stares at the blinking Asura, trying to find the right time to skewer the demon.
