Jay Walsh's page

So its that tricky time for the Crooked House plot in the free city. I was able to get a player to agree to play a doppelganger and they are a good role player so I have no worries there. I've asked for bulk sense motive and perception rolls from my party ahead of time to try and keep the role playing seemless. My question for you is the best way to catch the party. I was thinking a paralytic or sleep poison in their food, the issue is there are 2 characters immune to paralysis and sleep. I was thinking to have everyone else carted away and the city guards and the arrest plot only be used on the remaining 2 characters. Of course the guards will bring them out of their rooms one by one for safety reasons and will not let them see their friends. I also could just have a gang overwhelm them in their rooms. The problem is one of the PCs immune is a priest and I imagine the gang would cuff and gag him as soon as possible.

I'm really open to other ideas within the dopps means to easily get the two characters who are immune to sleep and poison.

Thoughts?

Drop us an email (address in my profile), and I'll dig them up.

I dont see your addy but you can reach me at jason_alex@sympatico.ca

Jason

What ruleset are you using?

I have what I used, though I adjusted the stats for some, and their tactics.

** spoiler omitted **

We are playing in 3.5 rules. What you did makes sense. If you have the blocks for the adventure I will take whatever I can get.

Thank you.

Are there stat blocks for this issue kicking around?

Can the worms of Kyuss be turned? My party is in the lizardman egg room and trying to turn the worms after breaking open the dragon egg. Can they be turned?

Jay

P.S. I am not talking about the spawnling that the worms become upon entering the lizard eggs. I mean the worms themselves, the ones in the dragon egg

The Black Bard wrote:

By the by, Warforged get hosed by Lemorian Golems just like anyone else. They are just as vunerable to ability damage and drain as anyone else. Energy drain, on the other hand, they enjoy immunity to.

See, I read it more as a disease effect, which they are immune to. Maybe that was a misread on my part.

Quote:

It should be interesting, with sneak attack out of the picture the rogue will be all but useless against the golem, most of the SORs spells will be as well, thats leaves the fighter and priest to slug it out.

We're using Pathfinder rules, where Constructs don't get auto-immunity to Sneak Attacks or Critical Hits, so that was a point against him... especially since the Barbarian in my group is made to do crit after crit after crit.

My prediction is that unless the PCs are very creative, or someone risks a BR one PC will die and the party will defeat the encounter.

Jay, if you are running a PF game rather than 3.5, constructs are no longer immune to sneak attack damage. A very solid rule change that keeps a class from being constantly hosed.

I know but if I make the change I'm going to finish out this issue before the rebuild. They are at the shrine boss fight and I don't want to drop everything now. After the fight and before the next issue I will do the rebuild.

Jason

By the by, Warforged get hosed by Lemorian Golems just like anyone else. They are just as vunerable to ability damage and drain as anyone else. Energy drain, on the other hand, they enjoy immunity to.

It should be an interesting fight and I will post a full report. I wonder if the PCs will think about a bull rush attempt into the pit. The problem is no one has improved bull rush a the AOO could be deadly :) The fact that it is immune to SA will almost take the halfling rogue out of the combat, elemental resistance will hamper the SOR. Its going to come down to the PW and cleric.

Bacchreus wrote:

The most surprising thing to me was that my group actually decided this was the one fight they couldn't win and ran (blew me away as its pretty rare to see players think their characters are going to die) and killing two innocents to do it (this has yet to come back and haunt them but it will).

Oh ouch, I had to amp up the Lemorian Golem and even then my players treated him like he was easy compared to Olangru and his mates... then again my party's heavy defender type is Warforged and thus immune to the rot effects of the Golem's grapple, and with PF removing the immunity to sneak attacks and criticals the dual-scimitar Barbarian and Scout|Ninja were able to pummel through him pretty viciously despite not having any adamantine.

Then again he stood pretty still and pounded on them, occasionally howling or attempting a grapple against the Ninja or Barbarian, while the Bar-Lguras were constantly teleporting, running about and pouncing, and going invisible when no one in the party had See Invisibility handy.

As for the sacrifice part... muahahahahah you could be very evil with that if you wanted to....

It should be interesting, with sneak attack out of the picture the rogue will be all but useless against the golem, most of the SORs spells will be as well, thats leaves the fighter and priest to slug it out.

Jay Walsh wrote:

They sure can in groups of 3, 1 always doing it and hanging back while its fellow 2 mates pound away in melee. It can also use telekinesis on the rounds it doesn't need Dispel magic, or try and summon another buddy to the fight 35% success rate.

My PCs would attack that one with spells or find a way to get a melee guy back there. They're not into letting spellcasters work unimpeded.

There is always a perfect answer lol

My PCs find that difficult as there are only 4 of them, no cohorts, no animals. Once the 2 Demons charged from invisible and pounced on them doing stupid damage they did not want to risk attacks of opportunities. The priest had to begin healing every round, yes the SOR starting zapping but the rogue wasnt about to go fight the one in the back alone, he needed sneak attack to do anything because of their DR 10 no cold iron, and being small.

I'm probably making to much of this as others appear to agree the monster is to tough for its CR 5 rating. The party has been able to get through most things so far and two of the players are playing DnD for the first time ever so often they don't do the best tactical thing every round (they are learning).

:)

In my campaign my players have their characters failry optimized, and the battle with the three bar-lguras was one of the toughest they've fought. But I also run bar-lguras as a CR 6 instead of a 5. I think they're overpowered at a 5.

I disagree that bar-lguras can use dispel magic every round. Not if they're getting attacked, anyway.

They sure can in groups of 3, 1 always doing it and hanging back while its fellow 2 mates pound away in melee. It can also use telekinesis on the rounds it doesn't need Dispel magic, or try and summon another buddy to the fight 35% success rate.

You can use the 3.5 Psionics without much trouble. The only difference is that instead of Concentration skill (which is gone in Pathfinder), you would use a Concentration check (Manifester level + Wis bonus).

Dreamscarred Press is working on a full conversion of 3.5 Psionics, but it's still in progress, AFAIK.

Do you think the final encounter in the shrine is overpowered?

Pathfinder gives much more options to base classes. The Sorcerer, the Rogue and the Cleric will be all happy with new stuff. The Rogue will be able to sneak attack far more opponents. You might actually want to suggest the Halfling Player to rebuild his character to a pure Rogue, he will get much more from that than from Swash levels, because, let's face it, Swashbuckler is an utter failure of a class, up there with Samurai and Truenamer.

I guess that you can find a conversion of Psiwarrior floating somewhere on this forums. It's also rather easy. Can't see any crunch that could give you trouble.

3.5 prestige classes work fine (although I am not terribly familiar with the Dragonheart Mage). If you need any advice, just ask us ! :)

So Psionics were converted then? I am not confident enough to do home grown converts for the entire psionic system.

Jay Walsh wrote:

Are you saying even after converting the 4 PCs to Pathfinder they will still not be "optimization-heavy"?

Oh and what about the demons or monsters that are only listed in 3.5 sources, how do I convert them. Does pathfinder have them all in various books?

1. Your party is not made up of Abjurant Champions, Frenzied Berserkers, straight Wizards or Planar Shepherds, so I guesstimate that it's not heavily optimized. If it would be, they would just breeze thru the Bar-Lguars and don't even notice.

2. The Pathfinder Bestiary contains a great deal of 3.5 monsters converted fully to Pathfinder. Many 3.5 beasties are Intellectual Property of WotC and as such cannot be re-made by Paizo. Bar-Lguars are, sadly, among such monsters.

However, Pathfinder is backwards compatible with 3.5. Especially with monsters, a quick conversion boils down to calculating two (sometimes three) new stats and you're done. Of course you can also do a full rebuild, if you wish and have time for that.

So if I did this do you believe they would have a much better chance to survive levels 10-20 and continue to be challenged and have fun? In the first 9 levels of ST we have only had 2 deaths, a ranger eaten by the T-Rex, and the halfling who got killed in the dragon lotus hideout very early on. If I did this I can easily see the Rogue and cleric converting over, the SOR (what about his 3.5 prestige class)? What about the level 4 Psychic Warrior/4 Fighter?

Thoughts?

Gorbacz wrote:

Generally, treat any 3.5 encounters as 1 CR lower (a CR 5 encounter in 3.5 book is equivalent to a CR 4 in Pathfinder). Your party doesn't look optimization-heavy, so I doubt you will face any problems with PCs being too powerful for their opponents.

And if you want to bump monsters up, there is a quick and dirty method of giving them the PF Advanced template, which boils down to "+2 to everything, CR +1".

Are you saying even after converting the 4 PCs to Pathfinder they will still not be "optimization-heavy"?

Oh and what about the demons or monsters that are only listed in 3.5 sources, how do I convert them. Does pathfinder have them all in various books?

Generally, treat any 3.5 encounters as 1 CR lower (a CR 5 encounter in 3.5 book is equivalent to a CR 4 in Pathfinder). Your party doesn't look optimization-heavy, so I doubt you will face any problems with PCs being too powerful for their opponents.

And if you want to bump monsters up, there is a quick and dirty method of giving them the PF Advanced template, which boils down to "+2 to everything, CR +1".

Are you saying even after converting the 4 PCs to Pathfinder they will still not be "optimization-heavy"?

Not as a whole, but it's very easy to convert on the fly. You just need to calculate CMB/CMD for monsters and Concentration for casters. I'm running Rise of the Runelords like that, and it works perfect.

So the encounters remain the same? The monsters are the same challenge ratings?

Switch to Pathfinder, your Halfling will be happy and the party as a whole will be sturdier. :)

Is there a pathfinder conversion for this Campaign, and if so where?

J

While I'll glare at Erevis for telling you to "get them to make better characters" - let players play what they want is my motto - I feel it important to point out that you as DM will need to tone encounters to your group's capabilities, especially in a game like STAP. If the group is not, either by accident or design, top-notch as far as optimization and capabilities go, many of the encounters will need to be tooled down.

As DM your job is to consider what your players, your group is capable of and adjust the encounters to be challenging but survivable. In a game like mine, using Gestalt variant and with half the players heavily optimized and the other half simply playing extremely powerful classes, that usually means ramping things up. In your game, since most of the players are playing more sub-par classes as far as capabilities go, that means toning things down a bit. Reducing the Bar-Lguras' HD or DR, or cutting one of the harem members out would probably have curbed the encounter enough.

You'll want to be about four or five estimated encounters - a session or so, if your group tends to go through more than that in one sitting - ahead of your players and gauge what things you'll need to beef up and what you'll need to tone down.

Thank you for the comments. I know I am going to have to tone things down, its going to me figuring out the balance to keep the encounters challenging and fun. Yes the fighter has a cold Iron weapon but he is the only martial character in the party and they did not know they were going to be fighting demons so the halfling and priest do not have them. Choosing to use the Dragonheart Mage PC was a roleplaying choice and was not chosen for optimization. The breath weapon and the choice of "cold" damage type is hurting him for sure. He mainly uses Haste, acid orb, and then breaths cold. The PW enlarges himself, and usually dumps power points into extra damage, he now has hustle which allows him to full attack on a charge, he can walk up walls, and call armor. A lot of the monsters have been immune to sneak attack so the halfling's damage curb is hurting.

I think that, in part, your party build is punishing itself. A pyschic warrior is tough but is not a full BAB fighter. Your sorcerer gives up a level of spellcasting as a Dragonheart Mage and gets a puny breath weapon in return. A straight-up wizard has access to 5th level spells.

The CR system is designed (optimally) to work with a fighter, a cleric, a wizard, and a rogue.

How is your party's cleric designed? Is he a healbot or can he turn on the Divine Favor/Divine Power/Righteous Might combo and kick some ass?

He is generally a heal bot but he can turn it on. The problem is being the only healer and with 4 PCs things like the CR 5 demon force him to heal almost every round.

Oh I forgot to mention the PW is PW 4/ FTR 4, he took 4 levels of fighter and specialized in the war axe.

I think the boss demon and construct might TPK and I am worried. The 3 CR 5 demons could have killed them outright.

Swashbuckler ? ROTFL.

Yes there is a feat in the complete scoundrel that allows you to stack sneak attack dice with swash levels. The Rouge wanted to try two weapon fighting after playing a bit and the swash was a good way for this to happen. It also gave him more AC and his INT to damage without loosing anything important rouge wise, oh and a FTR base attack bonus.

Funny, my peeps murdered them post haste...I believe the harem lasted all of 1.5 rounds. One of them would have teleported out, but got zapped right before she could.

STAP has some hardcore critters in it, and an optimized party (or a larger than average party) will still chew through most of them without breaking a sweat.

For real meanness, check out Turin the Mad's Olangru build and templates deathbugs....shivers...

The group I run is pretty stock.

8th Psionic warrior (Dwarf)
5th Rouge / 3rd Swashbuckler (Halfling)
7th SOR / 1 Dragon Heart Mage (Human)
8th Cleric (Human)

The enlarged PW with the war axe is pretty tough but all 3 demons surprising him from invis in the first round took him to 14 hps. With an AC of 24 he needed a 12 to hit them, 16 with mobility in use. Thats less than 50% hit chance on a CR 5 monster, 3 levels lower than his! I had one of them teleport the rouge up to the bridge because if I had chosen the PW instead the other 2 would have murdered the rest of the party.

Is your party more than 4 PCs? Can you tell me their classes?

Thanks

Just ran the encounter with 3 of these things in the shrine of demigorgon in the room with the bridge.

The stats on these monsters are horrible. AC 23, 24 with dodge, 27 through threatened squares, pounce, invis, dispel magic, DR 10/cold iron, SR 16.

Writers you should be shot :)

Easy TPK. The only reason my 4 person party won was because I didn't play these things to their stats and instead used their chaotic nature to have them attack random members instead of all 3 on the psychic warrior which would have killed him in the first round of combat. The other 3 members would have been easy picking, especially since the group only had 1 cold iron weapon.

How can these be CR5?

In HTBM part 4, in the shrine are the ape demons considered native or summoned creatures for the purposes of the protection from evil spell? It hints at this shrine being part of Abyss meaning to me the demons here are not summoned but I want to know for sure.

Thanks

Jason

Hi all,

couldn't agree more - enlarged versions of the map pictures are a great playing aid.

Was struggling for a while with how to re-size the pic's to the right grid-size, then created a 25mm grid in Visio, then copy-pasted the unlabelled versions of the maps from the Supplement, and re-sized until the grid on the map matched the grid on the visio page. You'll still need to join at least 4 pages together. Visio was easy as the ruler view is built into the page, but anything where you can easily draw an exact grid, and then insert an image under the grid would do.

And yes, helps to have access to a $30,000 colour copier ;]

Finally - for Shrine of Demogorgon, i can't recommend a Barrel of Monkeys highly enough - monkey statues, swarms of fiendish baboons, you name it..

Triple20!

I also have access to a work printer. I am wondering how many enlarges were needed to get the map to the right size?

Thanks

Jason

I made a full scale playable map using just a bit of photoshop, scissors and tape. Each room is its own page so I can place them down as the next doors are opened. Here's a couple pics, let me know what you think.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o320/ryan-meredith/114.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o320/ryan-meredith/115.jpg

Dio

Is there anyway I can get this map from you?

Jason

Between these kinds of critters and Rust Monsters my groups -ALWAYS- have someone trained in Dungeoneering. Even if no one gets it as a class skill, someone will scrounge up the points from somewhere to take it cross-class. :P

In our just-started Age of Worms game, it's my Crusader/Paladin. In my STAP game, they're lucky in that they have a Bard with every skill except Nobility.

The party Knowledge check failed :( After the rouge created 2 more Puddings with arrow fire the SOR took care of them all with his blasting, not before the Magic armor was lost.

J

The fighter in my group has a +3 spiked shield with +3 spikes on it. I would so love to Sunder that, or have a pudding slurp it :-)

And I suspect he would not be happy! ;-D

My player lost his Mithril full plate (Nimble) +1. He was not happy. The DC 21 REF save is very difficult to make.

The best of the two save bonuses are used on item's saving throws, such as the aforementioned magical lantern.

Treating a weapon as stone is your call - just make sure to remember that call for the entire campaign. Also reduce its hardness appropriately (as stone has hardness 8 compared to the 10, 15 or 20 for metals). It would / should / might weigh more than that item normally does when made of metal though. One thing to remember if you are using this to grant his weapon immunity to pudding dissolving and rust-based effects, is that it is crystalline. Other baddies should be able to target it with shatter, shout and greater shout spells are GOING to damage it (probably obliterating it) and so on...

Care to link a web-based description (or copy-paste it here) ?

I think I might add the items save throw bonus to the wearer/user. At level 8 they could end up weapon and armorless from this one encounter and I think thats to much.

The best of the two save bonuses are used on item's saving throws, such as the aforementioned magical lantern.

Treating a weapon as stone is your call - just make sure to remember that call for the entire campaign. Also reduce its hardness appropriately (as stone has hardness 8 compared to the 10, 15 or 20 for metals). It would / should / might weigh more than that though.

Care to link a web-based description (or copy-paste it here) ?

Its not "normal stone" its a magical property from crafting Psionic weapons, its crystal, and crystal is a stone which is where I make the call from.

So in HTBM today my party will encounter their first black Pudding. I read that its a DC 21 REF save for armor hit buy the pudding to avoid dissolving, and if a weapon strikes the Pudding its the same save for it to avoid being destroyed.

Two questions

1. The Psionic warrior's axe has the "crystal" property therefor I am going to treat the weapon as "stone" so it wont be effected because the pudding only dissolves metal and wood. Is this a fair call in your mind?

2. In the DMG under damaging magic items it states they get a saving throw bonus of 2 plus 1/2 caster level to all saves. The example is a magic lantern caught in a fireball would have a +4. Now because the Pudding lists a save DC of 21 do I use it, do magic items add their save bonus to the users, or what is the call?

Jason

For the stat blocks you need the dungeon magazine, everything you need is in there, and the monster manual.

For the field around the keep there is no map, just the poster map included in the dungeon magazine issue (you don't get it with the PDF I think) that has the keep foundation and about 20 feet of grass/wooden stakes surrounding it.

I was given a link for TFOE that gave entire stat blocks. I tried the same like for Ecounter at Blackwall Keep but it didn't work. I know they are out there in word doc format.

I would allow the players to have their fun with their builds. Just adjust the opposition if you feel it is too weak: add more opponents or make them stronger.

The problem with that is adding things can easily kill the rest of the party, just to counter his ability.

I should be finishing TFoE in the next session or two. I am looking to change up the next installment a bit. Here are my ideas I would love to hear how others approached it.

Tying in the party
1) One of the characters is awaiting a shipment from the south (that shipment is slaves). That caravan will be traveling along a northern route (close to Blackwall Keep) and will be raided by the Lizard Folk.
2) Allustan will have already been near the keep when the attack took place. (In fact he was with the caravan). He went to a town nearby Blackwall Keep to meet with Marzena who will be a Sage that has knowledge of the Ebon Triad. When the Lizard Folk raid the caravan Allustan and the NPC merchant (Draths) will have escaped from the ambush via a teleport scroll.
3) Returning to Diamond Lake Allustan and this NPC will request that the PC’s go to the Keep to rescue (the hopefully kidnapped and not dead) Marzena as well as the other merchants that were taken into the swamps. The Garrison in Diamond Lake in my game is only responsible for guarding Diamond Lake so they have no association with the Keep.
4) The characters have a very good rapport with Allustan and will want to help him, also Draths has information the characters want so this hook will convince them to go. Allustan will tell them to go to Blackwall Keep to get help and information on the swamp (he does not realize the Keep is about to be seiged).

I'm starting the keep tonight. How did your tweaking go?

Jason

Details of the Seige
5) I plan on having about 90 instead of 30 Lizard Folk seiging the Keep.

Implementing the Spawn of Kyuss
6) I am removing the Spawn of Kyuss from the Keep.
7) I plan on having Marzena be implanted with a worm. Presumably they will rescue her and bring her back to the Keep. Overnight she will turn and start attacking the soldiers and the PC’s will have to deal with her (and perhaps whatever other spawn she creates).

Greetings

Does anyone know where I can get the stat blocks and a map of the field around the keep for this adventure?

Thank you

Better hope that your player doesn't discover Admiral's Bicorne fromw Stormwrack. :D

Thats item is 51,000 gold and 10th level at that.

Majuba wrote:

Maintaining inspire courage is a free action, not standard, even in 3.5 (even in 3.0).

True enough. But it still requires at least one free hand.

Right but that doesn't matter. He stopps drumming and the effects last 5 rounds, plus with feats and abilities he can have the effect last 8 rounds past when he stops drumming. My point is anyway you look at it the benefits last most entire combats, even when he stops and starts doing other things.

The party I DM for in AoW has a bard, and yes, his inspire courage is a great boon to the players, and thus he uses it in almost any fight. They have been saying that thanks to this ability, he becomes the "damage leader", if you'd add up all the extra damage the others do for hitting harder and more often. I tend to agree, although status effects are even more important in higher level play (Otto's, for instance). Still, I'm ok with that. This is what teamwork is about.

Now, he "only" adds +4/+5, and this is at PC level 18. (He has multiclassed a bit; and Tenser has given him a magical elixir that adds +1/+1 plus +1 sonic damage as a reward for the piece of the rod of seven parts). The numbers you give are the same, at level 5, thus surpassing other available buffs by far. And this is a problem. If inspire courage is the only buff that matters, the players can start the paingiving right away, don't have to rely on other buffs (which cost actions), positioning, and maybe crowd control. In essence, it gets boring.

So I would, in your case, restrict the available feats/spells/items your bard can use. Role zero that they don't stack. Or that only two stack. Or that stacking requires extra daily uses of bardic music. Talk to the player, reason that his super-inpriration is cool, but will make play boring in the long term (as the others don't have to resort to their extra abilities), and ask him what he would like to change. Then make an agreement.

This may seem contraintuitive to "rule persistency", so I'd like to add a little reasoning here. When I started DMing, I thought that by telling the players which books are "legal", I'd save myself time and trouble. Boy, was I wrong. The reverse is true. We now play by the general rule that core is ok and other things have to be approved on a case by case basis, and that I can even rule out things we tested in play. For instance, I allowed a player to pick death pact (SC), and we played a session. After seeing it in action, I ruled it out, and general concensus...

Thank you for your post.

I did outlaw the feat because it was from the Ebberon setting and seeing that your bard had +4/+5 at level 18 and mine has it at level 5 I think I'm going to say one spell and one item boost total on inspire courage. Your right its tricky as there are so many items and he really wasn't being a douch, he only used the complete adventurer. I think masterwork instruments are to powerful as they give a bonus to all 6 party members for the cost of 1 masterwork item.

Jason

What's the magic item?

And you mentioned a feat?

I'm at work, and haven't access to my library, Jay, so I beg your indulgence for another question: what's the duration for inspiration boost? I ask because 1st-level swift spells don't normally last very long.

In any case, the character is drumming (a standard action, requiring at least one hand) for the duration of the bardic performance, instead of acting more aggressively himself. It's what he really wants to do.

If you wanted to give the party a chance to fight without his inspiration, so to better appreciate it when its available, you could give him a large trout to hold, requiring both hands.

The effect lasts until your inspire

The feat is called Heart of the Song I think and the magic item is a Badge of Valor, same type of wording, The bonuses granted by
your inspire courage ability increase by 1.

Jay, what type of bonuses are they?

Masterwork drum

Level 1 spell
Inspirational Boost: Swift. The bonuses granted by
your inspire courage ability increase by 1.

Those are 2 copied out of the book word for word.

Jay Walsh wrote:

Sardonic Soul wrote:

Well either you bard player is realy, realy into optimization or he just hates you. My guess is he thinks he's very clever AND hates you...

The funny thing is that he isn't using anything funky. Its a spell from the compete adventurer that adds +1, a masterwork instrument +1 and a 5th level magic item, +1.

strange

None of which should stack. Perhaps by the rules as listed in those various sources they would, but they were all designed saying, "Oh hey, Bards needs a little boost - how about +1 to inspire courage? Here's a spell/item/other-item to do that."

By the way.. masterwork instrument? Is this somewhere special, because that doesn't normally affect the inspire.

You are incorrect, these things do stack. Its 3.5 and not pathfinder. The masterwork instrument and the swift action spell do stack, as does the magic item, as does the feat.

Masterwork Drum adds +1 to the damage mod for inspire courage for the cost of -1 save vs fear and charm, its in the complete adventurer. They all have effects, The fiddle helps with the bard's suggestion power for example.

Well either you bard player is realy, realy into optimization or he just hates you. My guess is he thinks he's very clever AND hates you...

The funny thing is that he isn't using anything funky. Its a spell from the compete adventurer that adds +1, a masterwork instrument +1 and a 5th level magic item, +1.

strange

I am wondering if any DMs have experience with bards in their party and if inspire courage builds have been to powerful?

I have a group of 6 with a new bard who can give everyone a +3hit/+4damage for every combat a party fights and this is at 4th level. With a 5th level item from the Complete Adventurer it can go up to +4/+5 for 3 combats a day.

I envision with 6 players these kinds of abilities and items could tip the encounter balances.

Thoughts?

I'm about to start the Venca section and the txt suggests adding a second monstrous centipede and a second aspect monster if your party is level 4-5. I have 6 PCs, all level 4. Do you think that following these suggestions will result in a TPK? So far I have not added anything to the rest of the encounters and some of them have still been challenging.

Jason

Anyone?

lol

So today we are finishing the Sea Wyvern's Wake and starting the next leg. I am worried that the masher and T Rex might result in a TPK.

The part is as follows

Ranger 6/ Legendary Capt 1
SOR 6 / Dragonheart mage 1
ROG 4 / Swashbuckler 2
Cleric 7

It says the capt can make 1 check every 10 rounds to break the ship free of the reef. Does that mean he has to stay at the wheel for all 10 rounds, or can he fight and get back to the wheel once every minute and make the roll?

If only 3 PCs can fight the Masher I am worried.

When they wash up on shore and are attacked almost right away by the T rex they will not have had a chance to prey for spells, unless being passed out overnight counts as resting and I let them prey right when they wake up.

Any thoughts on this situation?

JAson

I'm about to start the Venca section and the txt suggests adding a second monstrous centipede and a second aspect monster if your party is level 4-5. I have 6 PCs, all level 4. Do you think that following these suggestions will result in a TPK? So far I have not added anything to the rest of the encounters and some of them have still been challenging.

Jason

I don't remember the DC 40 decipher script check. The note in the Temple of Hextor was written in some sort of Cipher by the Faceless One and given to Theldrick so he got answers but could not read them. The translation IS in the Temple of Vecna (I don't remember where it is referenced but it is there). I had it placed in FC's lab.

Ya

If you want to try and read it before you get the Cipher its a DC 40 script check.

Well, maybe August wasn't the best month to get input on my plot tweaks... Let's try September. <Bump>

You will find below a draft of the Faceless One's notes. I got rid of the coded message sent to Theldrick (the one which was supposedly a taunt, but weirdly included orders to kill Belabar) and replace it with notes written in the margin of a ledger containing daily measurements of arcane things such as « divine energy infusion level », « divine energy balance », « embryonic growth », etc. Entire pages can separate two paragraphs.

I came to life today, in this dark place. Then, the Master's Voice taught me my place in this world, and spoke of my role in the accomplishment of the Ninth Prophecy. He told me I have to forget the surface world, the trees and the sunlight, that these dreamlike memories weren't mine but would stay with me, and that he had taken away from me the face that wasn't mine too. Toiling on the Master's Great Work makes me happy. I hope to prove him my devotion by succeeding where the Ebon Triad project failed.

The preparatory rituals are done. My lifeforce is now linked to the Spawn. The womb left uncompleted by Vecna, then a simple lich, already wears his imprint. We only need to melt in the two other divine essences needed.

The Hextorians came, trickling down by small groups from the mine. They seemed pleased by the rooms prepared for them, and began at once the consecration of their temple. In accordance with the Master's plans, they mistook me for a servitor of the Maimed God and don't suspect my true alliegiances.

As foretold by the Master's Voice, the grimlocks came by the caverns. I presented myself as an emissary to their prophet, named Grallak Kur, and was welcomed as a divine messenger. Apparently, their complete collaboration was mine even before I spoke, as I appeared in the prophetic dreams that led Grallak Kur and his tribe to this place. This fanatic has even burnt his ships by provoking a cave-in. I have to laud the Master for the clever manipulation of...

Stupid posting error)

Am i right to assume the divine formulas replace the DC 40 decipher script note the PCs find in the temple of Hextor, and that the formulas are clearly readable?

The Faceless ones journals are found in the temple of Venca after clearing it out?

Am I correct?

Looking at the map I would agree that they are blocked, maybe an amazing Climb roll would allow them to get around that lip.

Maybe the idea is that the grimlocks can grab those spikes and wait there.

So, if the PC's were to come down from area 18 across the bridge at 17 and then along the hall on 15 the grimlocks would be trapped on the ledge.

In the dark the grimlocks would be likely to sense the characters approach, hide up there and then drop back down after PC's turn around.

I don't see any other explanation in the module for the presence of those spikes though I may just be missing it :-)

Does anyone have stat blocks for the caves? The choakers, grims, ect?

Does anyone have a monster cheat sheet for TFOE? A list of the badguys on a stat block?

Jason