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Storming the Beach

What's been your experience with this encounter? Here is ours ...

Tonight my players assaulted the beach portal point - it took about a four hour gaming session and concluded in cinematic style since their victory was clearly established.

Encounter Details:

Unexpected
1. Player comment as they received a deadly barrage of demonic siege engine fire concentrated on the portal point when they entered: "... and why did we use the portal and not just approach the area via Plane Shift ... or Greater Teleport from our boat via River Styx to Abyssal Ocean to Gaping Maw?" I didn't have an especially compelling answer for them other then "distract Demogorgon with an open portal point. Fortunately, they stayed put and fought it out.

2. How powerful a dozen Hezrou Unholy spells were on massed players. Although they cured all damage with one Mass Heal.

3. Mass Greater Energy Resistance (+30), several, made the call lightning (Nalfeshnee) and the acid siege weapon virtually impotent (especially with reflex saves by PCs with evasion).

Creative Player Strategy
1. Used Earthquake to basically take multiple siege weapons out of action ...
2. Used Tsunami to sweep up all visible Demons at the bunkers
3. Used high Reflex saves and evasion to completely ignore Blade Barriers (Mariliths)

DM Mistake(s) - mine
1. Summoned demons - shouldn't have been able to physically attack the PCs with Prot v Evil. Oops - but ultimately didn't decide anything.

DM Successes
1. Provide each of the four types of demons their own initiative roll to divide it up among the players turns.

Interesting Situations
1. If you can see through a wall of force, and there is room around it (left/right/above), would magic missile be able to target a creature (in range) on the other side, or is this a case where straightforward line of effect is prevented? My ruling - given that magic missile is a special spell in the annals of the game, so long as the path was within range, and provided that the target could indeed be seen and thus 'targeted', it would work.

Has anyone created a Divine Template for 3.5?

I am not impressed with the rule set for Gods (even when updated for 3.5). Since this was a pre 3.5 product, it never got a full treatment. Now that I've been gaming a group of experienced power players, it seems both too much (too many rules) and too little (too many basic characteristics and capabilities are ignored).

It really seems like divinity should be a template, also incorporating divine rank. Has anyone done something like this or given it any thought?
Should we build a STAP wiki?

Is there any such thing out there today? I haven't found one.

There are so many great ideas whether addressing the AP as is or adding additional materials. It would be great to put it all in one easy to reference space.

What would be the obstacles to building one?

I would love for it to mine everything in this part of the message boards. I'm sure that others, like me, have extensive files of support whether as builds (e.g. advancing monsters), or adding flavor to encounters.

I'd love to know what others think about this. This does appear to be an active area of the message boards. I also believe STAP is a classic that will be played for years to come and is a great one to introduce to new players.
How is Monster Caster-Level determined?

How is caster level for Spell-like abilities determined? Is it the same as 3.5?
What are your suggestions for Divided's Ire?

The party just approached the island. What advice do you have for me?

I know I need to augment the existing encounters and have read other threads on that topic and taken notes on what has been discussed. But what about any concerns/challenges with the structure of the existing encounters, their descriptions, or other areas?

For example, I found some of the room descriptions confusing and wondered why there are two shades/color patterns on the map for interior rooms?

FYI

The players are smart and heavy tactical thinkers. They have 6 PCs (all at 17th) and 3 followers, the Blue Nixie (long story) and a full complement of crew.

Generally speaking they are well buffed and well armed and play smart. After extensive dealings with both devils and demons, they are in little mood for negotiations or general diplomacy. They recognize this is a jail break and feel confident in their strength.

They include a straight wizard, a warlock, a cleric, Jakara (totemic demon slayer from earlier), a Barbarian-Ranger, and a binder.
Dire Hunger Monks - STAP Extension?

It also just occurred to me after rereading a post in the Archives on Scuttlecove, that I can add some additional demonic elements to the factions among the Monks. Perhaps some have become cultists (such as Graz'zt for Tyralandi) and so forth. There might also be demons present in some fashion trying to influence the monks through their presence, each representing different demon lords.