| NarciusTheBard |
I am relatively new to pathfinder society (tonight was only my third adventure). Tonight we played the scenario #6-01 trial by machine with a new GM who was about 12 years old. Spoilers below.
Then at the second encounter, he first of all tries to give the enemies a surprise round without a perception check or anything on our part; from what I could tell the enemies were basically as unprepared as we were. This the group did not let fly. Then on the monsters turn, they all attack the same character, he rolls a bunch of dice, does some math and says "33 damage." Bear in mind we are all level 1, so this is an outright kill from full health.
I thought this was a little strange, but hey, maybe that stuff happens. The sorcerer's animal companion also dies in this same battle.
After progressing through the module a bit and some frustration on both sides from incomplete descriptions on the GM's part, we finally get to the final encounter, and this is the worst part.
The monster wins initiative, and he says that everyone has to make a Will save. I and one of the other 5 remaining party members fail the save, and he tells us we're fascinated. Okay, that's fine. Then the monster continues to come up and slam one of our characters. This, I thought was a little strange, as I assumed the fascination effect was his action.
Then he proceeds to tell me that I don't get an additional will save, that the only way you can stop the fascination is by someone else using a standard action to shake you, and that this save must be made every turn at the beginning of your turn. So this guy is going around forcing DC 16 Will saves (as he later tells us, a VERY difficult save to make at first level) on everyone in the room EVery single round to avoid fascination and that he also forces a DC 14 Will save to avoid cowering on a successful hit (which he makes two of in a round).
I didn't even get to act for the first 5 rounds. By that time two characters were down and 1 other was fascinated. Needless to say, we eventually TPKed and he told us "we just didn't have the right party for this adventure," and that we "needed a healer." To which I reply that I don't know many 1st level healers that can consistently make DC 16 will saves round after round.
I come to the forums and find out that this monster was based on the scarecrow, and find out that his fascinating gaze attack does not function as an aura, but is a standard action affecting a SINGLE target.
My character was just about to hit level 2, and I feel really cheated. Is there anything I can do about this? I feel like all of my time playing has just been a complete waste of time, to no fault of my own.