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I currently GMing a highly customized Skulls and Shackles campain with 4 to 5 players.
The party is a Rogue / Slayer, a Tatooed sorceror, a Ubarbarian THF, and a Druid/Ranger with natural attacks, all level 6 or 7.
During the last session, they were on Ricketty Grove and investigating of the watcher disappearance.
They've already found the deceased watcher and slain a cyclops manhunter (as described on the Inner Sea Monster Codex).
It was a monster by the book, it was a difficult fight but they manage to get him without loosing a PC.
I've decided that there was a second Cyclop, wife of the one they have slain, and more linked to the Stealth than the previous one, so I've replaced the intimidation skill by stealth and gave her a Stealth Magic Item (+ 15 in stealth + Blur Effect on natural surrounding), that's gave her a +17 stealth, quite effective, and she start to hunt them, try to kill them with a big rock going down the mountain, shooting the druid transformed in a bird...
They've decided to track her but without taking any stealth option, or magic defence... They finaly arrived on a platform where the big Rock was lying and try to find tracks, without success (I've made a Survival opposed check because the Cyclop was a ranger also, and win to him by pips). The barbarian decided to taunt the Cyclops, made a great test and the cyclops who was hiding at a range, decided to attack the barbarian with his bow first, then switch to her two handed axe, the barbarian decided to charge, take a critical AoO, hit the Cyclops, and at her, action take two attacks and down the barbarian, the Druid/ranger decided to close stealthly to attack the next round, the cyclop had the initiative, spot him, close to attack him and put a critical on it, killing it on the spot.
Whith two PCs down in two round, the other two managed to heal the barbarian who put down the cyclops in one round.
The Cyclops is CR 7/ 8 (with the item they have recovered after the fight plus the items of the Cyclops for around 25000 GP of treasure), I've have had lucky throws and choose not to fudge the dice because they have so badly manage their hunt (no stealth, no invisibility,...).
Does my monster was too strong for them ?
Should I've fudge my dice because of player's bad play ?
I've had a heated argument after the game so I want a external point of view...
Thanks

I've trouble calculating a CR of an encounter and see if it is balanced :
The party :
All 9 character levels
An bomber alchemist, a halfling archer paladin, a TH fighter, a Unchained Rogue, a Figther Mage.
Facing the opposition :
A 9 level Cleric immune to critical hits and Sneak attacks
A Clay Golem with enhanced HP (160 - 170)
6 * 9th Level Clerics
6 * 3th level Thugs / 3 level Clerics.
We face them, manage to kill them all,earn 5700 Xp each and a truckload of +1 items.
I have a doubt concerning the rewards we have after this encounter due to CR calculation.
If someone can give me the total CR of this encounter..

The Dueling Weapon Ability states :
"This special ability can only be placed on melee weapons.
A dueling weapon (which must be a weapon that can be
used with the Weapon Finesse feat) gives the wielder a
+4 enhancement bonus on initiative checks, provided the
weapon is drawn and in hand when the Initiative check is
made. It provides a +2 bonus on disarm checks and feint
checks, a +2 bonus to CMD to resist disarm attempts, and a +2
to the DC to perform a feint against the wielder."
A question : If I put this ability on a gauntlet "Light Melee Weapon wich can be used with Weapon Finesse" and use another weapon two-handed with this gauntlet, did I have the bonus of the ability of the gauntlet ?

Hi,
We are currently in Feldgrau and we are facing some magic heavy fights.
I currently play a Two Handed Fighter and will be soon 9th level.
The Man :
CG Human Fighter 8th
STR 23 (+2 Belt)
DEX 10
CON 18 (+2 Belt)
INT 10
WIS 13
CHA 10
HP 110
Fort : + 11
Will : + 6
Ref : +3
CA : 22
Feats :
WF - GWF - WS : Falchion
Power Attack
Furious Focus
Iron Will
Intimidating Prowess
Dazzing Display
Shatter Defense
Cornugon Smash
Magig Items : Mainly +1 Items (Ring, Amulet, Cape), a belt of physical might 2, a +1 keen Falchion (Magic Items are scarce in our campaign..)
I will retrain furious focus, I just try to find a feat in accordance with the campaign, as I was on a critical line but with the undead....
I plan to change class by 9th or 10th level in order to face Wake of the Watcher with better Will Save, I see Barbarian but losing the Heavy Armor will make my AC even more ridiculous for a front liner, Cleric of Desna, with Travel Domain and Luck Domain (mainly for extra movement) but loosing + 1 BAB put me too far away from Deadly Stoke...
If anybody has a suggestion or a proposal...

Hi,
We are currently in Feldgrau and we are facing some magic heavy fights.
I currently play a Two Handed Fighter and will be soon 9th level.
The Man :
CG Human Fighter 8th
STR 23 (+2 Belt)
DEX 10
CON 18 (+2 Belt)
INT 10
WIS 13
CHA 10
HP 110
Fort : + 11
Will : + 6
Ref : +3
CA : 22
Feats :
WF - GWF - WS : Falchion
Power Attack
Furious Focus
Iron Will
Intimidating Prowess
Dazzing Display
Shatter Defense
Cornugon Smash
Magig Items : Mainly +1 Items (Ring, Amulet, Cape), a belt of physical might 2, a +1 keen Falchion (Magic Items are scarce in our campaign..)
I plan to change class by 9th or 10th level in order to face Wake of the Watcher with better Will Save, I see Barbarian but losing the Heavy Armor will make my AC even more ridiculous for a front liner, Cleric of Desna, with Travel Domain and Luck Domain (mainly for extra movement) but loosing + 1 BAB put me too far away from Deadly Stoke...
If anybody has a suggestion or a proposal...

Hi,
I've read several threads on Armor restricting dexterity, and something came to my mind, Could we consider that the Strength modifier could be a maximum Dexterity modifier for Heavy Armor : Let me explain a 18 Strength Character with a 16 Dext could apply a max dex bonus of +4 at best (in this cas +3)on the armor without modifying the ACP.
Do you think it is viable thing to apply or not ? any suggestions is welcome as I planned to play it in my future games.