manafiend's page

Hey folks,

I'm currently running a party of three PCs through my own homebrew conversion of Savage Tides. They're just rounding out 'There Is No Honour' and consist of a Half-Elf Paladin of Pelor, A Halfling Sorcerer and a Dwarven Hybrid Warlord/Cleric of Moradin. the entire party is at level 2, and seem to be working together really well. I'm currently trying to tweek the Rowyn encounter to be a memorable one. This is my stat block for her so far:

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Rowyn Kellani, Level 3 Elite Skirmisher (leader).
Medium Natural Humanoid (300 XP).

HP 92; Bloodied 46.
AC 17, Fort 14, Reflex 16, Will 15.
Speed 6.
Initiative +7, Perception +6.
Saving Throws +2, Action Points 1.

Traits:
> Combat Advantage - 1d6 extra damage against any creature granting her combat advantage.
> Nimble Fingers - Drawing or stowing a weapon, and retrieving or using items do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
> Poisoned Scabbards - Rowyn's scabbards each use a mechanism for applying poison - the longsword scabbard applies damage-dealing poison, and the short sword scabbard applied dazing poison. Each holds 3 doses, and applies the poison whenever the weapon is sheathed. It also adds the poison keyword to the attack.

Standard Actions:
> Basic melee - Longsword (weapon), At Will. +8 vs AC; 1d8 + 8 damage, and if poison has been applied, ongoing 3 poison damage (save ends); Rowyn can shift 1 square.
> Basic melee - Short sword (weapon), At Will. +8 vs AC; 1d6 + 8 damage, and if poison has been applied, the target is dazed (save ends); Rowyn can shift 1 square.
> Melee - Two-weapon attack (weapon), Recharge when first bloodied. Rowyn can amek both a longsword and short sword attack.

Minor Actions:
> Smoke Bomb (zone), Encounter. Close burst 1; The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of Rowyn's next turn. The smoke bomb grants total concealment to any creature inside it.

Skills: Bluff +9, Stealth +10, Streetwise +9, Thievery +10.
Str 12 (+2), Dex 18 (+5), Con 14 (+3), Int 14 (+3), Wis 11 (+1), Cha 16 (+4).

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She would also have Gut Tugger with her, although annoyingly as reanimating creatures is not really a thing in 4th edition, I can't figure out a decent way to have her bring him back as a zombie. I'm thinking I'll either have Zhanther as an enemy or simply a labotomised creature Rowyn keeps chained up outside to show off her power. He wouldn't be a fight, but he could provoke an interesting reaction out of the party.

Her escape plan would involve the smoke bomb she keeps near her. As the party is small, even in the enclosed area they'll probably struggle to keep both doors guarded, so she can make a quick exit while avoiding attacks of opportunity. If she slips out into her chambers, she'll use a trap door she has built under her bed, if she has to flee through the guild she'll use the taxidermist entrance.

Any advice would be much appreciated :) I want her to be tough, but as they're only a 3-man operation I don't want her to be unstopable. I'm debating upping her to level 4, or making gut Tugger a level 3 Drake, but that's the only real ideas I have to make her tougher.

Thanks,
Chris.

I'm really using the cosmology and information from the Savage Tides, and making it 4th edition. My main thought is that as the campaign progresses, PCs seem to become more heavily involved with activities in the Abyss as well as other chaotic elements which start spreading throughout the material plane. In that sense, and because I sense I'll need a few side quests to help level them up (need to make up a session-long one to get them up a level before I begin the next part of the campaign) I could do with some inspiration for quests based around the demonic side of the setting. I was hoping some of the books would inspire me to do that.

Plane Below was something I was browsing too, seemed quite similar. Maybe I'll splurge and go for two... The benefit of having the online resources (we split the cost as a group) is that getting MMs isn't a major push, except for tactics and ecology.

I'm not sure on the conversion of Isle of Dread. I'm actually running a 3-man group through the campaign, so converting my own stuff means I can also scale. Fortuately, they're pretty well-balanced (A Paladin, a Sorcerer and a hybrid Warlord/Cleric). I'll happily post up my conversions if I do any I'm particularly proud of - I hate making NPC enemies in 4th Ed, too much guesswork. I pretty much borrow powers and mash together something which makes for a good fight rather than a deadly opponent.

Hi all,

I'm currently running a 4th edition group through my own conversion of Savage Tides (it's not the most elegant, but they're enjoying the story and that's the most important thing). I'm coming into some bonus pay at work and am looking to pick up a new 4th edition book. I'm considering the Demonomicon, but if anybody has any suggestions for good books (especially those which fit into the Savage Tides story) I would love to hear them. It's been a LONG time since I brought a rulebook.

Cheers,
Chris.