I dm a group that is about to start Secrets of the Soul Pillars. In it is Zarik Dhor, a half-black dragon Minotaur that uses a spiked chain. Now I know of the “fun” one can have with a spiked chain, but I’ve never played nor have I seen anyone play a PC with one. I would really like to lay into my players and challenge them in this encounter. Could you guys give me some tips on how to play this NPC to his full tripping potential?
Zarik Dhor: Male Minotaur Bbn4/Ftr4;
Large Dragon (augmented monstrous humanoid); CR 14;
HD 10d10+4d12+98; hp 190;
Init +3; Spd 40 ft/x4;Fly 60 ft.(avg);
AC 28 (+7 armor, +3 dex, -1 size, +9 natural, +2 deflection, -2 misc), touch 12, flat-footed 28;
Base Atk/Grapple +14/+31;
Full Atk +28/+23/+18 Shock (2d6+22+1d6;20/x2, +1 Spiked Chain), +26/+21/+16 One-handed (1d6+13;19-20/x2, Dagger);
AL CN; SV Fort +20, Ref +13, Will +14;
Str 36(+13), Dex 16(+3), Con 24(+7), Int 12(+1), Wis 10(+0), Cha 8(-1);
Skills: Intimidate¹ +16, Listen¹ +17, Search¹ +9, Spot¹ +14, Survival¹ +10, Swim¹ +16.
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Spiked Chain), Iron Will, Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Weapon Focus(Spiked Chain), Weapon Specialization(Spiked Chain), Multiattac
Ps: this is the stats of him when he is raging. I tweaked his spiked chain a little. I took away a +1 and added shock. I also could not account for a +1 to his attack that was in the mag. I think that the author forgot that Zarik Dhor was big and thus gets a -1 to all attacks. I gave him a dagger as a backup weapon. I was thinking about messing around with his feats a little, but could not come up with a better selection.
Regarding feats I would pick up Improved Trip. The weapon's reach added to Zharik's size plus Combat Reflexes makes a real nasty combo. Each time a PC wants to approach him, Zharik makes a Trip action (which is an Attack action therefore eligible for an AoO). If the PC fails to resist, Zharik will make a second AoO should the PC decide to get up (since it's provoked by a different action)and this second AoO can also be a Trip *evil grin*. If the PC stays low, Zharik may attack him at +4 which I would convert into a Power attack adding +8 to the weapon's damage (two-handed weapon). Since he has Combat Reflexes, he has 4 AoO per round + 3 normal attacks. Once the front line is tripped or killed, I would bull rush or fly over to the wizard then finish off the rest.
I haven't played SotSP so far, but I think I remember there's a possibility to negotiate with Zharik Dhor. I would encourage the players to do so or not to give him a fair fight. Wise PCs should try to ambush him and not let him choose his battlefield. Too dangerous lol.
Bran from Paris, France.
Sorry, but you'll have to make Zarik Dhor smarter (needs Int of 13) and replace 2 feats (Combat Expertise & Improved Trip - perhaps in lieu of Iron Will and Improved Bull Rush) in order to follow through with Bran's suggestion. Since he already has Combat Reflexes, he already has the capability of making 4 AoOs per round (provided 4 different opportunities present themselves). Regardless, if he fails to trip an opponent with the spiked chain, he runs the risk of having to drop the weapon should be beaten on 2 consecutive contested rolls (or go prone himself).
Have you considered making him a disarming machine instead?With his ability to attack foes at 5 ft, 10 ft, and 15 ft away, he likely can make disarm attempts without risk of being disarmed himself. Against a Medium foe, Zarik would be making a disarm roll at +38 melee (accounting for 2-handed weapon, 1 size category greater, and spiked chain intrinsic bonus), and against a Small foe he's at +42 melee. You could always throw a locked gauntlet on one of his hands to virtually guarantee that Zarik is never disarmed instead. Note that picking a weapon up off of the ground provokes AoO's as well . . .
this is brutal... i love it... so is he the span of the dragon from zeith tragetory?
this is brutal... i love it... so is he the span of the dragon from zeith tragetory?
Absolutely. He's the son of Dorloth the Dragonfather.
This is how I see combat going: round one, charge one of the front line fighters of the party (+13 str, +4 large, +4 imp. Bull rush = +21). At the end of my charge I’ll take my one attack, electing to try to trip someone in my reach (if melee touch attack succeeds, +13 str, +4 imp. Trip, +4 large = +21). If I don’t try to trip the one I charged, then I’ll try to trip one of the other front line tanks. If my trip succeeds, I’ll get an attack because I have imp. Trip. Now I don’t see anywhere where it says that I can’t use this attack to try to disarm and I don’t see where it says I cant try to disarm someone other then the one I just charged. So for my disarm attempt I’ll target a small type person (bonus for difference in size category) that is far enough away so they do not get an AoO on me, (+28 atk, +4 two hand weapon, +8 size, +2 spiked chain = +42). On my next turn I’ll use my full attack to trip and free attack from imp. Trip feat to take down as many people as I can. If I haven’t yet disarmed the main tank of the party, I’ll use one of my attacks for a disarm attempt plus I don’t want to forget about my natural attacks. For my third round I’ll ready an action to try to disrupt any spell casting with in reach (I know my party; they will be casting defensively by this time). As soon as some one try’s to cast a spell I’ll try to trip + attack from imp. Trip feat (hopefully doing enough damage to interrupt the spell, i'll use power attack at full agenst lightly armered people like wizards). After this I’ll just trip + attack and disarm as I see fit. What do you think? did i get the math right?
Zarik Dhor: Male Minotaur Bbn4/Ftr4;
Large Dragon (augmented monstrous humanoid); CR 14;
HD 10d10+4d12+98; hp 190;
Init +3; Spd 40 ft/x4;Fly 60 ft.(avg);
AC 28 (+7 armor, +3 dex, -1 size, +9 natural, +2 deflection, -2 misc), touch 12, flat-footed 28;
Base Atk/Grapple +14/+31;
Full Atk +28/+23/+18 Shock (2d6+22+1d6;20/x2, +1 Spiked Chain), +24 (1d8+6; 20/x2 Gore); +24 (1d8+6; 20/x2 Bite); Backup weapon +26/+21/+16 One-handed (1d6+13;19-20/x2, Dagger);
AL CN; SV Fort +20, Ref +13, Will +12;
Str 36(+13), Dex 16(+3), Con 24(+7), Int 13(+1), Wis 10(+0), Cha 8(-1);
Skills: Intimidate¹ +16, Listen¹ +17, Search¹ +9, Spot¹ +14, Survival¹ +10, Swim¹ +16.
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Spiked Chain), Power attack, Weapon Focus(Spiked Chain), Weapon Specialization(Spiked Chain), Multiattack
Well I ran this battle on Friday and it lasted all of 3 rounds. Zarik Dhor got off some good hits and tripped a few of my players PC (there are 7 players and one has a cohort), but I made a mistake or two. It was a good encounter, but at these levels it seems that battles just don’t last that long. Oh well. Anyway my party started to loot the body of Zarik Dhor right after the battle was over and of course that is when I had the town guard come in. the game session ended with one of the mercenary half-orcs shoving one of the PC saying that the body and loot was evidence. This pissed off the rouge in the party and she attacked. When next we play, I’m going to have to figure out how to handle the potential of the party going to war with the town guard. All this happening before they even get to the temple of Wee Jas.
i would have them get arrested and have jenya come by later with their bail and have a trail somtime in the AP or they could just be on bail until the town goes up in flames and at the point it dose not matter anymore... that could be fun. I think i will plan on using the eqipment is evidence idea