Event Five (Second Battle):
The party fights a pair of dwarven barbarians named Pitch Blade. They're fairly tough (must have rolled HORRIBLE for HP, 'cause even giving them 6.5 per character level and NOT giving them max hit points at level 1 would still give them 125 hit points, and their stat blocks give them 120 - ugh!) but I do have one question about them:
1. Why in the name of Moradin did they waste a feat on the bastard sword when they gain weapon familiarity with a weapon of greater power (the dwarven war axe)? The bastard sword does 1d10 per hit and can be wielded in one or two hands, as you wish. The dwarven war axe does 1d12 and can be wielded in one or two hands - and as dwarves they don't have to squander a feat to use it.
You'd think that they'd be better served taking one of the various 'Rage' feats found in the new 'Complete' books (Extended Rage wouldn't be a bad one, but there are still others).
2. Their ability scores seem a bit off for grizzled barbarians who have made it to 10th level. Namely, their putrid strength scores. I'd expect a barbarian of 10th level to have an 18 Strength (at the very least), but gaining this score only after drinking a potion of bull's strength seems like a very limp idea indeed.
Any thoughts on this? Or on their crappy hit points?
The AP is supposed to be capable of being run with just the core three books (PHB, MM, DMG). Adding a feat from one of the Complete books would require a side bar in the issue of Dungeon reprinting it. Which is presumably why it wasn't done: reasons of space.
As to the hit point issue, my group is still struggling with 3FoE, so I haven't read that far ahead yet. I'm guessing that if they were on full HPs, they might be too hard for the party to defeat and still be able to do a night's exploration in the cellars.
I'm DMing a high powered campaign. I only have 3 players (and a DM PC). The characters are gestalt with slightly above average ability scores. Every single monster and encounter has been modified by me to be a challenge for my party. When we get to these 2 dwarves, I will have them use the dwarven war axe, it only makes sense. Their hit points and ability scores will get a boost as well. I do find it odd that the author didn't give them dwarven war axes or higher hit points, or even a higher strength score.
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While I agree that dwarven waraxes are more appropriate than bastard swords; they still only do 1d10 damage. It's the greataxe that does 1d12 damage, a better weapon for any barbarian with high strength since you get +2 damage for every -1 to hit when using power attack since it's a 2-handed weapon.
While I agree that dwarven waraxes are more appropriate than bastard swords; they still only do 1d10 damage. It's the greataxe that does 1d12 damage, a better weapon for any barbarian with high strength since you get +2 damage for every -1 to hit when using power attack since it's a 2-handed weapon.
Consider me corrected! Its been awhile since I've had anyone use a Dwarven Waraxe.
Whatever the case, said waraxe can still be wielded two-handed, nothing prevents this, thus they make a much better weapon and free up a precious feat.
Also, the dwarves are shown as having a base movement of 40 ft. Yes, barbarians get a +10 ft. to their movement, but Dwarves have a base movement of 20, so their total movement should be 30 ft. per round.
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The same sorts of things bothered me a bit about Pitch Blade; I'll be replacing them with a pair of Warforged Juggernauts, and putting other magic items in place of their potions. With no ability to fly, those replacements are sure to include ranged weapons of one sort or another. My current thought is to have them bristling with even more pointy objects than usual--actually javelins set in small sockets in their bulky plating.
It should be fun, though we're a LONG ways off from that particular throw-down. We're just starting with "Whispering Cairn" tonight!
Creative Director
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For most NPCs, we assign average hit points and use the elite array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) for ability scores. This should explain why the Pitch Blade dwarves have such "average" stats. If they seem too low, change them, but don't be surprsied if the fight ends up being too tough.
As for their weapons; they wield bastard swords because their group is called "Pitch Blade." Or it might be the other way around. ANYway... axes don't really count as "blades" so therefore you'd want to change the name of their group if you give them axes. PLUS: giving them bastard swords makes them visually less cliched and more interesting, I think. The concept of the axe-wielding dwarven barbarian is kind of old and dull, even if it IS the number-crunched best choice. Not all NPCs should look or fight the same.
As for their speeds... crap. Yeah, that's an error; they should have speeds of 30 ft, but since they'll be flying, it doesn't really matter.
For most NPCs, we assign average hit points and use the elite array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) for ability scores. This should explain why the Pitch Blade dwarves have such "average" stats. If they seem too low, change them, but don't be surprsied if the fight ends up being too tough.
As for their weapons; they wield bastard swords because their group is called "Pitch Blade." Or it might be the other way around. ANYway... axes don't really count as "blades" so therefore you'd want to change the name of their group if you give them axes. PLUS: giving them bastard swords makes them visually less cliched and more interesting, I think. The concept of the axe-wielding dwarven barbarian is kind of old and dull, even if it IS the number-crunched best choice. Not all NPCs should look or fight the same.
As for their speeds... crap. Yeah, that's an error; they should have speeds of 30 ft, but since they'll be flying, it doesn't really matter.
Heh, if adding 'Theatrics' were my main purpose than I'd have given them Javars instead of bastard swords: More damage, larger critical range (15-20 with improved critical), and a cooler look - all for the same price in feats.
Yeah, I'm a number cruncher, at least when I look at a character's motivation. Considering how few feats barbarians receive, I'd have chosen something different then an exotic weapon proficiency (even the greatsword, or falchion are better choices in my opinion than the bastard sword). I guess I'm just not one for an exotic sword that doesn't provide as much 'oomph!' as other weaons a guy doesn't even need to spend feats on.
Heh, if adding 'Theatrics' were my main purpose than I'd have given them Javars instead of bastard swords: More damage, larger critical range (15-20 with improved critical), and a cooler look - all for the same price in feats.
I guess I'm just not one for an exotic sword that doesn't provide as much 'oomph!' as other weaons a guy doesn't even need to spend feats on.
Pitch Blade killed off my PCs as-is. Did you use point buy for your campaign, and if so, how much?
Pitch Blade killed off my PCs as-is. Did you use point buy for your campaign, and if so, how much?Heh, if adding 'Theatrics' were my main purpose than I'd have given them Javars instead of bastard swords: More damage, larger critical range (15-20 with improved critical), and a cooler look - all for the same price in feats.
I guess I'm just not one for an exotic sword that doesn't provide as much 'oomph!' as other weaons a guy doesn't even need to spend feats on.
For one, my group hasn't fought pitch blade yet, but they are a 6-member group and we utilize a LOT of the expanded rules in the 'Complete' series of books - those feats and spells really give 'expanded' characters some advantages over NPC's written with purely core rules.
Second, I use the following point-buy system to create heroic charcters for my campaigns (which is what I believe the Age of Worms would call for, anyway):
Page 7: Ability Scores
· Ability scores will be generated via a “Point Buy” system. This system ensures that all characters start out on an equal footing at the campaign’s beginning. Characters receive 32 points to distribute amongst their 6 ability scores. All ability scores begin with a base score of 8. Characters than allocate points to the base scores as they see fit. The table below details the “point cost” for a particular ability score.
Ability
Score Point Cost
9 1
10 2
11 3
12 4
13 5
14 6
15 7
16 9
17 11
18 13
As can be noted from the table above, ability scores begin getting more expensive once a score of 15 has been reached. This is to ensure that any character who wishes to be truly outstanding in a particular ability score must make a significant sacrifice in his overall ability scores. It is advised that characters are built with good balance with the idea that the characters will be able to raise their ability scores as they gain levels, enjoy the benefits of ability score raising items, a (rarely) other permanent ability score increases.
My PCs (four total, but only three showed up that night) were average level 11, 28 point buy method using the expanded books also. I added one more member to Pitch Blade (as recommended in the scaling the adventure sidebar) to even things out.
Things weren't even at all; I was rolling exceptionally hot, and I had been rolling in front of the players to "up the stakes", The main PC fighter rolled low consistantly and with Pitch Blade's good AC, this did not bode well for the PCs.
In fact it ended in TPK.
How? Did the Dwarves just roll high on their last hit and manage to kill them? Did you remember to have them resurected by their patron (Whoever the heck he is)? I mean, that makes sense because he needed them to get his sister.
...Why in the name of Moradin did they waste a feat on the bastard sword when they gain weapon familiarity with a weapon of greater power (the dwarven war axe)? ...
Because characters don't min/max -- players do :)
Regards,
Jack
I transformed the high Priest of Hextor into a Hellacuvah and
added him to pitch blade. (3FoE was a massacre for NPCs)
Even with above average hits he died (again) from the
kabold wizard's fireball. Seth has been neutral for some time.
In retrospect, replace one feat with throw anything.
Hello...Pitchblade?
Flying is wasted if you have no missle weapons.
I transformed the high Priest of Hextor into a Hellacuvah and
added him to pitch blade. (3FoE was a massacre for NPCs)
Even with above average hits he died (again) from the
kabold wizard's fireball. Seth has been neutral for some time.
In retrospect, replace one feat with throw anything.
Hello...Pitchblade?
Flying is wasted if you have no missle weapons.
Maybe...
But if the players are number-crunched to make best use of their abilities and attributes (and, realistically, what fool wouldn't be?) would this mean that the NPC's would be at a distinct disavantage to the PC's?
Likewise, shouldn't this modify their ECL? Optimized characters (meaning: characters who work to be very, very good at what they do rather than 'generalists') would be significantly more powerful than the NPC's at this poing and thus the ECL would be skewed.
I had a problem with the bastard swords simply because barbarians have few feats and the dwarves already had a wepon proficiency in a weapon with identicle properties. I'd assume that everyone, NPC's and PC's, would realize how few feats they get and would endeavor to put them to best advantage - and to untilze those advantages they already have.