Kuo-Toa Whips in Zenith Trajectory

[Pivot]

I was wondering how other people have been handling the whips in area 5 of the Kuo-Tuo temple.

According to the text, the massive statue acts as an energy source for the whips' lightning bolts. Working together, they can generate a 7d6 lightning bolt every 1d4 rounds. So far, so good.

BUT, a single whip can generate a 4d6 lightning bolt by itself. Since there are 4 whips, that's potentially 16d6 worth of damage every 1d4 rounds.

The characters get a reflex save against each bolt, but why on earth would the whips work together instead of just sending out individual bolts as long as they are alive? They don't even have to stay together, which makes it harder for the PCs to target them with area spells.

My group ran into the shrine without much thinking and got blasted back but a massive barrage of lightning bolts. I had the whips generate individual bolts, and it was much more powerful that it would have been, if they had been generating a single 7d6 bolt. The PCs just couldn't take so much damage and remain in fighting condition. Right now they're recuperating in an extended Rope Trick and getting ready for another run.

I'd appreciate some thoughts - thanks!

[trepelano]

According to the Monster Manual, it takes at least two whips to create a lightning bolt and it deals 1d6 damage per whip involved.

I storngly suggest you read the entry for Kuo-Toa on page 163-164.

[DedmeetDM]

What you are thinking of is the effect the statue has on the whips, adding +3 whips in damage to the lightning bolt. Only in the room is that effect active. So in that room even one whip can create a lightning bolt of 4d6, and 4 whips can generate a 7d6 whip with the statues help.

From the way I am reading it, the statue will only provide the +3 bonus to one lightning bolt...not +3 to each bolt.

[trepelano]

DedmeetDM is right.

I am sorry I didn't understand why you thought each one got a 4d6 lightning bolt. I can see now how you might get that impression from the text.

I suppose it is possible for the whips to break into smaller groups and use multiple lightning bolts, though I have never considered this before.

If the party is spread out, though - it might prove an effective strategy - though in D&D combat logic its usually best to concentrate on taking down an opponent rather than spreading around the damage since a combatant with 2 hp does is just as dangerous as he is with 50hp in any given round.

If you wanted to create several weaker lightning bolts, just remember that it takes a group of two or more kuo-toa in order to create a lightning bolt. A single kuo-toa can "group" with the statue, but in any case the statue can only be part of one group at a time.

Since you have already run this encounter once with the party, I would suggest you up the XP reward substantially.