I may be running this adventure soon (from issue 129), and I've been going over it. Can anyone tell me the AC breakdown for the blacktooth rangers (the dwarf dire werewolverines). They have an AC of 34 in hybrid form and it doesn't say how they get it. I don't see any amour in their equipment. I realize they have a +4 Dex, -1 Size, +2 Deflection, +4ish for barkskin, but where does the other 15 or so points come from. I know they have natural armour, but is it really enough to give them a 34 AC.
By the way Dungeon publishers it really annoys me that you haven't been printing armour class breakdowns in your stat blocks. That is one thing that really bothers me about the magazine. I like seeing how the monster ends up with the AC it has. It comes in handy more often than you would think, and in my opinion it is well worth the extra space in the magazine. Is there any anyone else out there that agrees on this one. If so pipe up and maybe they'll do something about it.
I may be running this adventure soon (from issue 129), and I've been going over it. Can anyone tell me the AC breakdown for the blacktooth rangers (the dwarf dire werewolverines). They have an AC of 34 in hybrid form and it doesn't say how they get it. I don't see any amour in their equipment. I realize they have a +4 Dex, -1 Size, +2 Deflection, +4ish for barkskin, but where does the other 15 or so points come from. I know they have natural armour, but is it really enough to give them a 34 AC.
By the way Dungeon publishers it really annoys me that you haven't been printing armour class breakdowns in your stat blocks. That is one thing that really bothers me about the magazine. I like seeing how the monster ends up with the AC it has. It comes in handy more often than you would think, and in my opinion it is well worth the extra space in the magazine. Is there any anyone else out there that agrees on this one. If so pipe up and maybe they'll do something about it.
I ran this adventure last December. I have an AC breakdown that I used for my notes as:
AC 34 (+4 Dex, +4 armor, +14 natural, +2 deflection), touch 16, flat-footed 30
I believe the +14 natural comes from the sidebar on blacktooth lycanthropy. I hope that helps.
I love the new stat blocks, but if there was one thing I would change about it would be to include a complete AC breakdown by each bonus.
What was the +4 armour from? I didn't see any armour in their equipment list. By the way Torpedo, how did it go for you? Any tips for a dm who is about to run it or changes you would make?
I may be running this adventure soon (from issue 129), and I've been going over it. Can anyone tell me the AC breakdown for the blacktooth rangers (the dwarf dire werewolverines). They have an AC of 34 in hybrid form and it doesn't say how they get it. I don't see any amour in their equipment. I realize they have a +4 Dex, -1 Size, +2 Deflection, +4ish for barkskin, but where does the other 15 or so points come from. I know they have natural armour, but is it really enough to give them a 34 AC.
By the way Dungeon publishers it really annoys me that you haven't been printing armour class breakdowns in your stat blocks. That is one thing that really bothers me about the magazine. I like seeing how the monster ends up with the AC it has. It comes in handy more often than you would think, and in my opinion it is well worth the extra space in the magazine. Is there any anyone else out there that agrees on this one. If so pipe up and maybe they'll do something about it.
I ran this adventure last December. I have an AC breakdown that I used for my notes as:
AC 34 (+4 Dex, +4 armor, +14 natural, +2 deflection), touch 16, flat-footed 30
I believe the +14 natural comes from the sidebar on blacktooth lycanthropy. I hope that helps.
I love the new stat blocks, but if there was one thing I would change about it would be to include a complete AC breakdown by each bonus.
Now I remember the headaches the Blacktooth Rangers gave me trying to deconstruct their ACs. It turns out I still didn't get it right.
I forgot that in their hybrid form they are large-size so they should have a -1 penalty to AC.
The +4 armor bonus is from Duallen casting Mage Armor on each of them. See the tactics section on page 75.
The natural armor comes from: Dire Wolverine (MM p. 66) natural armor +4, Blacktooth lycanthropy bonus to natural armor +8 (see sidebar p.75), Barkskin cast by 10th level Ranger (caster level 5) +2 to natural armor that does stack with the target's natural armor as per spell description on PH p. 203. So natural armor total is +14.
Deflection +2 is from the Rings of Protection +2 each wear.
The AC breakdown should read:
AC 33 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +4 armor, +14 natural, +2 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 29
As for running the game. First off, I ran it as a one-shot. So I cut some of the encounters out of it. High level D&D is not conducive for one-shots. I was prepared to run everything, and even had a bonus encounter prepared for the return trip to Silverymoon at the end.
As it was we played the following encounters / scenes:
- Opening fight in the park in Silverymoon.
- Audience with Taern Hornblade.
- Exploration of Deg Shanat / Encounter with classed Orcs (replacing the Dekanter Goblins).
- Attack on the Wereweasels
- Fight with Gynweir, Cauchemar Nightmare, Ripper, and two Blacktooth Rangers
- Suffering through Gynweir's traps
- Fight with anth-Malar and the Beast of Malar
- Short fight, then reunion with party member who'd become a Blacktooth lycanthrope.
Also, you should know that I used this adventure for characters who had originally adventured together during the days of 2nd edition Forgotten Realms. The campaign had long since been retired. Everyone was going to be in town for the holidays so I said I'd run an "Untold Tale of [Our adventuring party]." Confession time: We were all power gamers back in the day and I let them keep their original (nigh godly)stats. Since there were 5 players, I told them to make the characters at 16th level rather than 17th.
Even so, with an extra character and incredible stats, they still had hard times dealing with the Blacktooth Rangers. Remember all of this:
HP 179 (15d8+105 HD);
Fast Healing 5
Damage Reduction 10 / silver and magic;
Resistance cold 10;
Spell Resistance 25
Special Defenses evasion
Fort +18 (+20 vs. poison), Ref +17, Will +10
And you will be amazed at how tough these things are! Between DR, Fast Healing, and SR it took the party a long time to take these guys down.
I replaced the Dekanter Goblins with classed Orcs for two reasons. The adventurers had quite a history with Orcs (one has them as their favored enemy) and I had some cool Orc minis I wanted to use. So the Dekanter Goblins became an elite raiding party of King Obould's sent to terrorize Deg Shanat. They arrived shortly before the party. If you're interested in my classed orcs they follow now.
Orc Fighters (4) CR 10
Male orc fighter 10
CE medium humanoid Space/Reach 5 ft./ 5 ft
Initiative +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Spot +1, Listen +1
Languages Orc
AC 18 (+1 Dex, +5 armor, +2 shield), touch 11, flat-footed 17
HP 80 (10d10+20 HD);
Vulnerability light sensitivity
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +4;
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee masterwork morningstar +17 (1d8+6 / x2)
Full Melee masterwork morningstar +17/+12 (1d8+6 / x2)
Power Attack masterwork morningstar +10 (1d8+13 / x2)
Brutal Strike as power attack above plus DC 17 Fortitude save or foe is sickened for 1 round. Usable 1/round.
Base Attack +10; Grapple +14;
Attack Options power attack, brutal strike
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 6;
Feats Brutal Strike, Endurance, Greater Weapon Focus (morningstar), Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Run, Shield Specialization, Weapon Focus (morningstar), Weapon Specialization (morningstar)
Skills Climb +8, Intimidate +3, Jump +8;
Possessions chainmail, light steel shield
Orc Glaivers (4) CR 10
Male orc fighter 10
CE medium humanoid Space/Reach 5 ft./ 5 ft (10 ft. with glaive)
Initiative +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Spot +1, Listen +1
Languages Orc
AC 15 (+1 Dex, +4 armor), touch 11, flat-footed 14
HP 80 (10d10+20 HD);
Vulnerability light sensitivity
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +4;
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee masterwork glaive +17 (1d10+8 / 19-20 x3)
Full Melee masterwork glaive +17/+12 (1d10+8 / 19-20 x3)
Power Attack masterwork glaive +10/+5 (1d10+22 / 19-20 x3)
Base Attack +10; Grapple +14;
Attack Options power attack, lunging strike (increase reach by 5 ft. for one attack per round)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 6;
Feats Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Greater Weapon Focus (glaive), Hold the Line, Improved Critical (glaive), Lunging Strike, Power Attack, Run, Weapon Focus (glaive), Weapon Specialization (glaive)
Skills Climb +8, Intimidate +3, Jump +8;
Possessions scale mail
Orc Barbarians (2) CR 10
Male orc barbarian 10
CE medium humanoid Space/Reach 5 ft./ 5 ft
Initiative +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Spot +1, Listen +1
Languages Orc
AC 14 (+1 Dex, +3 armor), touch 11, flat-footed 14
HP 91 (10d12+20 HD);
Vulnerability light sensitivity
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +4;
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee masterwork greataxe +15 (1d10+6 / 19-20 x3)
Full Melee masterwork greataxe +15/+10 (1d10+6 / 19-20 x3)
Power Attack masterwork greataxe +10/+5 (1d10+16 / 19-20 x3)
Base Attack +10; Grapple +14;
Attack Options power attack, mad foam rager (delay one attack or spell effect until end of next turn)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 6;
Feats Cleave, Improved Critical (greataxe), Mad Foam Rager, Power Attack
Skills Climb +8, Intimidate +3, Jump +8;
Possessions hide armor
Rage (Ex): Lasts for 7 rounds. While raging, the barbarians stats change as follows:
HP 111
AC 12, touch 9, flat-footed 12; uncanny dodge
Melee mwk greataxe +17 (1d10+9 / 19-20 x3)
Full Melee mwk greataxe +17/+12 (1d10+9 / 19-20 x3)
Power Attack masterwork greataxe +10/+5 (1d10+19 / 19-20 x3)
Grapple +16
Fort +11, Will +6
Abilities Str 22, Con 19
Skills Climb +10, Jump +10
Orc Captain (1) CR 10
Male orc fighter 10
CE medium humanoid Space/Reach 5 ft./ 5 ft
Initiative +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Spot +1, Listen +1
Languages Orc
AC 18 (+2 Dex, +6 armor), touch 12, flat-footed 16
Spinning Halberd AC 19 (+2 Dex, +6 armor, +1 dodge)
HP 90 (10d10+30 HD);
Vulnerability light sensitivity
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +4;
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee +2 halberd +19 (1d10+11 / x3)
Full Melee +2 halberd +19/+14 (1d10+11 / x3)
Spinning Halberd +2 halberd +19/+14 (1d10+11 / x3) /+9 (1d6+9 / x3)
Power Attack +2 halberd +14/+10 (1d10+21 / x3)
Momentum Swing round after charge, power attack +2 halberd +14/+10 (1d10+26 / x3)
Base Attack +10; Grapple +15;
Attack Options power attack, advancing blows, sundering cleave, momentum swing, spinning halberd
Abilities Str 20, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 6;
Feats Combat Brute, Combat Reflexes, Greater Weapon Focus (halberd), Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Spinning Halberd, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (halberd), Weapon Specialization (halberd)
Skills Climb +9, Intimidate +3, Jump +9;
Possessions +1 breastplate, gauntlets of ogre power
Orc Wizard (1) CR 10
Male orc wizard 10
CE medium humanoid Space/Reach 5 ft./ 5 ft
Initiative +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Spot +1, Listen +2
Languages Orc, Common, Draconic
AC 16 (+4 armor, +2 deflection), touch 12, flat-footed 16
HP 47 (10d4+20 HD);
Damage Reduction 10 / adamantine
Vulnerability light sensitivity
Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +7;
Speed 30 ft. (5 squares)
Melee +1 quarterstaff +9 (1d8+4 / x2)
Base Attack +5; Grapple +8;
Combat Gear ring of protection +2
Spells Prepared (CL 10th, +5 ranged touch):
5th—empowered fireball (DC 17), teleport
4th—stoneskin*, wall of fire, confusion (DC 17)
3rd—fireball (DC 17), displacement, haste
2nd—scorching ray x2, invisibility, mirror image, whispering wind
1st—burning hands (DC 15), mage armor*, magic missile x2, shield
0—daze (DC 13), detect magic, flare (DC 14), ray of frost
Spellbook all prepared spells; 0—all; 1st—chill touch, expeditious retreat, identify, ray of enfeeblement;
2nd—touch of idiocy, 3rd—dispel magic, vampiric touch, 4th—contagion, fear, 5th—symbol of pain
Abilities Str 16, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 11, Cha 6;
Feats Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (evocation), Spell Penetration
Skills Concentration +15, Decipher Script +15, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Spellcraft +15