Okay, so here's my situation. My group has six experienced players, so I have to up the size of some of the encounters a bit so that there's enough xp to go around.
Otherwise, the fights are two easy and the characters won't advance fast enough to be able to handle some of the tougher fights later on.
Anyway, we just finished up the Glassworks at the last session, and the players are poised to hit the Catacombs of Wrath. Prior to this, I've just been adding extra goblins or increasing the commando count.
I figure I can add an extra sinspawn here and there in the catacombs easily enough.
But the poor Vargouille is all alone! :(
He's creepy-cool and everything, and I'm sure the players will freak when they first see him. First the Sinspawn, and then a Vargouille! But he's only got 5 hp and I don't think he'll last that long against six PCs.
I think he needs a friend, but not just any friend. An Abbot to his Costello, a Penn to his Teller. The perfect straight-man.
So does anyone have any ideas? Some kind of wacky outsider or undead buddy that compliments the Vargouille. I want to keep the CR at 2. I'm not looking for a TPK, I just want to up the ante a bit.
I thought about using an Attic Whisperer from the Beastiary, but the CR is a bit high at 4, and it seems a bit of a stretch for there to have been a child down there.
I just had that encounter be versus two vargouilles. They complement each other nicely - one can shriek, the other can delay until some of the party is paralyzed to give 'em a nice hideous transformation kiss.
So something with paralysis is probably a good idea, if you want something new. I'd suggest ghoul, but the next module is crawling with them...
My 6-PC group is fighter-heavy, and the dwarf has a 19 Con. So I doubt I'm going to catch too many of them with the DC12 paralysis.
But at least one of them should blow the roll, right? So I think what I need is something that can mix it up with them a bit and occupy several melee fighters at once.
That way, they can't easily engage the Vargouille and block him from using his kiss on whoever blows their roll.
I also want something that won't be affected by the Vargouille's Shriek, which is a mind-affecting fear effect. So something mindless, fear immune, or just really big Fort save.
Maybe something aquatic. Or just waterproof. After the PCs spread out and start to explor the room, the Vargouille shrieks and then pop goes the freak.
I might use a Dretch. It's CR 2 and immune to poison, but not fear immune. Good Fort save.
What about a nice Phantom Fungus?
Here's a fun idea:
Use a headless zombie... a big one, like a Bugbear or something. Have the Vargouille 'resting' on its neck stump, then when they close for melee, the head separates to fight them.
Here's a fun idea:
Use a headless zombie... a big one, like a Bugbear or something. Have the Vargouille 'resting' on its neck stump, then when they close for melee, the head separates to fight them.
That's funny. I might use that. Headless zombies don't get any penalties, do they?
What about a nice Phantom Fungus?
Wazat? All I have is MM1 and the SRD.
What about a nice Phantom Fungus?Wazat? All I have is MM1 and the SRD.
They're in there, believe it or not. Plant, invisible, that's about it. Should be a nice distraction.
|
Here's a fun story. I have 4 players but they are VERY experienced. That doesn't matter here. I simply stocked the room with two Vargooies.
First one came down the corridor, the Spirit Shaman longbowed it for 8 points, dead.
Second one shrieked, everyone made their saves.
The ranger then longbowed it for 6 points, dead.
The group then warily stood there looking at each other, and then shrugged and marched in the room. Lucky bums. :-)
-DM Jeff
Our vargouille story:
Much, much later in the campaign. The PCs were spread out in a warren full of undead when Chavali ordered her Unseen Servant to open a door. Inside, milling about cursing their lack of hands, were six vargouilles. Just as they drew breath for an almighty shriek, Chavali closed the door.
"Flying heads!" she told the nearest group of PCs.
"Flying heads??" Word got passed along down the chain, with much puzzlement (they had forgotten all about the one in Thistletop by this point). The rescued NPCs were saying "Flying heads? No one touch that door! Leave them alone!" For quite a few rounds the vargouilles languished, wishing they hand hands, while the PCs became more and more perturbed by the knowledge that they were there.
Finally Lel the Halfling of Wrath came up and told Chavali, "Have your servant open the door again, and stand well back." She did so. The vargouilles once more drew in a breath--
*wall of fire*
Lel said, "Funny, I don't see any flying heads" and walked off dusting his hands.
Given the critter's HP this was massive overkill, but it made for a good laugh.
Mary
For quite a few rounds the vargouilles languished, wishing they hand hands,
That's just mean (to the Vargouilles).
Vargouilles don't need hands to open doors!
They may be 10-pound disembodied heads, but they have a 10 Str, a 13 Dex and 30 ft. fly (good). 75 pounds would be a heavy load for them.
Technically, they can lift that amount over...their...wait for it.....
HEAD!! O_o
Get it? That's pretty funny when you think about it...well, I thought it was funny.
They could "stagger" with a load of 150 pounds, and drag a load of 375 (watch those bat ears go!).
So a door should be no problem. They could just grab the handle with their teeth, turn, and pull it open.
A Vargouille 'sitting' on a headless female Lizardfolk zombie could look creepily like a Medusa, to the unitiated...
Now that's good. It could be hiding in the pool and pop out.
Is someone going to draw a picture that I can use to scare the players?
They're in there, believe it or not. Plant, invisible, that's about it. Should be a nice distraction.
Oh, right, the vegie-mech. (I think the picuture looks like a battle-mech with missle racks) Problem with one of those is that it needs food. It wouldn't sit around for 10,000 years like an outsider tasked to guard an area. I suppose it could be a recent addition...