I'm finding it harder and harder to challenge the PCs in my current game. They're around 13th and 14th level, and when everyone shows up, there are 8 of them. It's a swashbuckling campaign with firearms, and the main bad guys (so far) are gnoll pirates, vampire merchant prince/cultists, a thieves guild ruled by a triumvarate of mindflayers, and yuan-ti.
Any suggestions on how to challenge 14th level PCs without getting totally ridiculous? I've been using slightly higher level encounters against them, because they have double the "normal" party size. But even when they were level 12, they were easily taking on EL 20 or higher enounters.
Also, combat has kind of grinded to a halt. We're usually only able to do 1 role-playing encounter and 1 combat encounter per 4 or 5 hour session. A large part of it is my fault: I tend to mix 2 or 3 creature types per encounter, and I favor overwhelming odds (Like 20 NPCs vs 8 PCs), so it can take a while to do my turns (usually 1 per creature type).
The PCs:
Human Swashbuckler/Duskblade/Fortune's Friend
Half-Drow Swashbuckler/Bard
(They're twins!)
Aquatic Elf Druid
Halfling Swashbuckler/Rogue/Invisible Blade/Whisperknife
Human Ranger/Scout archer
Half-elf Beguiler
Raptoran Wizard (evoker)
Goliath Monk
We use action points, and I'm not stingy in giving them to (and using them by) NPCs.
About 30% of the encounters are at sea, 40% in a dungeon, 20% in a town or city, and 10% in the wilderness.
The campaign takes place in the colonies on the far side of the Crater Sea that was created 100 years ago when the big bad evil empire was destroyed by one of the last remaining "good" countries. The "good" country harnessed the power of an insane alchemist and pulled Eye of God star from the constellation of the Father and slammed it into the capital city of the evil empire. The destruction was about 1000 times worse than expected, destroying 4 nations, parts of 5 more, and creating a new ocean between the "civilized" nations and the wilder, less technologically advanced ones.
One consequence of the Starfall was the nigh-extinction of the orcs, ogres, giants, goblinoids, trolls, and other evil races. It also created a new ocean, which was quickly colonized by the kuo-toa and sahuagin.
The main campaign takes place in a bay that used to be a lake, and isn't technically part of the Crater Sea. It has half a dozen islands, about twice that many "civilized" settlements, and is positioned between a temperate forested confederation of tribes to the north, and a steaming jungle to the south. Most of the northern tribes welcome trade with the colonists; the southern jungle is in perpetual warfare between scattered tribes ruled by rakshasa and yuan-ti.
A few quick thoughts occured to me. I remember when I ran a campaign all the way to the level 26-29 area (exp ended up varying a lot for a variety of reasons). First off three things I found necessary to do for any fight I wanted to be truly significant.
1) Maximize hit point, with the most possible they have a chance of sticking around longer.
2) Give them above average stats. I usually went with anywhere from array of 16, 16, 10, 10, 10, 10 to 22, 22, 20, 20, 18, 18 for the real nasties. The PCs have highter than normal stats, why shouldn't the monsters.
3) ALWAYS redo the feats. Improved Toughness is a must have for any critter. Anything intelligent with a huge strength should have power attack, and there are plenty of other fun feats. A few feats that are fun to use sparingly (don't do it all the time) include Divine Metamagic Quicken, Hold the Line, Elusive Combatant and Combat Brute.
4) For a party of 8 characters a CR 2 highter is appropriete. If you look at the exp chart and do the math a party of 4 lvl 10s will get the same exp from a CR 10 encounter that a party of 8 lvl 10s will get from a CR 12 encounter.
5) Advanced hit die creatures are almost always much nastier for their CR than a creature who is that CR as a base.
6) Multiple creatures, especially with buff spells, get fun. A few fun spells to bear in mind are Rightous Wrath of the Faithful, Recitation, Mass Shield of Faith, Mass Energy Resistance, Mass Spell Resistance and Mass Fire Shield.
7) Intelligent enemies should be intelligent. One big factor of this is that if they know the party is their enemy they should be doing everything they can to gather information. Scrying spells are not that hard to come by and having the characters rolling random saving throws can keep them paranoid (always a fun effect). They should then use this info to prepare for the heros. It helps if the spell lobbers are addicted to one or two energy types. Mass Resist Energy for groups and Energy Immunity or Spell Turning for smaller encounters can really screw over your friendly neighborhood wizard.
Just a few quick thoughts, I may chime in with more later. Good luck, and remember the point is to have fun.
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I'm finding it harder and harder to challenge the PCs in my current game. They're around 13th and 14th level, and when everyone shows up, there are 8 of them.
...
Any suggestions on how to challenge 14th level PCs without getting totally ridiculous? I've been using slightly higher level encounters against them, because they have double the "normal" party size. But even when they were level 12, they were easily taking on EL 20 or higher enounters.Also, combat has kind of grinded to a halt. We're usually only able to do 1 role-playing encounter and 1 combat encounter per 4 or 5 hour session. A large part of it is my fault: I tend to mix 2 or 3 creature types per encounter, and I favor overwhelming odds (Like 20 NPCs vs 8 PCs), so it can take a while to do my turns (usually 1 per creature type).
Kinda brought this on yourself. The fact that you have 8 PC's pretty much ups the effective average party level for determining the EL of the encounter by 2 or 3. It is also responsible for the length of the combats, with so many different entities getting their turns.
My suggestion - find a way to split the party into two manageable groups. Give each group an objective that is critical, but that there is no way a single team could accomplish both - maybe the party has to prevent two separate rituals taking place far away from each other, but both rituals are tied to a single celestial event. The party doesn't know specifically where either ritual is going to take place, so they will have to split their resources in order to separately investigate and deal with the rituals. Once the rituals are taken care of, you can either provide separate plot threads for each group to follow, maybe allowing the groups to meet together and redisperse resources.
To do this, you would probably have to (and want to) split the game into two separate sessions, one for each group, but from what I can see, that would probably be to both your and your players benefits. Each player would have a bit more "face time", you'd get the opportunity to advance the storyline a bit faster, and you'd be able to use encounters that are more appropriate for the level range of the characters.
Hope that helps,
Rob
I've been using CRs 2-4 (or more!) higher than the party level.
One favorite of mine is Super Strong, super high BAB BBEG and Combat Expertise and Improved Combat Expertise.
I also am using lots of advanced mobs. Like 36 HD T-Rexes.
I just made a half-green dragon eldritch giant spellthief 20. Lots of Quicken Spell-like Effect feats. Technically CR 27, but they might encounter him at level 17 or so.
I've also been customizing some new monster types, like ginormous yuan-ti and a cheetah-based rakshasa with a baleful teleport ray.
The next session should introduce some plot points that might split up the party. It's just a weird group since it's a RL group of 4 couples. At least it kind of worked out so all the women are spellchuckers and all the men are tanks. But often not everyone can make it, so we just use the "they're belowdecks on the ship" mechanic to explain unusual absences and appearances.
I used to run a group that varied between 8 and 13 players, so I've been in your shoes.
When I ran them from level 1-14 through the Shackled City AP, I saved myself a lot of hassle by simply doubling all monster numbers; remember, EL is based on a party of four, so a party of eight can *generally* handle twice the volume of creatures, or an EL of N+2. Unique villains got some added bodyguards and additional levels tacked on, as well as additional traps worked into the map.
The great balancing power of a good DM? Tactics, tactics, tactics!
Even an outnumbered villain can ambush, skirmish, and if necessary, retreat.
If my villain sees impending doom approaching (quite loudly, with that many people...), you have to go off-script:
- What villain would hold their ground and fight 8 people when they could flee and set up an ambush further into the dungeon alongside other forces? Some of my better fights happened when the party turned two or three separate encounters into a single battle-royale, simply by pursuing a fleeing villain straight into the next encounter!
Never forget that the material as-written is not static and carved in stone; a dungeon/lair is YOUR castle...defend it as if the party were the marauding hordes (tactics, deployment, traps, ambushes) - manage your villains smartly and even a large party can feel the sting of an Evil master general who will not go down simply swinging. Some of the great recurring villains are the ones who know when to flee, so they can regroup and ambush later.
Throw in some uber-beasites:
- Along the coast, have the party run afoul of a good-sized tribe of Bugbear/Drow/Yuan-Ti pirate/cultists who are all in thrall to a Black Dragon who lairs in a coastal marsh... Tribe/cult leaders will be fairly high level (at least as much as the party); when they think they have them beat, introduce the *real* boss!
- If you have the time to build them, construct an opposing pirate crew of high-level NPCs (think "The Slave Lords" from 1st Edition) to be recurring foes; make them higher level than the party and try to ensure they while their first fight with them *will* be a loss (secret weapon, a la 'Kraken'?), allow the party to escape and regroup. Sinking their ship is a great way to "equalize" their level of wealth and makes for powerful motivation ;-)
- Pull a "Pirates of the Carribean" - All-undead pirate crew, led by an NPC group of Vampires...
Try to pre-generate treasure...because good magic items that will be in a lair will likely be in the hands of a villain using it against the party; *never* let the party get a powerful magic item without first being one of its victims!
Hope some of this is useful,
Marc
Yeah, one of the plot hooks I've planted is a ship called the Annihilator, captained by a yuan-ti abomination vampire cleric 9/entropomancer 10 with a Sphere of Annihilation. The crew are pureblood yuan-ti vampire duskblades and swashbuckler/duelists.
The Sphere of Annihilation is the MacGuffin.
I've been using advanced krakens as wandering monsters.
The dungeon the PCs are in now is filled with advanced yuan-ti, undead, reptilian allies, etc. It's basically just a gauntlet of set-piece battles, such as a huge chamber with a bunch of columns to jump to and from, with swarms of vipers to bite you if you fall in, and warlock yuan-ti with those nasty pusher-eldritch blasts teleporting around, trying to knock you in from afar.
So far, the most effective NPCs have been shifter ranger/scout archers, built similarly to 1 of the PCs.
I really like shifters. They can be used as fake yuan-ti without any kind of level adjustment. Just have their animal side be snaky.
The big bad is an entity called the Starfallen. Its minions are the yuan-ti keeping its secrets secure in the jungle, the vampires collecting the blood-toll on the shores of the Crater Sea, the gnoll pirate-priestesses pursuing those that don't pay the blood-toll, the sahuagin who raid the surface and treasure hunt below the waves, and the kuo-toa that act as the Starfallen's guardians and worshippers.
The agents of the Starfallen have created a cult called the Moonkissed Cabal out of an insane gathering of lycanthropes, shifters, gnolls, worgs, druids, kenku, yuan-ti, and other shapechangers. Their goal is to crash the Moon into the Earth, thinking this will increase their shapeshifting powers. (The kenku, gnolls, and worgs have been "convinced" that they are cursed lycanthropes that lost the ability to shapeshift.) So the Moonkissed Cabal is seeking out the lost technology of the Lead Jester (the alchemical device that pulled a star out of the heavens and crashed into a city, destroying it and a few nations as collatoral damage, and in the process, pulling down the Starfallen and creating the Crater Sea.)
The kuo-toa and sahuagin serve the Starfallen because they believe the plot to crash the Moon into the Earth will destroy all the remaining landmasses and create a single World Ocean.
The Lead Jester was an insane but brilliant derro artificer-spellthief-crafty purloiner. He invented lead crystal, gunpowder, crystal pistols (crystols, alchemically powered eldritch blasters), tin angels (affinity-linked alchemical fax machines), the warforged, indoor plumbing, many different kinds of golems, and the affinity engine, an alchemical device powered by a Sphere of Annihilation to draw down celestial bodies.
The Starfallen, Herald of the Moonfall, is an Elder Evil.
The big bad is an entity called the Starfallen. Its minions are the yuan-ti keeping its secrets secure in the jungle, the vampires collecting the blood-toll on the shores of the Crater Sea, the gnoll pirate-priestesses pursuing those that don't pay the blood-toll, the sahuagin who raid the surface and treasure hunt below the waves, and the kuo-toa that act as the Starfallen's guardians and worshippers.
[snip]
The Starfallen, Herald of the Moonfall, is an Elder Evil.
Looks like you've got this well under control - whaddya need us for?
If the party cruises through a few encounters in a row, just boost the scale a bit, from 1 ship/crew to 2 or 3...enough to make them consider fleeing once in a while, pr perhaps cause a casualty or two every few sessions.
Rock on, dude!
Marc
Earlier in their career, the PCs went on a quest for the Ruby Heart, some big treasure that had been lost for a while. They had to find 3 magic keys, and the Isla Invizabla, where the treasure chest supposedly was.
The first key was held by one of the leaders of the Black Krakens, a notorious thieves guild. The leader was a mindflayer spellthief. It teleported away, but left the key behind, if only because it didn't know what treasure it was for, or where that treasure was.
The PCs then learned about a new power in the region; a powerful necromancer with a cabal of apprentices, a dracolich mount, and a flight of dragons under his command. The name of the dracolich? Ruby.
The PCs were convinced the Ruby Heart was the phylactery of the dracolich.
The second key was held by an ex-pirate-turned-warlord who set up a fiefdom for himself deep in the wild forests. They negotiated for the key, did the dangerous task that needed doing, and won themselves the key--and a kegger hosted by the warlord. Well, the PCs got drunk, greedy, and reckless, and ended up fighting warlord, his warbarians (goliath barbarian-warlocks), a pair of goliath monk bodyguards, and some shifter barbarian/scouts.
The third key was held by an aristocrat with a sickly daughter. The PCs had to break the curse keeping her sick. This all occured during a big birthday celebration for the sickly girl. There was intrigue, seductions, dancing whilst talking, and then some good old fashioned dungeoneering. They broke the curse by defeating the patron fey of famine and got the 3rd key.
The PCs then located the Invisible Isle, battled the halfling ninja-invisible blades (Dex + Int + Wis to AC!) guarding the castle the treasure WASN'T in, found the cave the treasure was in, dealt with the elaborate encounter trap, and got the treasure chest.
When they opened the treasure chest, lo and behold, there was a girl inside. (I would NEVER rip off Firefly!!! ;-) ) She was drugged in an eternal sleep, and the PCs had to find the cure. They found out they needed some rare flower and went off to find it. Fought some drow ninja-druids and their spider vermin-companions (I may have been creative with some alternate class features and feats here....) But they finally got the cure.
And didn't administer it.
Turns out the PCs thought the girl was the dracolich's phylactery and wanted to learn more about her. Also, one of the players missed a session (the duskblade) and his twin brother, the half-drow bard, wanted to keep it a secret they had found a girl, because she thought it would be funny. (A girl is playing the male bard. That ain't confusing!)
Well, the PCs finally open up the treasure chest in front of everyone, administer the girl, and it turns out she's a Healer (from the Miniatures Handbook) and she used to be a member of the Rainbow Court back in the day. She has since been replaced by the necromancer with the pet dracolich.
But the main point is, the big awesome treasure is actually an NPC with awesome healing potential, something that is slightly lacking in this party. Their main healers are a druid and a bard. Not bad, but not ideal. But better than the party where the main tank and the main healer was a halfling bard. Seriously.
The previous party consisted of an otter-blooded halfling bard, a kenku fighter-rogue crossbow specialist (6 Str, 6 Con), a homebrew skill-based magician that took non-lethal damage when he cast spells, an Empowered Awakened parrot wizard, and I think that's it.
We played Wednesday. Everyone but the druid was there. They took on 8 troglodyte monk/clerics that were buffed pretty nastily, plus 4 advanced fiendish basilisks. The PCs were buffed from a fountain that let them fly, but none of them really used it. I did get to hear things like "I've never taken 73 points of damage in 1 round before!" and "Maybe we should get out of here!" and "And these are just the minions!" with real panic in their voices. Nice.
It did take longer than I would have liked, so I'm scaling back the next few encounters to speed them up a bit. The PCs are now mostly level 15, so they now have access to some pretty nifty abilities.
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2011 Top 16
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As a DM who regular runs a group of 6 to 10(!!!) I certainly feel your pain SmiloDan. At about 13th level things start getting wonky, which has as much to do with the system as the number of players.
Yes combat can take a long time, especially end battles. However this is why you put the onus of some bookkeeping on the PC's. Initiative can be handled by them, basic rules questions should be handled by veteran players, keeping track of rounds and spell durations... all done by PC's.
As for encounters, I've found that classed humanoids don't really have the punch to challenge high level groups. They're ok as fodder, but you need a Monster to do the heavy lifting.
Yeah, classed monsters lack a bit of the punch that advanced monsters do, unless you're looking for some fun special abilities. I also like tacking on non-associated class levels, because you basically end up with a regular NPC with a bunch of bonus hps, AC, and Saves.
The campaign is also a swashbuckling campaign, so I gotta give the PCs foes they can disarm and trip and stuff so they don't feel ripped-off for their feat choices. That also makes for more fun battles.
Depending on which set of double doors the PCs go through, they're either going to encounter a couple yuan-ti abomination spiked-chain fighters, a couple dracotaur ragemages, and a yuan-ti high priestess, followed by an encounter with an advanced maralith pistoleer (brings a whole new meaning to six-guns ablazing) or a more traditional dungeoneering region with yuan-ti half-blood marshals backing up kenku sneaks, warlock grunts, protean scourges, and naga-liches. Maybe some gnoll mummy clerics and a grisgol (lich-powered construct from MM3).
The main thrust of the dungeon is 2-fold: The PCs are after some gunrunners that have alchemically powered crystal-pistols (crystols) and have been arming the native rebellion with them; and the dungeon happens to be the hiding spot of the phylactery of the dracolich they have to kick out of a city, along with its necromancer highlord, still living brood dragons, and the necromancer apprentices that ride them.
Crystols look like flintlock pistols, but they have 2 levers to cock, and the barrel ends in a metallic crystal instead of a hollow barrel. Each has 50 charges. Cocking the left lever back creates a blast with a 120 foot range for a ranged touch attack of 3d6 points of eldritch energy and consumes 1 charge. Cocking the right lever back creates a line of eldritch energy 60 feet long for 6d6 points of damage, Reflex 13 + wielder's Dex modifier for 1/2, and consumes 2 charges. Cocking both levers back creates a 30 foot cone of eldritch energy for 9d6 points of damage (DC 16 + Dex mod for 1/2) and consumes 3 charges. Those without Exotic Weapon Proficiency firearms suffer a -4 penalty on attack rolls and Save DCs.
The advanced Maralith is going to be wielding 6 crystols, and possibly have 6 more strapped on her person. Her feat selection was changed to emphasize ranged combat (PBS, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot), and to allow her more actions in combat (Multiweapon fighting, Quicken Spell-like Abilities telekinesis and blade barrier).
My advice would be to make sure the "mooks" arent offsetting your ECL by too much. A Gnoll fighter 15 with 10 gnoll fighter 5's is a pissant encounter to 8 12-16th level pc's. However, 2 13th level fighters and 6 9th level mooks are still even up. see what I mean?
in my experience, 8 13th level characters can usually take down a 20th level BBEG, it's the numbers. The more PC's you have, the more damage you have to spread out. This is where creatures like dragons come into their own, their big bad AOE weapon does tons of damage even on a save, and their flight and innate spellcasting helps. Of course you cannot make dragons the default party buster either...
Use the environment, a kraken attacking on the high seas can be devastating if the party isn't well equipped for underwater action.
Aerial combat is also a great odds-evener.
Enlarged deeper darkness effects are invaluable as well.
Ambushes (properly set up of course) can be a great odds evener too.
Also, if in doubt...cheat your a** off. I've allowed BBEG's to go negative 300hp before, just so the party can taste despair - then when all seems lost, he drops. Queue the audible sighs of relief.
As has been mentioned above, proper NPC builds for the bad guys is massively important. I realize it is a lot of work, but having a decent bad guy survive long enough to deliver his one liners is worth the trouble.
As a footnote, i would say to be sure and balance this by giving them the occasional "slaughter a entire fortress of low level critter without breaking a sweat" moments as well. Even though the xp is pathetic, it really makes the players feel good that they have become uber-powerful.
Thanks for the advice!
The dungeon the PCs are STILL in (we play maybe once every 3 weeks because 2 pairs of PCs have kids, and I guess family comes first??? Whatever...) has a region with lots of low-level mooks. The PCs are level 15 now, too. Hopefully those 8th level spells and 8d6 sneak attacks and +4d6 skirmishes will help speed up combat.
I also made up some new monsters I'm going to try on them.
I'll post them soon. One is a huge yuan-ti, and another is a variant rakshasa built for speed, skirmishing, and baleful teleporting.
ARG!!! It lost my post!
I'll re-type it tomorrow. Maybe.
Rakshasa, Citraka
This creature looks like a humanoid cheetah wearing flowing robes.
You notice that its hands are backwards, with the palms on top.
It is constantly in motion, and would look twitchy if it didn't have the grace of a hummingbird.
Citraka rakshasa speak Common, Infernal, and Sylvan.
Rakshasa, Citraka
Medium outsider (native)
HD: 15d8+45 (112 hit points)
Init: +14
Speed: 80 feet, climb 40 feet, swim 40 feet.
AC: 34 (+7 Dex, +7 Dodge, +10 Natural) touch 24, flatfooted 20
BAB/Gr: +15/+17
ATK: Claw +22 melee (1d6+2)
or Discorporating Ray +22 ranged touch (5d6 and DC 22 Will or teleported 60 feet)
Full ATK: 2 Claws +22/+22 (1d6+2)
and 1 Bite +17 (1d6+1)
or Discorporating Ray +22 ranged touch (5d6 and DC 22 Will or teleported 60 feet)
Space/Reach: 5/5
Special Attacks: Discorporating Ray, Pounce, Skirmish +4d6/+4 AC, Spell-like Abilities.
Special Qualities: Change Shape, Damage Reduction 15/good and piercing, Improved Evasion, Infernal Grace, Quickness, Reflective Deflection, Spell Resistance 25, Sprint, Uncanny Dodge
Saves: Fort +12, Reflex +23, Will +10
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 25, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 21
Skills: Balance +18, Bluff +18, Climb +19, Concentration +21, Disguise +20, Escape Artist +25, Hide +25, Jump +42, Knowledge (any one) +9, Listen +10, Move Silently +25, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand +27, Spellcraft +23, Spot +10, Survival +7, Swim +10, Tumble +27
Feats: Expeditious Dodge, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Run (Bonus), Shot on the Run, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
Environment: warm plains
Organization: Solitary or Cabal (1-3 and 2-12 rakshasa)
CR: 15
Treasure: double Standard
Alignment: usually Lawful Evil
Advancement: by class (Favored Class: Scout)
Level Adjustment: +7
Change Shape (Su). As a standard action, the citraka can assume the form or a Small or Medium-sized humanoid or monstrous humanoid, as if using the Alter Self spell.
Discorporating Ray (Su). As a standard action, the citraka can shoot a ray with a range of 120 feet with no range increments. The damage from this ray is caused by teleporting minute pieces of the target away. Targets successfully hit by the ray must make a DC 22 Will Save or be teleported upto 60 feet away to a location of the citraka's choosing.
Improved Evasion (Ex). The citraka takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw and only half damage on a failed Reflex saving throw.
Infernal Grace (Su). The citraka adds its Dexterity bonus as a Dodge bonus to its AC, Initiative checks, and Reflex Saving Throws. This is already included in the stat block.
Pounce (Ex). The citraka can make a full attack at the end of a charge.
Quickness (Ex). The citraka can take an additional standard action or move action during its turn. Thus, while using Shot on the Run or Spring Attack, it can make a full attack and move both before and afterwards a combined distance upto its speed.
Reflective Deflection (Su). A number of times per round equal to its Dexterity bonus, when the citraka is the target of a ranged attack roll or ranged touch attack roll, it can teleport the missile or effect along a different trajectory. The citraka can choose to target a new creature or object with that missile or effect, using the original attack roll. The combined distance between the attacker and citraka, and between the citraka and the new target cannot exceed the range of the original attack.
Skirmish (Ex). If the citraka moves more than 10 feet from its starting position, it causes an additional +4d6 points of damage on its turn and gains a +4 Dodge bonus to AC until its next turn.
Spell-like Abilities (Sp). Caster Level 15, all saves are Cha-based.
At will: Dimension Door, Dismissal, Greater Blink, Greater Dispel Magic.
3/day: Banishment (W DC 22), Disintegrate (F DC 22), Greater Teleport.
Sprint (Ex). Once per minute, the citraka can increase its speed to 800 feet for 1 round. It gains the benefits of Air Walk and Water Walk if it begins and ends its turn on a solid surface and moves horizontally.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex). Before its turn in combat, the citraka is not considered flat-footed.
Skills: The citraka receives a +4 racial bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks. When using Change Shape, its bonus to Disguise checks increases by +10. The citraka receives a +8 racial bonus on Climb and Swim checks, and can always take 10 on such checks.
Yuan-ti, Uraeus
The Uraeus Yuan-ti appears to be a massive serpent, coiled on its tail and raised up 30 feet. 20 foot long serpents sprout from its shoulders where its arms should be. Acidic venom oozes from its distended jaws, dissolving the stone floor beneath it.
The Uraeus Yuan-ti speaks Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Ignan, Infernal, and Yuan-ti.
Yuan-ti, Uraeus
Huge monstrous humanoid
HD: 30d8+180 (315 hit points)
Init: +7
Speed: 50 feet, climb 30 feet, swim 30 feet
AC: 34 (-2 Size, +3 Dex, +5 Deflextion, +18 Natural) touch 16, flatfooted 31
BAB/Gr: +30/+48
ATK: Bite +38 melee (4d6+10 and poison and improved grab)
and Spit Venom +31 ranged touch (5d6 acid and poison plus 2d6 acid/round for 3 rounds)
Full ATK: Bite +38 melee (4d6+10 and poison and improved grab)
and 2 Fang-Claws +33/+33 melee (2d6+5 and poison)
and 1 Tail Slap +33 melee (6d6+15 and fling)
and Spit Venom +31 ranged touch (5d6 acid and poison plus 2d6 acid/round for 3 rounds)
Space/Reach: 15/30
Special Attacks: Aversion, Constrict, Fling, Poison, Produce Acid, Spell-like Abilities, Spit Venom
Special Qualities: Alternate Form, Chameleon Power, Spell Resistance 31, Unholy Grace
Saves: Fort +21, Reflex +25, Will +28
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 16, Con 23, Int 22, Wis 23, Cha 20
Skills: Climb +18, Concentration +39, Hide +28, Intimidate +38, Jump +51, Knowledge arcana +23, Knowledge nature +23, Knowledge religion +23, Knowledge the planes +23, Listen +41, Move Silently +28, Spot +41, Swim +18
Feats: Alertness [B], Blindfight [B], Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Maximize Spell-like Ability (Unholy Blight), Mobility, Quicken Spell-like Ability (Unholy Blight), Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack, Widen Spell-like Ability (Unholy Blight)
Environment: warm forests
Organization: solitary or temple (1 uraeus yuan-ti plus 2-12 abomination yuan-ti plus 4-24 half-blood yuan-ti plus 6-60 pureblood yuan-ti)
CR: 20
Treasure: triple Standard
Alignment: always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 31 HD-50 HD (Huge), 51 HD-70 HD (Gargantuan), 71 HD-90 HD (Collosal)
Level Adjustment: --
Alternate Form (Su). The uraeus can assume the form of a viper sized Tiny to Huge, as if using the Polymorph spell.
Aversion (Sp). A target within 60 feet of the uraeus must make a DC 30 Will save or be unable to approach within 30 feet of a snake, yuan-ti, or other serpentine creature for 1 hour.
Chameleon Power (Su). The uraeus can change its color at will, gaining a +10 racial bonus to Hide checks.
Constrict (Ex). If the uraeus succeeds on a grapple check to pin an opponent, the opponent takes 2d6+15 points of damage.
Fling (Ex). If the uraeus hits with its tail attack, it can make a special grapple check opposed by the target's grapple check. For every 5 points the uraeus's grapple check exceeds its target's grapple check, the target is flung back 10 feet, taking 1d6 points of damage for every 10 feet it is flung.
Poison (Ex). Fortitude DC 31 negates. 1d6 Consitution damage, Initial and Secondary.
Produce Acid (Sp). The uraeus has the psionic ability to coat its body in acid. This does not harm the uraeus. Its next melee attack does an additional 3d6 points of acid damage, or 5d6 points of acid damage if grappling.
Spell-like Abilities: Caster level 20.
At will: animal trance (W DC 16), deeper darkness, detect poison, entangle (R DC 16)
3/day: baleful polymorph (F DC 20, W DC 20), fear (W DC 19), neutralize poison, suggestion (W DC 18), unholy blight (W DC 19).
Note: The uraeus's feats allow it to use unholy blight as a quickened, mazimized, widened spell-like ability each time it is used.
Spit Acid (Ex): As a free action, the uraeus can spit acid every other round, causing 5d6 points of acid damage plus poison, and causing an additional 2d6 points of acid damage each round thereafter for 3 rounds.
Skills: The uraeus has a +8 racial bonus on Climb and Swim skill checks and always take 10 when making a Climb or Swim check.
They are starting to meet some nice mutated beasties in my campaign. I think I may still that fling ability for one or two of them.
Discorporating Ray is probably a level 5 or 6 ability....causes direct damage and has a carrier effect that can cause even more damage (teleported up would have 6d6 of falling damage). Depends if the range of the ray is Close (25 + 5/2 levels) or Medium (100 + 10 per level).
Combined with a Forcecage, it could be very frustrating!
This PrC is for the denizens of La Selenaria, an insane asylum in old Ibalia that is now part of the Gnoll Gynarky.
Gnoll Lunatic
Requirements:
Alignment: Chaotic Evil or Chaotic Neutral.
Race: gnoll.
BAB: +5
Skills: Intimidate 8 ranks, Perform (buffoonery) 2 ranks.
Feats: Force of Personality, Power Attack
Special: Ability to use Rage.
Class Features:
BAB: +1
Good Saves: Fortitude
Hit Dice: 1d12
Class Skills: Bluff, Climb, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump, Perform (buffoonery), Ride, Survival.
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Gnoll Lunatics gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
LEVEL ABILITY
1. Madness, Rage
2. Frenzy, Moonskin
3. Bonus Feat
4. Hyena Hack
5. Hyena Hackles
6. Bonus Feat
7. Mad Strike
8. Insane Strength
9. Bonus Feat
10. The Killing Joke
Madness (Ex). The Gnoll Lunatic is insane. He suffers a -6 penalty to Wisdom, but gains a +6 bonus to Charisma. He uses his Charisma modifier instead of his Wisdom modifier on Will Saves. He is immune to Confusion or Insanity effects.
Rage (Ex). Gnoll Lunatic levels stack with Barbarian levels for the purposes of determining the number of uses per day of Rage, Greater Rage, Mighty Rage, and Tireless Rage.
Frenzy (Ex). At 2nd level, the Gnoll Lunatic can use 1 daily use of Rage to Frenzy. While Frenzied, the Gnoll gains +4 to Str, +4 to Dex, and an extra melee attack at his full attack bonus when taking the full attack action.
Moonskin (Su). At 2nd level, the Gnoll Lunatic gains Damage Reduction equal to 1/2 his class level that can only be overcome by silver weapons. When Raging or Frenzied, his DR increases to equal his level.
Bonus Feats. At levels 3, 6, and 9, the Gnoll Lunatic can choose a feat from the following list as a bonus feat:
Destructive Rage, Extend Rage, Extra Rage, Gnoll Ferocity (RoW), Intimidating Rage, or Instantaneous Rage.
Hyena Hack (Su). At level 4, the Gnoll Lunatic can spend one of his daily uses of Rage to make a Hyena Hack. On a successful melee hit, the Gnoll Lunatic forces his opponent to make a Will Save with a DC of 10 + the Gnoll Lunatic's class level + the Gnoll Lunatic's Charisma modifer or suffer the effects of Tasha's Hideous Laughter. The Gnoll Lunatic's class level is considered his caster level for this effect.
Hyena Hackles (Ex). At 5th level, when a Gnoll Lunatic enters a Rage or a Frenzy, his fur rises up as sharp, quill-like spines. Any creature successfully hitting the Gnoll Lunatic with a natural attack, unarmed strike, or non-reach weapon suffers damage equal to the Gnoll Lunatic's Strength bonus (minimum 1).
Mad Strike (Su). At level 7, the Gnoll Lunatic can spend one of his daily uses of Rage to make a Mad Strike. On a successful melee hit, the Gnoll Lunatic forces his opponent to make a Will Save with a DC of 10 + the Gnoll Lunatic's class level + the Gnoll Lunatic's Charisma modifer or suffer the effects of Confusion. The Gnoll Lunatic's class level is considered his caster level for this effect.
Insane Strength (Ex). At level 8, the Gnoll Lunatic can spend one of his daily uses of Rage to gain Insane Strength for 1 round. The Gnoll Lunatic adds his Charisma score to his Strength score for 1 round.
Killing Joke (Su). At level 10, the Gnoll Lunatic can spend two of his daily uses of Rage to make a Killing Joke. On a successful melee hit, the Gnoll Lunatic forces his opponent to make a Will Save with a DC of 10 + the Gnoll Lunatic's class level + the Gnoll Lunatic's Charisma modifer or be forced to make a Fortitude Save with a DC of 10 + the Gnoll Lunatic's class level + the Gnoll Lunatic's Charisma modifer. If the Fortitude Save fails, the target dies. If it is successful, the target still takes an additional 3d6 points of damage. The Gnoll Lunatic's class level is considered his caster level for this effect.
damn....that's pretty hardcore.
For the creep factor, I've found the pseudonatural and farspawn templates can be very useful. I have always had a fascination with the far plane. Good fluff for that would be watching John Carpenter's the thing....one of my all time favorite horror movies.
Saffron Knight
The Saffron Knights are the elite cavalry of the Gnoll Gynarky. They are known for the flowing, yellow-orange robes and cloaks they wear over their armor, and for their fierce direlion mounts.
Saffron Knight requirements:
Race: Gnoll
BAB: +8
Handle Animal 12 ranks, Ride 12 ranks
Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Trample
Saffron Knight class features:
BAB: +1
Good Saves: Fortitude and Reflex
Hit Dice: 1d10
Class Skills: Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Ride, Spot, Survival, Use Rope.
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier
Saffron Knights are proficient in all Simple and Martial Weapons, Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor, and all Shields (except Tower Shields).
LEVEL ABILITY
1. Dire Lion Animal Companion Mount, Spirited Charge
2. Fast Steed +10 feet, Reaving Mount-Weapon Focus
3. Share Evasion
4. Improved Mounted Combat
5. Power Charge
6. Fast Steed +20 feet, Reaving Mount-Improved Natural Attack
7. Pouncing Trample
8. Great Lance
9. Line of Attack
10. Fast Steed +30 feet, Reaving Mount-Improved Critical
Dire Lion Animal Companion Mount (Ex). At 1st level, the Saffron Knight gains an animal companion in the form of a dire lion that she can ride. The Saffron Knight's dire lion animal companion mount is trained for combat, and receives Armor Proficiency Light, Medium, and Heavy as bonus feats. The Dire Lion advances as an animal companion, treating the Saffron Knight's effective druid level as her character level -9. See page 36 of the Players Handbook for details on advancing alternative animal companions.
Spirited Charge. At 1st level, the Saffron Knight gains the Spirited Charge feat as a bonus feat.
Fast Steed (Ex). At 2nd level, the Saffron Knight is able to coax more speed from her mount. At 2nd level, the speed of her mount increases by 10 feet. This improves to 20 feet at 6th level and 30 feet at 10th level.
Reaving Mount (Ex). At 2nd level, the Saffron Knight is able to direct her mount in combat to improve its effectiveness. When the Saffron Knight is mounted on her dire lion, or when she is using the Handle Animal skill to direct her mount in combat, the dire lion gains the benefit of the Weapon Focus feat for all of its natural attacks. At 6th level, when the Saffron Knight is directing her dire lion companion, it gains the benefit of the Improved Natural Attack feat for all of its natural attacks. At 10th level, when the Saffron Knight is directing her dire lion companion, it gains the benefit of the Improved Critical feat for all of its natural attacks.
Share Evasion (Ex). When mounted on her dire lion animal companion and subjected to an area effect with a Reflex Saving Throw for half damage, if the dire lion animal companion succeeds on the save and benefits from its Evasion special ability, the Saffron Knight also benefits from Evasion and takes no damage from the area effect.
Improved Mounted Combat (Ex). The Saffron Knight can use the Mounted Combat feat to negate a hit on her dire lion animal companion an number of times per round equal to 1/2 her class level.
Power Charge (Ex). When using the Power Attack feat and the Charge action, the Saffron Knight adds +2 to damage for every -1 she takes to her attack roll if wielding a 1-handed weapon or she adds +3 to damage for every -1 she takes to her attack roll if wielding a 2-handed weapon or a lance.
Pouncing Trample (Ex). When using the mounted overrun (trample) manuver successfully, the Saffron Knight's dire lion animal companion can make a full attack against the prone opponent.
Great Lance (Ex). Through special combat training, the Saffron Knight learns to wield a lance that is 1 size category larger than normal for her size. This means a Medium-sized gnoll Saffron Knight can wield a Large-sized lance, increasing the base lance damage from 1d8 to 2d6.
Line of Attack (Ex). As a full-round action, the Saffron Knight can ride her dire lion animal companion and make a charge in a straight line, targetting each opponent adjacent to the path of the charge with a single melee attack at her highest base attack bonus.
The Elder Evil of the Crater Sea: the Starfallen, Herald of the Moonfall.
Signs of the Moonfall.
The moon is getting closer and closer to the earth, appearing larger and larger until it dominates the sky. It affects childbirth, the tides, shapechangers, and sanity.
Faint Sign
(DC 45 Knowledge nature or Knowledge the planes)
Every creature with vision gains low-light vision under the full moon.
Babies are born 1d6 weeks early, and must make a DC 0 Fortitude save to survive (assume Commoner with no feats and a Constitution score of 1d12).
Profession (sailor) check DCs increase by +2.
Under the light of the full moon, living creatures must make a DC 5 Will Save or Rage as a Barbarian and suffer the effects of Insanity until dawn.
Moderate Sign
(DC 35 Knowledge nature or Knowledge the planes)
Every creature with vision gains low-light vision under the gibbous or full moon.
Babies are born 2d6 weeks early, and must make a DC 5 Fortitude save to survive (assume Commoner with no feats and a Constitution score of 1d12).
Profession (sailor) check DCs increase by +5.
Under the light of the full moon, living creatures must make a DC 10 Will Save or Rage as a Barbarian and suffer the effects of Insanity until dawn.
Creatures that can change their shape (including druids that can wildshape and spellcasters that use polymorph) gain a +2 bonus to Str, Dex, Con, and Natural Armor when they assume a shape not their own.
Strong Sign
(DC 25 Knowledge nature or Knowledge the planes)
Every creature with vision gains low-light vision under the quarter, gibbous, or full moon.
Babies are born 4d6 weeks early, and must make a DC 12 Fortitude save to survive (assume Commoner with no feats and a Constitution score of 1d12).
Profession (sailor) check DCs increase by +10.
Under the light of the full moon, living creatures must make a DC 15 Will Save or Rage as a Barbarian and suffer the effects of Insanity until dawn.
Creatures that can change their shape (including druids that can wildshape and spellcasters that use polymorph) gain a +4 bonus to Str, Dex, Con, and Natural Armor when they assume a shape not their own.
Overwhelming Sign
(DC 15 Knowledge nature or Knowledge the planes)
Every creature with vision gains low-light vision under the crescent, quarter, gibbous moon. When there is a full moon, it is as bright as day.
Babies are born 6d6 weeks early, and must make a DC 20 Fortitude save to survive (assume Commoner with no feats and a Constitution score of 1d12).
Profession (sailor) check DCs increase by +20.
Under the light of the full moon, living creatures must make a DC 25 Will Save or Rage as a Barbarian and suffer the effects of Insanity until dawn.
Creatures that can change their shape (including druids that can wildshape and spellcasters that use polymorph) gain a +6 bonus to Str, Dex, Con, and Natural Armor when they assume a shape not their own.
THE STARFALLEN, Herald of the Moonfall
The Starfallen appears to be a gigantic starfish with 5 whipping tentacles and central maw filled with hideous teeth. It seems to glow with its own inner light, that occasionally flashes blindingly bright, before suddenly disappearing in an immense cloud of inky blackness. Malformed pustules grow on its tentacles, only to burst open to reveal razor-sharp spines.
Colossal Outsider (chaotic, evil, water)
HD: 36d8+432 (720 hit points)
INIT: +8
SPEED: 50 feet, climb 30, fly 20 [clumsy], swim 100.
AC: 37 or 48 (-8 size, +8 Dex, +9 insight, +18 natural, possible +11 deflection, see Lunar Aspect for details) touch: 19 or 30, flatfooted 20 or 31.
BAB/GRAPPLE: +36/+69
ATTACK: Tentacle +45 melee 4d6+26 (19-20 or 15-20/x2) plus Mad Touch plus Tentacle Fling +69
FULL ATTACK: 5 Tentacles +45 melee 4d6+26 (19-20 or 15-20/x2) plus Mad Touch plus Tentacle Fling +69
and Vampire's Bite +40 melee 10d6+17 (19-20/x2) plus Mad Touch plus Improved Grab +69.
SPACE/REACH: 30/30 (60 with tentacles)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Insightful Strike, Lunar Aspect, Mad Touch, Spell-like Abilities, Summon Starspawn Cecaelia, Tentacle Fling, Vampiric Bite.
SPECIAL QUALITIES: Anathema Secrecy, Blindsight 500 feet, Canny Defense, Damage Reduction 15/lawful and slashing, Elder Evil Immunities, Fast Healing 20, Immune to Acid, Madness, Non-detection, Resist Cold 20, Resist Fire 20, Spell Resistance 35, Telepathy 1000 feet, Trueseeing.
SAVES: Fort +32, Reflex +28, Will: +31
ABILITIES: Str 44, Dex 27, Con 34, Int 29, Wis 4, Cha 33
SKILLS: Appraise +50, Bluff +50, Climb +25, Concentration +51, Diplomacy +56, Gather Information +50, Hide +31, Intimidate +52, Knowledge (the planes) +48, Listen +36, Move Silently +47, Search +50, Sense Motive +36, Spellcraft +50, Spot +36, Survival +36, Swim +25, Use Magic Device +50.
FEATS: Blindfight [B], Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Expeditious Dodge, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Critical (tentacle), Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Mobility, Quicken Spell-like Ability (dimension door), Quicken Spell-like Ability (Evard's black tentacles), Quicken Spell-like Ability (greater dispel magic), Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack.
ECOLOGY: Any Aquatic
ORGANIZATION: Solitary or Cabal (1 plus 5 Starspawn Cecaelias) or Cult (1 plus 5 Starspawn Cecaelias and armies of kuo-toa and sahuagin, navies of gnolls, vampires, and yuan-ti).
CHALLENGE RATING: 24?
TREASURE: Triple Standard
ALIGNMENT: always Chaotic Evil
ADVANCEMENT: 37 HD-108 HD (Colossal)
LEVEL ADJUSTMENT: --
Insightful Strike (Ex). The Starfallen can add its Intelligence bonus to damage rolls. Creatures immune to critical hits are not subjected to this damage.
Lunar Aspect (Su). The Starfallen has 5 aspects it can assume. Changing Lunar Aspects is a swift action.
Full Moon: The Starfallen becomes blindingly bright. All within 300 feet who can see the Starfallen must make a DC 30 Fortitude save or be Blinded for 1 hour. Those that succeed are dazzled for 1 minute. All within 300 feet who can see the Starfallen must make a DC 30 Will save or be Confused for 1 minute. The Starfallen adds its Charisma bonus to AC as a deflection bonus.
Gibbous Moon: The Starfallen's fast healing increases to 50. Any living creature struck by the Starfallen must make a DC 40 Fortitude save or take 1d6 Str drain and 1d6 Dex drain and have their speed reduced by half as horrendous growths sprout from their body.
Quarter Moon: The Starfallen gains the benefits of Greater Blink and Greater Invisibility.
Crescent Moon: The Starfallen causes 3d6+17 points of slashing and acid damage to any creature that hits it with a natural weapon, unarmed strike, or non-reach melee weapon. The threat range of the Starfallen's natural weapons increases to 18-20 (15-20 with the Improved Critical feats).
Darkside of the Moon: A field of nightmarish darkness cloaks the Starfallen with a 1200 foot radius. Treat this as a 9th level darkness spell. All within the field of darkness must make a DC 30 Will save, and if that fails, a DC 30 Fortitude save. If the Fortitude save fails, the creature dies. If it succeeds, they still take 3d6 points of damage, are stunned for 1 round, and take 1d4 points of Str damage.
Mad Touch (Su). Those struck by the melee attacks of the Starfallen are subjected to a random effect. Roll 1d6 and consult the following table:
1. Baleful Polymorph (Fort DC 39 negates, Will DC 39 partial)
2. Confusion (Will DC 39 negates)
3. Drowning Aura (Make a DC 39 Fort save or be forced to make a Constitution check each round with a DC of 10 +1 for each additional round, or begin to drown)
4. Exhausted (Fort DC 39 negates)
5. Reverse Gravity (possible Reflex DC 39 negates)
6. Wisdom Drain 1d6 (Will DC 39 negates)
Spell-like Abilities: At will, DC 21 + spell level, caster level 24
dimension door, displacement, Evard's black tentacles, feeblemind, freedom of movement, greater dispel magic, insanity, meteor swarm (with 5 missiles).
Summon Starspawn Cecaelia (Sp). 5 times per day, the Starfallen can summon a Starspawn Cecaelia (see below for game stats).
Tentacle Fling (Ex). When the Starfallen hits an opponent with a tentacle attack, it can make an opposed grapple check as a free action. For every 5 points it beats its opponent's grapple check by, it throws that opponent 10 feet in any direction the Starfallen chooses. The opponent may be subject to falling damage.
Vampiric Bite (Su). When the Starfallen damages an opponent with its bite attack, the Starfallen gains a number temporary hit points equal to the damage it caused.
Anathema Secrecy (Ex). The Starfallen is immune to divine divination spells and spell-like abilities.
Canny Defense (Ex). The Starfallen adds its Intelligence bonus to its AC as an insight bonus.,
Elder Evil Immunities (Ex). The Starfallen is immune to polymorph, petrification, and other attacks that change its form. It is immune to energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, death from massive damage, and mind-affecting effects.
Madness (Ex). The Starfallen adds its Charisma modifier instead of its Wisdom modifier to its Will saves. It is immune to Confusion and Insanity effects.
Trueseeing (Su). The Starfallen can use Trueseeing at will.
Starspawn Cecaelia
Starspawn Cecaelia appear as large mermaids with the tentacles of an octopus instead of the tail of a fish.
Large Monstrous Humanoid (aquatic)
HD: 18d8+72 (153 hit points)
INIT: +9
SPEED: 20 feet, Swim 40 feet
AC: 31 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +6 Deflection, +13 natural)
BAB/GRAPPLE: +18/+29
ATTACK: +2 keen Scimitar +26 melee (1d8+9/15-20)
or Tentacle +24 melee (1d6+7 plus improved grab)
FULL ATTACK: two +2 keen scimitars +24/+24/+19/+14/+9 (1d8+9/15-20)
and eight tentacles +22 melee (1d6+3 plus improved grab)
SPACE/REACH: 10/10 (20 with tentacles)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Constrict, Disolving Darkness, Improved Grab, Spells
SPECIAL QUALITIES: Acid Resistance 20, Aquatic Grace, Blindsense 60 feet, Darkvision 60 feet, Free Movement, Jet.
SAVES: Fort +10, Reflex +14, Will +9
ABILITIES: Str 25, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 22
SKILLS: Bluff +27, Concentration +25, Perform (sing) +27, Swim +15, Use Magic Device +27
FEATS: Blindfight [B], Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Craft Wand, Double Wand Wielder, Multiattack, Two Weapon Fighting.
ECOLOGY: Any aquatic
ORGANIZATION: Solitary, Pair, Coven (3-8).
CHALLENGE RATING: 18
TREASURE: Standard, plus 2d4 wands
ALIGNMENT: usually Chaotic Evil
ADVANCEMENT: by class. FAVORED CLASS: Bard
LEVEL ADJUSTMENT: +8
Constrict (Ex). On a successful grapple check, the Starspawn Cecaelia causes 1d6+10 points of damage.
Disolving Darkness (Ex). Once per minute as a swift action, the Starspawn Cecaelia can release a cloud of inky darkness with a 30 foot radius centered on herself. It provides full concealment to all within the cloud, causes 3d6 points of acid damage each round, and persists for 10 rounds.
Spells. The Starspawn Cecaelia casts spells as an 18th level Bard. Save DCs are 16 + spell level.
0: 4/day: Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Resistance.
1: 6/day: Charm Person, Grease, Silent Image, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Ventriloquism.
2: 6/day: Calm Emotions, Cat's Grace, Enthrall, Mirror Image, Suggestion.
3: 5/day: Blink, Crushing Despair, Good Hope, See Invisiblity, Slow.
4: 5/day: Cure Critical Wounds, Greater Invisibility, Hold Monster, Shout.
5: 4/day: Greater Dispel Magic, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Shadow Evocation, Song of Discord.
6: 3/day: Eyebite, Greater Shout, Otto's Irresistable Dance.
Aquatic Grace (Su) The Starspawn Cecaelia adds her Charisma bonus to her initiative and to her AC as a deflection bonus.
Free Movement (Su) The Starspawn Cecaelia is always under the effects of a Free Movement effect
Jet (Ex). As a full round action, the Starspawn Cecaelia can swim 400 feet in a straight line.
This is the PrC for the derro alchemical genius that accidentally called down the Starfallen.
The Crafty Purloiner steals the magic from spellcasters and items alike in order to power his bizzare magical inventions.
Crafty Purloiner
Requirements:
Alignment: Any non-good
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, any Item Creation feat, any Metamagic feat
Skills: 10 ranks each in Bluff, Craft alchemy, and Use Magic Device
Special: Ability to use 3rd level Infusions
Special: Retain Essence special ability
Special: Steal Spell (2nd level) special ability
Special: Steal Spell-like Effect special ability
Special: Sneak Attack +2d6
Class Features:
BAB: +3/4 (as bard)
Good Saves: Will
Hit Dice: 1d6
Class Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Hide, Knowledge (all), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Profession, Search, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Spot, Tumble, Use Magic Device.
Skill Points per level: 6 + Int modifier.
LEVEL ABILITY
1. Corrupt Item, Craft Reserve, Steal Spell (3rd),+1 level of Infusions
2. Sneak Attack +1d6, Steal Magic Item Effect, +1 level of Infusions
3. Metamagic Spell Trigger, Steal Spell (4th), +1 level of Infusions
4. Bonus Feat, +1 level of Infusions
5. Absorb Spell, Steal Spell (5th), +1 level of Infusions
6. Sneak Attack +2d6, Discover Spells, +1 level of Infusions
7. Steal Spell Resistance, Steal Spell (6th), +1 level of Infusions
8. Bonus Feat, +1 level of Infusions
9. Metamagic Spell Completion, Steal Spell (7th), +1 level of Infusions
10. Sneak Attack +3d6, Absorb Spell (immediate casting), Steal Essence, +1 level of Infusions
Corrupt Item (Su). The Crafty Purloiner can degrade the quality of his opponent's equipment. A Crafty Purloiner who hits an opponent with a successful Sneak Attack can forgo dealing 1d6 points of Sneak Attack damage and instead target a piece of equipment the opponent is wearing, carrying, or wielding. The bonus (if any) that piece of equipment provides the opponent is reduced by 1 per Crafty Purloiner level. This can cause the equipment to apply a penalty to the item's function. This effect persists for 1 minute per Crafty Purloiner level. For example, a 3rd level Crafty Purloiner could target his opponent's +2 longsword, causing it to bestow a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls.
Craft Reserve. A Crafty Purloiner has a pool of points that he can spend instead of XP when crafting a magic item. The Crafty Purloiner's Craft Reserve begins with 0 points. Each time he uses his Steal Spell ability, the Craft Reserve increases by an amount equal to the spell level stolen. A Crafty Purloiner can have a Craft Reserve with a maximum equal to his class level multiplied by 100 at any given time.
Steal Spell (Su). This ability is similar to the Spellthief ability of the same name. There is one difference, however. When a Crafty Purloiner uses the Steal Spell ability successfully, he also increases his Craft Reserve by a number of points equal to the spell level.
Sneak Attack. At 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a Crafty Purloiner's sneak attack increases by 1d6.
Steal Magic Item Effect (Su). At 2nd level, a Crafty Purloiner gains the ability to steal the effects of 1 magic item his opponent possesses. A Crafty Purloiner who hits an opponent with a successful Sneak Attack can forgo dealing 2d6 points of Sneak Attack damage and instead target a piece of equipment the opponent is wearing, carrying, or wielding. The Crafty Purloiner then gains the use of that magic item and his opponent loses the ability to use that magic item for 1 minute. The Crafty Purloiner can use a number of magic items in this manner equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). If the item is a spell completion or spell trigger item, the Crafty Purloiner must succeed on a Use Magic Device skill check, as normal. The Crafty Purloiner can only steal a magic item effect from an item with a caster level of less than or equal to twice his Crafty Purloiner level.
Metamagic Spell Trigger (Su). At 3rd level, a Crafty Purloiner gains the ability to use a metamagic feat that he possesses through a spell trigger magic item, such as a wand or staff. This uses up a number of additional charges equal to the additional spell levels that the metamagic feat usually requires. This ability can only be used with a magic item that has charges.
Bonus Feats. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a Crafty Purloiner gains a bonus feat. This bonus feat can be any Item Creation feat or Metamagic feat.
Absorb Spell (Su). At 5th level, if a Crafty Purloiner makes a saving throw against a spell that targets him, he can attempt to store that spell energy for later use. A spellthief can only absorb spells of a level that he can steal. If he succeeds in absorbing the spell, the Crafty Purloiner can use the spell energy to cast a Spellthief spell, an Infusion, or he can increase his Craft Reserve by an amount equal to the spell level. To absorb a spell, the Crafty Purloiner must make succeed on a level check (1d20 + double his Crafty Purloiner level, upto a maximum of his character level) against a DC of 10 + the spell's caster level.
See the Spellthief description of the same name on page 20 of the Complete Adventurer for more details.
At 10th level or higher, a Crafty Purloiner can choose to use the stolen spell energy as an immediate action, either to recast the stolen spell or to cast one of his own spells or infusions using the stolen spell energy.
Discover Spells (Ex). A Crafty Purloiner of 6th level or higher who steals a spell form a spellcaster with his steal spell ability automatically learns the names of all other spells known or prepared by the spellcaster that are of the same level as the stolen spell.
Steal Spell Resistance (Su). A Crafty Purloiner who hits an opponent with a successful Sneak Attack can forgo dealing 3d6 points of Sneak Attack damage and instead reduce the target's spell resistance by 5. The Crafty Purloiner also gains spell resistance equal to 5 + double his class level (upto a maximum of his character level). The stolen spell resistance persists for a number of rounds equal to the Crafty Purloiner's Charisma modifier (minimum 1 round) and then returns to the target creature. See page 20 of the Complete Adventurer for more details.
Metamagic Spell Completion (Su). At 9th level, a Crafty Purloiner learns how to apply a metamagic feat he knows to a spell completion item (generally a scroll). The Crafty Purloiner must succeed on a Use Magic Device check with a DC of 20 + (3 x the modified spell level). The modified spell level is the level of the spell on the magic item plus the additional spell level(s) the metamagic feat applies to a spell.
The Crafty Purloiner can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier.
Steal Essence (Su). A Crafty Purloiner learns how to drain the magic from the magical items of his opponents. A Crafty Purloiner who hits an opponent with a successful Sneak Attack can forgo dealing 4d6 points of Sneak Attack damage and instead target one the magical items that his opponent possesses. His opponent must make a Will Save with a DC of 10 + the Crafty Purloiner level + the Crafty Purloiner's Charisma modifer or the targeted magical item becomes non-magical, as if it were hit with a Rod of Cancellation. If his target fails the Will save, the Crafty Purloiner increases his Craft Reserve by the number of XP it took to create that magic item. If that magic item held charges, the Crafty Purloiner gains only the remaining proportion of XP available to the item. See page 32 of the Eberron Campaign Setting for more information on this under the Retain Essence entry.
EPIC PROGRESSION
LEVEL ABILITY
11. Steal Spell (8th), +1 level of Infusions
12. Bonus Feat, +1 level of Infusions
13. Steal Spell (9th), +1 level of Infusions
14. Sneak Attack +4d6, +1 level of Infusions
15. Steal Spell (10th), +1 level of Infusions
16. Bonus Feat, +1 level of Infusions
17. Steal Spell (11th), +1 level of Infusions
18. Sneak Attack +5d6, +1 level of Infusions
19. Steal Spell (12th), +1 level of Infusions
20. Bonus Feat, +1 level of Infusions
New Epic Feats:
Absorb Area Spell [epic]
You are able to absorb the spell energy of area effect spells.
Requirements: Absorb Spell (immediate casting), Spellcraft 24 ranks
Benefit: You are able to use your Absorb Spell ability on area effect spells that do not specifically target you. You must be in the area of effect of the spell to absorb it. If you succeed on your saving throw against the spell, and you succeed on the level check to absorb the spell, you gain all the effects of absorbing the spell. The spell still affects all other targets of the spell normally.
Normal: You can only absorb spells that target you specifically.
Devour Area Spell [epic]
You are able to absorb all of the spell energy of an area effect spell.
Requirements: Absorb Spell (immediate casting), Absorb Area Spell, Spellcraft 27 ranks
Benefit: When you use your Absorb Spell ability to absorb an area spell successfully, you draw in all of the spell energy of that spell. Other targets in the area of effect of that spell are unaffected by that spell.
This PrC is for a player of mine. She is playing a half-drow swashbuckler 3/bard 12. Her character is the twin brother of a human swashbuckler 3/duskblade 10/Fortune's Friend 2. It is (obviously) a swashbuckling campaign, and the other PCs are a halfling rogue 3/swashbuckler 3/Invisible Blade 5/Master Thrower 1/Whisperknife 2, an aquatic elf druid 15 (MIA), a halfelf beguiler 15, a raptoran evoker 15, a human ranger/scout archer 15, and a goliath monk 15. So the bard is feeling a little underpowered sometimes. Let me know if this PrC is balanced. The requirements are definitely flexible, but ideally the player should be able to choose it by level 16. She has a ton of action points, because I used the Unearthed Arcana/d20 Modern rules instead of the Ebberon rules for action points. She's also an EXTREMELY lucky dice roller, and her character is the PC helmsman.
The PrC is designed to buff the party, primarily through the use of Action Points. A lot of inspiration for this class came from the Field Officer and Swindler Advanced Classes from d20 Future. The player also mentioned she wants to advance spellcasting.
Also, it needs a cooler name.
Action Jackson
Requirements:
BAB: +12
Ability to spontaneously cast 4th level arcane spells
Concentration 12 ranks.
Class Features:
BAB: +3/4
Good Saves: Will
Hit Dice: 1d8
Action Points: 7 + 1/2 character level gained per level.
Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Listen, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device.
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier
LEVEL ABILITY
1. Extra Action, Warp Probability, +1 level of spellcasting
2. Active Spell Focus, Double Action, +1 level of spellcasting
3. Action Trust, Bestow Extra Action, +1 level of spellcasting
4. Active Spell Power, Unlimited Actions, +1 level of spellcasting
5. Empower Action, Grant Extra Actions, +1 level of spellcasting
Extra Action (Ex). Action Jackson can spend 1 action point as a free action and gain an extra move action or standard action in the round the action point was spent.
Warp Probability (Ex). Action Jackson can spend 1 action point as an immediate action and either add or subtract the result to the result of a roll made by an ally or enemy. The roll must be an attack roll, a saving throw, a skill check, or an ability check.
Active Spell Focus (Ex). Action Jackson can spend 1 action point as an immediate action and add the result to the save DC of a spell cast either by himself or an ally.
Double Action (Ex). Action Jackson can spend upto 2 action points each round, instead of the normal limit of 1 action point per round.
Action Trust (Ex). As a free action, an ally of Action Jackson can spend any number of action points up to the limit of his action point pool, and add those action points to Action Jackson's pool of action points. When Action Jackson spends an action point to use Warp Probability to improve an ally's die roll, he adds all 3 action point dice to the result of the roll.
Bestow Extra Action (Ex). As an immediate action, Action Jackson can spend 1 action point to grant an ally either an extra move action or an extra standard action during the ally's turn.
Active Spell Power (Ex). As an immediate action, Action Jackson can spend 1 action point add the result to an ally's caster level check to overcome spell resistance.
Unlimited Action (Ex). Action Jackson can spend as many action points in a round as he wants, up to the limit of his action point pool.
Empower Action (Ex). When spending an action point to improve his own roll, Action Jackson can add his Charisma bonus to the result of the action point.
Grant Extra Actions (Ex). As an immediate action, Action Jackson can grant multiple allies an extra move or standard action during their turn. Action Jackson must spend a number of action points equal to the number of allies to be affected.
Just got done running a session.
The heroes:
Billy Bob: halfling rogue 3/swashbuckler 3/invisible blade 5/master thrower 1/whisperknife 3
Lezard: half-drow bard 15, twin to Max
Max: human duskblade 12/swashbuckler 3, twin to Lezard
Aeriana (Sp?): half-elf beguiler 15
Brian the Fist: goliath monk 15
Ruby Heart: unnecessary DMPC Healer 15/big giant endquest reward.
The aquatic elf druid 14, the raptoran evoker 15, and the human ranger/scout archer 15 couldn't make it.
The heroes are doing some basic dungeoneering in an old abandoned temple to the gnoll goddess. It has been taken over by yuan-ti and their minions. The yuan-ti have a large shipment of black market crystal pistols (alchemically powered eldritch blast guns) that need to be destroyed or recovered. They are also guarding the phylactery to a dracolich the heroes will eventually need to destroy.
The party started today by having a Heroes Feast picnic in the old art gallery chambers where they fought troglodyte cleric-monks and fiendish basilisks. They then fought a bunch of pureblood yuan-ti warlocks and their halfblood marshal commander in a smallish 50 foot by 60 foot hourglass shaped room, the bard using dimension door to get him and his twin to the commander, which they quickly dispatched in 2 or 3 rounds. The monk and halfling basically charged in, allowing the beguiler to cast Mass Hold Person on purebloods (DM fiat let it work). The marshal was able to get a Deeper Darkness off before dying, but few of the warlocks were left to take advantage of their Devil Sight invocations.
They then entered a big room with a smaller room in the middle of it, making it a pair of 10 wide corridors and a pair of 20 foot wide rooms. There was another half-blood marshall there, but he had twice as many kenku rogue/fighters. But they were pretty fragile, and the beguiler was able to use Friend to Foe to get a quarter of them to kill each other. The duskblade used Bounding Assault to great advantage, killing a quarter of them that way. The monk and halfling killed the rest of the minions, while the bard harried the commander long enough for all 3 tanks to join him in putting the smack down on the half-blood. 3 minions tried to run away, but the beguiler solid fogged them. Ruby Heart gave the monk Freedom of Movement, so he was able to take them down with the help of a Delayed Blast Fireball from one of the duskblade's items.
The central chambers had a little bit of gold, and a pair of gold statues in hidden, trapped, chambers. The Heroes Feast saved the beguiler from getting poisoned, but it didn't help with a pit trap. In addition to the central chambers, the big outer chamber has 3 more exits; 2 leading to some twisting halways, and the last leading to a portal.
We didn't get half of what I wanted to accomplish, but we hadn't seen each other in a while and had to get chit-chat a lot. But the battles with 1 mastermind and 8 minions, and the second with 1 mastermind and 16 minions went relatively fast. The set-of-8 minions took 2 or 3 hits, on average, to drop, and the set-of-16 minions took 1 or 2 hits to drop.
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... followed by an encounter with an advanced maralith pistoleer (brings a whole new meaning to six-guns ablazing)...
I totally want to play in this game. That is bringing the awesome.
The half-drow who is the twin of a human is confusing. Are these like Patty Duke twins-by-different-parents twins? Soap Opera Science? It's madness I tell you, madness.
... followed by an encounter with an advanced maralith pistoleer (brings a whole new meaning to six-guns ablazing)...I totally want to play in this game. That is bringing the awesome.
The half-drow who is the twin of a human is confusing. Are these like Patty Duke twins-by-different-parents twins? Soap Opera Science? It's madness I tell you, madness.
The twins are from Baldacel, which is loosely based on Terre D'Ange from the Kushiel novels by Jacqueline Carey. They follow a god whose only tenet is "Love as thou wilt," so it's a fairly sexually liberal society there. The twins have the same mom but different dads, possibly the result of a devil's threesome. (Bro Code: No eye contact during a devil's threesome!)
So basically it's an aristocratic cleric playing around with trailer-park science.
I use the 3 by 5 card method of initiative, so I can just preview who's next in line.
I just hope when summer starts, we'll be able to play more often.
Looks like we won't be playing until July. Ugh.
And the current dungeon has a bunch of story hooks.
To Belinda, Minister of the Blood
Our new ally, Patch, the traitor, delivered into our hands the dark star required to engage the Engine found in the lab we discovered. Cacolamia and her entourage have taken the Annihilator to deliver the dark star.
Send a missive to the Red Wizard. He should be ready to abduct the rest of the Court once the Master of the laboratory has been ransomed from the Saffron Knights.
All hail the Starfallen, Herald of the Moonfall.
Herpeton, Servant of Uraeus
Belinda, Minister of the Blood, is a member of the Parliment of Pirates in New Fang. She is in charge of collecting the bloodtoll for all who wish to sail the Crater Sea.
Patch is a renegade rakshasa that has thrown in with the yuan-ti.
The dark star is a Sphere of Annihilation.
The Engine is an affinity engine that is linking the Earth and the Moon. It was discovered in the laboratory of the Lead Jester, the insane alchemist that invented gunpowder, warforged, etc., when he took over the regency of Baldacel over a century ago. He was the one who built the machine that crashed a star into the Khelementine Empire, destroying the empire and creating an ocean. For his crimes, he was imprisoned in La Selenaria, which was then captured by the Saffron Knights of the Gnoll Gynarky in the chaos following the Starfall.
Cacolamia is a vampiric yuan-ti abomination. She is sailing on the ship named Annihilator to deliver the Sphere of Annihilation to the secret laboratory on an island between Ibalia and Baldacel in the eastern sea.
The Red Wizard is a necromancer who replaced Ruby Heart when she went missing from the Rainbow Court 10 years ago. The rest of the Court are needed to focus and power the Affinity Engine.
The Starfallen is an elder evil that seeks to destroy the world by crashing the Moon into the Earth. It is allied with yuan-ti cultists, vampire merchant-priests, gnoll pirate-priestesses, sahuagin raiders, kraken marauders, and kuo-toan cabalists.
This PrC are for some vampire flunkies of a BBEG. Frosts are kind of like goths, except they wear mostly white, with pale blue and silver and platinum highlights. Usually rich dilletents playing at ennui, they hang out in the mercantile dancehall temples that the bloodtoll is paid at. Most Frostblade Rakes qualify for this class by being multi-classed duskblade/swashbucklers.
Frostblade Rake
Requirements:
BAB: +6
Feats: Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus rapier or any other piercing weapon.
Skills: Balance 5 ranks, Bluff 5 ranks, Concentration 5 ranks.
Special: Ability to use 3 or more Extraordinary, Spell-like, or Supernatural abilities, or cast 3 or more Spells, with the Cold descriptor.
Class Features:
BAB: +1
Good Saves: Will
Hit Dice: 1d8
Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (all), Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device.
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Frostblade Rakes gain no new armor or weapon proficiencies.
LEVEL ABILITY
1. Cold Resistance, Cool Intellect, Ice Walk
2. Piercing Cold (cold damage), +1 level of spellcasting
3. Rime of Reason
4. Piercing Cold (Dex damage), +1 level of spellcasting
5. Ice Slide
6. Piercing Cold (Slow), +1 level of spellcasting
7. Rime of Unreason
8. Piercing Cold (Stun), +1 level of spellcasting
9. Ice Step
10. Piercing Cold (Cubic Critical), Cold Immunity, +1 level of spellcasting
Cold Resistance (Ex). Frostblade Rakes have cold resistance equal to their Consitution bonus plus double their class level.
Cool Intellect (Su). Frostblade Rakes add their Intelligence bonus to damage with attacks that cause cold damage
Ice Walk (Ex). Frostblade Rakes gain a competence bonus equal to their class level on Balance checks when traversing an icy surface.
Piercing Cold (Su). When a Frostblade Rake scores a critical hit with a piercing weapon, or strikes an opponent that is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), they cause an additional 1d6 points of cold damage. This damage increases by 1d6 for every 2 class levels the Frostblade Rake attains.
At 4th level, when a Frostblade Rake scores a critical hit on a target, the target must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + Frostblade Rake level + Frostblade Rake Intelligence modifier) or suffer 2 points of Dexterity damage.
At 6th level, when a Frostblade Rake scores a critical hit on a target, the target must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + Frostblade Rake level + Frostblade Rake Intelligence modifier) or be Slowed for a number of rounds equal to the Frostblade Rake's class level, in addition to suffering from the Dexterity damage.
At 8th level, when a Frostblade Rake scores a critical hit, the target must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + Frostblade Rake level + Frostblade Rake Intelligence modifier) or be Stunned for 1 round and then be Slowed for a number of rounds equal to the Frostblade Rake's class level, in addition to suffering from the Dexterity damage.
At 10th level, when a Frostblade Rake scores a critical hit, the target must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + Frostblade Rake level + Frostblade Rake Intelligence modifier) or trapped in a block of ice (filling up the target's space) for a number of minutes equal to the Frostblade Rake's level. The block of ice has 180 hit points per 5 foot cube, and can be melted or hacked away from the trapped target. The target can also make a Strength check with a DC of 10 + the Frostblade Rake's class level + the Frostblade Rake's Intelligence modifier to break out of the block of ice, gaining a +2 bonus if half or more of the ice has melted or been hacked away.
Rime of Reason (Sp). As a full round action, the Frostblade Rake can summon an icy shell around himself that lasts for up to 1 hour per class level. This icy shell gives the Frostblade Rake an armor bonus to AC equal to half his class level plus his Intelligence modifier. In addition, anyone who successfully strikes the Frostblade Rake with a natural weapon, unarmed strike, or non-reach melee weapon takes cold damage equal to 1d6 + the Frostblade Rake's Intelligence modifier.
Ice Slide (Ex). When traversing an icy surface, the Frostblade Rake can make a Balance check as a free action and add half of the result of the Balance check to his speed, rounded down to the nearest 5 feet.
Rime of Unreason (Sp). As a swift action, a Frostblade Rake using the Rime of Reason ability can dismiss it, causing it to shatter. This causes 1d6 points of cold damage per Frostblade level in a 35 foot cube centered on the Frostblade Rake. A successful Reflex save with a DC of 10 + the Frostblade Rake's class level + the Frostblade Rake's Intelligence modifier results in taking half damage. In addition, all flat surfaces, such as walls, floors, and ceilings, are covered in a layer of ice. Walking along an ice covered floor is treated as difficult terrain and requires a successful Balance or Reflex save with a DC equal to 10 + the Frostblade Rake's class level + the Frostblade Rake's Intelligence modifier; if it is failed, the target is prone.
Ice Step (Ex). As a swift action, the Frostblade Rake can make a Balance check when traversing an icy surface and travel a distance equal to the Balance check result minus 30, rounded down to the nearest 5 foot square.
Cold Immunity (Ex). At 10th level, the Frostblade Rake is immune to cold damage.
At level 2 and every even level thereafter, the Frostblade Rake improves one of his caster levels by one. He gains additional spells known and spells per day, but does not gain any other class features of the spellcasting class.
These guys are for a high level game, and will probably be Lawful Evil human vampire duskblade 3/swashbuckler 3/frostblade rake 10s. They will be equiped with at least +1 keen frost or frosty burst rapiers, or have Improved Critical rapier. Probably put their ability array as 12 Str, 15 Dex, 8 Con (negated by undeadery), 14 Int, 10 Wis, 13 Cha before vampire and level boosts.
We finally played again! Yay!
The party (all 15th level):
Billy Bob: male halfling rogue/swashbuckler/whisperknife/master thrower/invisible blade
Max: male human duskblade/swashbuckler/fortune's friend
Erin: female half-elf beguiler
Horizon: male human ranger/scout archer
Aeryn: female raptoran evoker
Ruby: female aasimar healer
They're still in the dungeon that's an abandoned gnoll temple complex that's been taken over by yuan-ti. The duskblade was about to kick in the door to one room when a pair of Protean Scourges (MM3) charged down the hallway. They were quickly split into 4 Protean Scourges. The PCs also activated a floor trigger that released a pair of flind gnoll cleric mummies wearing full plate dual-wielding flind-bars. (I love Divine Metamagic Quickened spells!). After a tough fight with some quickened flamestrikes and mass inflict light wounds, the evoker used Halt Undead and lucked out when I botched the Will Saves. They then quickly dispatched the remaining Protean Scourges.
They finally kicked in the door, triggered a couple Wall of Fire traps, stole the emerald eyes from an idol, and desecrated it. Then they found a Tin Angel (alchemically powered fax-machine) with a parchment of plothook on it. Seems the evil powers that be are gathering what they need to crash the moon into the world. That can't be good!
The PCs then discovered a kitchen filled with human body parts.
The PCs decide to search for more clues. They encountered some advanced naga sorcerer liches who tried cloudkilling the PCs, but most were immune to poison from the healer's heroes feast. They then dimension doored away. They might be back...
The PCs then found a room filled with book shelves. The duskblade had detect magic up and rushed to the shelf with half a dozen magical tomes. He dodged a pair of spear traps, but was trapped by a portcullis in a niche. Then the grisgol (MM3), a golem-like construct animated with the spirit of a lich, revealed itself. The evoker summoned a huge fire elemental before the grisgol could react, causing all the non-magical books to begin smouldering. The grisgol got to use Cone of Cold and Horrid Wilting before being destroyed. Its body contained many magical items, and the magical tomes were saved.
Now the PCs have to travel deeper in the dungeon. They still have to destroy the dracolich's phylactery, and recover or destroy the last stockpile of alchemical crystal-pistols.
Then they have to worry about preventing the Moonfall. A Starfall 100 years ago created the Crater Sea that is the centerpiece to the campaign. It destroyed 3 kingdoms and sundered 5 others.
Sounds like a brilliant campaign.
Yeah, we're hitting our stride again. We had 3 major combats, and a big juicy info-dump, in one session. Plus a lot of catching up, since we hadn't played since May!
Hopefully, we'll have critical mass for tomorrow night.
I would like them to get out of the big dungeon they're in relatively soon, so we can start the Save-The-World aspect of the campaign soon. It will probably go into the low-epic levels at the rate we're going. Which is good, since the BBEGS are about level 26 or so....
We played tonight! And the hosts have a new puppy!
Anyways, the party:
Lezard, half-drow bard 12/swashbuckler 3
Brian the Fist, goliath monk 15
Billy Bob, halfling swashbuckler 4/rogue 3/invisible blade 5/master thrower 1/whisperknife 2
Octopussy, aquatic elf druid 14
Horizon, human ranger 6/scout 9 archer
Aeryn (sp?), raptoran evoker 15
Ruby Heart, DMPC aasimar healer 15
They continued the big damn dungeon. The first room contained a balcony with a huge chasm. Another balcony was across the chasm. A thin (6 inch wide) bridge crossed the chasm, and half-black dragon lizardfolk fighter 10s manned (lizardfolked) a series of pendulums to knock the PCs off the bridge. The halfling ran across the bridge, using boots of speed to do so in 1 round. The evoker greater teleported everyone else across, then took some pot-shots at the lizardfolk before continuing on.
The next room had a 20 foot wide foyer that lead to a 120 foot wide circular chamber. The floor of the chamber had collapsed centuries ago, leaving behind floor-height support pillars. 30 feet below, tons of viper swarms coiled between the columns, covering the floor. In the foyer were five Swiftfangs (pureblood yuan-ti swashbuckler 4/duelist 10), who charged the party and then fell back, making use of the Blitzkrieg 3-attack spring attack feat from PH2. They caused massive damage, but Ruby was able to keep up with the healing. Brian the Fist charged the Swiftfangs, and almost succumbed to his wounds, but Ruby used Reach Spell to grant him a Heal.
Then the Spitstrikers (halfblood yuan-ti warlock 11) popped in, each using Flee the Scene to land atop a pillar and shoot eldritch blasts at the PCs. It was a hard fight, and the PCs probably would have died if it weren't for Ruby, but they made it. The Spitstrikers used the yuan-ti Deeper Darkness ability in combination with their Devil Sight, but the evoker dispelled it. I never did get to successfully use the Spitstrikers' repelling ray eldritch blasts to knock the PCs off the pillars and into the viper swarm. (And most of the PCs are immune to poison from the healer's Heroes Feast spell.)
They are almost within reach of their goal: The phyclactery of the red great wyrm dracolich know as Ruby. Their secondary goal is to recover and/or destoy the last remaining crystal-pistols (alchemical flintlocks that shoot eldritch blasts, beams, and cones).
OK. I got a horrible idea for a bad pun encounter. The PCs are on quest to retrieve the Ruby Heart (but not the same Ruby Heart they already retrieved). THIS Ruby Heart is the phylactery of the dracolich Ruby. It is being protected by an advanced salamander duke in a big round room similar to the Cerebro room in the X-Men movies. (A big spherical chamber with an elevated cat walk that leads from the door to the center of the chamber). In the center of the room is the Ruby Heart, the phylactery for the dracolich. I'm thinking of having the phylactery protected by the Ruby Hart--a summoned fiery construct in the shape of a Large giant stag. It will charge and attempt to bull rush PCs off the catwalk and into the fiery depths below.
The advanced salamander duke has something like 36 HD and I gave it access to a lot of fire spells, like Meteor Swarm, plus Quickened Fireballs, Walls of Fire, and Fire Shields.
I'm going to have to door to the room be warm to the touch, so the PCs have some warning that fire is involved before they enter.
Is adding the Ruby Hart construct going to make it too big of an encounter? The PCs are level 15 or 16, and there are 8 of them when everyone shows up. I'm thinking of having the Ruby Hart protection on the phylactery be a trap, so the rogue and/or beguiler can have a chance to disarm it before they unleash it.
We had a full house tonight: Human duskblade 11/swashbuckler 3/fortune's friend 2, half-drow swashbuckler3/bard 13, goliath monk 15, half-elf beguiler 16, raptoran evoker 16, human ranger 5/scout 11, aquatic elf druid 15, and halfling rogue 3/swashbuckler 4/invisible blade 5/master thrower 1/whisperknife 3. And a DMPC aasimar healer 15.
It was mostly hack and slash.
The first door they tried was hot to the touch, but nobody cast Fire Res on themselves.
They encountered a Huge advanced (33 HD) Noble Salamander guarding the dracolich's phylactery. They tried talking to it, but then the evoker tried casting Dismissal on it. That failed, and the Salamander opened up with a Quickened Fire Shield and a Maximized Meteor Swarm that hit a bunch of people with Evasion, so they actually took damage. The druid had cast Mass Bear's Endurance, which saved the healer's life. She only dropped to -6, was hit with CSW by the bard, and then cast Mass Heal, which hit all the PCs but the duskblade. They actually only took 2 1/2 rounds to kill the Salamander (it was even wearing +5 full plate and wielding a +4 keen glaive). It did a full attack on the monk, but he had Mirror Image up, so a couple of solid hits were negated. It then used a quickened Scorching Ray on the scout archer, but only 2 hit (danged Natural 1s!). The evoker used a couple empowered cones of cold on the big baddy that its Fire Shield wasn't up to protecting.
When the duskblade went to grab the phylactery (which is why he was out of range of the healer's Mass Heal), he touched it and it Called a Ruby Hart, which is a fiery, extraplanar construct that bullrushed the duskblade into a massive pit of fire--but the duskblade has a Ring of Fire Res that protected him. They made easy work on the Ruby Hart, shattering it into treasure.
They then moved on to the other door in the Serpent Pillar room from last session. They encountered a homebrew Uraeus Yuan-ti that used its Quickened, Maximized, Widened unholy blight to great effect, twice, before dying from AoOs when fleeing. At least it grappled and poisoned the archer.
Next session should see the encounter with the Citraka Rakshasa and maybe even the final battle with the high cleric abomination yuan-ti, a couple of abomination spiked chain fighters, a couple dracotaur rage mages, and last but not least, an advanced maralith fighter shooting 6 alchemically-energized crystal-pistols at a time.
I think you have done an impressive job keeping them interested in a perpetually deep dungeon. At this level I usually have them directing troops on the field of battle.
"He wont give me the Vinyards of Kurn, so I shall take them by force."
Well, they're pirates--I mean, privateers, so they're convinced there's a big treasure at the bottom of the dungeon. And there is....pretty much the last supply of crystal-pistols in the world, since they destroyed the factory and the warforged artificer who was making them. And the original inventor of the crystal-pistols is the BBEG of the entire campaign. It's his invention that is threatening to crash the moon into the earth.
So the PCs already have 2 ships, one of which is supernaturally fast, the other which has been engaged in shipping and finance while the PCs have been dungeoneering.
If the PCs go after Cacolamia next, they'll have to catch up with her ship, the Annihilator. Cacolamia is an abomination yuan-ti vampire cleric 7/entropomancer 10 in possession of a Sphere of Annihilation. And she has an entourage. And the PCs need to take the Sphere of Annihilation from her because it is needed to power the Affinity Engine that will draw down the moon.
OK, I need to work on Cacolamia's entourage. They're pureblood yuan-ti vampires, and I'm thinking of having them be some kind of duskblade-swashbuckler with electrical powers. Any ideas? Should I come up with a Shockblade Rake like the Frostblade Rakes that will accompany Belinda?
It should be noted that, storywise, I need the PCs to lose this fight, but it would be useful if they didn't all die. I'm pretty sure the Sphere of Annihilation can rip their ship apart with ease, but the PCs are pretty stubborn and might just teleport to the Annihilator and try to take it over. Wait, I just remembered that it has Forbiddence on it, and it prevents teleporting.
Ideally, the crew of the Annihilator will kidnap Ruby Heart (the DMPC Healer the party's been relying on for healing), slow down and/or incapicate the PCs, and not kill too many of them off.
I think the raptoran evoker might do better as a warmage, so killing her off wouldn't be TOO heartrending (maybe she could even be the same character, just resurrected "wrong"). The aquatic elf druid MIGHT be better off playing a rangery type since she's a total newbie. The beguiler might want to play something a little more combat oriented, but she's a hairsbreadth away from Power Word Kill, so maybe not. The ranger/scout is always trying to do more and more damage, so he might want to try something else out (even though he does the most damage most of the time, and most consistently). The halfling knife fighter has been planned to the T by the player, so he's probably really attached to it. And I've already killed off a couple characters of the monk already, and he only plays because he's the bf of the bard in real life. Don't want to be TOO mean. I like the story of the half-drow and human twin brothers and want to keep that going.
"Brothers of broken blood, something something something, rhymes with crud."
This is from a while back in the campaign. Well, most of my players are HUGE fans of Firefly. In the course of their quest to find 3 magic keys, they went to a town called Beestone that was famous for their beeswax candles, honey, and mead. It was ruled by an evil aristocrat called the High Chandler, and his guards were gulgars mounted on yerthaks. One of the PCs is named Max, and he gave me permission to add a little bit to his backstory. So the PCs go to the local tavern to hear what's what, and there's a bard on stage and he begins to sing the Ballad of Max!!!
Max....the man they call Max!
He robbed from the rich and he gave to the poor
Stood up to the man and gave him what for
And you'll love this man when you know all the facts
The Hero of Beestone, the man they call Max!
Our Max saw the waxxers backs breaking
Saw the waxxers were droppers
And he saw the High Chandler taking
Every silver and leaving 2 coppers
He said "You can't do this to my people
You can't crush them under your heel."
Max strapped on his hat
and in 10 seconds flat
Stole everything there was fit to steal.
He robbed from the rich and he gave to the poor
Stood up to the man and gave him what for
And you'll love this man when you know all the facts
The Hero of Beestone, the man they call Max!
And here's what separates heroes
From common folk like you and I
The man they call Max
Turned round his Yrthaks
And let that money hit sky
He dropped it on our houses
He dropped it in our yards
The man they call Max
Dropped coins by the stacks
And headed out for the stars
He robbed from the rich and he gave to the poor
Stood up to the man and gave him what for
And you'll love this man when you know all the facts
The Hero of Beestone, the man they call Max!
The town also sold beeswax candles shaped like Max. It was a funny episode of the campaign.
OK, I need to work on Cacolamia's entourage. They're pureblood yuan-ti vampires, and I'm thinking of having them be some kind of duskblade-swashbuckler with electrical powers. Any ideas? Should I come up with a Shockblade Rake like the Frostblade Rakes that will accompany Belinda?
It should be noted that, storywise, I need the PCs to lose this fight, but it would be useful if they didn't all die. I'm pretty sure the Sphere of Annihilation can rip their ship apart with ease, but the PCs are pretty stubborn and might just teleport to the Annihilator and try to take it over. Wait, I just remembered that it has Forbiddence on it, and it prevents teleporting.
Ideally, the crew of the Annihilator will kidnap Ruby Heart (the DMPC Healer the party's been relying on for healing), slow down and/or incapicate the PCs, and not kill too many of them off.
I think the raptoran evoker might do better as a warmage, so killing her off wouldn't be TOO heartrending (maybe she could even be the same character, just resurrected "wrong"). The aquatic elf druid MIGHT be better off playing a rangery type since she's a total newbie. The beguiler might want to play something a little more combat oriented, but she's a hairsbreadth away from Power Word Kill, so maybe not. The ranger/scout is always trying to do more and more damage, so he might want to try something else out (even though he does the most damage most of the time, and most consistently). The halfling knife fighter has been planned to the T by the player, so he's probably really attached to it. And I've already killed off a couple characters of the monk already, and he only plays because he's the bf of the bard in real life. Don't want to be TOO mean. I like the story of the half-drow and human twin brothers and want to keep that going.
"Brothers of broken blood, something something something, rhymes with crud."
Instead of a shockblade rake, why not make a "Thunder of Zeus" flavored PrC that hurls lightning-infused javelins? Have the PCs fight a SUPER BUFF, really strong one, and then throw them into a room with a bunch of look-alikes with javalins of lightning (when thrown, acts like 5d6 lightning bolts.). The PCs kill the puny fools, and then run into a room with a bunch of REAL Thunder Throwers. Reverse-reverse psychology. Instead of purebloods, why not have them be abominations that slither in zig-zag patterns? If you want them to lose the fight but not die, try sticking a couple strong NPCs in with them. Let the PCs know that they're no pushovers, and then have them ripped to shreds in the first rounds of the fight. You may even want to let someone play them, if you can split the group up and have those not "present" run these fellow adventurers. Give the PCs opportunity for heroic sacrifice, and those who are dissatisfied with their characters can take it. Nothing makes a last impression like the mage with 7 str grappling manfully with the sphere of annilation for three rounds while the others rush for the lifeboats.
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Here's my experience based on a party of eight running through SCAP. When we finished, everyone was 18th level.
1. It's been said, but I increased every creature's HP to 80% of maximum. BBEG's got 100%.
2. Increase numbers of mooks, but vary the classes to give them some teamwork advantages. I'll never forget the look on a players face when a fire giant ranger spotted a monk shadowdancer moving while hiding at night from 60 ft away, when his hide score was 40! Yeah I rolled a nat 20, but I still scored a 44!
3. Make sure all the BBEGs are already buffed up. Many times, if you wait until the PCs arrive to start buffing, the NPcs are dead before they finish. Make it believable - let the PCs spot some scrying lenses, trip audible alarms, etc. so they expect the NPCs to be ready and it works just fine.
4. Add extra encounters to wear down their resources. I particularly like using magical traps linked to summon monster spells. There's nothing like a vrock appearing in the hallway to mess up a party's casual stroll through the enemy fortress.
5. Get extra-creative with the environment where your encounters take place. Make things more fantastic, like a pitched aerial battle in the middle of a storm while at sea. It really pushes the envelope on your rules knowledge, but PCs are rarely ready for this twist of fate.
6. Limit standard mobility or increase the difficulty of the prevailing terrain. Again this is similar to the environment angle, but you can use magic, particularly hallucinatory terrain, mirage arcana etc to manipulate the environment and control the battle field to the NPCs advantage, regardless of where they are. Oh and use deception liberally! Great spells like "mislead" are often overlooked by PCs.
7. Don't give them a chance to rest! If they leave a dungeon because they ran our of 6th level spells for the day, make'em pay. Restock the dungeon with more baddies. Do you really think the BBEG is just gonna sit there and wait to die by his enemy's sword?
8. Finally - play NPCs like they have a pair! They should know all the PCs strengths and weaknesses and use them against them! If a ranger always likes to attack the mages, make enemy fighters move to engage the ranger before it can happen. Use the PCs habit against them and boy does it ever ruffle their feathers!
9. One more thing.....go for the kill. At this level, the stakes are getting higher. Cities, regions and even countries are feeling the impact of the heroes actions and their enemies plots for dominance or destruction. When they run into a BBEG - don't pull any punches. You may want to warn your players if you've never pulled off the kid gloves before, but don't shy away from a finger of death, destruction or disintegration spell. Use energy drain liberally to make encounters harder when you can, dispell party buffs, use anti-magic shells, globe's of invulerability etc to gain every conceivable advantage. I guarantee you you'll have epic fights no matter how many PCs you have around.
About half of the campaign was dedicated to finding this "big awesome magic treasure" and it turned out to be an Aasimar Healer (Miniatures Handbook) who was in a cursed sleep. They woke her, and now she heals the bejeezuz out of the PCs. I'm trying to get a story reason to have the party "lose" her. I'm hoping Cacolamia will grab her a teleport away with her somehow. (Cacolamia is a CE abomination yuan-ti vampire cleric 7/entropomancer 10 with a Sphere of Annhilation. Yeah, she's bad.)
Maybe I should make a Lightning Javelin PrC. Not overtly Zeusy, though. He's not in my campaign. But I like the concept. When I re-did cyclops for my campaign, I gave them a thunderbolt ability.
But the encounter with Cacolamia and her entourage isn't going to be in a series of rooms....it's going to be on the high seas. Maybe they can tool around in water elemental powered launches while the BBEG uses her Sphere of Annihilation to hole the hull of the PC's ship?
If I do that, I might have to change the scale of the battle. Maybe 50 foot squares?
Why not discard the launches and have them simply ride water elementals, filling them with electricty? And what if they could teleport to any point where lightning strikes as an immediate action? The PCs can spot them out at sea and snipe away, feeling superior, and then a druid in seagull wildshape casts call lightning storm and BAM, you've got water elementals doing the electric slide while yuan-ti vampires use spirited charge from their backs. Then, while they're dealing with that, they notice pterodactyls with bombs strapped to their backs homing in on their ship. Then, while trying to shoot down the living cruise missiles, a whirlpoool formed by a sphere of annihilation appears beneath their ship. So they're fighting electric yuan-ti elemental riders and suicide bomber dinosaurs while being sucked down into a whirlpool. And then the entropomancer shows up with the sphere of annihilation.
(for the healer - she could fall overboard, get sucked towards the sphere, and be captured by the entropomancer, who uses teleport object to send them to an island jail. Along with anyone else failing their balance checks/reflex saves.)
Why not discard the launches and have them simply ride water elementals, filling them with electricty? And what if they could teleport to any point where lightning strikes as an immediate action? The PCs can spot them out at sea and snipe away, feeling superior, and then a druid in seagull wildshape casts call lightning storm and BAM, you've got water elementals doing the electric slide while yuan-ti vampires use spirited charge from their backs. Then, while they're dealing with that, they notice pterodactyls with bombs strapped to their backs homing in on their ship. Then, while trying to shoot down the living cruise missiles, a whirlpoool formed by a sphere of annihilation appears beneath their ship. So they're fighting electric yuan-ti elemental riders and suicide bomber dinosaurs while being sucked down into a whirlpool. And then the entropomancer shows up with the sphere of annihilation.
(for the healer - she could fall overboard, get sucked towards the sphere, and be captured by the entropomancer, who uses teleport object to send them to an island jail. Along with anyone else failing their balance checks/reflex saves.)
How about undead pterodactyl zombies carrying barrels of alchemist fire?
I like the immediate action teleport to lightning strikes. And the Sphere of Annihilation Whirlpool.