James Jacobs Creative Director |
James Jacobs wrote:*cry* As long as he doesn't use it to cast summon monster IX every round he's in there, we should be allright...he doesn't do that, right? Right?!MWA HAHAHAHAHA!
The encounter I just finished developing has a bad guy who casts time stop. AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING!
In case no one noticed, I'm having a blast developing a full-on super-high-level adventure for the first time since the climax of Legacy of Fire.
TIME STOP! AND THIS GUY ISN'T EVEN THE BOSS OF THE CAMPAIGN!
Actually... wait. Are you spying on me?
Jason Nelson Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games |
Oh, sure, add the tough monsters into #36.
But James, in his crazed mania to make #35 easier for everyone, cut out the bonecrushing grappling/rending monstrosity with 403 hp (not the main boss) and his partner with whirlwind attack, 20 feet of reach, and a disarm CMB of +35... who starts the encounter invisible and also has 241 hp (also not the main boss)... and did I mention you were supposed to encounter both at the same time... along WITH the main boss? And a parade of mook snipers. And terrified servants!
I dunno, maybe it was a little too hard. Maybe I've been playing with disgusting min-maxers for too long. Or been one. Maybe both... :)
Charles Evans 25 |
Hmm. Richard Pett + Paizo Creative director deprived of powerful villains for too long + end of an adventure path so it doesn't matter how many PCs get wasted = high expected body count in the obituaries thread from GMs?
Oh well, what's the point of having a kingdom unless you can send some flunkies in to soften up the bad guys for you?
Charles Evans 25 |
Oh, sure, add the tough monsters into #36.
But James, in his crazed mania to make #35 easier for everyone, cut out the bonecrushing grappling/rending monstrosity with 403 hp (not the main boss) and his partner with whirlwind attack, 20 feet of reach, and a disarm CMB of +35... who starts the encounter invisible and also has 241 hp (also not the main boss)... and did I mention you were supposed to encounter both at the same time... along WITH the main boss? And a parade of mook snipers. And terrified servants!
I dunno, maybe it was a little too hard. Maybe I've been playing with disgusting min-maxers for too long. Or been one. Maybe both... :)
Oooh, do feel free to post the original 'director's cut' versions in the GM reference thread, once appropriate. :)
wraithstrike |
Oh, sure, add the tough monsters into #36.
But James, in his crazed mania to make #35 easier for everyone, cut out the bonecrushing grappling/rending monstrosity with 403 hp (not the main boss) and his partner with whirlwind attack, 20 feet of reach, and a disarm CMB of +35... who starts the encounter invisible and also has 241 hp (also not the main boss)... and did I mention you were supposed to encounter both at the same time... along WITH the main boss? And a parade of mook snipers. And terrified servants!
I dunno, maybe it was a little too hard. Maybe I've been playing with disgusting min-maxers for too long. Or been one. Maybe both... :)
He should put them back in. That way when the players die I can say it was not my fault this time. :)
James Jacobs Creative Director |
Oh, sure, add the tough monsters into #36.
But James, in his crazed mania to make #35 easier for everyone, cut out the bonecrushing grappling/rending monstrosity with 403 hp (not the main boss) and his partner with whirlwind attack, 20 feet of reach, and a disarm CMB of +35... who starts the encounter invisible and also has 241 hp (also not the main boss)... and did I mention you were supposed to encounter both at the same time... along WITH the main boss? And a parade of mook snipers. And terrified servants!
I dunno, maybe it was a little too hard. Maybe I've been playing with disgusting min-maxers for too long. Or been one. Maybe both... :)
Well... since nothing in #36 has over 400 hp, my vote is for the over-the-top category. ;-P
Aberzombie |
MWA HAHAHAHAHA!
The encounter I just finished developing has a bad guy who casts time stop. AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING!
In case no one noticed, I'm having a blast developing a full-on super-high-level adventure for the first time since the climax of Legacy of Fire.
TIME STOP! AND THIS GUY ISN'T EVEN THE BOSS OF THE CAMPAIGN!
You are a cruel, heartless, brutal, mean-spirited, vindictive, hate-filled, violent, dastardly man.
I knew there was something I liked about you.
Matthew Morris RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8 |
As we say in the Psionics community... "Deep Impact coming online, BA"
There are also some BoRL and BoEM spells that are good debuffers. Though it does answer the question of why one dose of sneezing powder weighs two pounds...
Turin the Mad |
Jason Nelson wrote:Well... since nothing in #36 has over 400 hp, my vote is for the over-the-top category. ;-POh, sure, add the tough monsters into #36.
But James, in his crazed mania to make #35 easier for everyone, cut out the bonecrushing grappling/rending monstrosity with 403 hp (not the main boss) and his partner with whirlwind attack, 20 feet of reach, and a disarm CMB of +35... who starts the encounter invisible and also has 241 hp (also not the main boss)... and did I mention you were supposed to encounter both at the same time... along WITH the main boss? And a parade of mook snipers. And terrified servants!
I dunno, maybe it was a little too hard. Maybe I've been playing with disgusting min-maxers for too long. Or been one. Maybe both... :)
But ... I want to see bad guys able to take some serious punishment, put them back in, put them back in! ^_^
Shinmizu |
Maybe about those touch attacks a little bit, but what SPOILER OMITTED wouldn't be worried about touch attacks?)
Ummm, there's no SPOILER OMITTED in my Bestiary.
I have:
SPOILER, ROSEBUD
SPOILER, HE'S DEAD THE WHOLE FILM
SPOILER, SNAPE-DUMBLEDORE, and...
SPOILER, EXPLOSIVE RUNES TRAP.
Is this a template for creatures of the SPOILER type?
Oooh... I bet it's a SPOILER, I'M REALLY A TOMATO!
Joey Virtue |
I apologize in advance for the AC 48 monster I just put into "Sound of a Thousand Screams."
The treasure's worth it though.
And yes, I'm a little punchy. It's after midnight at Paizo. I think that's when the blood-drinking ghosts come out of the windows.
Dont Apologize i missed the super challenging BBG like the ones in Rise of the Runelords keep it up
Geeky Frignit |
James Jacobs wrote:Dont Apologize i missed the super challenging BBG like the ones in Rise of the Runelords keep it upI apologize in advance for the AC 48 monster I just put into "Sound of a Thousand Screams."
The treasure's worth it though.
And yes, I'm a little punchy. It's after midnight at Paizo. I think that's when the blood-drinking ghosts come out of the windows.
We just had our first encounter with Xanesha in RotRL. It did not go well, but I have now bluffed her into thinking I am charmed while everyone else gets away. I'm slightly creeped out by what is to come up in her little nest. *shudder*
Jess Door |
Cool! Loved the Iceforge; it was a Frostfell location in the planar-themed Eberron campaign I DMed for a few years. Best moment was ** spoiler omitted **
Soooooo--this gives me hope for a Mammoth Lords/Linnorm Kings Adventure Path down the road, seeing how involved you were in this book!
You shouldn't pick on halfling bards so much! :P
The Wraith |
TriOmegaZero wrote:James Jacobs wrote:
TIME STOP! AND THIS GUY ISN'T EVEN THE BOSS OF THE CAMPAIGN!My 15th level Fighter can cast Time Stop. At will.
** spoiler omitted **
TOZ, you have just won the thread.
** spoiler omitted **
Muda-muda-muda-muda-muda-muda-mudaaaaaa!!!!
Wryyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!
Soshite, toki ga ugoki desu !!!
Uh, sorry, Araki is one of my favorite mangaka...
Freehold DM |
Freehold DM wrote:TriOmegaZero wrote:James Jacobs wrote:
TIME STOP! AND THIS GUY ISN'T EVEN THE BOSS OF THE CAMPAIGN!My 15th level Fighter can cast Time Stop. At will.
** spoiler omitted **
TOZ, you have just won the thread.
** spoiler omitted **
Muda-muda-muda-muda-muda-muda-mudaaaaaa!!!!
Wryyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!
** spoiler omitted **
Uh, sorry, Araki is one of my favorite mangaka...
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James Jacobs Creative Director |
Turin the Mad |
OKAY you chuckleheads! This latest stat block just hit an AC of 51. THAT makes me feel even more guilty (and delighted).
Guilty? Pfhaw ... us chuckleheads need alla nigh-unkillable "official" bad guys that we can get.
Players are frighteningly efficient at racking up bonuses after all ...
James Jacobs Creative Director |
51? yikes. You know the Tarrasque has to roll a 14 or better to hit that right? Granted, I built a character a little while back that good ol' T would have only hit on a natural 20, but thats besides the point. ;p
Yup. AC 51 is, more or less the "worst case scenario" the PCs will face. There are plenty of options (either in the adventure itself or via character tactics) to reduce that AC.
Sebastian Bella Sara Charter Superscriber |
Yemeth |
Yemeth wrote:Yup. AC 51 is, more or less the "worst case scenario" the PCs will face. There are plenty of options (either in the adventure itself or via character tactics) to reduce that AC.51? yikes. You know the Tarrasque has to roll a 14 or better to hit that right? Granted, I built a character a little while back that good ol' T would have only hit on a natural 20, but thats besides the point. ;p
Ah, well thats ok then. I just built a 16th level Sword Lord type to see what I could do, and I'm not really getting over a +30 within reason. Unless there's a bard around or some other outside buffing of some sort.
P.H. Dungeon |
I remember running Savage Tide for 3E characters. High AC didn't mean anything to the party since most were spell casters that had plenty of ray spells handy. Heck even one of our main melee characters was a gish that pretty much used wraith strike on a constant basis. What I needed was monsters with a high touch AC.
Russ Taylor Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6 |
I remember running Savage Tide for 3E characters. High AC didn't mean anything to the party since most were spell casters that had plenty of ray spells handy. Heck even one of our main melee characters was a gish that pretty much used wraith strike on a constant basis. What I needed was monsters with a high touch AC.
Some of that is a side-effect of allowing Spell Compendium into your game, as it allows touch attacks for all elements and a host of SR-ignoring spells (SR being a potential defense the nastier critters have against touch spells). Wraithstrike in particular is so effective it warps builds just by existing in the game.
Xuttah |
I am so happy that you are enjoying your job. Spreading panic and fear through the ranks of gamers around the world must be very fulfilling. I look forward to running in panic as the nasty whatever-they-are's rip into the soft flesh of my fellow party members. :)
Ah well, back to my own filthy evil...
Orthos |
The Wraith wrote:** spoiler omitted **Freehold DM wrote:TriOmegaZero wrote:James Jacobs wrote:
TIME STOP! AND THIS GUY ISN'T EVEN THE BOSS OF THE CAMPAIGN!My 15th level Fighter can cast Time Stop. At will.
** spoiler omitted **
TOZ, you have just won the thread.
** spoiler omitted **
Muda-muda-muda-muda-muda-muda-mudaaaaaa!!!!
Wryyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!
** spoiler omitted **
Uh, sorry, Araki is one of my favorite mangaka...
I just started reading this last week, you guys beat me to it. Win.
Charles Evans 25 |
It goes timestop, mindblank, invisibility, fly (possibly with the aid of contingencies).
Now the PCs have an invisible enemy they can't see even with true sight (don't you just love mindblank's anti-divination effect :D) who unless the PCs have pets with echo location or get lucky with a glitterdust can just fly around spamming summons until the PCs get overwhelmed by sheer weight of numbers.
Edit:
The chief villain probably should have mindblank, invisibility, and fly active, for that matter, from the moment the PCs show up on the horizon. Or invisible stalker assassins with bows and mindblank...
BluePigeon |
Re-read my post. I was a little punchy when I wrote it, and a stray fragment of guilt and empathy momentarily lodged in my thoughts. It's gone now, though.
That's just wrong! When a great game designer has momentary bouts of guilt its a sign. What was it? Oh right, we are so doomed.
Scipion del Ferro RPG Superstar 2011 Top 4 |
Freehold DM |
Freehold DM wrote:The Wraith wrote:** spoiler omitted **Freehold DM wrote:TriOmegaZero wrote:James Jacobs wrote:
TIME STOP! AND THIS GUY ISN'T EVEN THE BOSS OF THE CAMPAIGN!My 15th level Fighter can cast Time Stop. At will.
** spoiler omitted **
TOZ, you have just won the thread.
** spoiler omitted **
Muda-muda-muda-muda-muda-muda-mudaaaaaa!!!!
Wryyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!
** spoiler omitted **
Uh, sorry, Araki is one of my favorite mangaka...
I just started reading this last week, you guys beat me to it. Win.
** spoiler omitted **
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James Jacobs wrote:NOTE: I consider, in my games (and in adventures I develop), the use of the Book of 9 Swords to be cheating. :PWhat an odd way of thinking, especially since the warblade is exactly what a heroic fighter should be at higher levels.
Not to me. I was actually okay with how high level fighters functioned in 3.5—they were simple, but that's good. There should be simple options.
And to be honest, I've not read the warblade. I doubt I ever will, since I'm just not interested in that book, to be honest—a large number of the late LATE 3.5 books WotC produced weren't really my cup of tea.
Russ Taylor Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6 |
What an odd way of thinking, especially since the warblade is exactly what a heroic fighter should be at higher levels.
No. I want my high level fighters more like Boromir, less like characters from "Samurai Showdown". My view of a high-level fighter is just someone shockingly good with his weapons of choice, not someone capable of superhuman tricks.
thenovalord |
Sean Halloran wrote:What an odd way of thinking, especially since the warblade is exactly what a heroic fighter should be at higher levels.No. I want my high level fighters more like Boromir, less like characters from "Samurai Showdown". My view of a high-level fighter is just someone shockingly good with his weapons of choice, not someone capable of superhuman tricks.
+1
TriOmegaZero |
Sean Halloran wrote:What an odd way of thinking, especially since the warblade is exactly what a heroic fighter should be at higher levels.No. I want my high level fighters more like Boromir, less like characters from "Samurai Showdown". My view of a high-level fighter is just someone shockingly good with his weapons of choice, not someone capable of superhuman tricks.
So only take the maneuvers that deal damage and the like, and never mention any names. Just say 'I hit him for Xdx and he needs to save against stun' or whatever. Remember, the Warblade is the one that doesn't get any of the mystical powers, just straight damage and status effects against enemies. Edit: If even that, they mostly get things that negate mechanics, hardly anything that has an effect on other creatures besides damage.