Party:
- Elf Alchemist 6
- Halfling Fighter 5/Hellknight 1
- Human Ranger 6
- Half-elf Cleric 3/Wizard 3
- Halfling bard (sandman archetype) 5/assassin 1
After a brief warm-up battle for the party I set them against an encounter with a pair of destined kobold sorcerer word casters and some scaly pets (Pteranodon and Deinoychus). The kobolds were set up in a room filled with difficult terrain.
With an alarm tripped by the party, the kobolds had a chance to cast some spells in preparation for the battle (protection from energy (fire), force shield + enhance form (Dexterity), and eagle's splendor on themselves and then fortify on themselves and their three pets.
The party was delayed for a few rounds by the pets, the kobolds took the opportunity to cast invisibility on themselves and then were promptly hit with glitterdust and blinded. The kobolds spent the turn of blindness to cast blur on themselves. I threw a good number of word spells in the following turns, (Large Line + Boosted Burning Flash + Cold Snap, Medium Burst + Frost Fingers, Small Burst + Torture, Single + Force Bolt + Burning Flash. After this the kobold pair were both defeated.
I didn't do a whole lot to prepare for this fight aside form setting up the stat block I set up below. As a consequence I think I defaulted to using more powerful 3rd level word combinations without much thought. Making the words was pretty easy and quick with the notes that I made (On the stat block I marked family name, point costs, and target limitations). Once I figured out the base word that I wanted to use, I found it simple to attach the other words to it, the biggest problem was that I wasn't prepared with any idea of what spells I wanted them to cast before hand.
LE medium humanoid (reptilian)
Init +7; Senses Perception +8
AC 16, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+1 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 natural armor, +1 size)
hp 27 (7d6)
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +6
Speed 30 ft.
Melee shortspear +2 (1d4-2)
Ranged masterwork heavy crossbow +8 (1d8; 19-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks touch of destiny (6/day)
Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +10, ranged touch +7)
3rd (5/day; word cost 10; DC 16/17)—protection from energy
2nd (7/day; word cost 7; DC 15/16)—blur
1st (7/day; word cost 5; DC 14/15)—alarm
0 (at will; word cost 3; DC 13/14)—none
Target Words Known
3rd—large line [5], medium burst [5], medium cone [5]
2nd—small burst [3], medium line [3]
1st—mass [2], small cone [2], small line [2]
0—personal [0], single [0]
Effect Words Known
3rd—fire blast (fire) [6/8], torture (pain) [6/8]
2nd—enhance form (body) [5/7; ps; 14], force bolt (force) [5/8; s], frost fingers (cold) [5/7]
1st—burning flash (fire) [3/5; 5], force shield (armor) [4/5; ps], fortify (body) [4/5; ps; 7], shock arc (electricity) [4/5], wrack (pain) [3/4]
0—acid burn (acid) [3], cold snap (cold) [2], cramp (pain) [2/3], echo (illusion) [2; s], force block (armor) [2; ps; 4], sense magic (detection) [1; c]
Bloodline destined
Str 6, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 16
Base Atk +3; CMB +0; CMD 13
Feats Eschew Materials, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Nimble Moves, Spell Focus (evocation), Word Burning
Skills Knowledge (history) +3, Perception +8, Spellcraft +4, Stealth +12
SQ fated +2
Languages Draconic
Treasure ring of protection +1, scroll of eagle's splendor (2), potion of cure light wounds (3), scroll of invisibility, (first only) phylactery of faithfulness (only first has this), (first only) wand of acid arrow (27 charges), (second only) wand of scorching ray (23 charges), shortspear, masterwork heavy crossbow with 10 bolts, tanglefoot bag, smokestick (2), tindertwing (10), 198 assorted treasure (magnifying glass, hourglass, good lock, etc.)
This next encounter was the third encounter of the day and the party had expended a good chunk of their power in the previous encounters. Down a passageway a conjuration specialist wizard summoned one of his 4th level fire elemental summons to seek out the party. He cast a protective ward (enhancing Constitution) on himself before spending a few rounds summoning a few of his shielded fiendish rats (2nd level spells) to aid the fire elemental that had not returned yet.
Throughout the battle the summons were threatened by the alchemist's dispelling bombs, but only one of them managed to dispel any of the summons. When the party started getting near enough to him, the wizard used his fifth level spell cast shielded servitor V to summon a bearded devil with a force shield. With all it's augmentations (+4 Strength, +4 Constitution from Augment Summoning, and +4 AC from the force shield word), the creature hit the party pretty hard (in part because the fighter had not reached the battle yet leaving the bearded devil fighting the alchemist.
The wizard then cast fire wall separating himself from the rest of the battle. The bard was the first across using a combination of stealth and blur to get through the wall undetected. The wizard then used the scroll of invisibility the next round to hide from anyone that crossed the fire wall. The bard then grabbed at the square the wizard was standing in an attempt to use his sandman power to steal a spell from him. This brought up the question in my mind if he could steal a words of power spell that was prepared. It didn't work though, but the wizard panicked at the touch and fired (and missed) with a corrosive pain spell.
Finally, after the bearded devil was killed, the conjurer then summoned a replacement using his 5th level perfect servitor IV. While it was the same word level, the augmented fiendish wolf was much easier to defeat (and much less dangerous) than the augmented bearded devil.
With the party overcoming his last powerful summon, the wizard took the opportunity to use dimensional steps to escape the battle.
The wizard had a lot of control over the fight, I would really say that the thing that really worked in his favor was that he could summon as a standard action with his servitor words. He was able to quickly send out his summons and replace them if necessary.
There was a comment at the table that his higher level spells were inappropriate for his CR, specifically the fact that he could summon a monster from the fifth level list with +4 AC (single + servitor V + force shield) without requiring more than a 5th level spell slot. I believe that (I may be remembering incorrectly) it was also said that because of these feature (to summon a 5th level creature while also empowering it with a first level spell at no additional increase to level) that the system was inappropriate for PCs. I disagree, but I thought it appropriate to pass on the concern from those players.
LE medium humanoid (human)
Init -1; Senses Perception +0
AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 (-1 Dex)
hp 61 (9d6+27)
Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +9
Speed 30 ft.
Melee masterwork club +6 (1d6+1)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks acid dart (1d6+4, 7/day)
Spells Prepared (CL 9th; concentration +13, ranged touch +3)
5th—perfect servitor IV (fiendish dire wolf), shielded servitor V (bearded devil)
4th—corrosive pain (DC 18), extended enhanced servitor II (small fire elemental) (2), fire wall (DC 18)
3rd—enhanced servitor II (small fire elemental) (2), protective ward (3)
2nd—mass boosted burning flash (DC 16, 3), shielded servitor I (fiendish dire rat) (3)
1st—fortify target (3), mass burning flash (DC 15, 2), basic servitor I (fiendish dire rat)
0—basic acid burn, basic cold snap, basic cramp (DC 14), basic flame jet
Specialized School conjuration
Prohibited Schools divination, illusion
Str 12, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 14
Feats Augment Summoning, Extend Spell, Iron Will, Improved Familiar, Persuasive, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (conjuration), Versatile Wordcaster (lesser planar binding)
Skills Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (planes) +16, Linguistics +16, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +16
SQ dimensional steps (270 ft./day), summoner's charm, arcane bond (imp)
Languages Abyssal, Alko, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Ignan, Infernal, Ulfen, Ancient Osirian, Sylvan
Treasure brooch of shielding, cloak of resistance +1, pearl of power (1st level spell), potion of cure moderate wounds (2), scroll of darkness (2), wand of magic missile (CL 5th) (42 charges), masterwork club, chalk (4 pieces), spellbook, spell component pouch, bracers of light fortification, scroll of invisibility (4), 575 gp in jewelery and gems
Special Abilities
Spellbook All target words; acid burn (acid), burning flash (fire), cinder storm (fire), cold snap (cold), complex order (command), corrosive bolt (acid), cramp (pain), distant (meta), enhance form (body), fire barrier (barrier), fire blast (fire), flame jet (fire), force armor (armor), force shield (armor), fortify (body), ice barrier (barrier), perfect form (body), sense magic (detection), servitor I (summoning), servitor II (summoning), servitor III (summoning), servitor IV (summoning), servitor V (summoning), shock arc (electricity), spook (fear), wrack (pain); lesser planar binding
Spell list:
5th level spells
shielded servitor V; School: abjuration, conjuration (summoning); Level 5; Single (0); Servitor V (10), Force Shield (5); Total Cost 15
perfect servitor IV; School: conjuration (summoning), transmutation; Level 5; Single; Perfect Form (8), Servitor IV (8); Total Cost 16
medium cinder storm; School: evocation [fire]; Level 5; Medium Burst (5); cinder storm (10); Total Cost 15; Reflex half (DC 19)
4th level spells
fire wall; School: evocation [fire]; Level 4; large line (5); fire barrier (8); Total Cost 13; Reflex Half (DC 18)
corrosive pain; School: conjuration [acid]; Level 4; Mass (2); corrosive bolt (5), wrack (4); Total Cost 11; Fortitude Partial (DC 18)
3rd level spells
enhanced servitor II; School: conjuration (summoning), transmutation; Level 3; single (0); enhance form (5), servitor II (4); Total Cost 9
protective ward; School: abjurution, transmutation; Level 3; Single (0); enhance form (5), force shield (5); Total Cost 10
lightning strike; School: evocation [fire]; Level 3; Single (0); boosted burning flash (5), shock arc (5); Total Cost 10; Reflex None/Half (DC 17)
2nd level spells
sheilded servitor I; School: abjuration, conjuration (summoning); Level 2; single (0); force shield (4), servitor I (3); Total Cost 7
mass boosted burning flash; School: evocation [fire]; Level 2; mass (2); boosted burning flash (5), Effect Word (X); Total Cost 7; Reflex Half (DC 16)
1st level spells
fortify target; School: transmutation; Level 1; single (0); fortify (4); Total Cost 4
mass burning flash; School: evocation [evocation]; Level 1; mass (2); burning flash (3); Total Cost 5; Reflex Half (DC 15)
basic servitor I; School: conjuration [summoning]; Level 1; single (0); servitor I (3); Total Cost 3
0 level spells
basic cold snap; School: evocation [cold]; Level 0; single (0); cold snap (2); Total Cost 2
basic flame jet; School: evocation [fire]; Level 0; single (0); flame jet (2); Total Cost 2
basic cramp; School: necromacy; Level 0; single (0); cramp (2); Total Cost 2; Fortitude Negates (DC 14)
basic acid burn; School: conjuration [acid]; Level 0; single (0); acid burn (3); Total Cost 3
Below are a few of the notes that I typed as I was putting together the NPCs and their spells.
Since the only divination words available could not be combined with any other effects, I quickly went with divination as a prohibited school for the wizard. If he needed to detect magic or thoughts, he could easily spend the two spell slots to prepare those spells.
Trying to create something with the barrier words, but kept finding that there wasn't much I could add to them without reducing their duration to instantaneous.
A few of the words, specifically the acid words, should have the (creation) subschool next to them (like the other acid firing spells).
The saving throw of the horror (fear) word should be Fortitude partial instead of Fortitude negates
There wasn't a lot of variety among the 0-level words. There wasn't much I could put together with them.
I specifically avoided the force block word because it couldn't really be combined with any words that I could see (If attached to any of the buff spells, it reduced the duration to a single round) and because it was very likely that anything in the battle already had an armor bonus from some other source.
Noticed shock arc offered a saving throw whether or not it required an attack roll.
There isn't a real point to using heighten on a word spell that I could see.
I didn't notice any rules for creating scrolls, potions, and wands using the words of power including which classes would be able to use them.