I ended a session I was running yesterday, just after the PCs saw through Volorog's disguise at the warden's shack. They found out his true nature at the front door, having not pressed him to be invited inside, and the team's paladin blocked the door with his tower shield after Vol's initial attack (which I thought was brilliant) so that the druid and monk could sneak in through the back yard and get him from behind as the paladin and magus attacked from the front. I ended the session there since combat hadn't really gotten going yet, and the players seemed tired after their encounters with a band of goblins and the Soggy River Monster on the way to the shack.
Now since the druid is going to be going into the backyard, I'd like to prepare myself in case she uses her Wild Empathy on the vipers there. Now since they're domesticated animals and don't have very high Cha I calculated that a WE check to improve their attitude to friendly would be DC 11. I'm wondering not only if I did the math correctly there, but also if there should be a bonus or penalty for trying to get the snakes to help them in fighting Volorog.
On one hand the snakes are described as timid. On the other hand, Vol has already attacked them and their master once, so I'm considering making it a DC 10 check taking slightly less than a minute. Maybe 1d4 + 5 rounds (Volorog has retreated into the pantry at the moment, so they have enough time to attempt such a tactic).
What do you think of handling it like that? (And who wants to bet they ignore the snakes and just charge into combat, rendering my preparation pointless?)
(And who wants to bet they ignore the snakes and just charge into combat, rendering my preparation pointless?)
Well...don't they have to make a perception check just to notice the vipers hiding in there?
I know my party missed them....then again they also didn't see through the disguise...
(And who wants to bet they ignore the snakes and just charge into combat, rendering my preparation pointless?)Well...don't they have to make a perception check just to notice the vipers hiding in there?
I know my party missed them....then again they also didn't see through the disguise...
Same story here, my party saw through his disguise (in so much as they thought he was fishy as hell) and tried to force their way inside from the front door. It wasn't long after that the Warden came out of hiding and (eventually) made comment that if any of his vipers survived they'd be out back. After that no one really bothered with them.
Well...don't they have to make a perception check just to notice the vipers hiding in there?
I know my party missed them....then again they also didn't see through the disguise...
Yes, but they still might go: Perception, "Oh look, snakes", Charge in. Or just charge in without bothering to look around at all. Either way nullifies my prep work really.
Just as a little follow up:
They did indeed notice the snakes in the yard, and the druid attempted her wild empathy (my prep payed off, yay!) Unfortunately she then blew it with a bad roll, low enough to turn the snakes from indifferent to unfriendly.
I figured it wasn't enough provocation for the vipers to attack, they weren't knocked to hostile after all, but the snakes hissed at them and then slithered back into the deepest parts of the underbrush, refusing to help or associate with the party.