Okay, not technically a swarm and not technically pseudo-dragons. That was my original vision, but then I read the rules and realized that neither was quite what I envisioned. Now it is “A Flock of DragonHawks”, where dragonhawks are essentially fire breathing birds.
Background:
The heroes have completed their first adventure and are returning to the big city to a glorious welcome. They are currently 3rd level, but the next big adventure I have planned for them needs them at 4th. Plus the adventure has a strong need for ranged attacks, which the party is lacking. So, I wanted a mini-adventure that would help them gain a level and point out their range deficiency. In addition to the combat described below, there will be lots of opportunities for them to gain XP through roleplaying as they navigate the complex politics.
The event:
The bad guy throws a McGuffin into the fountain of the city square. Within an hour, the square is filled with dragonhawks and chaos reigns. Hundreds of hawks are circling, squawking and flaming. The people in the square are panicking. Some are running away. Others are throwing or shooting into the air, which often misses the hawks and returns to earth adding to the chaos. Buildings are beginning to burn.
The party comes upon this scene and immediately the citizenry is asking them to make the hawks go away. The idea in my mind is that the problem is too big to solve on their own. If they go in alone to save the day, they will end up as fried bird food. It is an opportunity for the cavalier to take charge and start giving orders, for the dwarf to utilize his knowledge of the tunnels under the city and the monk... well, I don’t know what the monk should be doing.
They face the threefold problem of getting people out of the square, stopping or minimizing the burning of buildings and figuring out how to drive off the hawks.
I am picturing 100 or so basic dragonhawks, 30 advanced ones and 5 giant advanced ones. Unless antagonized, they will stay within 200’ of the fountain. If the McGuffin is destroyed, they will fly away. Several people saw the bad guy throw it in the fountain, but the party will have to inquire. The party will have available a large number of common folk, a few dozen town guards who show up but don’t know what to do and a couple of clerics who come out from a nearby temple. There are other sources of water besides the fountain.
That’s the basic idea. I am open to any suggestions or refinements you might suggest.
CR 1
XP 400
N Tiny Magic Beast
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size)
hp 6 (1d10)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Immune fire;
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee talons +5 (1d4-2)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 6, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 7
Base Atk +0, CMB +1; CMD 9
Special Attacks breath weapon (15-ft. ray, Reflex DC 12 to avoid, 1d6 fire) Once every four rounds.
Feats Flyby Attack
Skills Fly +10, Perception +14,
Special: Up to five Draco-Hawks can fly in formation in a single square and simultaneously use their breath weapons. This requires a single save to avoid, but the DC is increased by 2 for each hawk over 1. (2 hawks = DC 14, 3 hawks = DC 16, etc.)
CR 2
XP 400
N Tiny Magical Beast
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +4 template, +2 size)
hp 10 (1d10)
Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +4
Immune fire;
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee talons +7 (1d4)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 6, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 7
Base Atk +0, CMB +1; CMD 9
Special Attacks breath weapon (15-ft. ray, Reflex DC 14 to avoid, 1d6 fire) Once every four rounds.
Feats Flyby Attack
Skills Fly +10, Perception +14,
Special: Advanced Draco-Hawks can fly in formation with normal ones. Use the Advanced Hawk DC and damage adjusted by the number of normal hawks. Additional Advanced Hawks add +3 to the DC instead of 2.
CR 3
XP 800
N Small Magical Beast
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 18, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +4 template, +1 size)
hp 16 (1d10 + template)
Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +4
Immune fire;
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee talons +9 (1d4+2)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 7
Base Atk +0, CMB +1; CMD 9
Special Attacks breath weapon (15-ft. ray, Reflex DC 18 to avoid, 1d6 fire) Once every four rounds.
Feats Flyby Attack
Skills Fly +10, Perception +14,
Special: Giant Advanced Draco-Hawks can fly in formation with normal ones but count as two hawks. Use the Giant Advanced Hawk DC and damage adjusted by the number of normal hawks. An additional Giant Advanced Hawk adds +4 to the DC instead of 2.
If the monks I've played with are any indication, he will want to leverage his super-speed (especially if they hit 4th level halfway through and he unlocks ki points) in order to run around spreading the news and maybe even grabbing citizens to rush them out of danger.
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This reminds me of an adventure where the party have to face constantly spawning Dire Rats, summoned by a were rat via music (and its next to a fountain too!).
The x5 tiny DragonHawks attacking all in one shot could be very scary for lv 3 characters, that's 5d6s with a DC of 20! 1 or 2 of those and the party will be fried to a crisps.
I suggest making sure the party KNOWS its a unwinnable battle by having one or 2 of these "flocks" of DragonHawks attack the party the moment they get in range of the fountain. Maybe even have them knocked out by the attack and get the Clerics to save them.
Once it is clear that a head on approach is not possible, provide/suggest to them other ways.
What I not sure about is how will this attack, "point out their range deficiency."? These DragonHawks being in "flocks" seems to call out SPECIFICALLY for the party to have an range AOE buster, not just a range attacker.
May be you could increase the DragonHawks' size and have them do fly-by attacks, 1 by 1 from the roofs of the buildings instead?
Or maybe have a single huge "Mama DragonHawk" boss be their target in additon to the Tiny hawks? One that is flying about and therefore calls for the party to have a good range attacker.
That way its clear that an range attacker, (Archer, magic user...etc) is needed and not just a specific type (AOE Buster).
The x5 tiny DragonHawks attacking all in one shot could be very scary for lv 3 characters, that's 5d6s with a DC of 20! 1 or 2 of those and the party will be fried to a crisps.
I didn't make it clear. Clustering up by the hawks increased the DC of the save but not the damage.
I suggest making sure the party KNOWS its a unwinnable battle by having one or 2 of these "flocks" of DragonHawks attack the party the moment they get in range of the fountain. Maybe even have them knocked out by the attack and get the Clerics to save them.
Once it is clear that a head on approach is not possible, provide/suggest to them other ways.
I haven't set the numbers firmly, but I am thinking that between 160' and 200' from the fountain, each person a 50% chance per round of being swooped by a single hawk. 120' to 160' is 50% single hawk, 25% cluster of three. With increasing likelihood as they get closer and potential for multiple swoops within 40'.
What I not sure about is how will this attack, "point out their range deficiency."? These DragonHawks being in "flocks" seems to call out SPECIFICALLY for the party to have an range AOE buster, not just a range attacker.
That is a good point. The sorcerer has burning hands, which lucky for him is acid based due to his elementalism. That gives them a good chance of knocking out some groups before getting pasted. But it should encourage the Cavalier to spend some of his treasure on a nice longbow, if nothing else.
I'll think on that.