SO i've been writing a kingdom event for an APL 4 party, i found a creature thats ideal, gave it some support so its not a walk over and created a CR 7 encounter, i'm not sure if this beastie should actually be the CR it is though and i just wanted a little advice. My players look away now...
The party will have an encounter with 4 small fire elementals (Bestiary 1) on their way to the main blaze to give them a clue as to the nature of the event.
Approaching the farm you can see an outline of the half brick farm house still glowing with residual heat from the fire which must have recently died down, the building itself is mostly burnt out but some smaller fires still remain and illuminate the area around the destroyed building.
Inside the building or within 10 feet of its walls each creature takes 1d6 fire damage per minute and must make a fortitude save DC 15 (+1 per previous check) every 5 minutes or take 1d4 non lethal damage from the oppressive heat.
Approaching within 30 feet of the farm will cause the Lurker to spot the party and raise the alarm to her fire elemental minions who will move out of line of sight behind the stone walls and wait for party to enter the building, a DC 10 Perception check reveals the presence of the two medium fire elementals and a check result of DC 20 reveals that there seems to be another presence in the building from the strange movements of the wispy smoke still around. A DC 49 perception check reveals the Lurker's square until she moves.
2 Medium Fire Elementals, Bestiary 1 (cr3)
Lurker in Light, Bestiary 2 (cr5)
Init +8 Senses low light vision, perception +16
Ac 20, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+4 dex, +3 natural, +1 size, +2 bracer’s)
HP 50 (8d6+16)
Fort +4 Ref +10 Will +9
Defensive abilities blend with light (greater invisibility in better than dim light), immune blindness, DR 5/cold iron
Speed 30ft, fly 30 ft(average)
Melee 2 claws +9 (1d3+1) or MW dagger +10 (1d3+1/19-20 plus poison fort DC 17; 1/rnd for 6 rnds; 1 str/1d3 str damage; cure 1 save) add +2 to hit for invisibility
Special abilities sneak attack +3d6
SLA (CL 8th; concentration +11)
at will – dancing lights, flare (DC13) ghost south (DC14) light, mage hand
3/day – daylight, blindness/deafness (DC16)
Str 13 Dex 18 Con 15 Int 14 Wis 16 Cha 17
Base atk +4; CMB +4: CMD 18
Feats alertness, flyby attack, improved initiative, weapon finesse
Skills acrobatics +15, escape artist +15, fly +17, knowledge arcana +10, knowledge planes +10, perception +16, stealth +19, survival +11
Languages ignan, common, sylvan
SQ daylight door(d.door 1/day from and too areas of bright light), poison use, ritual gate
Treasure/equipment bracer’s of armour +2, MW small dagger, lesser ring of fire resistance, MW lute, healers kit, courtiers outfit (female), silver bracelets shaped like doves in flight (200gp), pair of sapphire earrings (120gp), sapphire ring (60gp), silver broach with herald design (40gp)
The Lurker is wearing the items which she has taken from the Holder who used to own this building, the creatures she has killed have been used to summon the flaming allies she now has roaming the area around her conquest. She will wait while the PC's defeat the fire elementals and observe the fight, after 3 rounds or when the last fire elemental dies she will open with deafness on any casters she spots and will use blindness if there seems to be a capable melee threat, she will then use fly by attack and her invisibile in light ability to make repeated sneak attacks on the party, first targetting anyone who seems to be able to detect her or casts any spells which could negate her invisibility advantage. If the party attempt to snuff out the fires to cut down the light the Lurker will use its daylight ability and will use daylight door if reduced to lower than 10hp.
So what does everyone think? is it going to be too hard for a apl 4 party or is it a fair CR?