Shadow's last stand Part 1 Tier 3-4

[tlotig]

Any one else feel the large air elemental at tier 3-4, (including dropping characters 60') is unfair to the point of TPK?
I ran it on the weekend and replaced it with 2 medium air elementals(same CR).

[TetsujinOni]

I'll agree as far as 'potentially deadly'. There's options for dealing with it for the PCs.

[Jason S]

In a whirlwind, how fast does a PC shoot up to 40' (in the case of a L air elemental)? It doesn't really say in the bestiary.

I guess what I'm asking is "Can an air elemental (in whirlwind form) move to each PC and (potentially) cause slam damage and then drop each PC 40' each and every round?"

[TetsujinOni]

Jason S wrote:

In a whirlwind, how fast does a PC shoot up to 40' (in the case of a L air elemental)? It doesn't really say in the bestiary.

I guess what I'm asking is "Can an air elemental (in whirlwind form) move to each PC and (potentially) cause slam damage and then drop each PC 40' each and every round?"

As far as the rules are concerned, they seem to move to that location in the whirlwind's space as a free action of the elemental.

Given the non-action for whirlwind pickup, you can zigzag across the PCs as one move then move to 100' and drop every round or every other round, depending on the precise geometry of the area. Or every three rounds if you have room for the 20d6 drop.

Those are based on the reading I have that these rules haven't changed in significant ways since 3.5, with the possible exception of needing to make nearly trivial Fly checks?

[ZomB]

The tactics help you as they call for it to

Spoiler:

transform into a whirlwind (std action), do a whirlwind run and drop, change back and then do fly by attacks. So only one round of drops.

Still 21 average damage on a drop is not to be sniffed at for a 3rd level party.

[Jason S]

I'm guessing this would be a really good example of "running the tactics as intended".

[Sarta]

From a raw story-telling perspective, the situation is far more cinematic for the players if it takes two rounds to turn into the whirlwind, move to the characters, scoop them up, carry them into the air, and drop them.

This gives the characters a round while in the whirlwind to react to the situation. Some will take the opportunity to attack without worrying about reach. Others may try to find a solution to their current predicament, like pull out a grapnel hook and rope and try to catch a railing.