So my players just did the sawmill where they took out all of the mooks and Ironbriar was able to escape. Ironbriar is still under the charm. One of the players went up to the ravens loft and released one and was able to watch it go to the clock tower. However my players are now talking about resting. So ok that means X and all her minions will be ready. She may even have more faceless stalkers, the Scarecrow and Ironbriar as minions. I'm wondering what you fellow DMs would do? Does X take the initiative and ambush or just buff up everyone at the top of the tower.
Ok let me rephrase. My players have accused me of going soft on them. So if I wanted to TPK the party with Ironbriar, Xansha, Scarecrow and 3 faceless stalkers how would you guy's do it. Not that I'm looking to TPK but, I want to make sure they have an extremely tough fight
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Ok let me rephrase. My players have accused me of going soft on them. So if I wanted to TPK the party with Ironbriar, Xansha, Scarecrow and 3 faceless stalkers how would you guy's do it. Not that I'm looking to TPK but, I want to make sure they have an extremely tough fight
My initial thoughts:
If the party rests for a couple days:
One last thought:
-Skeld
The exact situation happened in my game.
The funny part was when the PCs discovered the broken statue of Ironbriar, they brought insane quantities of hay to make a "landing zone" in case something would go bad up there!
Oh, and btw I used a modified version of X since my players are 5, 20-pt buy and most are very experienced and used to playing together:
Female Lamia Matriarch
CE Large Monstrous Humanoid (Shapechanger)
Init +5; Senses Darkvision (60 feet), Low-Light Vision; Perception +12
DEFENSE
AC 29, touch 17, flat-footed 23 (+4 shield, +5 Dex, -1 size, +8 natural, +1 deflection, +1 dodge)
hp 156 (12d10+36+12 false life), Mirror Images: 1d4+2
Fort +8 (+2 poison), Ref +15, Will +12
Immune mind-affecting; SR 19
OFFENSE
Spd 70 ft., Climbing (70 feet), Swimming (70 feet)
Melee Impaler of Thorns +18/+18/+13/+8 (1d8+22+1 Wis drain/19-20/x3) Power attack mode
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Wisdom Drain (DC 21)
Spell-Like Abilities Charm Monster (At will), Deep Slumber (3/day), Dream (3/day), Major Image (3/day), Mirror Image (3/day), Suggestion (3/day), Ventriloquism (At will)
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 6, +14 melee touch, +18 ranged touch):
3 (4/day - 1 cast) Haste
2 (6/day – 2 cast) Silence (DC 17), Invisibility
1 (8/day – 2 cast) Divine Favor (+2), Magic Missile, Shield, Cure Light Wounds (DC 16)
0 (at will) Acid Splash, Daze (DC 15), Read Magic, Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound (DC 15), Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
Spells already cast: False Life (Sihedron Medallion), Divine Favor (+2), Shield, Mirror Image, Haste
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 21, Con 17, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 21
Base Atk +12; CMB +18; CMD 36 (can't be Tripped)
Feats Extend Spell, Improved Critical: Spear, Power Attack -4/+12, Silent Spell, Weapon Focus: Spear
Skills Acrobatics +9, Bluff +21, Climb +18, Diplomacy +11, Disguise +11, Fly +3, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (Arcana) +16, Knowledge (Local) +16, Perception +12, Spellcraft +16, Stealth +1, Swim +13, Use Magic Device +21 Modifiers Acrobatics (Jump) +4
Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Thassilonian, Varisian
SQ Change Shape (fixed Medium humanoid form, alter self) (Su)
Combat Gear Impaler of Thorns (Base: +1 darkwood spear), Medusa Mask, Sihedron Medallion, Snakeskin Tunic; Other Gear Ring of Protection, +1
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Wisdom Drain (DC 21) (Su) A lamia matriarch drains 1d4 points of Wisdom each time she hits with her melee touch attack. The first time each round that she strikes a foe with a melee weapon, she also drains 1 point of Wisdom. A DC 21 Will save negates the Wisdom drain.
I also had prepared a CR9 version of her (with the Advanced template), but in the end I was glad not to have used it.
Thanks guy's good food for thought Lithrac I love the hay bit. Man you can never tell when players are just going to go off the deep end
I'm going to semi-hijack this thread, just for sake of not littering the forums.
I'm going to DM a session in 18hours, still thinking about what to do. Here's the situation:
- The sawmill is cleared. Party butchered the cultist, captured unconcious Ironbriar. Sent a message using the raven, which was saying "Sawmill is burnt (as a hideout). Meet me at Aldern's in two days."
- Party was living in the Fish Tank inn (the one from the Magnimar book). They moved Ironbriar through town (at late night) with a wagon from the sawmill. They disquised him (used horsehair as mustache, bought like 10 sessions back at Sandpoint xD) and walked him like he's being drunk. I allowed the inn visitors one perception check, and they suceeded. So the Scarzni recognized the Elf.
- In the morning party wanted to interogate him, but around 12 of Scarzni thugs disturbed them. After short scene of hard negotiating (not cooperating party leader, half-dumb monk and dumb thugs) they peacfully gave up the Elf (but still having his journal). So Ironbriar is out. I can do anything with him, just don't know what (kill him, make him just come back as nothing happened, use him as Xanesha's minion?).
- Two days passed, they staked out the Aldern's townhouse, preapring an ambush. They laid some simple traps. Scarecrow was sent by Xanesha to check out what the message was about, and dispose of any foes. He was slain. They tracked him back to Shadow Clock (ranger with fav. urban terrain, high roll). They wen't upstairs, killed stalkers. Only two of them (7 PCs party!) went to the top of the tower, where the saw... a Demon! They got scared and stealthed back (they went up with stealth also, high rolls). Next day, party leader, halfling ranger wanted to convice the half-dumb monk that his fear of heights is just idiocy, and that it's safe to reach the top of the clock tower, if the demon is not there. They wen't there by themselves. Only 2 of them. There was no demon, they inspected the room, but got surprised by Xanesha going out of invisibility, stabbing them with her weapon. They managed to escape the tower (didn't want Xanesha to follow them for now).
Those two pesky PCs managed to get ahold of the Xanesha's target list for sihedron ritual. Seeing Lord Mayor's name, they went straight to him. They managed to convince him, that his life is in danger, and that they want to run an official investigation to catch the murderer. Also, they've been able to translate Ironbriar's journal and gave it to Lord Mayor as a proof of Ironbriar beeing guilty of the murders.
For now I'm planning to give my party one day, which they will probably spend on side quest I cooked up ( Dawn of the Scarlet Sun, but adding Orik as a new acolyte of the Sarenarae - he was the only NPC that they've spared on thistletop, and he's grateful, asking them to help him now).
After that I'm going to have Xanesha with 2 stalkers and her illusion-Demon attack them at night in their new inn (they moved after the thug incident in Fish Tank).
I'm still not sure if that's a good way for her to act, and also I'd like to use Ironbriar somehow.
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Xanesha's Tactics state she prefers to let her minions fight the intruders step-by-step, only engaging them if they actually manage to fight all the way up to her. I can see her having Ironbriar up there with her, but I can just as easily see her have him work with the Faceless Stalkers instead.
I am running this exact spot Saturday, so I can't speak for her raw power personally, but she looks pretty extreme. If your players are whining about you playing nice, don't pull any punches with the bell trap- roll 2d4 instead of 1d4, and make sure they cut it when the PCs have scaled a good portion of the Tower, so that the falling damage really racks up.
If they miraculously survive the bell with little harm done, THEN I'd have Ironbriar retreat to Xanesha. But if that bell and the Stalkers do their job, the PCs should be more than softened up enough for Xanesha to kick them around pretty hard.
We played that session a while ago, but thanks for input :)
They attacked her in the Clocktower before she mounted an attack on them in the inn, so she was still alone (Stalkers were killed before, when they were inspecting the tower for the first time). The fight wasn't easy, mostly because of X having reach and no legs ;D (party monk specialize in tripping things), but They've managed to kill her off. She wasn't able to run or to change positions because of how small the top floor is and the party numbers (6 PCs, 3 NPCs; Orik who they assked to assist them, animal companion and 1 useless goblin NPC who I allowed for halfling ranger as a "friend/son", captured in sandpoint, a little civilized now and it became ranger's cohort last session - that was planned from the beginning, the goblin is disguised in old tuxedo with tophat so he's somewhat a comedic relief to the party ^^).
Because of that and having 2 hard hitters always ready to make AoO on X, she wasn't able to cast much of her spells effectively.
My advice if running X on the tower for party larger than 6 - make the floor larger for at least 3 squares on each side ;D
Or giving her a potion of Levitate. Or having her smart enough to jump off the building as it's untenable up there.
According to the stat block, Xanesha should be pre-buffed with a Fly spell (plus Mage Armour and Shield), and has a good chance to have also Mirror Image, Haste, and Invisibility running on her, plus Silence on an area just inside her door.
I somehow missed the fly (kept mage armor and shield) 0_o
Well what happened in my group was Ironbriar escaped and warned X. The party had befriended one of the town guards. Who offered them a place to sleep before they assaulted the tower.
The party rogue decided to recon the tower. I assumed that she would only scope the outside so we decided to do this between games via email.
Bad assumption on my part. The rogue entered the tower and was grappled by the Scarecrow. Who then called X down. Zenovia the rogue had ridiculously low Will saves and was easy pickings for X who seduced her(Zenovia had extremely high CHA). X was able to learn everything about the party.
She commanded Ironbriar (who she thought was a tool anyways) to prepare only buff spells for her. The party awoke the next day to find this missing rogue and went to mount a rescue.
They breezed through the Scarecrow, The bell attacked only one PC which was the monk which did nothing to him and the Faceless Stalkers were ineffectual.
The party got up to the top of the tower to see a nude rogue chained to the wall. The party promptly attacked X's illusion. Thats when X stepped in behind the paladin (buffed to all hell) and laid him low in one round. Next round X outright killed the cleric deader than dead.
Things went bad for the party. With everyone dropping except for the sorceress who feather falled to the ground.
This might have ended the game. As I felt there would be no strong connection to Sandpoint. However the player running the rogue was actually tired of that character (constantly failing will saves kinda sucks). Previously the friendly town guard had told the PC's he would try to send back up. This was in the form of the two new PC's of the deceased cleric and mind controlled rogue. Who the sorceress ran into.
These three were able to climb the stairs to the clockwork room and kill Ironbriar who was commanded to move the new prisoners into this room. Ironbriar had no healing spells as he had only prepared buff spells. X was busy on the roof seducing the paladin
This lead to a fight where the party was fully healed but, with no high level powers or spells. Which was fine since 99% of X's buffs were gone and most of her high powered stuff was also gone. During the fight the party freed Zenovia the rogue.
The party was able to kill X and chop her head off. When they looked around for Zenovia she was gone. After collecting the loot when they went to their hideout they found Zenovia had been there and stolen all of their gold.
I should mention I have never seen my players so pissed off at me before. Sure I could kill their characters and they'd be fine with that. But mess with their gold and suddenly its real now.. For the next half hour there followed furious rules searching to see if in fact the mind controlled rogue could have indeed carried all of it anyways. Which she could have.
At this point they went to the Lord Mayor and started off to Turtleback Ferry. Completely forgetting about said rogue. During the (awesome) RP email exchange with the rogue she had decided that as a mind controlled sex toy of X's she would try to have her raised if the PC's killed her. I took this idea and ran with it. Zenovia was a local of Magnimar. So she could hide the gold and then went back and took a finger from X's corpse. The gold would cover the cost of having a caster cast the right spell but, She needed a diamond worth 10k gold. Well what do you know. She's a rogue with a skinsaw mask (looted from the party).
So yeah I'm going to bring X and Zenovia back. However I'm not thinking as direct enemies. I'm trying to think of some type of rival scenario I can play this in.....