So my campaign is wrapping up this weekend, and I was hoping you guys could catch any dumb mistakes I made that would make the fight too short or too long.
The party consists of six and a half players (we let my eight-year-old brother join for the last few sessions) of 17th level. Two fighters, magus, cleric, barbarian, rogue, god wizard. Their money is about 12000 above WBL, each has an extra feat, built with 25-ish point buy.
Each also has an artifact weapon to help fight the forces of evil. Effectively +11 weapons with unique specials, some of which are activated and some are passive (wizard casts spontaneously, cleric can use immediate action to cast resurrection at the cost of two negative levels, rogue gets double haste effect for two levels, etc.)
Before I get to the stat block, I want to point out a couple of things--there are a few things I decided to ignore (the str damage from unholy aura, death throes), and some things that I fudged based on the PCs (the frightful gaze DC). This is basically a colossal-sized balor lord with extra HD and some other stuff tacked on. I didn't bother writing down equipment, but that's all already factored in.
Here it is, knowing the forums, I can thank you all in advance for the suggestions and such. :)
* These are the bits I am least sure on.
CE Colossal outsider, Fighter 4
Init +14; Senses Blindsight, true seeing; Perception +50
Aura flaming body, frightful gaze (DC 30, shaken)
AC 40, touch 16, flat-footed 30 (+3 armor, +4 deflection, +10 Dex, +21 natural, –8 size)
hp 847* (34d10+650) Fast healing 50*
Fort 40, Ref +22, Will +29
Defensive Abilities Heavy fortification, Unstoppable Immune electricity, fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 31*
Speed 40 ft., fly 90 ft. (good)
Melee +5 unholy longsword +51/+37/+32/+27 (4d10+2d6+50), +5 flaming whip +42/+37/+32 (2d6+50 plus 1d6 fire and entangle), 2 wings +35 (2d8+23), tail +35 (4d8+23)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 30 ft. (60 ft. with whip)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th)
Constant—freedom of movement, true seeing
At will—dominate monster (DC 30), greater dispel magic, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only), power word stun, telekinesis (DC 26)
3/day—Quickened greater command (DC 26), Quickened greater dispel magic, Quickened telekinesis (DC 26), Greater spell immunity, Stormbolts (DC 29)
1/day—fire storm (DC 29)
Str 56, Dex 31, Con 50, Int 30, Wis 30, Cha 33
Base Atk +34; CMB +56; CMD 80
Feats Combat Reflexes, Double slice, Furious focus, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (various), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (all), Weapon spec (all)
Entangle (Ex)
If a balor strikes a foe with its whip, the balor can immediately attempt a grapple check without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the balor wins the check, it draws the foe into an adjacent square. The foe gains the grappled condition, but the balor does not.
Flaming Body (Su)
A balor's body is covered in dancing flames. Anyone striking a balor with a natural weapon or unarmed strike takes 1d6 points of fire damage. A creature that grapples a balor or is grappled by one takes 6d6 points of fire damage each round the grapple persists.
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Do you happen to know what kind of AC/Saves your party has? And would you say they're casual or optimized players? Something like this is probably pretty decent for a group that's not focused on optimizing, but then with the artifact level gear you've said you given them, he may be dead in a few rounds. If the party is playing optimized characters, he could be dead in a few rounds.
Have you considered adding any minions to the fight? Typically 1 BBEG by himself gets crowded out due to action economy and the fight is over before it starts.
Most of the party he'll hit with almost every attack (excepting the fighter with 47 someodd AC). Not as sure about saves; they'll probably make about 75% of them at the current DCs.
The magus and wizard are fairly well optimized, although the Unstoppable with cut out most of the wizard's stuff. The rest are probably slightly above average.
Action economy is the one other thing I forgot to mention: I was going to roll initiative for him multiple times (haven't decided yet whether to do two or three) and just have him go multiple times per round. It makes less work for me, and portrays him as even scarier.
The wild card will be the artifact then.
If you want him to go multiple times per round, have you considered some sort of partially real mirror image approach? Like have X number of copies that fight at the same ability, but share one HP pool? Maybe limit him to one ability/spell per round, but otherwise let him physically attack X number of times per round.
What defense versus mind control does the party have? Even at 75% success rate, a lucky Dominate Monster can finish the party off really quick. Especially if this guy just flies out of reach and spams it. Are the party aware, or have the ability to learn about the BBEGs capabilities?
They can all fly, so that isn't a problem. They can also (and have, the other times it's happened) cast dispel magic on anyone mind controlled.
I have thought about multiple images, but I only have one figure and I want the fight to look epic.
The action economy of 6 players is going to be hard to overcome. I would have him know the PC's are coming and summon backup before they get there. A 40 AC is not hard to hit at level 17, and I don't see the DR, but I will assume they can overcome any DR the monster might have, and 847 points wont be hard to deal with either at that level.
Someone mentioned mirror image. I would have to agree.
PS: I see you plan to have him go multiple times. I would have him go on separate initiatives, but I still think backup is the better option, just so the party can't focus all of their attention on one monster.
If you want to prolong the encounter include a puzzle with missing pieces, and using the semi real illusions mentioned each time you defeat the illusion you get a piece.
Of course add stuff in between fights and by the time you get the real BBEG, the resources will be taxed.
Furious focus only works when two handing a weapon, so that first swing is gonna be a fair bit lower. DC 30 or less isn't all that bad on his abilities, since a Great Wyrm Red Dragon has a DC 33 Breath Weapon. I think the save DCs should be Con-based, though that might make them completely terrifying. Either way, 17th level PCs should have a minimum of +11 to their bad saves (+5 class, +5 Cloak, +1 Luckstone), ability scores and other buffs not considered.
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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Hurm this level of play sounds like rocket tag.
I'd add a couple of lieutenants. He's facing 6+ foes, action economy will destroy him.
He has mythic abilities...do the PCs?
Is there any way to stop the Fast Heal 50?
Does the Balor have DR?
Oserath wrote: Furious focus only works when two handing a weapon, so that first swing is gonna be a fair bit lower. Huh. I never noticed that restriction. I guess I'll give him a variant on the Fast Drinker feat that lets him drink potions as a swift action. That will keep him alive longer.
6.5 vs 1, at your party's current economy...
If you want the fight to be epic, add some mooks- lower level demons that act as the bbeg's advance party. Not too tough, but can hit the party and soak up some resources.
As they battle these peons, they can see bbeg sitting pat, simply waiting for them...
A Balor is a Demonic General, so hand him a few hezrous, babaus, succubi, whatever and let chaos reign.
Can you explain why you have a +50 to damage from hitting? double slice: add strength to offhand damage (instead of 1/2 strength) 23 strength, 5 magical, 2 weapon specialization, @ L 20, 10/5 from power attack.
Can you explain to me where the last +10 damage from your main hand comes from? ... last +15 damage from your off hand comes from?
Mapleswitch wrote: Can you explain why you have a +50 to damage from hitting? double slice: add strength to offhand damage (instead of 1/2 strength) 23 strength, 5 magical, 2 weapon specialization, @ L 20, 10/5 from power attack.
Can you explain to me where the last +10 damage from your main hand comes from? ... last +15 damage from your off hand comes from?
Not level 20. Level 34. Six more from power attack (level 20 is actually 12/6). Fudged the last two to make the fight more smooth, same as changing the colossal longsword from 6d6 to 4d10. Not sure why the whip would be five less.
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