Roc Falls, Nobody Dies

[pennywit]

My players encountered the big roc at last session. The roc itself was pretty challenging (except that the GM rolled 1s at a couple lousy moments). However ....

The module makes out that climbing the tower and getting the eggs will be a big quest ... but it's not that huge a deal when the party is 5th level and somebody casts fly on the eidolon.

I rolled the percentile chance that the roc was out to lunch, and it turned out he was at the tower. My players failed a stealth roll, then battled the roc, which was kind of a treat. (The roc would have gotten the ranger, if it weren't for a natural 1 on a grapple check).

Anyway, I wanted to start this thread as a place to gather suggestions about ways to make this encounter a little more interesting, particularly the tower itself. Things I was thinking about:

* Default to the roc being away when the players arrive. It will return to its nest after a couple hours if they're patient. If not ... it will return in the middle of the players' climbing or flying up the side of the tower.

* One of the roc eggs hatches while the players are stealing it.

[Spatula]

Maybe the area is known for super-strong winds, which don't much inconvenience a creature as big as a roc, but make life very difficult for a flying PC (or pet)...

[Philip Knowsley]

You could also add in something like a landslide triggered somehow...? e.g. Roc
comes back whilst players are climbing & drops a rock. If it hits a PC all good,
if not it could start a somewhat inconvenient landslide...

[Rubber Ducky guy]

Dudemeister built this into an epic adventure with a skill check goal to teach the top.

Here it is

[derks]

I trashed the quest for the egg and gave undead stats to the roc, for Vordakai's grasp had grown long by that point in our game. It was no longer simply dangerous wildlife but became an active Big-Bad minion and obstacle as my party crossed the mountains.

I also made sure that the weather was gray and thickly overcast so that this zombie roc could fly up into the cover of the low-hanging clouds and strike from anywhere in the sky without warning. My players were very shaken.

[tonyz]

Have two rocs. Single big monsters with weak Will saves get owned by most parties.

Have an Awakened roc that talks to the players.