grandpoobah
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It was alluded to in another post, so I'll separate it out here - and even let my players read it.
This past weekend, my non-mythic party brought down Baphomet in a "bonus session" dedicated to that encounter.
Setup:
The party is non-mythic, level 18 using 20 point buy. They received four +2 stat bumps (per recommendation if running non-mythic), and the treasure has been kept the same as the AP (which is still a lot).
They do have access to a limited hero points system (useful for re-rolls and only move or swift actions), limit 2 points per day.
The party (and allies) for this battle:
PC1: Zen archer
PC2: Paladin
PC3: Cleric/Battle Herald (Channels to hurt evil outsiders)
PC4: Witch
NPC1: GATED ally for the entire prison was a unique (advanced) half-celestial elder earth elemental. He hits like a truck. His name is Bob.
NPC2: Redeemed Herald. The herald (as statted in Inner Sea Gods), minus gear. They did have a large longsword from a marilith to give it.
NPC3: Alderpash (level 19 evoker lich)
It is worth noting that both Baphomet and his allies are significantly improved over their published stat blocks. Key differences:
All Demons (Balors) can teleport, greater dispel, and use a few other powers as both move actions or swift actions. This significantly improves action economy.
All Demons (Balors) have a +x profane bonus to AC, to-hit, saves, weapon damage, and Save DC of some abilities
All monsters have improved ability scores (around +4, per the advanced template)
All monsters have more HP (typically 60%-80% of hit die).
Baphomet was more like Scorpion's modified statblock. I gave him The Evil Breath Weapon, as well as some improved other abilities.
Key summary of Balor abilities:
AC 41, Fort/Reflex/Will saves of 30/18/25; 410hp
To hit +34/29/24 (Sword and Whip) for 25 or 15 damage, plus another 15 "evil and fire" damage.
The balor's explode when they die, for 100 points of "evil and fire" damage, DC 34 for half.
Key summary of Ivory Minotaur abilities:
AC 34, Fort/Reflex/Will saves of 22/12/22; 310hp
To hit of +32/27/22 for about 30 damage
The minotaurs can also move to any square in visual range as a move action (similar to the Maze / Lair mastery ability on mythic minotaurs).
Baphomet Stats [Fully buffed]
AC 59 (with barkskin, mage armor, and shield)
900 hp with fast healing 40
Saves: 36/26/33, effectively has Evasion and Mettle, SR 38
Attack: Reach 20', +52/47/42/37 [74 damage, plus 7 evil plus 14 fire]
Glaive Sickens (DC 38 Fort prevents], and wounds require DC 30 caster level check to heal.
Breath Weapon: 45 Evil Damage (70 to people with a good aura)
Pre-Combat:
The session begins immediately after the last one ended - with the Herald Unconscious from non-lethal damage, having just been fully redeemed with all the Atonements.
Pre-Round1:
The party heals the Herald with no-SR effects (lay on hands, channel energy), clusters around the Teleportation circle, and uses UMD to activate it. Since they possess all 5 keys to the prison, they can take everyone with a single UMD check and arrive outside Alderpash's Prison.
Pre-Round2:
More healing happens, some buff spells are pearl-of-powered back. The herald is armed with a Longsword.
Pre-Round3-6:
Healing finishes. The Herald is buffed with Mage armor and barksking. The party re-casts Good Hope and Communal Stoneskin. Alderpash "contributes" by casting Haste, Crushing Fist, and Mage's Sword.
Baphomet Arrives (Boxed Text Round)
Baphomet Monologues
For the first time in my history as a DM, I allow the players to also Monologue. My secret motive was to give them a chance to "piss off" Bapohmet even more, which would have a game effect of him randomly forgetting to do some of his buffs.
The Paladin gave a stirring speech, which was very good, but not very antagonistic. I believe there was a comment about Hepzimirah in there.
The Witch had a serious mouth going. He tossed Baphomet's ball of twine down the hall and said "fetch".
The Zen Archer set the ball of twine on fire.
The Cleric (of Torag) was all business, and kept it clean.
Round 1:
As expected, Baphomet goes first on Init count 58, and starts with his Mythic Time Stop.
Baphomet buffs in his Time Stop.
He Calls 3 Balors and 3 Ivory Minotaurs
He uses a Miracle to Unhallow most of the area and tie a Silence to it.
he uses a scroll of Prismatic Wall to separate the party. His intent is to have some balors murder the heck out of the smart-mouthed witch.
His buffs are: Mage Armor, Shield, Barkskin, Resist energy sonic, Corruption resistance (good and law), greater arcane sight, and greater spell immunity (holy word, dictum, ill omen, suffocation, horrid wilting).
Baphomet (in his rage) FORGETS to cast Divine Power and Heroic Invocation. This reduces his To-hit and Damage by TEN (down to +42 to hit for 64 damage).
Baphomet also forgets to ready a standard action for when Time stop ends, so he gets no real offensive action in the first round.
The party is now separated by the prismatic wall and trapped in a silence field. Fortunately, they have Telepathic bond (but the Herald and Alderpash are not in it).
The Zen Archer full attacks and puts down one Ivory Minotaur.
The Witch uses a scroll of Mage's Disjunction to get rid of the Unhallow+Silence
The Rest of the party spreads damage around and learns that Baphomet is really hard to hit (and so are the Balors). The Paladin uses Aura of Justice to grant his smite to the Earth Elemental and the Cleric (he can't grant to anyone else because of the Prismatic Wall).
Round 2:
Baphomet leads off with his breath weapon, damaging team Good pretty significantly. He makes use of his Greater Arcane Sight to start de-buffing the Paladin with Greater Dispel (at Caster level 27). He then Fails to Imprison the Earth Elemental (it rolls a natural 20 on the Will save).
The Balors and Minotaurs start doing a number on the Witch - the Balors are especially good at Dispelling buffs from the Witch and Zen Archer (going for AC buffs and Fire/Corruption resistance).
The Witch had to Burn all his rerolls and his Jingasa in the first round - first to stop a Balor's nat 20 vorpal attempt, and second on a Nat 1 on a save vs. another Balor's Implosion.
Alderpash Time Stops and moves to safety, putting up an empowered (ice) delayed blast fireball and protecting himself and the Witch behind a wall of force, then readying a disintegrate to drop the wall AFTER the fireball goes off.
The Witch uses a second Mage's Disjunction to drop the Prismatic Wall, The cleric has to switch to healing a bit, and the Paladin and Archer buff up and begin to focus on baphomet. One balor dies (because of Alderpash's fireball) and his death-throes hurt (with the recently dispelled fire resistances). Evasion only protects the Zen ARcher and Paladin.
Round 3:
Baphomet is concerned about the Earth Elemental (he's both hard to hit and hits hard). This time he uses MAZE on him. Baphomet's reach serves him well: at 20' with combat reflexes, his opportunity attacks have severely damaged multiple targets, including a charging redeemed herald.
The Archer and Paladin focus on baphomet, The Paladin charges in and gets one good hit (and nailed by an opp attack). The Cleric Spams Channels to hurt evil outsiders and really wears down the opposition. Two Ivory Minotaurs die this round. In addition, Bob the Earth Elemental rolls a natural 18 and (with Good Hope) finds his way out of the maze on the first try.
Alderpash re-targets his Crushing Fist to Balor #2 and uses Quickened (intensified and empowered) magic missiles and cones of cold to wear down more of the opposition.
round 4:
Baphomet uses a Mass Heal scroll to repair himself and the opposition. Continued Dispels have now significantly debuffed the entire party, but really only their defense (barkskins, resist fire, etc.). Most of the party offense is from the Smite Evil shared by the Paladin (+10 to hit, +22 damage).
Baphomet gets beat down hard this round by the Earth Elemental and the Zen Archer. The Paladins first (and only) full attack vs. Baphomet is a total failure. Not a single die roll above 5. The Witch Hexes Baphomet with Evil Eye (-4 AC) and Cackles. Baphomet is not immune to hexes... Alderpash finishes off the last Minotaur and gets the attention of Balor#2.
Round 5, Finale
Baphomet breathes again, this time hitting the whole party and significantly wounding them.
He sends his three primary attacks at the Earth Elemental and misses wildly. his 4th iterative goes to the Paladin and Crits - spending 2 Mythic points to guarantee it (I let hime Surge as a free action). This kills the paladin.
The next initiative count is the Zen Archer, who crits TWICE and hits three more times for a total of (I kid you not) over 500 damage.
This kills Baphomet dead, dropping him to -100. Game Over Man, Game Over.
The remaining Balors run away (because why stay when you can be the first to loot Baphomet's lair..).
Final Thoughts
I'm sure I made tactical mistakes, but so did the players.
The witch realized on Round 3 that he could have used a Time Stop to Mage's Disjunction away the Unhallow and Prismatic Wall, thus freeing up his actions in Round 1 &2.
I could have had Baphomet spend a mythic point to take a standard action (for a spell like ability) and then full attack, but he would have missed the Earth Elemental a lot, and his early move actions where spent on additional Dispel Magics to debuff the party.
The witch also forgot to ask what buffs Baphomet had up AFTER the time stop (with his greater arcane sight). So the party never realized they could have dropped Baphomet's AC a bunch by (Mage's Disjunctioning) his Barkskin, Mage armor, and Shield.
Overall, it was a fun fight. It went a little over 4 rounds, and resulted in only one PC death. The combat took a little over 4 hours, but we took our time and dedicated an entire session to this on purpose.
The next few hours of "aftermath" were quite entertaining. It involved negotiating with a besieging forces of Devils (trying to take back the prison from Asmodeus) and dodging an army of Vrocks (Pazzuzu trying to sieze the entire realm).
Now, on to book 6!