Moonscar

[andreww]

So, I am running this high level module twice over the next two weeks and I have one query which I thought I would seek advice from other GM's on. I am going to put this in spoiler text as I know some of my players are active on here and in the hope that they keep their noses out.

Spoiler:

So, one of the encounters right near the end involves multiple creatures which can each grant a Wish to a mortal and there just happens to be a handy mortal nearby. What would be your best suggestions for possible wishes?

I have looked at this before with a certain Hard Mode and I want to avoid stuff like Wishing people into the Sun as being dull. Also the DC is probably too low for 15th-17th level characters. I have considered:

1. Teleporting them to Nocticula's Domain, similar issues to sending people to the sun but more amusing, thematic and survivable.

2. Simulacrum, lots of options here although the area is quite small so that limits options. Nocticula has stats in a Paizo source, I'm just sayin'

3. Anti-Magic Field, possibly useful, most of the creatures abilities don't depend on magic, most of the PC's do

4. Maximised Cloudkill, technically 8th level and so eligible, enemies largely immune but collateral damage

5. Geas, I used this in a certain 7-11 to deny the Gunslinger the ability to cause any living creature harm. Fun times

6. Waves of Ecstasy, thematically appropriate, has an effect regardless of save

7. Persistent Greater Command/Forbid Action, fairly potent control but again low DC

8. Creeping Doom, very creepy, lots of potential dex damage, much higher DC than the base swarm

9. Anti-Life Shell, screw you melee people, especially with the change to how such emanations work for creatures larger than medium

10. Fickle Winds, in case of archers

11. Maze, for animal companions and similar low Int martial types

12. Wall of Lava, automatic damage, large blockage

13. Summon Monster VIII - 1d4+1 pouncing fiendish dire tigers, 1d3 armour destroying Bebiliths

14. Solid Forceage, trap annoying animal companions and martial types

15. Persistent Banshee Blast, minor damage and powerful control

16. Dazing Fire Snake, see above

So what do the rest of you think?

[Iammars]

I wouldn't use the wishes in that encounter unless the PCs have been stomping everything (and there's a number of encounters in that mod that can definitely challenge even optimized PCs - that vamp sorc fight is surprisingly hard). Glabrezu wishes are for tempting people who aren't already on the side of the demons, not for people who are already there.

(That being said, I would definitely kill someone, then have the crusader ask "Don't you wish your friend wasn't dead anymore?" If anyone answers yes, use a glabrezu wish to bring him back as a juju zombie.)

[Ragoz]

Using them for buffs isn't unreasonable. The wishes can be a reward for service but they tend to be twisted wishes with a drawback.

[Pirate Rob]

Sample Glabrezu tactics from a PFS scenario:

...slaying one of its opponents’ allies and offering to wish that ally back to life—only to animate the fallen as a new foe.

[andreww]

James McTeague wrote:

I wouldn't use the wishes in that encounter unless the PCs have been stomping everything (and there's a number of encounters in that mod that can definitely challenge even optimized PCs - that vamp sorc fight is surprisingly hard). Glabrezu wishes are for tempting people who aren't already on the side of the demons, not for people who are already there.

(That being said, I would definitely kill someone, then have the crusader ask "Don't you wish your friend wasn't dead anymore?" If anyone answers yes, use a glabrezu wish to bring him back as a juju zombie.)

While in general I would agree with you at this point a group of mortals has made it to the very entrance of their Queens bedroom, I imagine they might do anything to hold them off at that point.

[Ragoz]

Spoiler:

If you are going to use dazing, make sure it's also a persistent spell. You said you didn't think the DC would be high enough already so don't skimp on this save.

I think the sun isn't that bad an option if needed. I mean they are already on the moon it's not that strange to send them to the sun. Can you wish them into Rappan Athuk or Slumbering Tsar? They can probably return later but who knows what they might find being forcefully sent there.

Glabrezu already have power word stun but if you need another you can wish for it. If you are in touch range consider Euphoric Tranquility instead for the higher duration.

You can't get nocticula with this casting of simulacrum because you are capped at 28 HD. Try her lover Shamira who is also a demon lord if you would like that flavor.

This one has some borrowed flavor but is a good spell if there are still people to teleport in. Signifier's Rally will teleport allies in to aid the caster with a 1 round period to buff if they so choose.

[andreww]

Spoiler:

Good catch on Nocticula. I cant find stats for Shamira.

[Ragoz]

Spoiler:

Shamira, from the Midnight Isles

[andreww]

Spoiler:

I ran the first group through this yesterday and they managed to finish things although not without 1 death and a lot of breath of lifes. We had a level 17 druid, cleric, paladin and a ranger 15 I think.

The first encounter was quite scary as the succubi realised quite quickly that they were not hitting with their bows and switched to their wands. 3d4 negative levels a round is scary when they focus fire. Two of them ended up fleeing.

Miglargu gave the overconfident druid a scare as he went scouting in the lake on his own. He nearly took him out with a bunch of smiting natural attacks.

Once they got inside the main dungeon the dragon could have been dangerous but a dispel magic stripped the magic jar straight away and a 10ac doesn't work well against an undead hating ghost salt using ranger archer.

The vampire mistress was predictably quite vicious. She noticed the group arrive straight away and, warned by the succubi which escaped, summoned her minions to her and buffed them up. About 5 vampires beat the groups poor initiative but the first fireball failed miserably due to fire resist 30 from a communal spell so she ordered them to switch to magic missiles. I have never seen a level 17 druid run from a bunch of magic missiles before! She kept trying to hold monster people but even at DC30 no-one was succumbing so no cdg for her.

The cloven sister was also dangerous. I have her a mage armour from one of the vampires since there are 9 of them on that level capable of casting it and with the unholy aura that pushed her to AC44. She also fooled the group initially with a projected image hiding within a blade barrier. Ultimately though she just isn't all that accurate with her attacks and when they do hit they don't do much damage.

The final level began to get more interesting. The general was surprisingly effective. He does hit like a truck but I expected him to be hopeless with his terrible will save but without an arcane caster in the group it was less of an issue. He dropped the paladin to dead at least twice but he got back up both times. The druid had summoned some kami (added to his list via the ring) who could cast ranged Heal and Breath of Life. I did use the Wishes but I based them on the Generals terrible mental stats so he got a greater dispel and overland flight after his potion was dispelled. The glabrezu got a few hits off but then fell to a mixture of holy word and withering arrow fire.

The final encounter nearly didn't happen. The group had no way around the prismatic wall so resorted to trying to taunt her to drop it. I gave it to them but then forgot to make use of the private sanctum effect which would have prevented them seeing inside until they entered. She shared her smite with her mount and then started wrecking face on a mostly good aligned group pushing her AC to 48. The paladin went down but the druid dropped a level 9 spell slot and up came another 6 kami each with heal 1/day and breath of life 3/day. They were very much needed and they managed to push her into power word kill territory which let the cleric finish her off.

Our one actual death that stuck was the symbol of death which is just a very mean undetectable trap. Sadly the ranger only had 11 con and was taken down by it. Fortunately they had a resurrection on hand.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed running it and am looking forward to doing so again next weekend. The 2nd group will I think be a but tougher so I may employ a more dangerous wish effect.

[pauljathome]

Spoiler:

The game was quite enjoyable. It certainly shows very clearly the nyah nyah effects of high level play. Less rocket taggish tgan I expected. And how very, very variable things will be depending on how the GM and PCs handle things.

Man, shape change is a powerful spell (I was playing the overconfident druid. And I admit that was a quite accurate description). It is SO insanely flexible. When encounters don't look that tough one can do reasonable damage as a huge dragon.

That ring is definitely the best 6k I've ever spent. Admittedly, it WAS a 9th level spell and I do have 3 feats invested but even so its a LOT of healing and even a bit of damage.