I addressed perilous travel in my initial travel, perhaps too obliquely. If you arrive fighting fit, you go in, even if you're not 100%. If you're beat up enough to warrant a rest, well, you go ahead and you use your rest.
I picked 3:00 as an example because it's neither super early nor super late. As a PC, I prefer to travel during the day, unless my party is 100% darkvisioned. I will generally also try to arrive during the day for the same reasons. If time is of the essence and traveling as quickly as I can gets me there at night, then I do what I gotta do. I never said it was guaranteed, or even ideal.
There are few preparations an alarmed enemy could make in 10 hours that they couldn't do in a minute. The main foil would be repositioning forces so that it's tougher to fight them. The good news is that you can make the call about whether to rest or not depending on what the dungeon looks like when you get there, when you've killed some things, and when you have a better idea of what to suspect is left.
If the enemy sends forces to harass you, kill them for an easier tomorrow. If you can't kill them, make camp a bit farther away from the dungeon, try not to leave tracks, find a defensible position, obscure your camp, and for the love of all that's good, post a watch. I'm not saying that resting mid-dungeon is a god-given right to the PCs, but I don't have enough info to say that it's NOT possible, so I'm saying consider it as a possibility.
Rational tactics by an intelligent opponent would be for the entire dungeon to post scouts, raise an alarm, and then dump every encounter on the PCs' heads at the same time, resulting in what's probably an ECL+6 or ECL+8 deathmatch. Somehow, this never happens in Pathfinder, barring a few experimental games which I ran myself.
Similarly, enemy casters never seem to use any of their daily spells until the PCs show up, so if they get a chance to rest, it's no big deal. If Walsh actually lets his PCs fight an enemy caster who's down to a handful of Magic Missiles and one Web, but if he gets away he's got a fistful of Scorching Rays the next day, I question his narrative sensibilities, but vigorously applaud his dedication to verisimilitude.
Edit: in case the remarks about novaing were directed at me, I'm not saying that 6 encounters a day is excessive generally (3.5 was balanced around 4, and Pathfinder seems to have done little to disabuse us of that. We can debate it if you find it necessary), but rather that as a level 4 Wizard with 7 spells, it will take thought and foresight to be the star of each encounter.
Similarly, enemy casters never seem to use any of their daily spells until the PCs show up, so if they get a chance to rest, it's no big deal. If Walsh actually lets his PCs fight an enemy caster who's down to a handful of Magic...
That was how they killed the 4th level Wizard (well Wizard 3/Sorc 1) they tracked the Wizard by coming up to a place he had an encounter at and picked up his trail.
He was preparing camp when the PCs came on him.
Was down to 1 Scorching Ray, 1 Scrollof Mage Armor, Burning Hands and a Magic Missile
He had 4 gnolls with him as well but let's face it. The CR2'S went down on round 1.
Rational tactics by an intelligent opponent would be for the entire dungeon to post scouts, raise an alarm, and then dump every encounter on the PCs' heads at the same time, resulting in what's probably an ECL+6 or ECL+8 deathmatch. Somehow, this never happens in Pathfinder, barring a few experimental games which I ran myself.
This actually does happen with me in my play group when the party makes poor decisions in how to approach a situation, especially when they are both slow and noisy in dispatching opponents.
Just this past Sunday, running book three of Iron Gods, the party ended up fighting four different encounters worth of opponents almost simultaneously because of a combination of...interesting tactical decisions made by the party coupled with reasonable responses made by the other encounters (such as a group of opponents 60' away down an open corridor not sitting around picking their noses when they hear the clash of arms and the sound of lightning bolts coming from down the hall).
"Dances with Earth Breaker" of the Shoanti highlands
NG Shoanti human Universalist Wizard 4th, 20 point buy for ability scores.
AC: 12, 11 flat-footed; touch AC 11, 10 flat-footed
hp: 30 (18 from 4d6 class HD +4 Con +4 favored class +4 fast learner) (assumes PFS standard of 4 hp/HD after 1st)
Fort +2, Reflex +2, Will +4
14 Str (+6 bonus on checks to break or lift objects), 13 Dex, 12 Con, 19 Int, 10 Wis, 10 Cha.
Light Load: 58 lbs. Favored Class: Wizard (bonus assigned to hp)
Traits: Highlander, Shoanti Tattoo
Feats: Fast Learner (human bonus), Scribe Scroll (Wizard 1st), Knowledge is Power (arcane discovery) (1st), Point-Blank Shot (3rd).
Proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, earth breaker, heavy crossbow, klar, light crossbow, quarterstaff and Shoanti bola.
Languages Known: Common (Taldane), Varisian (native); Draconic, Gnoll, Necril, Thassilonian (bonus from Int); Goblin, Celestial, Giant, Terran (from 4 ranks' Linguistics, listed in order of acquisition)
Hand of the Apprentice (su): 7/day, 30' range, see gear.
Spells Preparable (prepared spells to be decided by the actual player)
2nd Level (DC 16): 3/day 2 base +1 from Int - recommended are bear's endurance, bull's strength and either false life or mirror image
1st Level (DC 15): 4/day 3 base +1 from Int - recommended are grease, mage armor (2) and either protection from evil or shield.
2nd Levelbear's endurance, bull's strength, false life, summon monster 22 each for free from 3rd and 4th level for a total of 4.
1st Levelfeather fall, grease, mage armor, mount, protection from evil, ray of enfeeblement, shield, sleep, true strike7 for free at 1st level +2 for free at 2nd level for a total of 9: mount and summon monster 1 were added at 2nd level.
Cantrips: all CRB.
Deciphered Spellbooks (deciphered via read magic) containing the following deciphered spells without an alignment component that do not overlap with his own spellbook):
2nd Level:mirror image
1st Level:cause fear, identify, magic missile
Skills:2 base +4 from Int +1 from human +1 from Fast Learner for a total of 8 skill ranks/level
Appraise +11 (4 ranks +3 class skill +4 Int)
Knowledge (arcana) +11 (4 ranks +3 class skill +4 Int)
Knowledge (engineering) +11 (4 ranks +3 class skill +4 Int)
Knowledge (planes) +11 (4 ranks +3 class skill +4 Int); stipulated skill based on above posts by OP
Linguistics +11 (4 ranks +3 class skill +4 Int)
Perception +8 (4 ranks +4 Int)
Spellcraft +11 (4 ranks +3 class skill +4 Int)
Stealth +12, +13 in hilly and rocky areas (4 ranks +3 class skill +4 Int +1/+2 trait)
Good on both of you. I wish Paizo modules and PFS specifically were a lot more aware of enemy responses to detecting sounds of combat.
I agree; it wouldn't hurt to have more blurbs in the encounters about how different groups of creatures or NPCs will react if they become aware of combat with nearby allies, or otherwise become aware of the party. I've been doing this long enough to come up with a reasonable idea on my own, but it wouldn't hurt to have more ideas I hadn't thought of.
It's funny, though. I'm not a proponent of the "15 minute adventuring day," but my play group sometimes ends up having one anyway because they agro the entire freaking building at the entrance.
In book 2 of Iron Gods, the party couldn't figure out how to get into the Smiler's headquarters, so they proceeded to just bash on the front door until they had beaten it down. So, instead of potentially a half dozen or so individual encounters, they had two massive ones; one at the front door and one deep inside with the boss having prepared a war welcome for anyone who got that far.
"Dances with Earth Breaker" of the Shoanti highlands
NG Shoanti human Universalist Wizard 4th, 20 point buy for ability scores.
AC: 12, 11 flat-footed; touch AC 11, 10 flat-footed
hp: 30 (18 from 4d6 class HD +4 Con +4 favored class +4 fast learner) (assumes PFS standard of 4 hp/HD after 1st)
Fort +2, Reflex +2, Will +4
14 Str (+6 bonus on checks to break or lift objects), 13 Dex, 12 Con, 19 Int, 10 Wis, 10 Cha.
Light Load: 58 lbs. Favored Class: Wizard (bonus assigned to hp)
Traits: Highlander, Shoanti Tattoo
Feats: Fast Learner (human bonus), Scribe Scroll (Wizard 1st), Knowledge is Power (arcane discovery) (1st), Point-Blank Shot (3rd).
Proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, earth breaker, heavy crossbow, klar, light crossbow, quarterstaff and Shoanti bola.
Languages Known: Common (Taldane), Varisian (native); Draconic, Gnoll, Necril, Thassilonian (bonus from Int); Goblin, Celestial, Giant, Terran (from 4 ranks' Linguistics, listed in order of acquisition)
Hand of the Apprentice (su): 7/day, 30' range, see gear.
Spells Preparable (prepared spells to be decided by the actual player)
2nd Level (DC 16): 3/day 2 base +1 from Int - recommended are bear's endurance, bull's strength and either false life or mirror image
1st Level (DC 15): 4/day 3 base +1 from Int - recommended are grease, mage armor (2) and either protection from evil or shield.
Fast Learner lets you pick bonus hp and skill point. It does not let you double up on hp. You've got 26 hp and a free feat. Toughness is there.
Aside from that, what a weird dude.
Hrm, yep, forgot about that overlap. Other than that, I enjoy the weird. ;)
Edit: I forgot the arcane bond.
Let's roll with arcane bond (ring). However, the choice of bond is not a major consideration at this time.
Featswise ... I still like Fast Learner. HP drops to 26, sure, a fair trade since that favored class bonus provides hp and skill ranks instead of just hp. He can pick up Toughness later.
RE: design thoughts.
Ordinarily by now he'd have acquired a wand of true strike, making him able to throw that earth breaker every other round with a +27 attack bonus ignoring all concealment. Nonetheless ...
The wand of summon monster 2 gives him copious spamming capability. If the group needs the entire wand's payload, it's worth it since he doesn't have to use up his precious daily spell payload. His spells prepared are primarily buffing and defensive. Considering the description of previous foes faced, daze lets him "test" the enemy while disrupt undead is insurance for being swarmed by undead.
The bolas are self-explanatory: tangle the target, let the beatsticks enjoy the +4 bonus to attack the prone target.
The fireworks are flame blades in a pocket, suited for all characters to use against anything not resistant or impervious to fire. Melee touch attacks are always an added bonus, especially when said melee touch attack sheds light and sets things on fire ... perhaps the other characters have a keg of lamp oil or a supply of fuse grenades handy.
Bob Wizard
Human wizard 4
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +13; Senses Perception +7
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex)
hp 32 (4d6+14)
Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +5
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +9)
2nd—limp lash, see invisibility, web (DC 18)
1st—anticipate peril[UM] (DC 16), color spray (DC 16), grease, snowball (DC 17), vanish[APG] (DC 16)
0 (at will)—acid splash, detect magic, open/close (DC 15), prestidigitation
Opposition Schools Enchantment, Evocation
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 7, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 13, Cha 7
Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 11
Feats Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (conjuration)
Traits magical lineage, reactionary
Skills Acrobatics +4, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (engineering) +11, Knowledge (geography) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Knowledge (planes) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Perception +7, Sense Motive +3, Spellcraft +12, Stealth +4, Use Magic Device +2
Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Orc
SQ arcane bond (arcane familiar, scorpion, greensting), forewarned, human wizard, prescience
Combat Gear scroll of air bubble, ant haul, spider climb, scroll of limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, scroll of mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, scroll of web, wand of invisibility (20 charges), acid; Other Gear ioun torch ioun stone[APG], bedroll, belt pouch, ink, black, inkpen, masterwork backpack[APG], mess kit[UE], soap, spell component pouch (2), trail rations (5), waterskin, 150 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
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+2 Spells in Spellbook Add one spell from the wizard spell list to the wizard's spellbook. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the wizard can cast.
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Enchantment You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Enchantment school.
Evocation You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Evocation school.
Familiar Bonus: +4 bonus on initiative checks You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Foresight Associated School: Divination
Forewarned 2 (Su) Can always act in surprise rounds.
Ioun torch This item is merely a burned out, dull gray ioun stone with a continual flame spell cast upon it. It retains the ability to float and orbit, and allows the bearer to carry light and still have his hands free. It may be in any crystalline shape common to ioun stones (ellipsoid, prism, sphere, and so on).
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, continual flame, creator must be 12th level; Cost 62 gp, 5 sp
Magical Lineage (Aqueous Orb) A chosen spell counts as 1 level lower when metamagic feats are applied to it.
Prescience (8/day) (Su) Roll a d20 at the beginning of the round, and use that result as the result of any other d20 roll before the next turn.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Spell Focus (Conjuration) Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
--------------------
Arcane Familiar
Greensting scorpion (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 232)
N Tiny magical beast (vermin)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 17 (+3 Dex, +5 natural, +2 size)
hp 16 (1d8)
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4
Immune mind-affecting effects
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee sting +7 (1d2-4 plus poison)
Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks poison
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 3, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 9 (21 vs. trip)
Feats Weapon Finesse[B]
Skills Acrobatics +9, Climb +11, Perception +11, Spellcraft +2, Stealth +21, Use Magic Device +0; Racial Modifiers +4 Climb, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth
SQ improved evasion
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Immunity to Mind-Affecting effects You are immune to Mind-Affecting effects.
Improved Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save; half on failed save.
Poison: Sting - Injury (DC 10) (Ex) Sting—Injury; save Fort DC 10; freq 1/rd for 6 rds; effect sicken for 1 rd; cure 1 save.
I run my group through this tomorrow (and I know some of them are on these boards) after session I'll start (through the weekend) going over the major encounters and/or situations they ran into and will give you all a running chance to say what YOU would do.
We will see if YOUR Wizard can overshadow the party.
We finally did the session last night. Thank you for kind words regarding my father. It's a difficult situation but he'll recover, I'm taking care of him ATM. Until they get me the hospital bed and nurses all I can say is I'm going to end up with considerably larger biceps.
So...
Okay - If people are ready...
----- Encounter 1 -----
While following the mountain path on the way to the temple the party came up behind a group of the following:
6x Goblins
5x Undead Goblins
2x Goblin Dogs
The Goblins and Goblin Dogs were fighting the Undead Goblins along a narrow path. The Goblins, preoccupied, don't notice the arrival of the party.
You have surprise on the Goblins and Goblin Dogs, not on the Undead who can see you.
I dunno, nothing? I'd cast invis on myself with the wand and hope the alive goblins win so I can color spray and murder. I assume waiting this out and mopping up is the play.
You could indeed spend a charge from your wand and then mop up the survivors. Of course your team would still get attacked because they aren't invisible but they are just Goblins anyway. Very little damage (read none) is done to the team.
Not only did you leave your team out to dry, but also you wasted a charge from a wand, and you wasted a 1st level Spell Slot when there was no reason. You didn't overshadow them, you annoyed them.
I assume waiting this out and mopping up is the play.
It would have been the best play with or without a wizard. Ambushing the survivors with a pure melee party would likely have accomplished the same end with a similar amount of damage received by the party.
Edit:
Honestly, I think the best bet in this situation would have been for the wizard to launch a few crossbow bolts or acid splashes at the survivors of the goblin/undead combat. The color spray was largely wasted, and will probably be missed in a few more encounters where a situation arises where the spell would have proven far more important.
Blowing spells unnecessarily like this is one of the reasons, in my opinion, that GMs have to deal with the "15 minute adventuring day." People are unwilling to husband resources for when they are necessary.
I assume waiting this out and mopping up is the play.
It would have been the best play with or without a wizard. Ambushing the survivors with a pure melee party would likely have accomplished the same end with a similar amount of damage received by the party.
Edit:
Honestly, I think the best bet in this situation would have been for the wizard to launch a few crossbow bolts or acid splashes at the survivors of the goblin/undead combat. The color spray was largely wasted, and will probably be missed in a few more encounters where a situation arises where the spell would have proven far more important.
Blowing spells unnecessarily like this is one of the reasons, in my opinion, that GMs have to deal with the "15 minute adventuring day." People are unwilling to husband resources for when they are necessary.
And that is the reason for the lower ranking.
Also, alternatively, if he color sprayed the Undead Goblins the spell would fail as it is a mind affect and they are immune, but I let that one slide.
My PCs did the following:
The PC's hung back and advanced slowly, locking the Goblins, who started a fighting retreat from the undead in a pincer maneuver with reach weapons while the Cleric prepared to fire sling bullets (which were also ineffective against the undead) and the enemies went down.
My PCs didn't spend a single spell slot or wand charge and took no damage.
After arriving at the temple the PCs entered. They realized the area was unstable and opened the front door. When they did, a pair (2) of skeletal figures clad in armor turned toward them with a shield on one arm and a long sword in their other hand.
The room is approximately 30 foot square with a double door on the west wall (the place they entered from) and a double door to the east wall, with a single door to the south. The skeletal figures seemed to be positioned initially to the left and right of the door.
Create pit seems good, I can place it so the melee can fight and the skeletons have to make reflex saves every round. Then they fall in and get whacked for free as the slowllly climb out
Create pit seems good, I can place it so the melee can fight and the skeletons have to make reflex saves every round. Then they fall in and get whacked for free as the slowllly climb out
What is your contingency if they make their saves, or worse, if they manage to knock or pull you or one of your companions into the pit?
(Remember, Skeletal Champions are intelligent undead with class levels and abilities.)
??? we're fighting in a doorway? is this another case of my partners being int 3?
Maybe I should not adventure with these guys if they can't figure that out
Wheezy, a lot of things can happen in this situation.
Your statement was to use "Create Pit" which creates a 10 foot by 10 foot hole.
If either of the Undead Champions makes the save then they could easily either through the door to the South or walk through the door to the East until the Pit Trap is cleared.
You also wanted to place a 10 ft by 10 ft pit in a 30 ft by 30 ft room in a place where (somehow) the melee could fight it (they would need, somehow, a 10 ft reach weapon to do this) without making saves but where the undead would be making a save every round.
This is simply not a possible scenario. You either trap them in the pit, or they are free to move. If you block off the hallway they can easily move to a position where the party lacks LoS, thus I need more detailed information.
However, ultimately this is of little consequence...
My players dealt with this by the Wizard they had casting Bull's Strength on the Half-Orc Barbarian, the Blood Rager then engaged the other one. The Skeletal Champion managed to hit the Blood Rager on his action but did only 6 damage. The Half-Orc Barbarian demolished one of the two Skeletal Champions (Via Crit) before it had a chance to act. The rest of the party easily dispatched the remaining one before it had a chance to have any further actions.
In any case I give your plan an A ranking.
While I don't think it "showed up" anyone, and had a decent chance of simply not having much of an effect, if it did work, however, it would have made the kill blows even easier to land.
However...
How are you casting Create Pit? Its not on your spell list:
Scroll of air bubble, ant haul, spider climb, scroll of limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, scroll of mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, scroll of web.
-----
Thus, as near as I can see, you had no way to do this.
It doesn't take a spellcraft roll, generally, to know that you can retreat from a spell and that they (usually) have a duration. Also, since they are guarding, all it would take would be for them to move to a different location and wait for you to enter. If you are stuck at the opening door and not coming any further in, then their job is still being done.
They could retreat 10 feet through the south doors and also still have a clear LOS on the center of the room and wait for the intruders to cross the threshold.
Remember, Skeletal Champions are PC classes with the Skeletal Champion template applied. Meaning that not do they have PC class skills, but they also have experiences to call on.
In this case, one of the two actually does have ranks in Spellcraft.
Grease works well here as a stand in for Create Pit and would have similar effects. I still give it an A ranking. It could fail but it has a chance of working but it also has a bonus of creating difficult to cross terrain for the skeletal champions.
So good going there! I'm not going to say it showed the party up but it worked with them very well.
Scroll of air bubble, ant haul, spider climb, scroll of limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, scroll of mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, scroll of web.
Next the PC's traveled South and found a kitchen-like area and an L shaped hallway and a pair of double doors. One of the PC's managed to sue stealth to sneak a peek into the room. They saw that the room was 45 feet by 40 feet and was dominated by a large table with 6 chairs set out. On the table were 6 plates. On each plate sat a burning skull. The PCs had time to plan their next action...
Are these the half cr undeaf? Floating head things? Any knowledge check needed?
Maybe a couple wand charges and bruisers go bash, or invis and forward scout and look for traps and stuff.
1/2 CR Undead, yes.
My party avoided the encounter via the Cleric casting "Hide from Undead" on the group. So given that they managed to bypass the encounter, you have that option too, no need to expend resources.
Yeah that seems fine. I dunno about leaving them behind but running past them if we need to shouldn't be a problem. We could invis past them with wand charges as well.
I don't mind spending wand charges, they are meant to be used
The party snuck past the burning skulls and made their way up and through a hallway. They paused at the door as they heard a human voice giving a (very) fire-filled sermon about the return to the world of, "He Who Cannot Be Yet Is..."
Still hidden from undead the party braved a peek and saw a large room filled with pews with bookshelves lining the southern walls. On the stage was a human man clad in priestly vestments speaking to the room, the room consisted of rotting skeletons who watched on in complete silence...
Finally, a human. This looks like a good invis time. Charges on bruisers, on me, and whoever needs one.
Can I identify the skeletons? If they are serious threats, I'll web as many as I can, if not, I'll open with limp lash from a scroll and hang on. If I whiff the lash I'll just try again.
Finally, a human. This looks like a good invis time. Charges on bruisers, on me, and whoever needs one.
Can I identify the skeletons? If they are serious threats, I'll web as many as I can, if not, I'll open with limp lash from a scroll and hang on. If I whiff the lash I'll just try again.
Skeletal Champions, level/class unknown
This would actually be a poor choice of action.
Your web could catch 1-2 Skeletons at best, which would open a hole to allow your companions to reach the cleric.
The Cleric is on a stage though and has ample time to see you before you can close to limp lash range (even running and charging would take the party 2 rounds) Going invisible would be an option but he'd see the door open and has the capability to negate that problem. His first action would be to get Mirror Image up, to help against the melee, the Skeletal Champions would try to get between anyone and him. Hide from Undead breaks the first time a party member makes an attack or casts an offensive spell so that would go down instantly.
The cleric will begin, after mirror image is up, moving toward the door on the east wall. When you get within 20 feet to use Limp Lash you easily succeed.
Limp Lash isn't capable of paralyzing him in a single action, so once he is limp lashed he'll summon 1d4 Hell Hounds which he would surround you with in a flanking position. I don't see this ending well for you as a Wizard.
Assuming that you cast Mage Armor off-camera (I can remove one of your scrolls for that) you are still highly vulnerable and would likely take considerable damage.
Fortunately for you, your party has your back and are quick to get those enemies off of you. Its unlikely that you can stop the Cleric from escaping through the east door as you and your party mop up the rest of the skeletal champions and hell hounds.
The cleric makes it through the door and it seals itself, taking on a feint blue glow.
Scroll of air bubble, ant haul, spider climb, scroll of limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, limp lash, scroll of mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, mage armor, scroll of web.
-----
All in all I give your plan and performance an A. Web was good, limp lash was bad and attempting to use it in this situation simply wasn't a good idea due to the poor range of the lash.
Though the B is because my players had a rough time here too. They still had the Bull's Strength up from the first room, and the Wizard chose to enlarge the Barbarian, thus they had two heavy hitters and used the Barbarian's size and reach advantage to keep the skeletal champions away from the Cleric.
The Cleric's standard battle plan was to cast mirror image and then run. He could channel as a move action, if he had to, to deal damage to the PCs without damaging the skeletons but in the face of the enemy it simply wasn't a good idea to not move. In our battle it was the Barbarian who sucked down the Summoned enemies and they managed to drop the Barbarian to negative HP quickly enough, so its safe to say your Wizard probably was dropped and barely would have survived but my Party's Wizard was in a similar boat as he stayed back and tried support magic (such as burning disarm) before getting charged by a Skeletal Champion.
So I say your plan worked out as well as theirs did, even if it likely resulted in your character dropping and needing emergency heals.
The party tried to open the door, to no avail, and (thanks to a perception check) realized that the Cleric had a badge that glowed then he opened the door. They surmised that they needed something similar to get through.
Exploring the doors to the south they came across a strange sight. A headless corpse blindly trying to get through a door. Taking a chance the party let the corpse out and followed it, noticing that it had one such badge. Probably not the smartest move.
The corpse moved to another room which had a burning skull trapped in a cage. The party noted that the two kept trying to get back to one another. In another not-smart move the party let the burning skull out and it instantly bee-lined to the corpse.
Rejoining the two became a strange sort of undead that radiated power.
This was intended to be an encounter... But...
The Barbarian, already having prepared an action attacked as the newly created evil was beginning his expected villainous monologue:
"At last! I am whole! Finally I live aga-" *smash*
The Barbarian rolled a natural 20, followed by a natural 18 while using an Orc Ram...
That was higher than the monster's total HP and he shattered it instantly before anyone had a chance to react.
Taking the badge the party traveled back to the door and healed up. Using the badge they were able to open the door and continue east. They heard a loud roar as they reached the door...
How does he summon as a standard action? 1 round cast time.
Also we are all invisible, so we'll be stealthing in? I'm using charges on EVERYONE. Especially now that I know there are skeletal champions. That is a big big deal imo.
Also, after I cast limp lash, I'll cast vanish while holding onto the lash. its pretty easy to tell where I am, but I'm invisible and hopefully the party will be smacking the guy trying to summon.
Uh, also the headless body to the head seems like, the worst thinking ever? Are your players just not very good at the game? Letting the body open the door seems fine, but it seems really obvious to destroy the corpse as it tries to get to its head.
Lastly, web is a 20 foot radius, I can get three minimum or maybe even four
How does he summon as a standard action? 1 round cast time.
Also we are all invisible, so we'll be stealthing in? I'm using charges on EVERYONE. Especially now that I know there are skeletal champions. That is a big big deal imo.
Also, after I cast limp lash, I'll cast vanish while holding onto the lash. its pretty easy to tell where I am, but I'm invisible and hopefully the party will be smacking the guy trying to summon.
Uh, also the headless body to the head seems like, the worst thinking ever? Are your players just not very good at the game? Letting the body open the door seems fine, but it seems really obvious to destroy the corpse as it tries to get to its head.
Lastly, web is a 20 foot radius, I can get three minimum or maybe even four
Invisibility doesn't help vs the Cleric who *can* see and it drops after one attack. I can't in this thread (my players are actually following along) say how his summoning works but he had a method to summon as a standard.
No, you can't get "3 minimum, maybe 4" look at how they are spaced out. Unless you expect them all to clump into one area or you to.
And no, you cannot vanish while maintaining an attack with limp lash. Until at least 1 round after you use it and by that point he's either going to have moved up to 20 ft (and is no longer in range) as for vanishing, you totally can, but its not going to help as much as you seem to think.
They can (and will) try to hit him but mirror image is a PITA at these levels.
So the sequence of events is:
You stealth in, he'll see a door open and turn something on. He'll see you before you reach him. He'll begin his movement. He'll have 1 more action before you are in Limp Lash range. He'll cast mirror image while directing the skeletal Champions.
You'll limp lash. He'll summon then move which breaks Limp Lash (see the erratta on Limp Lash). You'll be under attack. On your next round (if you're still standing) you'll vanish, if you don't cast defensively you'll suffer AoO's.
Believe me Wheezy, I know all the spells abilities and actions in this situation.
So, what happened to this thread? It was a rather enlightening read so far, but out of the participants only CWheezy seemed to be responding, and it has been stuck at the last encounter for a month now.
So, what happened to this thread? It was a rather enlightening read so far, but out of the participants only CWheezy seemed to be responding, and it has been stuck at the last encounter for a month now.
