Waking Rune

[Tindalen]

I have spent the last month GMing the series leading up to waking rune. I have been prepping for the finale since the start. I will be running hard mode 10-11 on Saturday and have come across some discrepancies that have not been called out elsewhere.

Hard mode has you replace a quickened summon monster five for a summoned monster nine. This would lead to a break in the Thessalonian specialist and where I noticed the discrepency. Rune lord krune follows the archetype except for spell level 7 and eight. And spell level 9 on hard mode.

I know I should play as written, but this scenario is hard enough without the discrepancies. It's also why I am limiting myself to hard covers and rune lord specific material for the npc tactics.

Any thoughts beyond the three year old GM prep post?

[trollbill]

The only reward for playing Hard Mode is the bragging rights. If you diminish Hard Mode because it is hard, then you diminish the bragging rights.

In other words, if you feel Hard Mode is too tough, the solution is not to nerf Hard Mode but rather not run it in Hard Mode.

[Eric Clingenpeel]

He's a Runelord... he's allowed to break the rules! ;)

[Ragoz]

He doesn't even follow the thassilonian rules even in normal mode. Just run as is.

[Eric Brittain]

Remember that quicken is your friend and that hyper intelligent ancient enemies should be run as the tactical geniuses that they are.

[Belafon]

Eric Brittain wrote:

Remember that quicken is your friend and that hyper intelligent ancient enemies should be run as the tactical geniuses that they are.

Sigh. One of these days I'm actually going to get to play this scenario.

Had to prep it to GM once (table didn't make) and never have gotten a chance since.

[Tindalen]

I have been prepping it for a couple weeks now. I have some surprises in store for them I think should be entertaining if they work.

Kurhsu:

Once the fight turns bad for Kurshu, she is going to use a limited with to cast unconscious agenda on a low will target. They will be instructed to help Krune when he awakens.

Krune:

His wish will be used to cast greater planar ally to summon an apostate devil, the extra diamonds he is given in hardmode should cover the cost. I could not think of another good way to use the excess diamonds.

[Mark Stratton]

This happened at my con last week (I was running the con, but the players at the table told me about this.)

Spoiler:

During the very first encounter, the bad guy plane shifted two of the characters, the paladin to hell and the fighter to the negative energy plane. The other four characters decided to teleport out. That was the whole game. Over partway through the first encounter.

[WiseWolfOfYoitsu]

Tindalen wrote:

I have been prepping it for a couple weeks now. I have some surprises in store for them I think should be entertaining if they work.

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

Krune:

He can use the Diamonds to Wish Resurrection on Kurshu, while also removing her Weakness.

[Tindalen]

Steven G. wrote:

Tindalen wrote:

I have been prepping it for a couple weeks now. I have some surprises in store for them I think should be entertaining if they work.

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

Spoiler conversations. YAY!

Spoiler:

That is still only 25,000gp in diamonds when hard mode gives him 75k. Resurrection hits right at the limit for wish to not require extra materials. I have been trying to figure out what the other 50k in diamonds could be intended for.

[Jayson MF Kip]

Tindalen wrote:

Steven G. wrote:

Tindalen wrote:

I have been prepping it for a couple weeks now. I have some surprises in store for them I think should be entertaining if they work.

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

Spoiler conversations. YAY!

** spoiler omitted **

Spoiler:

Maybe to cast wish again tomorrow? He doesn't expect to die when he wakes up from Odinsleep. A few diamonds seems like a thing he might want to have around.

[Auke Teeninga]

Krune:

Wish duplicates a spell. I might be too strict, but IMHO this also duplicates the casting time of Greater Planar Ally, which is 10 minutes.

[Tindalen]

Auke Teeninga wrote:

** spoiler omitted **

Spoiler:

It does not, the casting time for wish is one standard action no matter what spell effects you wish to duplicate.

Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (diamond worth 25,000 gp)
Effect
Range see text
Target, Effect, or Area see text
Duration see text
Saving Throw none, see text; Spell Resistance yes

[Silbeg]

(Why are we spoilering in the GM Discussion -- not needed)

If they are actually able to kill Kurshu, I'd think the resurrection would be the best way to go. Don't go for any sort of summons, because then he might as well recall SMIX (which isn't a bad idea).

Another idea, which might be even nastier... if he gets a PC in the same room as him, separated from everyone else, would be to wish for Greater Possession. He could then attack with impunity from the shell of a PC.

As for the binding, perhaps a Nemisis Devil would be better. It has Harm and Heal (each 3X/day), with greater invis, wall of stone, and other stuff. Its claws cause 2d6 Bleed, and it hits HARD.

Though, I will say that your Apostate Devil looks decent. Oh, and note, if you do it, since they are called, and not summoned, they keep their summon and teleport abilities!

Getting in 1d6 Bone Devils, or a Horned Devil (depending on which one you choose) wouldn't hurt, either.

[Tindalen]

Jack Brown wrote:

(Why are we spoilering in the GM Discussion -- not needed)

If they are actually able to kill Kurshu, I'd think the resurrection would be the best way to go. Don't go for any sort of summons, because then he might as well recall SMIX (which isn't a bad idea).

Another idea, which might be even nastier... if he gets a PC in the same room as him, separated from everyone else, would be to wish for Greater Possession. He could then attack with impunity from the shell of a PC.

As for the binding, perhaps a Nemisis Devil would be better. It has Harm and Heal (each 3X/day), with greater invis, wall of stone, and other stuff. Its claws cause 2d6 Bleed, and it hits HARD.

Though, I will say that your Apostate Devil looks decent. Oh, and note, if you do it, since they are called, and not summoned, they keep their summon and teleport abilities!

Getting in 1d6 Bone Devils, or a Horned Devil (depending on which one you choose) wouldn't hurt, either.

Greater Possession is definitely an option. I was liking the Apostate devil for the CL 18 blasphemy which, if everyone makes their save, will do 2d6/2 strength damage for 2d4 rounds, and paralyze everyone for one round. The 1d6 wisdom drain on a +28 with a 19-20 crit and boundless reach is pretty nasty as well. Though 1d6 ice wall creatures would be fun to split the group up.

[Jason Daugherty]

I am running this at a convention in May and I was worried that the tactics I was developing were a bit bloodthirsty.......I am no longer worried.

[thistledown]

Sorry to wake up the thread... But you can't get Greater Planar Ally with Wish. It's a Cleric spell of 8th level, and wish can only do 8th level spells if they're wizard/sorcerer. It caps at 7th for other classes. You could do a Greater Planar Binding, but that's a bit different to negotiate.