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So here we have part III.
I'm feeling a bit wonky, so hopefully didn't err too much!
General: Essentially the PCs are Heal Team Six, and this section tests healing mechanics as PCs face undead, debilatating conditions, & a siege disguised as a mystery. So Paizo's testing to see if a massive amount of healing can be taxed and/or is necessary.
If you can run combats quickly, you can do this in one session. If not, you may as well time for two as it's primarily fighting. I prefer the intensity of pressure doing one session, though two would aid if you'd like to indulge in the gothic-horror atmosphere via extensive description. The story doesn't support this, and neither does having fresh PCs, but if your group can imbue it with RPing energy, go for it.
There are plenty of potential conditions, so you may wish to make condition cards and set up a handy tracking system, one that can handle rounds of poison too. The same condition doesn't stack with itself (unless the entry says otherwise like with the shadows), but does stack with other conditions.
The map is huge, so you may wish to draw it on scratch paper until actual combat begins which will likely be limited to the foyer and adjacent areas (for pre-drawing). Make a point of clarifying the ceiling heights. And yes, unless I missed something the library ceiling feels really low, and likely should be as high as the foyer otherwise the stairs are just really long ramps. Also there are few windows. The (soon to be broken) ones facing sunrise & sunset (it being a Sarenrae house) being the exceptions.
Arrival: The players arrive before sunset, but will need a cushion for the longer investigation options. So maybe 30 minutes to sunset, then 10 to arrival.
Investigation: Bored PCs gonna roam...and be quite suspicious. Expect them to have plenty of their own fears so practice that straight face so their guesses don't surprise you. If going for one session, it's best to narrate through this part in large swathes, as sadly it's of little consequence. Success changes hardly anything (except perhaps who first opens the door!), so no reason to dwell on the minutiae of every search.
Which also means if the PCs are nice, polite guests, there's no reason to pressure the players to roam. Just fast forward.
What can be worthwhile is interaction with the NPCs (even if it's not until after the first fight). They should be friendly and helpful, which might make players suspicious, but should add some gravitas for when the NPCs are threatened. Given their abilities & knowledge of the house, they (likely Lucvi) can suggest the silver knives or garlic cloves after the first vampires (not that they're of great aid, but she's trying).
Event 1: As it states, a low threat challenge, but it can be quite a scare if the professor is the one opening the door and the PCs are a few moves back! Add or subtract ghasts to adjust for party size.
And no, ghoul fever doesn't matter given the time frame.
Event 2: Also low. Remember the Spawn have a climb speed and do okay when flanking, but don't expect much here unless there's a lucky paralyzation or grapple/suck. I'd add elite templates to the Spawn for larger groups or subtract ghasts for smaller.
Event 3: The timing is odd because of the offscreen triggers, but that might stretch out the party enough to make tactics awkward for them. The wights take a good amount of punishment, but don't hit much so should flank when possible, maybe even Intimidate or do something else rather than Strike twice. Players generally know wights give negative levels, so maybe play up how their hands are wreathed in crackling dark energy. A failed save against that at least will aid attrition, so attack foes not enervated (since it doesn't stack).
The poltergeist's invisibility requires DC 31 to spot. Remember it'll need to take an action to fly/sneak every turn. It's pretty effective and makes for great visuals, but is still only level 5 so don't count on much (especially if the players can detect it via magic.) Note how slow it is for a flyer. It's fright works best when the wights can target the same people, otherwise it's just making itself a soon-dead target.
I'd maybe add another poltergeist for more PCs, though have it try to keep away from the other one due to AoEs and such. I'd take the elite template away from a few wights for smaller groups because two from each window feels better than losing some.
Event 4: While there might be a lingering effect or two from those encounters, don't expect PCs to have lost steam. That may change here.
The zombies, of course, are a distraction (though parties may throw too much firepower at them). If the party's in the library, zombies on the second floor may split them as some chase. Then when the shadows enter they can focus on whoever's most isolated or just somebody on the stairwell to cut him off. If the party's elsewhere, it's awkward because the shadows may burst onto an empty scene. Then have them sneak forward a round or two while the party kills the zombies and focus fire on whoever's isolated. They shouldn't use Darkness because at this level (7th) a Light cantrip (4th) undoes it. It's only two hits to make a regular shadow, so have stats/figures ready for them too. Since they can only make one shadow per PC, have them spread the love around.
I'd use elite/weak templates on the shadows for larger/smaller parties, as the zombies are meat-fluff.
It's unlikely any PCs will be at risk here, it's just those enfeeblements stack plus some attrition of spells.
Restoration: There's a ten minute window here so there's time to barely fit in a Restoration (if the caster doesn't dally!) Each PC can only get one Restoration per day...
(I do not know if "Other healing" in the survey includes these types of spells, so am only counting ones which cure hit points until informed otherwise.)
Event 5: So here we have a genius level boss w/ a full rack of spells. You have to decide what tactics are legitimate given its knowledge and the lack of tactics in the scenario (other than to clear the door).
And note that despite the picture, it's not undead.
To precast or not to precast? Ilvoresh should likely have Mirror Image up, plus might even cast Invisibility on itself and the Spawns. This isn't as unbalancing as it seems, as Invisibility is worth less than future Mirror Images on itself. Also, seeing the door get cleared away, but nothing obvious doing it, makes a cool start.
An early AoE isn't so bad because invisible Spawns can start their healing, then sneak into position for a flanked strike later against a non-martial or non-melee foe (remember, Ilvoresh has telepathy which can coordinate them silently).
True Strike is its bread & butter, making a likely crit more so.
Though it doesn't have reach, flight can be useful for positioning. Remember it takes an action to maintain flight, so landing works well if wanting to cast & get a Strike in the next round. Remember, the party likely wants to come to it anyway, so feel free to fire from afar.
Mirror Image, especially with its AC as a higher level foe & possible enfeeblement from the shadows, is really nice and should be replenished as able. This will drag out the battle, so measure vs. players' patience!
The third level spells are mediocre compared to its powerful bite, though it may Dispel something like an opponent's Mirror Image.
Tee hee...
Confusion is "nicer" than Suggestion because the latter might take a player out of the game w/ a crit fail, but both are harsh if pulled off.
I'd suggest Ilvorish biting/poisoning until surrounded, then flying up and tossing a Confusion or two on martials near each other.
As far as I can tell, the Slow effect from its poison is a condition given by the poison that stays afterward, much like most conditions do. (Until a night's rest I suppose.) That seems RAW (and raw!), but I can see it be interpreted as ending when the poison's over.
For larger/smaller parties, add/subtract Spawn.
Yes, this can be a long & taxing battle (especially if Mirror Images keep coming back or a PC crit-fails a key Will save), but the PCs likely have lots of healing left. It's not like they all have to survive anyway...
Cheers.
Remember, the party likely wants to come to it anyway, so feel free to fire from afar.
Depends on the party, really. We had no melee-oriented charcacters, all casters and blasters. If our group had a chance of fighting this guys at distance, we could keep beating it with maggic missiles and spiritual weapons at our leisure - would be way safer for us and more trouble for boss.
Remember, the party likely wants to come to it anyway, so feel free to fire from afar.
Depends on the party, really. We had no melee-oriented charcacters, all casters and blasters. If our group had a chance of fighting this guys at distance, we could keep beating it with maggic missiles and spiritual weapons at our leisure - would be way safer for us and more trouble for boss.
Fair enough, though that would likely balance out through more attrition (using up more spell slots earlier) I'd think.
I've seen Magic Missiles really shine vs. bosses and their high AC & saves.Of course if you keep too much distance, the baddies might go right for the professor!
How many extra monsters should I add? I'm playing with up to 7 players?
How many extra monsters should I add? I'm playing with up to 7 players?
Great question.
First I'd look at the chart to see how much XP to add per extra PC.It's almost like running two parties because you don't want to focus fire a 7 PC threat on the lead PC, but you also don't want AoEs to wipe out extra monsters w/ not much additional risk or cost. Spread out both sides if possible.
Your case is extreme enough I'd rework the monster entrances so they're coming from multiple sides, if not already. Have the regular batch come from the regular way, and extra team from the opposite side. Maybe even three sides with the wights. Remember PCs have NPCs to protect to. Maybe spread them around unless the party intentionally groups them.
The finale is tough because they will/should all focus on the boss, but an elite array may overwhelm. Maybe if the spawn (with extras and/or elites to get XP up as recommended) come in from the library, he can come through the front (w/ Mirror Image of course) a round after the PCs move toward spawn. Hmm...
Or elite array too because it's a one-shot scenario.
Hope that helps!
Cheers
One of my players was asking about using a 5th level item slot on a 4th level item. Anyone know a reason why not? Thanks!
One of my players was asking about using a 5th level item slot on a 4th level item. Anyone know a reason why not? Thanks!
The rulebook specifically states that you can choose lower level items.
p. 348 A PC can voluntarily take an item that has a lower level
than any or all of the listed items, but doing so doesn’t
give any more currency. In the case of items made from
special materials, items should be selected based on the
table in which they appear, not their item level
Missed that - thanks!
The same condition doesn't stack with itself (unless the entry says otherwise like with the shadows), but does stack with other conditions.
As per Page 9:
Bonuses and Penalties
Other bonuses and penalties come in several types. If you have more than one bonus or penalty of the same type, you use only the highest bonus or penalty.
So if two different conditions apply a "conditional penalty" to a roll, they will not stack since they are both "conditional" penalties.