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So, I took the lesser Jabberwock at the end of the AP I'm currently running, and combined it with the named Wyrm Black Dragon, also at the end of this AP. Best of both of, all of both their abilities and spells rolled into one huge lizard. She was magnificent.
She lasted a total of 24 seconds.
The party flew up to her on a flying carpet, sucked her into the inside pocket of a bathrobe, and calmly waited for her to find her way out of the pretty field of cherry blossom trees... where she returned to her previous spot just in time to be Staggered by a spell (even with a successful save), then Assassinated the next round.
Failed that save by 1.
She was magnificent, though...
The Black Jabberwock:
CR 21
XP 409,600
CE Huge dragon (air, fire, water)
Init +3; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +35
Aura frightful presence (330 ft., DC 31)
DEfEnSE
AC 48, touch 7, flat-footed 48 (33 natural armor)
hp 387 (25d12+225); fast healing 10
fort +23, Ref +17, Will +21
DR 20/vorpal;
Defensive Abilities evasion;
Immune acid, fire, magic paralysis and sleep;
Resist electricity 20, sonic 20
SR 28;
Weaknesses fear of vorpal weaponry, vulnerable to cold
OffEnSE
Speed
60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft.
Melee
bite +36 (3d6+13/19–20), 2 claws +36 (2d6+13/19–20 plus grab), 2 wings +34 (1d8+6), tail +34 (2d6+6)
Ranged
2 eye rays +26 touch (15d6/19–20 plus burn)
Space
15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks
acid pool, acidic bite, breath weapon (100-ft. line of acid, 22d6 damage, DC 31), burble, burn (6d6, DC 31), crush (2d8+18, DC 31), whiffling
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 24th; concentration +28)
At will—darkness (110-foot radius), insect plague, plant growth
1/day—corrupt water
Spells Known (CL 13th; concentration +17)
6th (4)—acid fog, flesh to stone (DC 20)
5th (6)—teleport, transmute rock to mud, wall of force
4th (7)—dimension door, enervation, hallucinatory terrain, mass reduce person (DC 18)
3rd (7)—clairaudience/clairvoyance, dispel magic, haste, suggestion (DC 17)
2nd (7)—acid arrow, detect thoughts (DC 16), invisibility, resist energy, scorching ray
1st (7)—charm person (DC 15), grease (DC 15), mage armor, ray of enfeeblement (DC 15), shield
0 (at will)—acid splash, bleed (DC 14), dancing lights, detect magic, mage hand, message, prestidigitation, read magic, resistance
STATISTICS
Str 37, Dex 16, Con 29, Int 18, Wis 25, Cha 22
Base Atk +25; CMB +40; CMD 54
feats
Awesome Blow, Bleeding Critical, Critical Focus, Dodge, Eschew Materials, Flyby Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite, claws, eye rays), Improved Iron Will, Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Mobility, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken Spell, Spring Attack, Vital Strike
Skills
Bluff +31, Fly +23, Intimidate +34, Knowledge (arcana) +31, Knowledge (history) +31, Knowledge (nature) +27, Knowledge (planes) +31, Perception +35, Sense Motive +35, Stealth +18, Swim +39
Languages
Aklo, Common, Draconic, Gnome, Skald, Sylvan
SQ
speak with reptiles, swamp stride, water breathing, whiffling
Gear
ring of Evasion
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Acid Pool (Su)
Ilthuliak can use her breath weapon to create an acid pool as a standard action. This acid pool has a radius of 55 feet. When an acid pool is created, anyone inside its area takes 22d6 points of acid damage (Reflex half). Any creature that starts its turn touching this pool takes damage, but can make a Reflex save for half. Each round, the total damage dice of the pool is halved (10d6 round 2, 5d6 round 3, 2d6 round 4, 1d6 round 5) until the result would be less than 1d6. The acid pool floats on water, and deals damage to anything on the surface.
Acidic Bite (Su)
Ilthuliak's bite deals an additional 4d6 points of acid damage.
Burble (Su)
Ilthuliak can burble once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action. This blast of strange noises and shouted nonsense in the various languages known to Ilthuliak (and invariably some languages she doesn’t know) affects all creatures within a 60-foot-radius spread—these creatures must make a DC 28 Will save or become confused for 1d4 rounds. Alternatively, the Ilthuliak can focus her burble attack to create a 60-foot-line of sonic energy that inflicts 20d6 points of sonic damage (DC 28 Reflex save for half). The confusion effect is mind-affecting; both are sonic effects.
Corrupt Water (Sp)
Once per day Ilthuliak can stagnate 10 cubic feet of still water, making it foul and unable to support water-breathing life. The ability spoils liquids containing water. Liquid-based magic items (such as potions) and items in a creature’s possession must succeed on a Will save (DC 31) or become ruined. This ability is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell. Its range is equal to that of the dragon’s frightful presence.
Crush (Ex)
Ilthuliak can land on foes as a standard action, using her whole body to crush them. Her crush attacks are effective only against Small opponents. A crush attack affects as many creatures as fit in the Ilthuliak's space. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 31) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless she moves off them. If Ilthuliak chooses to maintain the pin, it must succeed at a combat maneuver check as normal. Pinned foes take damage from the crush each round if they don’t escape. A crush attack deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times Ilthuliak's Strength bonus.
Damage Reduction (Ex)
Ilthuliak’s damage reduction can be bypassed only by weapons with the vorpal weapon enhancement.
Eye Rays (Su)
Ilthuliak can project beams of fire from her eyes as a ranged touch attack as a standard action. She projects two beams, and can target different creatures with these beams if she wishes as long as both targets are within 30 feet of each other. A creature that takes damage from an eye beam suffers burn.
fear of Vorpal Weaponry (Ex)
Ilthuliak knows that a vorpal weapon can kill her swiftly. As soon as she takes damage from a vorpal weapon, Ilthuliak becomes shaken. If she is hit by a critical threat from a vorpal weapon, whether or not the critical hit is confirmed, Ilthuliak is staggered for the following round.
Speak with Reptiles (Sp)
Ilthuliak has the constant spell-like ability to speak with reptiles. This functions as speak with animals, but only with reptilian animals.
Swamp Stride (Ex)
Ilthuliak can move through bogs and quicksand without penalty at her normal speed.
Water Breathing (Ex)
Ilthuliak can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use her breath weapon, spells, and other abilities while submerged.
Whiffling (Ex)
Ilthuliak’s wings and violent motions create a significant amount of wind whenever she makes a full attack action. These winds surround the monster to a radius of 30 feet, and are treated as severe winds—ranged attacks suffer a –4 penalty to hit Ilthuliak when she is whiffling, and Medium creatures must make a DC 10 Strength check to approach her. Small or smaller creatures in this area that fail a DC 15 Strength check are blown away. See page 439 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook for further details on the effects of severe weather.
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That's a cool creature. I always love Jabberwock inspired things.
I know this isn't the advice sub, but a way that I deal with Otherworldly Kimonos is to remember that the creature can still DO stuff inside the maze (at least to the best of my knowledge). They aren't obligated to try and escape every round. Are the players watching the design on the kimono or readying their own plans? Will they notice when the now-invisible, reduced (for stealth), and hasted creature pops back into their plane? Could even wait out the duration and have a readied action cued up.
That said, players totally ganking an encounter is good once in awhile anyway. I hope they enjoyed it.
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Hrm, banned the item a while ago, as well as the maze spell itself. Probably the worst thing about maze (as I read it): You reappear, but you had to spend a full-round action to do so, hence you are pretty much a sitting duck.
When a GM spends a lot of time on a creature, and it's vanquished without being able to act much, it's not only a loss for the GM - the players don't get an epic fight, either.
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It was kind of anticlimactic, but at the same time it was a very well executed plan on the party's behalf. It also used up some of their precious 1/day abilities, which is more important for me than an epic, drawn out battle just for the sake of theatrics.
I enjoyed making her, so it was not time wasted, regardless of how quickly she perished. Maybe someone else can get some use out of her, since I have already done the bulk of the work making her. Or I can always use her again as a legacy NPC any time I need a black dragon or a jabberwock.
Hrm, banned the item a while ago, as well as the maze spell itself. Probably the worst thing about maze (as I read it): You reappear, but you had to spend a full-round action to do so, hence you are pretty much a sitting duck.
Not if you wait out the timer. If you wait out the timer you just reappear with the added benefit that players don't really plan on you waiting out the timer, so with lower level groups a lot of them will have wasted buffs. And if it's a kimono, they may or may not even be able to track ten minutes exactly, so it's entirely possible to have the creature roll back out and get a surprise round on them if they're being particularly careless.
On the other hand, if the creature is part of a group, they probably want to get out quickly, but in that case there's a lot of other stuff going on anyway.
If you wait out the timer you just reappear with the added benefit that players don't really plan on you waiting out the timer, so with lower level groups a lot of them will have wasted buffs.
Lower level groups? With an 8th level spell? What?
Otherworldly kimonos are expensive but not completely prohibitively so. It's entirely possible that a group pools some resources to get one at like 8 depending on how your game is going. Hell I've had them as treasures at level 9ish before, though that's brushing on "mid" level, I guess. In fact, I think my players completely forgot they had one that was cursed to put them in a labyrinth after so many uses, much to my disappointment.
Anyway, that was just one possible benefit to timing the spell out.
I honestly never even thought about just waiting for the duration to expire. Could have wasted some of their buffs, I suppose.
But the end result would have been much the same. They weren't in a spot where she could have reasonably used Stealth upon appearing. Invisibility doesn't slow this group down much, and wouldn't have saved her, either.
The party is level 18, so nothing really surprises me anymore. It was satisfying seeing them pull together, form their plan on the spot, and execute their plan to perfection.
I knew about the Kimono (I'm the one that gave it to the party in a pile of loot), and they have used it before... but it was on some random Barbed Devil that obviously didn't leave me impressed or worried, but maybe should have.
Oh well, at least it was just the gatekeeper and not the BBEG. The party won't get to rest before they face the BBEG, so the 1/day abilities used to defeat Ilthuliak can be counted out for the battle that actually matters.
Not trying the checks is an interesting option. If everyone rerolls initiative, it might actually result in a more interesting fight. If the creature has to pop up at the begin of the maze caster's turn, it's in a bad position though.
I thought about the creature's allies back when I banned the spell - problem is, the target usually will need multiple rounds to return. Otherwise it wouldn't have been targeted by the spell in the first place (assuming the caster knows what they are doing). By the time all allies are dead, usually. And it doesn't know the situation until it returns.
They had readied actions for when she appeared, even had someone riding Dwayne "the Roc" Johnson on the other side of where she was to return for flanking. And readied actions would technically hold Initiative order, if I'm not mistaken.
Otherwise, if Initiative resets, and they were foolish enough to let their guard down for a second, she would get a surprise round when she came out. Even if she used a full-round action to escape, and they aren't WAITING for it, there would be a surprise round that the party could only move or standard action attack/spell in... even if she can't do anything having already acted. Right?
If you aren't locked in Initiative order, there is no combat. If you're not in combat this very second, and the next moment there's a Huge, hostile dragon in the middle of the party... surprise round, right?
However, who the heck is going to imprison a CR21 Jabberwock and freaking forget about it in the next 10 minutes?
CR=APL+3 at higher levels isn't really a boss anyway. Not that CR 23 or so would necessarily have changed much, but it might have meant two of her.
That Spell Resistance is low for a CR 21; published creatures at CR21 are mostly SR 32, which makes the CL 15 Kimono unlikely to have effect. Even at 28 where you have it, it’s a lucky roll to get that 13+, but in general this is a common criticism of pathfinder boss combat.
The kimono doesn’t cast maze, it just creates an effect similar to maze. SR doesn’t apply.
If I was the GM I’d have the PCs drop out of initiative once the threat has been gone for a few rounds and there aren’t any other active threats. Intensely concentrating for up to 10 minutes for a split-second event that can happen at any point in time during it seems like it becomes a question of “who can react first” and the way Pathfinder answers that question is via an Initiative roll. The jabberwock would almost certainly anticipate there being a fight once it gets back and would probably take the time while inside the maze to prep however it can and attempt to catch the PCs off-guard.
I'm pretty sure i saw a faq somewhere about how if an effect is described as "like" another spell and has all the same effects (as the kimono does, dc 20 int checks, 10 minutes max duration)its treated the same.
SR applies to kimono.
The SR is whatever was highest between the lesser Jabberwock and Ilthuliak, and I never raised it to match the new/higher CR after combining them.
Regardless, they smashed on her hard with some pretty hefty SR checks, a 34 and a 37, I can't remember which was for the Kimono and which was for the spell that Staggered her, but ultimately it's irrelevant.
She rolled single digits for her Fortitude save against the Assassination... not much you can do about that. Well, as the GM I could have done whatever I wanted about it, but that's not how I roll (literally).
I'm pretty sure i saw a faq somewhere about how if an effect is described as "like" another spell and has all the same effects (as the kimono does, dc 20 int checks, 10 minutes max duration)its treated the same.
SR applies to kimono.
SR applies to spell casting, not the effect of the spell. As the kimono does NOT cast the spell, it therefore does not have SR.
For reference, look just below here.
You are activating a magic item, and it does not say that it is casting a spell. It just states the effect is as the spell.
/cevah
And, the description of the Kimono says no save, which I took to mean that 1/day it can pretty much put anything in Time-Out for 10min... without the target having a say in the matter.
So when our merry little band of kingdom founders ran into the Fae Queen's pet Jabberwock it basically got vorpel-critted the first round of combat. Snicker-snack happens.
Is that more or less anti-climatic?
Probably moreso anticlimactic, depending how it went down.
When Ilthuliak opened her mouth, the Assassin jumped in, did a 180* spin midair, and disappeared down her throat... unzipping her neck with his dagger on the way down... to bust out between her collarbones, and she falls lifeless to the ground (having failed her save against the assassination).
The theatrics were worthy. The encounter was not a waste, in the slightest.
VoodistMonk -- That sounds like a fight where people were able to use various abilities and items they had, and a solo monster lasted 4 rounds at high-level play, so that's pretty impressive.
Meirril -- Awesome! See a big threat, kill it with the weapon that is designed to kill it. What could be better?!?
I assume the players celebrated it?
Had that happen twice, late game.
Once, we were facing several Axiomites, and I went third. I cast Holy Word. Normally, this would hurt the party as some were not Good, but there was a silver lining. I had dipped a level to gain some abilities needed for my build, so my casting level was one less than my character level. The spell has no effect on higher level creatures, so my party was immune. The Axiomites, however, all failed their saves to be banished. So, suddenly, the battle came to a screeching halt. Only after announcing this, did the GM realize there was a -4 penalty to the save.
Sometimes, a single spell can win a fight. I had just hoped to thin them down, but I'm not complaining. :-)
/cevah
I honestly never even thought about just waiting for the duration to expire. Could have wasted some of their buffs, I suppose.
Shame that. A dragon thingy that old with an18 Int probably would have spent the 10 minutes in there buffing the hell up and come out invisible with shield and Mage armor up at the very least with a readied action to dimension door.
They party could be waiting and have readied actions but if they never see the creature (invisible) the actions never fire and the BBEG has a fighting chance.
With a 31 knowledge arcana it could probably identify the effect it was experiencing.
a group effort quick kill is fine every once in awhile. What I hate are encounters that are ended by one person before any action occurs; "Nah, it's cool I guess, none of us wanted to play..."
I also have this distaste for characters that want to talk their way out of EVERY encounter.
the parties plan sort of reminds me of my very first encounter with the Tarrasque back in a weird 1st edition module.
All the pre-gens were ridiculously powerful, like a 18th Paladin, 20th Wizard, 24th Illusionist/16th Thief acrobat, 17th Monk..and a 6th Dwarf Cleric (lol, don't ask)
anyways, we open a door in the temple of evil we are in and the Terrasque is just hanging out, door disappears behind us. The wizard puts us all in a force bubble to give us some time, so eventually we decide to power up the paladin, by giving him all of our best gear and letting him drink from our barrel (an actual barrel) of potions of Haste, casting Rope Trick so he can climb in, then we roll the sphere away, he climbs out and goes toe-to-toe with the beast. Actually managed to slay it and only lost an arm and a leg (fortunately he had a backup Holy Avenger when the first went down the throat with his arm), unfortunately I as the Thief Acrobat had lost my Luck Blade (with its one wish) on the first attack of the first combat of the first game against a Rehmorraz, so we then just had to run for our lives before Big Bad got back up. Most of the party was killed in the next room that was filled with a mated pair of ancient dragons of each color. Like I said, it was a really weird scenario
Tonight the party will face off against her partner, who is rightfully enraged.
He is another custom/combination monster, the same CR, but pure bruiser. No Flyby Attack, just something stupid like 8 natural attacks per turn... Con DRAIN poison, Grab, Pull, Constrict...two-headed Tarn Linnorm "Runt".
Should be fun. And the bathrobe won't save them now.
Reproducing can cement an emotional bond but isn't required for one to form.
The BBEG in the AP is stated to have "...began experimenting with the Jabberwock’s blood..." so I figured I had free reign for the aforementioned mash-up madness.
And a lot of the monsters in the First World have been modified by the AP with random and unique features that are designed to portray the weirdness of the First World. The AP even encourages the modification of monsters used in the First World part of the adventure.
They butchered him, as they did Ilthuliak.
He used the double breath weapon on round one, landed 6 of his 8 attacks on his second round, and didn't live long enough to attack a third time. This time it was the Synthesis Summoner who delivered the killing blow... went to town with a +5 Vorpal Bastard Sword, full attack did over half of his health... the last half. The Summoner's last swing of the sword was aimed at the stinger that had Poisoned him the previous round. He chopped off its stinger and drove it into the base of its own neck, where the two heads meet.
Tarlaxian
CR21 XP 409,600
Male variant tarn linnorm “runt”
CE Gargantuan dragon (aquatic)
Init +12;
Senses
all-around vision,
darkvision 120 ft.,
low-light vision,
scent,
true seeing;
Perception +38
DEFENSE
AC 36, touch 15, flat-footed 27
(+8 Dex, +21 natural, +1 Dodge, -4 size)
hp 320 (20d12+180);
regeneration 15 (cold iron)
Fort +21, Ref +20, Will +19
Defensive Abilities
freedom of movement;
DR
15/cold iron;
Immune
acid, curse effects, flanking, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, sleep effects;
SR 29
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., fly 100 ft. (average), swim 80 ft.
Melee
2 bites +33 (2d8+12 plus poison),
2 claws +33 (2d6+12),
sting +32 (2d6+12 plus poison),
tail +30 (2d6+6 plus grab),
2 tongues +31 (2d6+6 plus grab)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft., 30 ft. w/ Tongues
Special Attacks
breath weapon (DC 29),
constrict (tail, 2d6+18),
death curse (DC 29),
pull (tongue, 30 ft.),
rake (2 talons +30, 2d6+12)
TACTICS
Although small for a tarn linnorm, he is still rather enormous—if he notices anyone approaching his nest, he bursts from the still waters of the lake to roar a challenge and then attacks. He fights to the death.
STATISTICS
Str 34, Dex 26, Con 28,
Int 7, Wis 25, Cha 28
Base Atk +20;
CMB +36 (+40 grapple);
CMD 54 (can’t be tripped)
Feats
Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Furious Focus, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bites, claws, tongues)
Skills
Fly +27, Perception +38,
Stealth +27, Swim +43;
Racial Modifiers
+8 Perception
Languages
Aklo, Draconic, Sylvan
SQ
amphibious, flight
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Breath Weapon (Su)
Once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action, he can expel a 120-foot line or a 60-foot cone of acid, dealing 18d8 points of acid damage to all creatures struck (Reflex DC 29 halves). This acid creates toxic fumes when it consumes organic material—on the round after a creature takes acid damage from this attack, it must make a DC 29 Fortitude save or take 2d6 points of Strength damage from the poisonous fumes (this secondary effect is a poison effect). As a full-round action, he may breathe acid with one head and bite with the other (but not use its other weapons). Alternatively, as a full-round action, he can breathe acid from both heads to create two adjacent 60-foot-long cones or two separate 120-foot-long lines. In this case he cannot use its breath weapon again for 2d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Death Curse (Su)
When a creature slays him, the slayer is affected by the curse of death.
Curse of Death: save Will DC 29;
effect
creature can no longer be affected by healing spells and does not heal damage naturally from rest. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Freedom of Movement (Ex)
He is under the constant effect of freedom of movement, as the spell of the same name. This effect cannot be dispelled.
True Seeing (Ex)
He has true seeing, as the spell of the same name. This effect cannot be dispelled.
Poison (Su)
Bite—injury; save Fort DC 29; frequency 1/round for 10 rounds; effect 4d6 acid damage and 1d6 Con drain; cure 3 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Poison (Ex)
Sting—injury; save DC 29; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.
ECOLOGY
Environment First World
Organization unique
Treasure none
Do you think the party would have been able to handle the two simultaneously without too much risk? Like I said, APL+3 doesn't seem much against a high level party.
I think the two of them together might have been a little much. Maybe.
Having Tarlaxian up in your business, keeping you distracted from Ilthuliak so she can Flyby Attack alternating eye lasers and breath weapon is a pretty spectacular jump in the difficulty of the encounter.
Tarlaxian can use his tongues for AoO to Pull you back if you try get away from him to fight Ilthuliak. He is immune to acid, so Ilthuliak's breath weapon is of no consequence to him.
With the party distracted by Tarlaxian, Ilthuliak is free to use her spells, stick to alternating her breath weapon and eye lasers, keeping her safely at a distance and mobile. She should be able to maintain full health until Tarlaxian is completely dealt with... IF Tarlaxian is completely dealt with.
Next time I use Ilthuliak and Tarlaxian, I will run them together as a pair.