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High level Coven encounter...

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So, say you have a Coven including the required Hag (with class levels, obviously), a level 20 Accursed Bloodline Lich, and a Witchfire (also with class levels)... they know the party is coming, and this is the BBEG fight.

I have a pretty good idea of what I am doing with their individual roles, and the spells that I want to be used throughout the battle. I am looking for advice on how to really sell the Coven flavor.

I understand the Aid Another for Caster Level thing that Covens can do. And I want to use the whole Coven casting thing for their Coven spells, at least once during this encounter.

Any suggestions on which Coven spells to use, how to portray the intense magical connection between them, or extra fun descriptions of Hags, the specifics of the ritual casting they all partake in, whatever you got, I'm interested in...

Here are the spells you get from this particular Coven:

All covens can cast the following spells, regardless of the hags that comprise them: animate dead, baleful polymorph, bestow curse, clairaudience/clairvoyance, commune, dream, forcecage, mind blank, reincarnate, speak with dead, veil, vision

The Annis Hag adds the following spells to the coven: charm monster, cloudkill, giant form I, mass bull's strength

A hag coven that includes a witchfire gains the following additional coven spell-like abilities: 3/day—blight, create undead, fire storm (DC 21), nightmare (DC 18), waves of exhaustion (DC 20).
VoodistMonk wrote:

I am looking for advice on how to really sell the Coven flavor.

I understand the Aid Another for Caster Level thing that Covens can do. And I want to use the whole Coven casting thing for their Coven spells, at least once during this encounter.

Any suggestions on which Coven spells to use, how to portray the intense magical connection between them, or extra fun descriptions of Hags, the specifics of the ritual casting they all partake in, whatever you got, I'm interested in...

I'd start with some ground markers. The three could stand upon / hover over a common circle or the tips of a common triangle. These geometric figures can be stylized as required: Arcane symbols, grisly bones, fungus etc..

When one of them casts, the others could do some arm movement or chant something, to demonstrate the common casting. Since this is the BBEG fight, I'd probably do some sound editing to get three voices into an audio file.

You could make the magical connection between them very visible: When one of them casts, lightning bolts (in a thematic color, probably different per coven member) jump from the other two to the caster. Sometimes players need very obvious display to notice something, especially when busy with other things (like combat).

A hag could be described by her ugly looks (including clothing) and her behavior. Cackling is a common thing, but petting a child's skull and calling it by name is also thematically fitting (could be too much for parents among the players, so beware). I'd try to squeeze such a flavor action into each turn of each coven member.

Look at that list of Coven-based spells. Think about how, by being cast by the coven as a whole, the magic and ritual might put a stamp on it:

Animate Dead: PCs encounter hordes of undead, all of which have been marked with a symbol of the coven etched upon their bones or burned into their rotting flesh

Dream/Nightmare: I mean, come on; these beg for visions of the three coven members showing up to torment the PCs!

Forcecage: the bars or walls of the prison are somehow visible to the victim; they glow with a triad of colors all competing for dominance over the surface of the cube and the symbol(s) of the coven can be seen to form, dissipate and re-form throughout

As for the flavor of the casting, by the time the PCs see them in action Sheepish above has the right of it. A trio of obelisks, marked points on a geometric symbol, ley line nexuses, etc for where the three members stand, energy flowing between them as they cast, all their voices speaking in unison, etc.

You could try to vary the sounds they make in order to cooperatively cast. The traditional method is three sonorous chants in unison. Other methods might be ululating in unison, rhyming together or finishing each other's sentences/phrases, an otherworldly choir, or the other two members providing sounds like hisses or screams while the primary caster chants.

But how close are the PCs to facing the coven? I'm asking b/c a lot of the "flavor" of a coven is off screen. Look at their bonus spells: curses, Veil, the ability to Charm Monster or Animate Dead, and so forth. These aren't "combat" type spells.

One bit of "flavor" I've added to covens in my own game was to have those charmed by the trio speak lovingly about their controllers. They never NAME the villains directly but they speak of their patrons as if they were great friends, as if the coven is the real victim.

Having PCs encounter charmed victims, unique plants you can locate with Knowledge: Geography like "the eldest Darkwood tree in the Murkywood" being blighted to ash, hapless NPCs polymorphed into toads, or tales of sudden explosions of fire that menaced an entire village or slew a whole pasture of animals at once, only to leave the smoldering remains glowing with green flame for minutes afterwards.

These are the special effects that signal a coven's influence.

Finally, hag descriptions are unique to the hags themselves. An Annis Hag description might focus on her imposing size, the fearful nature of her claws, or she might speak in brutish tones and language. A Green Hag on the other hand exhibits mimicry and favors disguises, so using her Alter Self ability she might try to trick the PCs into thinking she's a helpless victim only to lure them into a trap.

Oh, and one other thing I've done in my games... The Grand Coven.

See, in the general Hag area it says a coven requires "at least" 3 members and that more powerful covens are at the GM's discretion. Well, what happens if you have MORE members in the coven?

The Grand Coven exists in one of my campaigns as an evil organization. There are supposedly "9 by 9 by 9" contributing members. The PCs haven't decided if that's 9 times 9 times 9, or if that just means 27 contributors, but regardless, it's difficult to just kill three hags and say the evil is done with.

When more than 3 members of the Grand Coven get together (a thankfully rare event) their powers expand in range beyond those typical for the spells they employ. Sometimes I use metamagic as a guide, like automatically applying Reach spell or something for each set of 3 joining in the rite, or sometimes I just fiat the effect I need "off camera."

Some of the things that moots of The Grand Coven have brought about are weird and dangerous weather that remains in the area for weeks, an entire burial mound of dead warriors suddenly animating all at once (even thought the hags weren't touching the bodies when Animate Dead was cast), and a Mirage Arcana that hid an entire ruined gatehouse and part of a bridge, making it seem like the bridge had collapsed into the river canyon below.

Just throwing those out there, hope your game goes well!

I like your Grand Coven idea.

Does the leader of your Coven happen to be a Winter Hag with 10 levels of Winter Witch, and all ten levels of the Winter Witch prestige class? Neither is mine, but it's a cool combination.

I didn't know about the Occult rituals for expanding the size of the Coven until recently. Otherwise I probably would have tried to work that in sooner. It's sadly too late to add a lot of the flavor, though.

The whole Coven thing was kind of last minute, honestly. I mean, the BBEG already had the Annis Hag Cleric as a minion. And, the BBEG already has Sorcerer levels, so it was easy to throw on the Crossblooded archetype and add the Accursed Bloodline... might as well get some use out of their random decision to make this particular minion a Hag, right?

I then searched for other monsters that qualify for entry into a Coven, and added the Witchfire. All in all, it's more an attempt to keep the BBEG fight interesting. Hopefully it will last more than a few rounds.

Speaking of making the battle last more than a few rounds... what's to stop the Coven from opening up with Forcecage and nuking the party with Spell Synthesis doubled up 9th level spells? I don't want to do that, but is there any logical reason for a Coven NOT to start with Forcecage?

No, opening with FC is a good move. They have known these PCs are coming for a long time and this is the BBEG fight, so no reason to pull any punches. The only thing to worry about is that instead of it being a Standard to cast it's a Full Round action since the coven is casting it cooperatively.

The annis hag has levels of Cleric huh? These three, together, have the capability of casting Animate Dead at CL 20 (I think, from the above) so could have 40 HD worth of undead at their disposal. With her levels of Cleric, the annis may know secret methods to add high-level spells to augment these undead as part of the animation. Whether this means you toss on Templates, load the battle map with high HD undead monsters under the coven's control or even pick some 7th level Cleric spells and make them permanent on some truly unique undead monsters, I'd suggest putting a wall of the unliving between the party and the coven for round 1.

Also by this level of the campaign I'm guessing your PCs have a means of instantaneously being right next to the villains (Dimension Door, Dimensional Slide, feats, magic items, etc). Using Mirage Arcana, Veil or some other pre-cast spells may be a handy way of confusing the players for a round.

V-monk: I've run across you a few times on these forums and your logic and reason, understanding of game mechanics and general tone of play have been really impressive to me! I'm kind of excited to hear someday how this fight goes as I'm guessing a coven in your hands is really a brutal combat in store!

Yeah, the AP has the Annis Hag with 13 levels of generic Cleric (Gyronna). Well, generic Cleric is as depressing as a condiment sandwich, so I changed it up a bit.

Now she is a:
Divine Paragon Cleric-5/
Evangelist PrC-10

This only gives her two more HD, and only one more level of spellcasting... so it's not THAT big of a change. This particular combination just happens to have more flavor, and six Boons.

Since the Cleric is Channeling Negative Energy, I obviously had to make the BBEG into a Lich. Now the Cleric can heal the BBEG. Makes sense to me, healing is what Clerics do.

Making the BBEG into a Lich was easy enough... just add the template. Lol. The story already has the BBEG cursed/punished by the gods removing the BBEG's ability to love... which is kind of like removing the soul... which is kind of like a Lich. It all goes together, or it does now, at least.

When I heard about coven it's remains me of forgotten realms red wizards that use to sacrifice spell so the main caster improve his magic to cast potent magic and summons powerful outsider, example if the hag is the main the other 2 in the coven can sacrifice 1 lv 5 spell each to improve the next spell by 5 DC or by 10 caster lv or reduce the tax and increase the cha roll to get a Balor to fight for them
VoodistMonk wrote:
Making the BBEG into a Lich was easy enough... just add the template. Lol. The story already has the BBEG cursed/punished by the gods removing the BBEG's ability to love... which is kind of like removing the soul... which is kind of like a Lich. It all goes together, or it does now, at least.

So, what if the PCs just, teach them to love again? Would that undo the entire campaign or even the fight scene?

I'm picturing Xykon from OOTS in an embrace with one of the PCs, straight out of that scene from Good Will Hunting:

PC Cleric: it's not your fault

Lich: shut up...

PC Cleric: it's not your fault

Lich: shut up!

PC Cleric: it's not your fault

Lich: *crying* shut up...

PC Cleric: it's not your fault

Lich: *bawling incoherently*

Suddenly there's a brilliant light and an angelic version of the Lich's lost love appears. "I've missed you so. Let's go home..." The lich, now a pile of lifeless bones beside the disembodied soul of the person they once were, holds hands with their former love as they ascend into the light.

Camera pans back to the hag and Witchfire who are standing, mouths agape, like the Skeksis at the end of The Dark Crystal when the Mystics arrived.

Actually...

I do have it that if they peacefully return a certain item, which I have acting as the BBEG's phylactery of sorts, divine intervention occurs in the way of the Lantern King showing up in a brilliant flash. Lol.

The BBEG regaining the ability to love triggers a flood of remorse, sadness, and loss. The BBEG attempts to throw themselves on their blade to end this sudden suffering, but the blade vanishes into a swarm of glowing butterflies without breaking the skin. The BBEG falls to their knees, sobbing, as a brilliant flash of light and thunderous blast of wind clears everything within 50' of where the BBEG is kneeling.

The Lantern King says, "not so easily ended, my child, your punishment has just now begun..."

And the two of them walk off into a tunnel of light which shuts behind them.

So even though he's the Lantern King, I see you're running a dark world.

I pride myself on being a sissy boy. Here's how that would end in one of my campaigns:

PCs return the item. Lich goes to throw away the bauble in disgust... then they pause, a sudden sense of realization coming over them. "I... no I... I, remember..."

All at once the lich's whole body trembles, knees buckling under them. The sword falls errantly, a forgotten toy left behind in the wake of revelation. Impossibly the pitiful creature before you whimpers, in a small voice, "I'm sorry I failed you... I'm so sorry..."

Even as this scene unfolds before you there is a dawning of light, seemingly from nowhere, carving through the very ether overhead. Descending upon the beam comes a woman of unearthly beauty, robed only in gossamer and sunshine. Her eyes smile sadly beneath locks of gold and a bittersweet smile regards the sorrowful countenance of the lich before her.

"Why do you cry dear one?" She asks sweetly. The lich cannot even bear to lift their head to answer her. "I failed my love... I failed them all... I am nothing, unworthy; a failure!" The pathetic undead swears. The woman kneels slightly, laying a gentle kiss upon the bony countenance. "Stay your hand and revoke this madness now. You have suffered... LONG have you suffered under the burden of your shame. Come now, my liege, The Lantern King has prepared a place for you."

The woman's hand meets the trembling ivory digits of the ossuarial villain. Even as the lich's fingers disappear into hers the undead corpse shudders and crumbles. Emerging from the disintegrating remains stands the once mortal form of the lich. "But how... for someone as evil as I...?" they stutter. The angelic woman simply puts a single finger to the lips of her charge. "His light is Love; His light is Forgiveness. You have repented Dear One, and finally you are freed of your self loathing. He's sent me to take you home."

With that the woman and her ward begin to rise upon the beam of light. "It can't end like THIS!" the Witchfire Hag screams. Even as she surges forward though the angelic woman merely smiles and raises a warding hand. The Witchfire, shrieking, evaporates under a blast of the purest sunlight that mortal eyes have ever beheld.

Moments later, all has ended. Your party stands, dumbfounded before a stupefied annis hag and the pile of dust-filled gear that was the lich. Initiatives?

I'm a sucker for love.

You forgot the minions. Witches with the coven hex or others that can add to the coven. These can add CL to the cast spells. They can also make sub-covens with the hag or the witchfire. If the lich has a Iron Collar of the Unbound Coven, it can also form a coven.

The power of a coven is powerful spells as SLAs. But the price is action economy. The lich adds nothing to the coven over a Witch 1 w/coven hex. Meanwhile it's 20 CL is lost due to action economy.

That said, I like Waves of Ecstasy. It is a huge debuff (suck or suck less) to land on the party. And you can do it several rounds. Firestorm is great at pure damage. Cloudkill is great at poisoning and stopping line of sight. Forcecage is OK at control, until the party dim door's out. The spells baleful polymorph and bestow curse are great single target debufs. On the other hand, mind blank is a great pre-buff. The spell mirage arcana makes a great setting fake-out. The spells giant form I and mass bull's strength are great pre-buffs.

Note: the DCs mentioned are the default for that coven. A normal coven assumes a 16 cha. The witchfire has a 25 cha. This raises the DCs of the base coven spells by 4. If your lich has a higher cha, then adjust further. [Note items (headband or Ioun Stones) can really help here.]

As to undead, the lich alone can control 80 HD worth. The hag can control some (4*CL) also. How much the coven can control is debatable. All these numbers can be buffed by stuff that adds CLs.

/cevah

Ooh, nice. Thanks.

The Lich has the Accursed Bloodline, but no collar. I hadn't even thought about sub-Covens. Lol.

Waves of Ecstacy will definitely see some use, thanks for the tip. I like the Mirage Arcana trick, too.

I still need to figure out what Spell Synthesis spells to combine for the Lich/Mystic Theurge.... 9th level Druid and 9th level Sorcerer spells to choose from. Lol. I want to open up with Spell Synthesis, like nice warm welcome... probably massive damage rather than save or suck, because ending a two year campaign with a single casting is not anything that I would consider fun for anyone involved.

I would rather have the Lantern King show up and escort the ex-Lich BBEG off into the depths of the First World, wherever the Eldest hang out. Now that the BBEG can feel the loss and sadness that they deserve, the BBEG will be kept safe and relatively comfortable for an eternity of punishment. The worst kind. The kind that you can actually feel.

You want annoyance? Try Thorny Entanglement. It does a large area of 2d6 each round. The hag takes 5 less any time hit. The lich takes no damage. The witchfire takes 1/2 damage. You also have just made the area difficult terrain. The lich and hag need freedom of movement to move through, but fly might be easier for them. The witchfire won't be hampered and has fly already.

Etheric Shards is another great control with damage spell.

Waves is not save or suck since even saving causes staggered for a round.

Black Tentacles also does control, but over a volume.

/cevah
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Another group of battlefield control spells could be fog spells. Solid Fog for example might be a nice way for the coven to keep the PCs stuck in the area of Thorny Entanglement while they, in turn, buff themselves. Since magic rays aren't hindered by the dense mist the coven could lay off Coven spells for a round and pepper a single PC with 3 ray spells to weaken that character.

OMG, could you imagine: one participant casts Thorny Entanglement, another casts Solid Fog and a third casts Black Tentacles! Any PC in the center of that Venn Diagram of pain is taking 2d6 Piercing, potentially another 1d6+4 from a Combat Maneuver, may be Grappled, Entangled, and even if they're completely free of movement are still moving at half speed through pea-soup fog.

Oh how marvelous!
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