| NPC Dave |
As I did with the three prior adventures, I will be adding some corrections and possibly a trap or two to Into the Maw.
First up is actually an errata for the Savage Tiding article in Dragon Magazine #356...
p69 Demonhair Shirt
This magic item lets a character with the rage class feature swap out two daily uses of rage to be overcome with demonic fury that lists four benefits...
1) +6 profane bonus to Strength
2) +2 profane bonus to AC
3) +10 profane bonus to speed
4) Attacks are chaotic aligned
However, I believe 1) should instead be...
1) +6 profane bonus to Strength and Constitution
The reason I believe this correction is needed because of the following sentence:
"Once activated, the demonic fury lasts for a number of rounds equal to your improved Constitution bonus."
Talking about improved Constitution is copying from the rage class feature, but it makes sense that this demonic fury which is patterned after rage would improve both Strength and Constitution.
| NPC Dave |
There are a lot of issues with the Lemorian golem as statted in both Dungeon #142 p60 and Dungeon #147 p62-63.
Thanks to JustTim in this thread for raising some of the issues:
https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2jxs6?What-are-your-suggestions-for-Divideds-I re
The Howl save DC increased by 7 points for the advanced Lemorian golem...but the save DC is Charisma based and the Charisma is the same for both versions of the golem...11.
The Rot save DC increased by 9 points and that save DC is Constitution based...but as a construct it doesn't have a Con score!
Both versions have too many skill points.
The advanced version increased its Strength by +10 instead of +8 when increasing to Huge size, and Dexterity did not drop by 2. I can explain the Dexterity at least, it loses any benefit from Combat Reflexes if its Dexterity drops from 14 to 12, so I see why they kept it at 14.
The correct saves for the advanced Lemorian golem should be Fort +12, Ref +12, and Will +11.
Flatfooted AC should be 25.
Melee attack is incorrect for the damage. The advanced Lemorian golem has a Strength modifier of +13, so the base damage of a tentacle strike is 3d6+13. +29 is correct for a five point Power Attack. A five point Power Attack would do 3d6+18 damage per strike.
Since the Howl and Rot special abilities were advanced to account for fighting 17th level PCs, I would keep them as is and only fix the skill points and melee attack. You might also want to raise the SR by 7-9 points as well.
Lastly, I plan to replace Cleave and Great Cleave with Vile Natural Attack for 1 point of vile damage per tentacle strike, and possibly the Mage Slayer feat from Complete Arcane.
| NPC Dave |
Shadows of Socothbenoth...there stat blocks look a bit incorrect.
Their initiative should be +9 (Dexterity) and +4 (Improved Initative) for a total of +13.
As an outsider, their BAB should be +15 as they have 15 HD, so their Grp should also be +15. I believe this was missed when updating from the baseline shadow demon which has 10HD.
The claw attacks are confusing. The baseline shadow demon in the Book of Vile Darkness appears to be using Dex (+7 bonus) for their claw attack bonus modifier for +17...but they don't have Weapon Finesse. I can't tell if that was an oversight.
But I also can't tell if the advanced elite shadows are being built the same way, OR if they are being built with the assumption they are getting the +4 attack bonus for being in darkness:
Option 1) +10 (for BAB which is a mistake) and +9 (Dex bonus despite no Weapon Finesse
Option 2) +15 (proper BAB) and +4 (bonus for being in darkness)
I think it is option 1), because if you assume the darkness bonus applies than the damage bonus should also be +4 (as in 2d6+4 vile damage).
So assuming that it should be Option 1) and the shadow demon gets Weapon Finesse for free, than its claw attack should be +15 (BAB) and +9 (Dex bonus) for a +24 touch attack. Before any bonus for being in darkness. The rake attacks are getting the standard -5 penalty for multiattack (which the baseline shadow demon did not get) so that makes them +19 touch attack for their rake attacks.
Lastly, the baseline shadow demon gets a +5 deflection bonus for a flat-footed AC of 15, and the rest of its AC comes from its Dex bonus. That means the advanced elite shadow demon here is getting a +7 deflection bonus. Is a +7 deflection bonus legal?
EDIT: Lynnara gets a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma bonus, which is +13. So yes a +7 deflection bonus is legal.
In any case, I think if I keep all of these fixes, the shadow demons are CR 14 or CR 15.
| NPC Dave |
Got it, looking up the incorporeal type would have answered my questions. They automatically use Dex for melee attacks and get a deflection bonus equal to their Charisma bonus.
So the AC is correct. The shadows of Socothbenoth just have the following stats corrected:
Initiative is +13
BAB and Grapple are both +15
Claw attacks are +24 touch attacks with rake attacks being +19 touch attacks. That is before any bonuses for darkness.
| NPC Dave |
It isn't clear from the descriptions, but after some study it is clear that Locations 11 (The Watch) and 13 (Sentinels) are not included in the magical field that includes the forbiddance and sympathy effects. And the nycaloth mercenaries and nabassus are not under the effects of those fields.
In the development entry for the nycaloth mercenaries, it mentions that it is possible for the PCs to gain their assistance in a strike on Vanthus. It specifically states, however, that locations 26-28, where Vanthus and his allies are located, are not in the warded field. So the nycaloths are logically not able to help if they are already under the sympathy effect.
So while the warded field from the artifact does extend 1000 feet above the prison structure, it doesn't hurt to have this field have a hole in the center where the volcano is. The nabassus and nycaloth mercenaries can make use of this hole to fly not just in the immediate area but also to attack anyone climbing up the cliff walls to the prison or volcano.
Elsewhere it mentions that vrocks patrol the island. This would only be possible if one flight of vrocks, possibly the ones occupying areas 26-28 before Vanthus arrived, was outside and unaffected by the warded field. I would recommend that areas 1-5 remain in the field and have one flight of vrocks be trapped in the prison in that area, and a second flight of vrocks be near the prison but outside the effect. This second flight patrols the islands on a semi-regular basis.
| NPC Dave |
S'Sharra should have an AC of 42, not 41. The stat block does not take into account her Two Weapon Defense feat.
Lillianth should have a Will save of +25 with unholy aura, not +23. The stat block does not take into account her Iron Will feat.
Azael should get a +4 synergy bonus for his Diplomacy score if you grant the +2 each for both Bluff and Sense Motive having 5 ranks. That would make his Diplomacy +21.
| NPC Dave |
EDIT: Lynnara gets a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma bonus, which is +13. So yes a +7 deflection bonus is legal.
Correction, Lynnara's deflection bonus is capped by her thrall of Malcanthet level, so she has a +8 deflection bonus.
Some other fixes to her stat block...
She should be CR 19, not CR 17, base CR 7 for a succubus, say +4 CR for 8 bard levels and +8 CR for for thrall of Malcanthet levels.
She is using her weapon finesse feat with a sword of life stealing that is a longsword, which isn't a light weapon. The easiest fix is probably to make this a short sword of life stealing and change her Improved Critical feat from longsword to short sword. So she would do 1d6+2 damage with the short sword and everything else remains the same.
Her claw attack is listed as +14 to attack...why? Her BAB is +16 and this isn't a secondary weapon. It would even count as a light weapon for Weapon Finesse. Unless I am missing something, her claw attack should be +16 (BAB) and +3 (Dex) for a +19 attack roll.
Lastly her flat-footed AC is 32, not 27. She loses her Dex bonus to AC while flat-footed, not her deflection bonus.
| NPC Dave |
So the AC is correct. The shadows of Socothbenoth just have the following stats corrected:Initiative is +13
BAB and Grapple are both +15
Claw attacks are +24 touch attacks with rake attacks being +19 touch attacks. That is before any bonuses for darkness.
A careful reading of the Book of Vile Darkness entry for tanar'ri traits and the shadow demon entry shows that they should also have
Resist acid 10| NPC Dave |
Vanthus skills are mostly correct, but his Swim score should be +9 accounting for 3 skill ranks (which he had when last encountered in Dungeon #143), a +8 Strength bonus and -2 for armor check penalty.
Also, his skills don't account for synergies, so you can add +4 to his Diplomacy checks and +2 to his Balance, Intimidate, Jump and Tumble checks.
| NPC Dave |
Vanthus attack and damage bonuses for all of his weapons are one too high.
For his longsword, his attack should be +12 (BAB) +7 (Strength bonus) +4 (magic bonus) +1 (Weapon Focus) = +24
And for his sickle, his attack should be +12 (BAB) +7 (Strength bonus) +2 (magic bonus) +1 (Weapon Focus) = +22
For longsword damage, it would be +7 (Strength bonus) +4 (magic bonus) +2 (Weapon Specialization) = +13 damage bonus
For sickle damage, it would be +3 (half Strength bonus) +2 (magic bonus) +2 (Weapon Specialization feat) = +7 damage bonus
Also note that both weapons are flaming burst, rather than flaming, so they each do an extra d10 fire damage on a successful critical hit.
His touch attack would be +12 (BAB) +7 (Strength bonus) = +19 touch attack.
His tail attack would be +12 (BAB) +7 (Strength bonus) -5 (secondary attack) = +14 to hit.
The tail damage bonus is only half his Strength bonus, which is +3.
| NPC Dave |
Vanthus attack and damage bonuses for all of his weapons are one too high.
Oops! Vanthus' strength bonus is +8...not +7, which means you can disregard my last post, all of his numbers are correct!
The caster level is listed incorrect though, his spell-like abilities have a caster level of 15, not 12.
| NPC Dave |
Correction, Lynnara's deflection bonus is capped by her thrall of Malcanthet level, so she has a +8 deflection bonus.Some other fixes to her stat block...
The DC save for her 5th level spell mislead should be 28, not 30.
Mislead DC = 10 + 5 (spell level) + 13 (Charisma bonus) = 28
It is an illusion spell not an enchantment spell so she doesn't get the +2 bonus for her feats or her thrall of Malcanthet class ability.
Her SLA dominate monster which is also a prestige class ability had a DC save of 32, not 31.
Dominate Monster = 10 + 9 (spell level) + 13 (Charisma bonus) = 32.
| NPC Dave |
Saureya has an AC of 40, not 42, and a touch AC of 16, not 18. His +5 mithral shirt caps his max Dex AC bonus at +6 so he can't benefit from his full +8 Dex bonus.
Furthermore, his flat-footed AC is 34, not 33. As an astral deva he gets a +15 natural armor bonus and a +5 mithral shirt gives him a +9 armor bonus.
His deceptive attack ability applies against any target he has beguiled with his beguiling stare in addition to anyone he successfully feints.
| NPC Dave |
Kululblax, as far as I can tell, is listed with the incorrect numbers for his natural attacks. I don't see any rules for any additional penalties if you combine two weapon fighting with secondary natural attacks.
So while Kululblax has a -4 penalty wielding two battleaxes, with his Multiattack feat his pincer attacks and bite attack should only be at -2.
Thus the 2 pincer attacks and bite attack should be +25, not +21.
+17 (BAB) + 12 (Str bonus) -2 (Size penalty) -2 (Multiattack feat) = +25
Likewise, when raging and using 2 points of power attack it should still be +25.
| NPC Dave |
On page 69, location 15 describes the bridge as being 1000 feet above the lava. That is a nice round number, but that introduces a big problem if you want Lazuvakus to be a threat to the PCs should he get released while they are outside near the volcano.
As a poor flyer, Lazruvakas can only ascend upward at a 45 degree angle while moving half speed. Since he doesn't have the run feat, a full round of movement at half speed is 180 feet divided by two = 90 feet.
But he is not traveling straight up, he has to ascend at a 45 degree angle. So 90 feet is the c value in pythagorean's theorem and a or b would be how high he ascends each round. a = b and a (squared) + b (squared) = c (squared).
So 2 * a (squared) = c (squared).
2 * a (squared) = 90 (squared)
a (squared) = 45 * 90
a ~ = 63.6 feet ascending per round. We will round that up to 65 feet.
1000 feet / 65 feet per round = 15 combat rounds just to get up to the bridge.
So instead I will have the lava be 300-400 feet below the bridge, still enough to maximize falling damage and give the PCs some time to react, but not leaving the PCs ten rounds to lob spells at the beast.