My players and I have finally gotten started with this adventure in earnest, so as I go I will be publishing any errors or fixes I spot in the 3.5 D&D ruleset and stat blocks. It does look like Wolfgang Baur was more careful error checking his stat blocks than the previous authors, so I expect less posts than my threads on the previous adventures.
First up is the Stygian Linnorms (p84-85) and the Arcanoloths (p46-47) stat blocks. Now if you read them each individually, they each look completely correct. But take a look at the HD and hit points for those two entries:
Stygian Linnorm hp 243 (18 HD)
Arcanaloth hp 243 (18 HD)
They are identical! Should they be identical? Most likely not. I think what happened is Wolfgang built the Stygian Linnorm encounter first, finished the stat block, and then copied and pasted that stat block when he started working on the Arcanaloths... and forgot to update the hp/HD entry.
The Stygian Linnorms are presumably the correct one, and the arcanaloths are supposed to be upgraded to be more powerful than their 3.0 Monster Manual II entry, but most likely not 18HD and certainly not the exact same hit points as the linnorms. I don't know what the official fix would be since this Dungeon issue was the only official update arcanaloths got for 3.5 D&D, so you can leave them with 18 HD since it won't hurt to give them the extra hit points. If you do give them 18 HD than their hit points should be a little lower than the linnorms since the linnorms have 12-sided hit dice and Con 24 compared to the arcanaloths having 8-sided hit dice and Con 28.
For 3.0 arcanaloths had 12 HD. Maybe split the difference and give them 15 HD?
If I ever run an epic adventure with Iggwilv, I will go over her stat block, but for now, I am going to assume it is correct and the players will not be suicidal.
The death giant stat block is correct, but there are definitely some sub-optimal feats chosen. I recommend considering the following swaps:
replace Point Blank Shot with Brutal Throw (add Str to thrown weapon attack rolls)
replace Precise Shot with Blind-Fight
maybe replace Vestigal Wings with something more useful, I am selecting Large and in Charge
The stat block for the crawling head Lertyck Trumbel duplicates the stat block from the Fiend Folio except for the 3.5 update, so the only error was present in the Fiend Folio.
Lertyck should have a base Initiative of +2, not +6. He has a Dex of 7 (-2) and the feat Improved Initiative (+4) = +2. However, keep in mind that Lertyck has 20 heads stored which means he is definitely going to boost his Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity and Charisma by +6 each by consuming four of his heads. I don't see a need for him to boost his intelligence unless you think he will be making some relevant skill checks in that area.
So that will bring his Dexterity up to 13 (+1) and with Improved Initative (+4) he will have +5 Initiative for the combat.
And his feat choices are from the Fiend Folio and they are just terrible options for a monster fighting 19th level characters. I recommend swapping out as follows:
replace Cleave with Multiattack
replace Combat Expertise with Improved Natural Attack(bite)
replace Great Cleave with Improved Natural Attack(tentacles)
replace Improved Disarm with Blind-Fight
replace Improved Trip with Maximize Spell-like Ability(Inflict serious wounds)
replace Power Attack with Large and in Charge
replace Weapon Focus(bite) with Improved Multiattack
It's been a long time since I ran 3.5 (and when I finally get the chance to run this, it will probably be using PF). So my 3.5 feat memory is very rusty.
All of which leads to the following question: where can I find the "Large and In Charge" feat?
Bellona wrote: It's been a long time since I ran 3.5 (and when I finally get the chance to run this, it will probably be using PF). So my 3.5 feat memory is very rusty.
All of which leads to the following question: where can I find the "Large and In Charge" feat?
It is in the Sword and Fist 3.0 D&D supplement and the Dracomicon 3.5 D&D supplement. But I will include the text here since you can also find it online...
Prerequisite
STR 17+, Reach (Large size or larger),
Benefit
When you make a successful attack of opportunity against an opponent who is moving inside your threatened area, you can force the opponent back to the square he was in before he provoked the attack. After you hit with your attack of opportunity, make an opposed Strength check against your opponent. You gain a +4 bonus for each size category larger than your opponent you are, and an additional +1 bonus for every 5 points of damage you dealt with your attack of opportunity. If you win the opposed check, your opponent is pushed back 5 feet into the square he just left.
And Improved Multiattack builds on Multiattack by taking away the last -2 attack penalty for secondary attacks. Lertyck is better off with five attacks at his regular to hit roll than a +1 to one attack and a -2 to his other four attacks.
Thank you for the answer/explanation! :)
If/when I get my chance to run this AP, I'll probably have to find PF(1) equivalents to both your good work and the AP's actual content. That will make life interesting. :D
I recently returned to the site here and had outstanding requests for my Savage Tide PF conversions. Looking at my notes, I kept the HD for the Arcanaloths and the Stygian Linnorms the same as indicated - the HPs are different as the two have different CON scores.
I never did finish though updating Iggwilv back then (many years ago), but it was mostly finished. I had converted her to being a female venerable human Wizard 20/MR 10 (which put her at CR 25 theoretically). I did use the Legendary Games' PF rules for mythic villains though. She is one tough and vicious boss-level encounter.
I can share my Savage Tide PF notes if you like, just send me a PM with an email address to send the files.
Cheers!
CB
Skipping ahead for a moment, the Peloran Heretics on page 74 are Crimson's minions who are half-elf vampire monk/shadowdancers.
IMO, it would be worth making them more of a threat by adding a few more class levels to them, but that does depend on the makeup of your party.
One thing I recommend is to build them so that they rely on their unarmed monk strikes rather than the magic weapons they are equipped with on page 251 of the Monster Manual. That way they can take advantage of their vampiric ability to inflict two negative levels once per round. If you do this a few more monk levels will help, but also the following feats can be useful:
Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)
Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike) <- if you allow monks to benefit from this, if not...
Improved Natural Attack (slam)
Weapon Focus (slam)
Chosen Foe : from Drow of the Underdark, no pre-requisites
Benefit
Once during your turn as a free action, you can designate a single opponent. You gain a +1 insight bonus on attack rolls made against that opponent and a +1 insight bonus to AC against attacks made by that opponent. In exchange, you take a —2 penalty on attack rolls against other creatures and a —2 penalty to AC against attacks made by other creatures. The bonus and penalty last until the start of your next turn.
The Peloran Heretics will use their shadow companions to set up flank attacks and since Crimson can cast Greater Magic Weapon, you can have the heretics benefit from that spell having been pre-cast on some or all of them to give them a +2 enchantment on their unarmed strikes.
The stat block for Redfang, Gnawer in Darkness is mostly correct, the only error I see is that his Initiative should be +3, not +0. He has a Dex of 16.
They don't list his natural armor bonus but it looks like he has a natural armor bonus of +44. So a +44 natural armor bonus, a +3 Dexterity bonus and -8 colossal size AC penalty = 39 AC.
In terms of the encounter, if your PCs are optimized they could make short work of Redfang with the action economy since he can't cast and full attack despite having two heads. So here is what I did to beef him up against my PCs.
Two of his top spells are Wish and Greater Planar Binding. Have him cast a wish on a previous day so that he knows the PCs are coming, and he can prepare by inviting some 18HD planar creatures to help defend his lair. Buff spells are pre-cast on himself and his planar allies because a wish lets him get the timing right, so he is ready for the scry and strike tactic common in high level 3.5 D&D. When a planar ally falls in battle, Redfang can use a wish to resurrect them and spend a bit of XP to bring them back in better position.
Redfang will also have a wish cast to counter the next miracle or wish to directly affect him so that the two wishes (or wish/miracle) cancel each other.
Lastly, Redfang can use the anvil artifact in his horde defensively to counter any disjunction spell. By fighting close to his anvil, a disjunction spell becomes risky for a PC caster.
I have Redfang's treasure chamber to the left of the map, with the caves narrowing down to one passage before opening up. Redfang uses teleport to get in and out of his cave. In that narrow passage, spread across about 40 feet of the passage are four separate Symbols of Spell Loss.
You can find the 8th level spell Symbol of Spell Loss in the 3.5 D&D Spell Compendium. I picked this trap up from Oerth Journal #23.
Four separate traps, about 10 feet apart from each other in a narrow 10 foot corridor.
Four CR10 traps; spell; spell trigger 60ft proximity (true seeing); reset automatic; spell effect (heightened symbol of spell loss, 20th-level sorcerer, DC 29 (Will save); Search DC 34; Disable Device DC 34.
Each spellcaster must attempt a DC Will save every round they are in range. Failure means the highest level spell prepared (or highest level spell slot) is lost for the day. Creatures with spell-like abilities lose a daily use of their highest-level ability or suppresses an ability usable at will for 1 round. A symbol can erase up to fifty levels of spells each.
Redfang can have an antipathy in effect keyed against the majority alignment or race of PC that he is expecting. So on a teleport strike in, should a PC fail a save they will exit the treasure cavern and encounter the traps.
Redfang's Snatch feat is useless against freedom of movement so my old stand by Large and in Charge will be substituted. Flyby Attack can be swapped out for Blind-Fight or Improved Multiattack (eliminates the final -2 hit penalty).
NPC Dave wrote:
They don't list his natural armor bonus but it looks like he has a natural armor bonus of +44. So a +44 natural armor bonus, a +3 Dexterity bonus and -8 colossal size AC penalty = 39 AC.
Small correction, I forgot that the stat block has mage armor already cast, so Redfang's natural armor bonus is +40, not +44. So his AC is
+40 (natural armor) +4 (mage armor spell) +3 (Dexterity bonus) -8 (size penalty) = AC 39.
So Redfang could cast his shield spell to get his AC up to 43.
One other idea I used that I forgot to mention, and this came from someone else on this forum years ago. Redfang could create a simulacrum of himself with the 7th level spell. It will have 9HD and a few less feats and be about a 9th level sorcerer caster.
Redfang can hide underneath his treasure hoard under a false floor. The simulacrum will be absolutely covered in coins and gems, emphasize that the eyes are even completely covered and the false Redfang is relying on blindsense. This fools true seeing until the simulacrum takes a significant hit and the players will notice the illusion magic with true seeing or arcane sight. Only if the players have true seeing AND x-ray vision up at the same time can they hope to perceive the simulacrum for what it is before they start striking it.
If you do this, Redfang can rise out from his hiding place as a move-equivalent action.
NPC Dave wrote: NPC Dave wrote:
They don't list his natural armor bonus but it looks like he has a natural armor bonus of +44. So a +44 natural armor bonus, a +3 Dexterity bonus and -8 colossal size AC penalty = 39 AC.
Small correction, I forgot that the stat block has mage armor already cast, so Redfang's natural armor bonus is +40, not +44. So his AC is
+40 (natural armor) +4 (mage armor spell) +3 (Dexterity bonus) -8 (size penalty) = AC 39.
Oops! AC starts at 10, not 0!
For Redfang:
AC = 10 + 30 (natural armor bonus) + 4 (mage armor bonus) + 3 (Dexterity bonus) -8 (size penalty) = AC 39.
43 AC with the shield spell.
I was browsing the Age of Worms forum and discovered some more ideas for making Dragotha more deadly that can also work for Redfang.
Using the Draconomicon breath weapon feats like Clinging Breath, Heighten Breath, Maximize Breath or Quicken Breath. Heighten Breath, for example, raises the DC for the breath weapon save to DC 52! Evade that rogues! But then Redfang can't use his breath weapon again for another 16+d4 rounds.
Another possibly is the Arcane Strike feat which you can use to increase his attack and damage rolls in combat by utilizing his uncast spells.
NPC Dave wrote: The stat block for the crawling head Lertyck Trumbel duplicates the stat block from the Fiend Folio except for the 3.5 update, so the only error was present in the Fiend Folio.
Lertyck should have a base Initiative of +2, not +6. He has a Dex of 7 (-2) and the feat Improved Initiative (+4) = +2. However, keep in mind that Lertyck has 20 heads stored which means he is definitely going to boost his Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity and Charisma by +6 each by consuming four of his heads. I don't see a need for him to boost his intelligence unless you think he will be making some relevant skill checks in that area.
So that will bring his Dexterity up to 13 (+1) and with Improved Initative (+4) he will have +5 Initiative for the combat.
And his feat choices are from the Fiend Folio and they are just terrible options for a monster fighting 19th level characters. I recommend swapping out as follows:
replace Cleave with Multiattack
replace Combat Expertise with Improved Natural Attack(bite)
replace Great Cleave with Improved Natural Attack(tentacles)
replace Improved Disarm with Blind-Fight
replace Improved Trip with Maximize Spell-like Ability(Inflict serious wounds)
replace Power Attack with Large and in Charge
replace Weapon Focus(bite) with Improved Multiattack
One alternate approach for Lertyck is to give him the Power Critical feat from Complete Warrior to boost his chances for his vorpal bite attack. Power Critical gives him a +4 attack bonus to confirm a critical hit. You also need to keep Weapon Focus(bite) for this to work.
Weapon Focus(bite)
Power Critical(bite) replacing Great Cleave or Improved Trip
You could take Power Critical(bite) a second time to confirm the crit with a +8 attack bonus.
One more note for Lertyck, I just realized that he has true seeing, which means he doesn't need the feat Blind-Fight. So
replace Improved Disarm with Power Critical(bite)
If anyone is curious, the cleric in my campaign used two miracles with some XP to power them up and throw two flashflood spells (an 8th level spell from the Sandstorm supplement, each extended for 1 extra round) at Lertyck and the death giants at the beginning of the combat. Needless to say, Lertyck wasn't feeling well after 10d6 damage for three rounds and 18d6 damage for two rounds.
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