true_shinken
2010-07-24, 01:35 PM
Hello, guys.
Last session, my players had it tough with the return of a previous ally (and previous player character, even), an iaijutsu master that before disappearing nearly ruined everything they worked for up until the moment. He had an ally, that helped him escape prison - a tiefling truenamer. They invaded the PC's castle, nearly killed aforementioned iaijutsu master's brother and managed to get away greatly pissing off the group's paladin (he completly trusted the iaijutsu master back in the day).
Well, maybe I didn't need to explain the setting, but I enjoyed doing so ^^
The thing is, the iaijutsu master is the leader of a quirky mini-boss group for the real BBEG (an aasimar Sorcerer/Blackguard/Abjurant Champion and the paladin's brother). Do you have any suggestions on what I could use?
The party is around levels 10-13, consisting of an aasimar Swordsage/Paladin/Shiba Protector (highest level character, party leader, INSANE defenses, deals a lot of damage), a dragonblooded elf Warlock/Cyran Avenger (glaivelock, owner of aforementioned castle, deals a lot of damage, good skills, uses plenty of items for swift-action movement, deals solid reliable damage), a half-elf Rogue/Swashbuckler/Scarlet Corsair (currently the owner of a Belt of Magnificence and finally on par with the party combat-wise; specializes in tricky fighting, with Einhander, Combat Panache and skill tricks, half-brother to the warlock), a human Artificer/Samurai (he also has a level of sohei, but just uses the sword against lesser enemies - when things get tough, the blastifier mode kicks in and he outranks everyone in damage-dealing) and a human Lurk/Chameleon (with Otherwordly feat; heir to the throne; as a Chameleon, he does what is needed, usually using alter self to get an AC in the 40s when needed. Rubbish hit points and usually deals low damage, though).
For the quirky mini-boss squad, I already have:
Lerin, the human Samurai/Iaijutsu Master. He uses a collar of umbral metamorphosis to hide, sheath his blade, and do iaijutsu again. He also has a blurstrike katana and a few hidden daggers to surprise the enemy, along with Acrobatic Backstab and Flick of the Christ. Deal pretty nice damage (one-shoted the artificer last time) and remains hidden most of the time while also having very high HP - can't hide reliably from the Paladin, though.
Kezarta, the tiefling truenamer. I got a truenamer because I needed a way to prevent the paladin from dealing a crapload of damage, and no-save slow does just that. She can also deal damage to him while ignoring his defenses (h has fairly low hit points). The warlock simply creamed her, though, so I need a way to protect her - though maybe of a Knight/Devoted Defender. Her truspeak is optimized though the roof and she can reliable quicken all her utterances about 5 times per encounter without any trouble.
Hax. Hengeyokai (sparrow) Bard 6/Hexblade 5/Exotic Weapon Master 1. Major debuffing and minor battlefield control. Chaotic Evil with Wisdom 6, torturer, spy and a bit mad.
The anti-elves. Thy are the mooks for this quirky mini-boos group; feral phrenic Warrior 4 elves. Players met a few of'em earlier in the campaign and are totally freaked out by them.
My other thoughts are:
Debuffer: A hexblade/bard with Doomspeak feat. This would allow the trunamer to daze more reliably (and it would giver a shot at dazing the Paladin at all - guy has Will +30 and we use action points). Hexblade side might allow him to better deal damage. The idea of a spell-storing whip looks awesome, but I don't know if it would work. Inspire competence also improved iaijutsu and truenaming. Done. See hax above.
Xeph Lightsaber User: Kind of a counterpart to the glaivelock, a guy using flame blade or a similar spell along with xeph celerity to attack lots of times at lower AC (touch attacks are a bit less powerful since we use the defense bonus rule, though). Dunno if this could work, but a Spirit Shaman should do the trick. Spirit Shaman also allows me to explain how they happen to move freely (i.e., their utility casting) without relying too much on the trunamer's UMD.
Dual Assassins: A pair of sneak attackers using reach weapons and lockdown tactics. Something along the line of Sneak Attack Fighter/Crusader, with Standstill, Mageslayer and the like.
Dark Knight: A Knight/Devoted defender to protect the squishiest members of the party, like the bard or the truenamer (even though said truenamer has almost 100hit points).
Blood Knight: A build that would drain his own life force for more damage. I'm thinking Sadism, Divine Sacrifice and Blade of Blood here, with either weapons of wrathful healing or the psionic alternative (vampiric weapon/claw). I'd really like to squeeze Sidestep, Robilar's Gambit and Double Hit here, but seems kinda hard for a level 13. He would be the team leader. Really don't know if I can pull this, but I love the concept.
So, I don't know which of my ideas would work best or how many people I need in my quirky mini-boss squad. Any help at all would be greatly welcomed.
Thanks in advance, playground.
Last session, my players had it tough with the return of a previous ally (and previous player character, even), an iaijutsu master that before disappearing nearly ruined everything they worked for up until the moment. He had an ally, that helped him escape prison - a tiefling truenamer. They invaded the PC's castle, nearly killed aforementioned iaijutsu master's brother and managed to get away greatly pissing off the group's paladin (he completly trusted the iaijutsu master back in the day).
Well, maybe I didn't need to explain the setting, but I enjoyed doing so ^^
The thing is, the iaijutsu master is the leader of a quirky mini-boss group for the real BBEG (an aasimar Sorcerer/Blackguard/Abjurant Champion and the paladin's brother). Do you have any suggestions on what I could use?
The party is around levels 10-13, consisting of an aasimar Swordsage/Paladin/Shiba Protector (highest level character, party leader, INSANE defenses, deals a lot of damage), a dragonblooded elf Warlock/Cyran Avenger (glaivelock, owner of aforementioned castle, deals a lot of damage, good skills, uses plenty of items for swift-action movement, deals solid reliable damage), a half-elf Rogue/Swashbuckler/Scarlet Corsair (currently the owner of a Belt of Magnificence and finally on par with the party combat-wise; specializes in tricky fighting, with Einhander, Combat Panache and skill tricks, half-brother to the warlock), a human Artificer/Samurai (he also has a level of sohei, but just uses the sword against lesser enemies - when things get tough, the blastifier mode kicks in and he outranks everyone in damage-dealing) and a human Lurk/Chameleon (with Otherwordly feat; heir to the throne; as a Chameleon, he does what is needed, usually using alter self to get an AC in the 40s when needed. Rubbish hit points and usually deals low damage, though).
For the quirky mini-boss squad, I already have:
Lerin, the human Samurai/Iaijutsu Master. He uses a collar of umbral metamorphosis to hide, sheath his blade, and do iaijutsu again. He also has a blurstrike katana and a few hidden daggers to surprise the enemy, along with Acrobatic Backstab and Flick of the Christ. Deal pretty nice damage (one-shoted the artificer last time) and remains hidden most of the time while also having very high HP - can't hide reliably from the Paladin, though.
Kezarta, the tiefling truenamer. I got a truenamer because I needed a way to prevent the paladin from dealing a crapload of damage, and no-save slow does just that. She can also deal damage to him while ignoring his defenses (h has fairly low hit points). The warlock simply creamed her, though, so I need a way to protect her - though maybe of a Knight/Devoted Defender. Her truspeak is optimized though the roof and she can reliable quicken all her utterances about 5 times per encounter without any trouble.
Hax. Hengeyokai (sparrow) Bard 6/Hexblade 5/Exotic Weapon Master 1. Major debuffing and minor battlefield control. Chaotic Evil with Wisdom 6, torturer, spy and a bit mad.
The anti-elves. Thy are the mooks for this quirky mini-boos group; feral phrenic Warrior 4 elves. Players met a few of'em earlier in the campaign and are totally freaked out by them.
My other thoughts are:
Debuffer: A hexblade/bard with Doomspeak feat. This would allow the trunamer to daze more reliably (and it would giver a shot at dazing the Paladin at all - guy has Will +30 and we use action points). Hexblade side might allow him to better deal damage. The idea of a spell-storing whip looks awesome, but I don't know if it would work. Inspire competence also improved iaijutsu and truenaming. Done. See hax above.
Xeph Lightsaber User: Kind of a counterpart to the glaivelock, a guy using flame blade or a similar spell along with xeph celerity to attack lots of times at lower AC (touch attacks are a bit less powerful since we use the defense bonus rule, though). Dunno if this could work, but a Spirit Shaman should do the trick. Spirit Shaman also allows me to explain how they happen to move freely (i.e., their utility casting) without relying too much on the trunamer's UMD.
Dual Assassins: A pair of sneak attackers using reach weapons and lockdown tactics. Something along the line of Sneak Attack Fighter/Crusader, with Standstill, Mageslayer and the like.
Dark Knight: A Knight/Devoted defender to protect the squishiest members of the party, like the bard or the truenamer (even though said truenamer has almost 100hit points).
Blood Knight: A build that would drain his own life force for more damage. I'm thinking Sadism, Divine Sacrifice and Blade of Blood here, with either weapons of wrathful healing or the psionic alternative (vampiric weapon/claw). I'd really like to squeeze Sidestep, Robilar's Gambit and Double Hit here, but seems kinda hard for a level 13. He would be the team leader. Really don't know if I can pull this, but I love the concept.
So, I don't know which of my ideas would work best or how many people I need in my quirky mini-boss squad. Any help at all would be greatly welcomed.
Thanks in advance, playground.