PDA

View Full Version : Will this king kill my PCs? [PF/3.5]


BlueInc
2011-07-25, 06:54 PM
My players:

Their stats can be found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208785) though do note that they leveled up at the end of last session and haven't redone their character sheets since then.

The Aasimar Summoner will most likely not be at this session, but Cinde will.

The monster (http://www.dndsheets.net/view.php?id=21216).

What it is:

A half-fiend (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/half-fiend) Blue (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/races/blues-psionics-unleashed) Psychic Warrior 3 (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/psychic-warrior). Half-Fiend Template taken straight from the Pathfinder Bestiary, but the race and class are third party. I read a post either on the Giant forums or Brilliant Gameologists (I think) saying that it looked balanced, but now I'm not so sure.

By RAW, this creature should be CR /3, but with the template, I'm afraid it's going to murder my party of level 2s. I want it to be a difficult fight - even an extremely difficult fight, but right now it's looking so one-sided I gave it Dodge and Mobility.

A few highlights:

DR 5/Magic; Spell resistance 14; Smite Good 1/day (and over half the party is Good); AC is 18, but can easily buff itself to AC 23; if it maintains psychic focus and hits with all three attacks, it does 2d3+1d4+18 damage; can do CON damage; can fly; Acid, cold, fire, and electricity resist 10; could give itself another 15 temporary HP; cast a 3d6+3 ray of fire; etc., etc., etc.

I was originally going to give it some kind of bodyguard, but now I'm thinking I'll be lucky with anything less than a TPK.

1. Did I miss something in creating this creature?
2. Will my party be able to handle it?
3. If not, what are some ideas to keep it frightening but not completely lethal?
Togath
2011-07-25, 07:08 PM
with the way it is built it would probably make a good final boss for a level 3 group, but it could still even at that point kill one or two, as to how to make it a better challenge for level 2 characters; reducing it to a max HP level 2 psychic warrior and using the fiendish rather than the half fiend template, in addition to changing the extra damage psionic feats to either toughness(pathfinder version), or feats such as dodge or weapon focus could help keep it a challenge but keep it from causing a TPK
subject42
2011-07-25, 07:08 PM
I don't think your players will get wrecked too badly unless they let the blue sit around and buff up. The main thing will be keeping him from successfully pulling a full attack routine.

If they can lock down his mobility it should be a manageable fight. If they just try to stand around while the warblade trades blows with it, they're in for some trouble.

Don't forget that dispel magic works transparently on psionics in Pathfinder, as well.
Acanous
2011-07-25, 07:13 PM
lv 2 characters don't get Dispel Magic.

Frankly, that looks like a CR5 monster right there. A party of CR2's would get slaughtered unless they're heavilly optimized, fighting him in optimum conditions.

If he's in a palace or something where he can't just go 400 feet *Up* and rain arrows down on them, it might be doable.
Kenneth
2011-07-25, 07:13 PM
It looks fine, really the only thing for me that looks a bit scary is the elemtnal resists, but with a non wizard in the party that to me is less of an issue.


the 2 melee should be able to handle it easily with support from the 3 clerics.

Rogue goes to flank him with the warblade, warblade does emerlad touch and power attacks for a lot of damage ( i hope he is using the LS two-handed)
BlueInc
2011-07-25, 07:19 PM
with the way it is built it would probably make a good final boss for a level 3 group, but it could still even at that point kill one or two, as to how to make it a better challenge for level 2 characters; reducing it to a max HP level 2 psychic warrior and using the fiendish rather than the half fiend template, in addition to changing the extra damage psionic feats to either toughness(pathfinder version), or feats such as dodge or weapon focus could help keep it a challenge but keep it from causing a TPK

Yeah, I guess I could scale this encounter back to "fiendish" and save the "half-fiend" for later. The current BBEG is breeding an army of half-fiend goblins, but I guess their initial confrontation could be with the first in a series of experiments.

Thanks!
subject42
2011-07-25, 07:19 PM
lv 2 characters don't get Dispel Magic.

They can normally find scrolls.

Additionally, the Blue is not immune to mind affecting abilities. Those are usually binary propositions as well.
BlueInc
2011-07-25, 07:28 PM
They can normally find scrolls.

Additionally, the Blue is not immune to mind affecting abilities. Those are usually binary propositions as well.

Well, technically it's an Outsider (Native), so a lot of low-level spells won't touch it :P
subject42
2011-07-25, 07:43 PM
Well, technically it's an Outsider (Native), so a lot of low-level spells won't touch it :P

You're right. I was thinking of fiendish.