Kirion
2011-10-08, 10:50 PM
I'm going to be running another session next wednesday and I'm not sure about the balance of the upcoming encounters.
The party is level 8: warblade, assassin, favored soul, and scout.
They're just about to jump on to a spelljammer and wreck some mind flayers. It's a heavily modified version of this web enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20050520a). I'm using it mostly for the dungeon layout and maps, but changing around the NPCs to be more suitable.
There won't be any human mercenaries (boring!). I'm going for mind flayers + their enslaved servants. So I'm looking to populate the nautiloid with good servants and mind flayers and stuff. Here's what I got so far:
1) 3 Mind flayers in the control room (CR 11). Not sure if they'd get a surprise round but they'll likely be aware of the PCs raiding the ship so will be prepared.
2) Also have this in mind, maybe guarding the portal entrance:
4 Ogre Guard Thralls (p110 MMIV)
1 Mind Flayer (maybe advanced?)
EL 11
3) The captain of the ship:
Ultralithid (p158 LoM)
CR 12
4) I'll also have a half-farspawn voidmind troll. He'll be unconscious in a large glass container with tubes siphoning his bluish green glowing blood for whatever reason. When the mind flayer(s) leave their seats and the ship is depowered, he wakes up and goes on a rampage:
CR 8 (if I did it right?):
Half-Farspawn Voidmind Troll
Size/Type: Large Outsider (native)
Hit Dice: 6d8+66 (93 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 25 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +12 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 21
Damage Reduction 5/magic
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+18
Attack: Claw +12 melee (1d6+9); in amorphous form, tentacle +10 melee (1d8+9)
Full Attack: 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+9) and bite +7 melee (1d6+4) and 2 tentacles +7 melee (1d6+4) and tentacle +7 melee (1d8+4); in amorphous form, 4 tentacles +12 melee (1d6+9) and tentacle +7 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rend 2d6+9, Cone of Slime, Shape Change
Special Qualities: Darkvision 90 ft., blindsight 60ft., low-light vision, regeneration 5, scent, immunity to poison, immunity to acid, immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, damage reduction 5/magic, resistance to electricity 10, spell resistance 16, improved grab, constrict; in amorphous form, also can’t be flanked and not subject to extra damage from critical hits
Supernatural Abilities: True Strike, Blur 3/day, Touch of Idiocy, Stinking Cloud, Change Shape, Cone of Slime
Saves: Fort +18, Ref +6, Will +5
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 18, Con 33, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will, Track, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude
Environment: Cold mountains (Scrag: Cold aquatic)
Organization: Solitary or gang (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: chaotic evil
Rend (Ex)
If a troll hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d6+9 points of damage.
Regeneration (Ex)
Fire and acid deal normal damage to a troll. If a troll loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.
Change Shape: (p153 LoM)
A half-farspawn’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Cone of Slime: 1/day 30ft. cone of psionically charged slime, 6d6 acid Reflex 24 half, anyone that takes damage also takes a -2 penalty on Will saves and is stunned for 1d4+1 rounds (fort save DC 24).
Constrict: On successful grapple check, 1d8+12 damage.
Sentient Tentacle: Improved Grab with voidmind tentacle, +4 to grapple, can maintain grapple with tentacle while performing other actions.
Mind Flayer Host: (p189 MM3)
Are all these encounters acceptable for my party? Too strong, too weak? Any other good mind flayer servants I can throw at them?
Also, if they progress enough they might fight another encounter, a lolth-touched colossal spider:
CR 12:
Lolth-touched Monstrous Spider, Colossal
Size/Type: Colossal Vermin
Hit Dice: 32d8+160 (304 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 22 (-8 size, +2 Dex, +18 natural), touch 4, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +24/+53
Attack: Bite +29 melee (4d6+18 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +29 melee (4d6+18 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 40 ft./30 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, web
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +23, Ref +12, Will +10
Abilities: Str 37, Dex 15, Con 20, Int Ø, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +16, Hide -10*, Jump +10*, Spot +7*
Feats: — —
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Poison (Ex)
A monstrous spider has a poisonous bite. Fort Save DC28, 2d8 Str. The save DCs are Constitution-based. The indicated damage is initial and secondary damage.
Web (Ex)
Both types of monstrous spiders often wait in their webs or in trees, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. Web-spinners can throw a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the spider. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check. Both are standard actions whose DCs are given in the table below. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus.
Web-spinners often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has the hit points given on the table, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—.
A monstrous spider can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.
Escape Artist DC 28
Break DC 32
Hit Points 18
Tremorsense (Ex)
A monstrous spider can detect and pinpoint any creature or object within 60 feet in contact with the ground, or within any range in contact with the spider’s webs.
Skills
Monstrous spiders have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A monstrous spider can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Monstrous spiders use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.
*Hunting spiders have a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks and a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks. Web-spinning spiders have a +8 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks when using their webs.
Fearless: Immune to all fear effects.
The party is level 8: warblade, assassin, favored soul, and scout.
They're just about to jump on to a spelljammer and wreck some mind flayers. It's a heavily modified version of this web enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20050520a). I'm using it mostly for the dungeon layout and maps, but changing around the NPCs to be more suitable.
There won't be any human mercenaries (boring!). I'm going for mind flayers + their enslaved servants. So I'm looking to populate the nautiloid with good servants and mind flayers and stuff. Here's what I got so far:
1) 3 Mind flayers in the control room (CR 11). Not sure if they'd get a surprise round but they'll likely be aware of the PCs raiding the ship so will be prepared.
2) Also have this in mind, maybe guarding the portal entrance:
4 Ogre Guard Thralls (p110 MMIV)
1 Mind Flayer (maybe advanced?)
EL 11
3) The captain of the ship:
Ultralithid (p158 LoM)
CR 12
4) I'll also have a half-farspawn voidmind troll. He'll be unconscious in a large glass container with tubes siphoning his bluish green glowing blood for whatever reason. When the mind flayer(s) leave their seats and the ship is depowered, he wakes up and goes on a rampage:
CR 8 (if I did it right?):
Half-Farspawn Voidmind Troll
Size/Type: Large Outsider (native)
Hit Dice: 6d8+66 (93 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 25 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +12 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 21
Damage Reduction 5/magic
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+18
Attack: Claw +12 melee (1d6+9); in amorphous form, tentacle +10 melee (1d8+9)
Full Attack: 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+9) and bite +7 melee (1d6+4) and 2 tentacles +7 melee (1d6+4) and tentacle +7 melee (1d8+4); in amorphous form, 4 tentacles +12 melee (1d6+9) and tentacle +7 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rend 2d6+9, Cone of Slime, Shape Change
Special Qualities: Darkvision 90 ft., blindsight 60ft., low-light vision, regeneration 5, scent, immunity to poison, immunity to acid, immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, damage reduction 5/magic, resistance to electricity 10, spell resistance 16, improved grab, constrict; in amorphous form, also can’t be flanked and not subject to extra damage from critical hits
Supernatural Abilities: True Strike, Blur 3/day, Touch of Idiocy, Stinking Cloud, Change Shape, Cone of Slime
Saves: Fort +18, Ref +6, Will +5
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 18, Con 33, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will, Track, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude
Environment: Cold mountains (Scrag: Cold aquatic)
Organization: Solitary or gang (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: chaotic evil
Rend (Ex)
If a troll hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d6+9 points of damage.
Regeneration (Ex)
Fire and acid deal normal damage to a troll. If a troll loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.
Change Shape: (p153 LoM)
A half-farspawn’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Cone of Slime: 1/day 30ft. cone of psionically charged slime, 6d6 acid Reflex 24 half, anyone that takes damage also takes a -2 penalty on Will saves and is stunned for 1d4+1 rounds (fort save DC 24).
Constrict: On successful grapple check, 1d8+12 damage.
Sentient Tentacle: Improved Grab with voidmind tentacle, +4 to grapple, can maintain grapple with tentacle while performing other actions.
Mind Flayer Host: (p189 MM3)
Are all these encounters acceptable for my party? Too strong, too weak? Any other good mind flayer servants I can throw at them?
Also, if they progress enough they might fight another encounter, a lolth-touched colossal spider:
CR 12:
Lolth-touched Monstrous Spider, Colossal
Size/Type: Colossal Vermin
Hit Dice: 32d8+160 (304 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 22 (-8 size, +2 Dex, +18 natural), touch 4, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +24/+53
Attack: Bite +29 melee (4d6+18 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +29 melee (4d6+18 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 40 ft./30 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, web
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +23, Ref +12, Will +10
Abilities: Str 37, Dex 15, Con 20, Int Ø, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +16, Hide -10*, Jump +10*, Spot +7*
Feats: — —
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 12
Poison (Ex)
A monstrous spider has a poisonous bite. Fort Save DC28, 2d8 Str. The save DCs are Constitution-based. The indicated damage is initial and secondary damage.
Web (Ex)
Both types of monstrous spiders often wait in their webs or in trees, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. Web-spinners can throw a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the spider. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check. Both are standard actions whose DCs are given in the table below. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus.
Web-spinners often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has the hit points given on the table, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/—.
A monstrous spider can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.
Escape Artist DC 28
Break DC 32
Hit Points 18
Tremorsense (Ex)
A monstrous spider can detect and pinpoint any creature or object within 60 feet in contact with the ground, or within any range in contact with the spider’s webs.
Skills
Monstrous spiders have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A monstrous spider can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Monstrous spiders use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.
*Hunting spiders have a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks and a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks. Web-spinning spiders have a +8 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks when using their webs.
Fearless: Immune to all fear effects.