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View Full Version : Vampire Buffs (Sparrow, stay out or die horribly)



Lord Ruby34
2012-01-04, 08:10 PM
So, I've run into a small problem. My PC's have managed to P.O. an 18th Vampire Lord, by challenging him to meet them for a fight to the death. Now, this Vampire Lord isn't especially concerned with fair play so he intends to ambush them instead. He's a Swordsage 5/Assassin 5 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4726582)/Angel of Death 8 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62659) with a requirement or two relaxed and an extra 2d6 sneak attack. He'll use Robilar's Gambit and Double hit with disposable flankers to lay down the hurt even when it's not his turn.

Now, he's not really what I need help with but I felt some context might be appropriate. He has three Vampires as minions, all level 12, and Drow. A Warblade, a Wizard, and a Cleric. The problem is that I'm infinitely better at making melee characters than spellcasters, so I need a little help on spell selection, especially pre-combat buffs.

All of them have decent HP, as they have levels in PC classes so all Hit die are maximized, and the Vampire Lord is using a Homebrew feat to add his Charisma modifier to HP. I need help with the spellcasters buffs, and spell selection, so that the weakness of the two melee characters are better covered.

If it matters the PC's are level thirteen and are as follows (The baddies would know this do to scrying) A Jade Phenox Psion, (ridiculously hard to hit, uses Vigor/ Share Pain, likes forcing rerolls,) a Rogue/Assassin/Swordsage that favors a crossbow (He can Sneak Attack Undead), a Wilder that likes fire a bit too much (Bypasses all fire resistance, half damage to creatures that are immune), a cleric (Newest player, smart enough to figure out the good options and start using them. He's the biggest wildcard, he could be really effective or not effective at all. He's forced to play healbot most of the time though, just to keep the entire party conscious.), and a Bardsader. (He likes White Raven.)

So I need help challenging them. I'm usually spot on, but I'd like for some of the opponents not to mix it up in melee. So, consider my circumstances, what are good spells for the Wizard and Cleric to use, both before and during Combat.

Marnath
2012-01-04, 08:54 PM
All of them have decent HP, as they have levels in PC classes so all Hit die are maximized,

You're only supposed to max out their first HD. That might be part of why they're tough.

Lord Ruby34
2012-01-04, 09:00 PM
Everything with levels in a PC class gets all it's Hit Dice maxed, it's a house rule that goes for players and NPCs. It's not particularly hard to deal with lots of HP, even in extreme cases. The last major enemy the party fought was a Storm Giant with Six levels in Fighter (Dungeoncrasher).

Randomguy
2012-01-05, 01:29 AM
Some anti-archery stuff against the archer might be good, like wind wall.

A good cleric pre-combat buff is divine power. So is cloud of knives (for both cleric and wizard maybe). If the cleric is going into melee, ice axe is a great pre combat buff (touch attacks might get the jade pheonix psion). If the bardsader likes giving lots of inspiration bonuses, calm emotions would counteract that. Battlefield control is always fun. (Freezing fog and fog cloud and web). Kelgores grave mist and other non-undead only area spells would be good for the vampires to take advantage of. A few mass inflict spells when the vampires are a bit scratched up might also work.

These guides should help:
Cleric guide. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=420.0)

Wizard guide (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19873034/Treantmonks_guide_to_Wizards:_Being_a_God)

LordBlades
2012-01-05, 07:49 AM
Also, if you're up to cheesing some more, http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/cursedItems.htm#dustofSneezingandChoking is a great thing for undead. They can use it and voluntarily fail their fort save since they're immune to con damage. Everything else gets a choice between 2d6 Con damage and 5d4 round of stun.

Lord Ruby34
2012-01-05, 04:18 PM
Dust of Sneezing and Choking is a bit too much, that would pretty much disable everyone except the Bardsader. He really wouldn't last too long alone, so that would TPK rather quickly. Which isn't really what I'm out to do. Still, that could be a fun trick if I ever need them taken alive.

Where can I find Kelgore's Grave Mist?