[PF] Can we take this or should we run like hell?

[Raven777]

9th level party of 6 +1 cohort

Home Team (fairly unoptimized as far as I can tell)
- Sorcerer (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=475594)
- Evoker Wizard (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=454229)
- Cleric
- Druid (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=488285)
- Rogue (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=412542)
- Barbarian
(+ the Barbarian's Monk cohort)

Visitors
- ???th level Evil Cleric
- Pale Stranger (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/pale-stranger)
- Red Jester (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/red-jester)
- Zombie raptors x2

We are not buffed since they walked on our camp. They might or might not be buffed. Probably not getting a surprise round on either side since we're currently all in sight of each other, arguing over a MacGuffin. We are not handing over the MacGuffin, nor are we letting undeads and a necromancer trying to strong arm us walk away still alive... dead... whatever.

We are bunched up together, and as far as I know, they are as well. Which will make the initial cross party sling of debuffs easier for everyone. But the Red Jester with his mass fear and his weaponized Deck of Many Things scares the **** out of me.

Can we take this unprepared?

[Grollub]

9th level party of 6 +1 cohort

Home Team (fairly unoptimized as far as I can tell)
- Sorcerer (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=475594)
- Evoker Wizard (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=454229)
- Cleric
- Druid (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=488285)
- Rogue (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=412542)
- Barbarian
(+ the Barbarian's Monk cohort)

Visitors
- ???th level Evil Cleric
- Pale Stranger (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/pale-stranger)
- Red Jester (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/red-jester)
- Zombie raptors x2

We are not buffed since they walked on our camp. They might or might not be buffed. Probably not getting a surprise round on either side since we're currently all in sight of each other, arguing over a MacGuffin. We are not handing over the MacGuffin, nor are we letting undeads and a necromancer trying to strong arm us walk away still alive... dead... whatever.

We are bunched up together, and as far as I know, they are as well. Which will make the initial cross party sling of debuffs easier for everyone. But the Red Jester with his mass fear and his weaponized Deck of Many Things scares the **** out of me.

Can we take this unprepared?

hmm.. I think you are looking at a potentially tough fight, but you should win.

Depending on how the cleric is built, he could be scary. But I agree with you, the Jester looks very scary. But, a few things that come to mind on the Jester.

First off, if he does his "fear cackle", reading the description, its not target selective... so the cleric with him should have to roll his save right along side you guys ( unless he is immune to fear ).

Second... the deck CAN be scary.. but ( again reading that powers description ) it doesn't say the Jester gets to choose the cards, he is only drawing cards at random and throwing them at you and you are affected; if he ends up drawing good cards, his "attack/action" is wasted buffing you.

I would probably focus fire the Cleric or Jester, depending on which you guys deem the bigger threat. Perhaps, focusing the Jester so over the course of the fight, you don't see too many Deck cards flying around ( unless the cleric is goin nuts on your group ).

[Starbuck_II]

Second... the deck CAN be scary.. but ( again reading that powers description ) it doesn't say the Jester gets to choose the cards, he is only drawing cards at random and throwing them at you and you are affected; if he ends up drawing good cards, his "attack/action" is wasted buffing you.


Yeah, using Suggestion, making him target his allies (if you word/fails save) it might be awesome.

[Crossblade]

Yeah, using Suggestion, making him target his allies (if you word/fails save) it might be awesome.

Won't work. Undead are immune to Mind Affecting.

Throw fireballs.

[TuggyNE]

Won't work. Undead are immune to Mind Affecting.

If you can get command undead to stick, the red jester is probably the best target to put it on.

The encounter is, I believe, about CR +3 equivalent, so it's likely a tough fight at best and a potential TPK at worst.

[Raven777]

Honestly I think it'll all depend on what the Cleric has in store and how fast we can drop the Jester. Because, sure, the Deck can potentially churn out beneficial cards, but if the wrong person gets a Dread Wraith (itself a CR 13 nasty in it's own right) or a party member gets Imprisoned this is going to get very ugly very fast. Nor does anyone relish the prospect of permanently losing all their magic items or getting a permanent Saving Throw penalty.

But honestly, after mulling it over, if we can nuke the Jester and stay out of range from the gunslinger, we got this. The Cleric doesn't frighten me as much because he doesn't have anything that we can't have too. And since he's alive, we can always try to scare him into fleeing once we down his minions.

It's just our first time dealing with a caster AND critters more complicated than dragons and slimes. Our 7 man army has powered through every combat encounter since the beginning of the campaign with strategies limited to charging in guns blazing, and I think the DM might be trying to step it up a notch to adjust to the party's size.

The hardest part might actually be to convince the other players that we might actually get bumped hard on this one and that everyone charging in and doing their own thing ain't gonna cut it.