Advice Prepping RHoD

[Fyermind]

I've read the handbook and played around with it a bit. I figured I basically want to rework every significant NPC to make them more effective and some of them more powerful. I like having gestalt players, so the increase in power is pretty necessary.

I'm going to start at the beginning and basically just post the stat blocks and relevant encounter notes here. Without Further Ado, the first encounter:

Marauders:

6 Hobgoblin regular archers (archers)
6 Hobgoblin regular chargers (chargers)
1 Hobgoblin priest (occasionally called a cleric)
1 Hobgoblin bladebearer (Uth-Lar)
2 Dire Wolves (Wolves)

The archers are spread out and start the encounter. They are on both sides of the road and have cover relative to the road. They can be spotted with a DC 15 spot check because they took their time hiding.

The moment the archers attack, the cleric starts buffing himself. He begins with invisibility, followed by bless, bulls strength (on himself), Divine favor, Divine protection, and shield of faith. Once he is completely buffed or he comes under direct threat, he attacks.

After one round of the archers attacking, the wolves charge into the middle of the PCs and try to lock everyone down.

Three rounds after the archers attack, Uthlar leads a massed charge on whoever seems easiest to attack. Usually because they are on the road.

Of course, the PCs will probably screw up the timings. The chargers move down to the road on round 2 at charging distance about 60' away. Before that they are in the house. The wolves are with the archers, one on each side of the road. There is 20 feet of difficult terrain between the archers and the road as well as a slight uphill slight.

Hobgoblin regular archer:
Warrior 2
HP 9
AC 15
Composite Longbow +5 (1d8+1)
Abilities: 12 str, 15 dex, 13 con, 9 int, 10 wis, 8 cha
Flaws: Noncombatant, frail
Feats: Point blank shot, Weapon Focus, Precise Shot
Skills: Spot +2

Hobgoblin regular charger:
Warrior 2
HP 11
AC 16 (+4 chain shirt, +2 dex)
Initiative: +6
Greatsword +3 melee (2d6+1) (+7, 2d6+1d8+1 on a charge)
Abilities: 13 str, 14 dex, 13 con, 9 int, 10 wis, 8 cha
Skills: Balance +1, tumble +1
Feats: Improved Initiative, Powerful Charge, furious Charge
Flaws: Shaky, feeble
Tactics: Massed Charge

Hobgoblin Bladebearer:
Warblade 4 // Incarnate 4
HP 60
AC 16 (chain shirt +4, dex +2)
+1 Greatsword +9 (2d6+5)
16 str, 14 dex, 16 con, 13 int, 12 wis, 8 cha
Feats: Power Attack, Expanded soulmeld capacity, Azure Toughness, Cleave
Flaws Shaky, Murky eyed
Skills: concentration +10, intimidate +6, Jump +10
Maneuvers: Emerald Razor, Battle Leader's Charge, Moment of perfect mind, Steel Wind
Stances: Leading the charge, Punishing Stance
Soulmelds: Lightening Gauntlets (bound, 3), Mantle of flame (2), Necrocarnum Shroud (-), Bloodwar Gauntlets


Hobgoblin Priest
Hobgoblin Coistered Cleric 3 // Swordsage 3
HP 30
AC 21 (+4 mwk chain shirt, +3 dex, +2 wis, +2 mwk heavy shield), 22 buffed
Mwk Shortsword +6 (1d6+3) buffed +9 (1d6+5)
Abilities: 13, 16, 14, 10, 15, 8
Feats: Death Devotion, Knowledge Devotion, Shadow Blade, discipline focus, Martial Study (emerald Razor)
Skills: K(local) +6, K(Nature) +6, K(Arcana) +6, K(Religion) +6, Move Silently +11, Hide +7
Flaws Shaky, Murky eyed
Class Features: Domains (Trickery, Destruction), Smite 1/day +4/+3
Spells 4/3+1/2+1
2: Invisibility (D), Bulls Strength, Divine Protection
1: Disguise Self (D), Bless, Divine Favor, Shield of Faith
0: Guidance, Resistance, Cure minor wounds, Cure minor wounds
Maneuvers:
Cloak of Deception, Shadow Blade Technique, Counter Charge, Emerald Razor, Stone Bones
Stance
Hunter's Stance, Child of Shadow

Dire Wolf (Replaces Hellhound):
HP 45
AC 19 (+2 dex, +3 natural, +5 chain maille, -1 size)
Bite +11 (2d6+10+trip)
25 str, 15 dex, 17 con, 2 int, 14 wis, 10 cha
Feats: Hyena Tribe Hunter, Improved Trip, Combat reflexes, track, Knockdown, Vexing Flanker
Skills: Survival +12
Flaws: Shaky, murky eyes
Trip +17

[Fyermind]

Blackwater Causeway
This encounter only has the Hydra in it, but I've had some ideas about how to make the hydra encounter more deadly. For starters, the hydra is mostly underwater. This means it has total cover unless the players are attacking it's heads. Of course, several effects work through water and can ignore this cover. The short story though is that dealing massive damage to the body and overwhelming fast healing (usually the easiest way to kill a hydra) becomes a more challenging idea. Further, the hydra can hide underwater if the PCs attempt to engage it with ranged weapons taking advantage of higher movement speeds to pepper it full of arrows until it stops moving. However, it has poor eyesight and hearing, and will only engage opponents near or on the bridge. It would rather retreat to the safety of the water than risk itself in a fight. It will not pursue retreating characters no matter the direction of their retreat.

The Hydra takes advantage of fire resistance 10 from Flame's blessing stance to keep it's heads regrowing. It burns it's burning blade in the first round trying to deal as much damage as possible. After that it tries to grapple with improved snatch and multigrab to pull it's targets into the water and drown them sea serpent style. The combination of hold the line and natural reach makes this a little harder to pass by moving quickly.

I'd consider making the bridge longer and narrower if I thought the encounter would be too easy, but I think despite being outgunned in the action economy, this will be fairly dangerous to a team of 4 level 4 gestalts.

Six-headed Hydra:
HP: 66 (11 hp/head)
AC: 16 (+7 natural, +1 dex, -2 size)
6 Bites +7 melee (1d10+3)
Abilities: 17, 12, 20, 2, 10 ,9
Flaws: Shaky, Inattentive
Feats: Combat reflexes (Bonus), Martial study (Burning Blade), Martial Stance (Flame's Blessing), Snatch, Improved Snatch, Multisnatch, Hold the line
Skills tumble +10

[Fyermind]

Vraath Keep
First I'll intruduce the leader
Koth
Draconic Bugbear Sorcerer 5 / Mindbender 1 // Dragonfire Adept 6
HP 109, DR 2/magic
AC 26 (+6 natural, +4 mage armor, +2 dex, +4 shield)
Breath Weapon (3d6 fire, or Weakening, or 3d6 lightening)
Spells: 6/7/6/4
3 (1): Slow
2 (2): Wings of Cover, Mirror Image
1 (4): Mage Armor, Shield, Magic Missile, Charm Person
0 (7): Ghost Sound, Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation, Read magic, Detect Magic, Arcane Mark, Message
Invocations: Draconic Knowledge, Endure Exposure, Draconic Flight
Abilities: 14 str, 15 dex, 18 con, 12 int, 10 wis, 16 cha
Feats: Practiced Spellcaster, Versatile Spellcaster, Fell Drain, Entangling Exhalation, Dragontouched, Draconic heritage, Knowledge Devotion, Mindsight
Skills: Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +15, Sense motive +4, Knowledge (Local) +19, Knowledge (Arcana) +19, Knowledge (Nature) +19, knoweldge (other) +7
Kdev table: (+1), 16 (+2), 26 (+3), 31 (+4), 36 (+5)

Tactics:
As soon as Koth pics up PCs with mindsight, he alerts everyone. He drops slow out the window and retreats immediately to cast shield and mirror image on himself. With buffs up he flies out and drop a breath weapon (first entangling then weakening) if the players are clumped, otherwise he will start unleashing fell draining magic missiles. I'd call him a CR 8, but with flight and fighting smart, I wouldn't be surprised if he either finished an unprepared party or escaped from a prepared one.


The Manticore

This is the only difference from the MM entry
6 spkes +9 within 30' (1d8+3) within 30'

The first to react to the attack is the manticore because it doesn't need to grab weapons or the like. It hits on round 1 after the players enter the keep the same round Koth drops slow on the players. It's a standard manticore with a small feat reallocation.
Flyby attack, Point blank shot, Precise shot, Ranged Pin, Ranged Disarm
The manticore will disarm those who return with bows and pin caster types.


The next up are the riders. I've restatted them as chargers and moved the entry to the stables to the far end of the keep to give them room to charge. They attack on round 2.
Worg
HP 44
Init +4
Speed 50'
AC 20 (+4 dex, +2 natural, +4 chain shirt)
Bite +9 (1d6+11)
Abilities 21 str, 18 de, 17 con, 8 int, 14 wis, 8 cha
Feats Hyena Tribe Tactics, Martial Study (Shadow Blade Technique), Martial Stance (Island of blades), Shadow Blade Technique
Flaws Murky Eyed, Shaky
Skills Jump +11
Trip +7
Rider
Goblin Barbarian 2 / Fighter 1
HP 39
AC (+5 breastplate, +3 dex, +1 size, +2 heavy shield)
Mwk Lance +6 (1d6+1) charging +10(3d6+3)
Abilities 13, 16, 13, 10, 12, 8
Whirling Frenzy, Pounce
Feats: Furious Charge, Mounted Combat, Ride-by attack, Improved Trip, Spirited Charged, Knockdown
Flaws: Shaky, Slow
Skills: Ride +9
Traits: Slow
Trip +1
None of them have fantastic trip modifiers, but their damage is pretty reasonable. They opponents who look to be low strength or small hoping to capitalize on knowckdown. Note that with rideby attack the will continue the charge through the PCs and the try to come back for another pass. They aren't afraid of provoking.

I've added an extra four hobgoblin regular's to the mix. This isn't a huge increase in the challenge of the encounter, but it makes everything more cramped early. They enter on round 4 with the Minotaur.
Karkilan the Minotaur
Minotaur Barbarian 2//Crusader 2
HP 96 (6d8+2d12+24)
AC (+5 natural, +2 dex, +5 chain mail, -1 size)
Init +2
Speed 35'
+1 Magebane Guisarme +15/+10 (2d8+10)
Gore +9 (1d8+3) Charging +11 (4d6+9)
Abilities: 22 str, 15 dex, 17 con, 6 int, 12 wis, 6 cha
Flaws: Shaky, Murky Eyed
Feats: Improved Trip (B), Combat Reflexes, Knockback, Extra Granted Maneuver, Wolf Tribe Berserker, Martial Study
Skills: Balance +7, Tumble +8
Rage, Pounce
Maneuvers: Defensive Rebuke, Mountain Hammer Strike, Stone Vice, Battle Leader's Charge, Vanguard Strike
Stances: Leading the attack, Island of Blades
Trip +14
Hobgoblin Regular Support
HP 13
AC 20 (+5 chain maille, +2 dex, +3 heavy shield) 24 adjacent to ally
Alchemical item +5 ranged touch, Short sword -1 melee (1d6-1)
tanglefoot bag, 2x Alchemist's fire, Oil 10 flasks
9 str, 15 dex, 14 con, 10 int, 11 wis, 8 cha
Skills: Spot +2
Feats: Grenadier, Phalanx Fighting, Shield Wall
Flaws: noncombatant, Murky eyed

The support troops focus on dealing fire damage and entangling foes with tanglefoot bags. Karkilan is a tripper and AoO lockdown specialist. With 20' reach, he should be seriously bothering PCs. Combined with thicket of blades and all the debuffs from above, this should be a very bad fight if the PCs walk into it and stay there.

My goal here is to show the PCs they are outgunned while allowing them to retreat into any of the rooms where the manticore and Koth will not pursue them as they fear being caught in an enclosed space. From there they can fight their opponents as they come and then re-engage Koth and the Manticore. I will point out things like how the Minotaur enters the courtyard through a hole in the wall and how his blade is taller than the stables. Hopefully the PCs will catch on that he will be weaker inside the buildings.

[Fyermind]

Skull Gorge

The main foe here is Ozzy. I worked for a while trying to figure out what I wanted from ozzy, and ended up going with a Juvenile Green dragon combining power attack, knowledge devotion, and a wand of wraith strike. It also has a maximize breath weapon and awaken spell resistance to increase it's defenses and make a single strafing run a stronger concept. After that it wades in with it's large size and starts unleashing the fury. Even against the action economy, five attacks (bite, claw, 2 wings, and tail, the other claw is holding the wand) It can probably power attack safely for 8 points which on each of five attacks will likely look like +24 damage or more.

I replaced the 8 veterans with four fighter 4/rogue 4 snipers in the towers and 4 hobgoblin spellscourges from MMV. The hell hounds are replaced by Dire WarWolves (Dire wolves with the Warbeast template from MMII). I replaced the sergeant with a Bard/dragon shaman to increase everyone's damage output.

Notable tactics are the dragon drinking a potion of bull's strength on round one, the archers using the sniping action behind improved cover (+8 bonus to AC, +10 hide, +4 ref) against foes on the bridge, and the wolves trying to trip and flank anyone on the bridge. The drummer starts off with a normal bardic music with inspirational boost for +3 to attack, +4 damage and +2 to saves against fear and charm. Next round it improves the bonus to +4, +5, and +3 with badge of valor and starts a new song DFI (acid) for +2d6 acid to all attacks. Round 3 this gets boosted to 3d6 with the badge of valor.

Hobgoblin Drummer
Hobgoblin Bard 4 // Marshal 3 / Dragonshaman (green) 1
HP: 42 (3d8+1d20+8)
AC: 17 (+3 dex, +4 chain shirt)
Init: +7
Club +0 melee (1d6-1)
Abilities: 8 str, 16 dex, 15 con, 12 int, 10 wis, 16 cha
Feats: Dragontouched, Dragonfire Inspiration (acid), Lingering Song, Song of the Heart
Flaws: Nocombatant, Shaky
Spells: Inspirational boost
Draconic Auras: Vigor, senses, Power (+1 melee damage)
Minor Auras: Motivate dexterity, Force of will
Major Aura: Motivate Ardor (+1 damage)
Skills: Perform (Drums) +12
Equipment:
Mwk Drums
Badge of Valor

Hobgoblin Veteran: Archer
Fighter 4//Rogue 4
Init +6
HP 44 (4d10+4)
AC 18 (+4 dex, +4 mwk chain shirt)
Mwk Composite Longbow +9 (1d8+2), sneak attack within 30' +10 (1d8+2d6+10)
Abilities: 14 str, 18 dex, 12 con, 13 int, 10 wis, 8 cha
Feats: Point blank shot, Craven, Able Sniper, Knowledge devotion, Precise Shot
Flaws: Noncombatant, vulnerable
Sneak Attack +2d6+4
Skills Knowledge(Key 6) +8, spot +7, hide +10, move silently +14

Hobgoblin Spellscourge
Init +6, Senses Darkvision 60, Listen +1, spot +1
AC 17, touch 12, flat footed 15
HP 55
Fort +5, ref +7, will +8, +2 vs spells, spell eater
Speed 30'
+1 Spiked chain +9 (2d4+5)
Feats: Iron Will, Mage Slayer, Improved Initiative, Expeditious dodge, mobility
Flaws: Shaky
5 temporary HP and +2 on attack rolls after saving against a spell


Ozzy:
Juvenile Green Dragon
HP 224 (14d12+56)
AC 27 (+14 natural, -1 size, +4 mage armor)
Attacks: Bite +20 (1d8+6), Claws +18/+18 (1d6+3), wings +18/+18 (1d4+3), Tail +18 (1d6+9)
Or Breath weapon (48 acid, ref DC 21 half, 1d4+3 round recharge)
Feats: Awaken Spell Resistance, Multiattack, Maximize breath, Power Attack, Knowledge Devotion
Saves: +13, +9, +11, SR 14
Skills: Knowledge (6 key) +19, Spot +19, Intimidate +19
Wand of Wraithstrike 50/50 (4500)
*Potion of bull's Strength (Drinks on round 1, included in stats)
Spells:
1- Mage armor, breath flare (4)
0- prestidigitaion, detect magic, read magic, mending (5)


Dire Warwolf
HP 67
AC 19 (+2 dex, +3 natural, +5 chain maille, -1 size)
Bite +13 (2d6+13+trip)
28 str, 15 dex, 20 con, 2 int, 14 wis, 10 cha
Feats: Hyena Tribe Hunter, Improved Trip, Combat reflexes, track, Knockdown, Vexing Flanker
Skills: Survival +12
Flaws: Shaky, murky eyes
Trip +19

[Temji]

this is good stuff!!!

My first thought, though I haven't looked at it in several months, is that for gestalt characters, you may have to add a bit more yet... they still are limited per round, but gestalt can simply do more stuff... I'll pull out RHoD when I get Home on thursday, and see what I think will add to what you're doing... we played it through, and even without gestalt characters, I had to upgrade the module...

RHoD is very well done, but well played characters who work together will beat it...

have a great day,

Temji Sho Khan
~a MUCHLY worked over archer//wizard sorta type~