Using the Crab Battle.

[Tvtyrant]

The party I am currently DMing for has effortlessly destroyed my encounters so far. I sent an advanced Gelatinous Ooze (10 HD and CR 4.5) at them and they killed it without taking any damage. Previously they knocked out a boss I made in 2 rounds (again without taking damage, they grappled him :C.)

I also did a battle with archers on the other side of a trench filled with crocodile zombies and the party effortlessly ran over the encounter by killing all of the archers in a round and then killing the crocs.

So in my efforts to make combat more challenging I am going to be throwing Monstrous Crabs and Kruthiks at them on Sunday. There is a warren filled with one or the other, depending on which entrance they go through (I am too lazy to make two different warrens.) The Greater Kruthik is going to be the boss of the northern entrance, but I don't want to use a huge crab for the other entrance because it is frankly an auto-kill against them. TDC is too strong for most ECL 3 parties, but I think mine should be able to deal with it without taking more than one casualty.

Any thoughts? Is there an alternative crab-like boss I could use that would challenge my party?

[DementedFellow]

What characters are the in the party? What level?

[Tvtyrant]

Human Sorcerer 3
Changeling Factotum 3
Drow Duskblade 2
Goliath Barbarian 1/Fighter 1
Lesser Aasimar Cleric 3

Drow is being treated as LA 1, as is Goliath. They are going to be bought off soon.

The Goliath uses a huge greatsword while raging, doing about 28 damage on average per hit and has 30 HP while raging.

The Duskblade has a lot of SLAs and does about 19 average a round when going into melee.

Factotum uses ranged weapons and nets.

The Cleric has an 18 in strength and bashes in melee after opening up with a summon monster I.

The Sorc uses 2d6 at will Fiery Bursts from Precocious Apprentice and has been using sleep/Mage Armor. Also a wand of Charm Person.

If they only go for damage they do about 72 damage a turn, but the casters frequently wreck encounters in other ways.

[Slipperychicken]

While it's prone, slashing attacks deal 1.5x damage to the crab.

[grarrrg]

While it's prone, slashing attacks deal 1.5x damage to the crab.

Attack its weak point for massive damage.

[kreenlover]

Attack its weak point for massive damage.

Nobody is ever going to stop finding that funny are they?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g1fr5vk72M

And I will never stop finding that funny either :smallwink: