Thunder Plains

[SMac8988]

Hello all, was wondering if anyone could give me a hand. I am currently working on a puzzel/bad situation for my player to trek through.

I was wanting it to be similar to the thunder plains from final fantasy x. Basically an area often plagued by storms that has many lightning strikes. The group would have to move through the area, hiding near large rock out croppings to avoid getting struck.

I also want to put a temple in the middle, that the group will have to go to after.

Maybe through a small encounter in this area tk make it a bit more dangerous.

Any suggestions for how to play this out? Would giving the area a regional initiative similar to a blue dragon be beast? And just have them do turn order to run across? Or is there something else to make it a bit more dangerous and exciting?

[Mortis_Elrod]

If you're using a grid I would scatter rocks and such all over the area, large hills too, and let them use it as cover. If you want to roll then you can play it as a spell attack roll, with disadvantage from being so far away, (you are god in this scenario and all the way up in the clouds over the board looking down. its like shooting an ant with a gun). Have medium rocks, maybe some big trees scattered around, that act as half cover, then have large boulders far between acting as 3/4 cover. Lead them to a cave that is full cover.


Or, make it a dex save and have the cover go as a bonus. maybe not give them advantage...unless you only want them to FEAR the lighting and not be hurt by it.

[lunaticfringe]

IIRC you could Dodge the lighting so Dex Saves is a good idea.

As for an encounter a possibly reskinned Large Flesh Golem or a tribe freewilled Flesh Golem Bandits/Outcasts seems apt. The could wield/wear copper items to attract strikes.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I'd treat it as per the Call Lightning spell - one bolt per 120-foot circle per round, with the target being selected at random from all the lightning conductors and solitary creatures in the circle.

Run an encounter against creatures that are immune to lightning damage, obviously. And scatter treasure chests in hard to reach places!

Also, qactuars.
Qactuar
Tiny plant, chaotic evil
Armour Class 17 (natural armour)
Hit Points 2 (1d4)
Speed 30 ft.


STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA


8 (-1)
20 (+5)
10 (+0)
6 (-2)
14 (+2)
11 (+0)


Saving Throws Dex +7
Skills History +8, Investigation +6
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages -
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 (1d4-1) piercing damage.

Needles (Recharge 6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 20 ft. / 60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10+5) piercing damage.

[Khrysaes]

electricity takes the path of least resistance and most conductivity. So I would say that anyone wearing full plate would be more likely to hit than an unarmored monk with only a quarter staff.

Also higher altitude things like treetops or earthen spires/rocks are also more likely to be hit. Especially if the spires/rocks have a decent metal content.

Otherwise I would do the same as mentioned above. Call Lightning, select a radius, and 1 bolt per round within that radius. Maybe not 120 feet, if you want it more of a challenge decrease the radius.

Dex saves constantly would be comparable to the dodging in FF10.

Encounters, obviously anything immune to electricity, so blue dragons, flesh golems, behir.. etc. Maybe the storm is caused by the presence of the blue dragon?

you could create "safe" zones like overhangs that get them out of the lightning.

To make it more of a challenge, heavy rain/darkness giving disadvantage to perception, and advantage to stealth.

[JackPhoenix]

electricity takes the path of least resistance and most conductivity. So I would say that anyone wearing full plate would be more likely to hit than an unarmored monk with only a quarter staff.

Yes, and they wouldn't be hurt, unlike the monk, for precisely the same reason: metal armor conducts electicity much better than human(oid) body, and acts as Faraday cage (though metal shoes would be also needed)

Fun fact: people working with high voltage sometimes wear mail as protective suits. Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNxDgd3D_bU

[SMac8988]

electricity takes the path of least resistance and most conductivity. So I would say that anyone wearing full plate would be more likely to hit than an unarmored monk with only a quarter staff.

Also higher altitude things like treetops or earthen spires/rocks are also more likely to be hit. Especially if the spires/rocks have a decent metal content.

Otherwise I would do the same as mentioned above. Call Lightning, select a radius, and 1 bolt per round within that radius. Maybe not 120 feet, if you want it more of a challenge decrease the radius.

Dex saves constantly would be comparable to the dodging in FF10.

Encounters, obviously anything immune to electricity, so blue dragons, flesh golems, behir.. etc. Maybe the storm is caused by the presence of the blue dragon?

you could create "safe" zones like overhangs that get them out of the lightning.

To make it more of a challenge, heavy rain/darkness giving disadvantage to perception, and advantage to stealth.

They will be getting there at night, and it's raining so I will do that. I'll say anything with more than 30' range is at disadvantage due to the rain and it being night. Good call.

I have a temple going in the middle, and that I'll make the complete free point on the map, which will also be where they will need to head after they get past it once.

I'm honestly excited for this. I'm hoping they have fun with it.