Flind Boss Fight!

[SMac8988]

"As the party enters a disecrated temple, once maintained by the Thunder Hooves; a clan of centuars, they find a think smell of iron and cooper hit there nose. Delving deeper, they begin seeing bodies torn apart, the cattle the clan lived off butchered and mutilated, other members still barley clinging to life as the legs torn off and partially chewed.

Fighting through several small waves of withers and smaller gnolls they eventually find themselves standing before the main altered, the gods statue destroyed across the floor and pieces used to make a "throne" of sorts. Seated with several gnoll hunters around and withers clacking in the corners seats a flend, flail in hand, beckoning the adventures. "

So this is meant to be the fight at the end of a single nights adventure. And I'm wondering if it's either to hard or going to be a breeze for them to get through. There is a big piece of storyline coming to them if they complete this, and I want it to be a near deadly level encounter.

Currently, depending on the night, the main party is:

A beast master ranger, level 8, using a bow and poisoned arrows, with a large poison snake.

A kenku monk of trenq, with 1 level in paladin.

And a cleric of the storm, focusing on damage spells and beating thing with her hammer over healing.

They are currently accompanied by a level 5 paladin of the crown npc whom will gleefully enjoy going after the gnolls.

There are two other players, but they have not been showing up so I am assuming they will not make it for this fight.

So if a flind, and let's say 4 gnolls and 8 withers to much? I figure the cleric can destroy undead the withers if she remember she can do that, which will reduce the fight some.

[mephnick]

If you don't count the witherlings in the encounter math (they're low enough to probably leave out) it's over the Deadly range by a bit, so it should be tough. The Flind also has some abilities that could make this hell on a small party. One paralyze and your party's effectiveness goes way down. At the same time, taking out the Flind with a well placed ability will make the fight a cakewalk. So it will also be quite swingy.

It really depends on what the rest of the adventuring day is going to look like though. If it's the last fight after a 7 encounter adventuring day it might be too much, depends on how good your players are.

[SMac8988]

The "days" adventure will be more role play based prior to this event. They will be going through an area that has potentionally to use some spells and deal some damage with a few gnolls wondering the area but shouldn't be anything major damage wise.

I can see the swing aspect of the fight.

Any suggestions on how to adjust it so I don't tpk my party?

[SMac8988]

Sorry for the double post, phone won't let me edit for some reason.

Another idea would be to remove the flind, and take the centuar leader from the area and have the gnolls currpted him and make him the big bad.

Run some charge attacks with two spears and give him some demonic evil traits?

[deathadder99]

With 3 level 8s and a level 5, that's nearly twice the Deadly XP budget - though the cleric could even the odds some. Even with the Flind & 4 Gnolls it's about 1.4 times the Deadly XP budget, but that's probably alright.

A Flind is a decent force multiplier for gnolls with his aura, and his flail can be quite deadly if he gets off a paralyze. That said, if your players are smart and a little lucky it's definitely doable. Whether it's doable after all the attrition from the encounters beforehand is another matter

[mephnick]

If it's the main encounter after a few minor altercations it will probably be fine. One really tough guy and some fodder is just inherently swingy if the tough guy gets disabled. A more predictable and balanced but boring encounter would be like 2 Pack Lords, 2 Fangs Yeenoghu, 4 Gnolls and some witherlings. That way the true danger of the encounter isn't confined to one big bad. I love the Flind though so I think I'd stick with what you've got, it'll probably be pretty fun.

[SMac8988]

If it's the main encounter after a few minor altercations it will probably be fine. One really tough guy and some fodder is just inherently swingy if the tough guy gets disabled. A more predictable and balanced but boring encounter would be like 2 Pack Lords, 2 Fangs Yeenoghu, 4 Gnolls and some witherlings. That way the true danger of the encounter isn't confined to one big bad. I love the Flind though so I think I'd stick with what you've got, it'll probably be pretty fun.

I figure if they completely shut down the flind, and like the monk just gets off stunning strikes, and they completely lock it down. I'll just have more regular gnolls come in to keep the danger up, and the excitement up.