Skylivedk
2018-10-20, 09:34 AM
Last session my character was petrified by a medusa. Through some phenomenal knowledge checks we found out petrification could be saved by using the acid's in a basilisk's gut which can turn stone to flesh (that's how they eat)... aaaand we found out there was a notorious basilisk on the East Coast of Chult. Now before we go Saving Private Dahast, I'd like a solid plan so my character's death doesn't lead to everybody's else's. For that I need you. You and your bright mind, shenanigans and gimmicks.
The objective is to kill this homebrewed greater basilisk (not sure, but I think it is this one: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-g9vLTX0eHKdURuX0xDcmlBU0k/view) with a fifth level party, preferably not using only ranged airborne kiting techniques. I guess there might be normal basilisks in the area as well.
To that purpose I am encouraged to create an Aarakocra, also level five, with standard point buy and gold except I can buy a stat of 16 for 12 points total.
https://i.stack.imgur.com/0epksl.jpg
First my analysis of some key factors in the fight
I) On how not to die
Averting eyes can protect against the petrification, but I've not seen a good solution against the substantial damage the greater basilisk can do except kiting and traps.
II) Grappling to prone/drag
As far as I can tell, we can't grapple the greater basilisk. It would require a drag capacity of 2 x 2 x 300 pounds or 1200 lbs 3 and currently the Aarakocra is struggling to get above 960. A Goliath could do it. Aarakocra grappling is a very good way to deal with any normal basilisks though, since it can split the Greater Basilisk from the minor ones.
III) Proning for movement speed decrease.
The beast could be knocked prone reasonably often by most of the builds mentioned if they are enlarged. An Open Hand monk could do it even more often. The goal being keeping the Greater Basilisk out of reach of the rest of the party which doesn't have a high enough movement speed to kite it on ground.
IV) Why do we need to kite it close to ground?
With an average damage of 28-35 from the Greater Basilisk spit attack (depending on save), our/any hero can only take around two hits before dropping. If our character just goes airborne too often, I think the greater basilisk would retreat to its cave.
V) How much movement speed is needed?
We need at least 125 ft movement speed to kite it on ground, and that's with caltrops working on the greater basilisk. Why 125? The basilisk can spit for 50 ft and move for 15 ft once it has gotten up from being prone, that's 65, meaning we need to be 70 ft from it on the beginning of its turn. It'll end up up being 55 feet away if done right. When we fail knocking it prone, we need to go up 55 feet straight up or we get caught. Without caltrops proccing we're looking at needing 75 ft (5 ft safety + 0,5 x 40 ft movement speed + 50 range) + 55 feet = 130 ft movement speed
VI) Our resources
The other party members are:
deep gnome diviner (control) wizard
half-elf knowledge cleric
variant Human revised ranger beast master (Polearm + Sentinel).
The deep gnome has these spells:
level 1: grease, sleep, identify, silent image, ???
level 2: web, darkness, invisibility, misty step, levitate
level 3: Leomund's Tiny Hut and Fireball
I'd like to know how to stretch the Aarakocra's racial abilities to its utmost, preferably without using ranged combat as a primary focus. I've focused on grappling builds since they can go with eyes closed against basilisks without suffering a lot. Hence grappling allows us to take any addons (i.e. normal basilisk either out of the way, away from the greater basilisk which is probably chasing us etc).
I have some suggestions.
A) Totem Barbarian with Eagle Aspect
Stats: STR 16 DEX 16 CON 16 INT 8 WIS 11 CHA 8.
Eagle Aspect gives dash as a bonus action and disadvantage for enemies on opportunity attacks.
This guy would walk around in nothing except shield and weapons. Normally fly/stealth ahead. In combat swoop in and carry big bad guy away or bring glass cannons to party. Usually succeeds with 2 attacks, advantage and athletics + 6.
The drag and drop (from 10 ft) leaves an opponent prone.
Movement speed with dash is 120 ft (10 from barb, double from dash). 140 with longstrider. 160 if ASI is spend on mobile and the following stat array: STR 16 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 8
Can also drop from 60 ft/80ft (longstrider and mobile) for 6d6 (21 dmg)/8d6 (28 dmg) or, the real killer, drag opponents through spiked growth from the ranger for 24d4-28d4 (with mobile + longstrider), no save (60-70 dmg).
Attacks are meh besides that: chuck spear at 1d6+5 (+4 if mobile), bow or mace at 1d8+3/5 (4 if mobile).
B) Fighter 3 / Rogue 2
Expertise, stealth and action surge. Base speed is only 50, but dash as a bonus action is always a possibility. More skills and con can drop to 14 for better stat spread.
Also gives either: shield, absorb elements and longstrider + booming blade and green flame blade spells
OR
menacing + trip + riposte from battle master.
Expertise in athletics and stealth or perception allows for athletics +9 and stealth +9 or both stealth and perception at +6. Advantage is less often. No damage resistance but second wind. AC drops to 15 (studded leather + 3 dex).
When not grappling damage is higher:
2d8+5 + 1d6 (booming blade + sneak attack) - without Action surge
or
1d8+5 + 1d6 + 1d8 from combat manoeuvre. Allows for higher DPR with riposte (round: 2d8+10+2d6 - AS even higher).
C) Bear totem Aarakocra with Great Weapon Master
STR 16 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 8
Essentially losing 5 hp, 1 con save and 1 AC to be able to be main DPR. Reaches goal of utilising flying by combining glaive with GWM (Should be super annoying if flying ten feet in front of ranger. If enemy closes into be able to jump and hit the ranger can stop them in their tracks). Only works against basilisk if we can create difficult terrain.
C) Level 5 Eldritch Knight
STR 16 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 8
2 attacks, action surge and mobile with expeditious retreat for dash. Shield can help if things go awry. Cantrips are in general not worth it before level 6. Minor illusion can be worth a lot to hide more caltrops.
D) Kensei monk Aarakocra
STR 14 DEX 16 CON 12 INT 8 WIS 16 CHA 8
ASI not spend!! Can get up to 160 ft movement speed with dash, mobile and longstrider.
The kensei monk has some burst, some range and some defence. The grappling is not strong without help (no expertise and no advantage without a little help from my friends). Movement speed is 60 ft again. Dash and dodge can be done for ki and damage output while grappling is higher plus added flexibility when it comes to range weapons.
E) Sorcerer multiclass (WIP)
STR 14 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 13 Either sorc 1 / rogue 2 / ftr 2 for action surge, dash, expertise, shield, Shield and draconic resilience (poison resistance) for a grappler with a mix of durability and grappling prowess. Cantrips help against enemies that are not the greater basilisk. Does not have enough movement speed without difficult terrain against the greater basilisk.
A variant is to go for sorc 3 for metamagic and blur and ftr 2 for action surge (two attempts) or rogue 2 for expertise and dash or rogue 1 for dash and mobile (and hence enough speed). DM usually plays with counting advantages and disadvantages instead of just cancelling them out no matter how many of each. The sorc/fighter can have 18 AC with shield going up to 23 with Shield and impose disadvantage with blur.
Out of the mentioned builds, which would have the highest probability of successfully killing a greater basilisk sustaining no permanent deaths and why? Are there other none-Sharpshooter Aarakocra builds that would do better?
The objective is to kill this homebrewed greater basilisk (not sure, but I think it is this one: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-g9vLTX0eHKdURuX0xDcmlBU0k/view) with a fifth level party, preferably not using only ranged airborne kiting techniques. I guess there might be normal basilisks in the area as well.
To that purpose I am encouraged to create an Aarakocra, also level five, with standard point buy and gold except I can buy a stat of 16 for 12 points total.
https://i.stack.imgur.com/0epksl.jpg
First my analysis of some key factors in the fight
I) On how not to die
Averting eyes can protect against the petrification, but I've not seen a good solution against the substantial damage the greater basilisk can do except kiting and traps.
II) Grappling to prone/drag
As far as I can tell, we can't grapple the greater basilisk. It would require a drag capacity of 2 x 2 x 300 pounds or 1200 lbs 3 and currently the Aarakocra is struggling to get above 960. A Goliath could do it. Aarakocra grappling is a very good way to deal with any normal basilisks though, since it can split the Greater Basilisk from the minor ones.
III) Proning for movement speed decrease.
The beast could be knocked prone reasonably often by most of the builds mentioned if they are enlarged. An Open Hand monk could do it even more often. The goal being keeping the Greater Basilisk out of reach of the rest of the party which doesn't have a high enough movement speed to kite it on ground.
IV) Why do we need to kite it close to ground?
With an average damage of 28-35 from the Greater Basilisk spit attack (depending on save), our/any hero can only take around two hits before dropping. If our character just goes airborne too often, I think the greater basilisk would retreat to its cave.
V) How much movement speed is needed?
We need at least 125 ft movement speed to kite it on ground, and that's with caltrops working on the greater basilisk. Why 125? The basilisk can spit for 50 ft and move for 15 ft once it has gotten up from being prone, that's 65, meaning we need to be 70 ft from it on the beginning of its turn. It'll end up up being 55 feet away if done right. When we fail knocking it prone, we need to go up 55 feet straight up or we get caught. Without caltrops proccing we're looking at needing 75 ft (5 ft safety + 0,5 x 40 ft movement speed + 50 range) + 55 feet = 130 ft movement speed
VI) Our resources
The other party members are:
deep gnome diviner (control) wizard
half-elf knowledge cleric
variant Human revised ranger beast master (Polearm + Sentinel).
The deep gnome has these spells:
level 1: grease, sleep, identify, silent image, ???
level 2: web, darkness, invisibility, misty step, levitate
level 3: Leomund's Tiny Hut and Fireball
I'd like to know how to stretch the Aarakocra's racial abilities to its utmost, preferably without using ranged combat as a primary focus. I've focused on grappling builds since they can go with eyes closed against basilisks without suffering a lot. Hence grappling allows us to take any addons (i.e. normal basilisk either out of the way, away from the greater basilisk which is probably chasing us etc).
I have some suggestions.
A) Totem Barbarian with Eagle Aspect
Stats: STR 16 DEX 16 CON 16 INT 8 WIS 11 CHA 8.
Eagle Aspect gives dash as a bonus action and disadvantage for enemies on opportunity attacks.
This guy would walk around in nothing except shield and weapons. Normally fly/stealth ahead. In combat swoop in and carry big bad guy away or bring glass cannons to party. Usually succeeds with 2 attacks, advantage and athletics + 6.
The drag and drop (from 10 ft) leaves an opponent prone.
Movement speed with dash is 120 ft (10 from barb, double from dash). 140 with longstrider. 160 if ASI is spend on mobile and the following stat array: STR 16 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 8
Can also drop from 60 ft/80ft (longstrider and mobile) for 6d6 (21 dmg)/8d6 (28 dmg) or, the real killer, drag opponents through spiked growth from the ranger for 24d4-28d4 (with mobile + longstrider), no save (60-70 dmg).
Attacks are meh besides that: chuck spear at 1d6+5 (+4 if mobile), bow or mace at 1d8+3/5 (4 if mobile).
B) Fighter 3 / Rogue 2
Expertise, stealth and action surge. Base speed is only 50, but dash as a bonus action is always a possibility. More skills and con can drop to 14 for better stat spread.
Also gives either: shield, absorb elements and longstrider + booming blade and green flame blade spells
OR
menacing + trip + riposte from battle master.
Expertise in athletics and stealth or perception allows for athletics +9 and stealth +9 or both stealth and perception at +6. Advantage is less often. No damage resistance but second wind. AC drops to 15 (studded leather + 3 dex).
When not grappling damage is higher:
2d8+5 + 1d6 (booming blade + sneak attack) - without Action surge
or
1d8+5 + 1d6 + 1d8 from combat manoeuvre. Allows for higher DPR with riposte (round: 2d8+10+2d6 - AS even higher).
C) Bear totem Aarakocra with Great Weapon Master
STR 16 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 8
Essentially losing 5 hp, 1 con save and 1 AC to be able to be main DPR. Reaches goal of utilising flying by combining glaive with GWM (Should be super annoying if flying ten feet in front of ranger. If enemy closes into be able to jump and hit the ranger can stop them in their tracks). Only works against basilisk if we can create difficult terrain.
C) Level 5 Eldritch Knight
STR 16 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 8
2 attacks, action surge and mobile with expeditious retreat for dash. Shield can help if things go awry. Cantrips are in general not worth it before level 6. Minor illusion can be worth a lot to hide more caltrops.
D) Kensei monk Aarakocra
STR 14 DEX 16 CON 12 INT 8 WIS 16 CHA 8
ASI not spend!! Can get up to 160 ft movement speed with dash, mobile and longstrider.
The kensei monk has some burst, some range and some defence. The grappling is not strong without help (no expertise and no advantage without a little help from my friends). Movement speed is 60 ft again. Dash and dodge can be done for ki and damage output while grappling is higher plus added flexibility when it comes to range weapons.
E) Sorcerer multiclass (WIP)
STR 14 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 13 Either sorc 1 / rogue 2 / ftr 2 for action surge, dash, expertise, shield, Shield and draconic resilience (poison resistance) for a grappler with a mix of durability and grappling prowess. Cantrips help against enemies that are not the greater basilisk. Does not have enough movement speed without difficult terrain against the greater basilisk.
A variant is to go for sorc 3 for metamagic and blur and ftr 2 for action surge (two attempts) or rogue 2 for expertise and dash or rogue 1 for dash and mobile (and hence enough speed). DM usually plays with counting advantages and disadvantages instead of just cancelling them out no matter how many of each. The sorc/fighter can have 18 AC with shield going up to 23 with Shield and impose disadvantage with blur.
Out of the mentioned builds, which would have the highest probability of successfully killing a greater basilisk sustaining no permanent deaths and why? Are there other none-Sharpshooter Aarakocra builds that would do better?