Stupid idea: HARD CORE WATER SLIDE

[No brains]

Stupid idea for a disposable character

Play a Triton (off to a stupid start)
Be a fighter with as much strength and constitution as possible
Take Heavy Armor Mastery at 4th level
Find the airless, rock filled river in ((A certain adventure- no spoilers))
Intentionally dive in to test your mettle
Consequence is you must make a DC 12 Strength saving throw each round or take 1d6 bludgeoning damage
+5 to the save means you pass around 65% of the time
Heavy Armor Mastery means you take no damage on a 3 or less
Book says the passage is 5 miles long and you travel at 20 feet a turn
That's about 2.5 hours of travel at a slow pace
That means you roll a save every round for 1500 rounds
You fail about 675 of those times
Still around 338 times you would take at least one damage
You have probably around 37hp

If you somehow survive, a cursed medal gets permanently stuck to you. It magically makes everyone aware of your deed and 'magically' makes them regard you with a look of extreme confusion.

Anybody have any thoughts on this? Please don't spoil where I got this bad idea from.

Edit: I think I did some maths wrong. I think it should be 525 failures with 263 of them doing above 3 damage to you. In my defense I didn't think up a deliberately stupid idea so I could be smart about it.

[Rukelnikov]

Pretty cool! You can also do it as an Air Genasi 18th lvl Champion.

You will regen more than 6 hp per round and Air Genasi doesn't need to breath :P

[Asmotherion]

i don't get it. Probably because i missed some obscure referance. Mind sharing in a spoiler?

[No brains]

Pretty cool! You can also do it as an Air Genasi 18th lvl Champion.

You will regen more than 6 hp per round and Air Genasi doesn't need to breath :P

That's a pretty good way to actually succeed at this, but 4th level is the recommended level for the area. Also my idea was less about truly wanting to succeed, so much as it was about me marveling at the idea of not being able to pass 1500 consecutive saves even if you were moderately 'optimized' for trying specifically this out.

I think the easiest way to (potentially) do this is to be a triton lycanthrope so you don't need to worry about breathing or non-magical bludgeoning damage at all. That's the quickest way I know to take advantage of all 5 miles of "Weeeeeeeeee!!!"


i don't get it. Probably because i missed some obscure referance. Mind sharing in a spoiler?

A spoiler won't really help. This is less about doing anything particular or useful and more just me having fun with the idea of trying to survive a full 5 miles of deathtrap. It just struck me as bizarre that the adventure included that specific a rule with so much granularity when "you fall in, you die" would have been sufficient. Especially since they use that rule earlier in the adventure...

I guess the granularity is necessary if like a triton dives in there and tries to swim with the current, travelling at a fast pace so that they're only down there for one hour and fifteen minutes or just 690 rounds of saves vs bludgeoning. That way they only take damage around 120 times. That's much more survivable!

[Chronos]

Is it possible to get out of this deathtrap roller coaster once in it?

[Rukelnikov]

That's a pretty good way to actually succeed at this, but 4th level is the recommended level for the area. Also my idea was less about truly wanting to succeed, so much as it was about me marveling at the idea of not being able to pass 1500 consecutive saves even if you were moderately 'optimized' for trying specifically this out.

I think the easiest way to (potentially) do this is to be a triton lycanthrope so you don't need to worry about breathing or non-magical bludgeoning damage at all. That's the quickest way I know to take advantage of all 5 miles of "Weeeeeeeeee!!!"

I'm pretty sure even Lycan doesn't work, you get immunity to non-magical attacks, but the rocks are not attacking you. Same reason it doesn't help against falling damage.

I'm busy right now, but I'll try to think of a way to get past that bloody lethal slide :P

EDIT: The key is Fiendish Vigor, all that's remaining is to calc the expected amount of rounds you can survive, and how far you can make it:

Since the least findish vigor can get is 5, we only care when we get 6 points of damage so:

chance to get only 5 thp from FV * chance to get 6 damage from the rocks * chance we fail the str roll (Assume +3 from Str)

1/4 * 1/6 * 9/20 = 9/480

So, on average we should be taking 9 damage every 480 rounds or 3 damage every 160 rounds

Book says 5 miles long, 20 ft per turn, I'll assume we can't dash and thats a fixed maximum speed.

5 miles = 26400 ft

at 20 ft / round = 1320 rounds

1320/160 = 8.25 * 3 = 24.75

Lock 4 (Con 14) = 8 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 8 = 31 HP

Our Triton Lock can do it!!

It can definitely be improved on, we only really need 2 lvls of lock, so MCing something that gives Str save could work, a 1Ftr/2Lock can probably do it too :D

1320/480 = 2.75 * 7 = 19.25 damage

Ftr1/Lock2(Con14) = 10 + 5 + 5 + 6 = 26 HP

I think it can't be done by lvl 2 AL legal.

It was a fun challenge

[Ganymede]

There's also the problem that Heavy Armor Master does not work against the damage from the rocks, much the same way that a lycanthrope's immunity doesn't work.

[Rukelnikov]

Actually it can be done by lvl 2!

If you can procure some healing potions you are good, each one heals an average of 7 HP, if you can 3 of them you can do it as lvl 2 with Str 8 and Con 14

Can we get it down to 1?

[ruy343]

Actually it can be done by lvl 2!

If you can procure some healing potions you are good, each one heals an average of 7 HP, if you can 3 of them you can do it as lvl 2 with Str 8 and Con 14

Can we get it down to 1?

If you somehow had the magic initiate feat, or access to level 1 spells, you could cast blade ward to halve the damage each round, meaning that you can't possibly take more than 3 damage in a given round anyway. With the Heavy Armor Master feat, you'd just never take damage.

However, this requires that we have two feats (Heavy Armor Master and Magic Initiate), so I don't think it's going to happen.

[Chronos]

Just get Blade Ward from a class.

[Beechgnome]

I feel like Heroism and its pool of replenishing temp hit points would be a good way to buy you...uh, one minute. How long is this trip again?

[No brains]

Is it possible to get out of this deathtrap roller coaster once in it?

If you are a coward. :smalltongue: It doesn't say you can't try to swim backwards. Or forwards for that matter. Just with a normal 30 ft speed, I think you only get 15ft of movement in water. I guess you could try to dash and get net 10ft backward movement, though if you get too far in, it might be better to... go with the flow.:smallcool:

If you want to try to escape like a sane person, tie a safety rope somewhere.


I'm pretty sure even Lycan doesn't work, you get immunity to non-magical attacks, but the rocks are not attacking you. Same reason it doesn't help against falling damage.

I'm busy right now, but I'll try to think of a way to get past that bloody lethal slide :P

EDIT: The key is Fiendish Vigor, all that's remaining is to calc the expected amount of rounds you can survive, and how far you can make it:

Since the least findish vigor can get is 5, we only care when we get 6 points of damage so:

chance to get only 5 thp from FV * chance to get 6 damage from the rocks * chance we fail the str roll (Assume +3 from Str)

1/4 * 1/6 * 9/20 = 9/480

So, on average we should be taking 9 damage every 480 rounds or 3 damage every 160 rounds

Book says 5 miles long, 20 ft per turn, I'll assume we can't dash and thats a fixed maximum speed.

5 miles = 26400 ft

at 20 ft / round = 1320 rounds

1320/160 = 8.25 * 3 = 24.75

Lock 4 (Con 14) = 8 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 8 = 31 HP

Our Triton Lock can do it!!

It can definitely be improved on, we only really need 2 lvls of lock, so MCing something that gives Str save could work, a 1Ftr/2Lock can probably do it too :D

1320/480 = 2.75 * 7 = 19.25 damage

Ftr1/Lock2(Con14) = 10 + 5 + 5 + 6 = 26 HP

I think it can't be done by lvl 2 AL legal.

It was a fun challenge

Fiendish vigor is a pretty good way to counter most of the damage every turn! Another good reason to always dip fighter/ warlock!

If you could somehow be a UA revenant who could breathe under water, you'd be able to regenerate that last point once below half normal hp! Then again, those guys face a lot of plausibility/ deniability as to whether they 'survived' the slide.

I'm almost surprised that calculating round-by-round distance over 5 miles makes a difference in the survival rate versus just using overland travel rules. That makes it worth it to really tough out your over a thousand rolls versus using averages and shortcuts like a wimpy DM who had an 'actual adventure' planned would want to do!:smalltongue:


In general regarding rocks =/= weapons: There are a few enemies who have a weapon attack called 'Rock', so this is up for debate. :smalltongue: Also, look at that poor sad, triton! Somebody finally wants to play him! Sure they want to send him to his death, but that's what adventurers do! Come on, don't crush his dreams! Let 1000 rounds of rocks crush him.

[Rukelnikov]

If you somehow had the magic initiate feat, or access to level 1 spells, you could cast blade ward to halve the damage each round, meaning that you can't possibly take more than 3 damage in a given round anyway. With the Heavy Armor Master feat, you'd just never take damage.

However, this requires that we have two feats (Heavy Armor Master and Magic Initiate), so I don't think it's going to happen.


Just get Blade Ward from a class.

HAM only reduces damage from weapons and BW from weapon attacks. I thought about using those with an EK but it doesn't work.

[JackPhoenix]

If you somehow had the magic initiate feat, or access to level 1 spells, you could cast blade ward to halve the damage each round, meaning that you can't possibly take more than 3 damage in a given round anyway. With the Heavy Armor Master feat, you'd just never take damage.

However, this requires that we have two feats (Heavy Armor Master and Magic Initiate), so I don't think it's going to happen.

Ignoring weapon/enviromental damage, HAM applies before resistance. So you reduce 1-6 damage to 0-3, then take half of that. So you're still sitting at 1/3 chance of taking 1 damage.

[Chronos]

If it's possible to get out (if you chicken out and actually try), then that accounts for why they didn't just say "if you fall in you die", and instead gave rules for how much damage it does.

[No brains]

If it's possible to get out (if you chicken out and actually try), then that accounts for why they didn't just say "if you fall in you die", and instead gave rules for how much damage it does.

That's true, but this runs counter to another river earlier in the adventure that does just kill people who fall in it. It's potentially easier to escape the water slide I chose, but no problem can't be solved by adventurers who think way too hard about the wrong things. Safety ropes, spider climb, teleportation, or even my dumbass boogieboarder from hell are all still options for handling what is essentially the same death trap. Technically swimming back up a rough stream without sheer walls is more possible, but fantasy adventurers have a whole host of hammers for this nail of a problem.

[Connington]

Stupid idea for a disposable character

Play a Triton (off to a stupid start)



Also, look at that poor sad, triton! Somebody finally wants to play him!

Love the thought experiment, but Tritons are a pretty solid race.


+1 to ST, CON, and CHA is aces for a Paladin, Valor Bard, Bladelocks, or any kind of ST & CHA gish
The innate spell list is useful, and adds utility to builds that are often pure damage focused. Fog Cloud is awesome and can screen the entire party from enemy casters and archers. Gust of Wind isn't as great, but it can knock people off cliffs, slow down charging enemies, and counter poisonous gas and extinguish flames. Wall of Water isn't usually worth a 3rd level slot, but since you're not burning a slot, it's a solid upgrade to Fog Cloud that can be turned into a fragile barrier if anyone in the party has Ray of Frost.
The Aquaman abilities are situational, but when they do come up you can negate certain threats or completely rewrite the map for an encounter. Plus you get resistance to cold damage, which is again situationally useful and gives you another environmental edge (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1031.html)


Honestly the Triton is one of the best attempts I've seen at making an aquatic race that isn't dependent on an aquatic campaigns to be viable.

[No brains]

Love the thought experiment, but Tritons are a pretty solid race.


+1 to ST, CON, and CHA is aces for a Paladin, Valor Bard, Bladelocks, or any kind of ST & CHA gish
The innate spell list is useful, and adds utility to builds that are often pure damage focused. Fog Cloud is awesome and can screen the entire party from enemy casters and archers. Gust of Wind isn't as great, but it can knock people off cliffs, slow down charging enemies, and counter poisonous gas and extinguish flames. Wall of Water isn't usually worth a 3rd level slot, but since you're not burning a slot, it's a solid upgrade to Fog Cloud that can be turned into a fragile barrier if anyone in the party has Ray of Frost.
The Aquaman abilities are situational, but when they do come up you can negate certain threats or completely rewrite the map for an encounter. Plus you get resistance to cold damage, which is again situationally useful and gives you another environmental edge (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1031.html)


Honestly the Triton is one of the best attempts I've seen at making an aquatic race that isn't dependent on an aquatic campaigns to be viable.

TBH, Triton don't really seem bad, but I never see them discussed. I think they fall into a crevasse between being obviously powerful like a vhuman and playing a weird monster like a Kenku. None of the playable races seem truly bad, but I think Triton fall behind others on being interesting.

ON TOPIC:
Thanks to help from Rukelnikov, I think my best bet is to go Warlock 5 on UA Revenant and take the Fiendish Vigor and Gift of the Deep invocations. Now I won't drown and my temp hp/ regeneration will always counter the bludgeoning damage. Boogeyboarding zombie is gonna catch the wave from hell!

[Rukelnikov]

Tell us about it if you do manage to pull it off

[No brains]

Tell us about it if you do manage to pull it off

I have no intention to actually do this. First, I'd be spoiling the adventure to let my party in on these shenanigans, and even if they approved, I wouldn't want to waste the DM's time. Maybe if the entire table could agree, I'd do this, but that's severely unlikely.

Although... it's only really a waste of time if there's a chance I would fail. If I have a 100% chance of surviving, it's easy to just not roll the dice and say I feel very punch-drunk and lost. I think it would actually be most annoying if I had a dim chance of actually dying, because of course the DM would try to punish me for being this dumb!