Embarrassing Moments with Redeeming Factors

[AslanCross]

We were playing the Eberron adventure Eyes of the Lich Queen yesterday. We were in the chain bridge room, which is basically a vast chasm with lava eighty feet below where we started. The party consists of a human Swordsage 6, a human Ranger 5/Warblade 1, a changeling Rogue 5/Assassin 1, a warforged Fighter 2/Warblade 4, and a human Artificer 6. (the last two characters were controlled by me).

There were actually many ways to get across the chasm, but the most obvious one was to use the moving floating platforms on either end that each went halfway across the room. There was a fixed platform in the middle between the two moving platforms, so that if one wanted to cross he had to go through the middle platform. Now the swordsage, who was walking in front, had just triggered a summoning mechanism that dropped two Canoloths on the middle platform.

Most of us take up our ranged weapons and start shooting. Unfortunately, crossbows weren't doing much damage, so the swordsage (bravely or foolishly) decided to forget about crossing using the floating bridges and jumped the 20-foot gap, intending to use Death Mark on the two adjacent fiends.

He made it, but the Canoloths had readied actions to attack him with their extending tongues when he got in range, so he got whacked with a paralytic tongue in mid-flight, got grabbed and ended up getting chewed on by one of the Canoloths. (He rolled a 1 on his Fort save for the paralysis.)

After the party screams their cries of disbelief, everyone scrambles to try to help the swordsage. The artificer drops her crossbow and uses her wand of magic missile instead to avoid accidentally hitting the swordsage, while the ranger moves closer to start throwing javelins at the other Canoloth. The warforged drops his heavy crossbow and draws his executioner's mace instead, and moves into position to get across.

The ranger (who has distracting attack), successfully hits the Canoloth who wasn't biting the swordsage, and the rogue snipes it to death, killing it. However, he gets too close, and the moving platform brings him within range of the other Canoloth (which had just chewed the Swordsage to -9 and dropped his body on the platform, saving it for a snack).

Tongue. Paralysis. Grab.

My warforged is quick to the rescue. Instead of waiting for the moving bridge to connect (that would take another two turns), he assumes the Absolute Steel Stance, giving him extra speed so he isn't penalized on his jump. He leaps across the chasm and onto the middle platform, right beside the Canoloth.

Power Attack + Bonecrusher. 6d6+11 damage.

A hit. However, I get a chance to hit the ranger, which is in the Canoloth's mouth. The DM says I hit the Canoloth on a percentile roll of 51% or higher. I roll 47, pulping the ranger and dropping him from near full HP to 5.

"...Sorry."

The Swordsage actually had one rank in Autohypnosis, which allowed him to make a check to stabilize himself. He made it, stabilizing at -9.

On its next turn, the Canoloth chews the ranger into the negatives. It drops the ranger and turns to attack me. Thank Onatar for paralysis immunity. The artificer and the ranger continue to take shots with little effect, while the warforged is left alone on the platform hanging precariously 80 feet above the magma. He executes his tried-and-true combination: Emerald Razor + Power Attack. He rolls way above the Canoloth's touch AC, dealing about 25 damage. It's still above half HP, and the ranger is still dying.

The rogue and the artificer continue their ineffective barrage, while the Canoloth continues to attack the warforged in vain. Finally, when the warforged's turn comes around, he bull rushes the Canoloth into the lava just as the moving platform closes in over it.

That was probably the most satisfying kill I ever had. Still, it was pretty embarrassing how I smashed the ranger like that. I'm just glad it wasn't Elder Mountain Hammer, which would've killed him instantly.

[NEO|Phyte]

A hit. However, I get a chance to hit the ranger, which is in the Canoloth's mouth. The DM says I hit the Canoloth on a percentile roll of 51% or higher. I roll 47, pulping the ranger and dropping him from near full HP to 5.

Uh, do Canoloths have some funky ability, or is your DM not aware that only ranged attacks have a chance at hitting the wrong target in a grapple/whatever? Still a good story and stuff, this just caught my eye.

[AslanCross]

Uh, do Canoloths have some funky ability, or is your DM not aware that only ranged attacks have a chance at hitting the wrong target in a grapple/whatever? Still a good story and stuff, this just caught my eye.

Well I'll be darned. I sure thought it worked that way, as that's how I ran grapple in my own campaign where the DM in this adventure's a player. It's my fault I guess. :P Still I'd think that one would have a chance to hit either one of those two.

[Myou]

Great story, it was very fun to read!

[asphen fox]

Now the swordsage, who was walking in front, had just triggered a summoning mechanism that dropped two Canoloths on the middle platform.

If only you guys would listen to me first before acting... <_<

Unfortunately, crossbows weren't doing much damage, so the swordsage (bravely or foolishly) decided to forget about crossing using the floating bridges and jumped the 20-foot gap, intending to use Death Mark on the two adjacent fiends.

My bolts were dealing a lot. <_<

...so the swordsage (bravely or foolishly) ...

I love that line :D

After the party screams their cries of disbelief...

I was sort of expecting it... I knew he'd do the jump thing the moment he activated the stance... He was expecting an encounter where he would need to jump. <_<

(He rolled a 1 on his Fort save for the paralysis.)

I was sort of hoping that the adventure book tells the DM to drop the PC who gets caught in the grapple into the lava asap. <_<

Power Attack + Bonecrusher. 6d6+11 damage.

A hit. However, I get a chance to hit the ranger, which is in the Canoloth's mouth. The DM says I hit the Canoloth on a percentile roll of 51% or higher. I roll 47, pulping the ranger and dropping him from near full HP to 5.

"...Sorry."

Ah well...

The Swordsage actually had one rank in Autohypnosis, which allowed him to make a check to stabilize himself. He made it, stabilizing at -9.

I'd just like to point out that he didn't really have that rank until we leveled up. He only took it to prevent the poison thing from happening again. Talk about optimizer <_< can't even explain how he learned that skill...

The rogue and the artificer continue their ineffective barrage...

My bolts weren't ineffective <_< My sneak would've killed it if not for the miss chance thing...

That was probably the most satisfying kill I ever had. Still, it was pretty embarrassing how I smashed the ranger like that. I'm just glad it wasn't Elder Mountain Hammer, which would've killed him instantly.

We forgot he had dr 5/bludgeoning though.. would've left him with +20 hp <_<

Oh well...

That was definitely a fun and exhilarating session... I hope most of the sessions go like it (minus the blood that got spilled, of course.)

:D

[AslanCross]

Err, my weapon deals bludeoning and slashing damage. He'd have been hurt either way.

[asphen fox]

already took that into consideration in my calculations. :D

[xanaphia]

Also, it's a lot easier to say 4+ on a d6 than 51+ on a d%.

[MammonAzrael]

Also, it's a lot easier to say 4+ on a d6 than 51+ on a d%.

But that isn't as fun!

I'll take nearly any chance I can to rock the percentiles. Besides, it gives extra awesomeness when you roll a 1 or 100.