Can 6 level 7 characters survive against a leve 9 solo? 4th edition

[Mystic Muse]

the title says it all. Could 6 level 7 characters survive against a level 9 solo? the characters in question are

a Tiefling Warlock
a human fighter
a Dragonborn Cleric
a Shadar Kai wizard
a Dragonborn Rogue
and a hobgoblin Ranger.

The Solo is a level 9 Tiefling vampire lord Paladin.

What are their chances? should I increase the level to a level 20 or 11 solo? Maybe change the class? apologies if this is obvious. I'm still bad at gauging power.

[Gamerlord]

They will handle it with ease, dailies away!

[Mystic Muse]

They will handle it with ease, dailies away!

slightly edited

[Gamerlord]

Maybe increase the encounter to lvl 10, but keep him like he is, and just give him some troops.

[Saph]

Calculate the solo's hit rate vs the PCs' defences, and vice versa. That'll tell you how much average damage he'll be doing per turn, and how much he'll be taking. That'll give you your answer.

If you don't want to do all that work and just want a guess, then sure, they can handle it. Solos are the weakest monster type in 4e, and you have 6 players rather than the normal 4-5. The PCs will be getting 6 actions to the monster's 1. Unless their hit rate is abnormally low or the the monster's DPR is abnormally high, the solo is toast.

[Mystic Muse]

hmm now in terms of minions What do I want for a vampire lord Paladin......(abberations, undead and demons/devils are available)

also, just to annoy you Gamerkid. it's an evil Paladin who thinks Tiamat is Smexy .

[Theodoric]

Using the DMG encounter building stuff, that amounts to a Level N+1 encounter (since there are 6 party members, instead of 5), which is perfectly doable. Though it rather depends on the kind of Solo; he does need to have enough attacks to threaten the party.

[Mystic Muse]

The PCs will be getting 6 actions to the monster's 1. Unless their hit rate is abnormally low or the the monster's DPR is abnormally high, the solo is toast.

I changed that. the DMG suggest giving Solos two standard actions. also what's DPR?

[Gamerlord]

hmm now in terms of minions What do I want for a vampire lord Paladin......(abberations, undead and demons/devils are available)

also, just to annoy you Gamerkid. it's an evil Paladin who thinks Tiamat is Smexy .

ARGH TIAMAT MUST DIE!!!
Anyway, maybe undead,no wait, divine types can kill those with ease, perhaps devils?

I changed that. the DMG suggest giving Solos two standard actions. also what's DPR?

Damage per round.

[sofawall]

I changed that. the DMG suggest giving Solos two standard actions. also what's DPR?

Damage Per Round. A slight adaptation of DPS, or Damage per second.

Ninja editted! But mine is nice and bold.

[Gamerlord]

Damage Per Round. A slight adaptation of DPS, or Damage per second.

Ninja editted! But mine is nice and bold.

So is mine.

[Mystic Muse]

ARGH TIAMAT MUST DIE!!!

.

if it helps, a bigger Dragon B**** than Tiamat is going to die pretty soon.

[Gamerlord]

if it helps, a bigger Dragon B**** than Tiamat is going to die pretty soon.

Good!
Insert text here

[Mystic Muse]

Good!
Insert text here

yeah. although Tiamat is going to be the one to kill her.

[Gamerlord]

yeah. although Tiamat is going to be the one to kill her.

Well still, I hope the evil dragon whathername dies horribly.

[Mystic Muse]

Well still, I hope the evil dragon whathername dies horribly.

let's see, she get knocked down to the point where she can no longer move, gets her death drug out by Tiamat because Tiamat wants her to suffer, Waits until she begs for her life, bites into her neck and lets her bleed to death.

that horrible enough for you?

[Fortuna]

You are singularly unimaginative in your horrible deaths. I could think of half a dozen nastier ways to go, not including ones that I have scavenged directly, before breakfast.

[Mystic Muse]

You are singularly unimaginative in your horrible deaths. I could think of half a dozen nastier ways to go, not including ones that I have scavenged directly, before breakfast.

yes I know. However if I actually put my mind to it I'm afraid it will go way too far and way past several of my player's and my own comfort zone. I could think of lots of nastier ways to go as well.

plus, a death I think up in ten seconds at 7 AM when I've been up all night is bound to be unimaginative. Also, Sometimes my imagination REALLY sucks.

[Kurald Galain]

the title says it all. Could 6 level 7 characters survive against a level 9 solo?

Yes, without problem, and while defeating several other encounters that day, too.

Remember: for six level-7 characters, a level-7 encounter is supposed to be easy. That's by design, so that you can numerous such encounters per day. With decent builds and strategy (which isn't that hard, honestly) the group can easily handle numerous level-9 encounters per day. The only difference is that the monsters will have 10% better attacks and defenses, and a bit more hit points. Nothing you can't handle.

(edit) yeah, and what Saph said: solos are generally the easiest kind of enemies in 4E (even though that's probably not what the designers intended).

[Mystic Muse]

thanks everybody.

now it's sleepy time for Kyuubi. (although it should have been sleepy time 3 hours ago. actually more like 7 and a half hours ago. Dang insomnia.)

[Leolo]

the title says it all. Could 6 level 7 characters survive against a level 9 solo? the characters in question are

It depends on how many of them should survive, and the conditions. Fighting a vampire with sunlight available is a lot easier.

Also it is important what kind of powers you choose and how you allow the solo monster to use multiple actions.

Paladin class template + Vampire Lord is a good combination, because it has good synergies (Charisma to damage from Paladin, Charisma based attacks from Vampire Lord). The Tiefling race adds charisma again as a minor encounter power.

Gave him a big paladin sword and his attacks could do a high amount of damage, and it would be easy to kill a single lvl 6-7 character without even using a action point. At least if the monster has options to use multiple attacks per round, for example if you let him use his dominating gaze or blood drain as a minor action.

The templates alone are not sufficient, of course. You will need something that make the monster a true solo.

[Gamerlord]

let's see, she get knocked down to the point where she can no longer move, gets her death drug out by Tiamat because Tiamat wants her to suffer, Waits until she begs for her life, bites into her neck and lets her bleed to death.

that horrible enough for you?

Not even close, here is an idea:

Tiamat casts a curse on evil dragon #2754397, it keeps evil dragon alive forever, and regenerates all her wounds, but it also renders her completely paralyzed and unable to do anything, then sics 100 or so ghouls on evil dragon, so evil dragon is eaten alive. Forever.

[tcrudisi]

Not even close, here is an idea:

Tiamat casts a curse on evil dragon #2754397, it keeps evil dragon alive forever, and regenerates all her wounds, but it also renders her completely paralyzed and unable to do anything, then sics 100 or so ghouls on evil dragon, so evil dragon is eaten alive. Forever.

This reminds me of the story from Greek Mythology. I can't remember who the victim was, but they did something that Zeus did not approve of. As punishment, he tied them to a rock and every day buzzards would fly and eat out his eyes. They would regenerate through the night and this would reoccur every day.

[Kurald Galain]

This reminds me of the story from Greek Mythology. I can't remember who the victim was, but they did something that Zeus did not approve of. As punishment, he tied them to a rock and every day buzzards would fly and eat out his eyes. They would regenerate through the night and this would reoccur every day.

Prometheus. Although Herakles eventually freed him.

[tcrudisi]

Prometheus. Although Herakles eventually freed him.

To think, I just finished a Mythology course about 3 weeks ago. My memory is only slightly better than that of a dead elephant.

[Theodoric]

This reminds me of the story from Greek Mythology. I can't remember who the victim was, but they did something that Zeus did not approve of. As punishment, he tied them to a rock and every day buzzards would fly and eat out his eyes. They would regenerate through the night and this would reoccur every day.

Prometheus. Although Herakles eventually freed him.

I though that was a Roman story. Yeah, same difference, I know.

[Mystic Muse]

Not even close, here is an idea:

Tiamat casts a curse on evil dragon #2754397, it keeps evil dragon alive forever, and regenerates all her wounds, but it also renders her completely paralyzed and unable to do anything, then sics 100 or so ghouls on evil dragon, so evil dragon is eaten alive. Forever.

okay. That sounds fine and fitting for an evil God to do to somebody she really hates.

[taltamir]

why not make the solo the "boss" and give him a few lower level henchmen?

[Oslecamo]

why not make the solo the "boss" and give him a few lower level henchmen?

Because that's HERESY! Whoever heard of a boss with minions? Everybody knows in D&D monsters charge alone at the party whitout strategy and preparations so casters can easily shoot them down! /sarcasm.

[Shardan]

for other people, I'd use some undead minions and the three-skull that raises undead minions. but becareful, clerics OWN undead badly. keep the three-skulls out of LOE at first.