Legacy of Fire SoP/PoW/SoM V: For Vendetta!

[SwordChucks]

"It looked like someone smashed up some brass constructs a few rooms over. Might be worth investigating right?" Goma says to the gamblers with a wink.

[lostsole31]

"What can you tell us about your captain that we may enact a quick change-of-command so that you have little time spent in battle with us?"

[digiman619]

The ersatz leader of the group shushed any talk about their possible plans. "Quiet!" he stage whispered. "Look, this won't work if they hear us talk. Is there something you could do to jam up the door, or disable us for a bit? Preferably something that could conceivably be done at range? 'cause then we can make noise, you 'disable' us/the door, and after you get rid of that undead bastard, we probably talk down our squadmates that are with him." He paused "Also, don't kill them if you can help it. If you have to in self defense, that's fine, but they're just following orders." He then turned to Goma. "Inspecting the golem bits wouldn't fly, though. We're the reason they're in bits."

[bcool999]

Rowan

Rowan looks expectantly at his allies for a solution saying, "Well, any solution of mine (other than knocking unconscious with my staff) wouldn't be quite as temporary as you are looking for. Anyone else?"

[lostsole31]

"Oddity and Alssariq, flank each side of the door their captains is supposed to come through," says Malak, fully allowing the [????] to hear the intention. "I will be front-and-center to face whatever the undead is, as I might have some racial protection against various undead attacks. I will blast it with whatever makes the most sense. Rowan, you are behind me doing the same.

"But the real folks that will be carrying this off will be Akaash, Goma, and Shahrazad. 'Zad, make sure nobody actually dies that isn't already dead. Goma, go defensive, nonlethal if possible. But Akaash .... if our new friends-to-be don't mind a little bit of playing up injuries ... you're wind powers will be our 'doom hammer.' Akaash here has the ability to knock folk around with the power of air. Let his air toss you back, and then play up the injury as a fight-ender for you. I resolve to help heal your injuries post-battle.

"Once the captain's brave but downed slaves have fallen, the rest of you come to the main fight if it is still happening. 'Zad, here is my healing wand.

"How does that sound?"

[pfm1995]

"Sounds just fine to me." Alssariq says, slinking over to his assigned position while readying his long knife. "If you can let them get a few paces into the room, or stop him a few paces from the door, please do. It'll give us more room to work than if we're fighting in the doorway."

[bcool999]

Rowan

"Worst comes to worst, I can teleport you around Riq. Though with all of us focusing fire, I would be astonished if the warden lasted long." Rowan says before continuing, "Before we start this party though, let me aid our defenses a little."

Rowan will cast After image on Himself, Oddity, Akaash, Riq, Malak, and Sharazard for 2SP, and then another on Goma for 1 SP. This gives the party concealment with miss chance of 35% (concealment is as Blur so not enough to hide with).

[stack]

"Maybe I make a wall, let them run into it and fall down?"

[lostsole31]

"Just do your thing, Akaash, and try not to actually injure them badly beyond a few bumps and bruises."

[SwordChucks]

Goma walks closer to the azer with a bottle in his hand. "I'll be as gentle as I can." he says before he downs the potion and doubles in size.

Spoiler

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Using a potion of enlarge person. If there's still time, I'll also set up a patrol next to the azer.

[digiman619]

The din of battle, even if it is a semi-staged one, echo though the corridors, and as desired, their boss Grovth has arrived to investigate. Unfortunately, he is surrounded by azers to guard him as he sends two of them forward to open the door, revealing the scene of chaos within.

You have a round to make a move, before Grovth orders his troops in and you'll be forced to fight through them to get to him. What do you do? Remember, even though the azer in this room don't want to hurt you, they need to be seen doing their job, so assume they will take AoO's if they can.

Spoiler: map

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Note that the azer in the room are marked, those azer don't want you dead, but will try and hit you (nonlethally) if they can to keep up appearances.

[lostsole31]

Malak looks conspicuously at the azers in this room and in then to Akaash, trying not to wink, but says loudly and cruelly, "Finish them."

He looks to the boss and calls to the others to warn and inform, "Bodak. Immune to electricity, resistant to acid and fire. Cold iron needed. Beware soul-killing gaze. Oddity, show the azers with him why we are the ones to follow."

Oddity moves in, taking advantage of the stance he started the battle in before getting close to the Grovth. He then switches stance 10' from the villain and using his own shapeshifting with his martial prowess covers the distances with his horrific axe.

Spoiler: Oddity Crunch

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First, Oddity's flowing water stance was active at the start of combat, so a +4 initiative ... and +4 dodge bonus if someone gets the jump on them, but also dealing with his movement through threatened squares if Azers had initiative.

MA: Oddity moves until he is 10' due SW of Grovth.
SwA: Switch to reaching blade stance (+10' reach on first attack, +1d6 damage all attacks).
SA: Attack w/ rippling current and Power Attack (1d20+15)[32], damage (3d6+21)[34].
* If Enemy is flat-footed, then (3d6)[10] for sneak attack and (3d6)[12].

IF Oddity needs to make a Fort DC then (1d20+15)[33].
IF Oddity is successfully attacked by anyone, then use half-gone counter with Stealth check of (1d20+21)[22] vs. opposed Perception roll.

Malak then flies forward as quickly as his energy allotment will allow him, hopefully faster than the azers at the doorway will be able to respond since battle just opened, then up to a height of 15' (which means the top of his square is adjacent to the ceiling) at the center of the small dome.

Spoiler: Malak's Crunch

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SwA: 2E to djinni's turban for 4 total.
MAx2: His fly speed is currently 50', 100' total.

His AC vs. AOOs is 32.
Also, he has concealment (20% miss chance) because of the amount of essentia currently in djinni's turban.

[bcool999]

Rowan

Seeing the Bodak sitting behind his troops like an armchair general, Rowan steps slightly forward and shouts, "Riq' you're up!"

Rowan then chants a spell with magical signs pertaining to teleportation manifesting around him before Riq' disappears, and reappears in easy striking distance of their undead foe.

Spoiler: OOC

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5ft step from the Azer if they have reach to avoid AoO. Standard Action: Teleport Spending 1 SP to increase to Medium range. Gonna teleport Riq and drop him right behind the Bodak for easy flanking with Oddity next turn. As it is, he will need to deal with being uncomfortably close to enemies though.

[stack]

Akaash tosses up a wall of churning air across the western end of the room, giving the azers there a good reason not to close. He floats up to near the ceiling as he does so.

Spoiler

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energy wall along the line just to the left of Malak and Goma's starting positions. 20 ft tall, so should isolate 4 azers. 1 sp. deals 7d6 to anyone trying to cross plus bullrush +21

[SwordChucks]

With the wind wall freeing up one of Goma's flanks, he decides to plug the doorway and gives an aggressive challenge to the next room's occupants.

Spoiler: Combat

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HP: 158, Temp HP: 13, AC: 29, DR: 8/-, Reach: 10ft

Free action: Berserking.

Move action: Move 30ft closer to the doorway.

Move action: Mass Challenge the Bodak and the 5 Azer furthest from Goma (+2 to hit me, -4 to hit anyone else, I deal +4 damage, lasts 8 rounds)

AOOs: Use all 10 for Active Defense with Smashing Counter, prioritizing the others' AC over mine via Defend Other (as an AOO from Darkness Defender). +4 to target's AC and if the attack misses, Goma makes a free action shield bash.

[pfm1995]

Appearing behind the bodak with a soft puff of displaced air, Alssariq has barely found his feet before he's springing forward to drive his long knife into what would be its kidney if it were human.

Spoiler: Actions

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Tension: 3 -> 0
SwA: Scout. (1d20+22)[42] If this is successful, it has -2 AC vs Alssariq and Alssariq gets +2 AC vs it.
Simple: Attack. Blowing focus on Berserker and using Power attack.
Attack - (1d20+13)[22] (+2 if flanking]
Damage - (1d6+35)[37] (+(3d6)[9] if flanking, 14 of this is dependent on scout working)

[digiman619]

With Goma blocking the doorway, the battle was generally spilt into two fronts: the southern front, where the azer didn't want to hurt you , and the northern front, where the azers and their captain did want to hurt you. On the southern front, all went more or less well. Despite swarming you, you were able to dodge and/or deflect their attacks with little difficulty. The northern front was less easy. While the northern party were able to focus on the bodak, it was far from down. The wall that cut off half the northern azer didn't stop their throwing spears, one of which hits Goma for 7 damage (1 of which is fire). Similarly, one of the azer smashes Oddity with his warhammer for 8 (1 fire) as the azer was able to see through his dodge. The undead captain pulls pack their veil, causing the upper room (including Goma) to fall under the effects of its gaze. It also tries to slam its undead hands at 'Riq, but he's able to get out of the way.

Round 2! Goma, Oddity, 'Riq, and Malak, will you avert your eyes, or do you face that undead horror?

Spoiler: map

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Note that Malak is 3 squares up in the air and Akaash is 2.

[lostsole31]

Oddity, not really understanding the nature of the threat despite being told, does not avert their eyes.

Malak, on the other hand does understand the nature of the threat, but depends on his strange physiology and knowledge to help him overcome the threat, so doesn't avert his eyes, either.

[SwordChucks]

Goma doesn't avert his gaze, but does spend his martial focus based on Malak's warning.

Spoiler

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Fort save: 28 and 3 fewer AOOs due to not having Martial Focus.

[stack]

Akaash slips back and drops a tornado on the "foes" nearest him.

Spoiler

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5' step up &left, explosive orb with limited radius to hit the three nearest him, 1 SP, gale blast

nonlethal bludgeoning (7d6)[23] Ref 22 half, trip (1d20+21)[31] starts sequence if any fail save

[bcool999]

Rowan
HP 74/79
AC 24*, T23*, FF 19*
Miss Chance 35%

Rowan slips away from the surrounding Azars and sends a quick blast of flame toward the Warden.

Spoiler: OOC

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*First off, I realized (Barring any game ruling by digi) that Unarmored Talent and ACB shouldn't stack as both are armor bonuses. This lowers Rowan's overall and FF AC by 2 but also reminded me that his Armor bonus applies to his Touch AC due to Unarmored Training working like a monk's AC bonus.

Move Action: Move 10 feet to the square with the upper half of the 8 in it(1 square NE, 1 square N). Using Acrobatics to avoid AOO: (1d20+19)[31]

Standard Action: Searing Blast on the Warden (Warden gets +4 AC against this attack due to soft Cover)
Attack: (1d20+12)[18] Vs Touch AC
Damage: (10d8+18)[69] Fire Damage that ignores 23 points of Fire Resistance and treats Immunity as Fire Resist 17 (after reductions)

[pfm1995]

The undead captain tearing off its veil doesn't even register with Alssariq; he's too busy dodging the thing's strikes and looking for an opening to care about the state of its clothing. He makes some distance, slipping under Malak's dangling feet and putting the loyal azer between himself and their master for a moment. Then he's past them, spinning around the larger creature to try and sink another blow into its side.

Spoiler: Actions

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Tension: 1 -> 3 -> 0
Reminder: If the scout was successful, it has -2 AC vs Alssariq and Alssariq gets +2 AC vs it.
Move: Move to be standing south-west of the big guy by way of running around the little ones. Alssariq still counts as flanking thanks to the Sudden Flank talent.
Acrobatics - (1d20+24)[29] This regains his MF on a success.
Simple: Attack. Blowing focus on Berserker and using Power attack and Targeted Punishment.
Attack - (1d20+15)[18] (+2 from flanking included)
Attack - (4d6+49)[60]

[lostsole31]

Oddity is enjoying their flank with Alssariq, and doesn't move from his position. Hopefully, their cheap shot will open others for nasty strikes against the undead.

Spoiler: Oddity Crunch

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SwA: Set up a Coward's Gambit.
* Risk: It attacks a flat-footed opponent or an opponent it is flanking.
* Reward: Its allies gain a +3 [INT] bonus on damage rolls against that opponent.
SA: Use Brilliant Moon strike with Power Attack, flanking, & gambit luck bonus (1d20+20)[30], and the strike ignores foe's non-force-based armor bonuses to AC.
* Weapon Damage & stance (4d6+21)[33], maneuver bonus (4d4)[7] force damage, (3d6)[12] sneak attack damage.

If he is successfully in striking Grovth with this gambit, all allies get a +3 damage bonus against the bodak for this round.

Malak flies around to reposition, getting the best benefit from his djinni's turban. He then attacks the bodak with his magic, releasing shards of cold and ice.

Spoiler: Malak Crunch

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MA: East 1 sq, south 2 sq, west 1 sq for total of 20' movement. Please remember after-image miss chance.
SA: Planar detonation (1d20+10)[24] RTA, doing (6d6)[14] cold damage, with additional +3 if Oddity's gambit succeeded (see above).

[SwordChucks]

Goma winks at the two azer closest to him and batters them with a shield strike each.

Spoiler: Combat

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AC: 28, DR: 8/-, HP: 158/158, DDP: 0/40, Temp HP: 13

Free action: Berserking

Full-round action: Full attack nonlethally with the shield at the two adjacent azer.

AOOs: Use 7 for Active Defense combined with Smashing Counter on Goma or any allies within reach.

Shield 1: (1d20+14)[22], (3d6+14)[24] nonlethal
Shield 2: (1d20+9)[22], (3d6+14)[26] nonlethal

[digiman619]

Things went well this round, with Akaash's blast "knocking out' a trio of the azer. The rest of the party did good as well, with thier strikes landing true. The only real answer the azer's company was able to respond with was two of the 'friendly' Azer bust through 'Zad's barrier, though not getting to her directly. The rest of their attacks never managed to hit, so the party is much unaffected.

Round 3! Unless otherwise stated, I will assume that Goma, Oddity, 'Riq, and Malak will continue to use their same strategies on dealing with the Bodak's gaze unless otherwise stated.

Spoiler: map

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[stack]

Akaash shoves off an azer, stepping back to get room to drop another tornado in their midst.

Spoiler

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shove the middle one, (1d20+16)[27] vs touch for 6 damage & +1 sequence

5' step up & right on the angle

explosive orb, reduced radius to catch all three that started next to him, nonlethal bludgeoning (7d6)[22] Ref 22 half, trip (1d20+21)[25] & +1 sequence if any fail

[lostsole31]

Oddity

Oddity maintains its lack of care concerning the bodak's gaze, coordinating their attacks again with Alssariq.

Spoiler: Oddity's Crunch

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FA: 5' step to NE.
SwA: Set up a Coward's Gambit.
* Risk: It attacks a flat-footed opponent or an opponent it is flanking.
* Reward: Its allies gain a +3 [INT] bonus on damage rolls against that opponent.
FAA: Power Attack. Attack #1 (incl flank) (1d20+17)[34], weapon+stance (4d6+21)[38] + (3d6)[8] sneak attack.
* Debilitating Injury: Hampered.
Attack #2 (incl flank & gambit bonus (1d20+15)[21], weapon+stance (4d6+21)[39] + (3d6)[13] sneak attack.
* Debilitating Injury: Hampered +1 rd.

EDIT: COUNTER the first attack that successfully hits him with Half-Gone.

If he is successfully in striking Grovth with this gambit, all allies get a +3 damage bonus against the bodak for this round.

---

Malak

Malak likewise trusts in his strange body to help him against the bodak as he lets loose with another bolt of cold, and then changing position.

Spoiler: Malak's Crunch

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SA: Planar detonation vs. bodak. (1d20+6)[12] RTA (incl. penalty for firing into melee), damage (6d6)[27] cold.
MA: Move 20' south. Movement is to not have to hover (and possibly fail Fly check and fall out of the air).

[bcool999]

Rowan
74/79
AC 24, T23, FF 19
Miss Chance 35%

Stepping away from melee with the Azer, Rowan charges and fires another of his signature searing blasts at the Warden.

Spoiler: OOC

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5ft. Step to the square up and to the right bringing my adjacent to Goma (and 45ft from Warden)

Full Round Action: Gather Energy Searing Blast.

RTA: (1d20+12)[25] Soft Cover Not applied to roll.
Damage: (16d8+24)[97] FIRE damage. Ignores 23 Resistance and treats immunity as 17 points of resistance. Oddity Damage bonus (+3) not applied.

[pfm1995]

Alssariq continues his twirling dance around the lesser azer as he drives his knife into their leader's side yet again.

Spoiler: Actions

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Tension: 1 -> 3 -> 0
Reminder: If the scout was successful, it has -2 AC vs Alssariq and Alssariq gets +2 AC vs it.
Move: Move out and then back into fighting the Warden, provoking along the way. Should it matter, Alssariq still counts as flanking thanks to the Sudden Flank talent.
Acrobatics - (1d20+24)[43] This regains his MF on a success.
Simple: Attack. Blowing focus on Berserker and using Power attack and Targeted Punishment.
(1d20+15)[25] (+2 from flanking included)
(4d6+49)[60] (does not include the Oddity bonus)

[SwordChucks]

Goma focuses on the azer to the east of him as he tries to clear a path to move up to the bodak.

Spoiler: Combat

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AC: 28, DR: 8/-, HP: 158/158, DDP: 0/40, Temp HP: 13

Free action: Berserking

Full-round action: Nonlethally attacking the eastern azer with shield and bite. Should the azer drop, the remaining attacks go to the other adjacent azer.

AOOs: Use all 7 on Active Defense with Smashing Counter.

Oddity bonus included.
Shield 1: (1d20+14)[33], (3d6+16)[22]
Shield 2: (1d20+9)[28], (3d6+16)[24]
Bite: (1d20+7)[10], (1d8+10)[16]
Trip: (1d20+19)[38]