The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
11102 Posts
    
In the constellation of Cygnus, or Central Connecticut
 | | 05/07/2005 1:16 PM |
| | recovered topic 3361 | |
Champion of the Spider Eater with rider.
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
How many times in life do you get to eat your own Cthulhu? - Posted By Pedro on 03/31/2008 2:29 | |
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The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
11102 Posts
In the constellation of Cygnus, or Central Connecticut
| | 05/07/2005 1:16 PM |
| What was the EL on that insanity?
Did they come close to winning? | |
Champion of the Spider Eater with rider.
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
How many times in life do you get to eat your own Cthulhu? - Posted By Pedro on 03/31/2008 2:29 | |
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Custom Title
WakeXX
Warlord
10131 Posts
Edinboro PA
| | 05/07/2005 1:32 PM |
| | Poor PC's![)] | | | |
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Satsujin Kingyo
Underboss
1247 Posts
| | 05/07/2005 1:58 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Ghendar
What was the EL on that insanity?
Did they come close to winning?
Three Beholders and both Boneclaws were destroyed. They actually did very well and had a blast with the combat, despite dying. The Necro brought his Hydra Skeletons to the party, and those were a serious problem. Of course, the fact that the Theurge took control of the Boneclaws didn't help the Flayer much either. | |
Drumsticks can also be chicken. -Tardy Turtle | |
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Mr Ruffles
Sneak
165 Posts
| | 05/07/2005 2:17 PM |
| Ouch! I have never done a TPK myself but I have killed enough PCs in my time. Although one of my players alway seems to get his PC killed a lot. No matter what is going on he always ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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My List / MySpace Site / My Trade History / Email Me
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Grim
Sergeant
482 Posts
| | 05/07/2005 3:03 PM |
| | I hear you there. Usually no one dies for three or four sessions, then one does, then one does a week for three or four weeeks before things smooth out again. It's a weird pattern but our group has noticed it happens a fair bit. It's like you need to get some characters out of your mind before settling on the one you really want. | |
I am a leaf on the wind...Urrk!!--Wash, "Serenity" | |
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Monsoon28
Underboss
2290 Posts
Toronto
| | 05/07/2005 3:29 PM |
| Wow too bad for your party! I can't say I've had a TPK...yet! But came close quite a few times. Only two weeks ago half the party was dropped to less than 0 or incompacitated but somehow they all made it in the end. Lucky S.O.B.'s [:P]
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"I was sittin' here eatin' my muffin, drinkin' my coffee, replayin' the incident in my head, when I had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity." - Jules Winnfield
Sales/Trades Bad (1): Ironfist Boulderbender
Trades/Sales completed (8.): Danthl, Dafrca, Garyaxe, qillan_dvra, realmaster, Vandal_Savage, cavedweller, unearthed arcana.
Champion of Gem Dragons, VINDICATED Squire of Duergar Commander, Knight of the Astral Stalker.
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The Defenestrator
AesophDarkfable
Warlord
5628 Posts
| | 05/07/2005 3:55 PM |
| | I pulled a TPK in City of the Spider Queen. The place on the way down where there is the Beholder and the Mindflayer. The beholder did most the work but the Mindflayer (on some very bad saves including a nat one from the player) ate someones brains too. | |
Im out- find me on Hordelings if you want to chat. | |
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Satsujin Kingyo
Underboss
1247 Posts
| | 05/07/2005 4:04 PM |
| | Yeah, Flayers and Beholders do that. The second I said they came upon an Illithid and four Beholders one of my players said "You mean Gauths.... right?". When I said "no, I mean Beholders" he chuckled and replied "Well guys, this was a pretty fun campaign eh?" Everyone then laughed and rolled for initiative. | |
Drumsticks can also be chicken. -Tardy Turtle | |
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glauron
Underboss
1379 Posts
Sydney, Australia
| | 05/07/2005 10:46 PM |
| Looks like an evenly matched encounter. Must have been awesome to play that life and death struggle.
Where does the campaign go from there? 18L PCs is a big investment in time just to end it. But then maybe it was time for something new? | |
I have always been here. | |
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Testament
Underboss
1397 Posts
| | 05/07/2005 11:27 PM |
| Rough calculations have the EL at around 20+. The Bonclaws, if unadvanced, add virtually nothing to the EL, most of it is tied up in the Squiddy and the Beholders. The PCs had very little chance, but could have done it with some rock-solid tactics amd luck, but there would have been casualties.
I'm curious, how many Hydra skellies did the Necromancer have with him, and what was the main problem for the party. I'm guessing the Beholders. | |
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8-Bit Chibi Goths forever!
Champion of Mephistopheles
"Sorry! I was tryin' to open these beans!"
My Have/Want List, (Updated July 6 2004, will be updated soon)
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Satsujin Kingyo
Underboss
1247 Posts
| | 05/08/2005 6:54 AM |
| The Boneclaws-
The Boneclaws were unadvanced, and were there primarily to be a nuisance. The Claws had to go before the casters could start casting.
The Beholders-
I don't think I have to go into details here. Each one picked a corner of the room and opened fire on the PCs, two of which (the Theurge and the Scout) were disintigrated.
The Mind Flayer-
This little bugger won initiative, then proceeded to open the fight with a Quickened Lightning Bolt and a Mind Blast. The real nastiness was when he managed to Dominate the Juggernaut (who was just a level shy of being immune to it), and sent him against the Necro, who the Forged managed to stun with the Resounding Blow feat. Ever the opportunist, the Illithid made his way over to the Necro, placed four tentacles upon his head, and relieved him of all his gray matter.
The wrap up-
Two piles of dust and an empty skull, but what of the Warforged? The Flayer had never encountered a sentient golem before (This is not Eberron, this is my homebrew), and was quite intrigued by the construct. He decided to, after incapacitating him, keep him bound and dominated within the confines of his lair. He is quite fond of this new minion, and plans to use him as his muscle, his proverbial blunt instrument. Like I said earlier, the Flayer knows next to nothing about his kind, and so is in for quite a suprise once he gains a level and immunity to domination. Perhaps there's some hope for the party yet... | |
Drumsticks can also be chicken. -Tardy Turtle | |
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Testament
Underboss
1397 Posts
| | 05/08/2005 7:14 AM |
| Oh, man, that would have hurt. Mind Flayer Enchanter is just a hateful thing to do to a party!
It'll be great for one thing later though, as you said. That Jugger is going to be a nasty suprise in a little while, when he shakes off the Squiddy's domination and lays the MAD BEATDOWN! I love the idea that just popped into my head, a Warforged Juggernaut wandering the Underdark, extracting revenge on every Illithid he finds.
Congratulations Satsujin Kingyo, from this TPK has come a great NPC! | |
Support awesome games: Play Hecatomb!
8-Bit Chibi Goths forever!
Champion of Mephistopheles
"Sorry! I was tryin' to open these beans!"
My Have/Want List, (Updated July 6 2004, will be updated soon)
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B
Underboss
1189 Posts
| | 05/08/2005 7:18 AM |
| | I wish my group had battles like that! (except for the dying part..we have that down pat). We are playing the WLD and our party heard all of these rumors about a "flayer of minds". I basically dragged the rest of the party kicking and screaming towards what I thought would be a kick@$$ fight. Turned out to be a blue. Big disappointment.[:(] | |
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.--Dylan Thomas
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Grim
Sergeant
482 Posts
| | 05/08/2005 9:04 AM |
| | You'll get your wish B, just not yet. | |
I am a leaf on the wind...Urrk!!--Wash, "Serenity" | |
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Hero of the Force
Siddartha of Suburbia
Underboss
2277 Posts
| | 05/08/2005 9:25 AM |
| Our biggest problem will be just getting that high a level. We are really good at dying.
That doesn't bother me though. All through High-School and my early days of uni I played in the kind of game where players are practically bulletproof. And I prefer the dose of reality and risk that death in rpg provides. Even as a DM I used to pull my punches back in those days. But now I think it's just not worth it. | |
"We can't stop here...This Is Bat country!"
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Satsujin Kingyo
Underboss
1247 Posts
| | 05/09/2005 2:03 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Testament
Oh, man, that would have hurt. Mind Flayer Enchanter is just a hateful thing to do to a party!
It'll be great for one thing later though, as you said. That Jugger is going to be a nasty suprise in a little while, when he shakes off the Squiddy's domination and lays the MAD BEATDOWN! I love the idea that just popped into my head, a Warforged Juggernaut wandering the Underdark, extracting revenge on every Illithid he finds.
Congratulations Satsujin Kingyo, from this TPK has come a great NPC!
That IS a great NPC idea! To awnser your previous question about the Hydras, he had two. | |
Drumsticks can also be chicken. -Tardy Turtle | |
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Testament
Underboss
1397 Posts
| | 05/09/2005 2:19 AM |
| Gah, only two hydras? They'd get disintegrated first round, considering how much undead hate that spell.
Beholders are weird for their CR. Completely offence loaded, in groups they become exponentially more powerful. Two Beholders is 6 save or dies a round. With 12 SODs flying every round, the PCs really didn't have a chance. | |
Support awesome games: Play Hecatomb!
8-Bit Chibi Goths forever!
Champion of Mephistopheles
"Sorry! I was tryin' to open these beans!"
My Have/Want List, (Updated July 6 2004, will be updated soon)
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warty_nosed_goblin
Underboss
1384 Posts
| | 05/09/2005 6:07 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Testament
Beholders are weird for their CR. Completely offence loaded, in groups they become exponentially more powerful. Two Beholders is 6 save or dies a round. With 12 SODs flying every round, the PCs really didn't have a chance.
Actually Beholders are just weird | |
Call me: W.N. Gobo!
originally posted by grim:
While he is clearly insane, he does have a point. | |
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Fun Guy from Yuggoth
Cthulhufnord
Warlord
10719 Posts
Umass Amherst Baby!
| | 05/10/2005 12:19 AM |
| Weird huh, sounds like the party was going up against weird squared...
Sound Just about as nasty as my five foot wide tunnel/wraith trap. | |
Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,
ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul | |
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Zardnaar
Sergeant
522 Posts
| | 05/10/2005 1:20 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Ghendar
What was the EL on that insanity?
Did they come close to winning?
I crunch it at around 19.
1 Beholder CR 13
2 Beholder EL 15
4 Beholder EL 17
Mind Flayer CR/EL 18.
EL 17+EL 18=EL19.
(EL 18+18 = EL 20 for example)
The boneclaws don't really add anything to the fight. Its on the extreme edge of EL 19 though so an add hoc +10-50% xp award could have been used if the DM was feeling generous. However I wonder if the Beholders were using the anti magic eyes. | |
Trades: dj-chuckles (complete)
Sales: Kestral.ca
Bad Trade: Chaotic Good | |
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Monsoon28
Underboss
2290 Posts
Toronto
| | 05/10/2005 3:04 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Testament
Beholders are weird for their CR. Completely offence loaded, in groups they become exponentially more powerful. Two Beholders is 6 save or dies a round. With 12 SODs flying every round, the PCs really didn't have a chance.
Ya reminds me of Baldur's Gate 2, when you're travelling in the underdark. All those beholders it was just plain messy!
12 SOD's in a round and that was just the topping of the cake! It really doesn't come as a suprise that the Theurge and Scout both sucked ash. In fact it sounds like they all subcumbed to their weak points in saving throws.
Harsh...but fun! [:D] | |
"I was sittin' here eatin' my muffin, drinkin' my coffee, replayin' the incident in my head, when I had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity." - Jules Winnfield
Sales/Trades Bad (1): Ironfist Boulderbender
Trades/Sales completed (8.): Danthl, Dafrca, Garyaxe, qillan_dvra, realmaster, Vandal_Savage, cavedweller, unearthed arcana.
Champion of Gem Dragons, VINDICATED Squire of Duergar Commander, Knight of the Astral Stalker.
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