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Post by Ginger on Aug 5, 2013 9:02:42 GMT -5
Now that we have all of this loot, and since Colby graciously risked insta-death to teleport to Sherlane's manor and back to get the hammer, we can start experimenting when we leave the dungeon.
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Post by Wolfgar on Aug 5, 2013 10:13:34 GMT -5
Paavo and Youssef will check on the status of Mamnoon. First to check if there is any damage to the stone and second to see if his magic items can be removed as they may be useful in the upcoming combat. Youssef will ponder why the sword had any effect on Mamnoon. The sword was intended to transform flesh to stone but as Mamnoon has told Youssef (in strict confidence), his body is made of the 4 elements and is not the same as human flesh and blood. Maybe the sword has temporarily caused an imbalance in his makeup - earth dominating over fire, water and wind. Maybe with time he can heal himself. Youssef is concerned that a Stone to Flesh spell would just transform him into a regular man. Something that will require research when they return to Barb-el-Shay.
Paavo will look to see if the Ioun stone that orbited Mamnoon's head continues to do so, if not he will search for it and place around his head.
In preparation for destroying the guardian of Tzolo, Dan and Paavo will offer healing (cure light wounds, orison of lesser healing, lay on hands and prayer bead). Dan will try a Remove Curse on Trommer. He will give Friedrich PfE 10'.
Once we are assembled in the hold of the ship I suggest we barricade the doors with the boxes and barrels to prevent him from fleeing. In the intervening time, we can use the rug to memorize an additional Prayer if none of the clerics still have one. Dan can use the prayer beads for a Bless. Magic missile and fire may have some effect on the creature but I think brute force is likely the best way to go. We could try Enervation (from the ring) on it, at 20th level that would drain 5 levels from the creature which would lower its max hit points as well as its hit dice. But that may be a waste. Also it gets a saving throw and MR.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Aug 5, 2013 11:18:34 GMT -5
Trommer will use the +3 two-handed sword. I think I can give someone a strength spell from the sword. Trommer will use the two spells in his ring to provide healing as well.
The +2 dragon slayer is available. If there is anyone who can use it on a regular basis, I am okay with that.
After the fight, I would suggest searching the water under the boat. If I recall correctly, we don't have the water breathing spell. So it would be best done by someone with a good constitution. Lasting breath might help too.
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Post by Wolfgar on Aug 5, 2013 12:41:56 GMT -5
The sword only gives the wielder a strength spell after you have killed something (possibly in single combat). Also I am not sure if your double specialization counts with the two-handed sword. If not you would lose the +3/+3 specialization bonus and the 2/1 attack routine. You would still get your 3/2 attack routine as a 8+ level ranger.
You could use the symbol of pain from the sword but I don't know how you would get him to read it without affecting us as well.
Trommer, Friedrich and possibly Nordel could volunteer to be hasted. Though I would guess the creature's first at-will ability will be to dispel magic to take away our buffs. Though we have also seen it do ice storms and walls of stone.
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Post by Ginger on Aug 5, 2013 12:47:37 GMT -5
One of the magic users could polymorph into a fish or a octopus man and properly explore down there pretty efficiently and thoroughly.
I agree that with a prayer and bless, we'll have a ton of pre-initiative hits on the guardian. If we can also plug the doorway, we should be able to make short work of him.
While he's trapped, the dervishes will closely examine the guardian's body to see if Mamnoon's hit seems to have left a wound, or if he's regenerating.
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Post by venger on Aug 5, 2013 13:51:43 GMT -5
we can start experimenting when we leave the dungeon. Ahh, the old "we can... but we probably won't." Paavo and Youssef will check on the status of Mamnoon. First to check if there is any damage to the stone and second to see if his magic items can be removed as they may be useful in the upcoming combat. We'll assume prior to boarding the ship... Everything but the Ioun stone has been petrified and that's because I'm nice. Mamnoon, now a statue, made his item savings throw against the fall and appears undamaged. The red, green and gold ceramic tiles beneath him are broken however. Youssef will ponder why the sword had any effect on Mamnoon... Youssef is concerned that a Stone to Flesh spell would just transform him into a regular man. Something that will require research when they return to Barb-el-Shay. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35Earth magic being incomprehensible to Youssef, his confusion is understandable. No research is necessary to know that Stone to Flesh will restore Mamnoon. I won't require a system shock roll as long as he is cured within the window of his ability to survive in the Elemental Plane of Earth. Be forewarned though, Mamnoon isn't one of the races subject to Raise Dead. Paavo will look to see if the Ioun stone that orbited Mamnoon's head continues to do so, if not he will search for it and place around his head. It came to rest gently upon his person. If I forget to note the transfer on the character sheets for some reason just swap it in session. I don't generally worry about dropped items when someone dies and am not going to penalize the party further because they forgot to explicitly pick up a dead character's sword/wand/bow, etc.
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Post by venger on Aug 5, 2013 14:02:25 GMT -5
The sword only gives the wielder a strength spell after you have killed something (possibly in single combat). Killing something in combat is required, no specification of single combat. I reserve the right to amend that if you start trying to engage goats and chickens in combat prior to actual encounters to get the free Strength spell... Also I am not sure if your double specialization counts with the two-handed sword. If not you would lose the +3/+3 specialization bonus and the 2/1 attack routine. You would still get your 3/2 attack routine as a 8+ level ranger. The only loss for specialized pole-arms and two-handed swords is going from +3/+3 to +1/+2. Attack routines remain the same. And most likely we won't bother doing those calculations in the heat of combat... You could use the symbol of pain from the sword but I don't know how you would get him to read it without affecting us as well. With 9 facings, 6 of the party would potentially be affected. Not Trommer, those to his left and right, or anyone behind him. I have imagined the symbol as if being drawn in a mirror-reverse. Like when you're writing on the inside of a window, trying to make it legible to those on the outside. While he's trapped, the dervishes will closely examine the guardian's body to see if Mamnoon's hit seems to have left a wound, or if he's regenerating. Fine details are difficult through the green energy field. Also hit points are an abstraction representing more than physical health. And he has a freaking TON of them.
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Post by Wolfgar on Aug 6, 2013 12:28:59 GMT -5
Do we give Wisdom bonuses against level draining? I think at times in the past we have. If so then Paavo would probably have saved. His base is 10 and he gets +9 from paladin (+2), fate reaver (+2), PfE (+2) and 17 WIS (+3). I think I rolled a 2 but maybe it was a 1.
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Post by venger on Aug 6, 2013 13:07:08 GMT -5
It was either a 1 or a 2, and I'm leaning toward 1 because I don't remember there being any of those desperate, last-chance calculations to see if the save was successful like there was with Friedrich.
And applying the wisdom bonus is kind of a stretch...
It's the sort of thing I'd probably allow in session because I'm soft (especially when it comes to level draining), but in the cold light of the messageboard, post-session, I find myself somewhat more critical.
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Post by Wolfgar on Aug 6, 2013 13:18:46 GMT -5
I don't do the desperate calculation thing in game. That is a Chris thing. I do the ad nauseum post modern analysis thing. :) In game I usually know exactly what bonuses I get. However I don't know the level-draining rules because they aren't explicitly spelled out anywhere. Just today I recalled that Wisdom bonus has been applied in the past. If it is a 1 or 2 I wouldn't think there was anyway to make the stretch. I just take my lumps. You can of course rule however you like.
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Post by venger on Aug 6, 2013 14:02:55 GMT -5
Strangely the section in the House Rules on Energy Drain doesn't specify that there is a savings throw -
Having had characters level drained in the campaign, I know we took some of the sting out of the experience loss by allowing a savings throw vs. death magic.
I don't know if we have ever consistently applied the wisdom bonus against magical attacks toward level drain. I don't have a huge problem with it- there is something poetic about the cleric prime requisite helping them withstand the effects of undead.
Mostly I think I am loathe to ret-con the events of the session - especially having already posted experience.
I'd feel more uneasy about it if I didn't think the issue would be resolving itself next session...
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Post by Wolfgar on Aug 8, 2013 9:19:04 GMT -5
Do Azhbar and Basmadoos have +2 weapons to attack the creature? It seemed immune to the +1 amazonian arrows. They are both now 3/2 with any melee weapon so they can use Dan and Youssef's +3 flail and staff or the +3 bardiche if Friedrich isn't using it. Assuming we can get 8 people around it that would be (in approximate order of THAC0): Trommer, Paavo, Friedrich, Hortensia, Basmadoos, Nordel, Azhbar, Ingrid. We should arrange ourselves so that at least one of the high level fighters get a rear attack. Also that should get everyone inside a PfE. Maybe something like this Trommer | Azhbar | Friedrich | Nordel | Guardian | Ingrid | Basmadoos | Paavo | Hortensia |
Thinking about keeping it in one place so we can get as many attacks on it at a time. What we could do is move to a corner of the hold and place PfE 10' behind the two open sides. That would keep the creature penned in assuming it is not from this plane, which seems likely. Or just a big circle of PfE dust that all the fighters are inside of. If we don't think that will work. Then we pile the rest of the people around the open sides to give it a harder time to escape. How tall are the ceilings in the hold? What about the other rooms?
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Post by venger on Aug 8, 2013 10:57:40 GMT -5
How tall are the ceilings in the hold? What about the other rooms? 12' throughout.
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