Changing the End of P1... Making it harder [SPOILERS]

[Obryn]

So, I want to make the Feywild portion of P1 significantly harder. If you've run a group through P1, I'd love to hear your recommendations on making it better. I'd also love to hear if I just have some fights totally wrong - and if they are considerably harder than they look.


For starters, here's the group... I can expect 5-6 players on any given night, and basically never have all 7. All are Level 12-13, and all the 12's are about 1 session away from 13. I think the Swordmage is tending towards 14, and will be before long.

* Dragonborn Fighter/Dreadnought, hammer + shield. Ridiculously sticky, as all fighters are
* Warforged Tactical Warlord/Knight Commander. Very potent leader, with a lot of insane powers.
* Changeling Artificer/Battlesmith (or whatever it's called).... Who's a leader, but also a heck of a striker. Superior Crossbow + lots of 2[W] powers + insane buffs
* Genasi Shielding Swordmage/Wildfire Genasi. Essential in slaughtering trolls so far. His mark gives me heartburn.
* Drow Artful Dodger Rogue/Daggermaster. Yeah, insane damage. You know the deal. Offhand crossbow keeps her a long-range threat.
* Elf Pursuing Avenger/Ardent Champion. Defender-lite. Crazy movement abilities.
* Deva Preserving Invoker/Flame of Hope. A pretty serious ranged threat, who summons lots of angels to plague me.


Now, most often, we have 2 leaders present, so the amount of buffing and healing is a real concern! With 2 defenders, I can't even attack the leaders very reliably.

So, besides the obvious challenges of running for 6 players instead of 5, I want to make the Feywild more dangerous. Skalmad II - even after I modified him and gave him Warden abilities, added a Troll Witch for laughs, and changed the Warren Trolls into Bladerager Trolls - wasn't as tough as I expected. So here's what I'm seeing right ahead...

(1) I'm okay with the Helmed Horrors + Skill Challenge, but I'm changing it to a Complexity 2 challenge.

(2) Random encounter. I want to use Banshrae, but I'm going to beef them up.

(3) Dark Initiate. A solo, pre-revisions. I think my group is going to eat her for lunch. I'm seeing some potential with the terrain and her ability to teleport foes who hurt her - but I'm very skeptical of any Solo whose best powers are ranged/area ones. She needs a friend, I think. Any suggestions?

(4) Crocs + Quicklings. The low attack bonuses of the crocs seems ... rough. And I'm concerned about the Quicklings. It seems to me like I'd get a much better fight if I upgrade the Quickling Runners; the Quickling Zephyrs seem quite weak for their level.

(5) Cyclopes. Looks like a really lame battle. I think I'm going to nuke all the minions - I don't want to have cyclops minions until cyclopes stop being scary. So instead, I'll put in a few Bashers and a Rambler. I want the artillery of the Impalers, but wow - low attacks and damage. I think they need a boost, because I don't see these guys even being a challenge, much less a threat.

(6) Displacer Beast + Ghost Trolls. I think this one may work as-is. I'm skeptical about any Huge creatures' ability to move anywhere with my group, though.

(7) Vard + Stuff... OK, I'm completely revising this one. The only rough or memorable opponent looks like the Cauldron itself. I've mostly revised Vard... I loved the imagery of a gaunt, deathless troll surrounded by and protected by the spirits of dead trolls, so I'm turning him into a Controller (Brute for a BBEG? Puh-lease) and giving him a bigtime boost.

He's got an Aura 5 now which represents the spirit trolls floating about him. Just 5 necrotic damage, but hey - it's something! I'm also giving him a Close Burst 2 as his main attack, which represents these spirit trolls' claws attacking and rending his foes. Finally, I'm giving him a Recharge 5,6 ability to give some of his spirit companions a more corporeal form - he pushes enemies away, and 3-5 minions (reskinned Spirit Worgs from Against the Giants) appear around him, acting immediately. When he does this, his Aura and his Close Burst attack are neutralized until the end of his next turn, and he's back to his normal attacks while more spirits are summoned from the cauldron.

I'll post his exact stats here or in houserules... But I'm really curious about your own experiences. Am I doing too much here? Not enough?

-O