Room: 7
Traps: None
Boxed Text:
As you reach the top of this incline, the tunnel widens into a broader cavern, roughly 20' by 30' across. The smell of decay assaults your nostrils, and you see a pile of bones scattered haphazardly across the jagged stone floor. A gleam of metal in the flickering light from your torch catches your eye. The uneven floor pokes uncomfortably at your boots as you step forward.
Room Notes: While the jagged floor is uncomfortable to walk on, it does not have any mechanical effects on movement. It does, however, increase falling damage by 1d6 (falling 10 feet causes 2d6 damage, etc). The roof of the cavern is 20' up near the edges of the room, but there is one "chimney" about 10' in diameter leading up 90' to the top (though the PCs will probably only be able to see up 60'). The chimney may be reached with a DC 25 Climb check from any point in the cavern due to the irregular structure of the rocks in this chamber.
Even if the PCs have Darkvision, Ghzzdit has a good enough ambush position that he remains hidden. It takes a DC 30 Spot check to notice him before he attacks the party.
On the flip side, if the PCs are bearing lights, Ghzzdit automatically follows their progress through the room. He will only need to roll Spot and Listen checks if they are scouting in complete darkness.
Encounter EL 11:
Ghzzdit, Advanced Choker, Sor 4
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice 12d8+48+4d4+16 (120 hp)
Initiative +6
Speed 30 ft, Climb 10 ft.
AC 17 (+3 Dex, +4 Natural), touch 13, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple +11/+22
Attack Tentacle +18 melee (1d6+6, 19-20/x2)
....or Tentacle +13 melee (1d6+11, 19-20/x2, 5 point Power Attack)
Full Attack 2 Tentacles +18 melee (1d6+6, 19-20/x2)
....or 2 Tentacles +13 melee (1d6+11, 19-20/x2, 5 point Power Attack)
Space/Reach 5ft/10ft
Special Attacks Improved Grab, Constrict 1d6+6
Special Qualities Darkvision 60ft, Quickness
Saves Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +13
Abilities Str 22, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 14
Skills Climb +14, Hide +20, Listen +0, Move Silently +5, Spot +6
Feats Forlorn Flaw (no familiar), Improved Initiative (Bonus), Eschew Materials, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Critical (Tentacle), Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Hide), Stealthy, Weapon Focus (Tentacle)
Spells (6/7/4)
0: Resistance, Acid Splash, Ray of Frost, Touch of Fatigue, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand
1: Mage Armor, True Strike, Ray of Enfeeblement
2: Bull's Strength
Ghzzdit lurks above the entrance to this chamber, 10 ft above the cave floor. He Takes 10 on his Hide check for a total of 30 in order to better ambush his prey. Once he hears the sounds of combat in Area 6, Ghzzdit casts the following buffing spells and waits for prey to wander beneath him: Mage Armor, Bull's Strength, and Resistance. The effects of these spells (except for Resistance) are shown in the statblock below.
Ghzzdit, Advanced Choker, Sor 4
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice 12d8+48+4d4+16 (120 hp)
Initiative +6
Speed 30 ft, Climb 10 ft.
AC 21 (+3 Dex, +4 Natural), touch 13, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple +11/+22
Attack Tentacle +20 melee (1d6+8, 19-20/x2)
....or Tentacle +15 melee (1d6+13, 19-20/x2, 5 point Power Attack)
....or Tentacle +9 melee (1d6+19, 19-20/x2, 11 point Power Attack)
Full Attack 2 Tentacles +21 melee (1d6+8, 19-20/x2)
....or 2 Tentacles +16 melee (1d6+13, 19-20/x2, 5 point Power Attack)
....or 2 Tentacles +9 melee (1d6+19, 19-20/x2, 11 point Power Attack)
Space/Reach 5ft/10ft
Special Attacks Improved Grab, Constrict 1d6+8
Special Qualities Darkvision 60ft, Quickness
Saves Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +13
Abilities Str 26, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 14
Skills Climb +16, Hide +20, Listen +0, Move Silently +5, Spot +6
Feats Forlorn Flaw (no familiar), Improved Initiative (Bonus), Eschew Materials, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Critical (Tentacle), Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Hide), Stealthy, Weapon Focus (Tentacle)
Spells (6/7/4)
0: Resistance, Acid Splash, Ray of Frost, Touch of Fatigue, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand
1: Mage Armor, True Strike, Ray of Enfeeblement
2: Bull's Strength
Surprise round: He casts True Strike, then lashes out using full Power Attack and Improved Grab (taking -20 to not be considered grappling). If he succeeds in the grapple, he establishes a hold and constricts.
Round 1: If he missed his attack, in the surprise round, he casts True Strike and attacks using only 5 points of Power Attack.
If he failed in his grapple attempt, he casts Ray of Enfeeblement on his victim before attacking again.
If he succeeded in his grapple attempt, he starts climbing while choking his victim. While climbing, he tries to use Touch of Fatigue to weaken his victim.
Round 3 and beyond: Once a victim falls unconscious due to several rounds of Constrict damage and tentacle attacks, Ghzzdit retreats into a sheltered alcove near the top of the cavern to feast.
DM's Notes: PCs with reach weapons may attack Ghzzdit normally. Otherwise, a DC 20 Jump check will allow any PC to get close enough to strike once.
Alternatively, a DC 25 Climb check will allow a PC to climb up onto Ghzzdit's ambush shelf.
Treasure: A rusty dagger, a tattered pair of hard-soled red leather shoes and a gold ring (225gp) are all that can be found amongst the bones. If Mending or Make Whole is cast on the shoes, they become worth 25gp.
Background Note: The dragon's slaves regularly sweep the chamber for treasure; all the gear of Ghzzdit's past victims now lies in the dragon's treasure pile, except for the items noted above.
Scaling the Encounter:
To increase the difficulty of this encounter, add a second choker identical to Ghzzdit.
To decrease the difficulty, reduce Ghzzdit's HP to 100 and his AC to 17. Ignoring his Sor spells in combat will also make for an easier encounter.
Contributor: Brian "the Elephant" Thompson