48hd worth of Animate dead! (See inside!)

[RolandOfGilead]

Ok, some of you may be familiar with my recent thread regarding a certain raven familiar that through hook and rook aquired animate dead as a supernatural ability 1/day. well, as his master is 12th level, he is allowed a total of 48hd of creatures to control. This encounter is for a group of 8th level characters.. If you read my other thread, you know that we were searching for a big bad monster to appear as the major source of the trouble, and I think I've found it.

Skeletal twelve headed pyrohydra (fire)
Huge undead (Fire)
Hit Dice: 12d12 (hp 78)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 20ft, swim 20ft
Armor class: 13 (-2 size, +2 dex, +3 natural) Touch 10, flat footed 11
Base Attack/ Grapple: +6/+20
Attack: 12 bites +11 melee (2d8+6)
Full attack: 12 bites +11 melee (2d8+6)
Space/Reach: 15ft./10ft.
Special qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, Undead traits, Cold immunity, Fire immunity, DR 5/Bludgeon
Fort: +4, Ref: +6, Will: +8
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 14, Con -- Int -- Wis 10 Cha 1
Skills/Feats: Improved Initiative
CR: 6.

Can you believe that its a CR 6 according to the MM? o---k! hehe. We'll see how this CR 6 fairs. oh and thats just 1/4 of the HD of undead they shall fight! hehe. a good time to be had by all!

 

[RolandOfGilead]

also, if we decide its much meaner than a cr 6 as we should, what cr should it be?

 

[Stalker0]

That thing is a glass cannon....it does insane damage, but 78 hp and a 13 AC? A couple of fighters with PA could smoke this thing....or the mage could just fireball it to death. A 6th level mage doing 6d6 (avg. 21) with a fireball ain't bad...as this things reflex save isn't too hot.

 

[Trepelano]

I agree, turning it into a skeleton removes most of a hydra's threat.

An 8th level party will probably take it down in two rounds.

OTOH, they are probably going to soak up some pretty good damage or burn a few spells, so its a decent roadblock. If your aim is to drain some resources, this would be a good start. You will need something a bit tougher to follow it up with, though.

 

[RolandOfGilead]

Yes, it is something of a paper tiger. but consider this: fireball does no damage. a pyrohydra (much like the red dragon in the skeleton examples) is immune to fire. and as for AC, well, you have to get in past that reach and AOO...and then stand toe to toe with the beast.

 

[RolandOfGilead]

And on further review, most of a fighters Power attack will be negated by damage resistance (in most cases)..Archers really need not apply because few ranged weapons do bludgeon damage.. lord help whoever this thing charges..lightning bolts and magic missiles work... so it WILL be defeated.. but it WILL HURT.

Also, under the skeleton template it says "...it retains any extraordinary special qualities that improve its melee or ranged attacks..."
The first line of combat for a hydra says...
"...can attack with all their heads, at no penalty, even if they move or charge..."
since it does not retain its combat reflexes feat, I wont allow it to make 12 AOO's but even so.. 12 attacks after a charge is just vicious!... 40' move, 12 attacks at +13 and anyone left standing can attack me with an ac of 11. woohoo!

 

[Trepelano]

On the other hand, it can be turned.

BUT - I agree that this thing will force the party to expend some resources (either to keep from taking a lot of damage from it, or to recover from the damage they did take)

But I wouldn't expect this to be an overly tough battle for them. When the fight is over, the party is more likely to be impressed with themselves than they are with the skeletal hydra.


Of course, if they face a new foe shortly after this one, they may come to realize that the undead hydra cost them some of their resources. Spellcasters might find they burned off some good spells, Fighters may find they no longer have a comfortable hoard of hit points with which to tank with.

As an opener, this guy actually makes a pretty good foe for them.

 

[RolandOfGilead]

also note that this creature will be the last encounter of the 48hd worth of undead.. perhaps 6 skeletal trolls and then the hydra.. thanks for the input! Still what XP should I award for this encounter, which is sure to waste more than 1/4 of their resources?

 

[RolandOfGilead]

Bump for evening comments... hehe.

 

[KaosDevice]

Why couldn't you just web this thing, walk around it and kill the familiar?