Battle help!

[Trip]

Alright, pretty basic setup here. I have 4 level 3 players, and they recently just got back to their home base town. This is at night and a huge storm is just starting. Probably using the thunderstorm weather effects in the DMG.

The local cemetary gaurdsmen just recently found a series of tunnels when digging out a future grave. This lead him to report it to his "boss" (the head groundskeeper). Only to be killed by the head honcho, since he is in fact the tunnel maker. He is a necromancer slowly getting an army together so he can kill of the leaders of the village, and claim it as his own. Problem is the lesser groundskeeper disrupted it before he had a chance to actually put his plans into motion. Unsure if the man told anybody else, he decides to take matters into his own hands, and gather his small undead army (3 large zombies, 2 medium zombies.)

Now the problem I am having is this. With the storm raging it makes missile combat impossible, making the PC's get right into the zombies faces, which really should not be a problem, since they will wipe them out fairly quick. I do want the necro to be a bit harder, so I have him loaded up on quite a few ray spells. Problem is, with the storm raging it is harder to see the PC's (-8 to spot, listen, ect). So how can I make these spells be of use, or enable the necro to see the PC's, while he is still safe from missile weapons from the PC's? I was thinking of possibly having him use fearie fire, but he would need several castings . . . any ideas?

 

[Gundark]

ideas

well I don't see a problem with the spell caster using multiple spells thats what scrolls are for. Have him cast multiple beforethe fight. also your necormancer can have a wand of magic missile. They hit automatcially. keep him elevated, fly spell, granted this may be next to impossible in a storm. Or even from a tower/building. be resourceful, give your necromancer time to escape or even change locations to keep your players jumping. Don't forget a shield spell to stop magic missile and protect against fireballs. hope this helps.

 

[Bihor]

give the necro mancer whit google that enable him to see in the storm

 

[Valmur_Dwur]

Maybe it's just me but why couldn't the pc's stay indoors so they can use missile fire? It also makes the Necro have an easier time of using spells to hit those at the windows. But I agree with the others in that scrolls, potions and what not would be used. As you said he doesn't know who knows so he should take everyone down(to raise a bigger army) or at least put the fear of him into them

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Intresting question Valmur, but I think I know the answer. The storm is going to make the targets harder to see, so ofthe Zombies stay outside, they wont be easily hit.

Anyway, I do not think that there is an easy way for the Necro in this case to easily see weather obscured targets without using faerie fire.

The upshot is that I dont think ray attacks are (or should be) effected by wind very much anyway. If its simply darkness due to night fall, there are spells that can grant low light vision.

Anyway, try looking at some of the enchantment /alteration type spells. Hold Person, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Confusion, and Slow are in no way penalized by the weather.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Valmur_Dwur]

Granted Lord Zardoz

I guess I don't see how a Necro and 5 zombies are going to effect a group of adventurers who decide to stay inside to prevent being surrounded. Plus I've been looking through the printout of Nightfall in Elidor I can't beleive Night of the living Dead stuff in it Anyway, the Necro should use all of his powers that are available and it should be assumed he planned for this or another eventuality

 

[Lord Zardoz]

A Suggestion to mess with the players...

Why not have the Necromancer drive the players out of their homes by using hordes of zombie / skeleton rats, cats, and dogs?

After all, being attacked by a puppy with its guts hanging out is a mental image no player should have to go without.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Bihor]

If I wanted the PCs to get out, I'll do the same thing a my player would do: Set the building on fire. Imagine Zombies pouring oil on the roof. 20 greek fire flying by the windows.

 

[KnowTheToe]

Or a fireball shooting from the shadows of the storm, or witnessing a young adult stable worker getting rendered as he walks home after a hard days work. They see two citizens walking up the street, unaware there are zombies waiting to eat their flesh. The serving girl of the inn walks outside to relight the lanturn hanging by the sign...

 

[Trip]

All good replies, thanks! been away for a few days so did not get a chance to respond. Anyway, the PC's won't be inside, because it is in the cemetary itself where the main little battle is set-up. The only building within the area are two simple stone built shrines, which have enough room for 3-4 people at a time for worship, a couple crypts, but they are all sealed shut, and the main office / funeral home, which is also locked up. So instead of having everybody meet up, then happily walk back the road into town chatting with eachother before the battle it will obviously be staged there. Besides this there are planty of dead for the necromancer to use in a pinch as well. The reason for the weather is also a simple incovenience for the players, but for the necromancer as well. Weather never cares about anything else, and does what it wants. Plus the whole undead running around and necromancers casting spells, while a huget hunderstorm rages around everybody adds a lot of atmosphere.

Now, it has been raining most of the days, so obviously the PC's have prepared for it a bit, and with the necromancer knowing he must act soon, he is prepared as well with rays, since those won't have a penalty like arrows and such would. The main problem is for him to be able to see the PC's to use the rays. Fearie Fire would work, but only has a 5' burst, and would take several castings, by that time he would have to be running to get away. . . Just trying to think af another more convenient way for him to spot out the PC's between the pouring rain and darkness.

Trip