Epic Final Battle!

[sorites]

The party could end up facing one of their arch-enemies tonight. Actually, it is a very important lieutenant of the arch-enemy. Anyway, she's a bad ass.

What suggestions or ideas do you have to make this battle memorable and awesome?



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Background:
Forgotten Realms
Scyllua Darkhope: Scyllua Darkhope - The Forgotten Realms Wiki - Books, races, classes, and more

House of Law:
Zhentil Keep is suffering from a vile plague which has wiped out much of the city's population. Scyllua is in charge of the military and the House of Law (i.e. prison).

The party will probably try to break into the prison. They have a contact who they need to rescue. This is also where I plan to have the "final battle" with Scyllua.

Scyllua and the high-ups in the Zhentarim reasonably know that the party is their enemy and that they are responsible for the plague. They should take steps to protect themselves, but as of yet, they have not been able to find, capture, or kill the party. The only member of the party they really know for sure has a huge Will save, so all their scrying attempts have failed. The important parts of the prison (House of Law) are protected by Forbiddance. Also, Scyllua has been given a beholder to guard the upper part of the House of Law where she maintains her office, training area, and sleeping quarters.

 

[SuperJebba]

I wasn't familiar with the villain, but I read the wiki and that is a very cool villain. I personally would find a way to incorporate her mount into the combat. A blackguard atop a white nightmare is terrifying. And if your group is like mine, they have not dealt with much in the way of mounted combat, so that might be something new and memorable. Perhaps she could try to flee and the party hops on whatever horses are in the stables and go after her. A fight while running along on horseback would be epic.

I also might have the group fight her and the beholder at the same time and I would find some new spells to assign to the beholder eyes since everyone knows what they do.

Just some thoughts. Good luck.

 

[DumbPaladin]

I actually don't have any specific suggestions on what you should do ... I trust you to come up with something interesting, and the bad lady sounds like she will give you enough options to harass and intimidate your PCs.

Make sure you play up her fearful presence and combat prowess in both what she does and descriptions -- describing what's happening may be key to making this battle "epic" -- but also do NOT cheat your players. If Scyulla flubs a save on a save-or-die spell, and doesn't have a backup plan on how to handle that, then let the heroes win. (But do give her at least a couple of ways to combat a couple of problems ... and don't try to figure out ways to fix EVERY problem, or peg them specifically to what you know about the PCs, unless she would know about them due to spying, scrying etc.)

 

[Sekhmet]

Boost up her Turn Resistance as well. Wouldn't want what should be a difficult, awesome fight to turn into a one round Turn check.

 

[ashockney]

The party could end up facing one of their arch-enemies tonight. Actually, it is a very important lieutenant of the arch-enemy. Anyway, she's a bad ass.

What suggestions or ideas do you have to make this battle memorable and awesome?

There is a nice battle in the Shadowdale 3.5 book on page 136-7. They have Scyllua riding on the back of her nightmare and they battle is to take place in the air. She is accompanied by 4 Erinyes in that encounter.

She's a Ranger/Paladin/Blackguard. She's not really a powerhouse to go toe-to-toe, particularly against an entire party. She's got some nice burst damage and buffs (smite, sneak attack, divine favor, favored enemy, and poison). She can also heal with spells and lay on hands. High charisma, so understandably with some minions and henchmen. I think she would do well to dive in and out of combat, often sacrificing her henchmen in her place, so that she can further buff and heal. Striking strategically to eliminate threats, like clerics, and wizards.

 

[Runestar]

A ranger/paladin/blackguard combination?!? That's painful to even look at.

Could you make her like a crusader or something?

Boost up her Turn Resistance as well. Wouldn't want what should be a difficult, awesome fight to turn into a one round Turn check.

??? She isn't undead. Why would turn undead be used against her?

 

[jefgorbach]

There are feats/etc allowing Turning to affect things besides undead ... so while SHE wouldnt be directly affected, it might be possible for his group to get her airborne then turn her nightmare mount (type:Outsider) -- potentially removing her from the battle long enough to complete their rescue.

Even if she's bucked off/jumps, her ring of feather-falling would negate the falling damage but again require her spending several rounds drifting to ground if done at sufficient height.

 

[Sekhmet]

A ranger/paladin/blackguard combination?!? That's painful to even look at.

Could you make her like a crusader or something?



??? She isn't undead. Why would turn undead be used against her?

...She died in 1375.
She's not pining, she's passed on! She is no more! She has ceased to be! She's expired and gone to meet her maker! She's a stiff! bereft of life, she rests in peace!


See, it was a joke. I figured that sorites had either brought her back to life, or his story is set before 1375.

 

[kitcik]

Hopefully, for his players' sake, the story is set IN 1375, if you catch my drift...

 

[Runestar]

I mean, goodness, cr15, AC21, 123hp, atk +18. What exactly can she do again?