How Would You Defend A Mountain Fortress? (Volume II)

[mmadsen]

How we want to arm our Giants depends, I suppose, on what we expect them to face. Going by previous posts about the Vallorean legions, a typical soldier is 7th level, 54 hp, AC 19, Atk +8, 1d6+2.

With his Huge Greatsword, a typical Fire Giant does 2d8+15, averaging 24 points of damage per hit. If we want to Cleave legionaries, we want to bump that up to 54 points per hit.

A Flaming (+1), Unholy (+2), Human-Bane (+2) sword with the required +1 Enhancement Bonus is +6-equivalent (72,000 gp), and does 2d8+15+1d6+2d6+2d6+2+1, or 2d8+5d6+18 damage, averaging 47 points per hit. Against AC 19, I guess our Fire Giants can Power Attack aggressively. Even a Fire Giant with no class levels has +20 to-hit.

If we give the Fire Giants red-hot "cannon" balls to throw (analogous to sling bullets vs. stones), we can enchant 50 of those at a time, making them +1, Unholy, Human-Bane weapons. They already do 2d6 fire damage. That's 50,000 gp for the lot, and 2d6+10+2d6+2d6+2d6+2 damage, or 8d6+12 damage, averaging 40 points.

Or we can enchant the "cannon" balls with Distance and Spell Storing. With Stink Cloud stored in them, they become tear-gas grenades.

I envision the Fire Giants carrying chainmail satchels of hot coals and "cannon" balls.

 

[mmadsen]

Re: What is this...this magic you speak of?

Given the fact that hundreds of people, and even worse, stocked for war weigh just a bit, a well placed Earth to Mud sort of spell could be very decisive. Especially after a well placed area effect spell.

There are many, many things we could do to the mundane forces of the legions if they didn't have epic-level Champions protecting them. We have to find a way to deal with those extremely powerful Champions and the lesser specialists who can hunt down our Vampires.

 

[Sarellion]

I don´t know how much of this would work. They have a 12lvl wizard and cleric in every squad.

Vampire Spwan is out the question. As someone in the original thread said: If I am undead or outsider the Valloreans have my number.

Don´t forget the Legion Standards:

The Legion Standard is a mighty artifact of unimaginable power. The High Priests of the Vallorean Pantheon have access to ancient Greater Rituals that can make these awesome weapons. The great weapon is crafted to a pike-like weapon that is some 10 feet long. The standard is tipped with a silver eagle, inlaid with onyx. The eagle is finely detailed, and has the ability to bite. From behind the back of the eagle, a forged part of the shaft rises higher, and is formed into a formidable spear-point that extends eighteen inches beyond the top of the eagle head. A crossbeam rests at the feet of the eagle, where two white metallic wolf-heads are carved. The wolf-heads are life-like, with intelligent eyes. The weapon strikes normally as a Halberd, as the wolf-heads bite in combat. From beneath the wolf-heads, there are feet that hold onto the dark blue banner, which is trimmed in black and silver. The banner is embroidered with runes inscribed in Ancient Vallorean. The Legion Standards are made so that there is only one per Legion. Some of the Legion Standards were created over two thousand years ago, by the valiant priests of the Valloreans who beseeched the Vallorean gods for aid in their struggle against the forces of Darkness. The Vallorean gods heard the cry of their people, and the Vallorean gods sent divine servants into the midst of the Vallorean people, so as to help them in the design and forging of such awesome weapons. The Divine Servants mixed into the creation process elements of the gods’ blood, which had all been mixed together from each of the deities. The Legion Standards blazed with runes of gleaming fire, like that of a star. The runes are inscribed in the language of Ancient Vallorean, and the standards themselves are sentient, animated, and terrible in their wrath. The Legion Standards envelop the standard bearer with a fine mist of blood when the horns of war are sounded.

The standard bearers are specially selected, trained, and anointed for their position. The standard bearer must undergo an ancient ritual where the standard is attuned to them. Such Standard Bearers are specially bonded with the Legion Standard, and undergo extensive training, as well as a series of rituals that make the wielder fit to be in the presence of such a holy artifact. Others may use the standard, but its powers may not all be accessible, as the Legion Standard desires.

The Legion Standards were each blessed by the gods of the Vallorean Pantheon, and are of unimaginable power. Attacking the form of the standard with physical and magical attacks that reduce the Standard’s hit points causes the Standard to fall into inertia and a form of hibernation. As an artifact, such action cannot destroy the item, but reduces it greatly in power. The Standard—each of which has its own name—must be healed, and consecrated again in a special ceremony that “reawakens” the Standard, and heals it to full strength again. The Legion Standard has the following special properties that can be invoked by the Legion Standard itself, should it desire to do so, or upon command by the attuned wielder.

The Legion Standard has all of the physical and magical properties of a Divine Planetar. The divine Planetar has been bound up within the mystical creation of the terrifying Legion Standard.


HD: 66d8+848 hit points. (1484 hit-points)
AC: 38 (-1 size/+21 Natural/+8 DEX)
Abilities:
STR: 35 (+12)
DEX: 28 (+08)
CON: 28 (+08)
INT: 30 (+10)
WIS: 30 (+10)
CHA: 30 (+10)

The artifact is quite intelligent, and capable of all such forms of communication as speech, and Telepathy. The Legion Standard has access to all such knowledge skills that it has inherently. Additional powers include:

(1) Wielder has free use of Evasion
(2) Wielder has free use of Uncanny Dodge
(3) Wielder has free use of Improved Initiative
(4) Wielder has free use of Blind-Fight
(5) True Seeing at will
(6) Telekinesis; (250-lb. Maximum; 1 minute each use.) 2/day
(7) Globe of Invulnerability 1/day
(8) Sunburst; (Heightened to 9th level; DC 29 2/day
(9) Special Purpose: Defend the servants of the Vallorean Pantheon
(10) Special Purpose Power: +4 Luck bonus on all saving throws; +4 Deflection bonus to AC; Provides Spell Resistance 30 to the wielder
The Legion Standard can Read languages, and Read Magic, in addition to Speech and Telepathy.

INT: 30 (+10)
WIS: 30 (+10)
CHA: 30 (+10)
EGO: 110

(1) +10
(2) Holy Power
(3) Lawful Power
(4) Dread: Evil Outsiders
(5) Dread: Undead
(6) Fiery Blast

The item usually fights in the form of a Halberd, but in close combat, as a Free Action, the Legion Standard can change form to that of a Great Axe. The standard can switch forms as desired by the wielder. In Great Axe form, however, the various Army Spells cannot be so invoked, for the standard bearer is not then visible to the rest of his fellow legionnaires.

The Legion Standard provides the following Army Spells, and additional properties to the attuned Standard Bearer, as appropriate.

Sunburst 7/Day
Sunbeam 7/Day
Shield of Law: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Righteous Might: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Protection from Spells: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Protection from Arrows: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Mirror Image: 7/Day
Mass Haste: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Mass Heal: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Magic Circle Against Evil: 7/Day
Invisibility To Undead: 7/Day
Holy Aura: 7/Day
Glyph of Warding: 7/Day
Freedom of Movement: Wielder only; Constant
Forbiddance: 7/Day
Fog Cloud: 1200-Feet Radius; 800 Feet High; At Will
Flame Strike: 7/Day
Fire Storm: 7/Day
Emotion: All creatures within range of sight, as appropriate; 7/Day
Divine Favor: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Dispel Evil: 7/Day
Detect Evil: Constant; At Will.
Daylight: 1200-Feet Radius; 7/Day

All such spells are invoked at a minimum of 20th level in ability, as appropriate.
These properties are in addition to those inherent within the Planetar-standard, who can cast inherent spells, as well as all allotted Cleric spells.


If these are placed good enough they could see most of the legions all the time.

 

[mmadsen]

Don´t forget the Legion Standards:

It's hard to forget the Legion Standards. Frankly, my advice is to figure out where they are and do not go there. Others suggested teleporting a stream of magma or a chunk of solid rock just above each standard's location. That might work.

 

[mmadsen]

Rain of Fire, at DC 50, should kill most ground troops. It hits a two-mile radius, doing 1 hp/round (for 20 hours). How long does it take ground troops to run two miles? Twelve minutes? That's 120 rounds -- and thus 120 hp damage. And the survivors have probably left behind equipment and supplies.

If we have multiple epic spellcasters, we can probably hit them with a Rain of Fire and a Rain of Acid at the same time, doing 2 hp/round, and getting around resistance to just fire or just acid.

I'm not sure how we defend ourselves against the same thing. A Rain of Holy Water would sting.

Anyway, if the troops manage to stay together and progress in any one direction, we can just hit the area in front of them with another Rain of Fire. If they disperse in multiple different directions, that's when we mop them up with our "cavalry" -- teleported-in Fire Giants.

 

[Sarellion]

@mmadsen

Some days before I have been on a hill and had a vision range for more than 10 miles. As I have read about the standards and their range to line of sight I thought Holy Crap. The planetars in the standards are able to cast weather control and some of the squad wizards could memorize it. At least the Assault Forces isn´t composed of Storm Giants. If the Valloreans can control the weather the whole legion is assured of the benefits of the standards and clear weather. I think it is really important for both sides to get hold of the weather. I thought it odd that in the old thread, people assumed that the Mallenar forces would get weather control uncontested.

Rain of Fire/Acid: The question is, what could a cleric/ wizard of 12th level do to get his people out of the way. Probably the legions would be scattered by using some form of escape or protection. I don´t have the ELH. Are there some possible means to dispel the Rain?

 

[Crowe9107]

It's hard to forget the Legion Standards. Frankly, my advice is to figure out where they are and do not go there. Others suggested teleporting a stream of magma or a chunk of solid rock just above each standard's location. That might work.

I was thinking a heightened Imprison might do the trick.

Re,

Carl Rowe

 

[sword-dancer]

How useful is disease against an army full of high-level Clerics, Paladins, and assorted Half-Celestials? (Notice that Half-Celestials are immune to disease, get +4 Fort vs. poison, can neutralize poison at 5th level, and can remove disease at 7th level.)

We've already established that the Valloreans carry magical MRE (Meals, Ready-to-Eat) packs and waterskins.

I´m so dumb, I should cry.
The legionaries have theit MMREs, but what is with the animals?
The beasts of burden need, the warhorses, the Griphons, dogs...
need food and water and thats a damn lots of it
If they don`t have MMREs then a large part of the supply train will transport food.
And No you can`t feed horses with gras and expect that they do work, they will broke down very fast.

OTOH an army needs much more supply than food, especially when laying a siege.
Without tools, resupplying lost equipment, spell components...

How useful is disease against an army full of high-level Clerics, Paladins, and assorted Half-Celestials? (Notice that Half-Celestials are immune to disease, get +4 Fort vs. poison, can neutralize poison at 5th level, and can remove disease at 7th level.)

And if we have a plague run in the VF, would these spells send the cured fit for duty in an instant?
Magiocal healing doesn`t prevent reinfection in the next round.
If the clerics get infected, are they able to cast their spells?

SHARK

I´ve the following questions

1 How many beasts of burden and wagons has every legion
2 How many cav had the army?
3 How did the Quartermaster corps supply the army?
4 Are the main bulk of the legionarries old scholl legionairres, or have you wartime trainerd legionairries, maybe the training had taken a few shortcuts needed?
5 How long the the fortress must be hold till the siege should through reinforcements broken?
6 Which denicens of ... would be best asked/bargained as allies, so could be easily summoned, seeing a few dozen hundreds of balors and mariliths with retinue massacre themselves through the legions and the champions
7 Had n`t the fortress battle standards of its own equll to the valnorreans

 

[mmadsen]

I was thinking a heightened Imprison might do the trick.

If you want to run up to the Legion Standard and cast a touch spell on it -- Imprisonment's range is "touch" -- go right ahead, Carl. We'll be right behind you.

 

[mmadsen]

Some days before I have been on a hill and had a vision range for more than 10 miles. As I have read about the standards and their range to line of sight I thought Holy Crap.

Yeah, it looks pretty bad:

Shield of Law: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Righteous Might: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Protection from Spells: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Protection from Arrows: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day
Emotion: All creatures within range of sight, as appropriate; 7/Day
Divine Favor: All allies within range of sight; 7/Day

In particular, note that Shield of Law not only grants +4 AC, +4 Saves, SR 25 vs. chaotic spells (and spells cast by chaotic creatures), but it blocks possession and mental influence. I guess we can forget that Vampire dominance...

(Oh, and it Slows any attacker who hits a warded creature. That strikes me as a bit odd...)

I guess we have to find a way to take out the standards first. Sigh.