Need help with an encounter

[-Avalon-]

Planning an encounter with some undead and oozes...

Only ways into room are from above, north, and south, there is also a caved in aqueduct to the east. The room is filled with water. it is approximately 50x50 in size, with a 20 foot ceiling.

Description: In a cistern of water underneath the ruined temple, 4 large pillars support the room above. Rubble is strewn throughout the room (difficult terrain normally, but due to swimming being a factor, not really all that difficult comparatively).

XP Budget is around 2100 or so...

Was thinking Chillborn Zombies, Gelatinous Cubes, some ghouls, that sort of thing... Only problem I have is how to protect my own monsters from the cold aura on the chillborns...

As almost nothing in the MM has cold resistance/immunity, was thinking maybe use demonic acolyte on one of the ghouls making it the "special npc" of the encounter...

Any ideas/suggestions?

 

[Rafe]

Wouldn't the cube attack the undead or the undead the cube? Chances are the cube wouldn't be there because it would have been destroyed. It has Int 1 and attacks anything that disturbs it or blunders into it. So I would remove the cube from the encounter to avoid the "encounter building in a vacuum" scenario.

The other undead might be slowed inside the Chillborn Zombie's aura, but don't take damage. That's bending the rules a bit but, since it's for roleplaying flavour, I'd go with it. Your other option is to use other undead instead:

Encounter (2100 xp budget):
- 1 Ghoul (200)
- 1 Zombie Hulk (350)
- 3 Corruption Corpses (525)
- 3 Rotwing Zombies (525)
- Water (or something in the water) as a hazard or trap?

 

[James McMurray]

Azure Jellies (Dragon 367). They're level 7 elites with resist cold 10 who frequently occupy dungeons. They ravenously seek living prey, so would ignore the zombies. If we assume that zombies and ghouls only feed on flesh, the ooze would also be left alone.

It also gives the oppostunity for an out if the fight turns sour. If the ooze or undead are dragging off prey, the other monsters might attack to secure their food source.

 

[Rafe]

Azure Jellies (Dragon 367). They're level 7 elites with resist cold 10 who frequently occupy dungeons. They ravenously seek living prey, so would ignore the zombies. If we assume that zombies and ghouls only feed on flesh, the ooze would also be left alone.

It also gives the oppostunity for an out if the fight turns sour. If the ooze or undead are dragging off prey, the other monsters might attack to secure their food source.

. . . this is an all-'round better option than mine. I'd go with this, especially to keep the creature variety that Avalon seems to want.

 

[-Avalon-]

Only prob is, and why I chose the cube and chillborns and ghouls, is that my players are very tactical (as stated in other threads) therefore I would like to see how they do when I immobilize certain key characters and go for others.

Also, auto damage stuff works great against their high AC's, and death effects on monsters also work wonders.

also, the purpose of this room is basically a place where the ritual sacrifices were deposited. When the high priest (now a Mad Wraith) went crazy, the paladin of the temple turned against him, slew him, and began to try and consecrate the temple. During his efforts, the spirit of the priest came back as the Mad Wraith and destroyed the paladin, then cursed all of the followers unto undeath. Now the paladin's corpse is possessed by malign spirits (a ghoul or a wight) and the actual spirit of the paladin is a phantom warrior roaming the ruins.

The temple having fallen into ruins afterwards, attracted other beasties to have dinnertime... during the course of time, certain tunnels fell in on themselves, trapping certain beasties in lil pockets here and there.

Yes, cube would eat certain things, but may or may not bother the undead so much... and if it was bothering them, it is entirely possible that intelligent undead could "herd" the oozes using different methods.. a cold aura may be one of them...

Trying to find a way to scare my players, and actually give them a real challenge... zombie hulks, rotwings, etc... they won't challenge them unfortunately... need status effects and stuff that does auto damage somehow... auras, death effects, etc


EDIT: And yes, the azure jelly would work awesome!!! Thanks for pointing that out, causes immobilize, cold resist, etc etc... even has a nice "bloodied" ability =) Any other ideas?