NEW (AGAIN)- Thunderspire Labyrinth- Stat analysis #25 Shrine to Baphomet

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #16 Area 6: Hidden Armoury

Round #1.

Grey- Still can't see the Zombies. Magic Missile Z1; Miss. Shift back.

Winstanley- Positioning Strike Z2; Hit 9 damage (16 HP bloodied) & Pushed back away from Phrenic.

Z1- Slam Phrenic; Hit 12 damage (1 HP bloodied).

Z2- Move. Slam Phrenic; Hit 8 damage (-7 HP dying).

Z3- Slam Dirty; Miss.

Z4- Slam Dirty; Miss.

Dirty- Cleave Z3; Miss. 2nd Wind (27 HP). Action Point. Cleave Z3; Crit 16 damage- DEAD & Z4; 3 damage (34 HP) & Marked.

Kaspard- Move. Turn Undead Z1-2&4; Hit all Z2; Hit 11 Radiant damage +5 (Vulnerable) = 16 damage- DEAD & Z1; Hit 11 Radiant damage +5 (Vulnerable) = 16 damage (24 HP) & Z4; Hit 11 Radiant damage +5 (Vulnerable) = 16 damage (18 HP) & all Pushed back and Immobilised. Healing Word +7 HP Phrenic (14 HP bloodied).

Phrenic- Stand. Inspiring Word +3 HP Self (24 HP). Spot the Zombies through the wall. Charge Z1; Hit 12 damage (12 HP bloodied).

Time to play 9 minutes.

End of Round-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP27/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP14/29)

Bad Guys 500XP Level 1 Encounter.
Zombie Level 2 Brute [Z] (x4) (HP12/40 & 18/40) 2 DEAD

Action Points 1 Total 1
Daily Powers 0 Total 0
Healing Surges 2 Total 2
2nd Winds 1 Total 1
Crits 1 Total 1
PCs Ko'd 1 Total 1
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: Soon be over, I hope- this is grind then?

But hey, I dropped Phrenic again...

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #16 Area 6: Hidden Armoury

Round #2.

Grey- Now he can see the Zombies. Magic Missile Z1; Hit 12 Force damage- DEAD.

Winstanley- Move. Sly Flourish Z4; Miss.

Z1- DEAD.

Z2- DEAD.

Z3- DEAD.

Z4- Immobilised. Ready Action.

Dirty- Move. Readied Action Z4 Slam Dirt; Miss. Reaping Strike Z4; Hit 13 damage (5 HP bloodied) & Marked.

Kaspard- Move. Sacred Flame Z4; Hit 10 Radiant damage +5 (Vulnerable) = 15 damage- DEAD.

Time to play 3 minutes.
Total time to play 19 minutes.

End of Combat-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP27/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP14/29)

Bad Guys 500XP Level 1 Encounter.
Zombie Level 2 Brute [Z] (x4) (HP40) 4 DEAD

Action Points 0 Total 1
Daily Powers 0 Total 0
Healing Surges 0 Total 2
2nd Winds 0 Total 1
Crits 0 Total 1
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 1
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: Grind, but only 19 minutes to play in total, so very easily forgiven. In truth a nice little surprise encounter, or at least possibly so, that could catch a PC or two and do a fair amount of damage- see Phrenic again. Which leads us nicely to the fact that Phrenic has now been reduced to 0 HP three times in total- the most for any PC, and he's played in 4 encounters less than the other PCs- a little fragile perhaps.

Within the secret chamber the PCs solve the riddle easily, in less than five seconds, and are gifted with a set of +1 Black Scale Armour.

Stats: Another easy encounter, once the Zombies initial attack was repulsed, the bad guys did however manage to deliver 39 & 20 points of damage in the surprise and first turn respectively, which is nice, particularly as the encounter was only Level 1 (Level -1).

The only other thing of note was the, three from three, Turn Undead attack by Kaspard which decimated the creatures and more or less wrapped up the Zombie threat in one action.

This was also the most XP earned/turn for the PCs, even beating their Action Point and Daily Power frenzy in the first encounter, with 166.67XP/turn.

Combined Stats: The PCs are breezing through a series of very easy encounters, and other than the odd frustrating turn of low dice rolls, are decimating the opposition.

Notably the encounters were average Level 2.88 when the PCs were Level 1, this string of low level encounters only averages out at Level 2.43- the PCs are not being challenged here. Encounters are also taking much less time on average, down to 40.43 minutes, as opposed to 53.5 minutes for their Level 1 encounters.

Don't worry though, that's all going to change...

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #17 Area 12: Hobgoblin Guard Room

The PCs make it all the way through the maze of corridors and find yet another set of stairs going down- perhaps these are the ones that they must use their hard won password.

Winstanley is sent forward and manages to sneak down the stairs, scopes out the place, he can see a bunch of Hobgoblins within the chamber, all armed and armoured- they look very organised, militaristic.



There follows a heated debate, back up top, the PCs are now unsure as to the value of their password, several of the players are not convinced that they can make whatever ruse they think up work, Dirty (Dave) just wants to charge into the place and smash the Hobgoblins with surprise.

The loudest voice wins, which I'm less pleased with and the PCs attempt to sneak back down the stairs a little way and then charge in. Alas this doesn't go too well either, I ask for some basic Stealth checks by the players, stating that they can get back in position as long as no one rolls a '1'.

Phrenic obliges '1', first check.

Hobgoblin Soldiers scream and rush to block the PCs entrance to the chamber.

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP29)

Bad Guys 965XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x5) (HP1)
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x4) (HP47)
Deathjump Spider Level 4 Skirmisher [DJS] (HP55)

Initiative 23 Hobgoblin Grunts 21 Deathjump Spider 20 Grey 16 Phrenic 15 Winstanley 14 Dirty 8 Hobgoblin Soldier 5 Kaspard

Round #1.

HG1- Screams alert. Move- go to release the Spider.

HG2- Screams alert. Move- go to release the Spider.

HG3- Reacts to alert.

HG4- Reacts to alert.

HG5- Move. Ready Action.

DJS- Move out of Cage.

Grey- Scorching Burst HS1-2; Miss both.

Good start!

Phrenic- Move. Leaf on the Wind HS1; Hit 8 damage (39 HP).

Winstanley- First Strike Combat Advantage Sly Flourish HS1; Hit 11 damage (28 HP).

Dirty- Move. Readied Action HG5 Charge Dirty; Hit 5 damage (31 HP). Cleave HS2; Miss & Marked.

HS1- Flail Phrenic; Miss.

HS2- Flail Dirty; Miss.

HS3- Reacts to alert.

HS4- Double Moves from far chamber, closes in on Combat.

Kaspard- Move. Sacred Flame HS1; Hit 6 Radiant damage (22 HP bloodied) & 4 Temp HP Dirty.

Time to play 10 minutes including set up of map and minis.

End of Round-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP31/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP29)

Bad Guys 965XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x5) (HP1)
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x4) (HP22/47)
Deathjump Spider Level 4 Skirmisher [DJS] (HP55)

Action Points 0 Total 0
Daily Powers 0 Total 0
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 0
Crits 0 Total 0
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: The PCs first Level +2 encounter as Level 2 PCs, this should be a tester, and perhaps serve to curtail the present sequence of encounters. The big question is- do they release the Daily Powers and/or Action Points, certainly from the start they can see that they are in a tough fight.

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #17 Area 12: Hobgoblin Guard Room

Round #2.

HG1- Still shooing the Spider out.

HG2- Still shooing the Spider out.

HG3- Move out of side room. Charge Phrenic; Hit 5 damage (24 HP).

HG4- Move out of side room. Charge Phrenic; Miss.

HG5- Longsword Dirty; Miss.

DJS- Move out of Cage and down corridor towards Combat.

Grey- Move. Daily Sleep HG4 & HS1-2&4; Hit HG4 only- Slowed. Action Point- Action Surge +3 To Hit & Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic extra +2 To Hit & +4 Damage for total +5/+4. Scorching Burst HG4 & HS1-2; Hit All- HG4; 9 Fire damage- DEAD & HS1; 9 Fire damage (13 HP bloodied) & HS2; 9 Fire damage (38 HP).

Phrenic- Viper's Strike HS1; Miss. Action Point. Viper's Strike HS1; Hit 13 damage- DEAD.

Winstanley- Move. Sly Flourish HG5; Miss.

Dirty- Cleave HS2; Miss & Marked Action Point- Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic +2 To Hit & +4. Cleave HS2; Miss again & Marked.

The swear word to air ratio increases dramatically, Dave (Dirty) when the dice fall badly tends to swear a lot and stand up suddenly- usually knocking the table and scattering minis, he's very continental in that respect- he usually looks around for five to ten seconds- looking for someone to blame; and the harrumphs back down into his seat with folded arms.

So much for the just charge in there plan then.

HS1- DEAD.

HS2- Flail Dirty; Miss.

HS3- Move. Charge Phrenic; Miss.

HS4- Move. Flail Dirty; Miss.

Kaspard- Sacred Flame HS2; Hit 6 Radiant damage (32 HP) & 4 Temp HP Phrenic.

Time to play 13 minutes.

End of Round-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP31/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP24/29)

Bad Guys 965XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x5) (HP1) 1 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x4) (HP32/47) 1 DEAD
Deathjump Spider Level 4 Skirmisher [DJS] (HP55)

Action Points 3 Total 3
Daily Powers 1 Total 1
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 0
Crits 0 Total 0
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: The PCs are dallying with their Action Points, and not a high connection rate here, they've only managed to kill two of the opposition, still eight of them on the board, and the Deathjump Spider is about to make its mark.

Where's your money- who's going to come out this encounter on top?

 

[the Jester]

Where's your money- who's going to come out this encounter on top?

That depends- did you use the errata for the spider?

 

[Goonalan]

That depends- did you use the errata for the spider?

What errata, so that's a no then, I guess.

I used the Spider from the free download version of KOTS- seemed okay to me?

To be honest I haven't looked at any errata at all, I've not found anything that's broken so far. I've clocked up easily over 100 sessions of 4e- wow, I've just done the sums, easily over 100 sessions- 70 alone with one group, and I've DM'ed for five groups (and some one-offs), I must have run at least 30 sessions with the group that's playing through KOTS here. Sorry, off on a tangent.

So- 'no', I've heard of this famed 'errata' and joined in with threads here with people saying lots of bad stuff (mostly)- too much errata, it's like it's a new edition etc.

But I've never downloaded the file, and never needed to.

So, anyway, more...

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #17 Area 12: Hobgoblin Guard Room

Round #3.

HG1- Move back into chamber. Charge Phrenic; Miss.

HG2- Double Move back into chamber.

HG3- Longsword Phrenic; Miss.

HG4- DEAD.

HG5- Longsword Dirty; Miss.

DJS- Move into chamber. Death From Above (leaps over Hobgoblins and PCs) Bite Kaspard; '1' Miss.

Players are suitably impressed, and a little more frightened now the Spider is in play.

Grey- Scorching Burst HG2 & HS2&4; Hit HG2 only 8 Fire damage- DEAD.

Phrenic- Wolf Pack Tactics HS3; Miss. Action Point. Wolf Pack Tactics HS3; Hit 13 damage (34 HP).

Winstanley- Shift. Sly Flourish Combat Advantage DJS; Crit 27 damage (28 HP).

Gah!

Dirty- Cleave HG1; Hit 11 damage- DEAD & HG5; 3 damage- DEAD. Action Point- Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic +2 To Hit & +4. Spinning Strike HS2; Miss & Marked.

HS1- DEAD.

HS2- Flail Dirty; Miss.

HS3- Flail Phrenic Miss.

HS4- Flail Dirty; Miss.

Kaspard- Draw Mace. Mace DJS; Hit 5 damage (23 HP bloodied).

Time to play 10 minutes.

End of Round-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP31/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP24/29)

Bad Guys 965XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x5) (HP1) 4 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x4) (HP32/47 & 34/47 & 47/47) 1 DEAD
Deathjump Spider Level 4 Skirmisher [DJS] (HP23/55)

Action Points 2 Total 5
Daily Powers 0 Total 1
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 0
Crits 1 Total 1
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: Not sure why the PCs are going for the Action Points, so far I have managed to inflict something like 11 points of damage on them in total, I'm rolling like a noob, pardon the expression. So the bad guys are still standing, although the Deathjump Spider, my main player is bloodied, and hasn't actually connected with anything yet. The Action Points look to be being wasted, a knee-jerk reaction to not hitting, possibly better tactical play play would serve the PCs. Having said that there are a lot of bodies in a massed melee here, hard to manoeuvre.

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #17 Area 12: Hobgoblin Guard Room

Round #4.

HG1- DEAD.

HG2- DEAD.

HG3- Longsword Phrenic; Miss.

HG4- DEAD.

HG5- DEAD.

DJS- Death From Above (leaps and Bites) Grey; '1' Miss.

That's two '1's in a row for the Deathjump Spider...

Grey- Shift back. Magic Missile DJS; Miss. Action Point- Action Surge +3 To Hit & Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic extra +2 To Hit & +4 Damage for total +5/+4. Magic Missile DJS; Miss.

And that didn't go very well.

Phrenic- Wolf Pack Tactics HS3; Hit 7 damage (27 HP) & Winstanley shifts into Combat Advantage.

Winstanley- Sly Flourish Combat Advantage HG3; Hit 16 damage- DEAD. Tumble. Action Point- Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic +2 To Hit & +4. Positioning Strike Combat Advantage HS3; Miss.

Dirty- Cleave HS2; Miss & Marked.

HS1- DEAD.

HS2- Flail Dirty; Miss.

HS3- Formation Strike Phrenic; Hit 13 damage (15 HP) & Shift to join up with other Hobgoblins to maintain Phalanx.

HS4- Flail Dirty; Hit 12 damage (23 HP) & Slowed & Marked.

Kaspard- Divine Fortune. Healing Strike DJS; Miss. Healing Word +9 HP Phrenic (Full).

Time to play 9 minutes.

End of Round-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP23/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP29/29)

Bad Guys 965XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x5) (HP1) 5 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x4) (HP32/47 & 27/47 & 47/47) 1 DEAD
Deathjump Spider Level 4 Skirmisher [DJS] (HP23/55)

Action Points 2 Total 7
Daily Powers 0 Total 1
Healing Surges 1 Total 1
2nd Winds 0 Total 0
Crits 0 Total 1
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: We're at a standstill the PCs are not hitting for any great damage, still the bad guys are mostly failing to make their mark. Someone land a Daily Power and make a difference.

 

[Aran Thule]

The hobgobs was where we found our first real grind.
made us dread meeting groups of them, expect you will get the same response from your players.
regarding the password would it have got them through or was it a set up?

 

[the Jester]

Yeah, hobgoblin soldiers are a tough nut to crack, having one of the highest AC-to-level ratios that I have seen for low-level creatures, not to mention their whole "extra AC phalanx".

 

[Goonalan]

The hobgobs was where we found our first real grind.
made us dread meeting groups of them, expect you will get the same response from your players.
regarding the password would it have got them through or was it a set up?

Password was a set up, damn the players, every flight of stairs they found they made ready to say it, then they get to the right set of stairs, the trap ready to spring... and Dirty (Dave) just shouts down (in a friendly-ish way) the other PCs and they attempt a Surprise Round attack.

You're right about the Hobgoblins, tough SOBs- although the players managed to expunge the grind in this encounter by going Action point crazy. Not the last of the Hobgoblins however...

Oh, Jester, the errata version of the Deathjump Spider- nastier?

And now some more...

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #17 Area 12: Hobgoblin Guard Room

Round #5.

HG1- DEAD.

HG2- DEAD.

HG3- DEAD.

HG4- DEAD.

HG5- DEAD.

DJS- Death From Above Combat Advantage Dirty; Hit 11 damage (12 HP bloodied) & ongoing 5 Poison & Slowed & Save vs Prone- Success.

Grey- Shift forward. Scorching Burst HS2-4; Hit HS3 only 11 Fire damage (16 HP bloodied). Action Point- Action Surge +3 To Hit & Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic extra +2 To Hit & +4 Damage for total +5/+4. Scorching Burst HS2-4; Hit all of them HS3 15 Fire damage (1 HP bloodied) & HS2 11 Fire damage (21 HP bloodied) & HS4 11 Fire damage (36 HP).

Phrenic- Shift back. Scorching Burst HS2-4; Hit HS3 only 6 Fire damage- DEAD. Inspiring Word +2 HP Dirty (23 HP).

Winstanley- Move. Sly Flourish Combat Advantage HS4; Crit 27 damage (9 HP bloodied).

Dirty- Slowed. 5 Ongoing Poison damage (18 HP bloodied). Reaping Strike HS2; Miss 3 damage (18 HP bloodied) & Marked. 2nd Wind (27 HP). Save vs. Slowed & Ongoing Poison damage- Success.

HS1- DEAD.

HS2- Move away. AoO Dirty HS2; Hit 12 damage (6 HP bloodied) & Marked. Flail Combat Advantage Dirty; Miss.

HS3- DEAD.

HS4- Move away. AoO Dirty HS4; Hit 13 damage- DEAD.

Kaspard- Sacred Flame DJS; Hit 10 Radiant damage (13 HP bloodied) & 4 Temp HP Dirty. Shift to give Combat Advantage with Dirty vs. DJS.

Time to play 9 minutes.

End of Round-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP27/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP29/29)

Bad Guys 965XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x5) (HP1) 5 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x4) (HP6/47) 3 DEAD
Deathjump Spider Level 4 Skirmisher [DJS] (HP13/55)

Action Points 1 Total 8
Daily Powers 0 Total 1
Healing Surges 1 Total 2
2nd Winds 1 Total 1
Crits 1 Total 2
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: And it's more or less over for the bad guys, they're trying to get away but the PCs have them swamped- and Marked thanks to Dirty.