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Threats to Nentir Vale: Fell Court
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<blockquote data-quote="Aegeri" data-source="post: 5567127" data-attributes="member: 78116"><p>I'm wondering if you've used the new wraiths or gargoyles in play Jack, because you'll soon see that the lurker powers that are standard this for X bonus next round are <em>immensely</em> effective. Wraiths and Gargoyles are brutal monsters that can rapidly pick off any PC who ends up in trouble. It actually isn't very hard to bloody a PC in one round with 3 monsters at all, with the other two being able to guarantee knocking that character out next round. </p><p></p><p>Bear in mind that Wraiths and the Gargoyle can still be attacked, these ones can't whatsoever and can pick whatever they want on the battlefield. It's actually not the limitation you might think it is. In fact by being so defensive (wraiths, gargoyles, these guys) they're actually forced to pick a later moment in a combat. In this example, 2d6+14 damage is not significant round 1. Round 2 with your pick of targets and any bloodied PC you like is a <em>big</em> difference. Given many monsters can easily bloody a PC at heroic tier these days - even with just around 3 (more than likely 4 of them with a group of minions) creatures on the board. </p><p></p><p>In a hard encounter, level 2 lurkers with a very strong attack that can't be attacked are basically worth their weight in gold. That's the other thing you didn't consider: Having 5 standard monsters AND 2 of these. That's around an EL4 encounter, which would be EL+2 for a level 2 party and only around EL+1 for a level 3 party. Believe me, that EL+2 or EL+1 is going to feel a <strong>lot</strong> harder with those guys than if you picked two other level 2 monsters.</p><p></p><p>Actually I'm specifically thinking of a second one killing the PC first. Bear in mind that at level 2 when you are on 1 HP, all one has to do is hit you once and the minimum of 16 damage <em>will</em> kill you more than likely. You only survive if you have over 30 HP in that situation - not easy at level 2. Making a 1 HP character a viable target isn't actually a smart idea unless there was only 1 of them (which may be the ideal way to use these creatures).</p><p>Actually I rarely coup de grace even before I removed the rule from my games entirely. A 1 HP conscious PC is actual a viable target, while ignoring the unconscious character to go after something more threatening is the more likely way I would run the creature (as they want to down opponents still fighting, not attack something certain to not fight back). I only run a very very very limited number of creatures that will coup de grace (or in my own games, actually actively attack unconscious PCs with attacks). Perytons and Demons are good examples - Perytons because they want to consume that specific creatures shadow (so its a fluff based reason) and demons because they are jerks. The vast majority of creatures I use though won't kill an unconscious character over going for someone else. The exceptions are burst attacks and when I'm forced to by a power: Like the Anakore who killed the executioner in my Dark Sun game. The bloodied claw attack (two attacks) only targets bloodied enemies and makes two attacks. I downed him with the first attack and had no choice but to attack him a second time - even if I would have wanted to hit the Battlemind instead.</p><p></p><p>Edit: Oh wow. I hadn't even considered just attacking a weaker controller or similar right off with them. I was thinking specifically of attacking a bloodied PC, but yeah that's a good point. You could just pick a low HP controller type and just outright attack them. With 2d6+14 damage a hit, that's 21 damage each. That's probably more than enough to reduce a controller to around 2-3 HP on the first attack and the second to then kill them outright. </p><p></p><p>I was actually <em>over thinking</em> how to use them. Bear in mind the smoke power means they CAN'T be affected and can pick whoever they like out to attack.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Aegeri, post: 5567127, member: 78116"] I'm wondering if you've used the new wraiths or gargoyles in play Jack, because you'll soon see that the lurker powers that are standard this for X bonus next round are [I]immensely[/I] effective. Wraiths and Gargoyles are brutal monsters that can rapidly pick off any PC who ends up in trouble. It actually isn't very hard to bloody a PC in one round with 3 monsters at all, with the other two being able to guarantee knocking that character out next round. Bear in mind that Wraiths and the Gargoyle can still be attacked, these ones can't whatsoever and can pick whatever they want on the battlefield. It's actually not the limitation you might think it is. In fact by being so defensive (wraiths, gargoyles, these guys) they're actually forced to pick a later moment in a combat. In this example, 2d6+14 damage is not significant round 1. Round 2 with your pick of targets and any bloodied PC you like is a [I]big[/I] difference. Given many monsters can easily bloody a PC at heroic tier these days - even with just around 3 (more than likely 4 of them with a group of minions) creatures on the board. In a hard encounter, level 2 lurkers with a very strong attack that can't be attacked are basically worth their weight in gold. That's the other thing you didn't consider: Having 5 standard monsters AND 2 of these. That's around an EL4 encounter, which would be EL+2 for a level 2 party and only around EL+1 for a level 3 party. Believe me, that EL+2 or EL+1 is going to feel a [B]lot[/B] harder with those guys than if you picked two other level 2 monsters. Actually I'm specifically thinking of a second one killing the PC first. Bear in mind that at level 2 when you are on 1 HP, all one has to do is hit you once and the minimum of 16 damage [I]will[/I] kill you more than likely. You only survive if you have over 30 HP in that situation - not easy at level 2. Making a 1 HP character a viable target isn't actually a smart idea unless there was only 1 of them (which may be the ideal way to use these creatures). Actually I rarely coup de grace even before I removed the rule from my games entirely. A 1 HP conscious PC is actual a viable target, while ignoring the unconscious character to go after something more threatening is the more likely way I would run the creature (as they want to down opponents still fighting, not attack something certain to not fight back). I only run a very very very limited number of creatures that will coup de grace (or in my own games, actually actively attack unconscious PCs with attacks). Perytons and Demons are good examples - Perytons because they want to consume that specific creatures shadow (so its a fluff based reason) and demons because they are jerks. The vast majority of creatures I use though won't kill an unconscious character over going for someone else. The exceptions are burst attacks and when I'm forced to by a power: Like the Anakore who killed the executioner in my Dark Sun game. The bloodied claw attack (two attacks) only targets bloodied enemies and makes two attacks. I downed him with the first attack and had no choice but to attack him a second time - even if I would have wanted to hit the Battlemind instead. Edit: Oh wow. I hadn't even considered just attacking a weaker controller or similar right off with them. I was thinking specifically of attacking a bloodied PC, but yeah that's a good point. You could just pick a low HP controller type and just outright attack them. With 2d6+14 damage a hit, that's 21 damage each. That's probably more than enough to reduce a controller to around 2-3 HP on the first attack and the second to then kill them outright. I was actually [i]over thinking[/i] how to use them. Bear in mind the smoke power means they CAN'T be affected and can pick whoever they like out to attack. [/QUOTE]
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