Wizards In Winter - High-Level Thread (DM: Son of Meepo, Judge: TwoHeadsBarking)

[Neurotic]

Yeah, well, I was in n-2 encounter with spread out controllers with dazing area 1 attack at 10 who were on the roofs with 2 soldiers blocking the way and some minions.

They brought us to using dailies to get to them. Problem with melee heavy party and ranged characters with most of the range 5 (seeker and shaman - altough shaman used his spirit for some damage to the controllers)

 

[Son of Meepo]

Yeah, well, I was in n-2 encounter with spread out controllers with dazing area 1 attack at 10 who were on the roofs with 2 soldiers blocking the way and some minions.

They brought us to using dailies to get to them. Problem with melee heavy party and ranged characters with most of the range 5 (seeker and shaman - altough shaman used his spirit for some damage to the controllers)

OOC: My opinion is that you should always seek to acquire some means of attacking at range 10 at-will. If one isn't provided by your class, that usually means picking up a +1 Distance weapon (or its recently introduced level 2 cousin Weapon of Long Range) as soon as possible. Because one thing I guarantee that I will never do as a DM is put my ranged controllers and artillery in a position where they can easily be engaged in melee.

 

[stonegod]

OOC: We can worry about the fact WotC's defenders break down at range later. Whose up? Remember, Voda is out of town until EoM.

 

[Darksteed]

*Kauldron continues to swim through the frigid waters, and begins to scale the rocking ship. Back onto the deck itself. He sighs heavily, panting and soaked to the core. Water running out of every crack in his suit of armor. He re-equips his heavy shield and readies himself.*

[sblock=Actions]Start of Turn: Stay Afloat
-Athletics vs. DC 20: Critical Success; 33

Move: Climb to L13.
-Athletics vs. DC 25: Success; 28

Standard: Equip Heavy Shield.[/sblock]

[sblock=Kauldron]Kauldron- Male Goblin Paladin 8
Passive Perception: 14, Passive Insight: 14

Normal
AC: 30 (Bloodied 29), Fort: 26, Ref: 23, Will: 24

Attacks 6 or More Squares Away from Kauldron
AC: 31, Fort: 28, Ref: 25, Will: 26

Resistances: Fire 5, Lightning 5, Ongoing Damage 3

Saving Throws: If Kauldron is dazed or stunned, Kauldron can make a saving throw at the start of his turn to end that effect, even if the effect doesn’t normally end on a save.

Initiative: +6
Speed: 5

HP: 37/71, Temp HP: 0
Bloodied: 35, Surge Value: 17, Surges left: 12/12

Powers-
Divine Challenge
Enfeebling Strike
Goblin Tactics
Virtuous Strike
Action Point (Demonskin Tattoo) [X]
Blade of Light [ ]
Call to Challenge [ ]
Channel Divinity [ ]
Giantkind Gloves [ ]
Infuriating Taunt [ ]
Running Slash [ ]
Second Wind [ ]
Strength from Valor [ ]
Student of the Sword [ ]
Valorous Smite [X]
Gift of Fire [ ]
Hallowed Circle [ ]
Lay on Hands [ ]
Majestic Halo [ ]
Potion of Healing [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Symbol of Brawn [ ]
Javelin [2]
Sling Bullets [18][/sblock]

 

[Neurotic]

GM: Yes, you can swap the order of turns.

Wow, this adds something to my last post:

Abishai dies, triggering the pact boon (+2 to d20 TENT) AND SLIDE 1 to all cursed enemies - in this case Air elemental comes closer the he would like and in reach of Earth jumping up (Slide to P15, one down)

Updated map: hit points from abishai (dying), moved Air elemental next to Brenwar/[MENTION=30079]Rapida[/MENTION], and only 2 squares above the deck (within melee reach)

 

[JoeNotCharles]

[sblock=OOC]
The problem is not that we have a melee-heavy party with ranged attackers. The problem is that we have a melee-heavy party with ranged attackers AND:

1) A map that makes it difficult to move (but only for our side)
2) Water on all sides
3) An attacker with an at-will area effect daze
4) Standard actions we need to take to stabilize the ship

1 and 2 make it near-impossible to close with the enemy, rather than just challenging
1 and 3 make it hard to scatter to minimize the effect of daze, and if we do scatter also puts people out of range of my healing
2 and 4 suck actions away from the people who aren't dazed, which combined with 3 mean that the enemies overwhelm us with attacks

Put a couple of these factors together and we'd have a challenging map. Put ALL of them on one map at once, and it's just a slog.
[/sblock]

 

[Son of Meepo]

4) Standard actions we need to take to stabilize the ship.

Except that you can do it as a minor action at a harder DC.

 

[stonegod]

OOC: Can anyone capitalize on th air elemental's new position? Unfortunately, Dox needed to heal or die, so he's out.

 

[Son of Meepo]

OOC: Can anyone capitalize on th air elemental's new position? Unfortunately, Dox needed to heal or die, so he's out.

GM: Unfortunately no, as it looks like it is time for the monsters to act. Everyone has taken a turn.

 

[Son of Meepo]

With your help, the crew of the Star of Arcadia finally get the ship under control.

GM: The last sail is cut.

The first mate shouts "The ship can't take this punishment for ever Captain! I think we've stalled 'em long enough!"

Just as he says that, the attackers break off their assault. They peel off and head back toward the far side of the island from whence they came.

All too quickly it becomes obvious as to why.

No longer hampered by the wind, it is completely at the mercy of the waves. Waves, that heave the ship ever closer to the island. Dangerously close to the ice floes that can tear a hole in the hull.

The crew does tries to steer the ship away from the ice, but without their sails, there is little they can do to control the ship.

"BRACE FOR IMPACT!"

Miraculously the ship nearly misses a fifteen foot sheet of frozen seas that would have split the ship in two.

However, the shoreline is coming close, very close, very quickly. You have little time to think. You must save yourself from the inevitable. This Star of Arcadia is going to be run aground.

GM: Each PC needs to come up with some plan to endure the impact. Feel free to be creative but at the end you'll need to pick a skill and justify its use. The more creative you are and the more convincing, the easier the check will be. I will use an average difficulty roll for Earth unless someone else wants to come up with a plan of action for him.