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

[Goonalan]

H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth
Encounter #9 The Duergar Trading Post.
Note this is Encounter #33 for this group of PCs

Round #3

DG1- Infernal Anger. Warhammer Phrenic; Miss.

DG2- DEAD.

DG3- DEAD.

DG4- Infernal Anger. Warhammer Combat Advantage Dirty; Hit 10 damage +4 Fire -4 (Resist) = 10 damage (39 HP).

Dirty- Blinded. Reaping Strike DG4; Miss 3 damage (30 HP bloodied).

Phrenic- Viper's Strike Combat Advantage DG1; Miss.

Winstanley- Move. Positioning Strike DG4; Hit 10 damage (20 HP bloodied) & Slide into Necrotic Zone from Grasp of the Grave- 5 Necrotic damage (15 HP bloodied).

Kaspard- Sustain Spiritual Weapon & Attack DG1; Miss. Move through Guard room. Charge Kedhira; Hit 11 damage (30 HP bloodied).

Kaspard- Charging, this is just madness. That +1 Medic's Mace has gone to Becky's head- she's supposed to be a laser Cleric.

Grey- Move. Ray of Frost Kedhira; Hit 8 Cold damage (22 HP bloodied) & Slowed.

Good play.

Kedhira- Slowed. Wave of Despair Kaspard; Hit 5 Psychic damage (41 HP) & Dirty; Hit 5 Psychic damage (34 HP) & both Dazed & Slowed. Move away.

Time to play 10 minutes.

End of Turn-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 5 (HP34/61)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 5 (HP41/46)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 5 (HP46)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 5 (HP27/40)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 5 (HP49)

Bad Guys 900 XP Level 4 Encounter.
Duergar Guard Level 4 Soldier [DG] (x4) (HP13/60 15/60) 2 DEAD
Duergar Theurge, Kedhira Level 5 Controller [Kedhira] (HP22/64)

Action Points 0 Total 4
Daily Powers 0 Total 4
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 1
Crits 0 Total 0
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0

Comment: Still two Duergar Guards left, but Kedhira's going nowhere now.

 

[Goonalan]

H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth
Encounter #9 The Duergar Trading Post.
Note this is Encounter #33 for this group of PCs

Round #4

DG1- Warhammer Phrenic; Hit 4 damage (45 HP).

DG2- DEAD.

DG3- DEAD.

DG4- Grasp of the Grave Zone 5 Necrotic damage (10 HP bloodied). Move out of Zone. Warhammer Phrenic; Hit 10 damage (35 HP).

Dirty- Slowed & Dazed. Move.

Phrenic- Viper's Strike Combat Advantage DG1; Hit 5 damage (8 HP bloodied).

Winstanley- Move after Kedhira. Sly Flourish Kedhira; Hit 15 damage (7 HP bloodied).

Kaspard- Slowed & Dazed. Charge Kedhira. Kedhira AoO Combat Advantage Kaspard; Miss. Charge Kedhira; Hit 10 damage- KO'd.

Kaspard chose to knock Kedhira out rather than kill him.

Spiritual Weapon disappears.

Grey- Move. Magic Missile DG1; Hit 10 Force damage- DEAD.

Kedhira- KO'D.

Time to play 10 minutes.

End of Turn-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 5 (HP34/61)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 5 (HP41/46)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 5 (HP46)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 5 (HP27/40)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 5 (HP35/49)

Bad Guys 900 XP Level 4 Encounter.
Duergar Guard Level 4 Soldier [DG] (x4) (HP10/60) 3 DEAD
Duergar Theurge, Kedhira Level 5 Controller [Kedhira] (HP64) KO'D

Action Points 0 Total 4
Daily Powers 0 Total 4
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 1
Crits 0 Total 0
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0

Comment: Only one Duergar Guard left standing- it's under control.

 

[Goonalan]

H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth
Encounter #9 The Duergar Trading Post.
Note this is Encounter #33 for this group of PCs

Round #5

DG1- DEAD.

DG2- DEAD.

DG3- DEAD.

DG4- Double Move out into Seven-Pillared Hall. Phrenic AoO Longsword DG4; Miss.

The Duergar Guard runs screaming into the Seven Pillared Hall, which stops the traffic- people flee the scene, some going in search of Brugg and the Hall Guards- oh dear.

Dirty- Double run after DG4.

Phrenic- Move out into Seven-Pillared Hall. Charge DG4; Miss.

Winstanley- Double run after DG4.

Kaspard- Double run after DG4.

Grey- Move out of Trading Post. Magic Missile DG4; Miss.

Kedhira- KO'D.

Time to play 7 minutes.

End of Turn-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 5 (HP34/61)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 5 (HP41/46)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 5 (HP46)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 5 (HP27/40)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 5 (HP35/49)

Bad Guys 900 XP Level 4 Encounter.
Duergar Guard Level 4 Soldier [DG] (x4) (HP10/60) 3 DEAD
Duergar Theurge, Kedhira Level 5 Controller [Kedhira] (HP64) KO'D

Action Points 0 Total 4
Daily Powers 0 Total 4
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 1
Crits 0 Total 0
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0

Comment: And all of a sudden the PCs are fighting in the street, and drawing lots of attention.

 

[Goonalan]

H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth
Encounter #9 The Duergar Trading Post.
Note this is Encounter #33 for this group of PCs

Round #6

DG1- DEAD.

DG2- DEAD.

DG3- DEAD.

DG4- Double Run. Phrenic AoO Combat Advantage Longsword DG4; Hit 5 damage (5 HP bloodied).

Dirty- Double Run- block DG4 off.

Phrenic- Run. Charge Combat Advantage Longsword DG4; Hit 4 damage (1 HP bloodied).

Oh well done Phrenic, although I think the maths was off here (looking back on it). I'm fairly certain that Phrenic's minimum damage is '5'.

Winstanley- Move. Sly Flourish Combat Advantage DG4; Miss.

Kaspard- Run. Sacred Flame Combat Advantage DG4; Miss.

Grey- Double Run.

Kedhira- KO'D.

Time to play 7 minutes.

End of Turn-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 5 (HP34/61)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 5 (HP41/46)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 5 (HP46)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 5 (HP27/40)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 5 (HP35/49)

Bad Guys 900 XP Level 4 Encounter.
Duergar Guard Level 4 Soldier [DG] (x4) (HP1/60) 3 DEAD
Duergar Theurge, Kedhira Level 5 Controller [Kedhira] (HP64) KO'D

Action Points 0 Total 4
Daily Powers 0 Total 4
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 1
Crits 0 Total 0
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0

Comment: And Brugg and half-a-dozen Hall Guards (actually Human Bandits and Guards) arrive on the scene. The Ogre menaces the PCs, although doesn't get into the fight, ordering them to 'throw down their weapons.'

He's duly ignored.

Except by Dirty, who tells him- 'he's next.'

 

[the Jester]

Comment: And Brugg and half-a-dozen Hall Guards (actually Human Bandits and Guards) arrive on the scene. The Ogre menaces the PCs, although doesn't get into the fight, ordering them to 'throw down their weapons.'

He's duly ignored.

Except by Dirty, who tells him- 'he's next.'

LOL!

I don't remember whether anyone has commented on this before, but I notice that you're not using the Essentials 'never miss' magic missile. Any particular reason?

 

[Goonalan]

LOL!

I don't remember whether anyone has commented on this before, but I notice that you're not using the Essentials 'never miss' magic missile. Any particular reason?

Because this game took place in (I think) April-June 2010, so either the Essentials rules were not out then, or else we hadn't seen them. Remember none of the players (save one- still) have access to any of the books. I buy more or less everything, it was still an age before I realised some things had changed, we only found out about the MM ruling from... wherever it was, and by mistake.

Cheers PDR

 

[Goonalan]

H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth
Encounter #9 The Duergar Trading Post.
Note this is Encounter #33 for this group of PCs

Round #7

DG1- DEAD.

DG2- DEAD.

DG3- DEAD.

DG4- Double Run. Phrenic AoO Longsword Combat Advantage DG4; Hit 8 damage- DEAD.

Time to play 2 minutes.
Total time to play 1 hour and 7 minutes.

End of Encounter-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 5 (HP34/61)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 5 (HP41/46)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 5 (HP46)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 5 (HP27/40)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 5 (HP35/49)

Bad Guys 900 XP Level 4 Encounter.
Duergar Guard Level 4 Soldier [DG] (x4) (HP60) 4 DEAD
Duergar Theurge, Kedhira Level 5 Controller [Kedhira] (HP64) KO'D

Action Points 0 Total 4
Daily Powers 0 Total 4
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 1
Crits 0 Total 0
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0

Comment: And there's uproar in the Hall, Winstanley and Grey go back to the Trading Post to grab the unconscious Kedhira- Phrenic and Kaspard are doing crowd (Brugg) control, and Dirty has not put his Maul away.

We enter an improvised Skill Challenge- at present Diplomacy and Bluff are getting an outing, while Dirty manages a '20' on Intimidate- Brugg, and his associates, are not looking that brave any more.

Eventually Kedhira is dragged out of the Trading Post and slapped conscious, while Kaspard and Phrenic tell their story to the now assembled crowd- about the Bloodreaver Slavers, about their quest to rescue said slaves, and lastly about the Duergar's role in this- they're the villains of the piece.

Dirty, in a moment of absolute clarity, declares that the Seven Pillared Hall is no longer under Bloodreaver command, the Bloodreavers are vanquished...

This Skill Challenge is a perfect success, note none of the PCs rolled anything below a '15' and six successes are garnered in only two rounds.

The few Bloodreavers (very few) in the crowd attempt to melt away, it doesn't happen, the citizens of the Hall brandish all manner of improvised weapons. Brugg, who can see which way the wind is blowing, swaps sides in an instant- and kills a fleeing Bloodreaver for good measure.

The Ogre becomes the PCs biggest fan- 'I neva wantid to doo it- dey mayde me.'

The Hall is taken back.

Kedhira is put in a cell, the PCs will have a chat with him later.

The Trading Post is searched, a Holy Symbol +2 is acquired which Kaspard re-devotes to Bahamut.

The PCs retire to the Halfmoon Inn, drink, rest and recuperate.

Stats: Rather closer this time, the PCs connection rate reduced to 61.54% (24 from 39), and the bad guys with 58.82% (10 from 17)- not a lot in it, 2-3%. However the PCs still managed to connect nearly 2.5 times more than the bad guys, which showed with the average damage/Turn, for the PCs- 40.5 HP, for the bad guys 9.25 HP.

Individual connection rates-

50% Dirty (3 from 6)
54.55% Phrenic (6 from 11)
55.56% Kaspard (5 from 9)
71.43% Grey (5 from 7)
83.33% Winstanley (6 from 7)

Dirty has lost his mojo, or so it seems.

A drag out fight in which the PCs used Action Points and Daily Powers aplenty- and still didn't lock their enemies down.

 

[Goonalan]

H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth
The next day...

The PCs rise and shine- to messages of congratulations and gifts, or at least offers of reduced prices from the various merchant establishments that inhabit the Hall.

They also meet again with a the same group of concerned citizens as last time- they're overjoyed with their new found freedom, but... There's always a but isn't there. The but being that in order to preserve their freedom the PCs need finish what they have started- the Duergar need to be found. With few resources the inhabitants of the Seven Pillared Hall, particularly with the Mages of Saruun still gone, are concerned that should the PCs go it will leave them at the mercy of the Grey Dwarves- the PCs must find the Grimmerzhul fortress and destroy the Duergar menace.

Dirty states that he's not going anywhere until the Duergar are vanquished, actually he doesn't use the word vanquished- the actual phrase was 'all expletive dead.' The other PCs are similarly inclined- next stop fortress Grimmerzhul, which is where they expect to find the enslaved citizens of the Nentir Valley.

Which leads us nicely to...

Another Skill Challenge, this time to extract information from the captured Kedhira, particularly the way to the Duergar fortress. Again I improvised this, however this time the PCs are less successful, the operation is not an absolute disaster- that said it's not a success. Partial instructions are garnered before Kedhira (after many low rolls with their Skill Checks) clams up and states that he has nothing further to say.

Dirty has to be restrained.

The Duergar Trading Post leader is left to ponder his fate, the PCs want him kept alive for now, just in case they need to ask any further questions at a later date.

In the meantime Gendar contacts Grey and asks the Mage to look out for a Sceptre that the Duergar stole that is rightfully his- nothing fancy, or even valuable, he'd just like it back- he offers a reward.

A little later still, after the PCs have done a little light (and discounted) shopping Gendar catches up with Dirty- he'd like to buy the Crown of Thain Cardanas... Afterall he did put the PCs on to the item, Dirty- already angry with the world, is not selling- even for 1000gp, Gendar's final offer.

And so the PCs head off again, in search of the Grimmerzhul fortress, another improvised Skill Challenge, although made slightly easier by the fact that they have Charrak with them again, the Kobold will act as guide, however he's in no way certain of the location of the Duergar.

The Skill Challenge starts off okay but quickly goes sour...

And that my friends is the end of session two in Thunderspire Labyrinth, the PCs much prefer the shorter, and more compact, runs of encounters- they felt a little out of their depth in KOTS. Thunderspire in comparison has a better plotted structure (although it is of course very linear), the PCs are more comfortable with this.

Just short of five hours play, four combat encounters, and in-between a little light role-play, nicely done.

 

[Goonalan]

H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth
Session 3.
Encounter #10 The Red Eye Gang
Note this is Encounter #34 for this group of PCs

And so the PCs head off into the Labyrinth in search of the Duergar fortress- Grimmerzhul, the PCs are under the impression that this is the end game, I think they're expecting a huge fortress full of the Grey Dwarves.

I've made the journey through the Labyrinth a Dungeon Delve of sorts, the PCs have after all asked for more danger- they seem to like the linear (easy on the brain) nature of these sort of adventures.

And so several hours into their journey, and approx a quarter of the way through the Skill Challenge the PCs wander into a larger chamber- with multiple levels, alas they have just failed on their last effort on the Skill Challenge and so are surprised... except for Kaspard & Dirty.

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 5 (HP61)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 5 (HP46)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 5 (HP46)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 5 (HP40)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 5 (HP49)

Bad Guys 1000 XP Level 5 Encounter.
Ettercap Webspinner Level 5 Controller [EW] (HP64)
Rage Drake Level 5 Brute [RD] (HP77)
Bugbear Warrior Level 5 Brute (x3) (HP76)

Initiative 33 Winstanley 27 Grey 24 Phrenic 23 Bugbear Warriors & Rage Drake 22 Kaspard 13 Ettercap Webspinner 12 Dirty

Surprise Round.

EW- Web Terrain Dirty; Hit & Kaspard; Hit & Winstanely; Hit & Grey; Hit & Phrenic; Hit- all immobilised.

How about that for an opening...

The Ettercap Webspinner is on a ledge above the PCs.

B1 Riding RD- Raking Charge Winstanley- Claw (x2); Hit & Miss 8 damage (38 HP).

B2- Charge Dirty; Hit 10 damage (51 HP).

B3- Charge Dirty; Miss.

Kaspard- Immobilised. Hand of Radiance RD; Miss & B1; Miss & B2; Hit 8 Radiant damage (68 HP). Save vs Immobilised- Success.

Dirty- Immobilised. Crushing Blow B2; Miss. Marked. Save vs Immobilised- Fail.

Time to play 12 minutes including set up of map and minis.

End of Turn-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 5 (HP51/61)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 5 (HP46)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 5 (HP38/46)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 5 (HP40)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 5 (HP49)

Bad Guys 1000 XP Level 5 Encounter.
Ettercap Webspinner Level 5 Controller [EW] (HP64)
Rage Drake Level 5 Brute [RD] (HP77)
Bugbear Warrior Level 5 Brute (x3) (HP68/76)

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

Comment: Hardly an auspicious start for the PCs... However they were incredibly impressed with the Bugbear Warrior riding on the Rage Drake- they were like, 'wow!' That's what comes from never having read a rules book- a world full of surprises.

 

[Goonalan]

H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth
Encounter #10 The Red Eye Gang
Note this is Encounter #34 for this group of PCs

Round #1

Winstanley- Immobilised. Sly Flourish RD; Hit 10 damage (67 HP). Save vs Immobilised- Success.

Grey- Immobilised. Scorching Burst B1; Hit 13 Fire damage (63 HP) & B2; Hit 13 Fire damage (55 HP) & RD (with Wand of Accuracy); Hit 13 Fire damage (54 HP). Action Point with Action Surge and Phrenic's Tactical Presence. Daily Fireball RD; Hit 15 Fire damage (39 HP) & B1; Hit 15 Fire damage (48 HP) & B2; Hit 15 Fire damage (40 HP) & B3; Miss 6 Fire damage (70 HP). Save vs Immobilised- Success.

And Fireball gets its first airing.

Phrenic- Immobilised. Scorching Burst RD; Hit 10 Fire damage (29 HP bloodied) & B1; Miss & B2; Hit 10 Fire damage (30 HP bloodied). Save vs Immobilised- Fail.

B1 & RD- Move back. Winstanley AoO Dagger RD; Hit 7 damage (22 HP bloodied). Bloodied Charge with Raking Charge Winstanley; '1' Miss & '4' Miss.

Bloody hell- it's happening again.

B2- Skullthumper Dirty; Miss.

B3- Skullthumper Dirty; Miss.

OMG!

Kaspard- Divine Glow RD; Miss & B1; Hit 8 Radiant damage (40 HP) & B2; Miss & all PCs in area +2 To Hit. Move out of Webbed Terrain.

EW- Web Net Kaspard; Hit- Restrained. Longspear Combat Advantage Kaspard; Hit 7 damage (39 HP).

Dirty- Immobilised. Spinning Strike RD; '1' Miss. Marked. Action Point with Phrenic's Tactical Presence. Cleave B2; Hit 16 damage (14 HP bloodied) & B3 3 damage (67 HP). Marked. Save vs Immobilised- Success.

Time to play 19 minutes.

End of Turn-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 5 (HP51/61)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 5 (HP39/46)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 5 (HP38/46)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 5 (HP40)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 5 (HP49)

Bad Guys 1000 XP Level 5 Encounter.
Ettercap Webspinner Level 5 Controller [EW] (HP64)
Rage Drake Level 5 Brute [RD] (HP22/77)
Bugbear Warrior Level 5 Brute (x3) (HP40/76 14/76 67/76)

Action Points 2 Total 2
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

Comment: Good work from the artillery (Grey), 'Flame on!'