D&D 5E Test of High Level 5E: Design 4 or 5 lvl 13 PCs for 6 to 8 encounter adventuring day

fair enough :)

going back to my popcorn, enjoying the show :)

Im rather interested to see what Celtavians Bard is gonna do (followed by Bold Italics Paladin).

At present we have a (wounded) paladin in melee combat with a huge frost giant, the cleric is equally engaged with another. The Bard, rogue and wizard are unenganged but nearby.

A pack of winter wolves prowl around the outer edges of the melee encircling the PCs (one of which has a crossbow bolt in its side).

Perhaps the Bard and paladin could focus on dropping some of these Wolves before they act? Maybe then the cleric can heal the Paladin (before the giants next turn), the wizard can take down a giant or mop up the wounded wolves, and then the paladin can get to smiting the Frost giant leader to death (with some help from the Rogue).
 

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If I'm allowed to mind-speak (or just shout) out of turn, before the bard acts, I warn the others what I am about to do:

"I'll buy you some time, but it's up to you chaps to come up with something clever. I'm going to heal myself a bit, then walk calmly towards the cave mouth."

The intention is to soak up the giant's opportunity attack, so the others can act without having to disengage. It may also draw some wolves away from the rest of the party. He's not running away, he's being noble and self-sacrificing, drawing the enemies' fire.

He's aware that he's removing his aura from the others but he doesn't expect them to have to make saves. He doesn't know that the wolves have breath weapons.

(edit - added)

If the bard does nothing, assume that's my move. I heal myself 25 points LoH (leaving me with 40) raising my hp to 79. Then I move 30 feet towards the cave mouth. I'm assuming there is a gap between the sleeping wolves that I can walk through.
 
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Since the wolves were resting when the party arrived and they haven't acted yet, are they considered Prone?

I'm watching with great interest and will be running my own group of 13th level characters (modified from characters I had already made) through the challenges. If anyone's interested I can post the results.
 

Since the wolves were resting when the party arrived and they haven't acted yet, are they considered Prone?

In hindsight I probably should have done this, but It would have imposed disadvantage on the rogues crossbow attack (so no sneak attack). So lets leave it as them on their feet.

Resting on their haunches perhaps. Wen can imagine they had a second or two (the time it took the party to materialise in a flash of magic and orientate themselves) to spring up and growl.

If I'm allowed to mind-speak (or just shout) out of turn, before the bard acts, I warn the others what I am about to do:

"I'll buy you some time, but it's up to you chaps to come up with something clever. I'm going to heal myself a bit, then walk calmly towards the cave mouth."

The intention is to soak up the giant's opportunity attack, so the others can act without having to disengage. It may also draw some wolves away from the rest of the party. He's not running away, he's being noble and self-sacrificing, drawing the enemies' fire.

He's aware that he's removing his aura from the others but he doesn't expect them to have to make saves. He doesn't know that the wolves have breath weapons.

You can certainly say this, but thats about it for the round (you can only telpathicaly say so much in 6 seconds!)
 

You can certainly say this, but thats about it for the round (you can only telpathicaly say so much in 6 seconds!)
Okay, if we reckon that broadcasting the message takes an action, so I can't do the LoH as well, I'll still make the move and take any AOs that come my way. I'm on 54hp currently.

Remember, I'm calmly walking away from the giant who's just clobbered me. He might be a bit worried by that. And the wolves I'm calmly walking towards might not think I'm a threat. Or maybe they will anyway. :-S

I'm +8 on Deception ...
 
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Armchair rules lawyer

PHB CHp9; Combat; 'Movement and Position: Other Actions on Your Turn;' pg190
'You can communicate however you are able, through brief utterances and gestures, as you take your turn.'

LoH according to 5e requires no verbal , only touch, so, arguably the mindspeak could occur (or in part an idea being broadcast of his action) during the LoH action.
 

Perhaps the Bard and paladin could focus on dropping some of these Wolves before they act? Maybe then the cleric can heal the Paladin (before the giants next turn), the wizard can take down a giant or mop up the wounded wolves, and then the paladin can get to smiting the Frost giant leader to death (with some help from the Rogue).

This I think the best plan of action is to kill those wolves first they are the real threat imo. I mean they have pack tactics on there side are cutting off our retreat and that breath weapon. Not only that but we should be able to drop 2 of them this round minimum, then the rest. Leaving the frost giants that we can plink from a distance and have our paladin shield of faith up and Dodge.

Or another route we could try can't believe I didn't see it earlier is to use awakened mind, it will let me communicate with them all be it one way. I'm sure by 13th level we have personal bank vaults full of platinum, or giants like booze I got a never ending tankard?
 

This encounter was set up to make that very very hard to do.

This was intentional. No point in discussing what would happen in a different set of circumstances. These are the circumstances this party faces in this encounter.

It certainly does since the group I normally run with would not be in this situation and the point of this discussion is not "How hard can I make it for a poorly made group". The way the characters are constructed is nothing you would see from my group. So please be aware of it.

Those tactics arent gonna work here.

Its the Bards turn, and I'm waiting for what you want to do mate. No more theory crafting, this is the actual first encounter now. At the table, I would give you (the player) around 2-3 seconds to declare an action, then I would make you take the dodge action due to indecision.

What does the bard do?

Now on to what I do, so you can analyze it.

1. Move Action: Jubali moves to the back wall east in a slightly diagonal direction. Given the scale you have listed 30 feet move should be sufficient.

2. Bonus Action: Inspiration to the cleric.

3. Action. Assuming the FG has engaged the paladin, she will cast hypnotic pattern DC 17 wisdom save on the back three wolves, the FG engaged with the paladin, and the paladin, wizard, and cleric. Given the scale you have created, it looks like all of them should be in the 30 foot cube the spell provides. If the FG is outside the range, that is acceptable as three of the wolves down is sufficient for the moment.

Cleric Spell Save DC: 16 +10 wisdom =26. He is unaffected by the hypnotic pattern. The rogue should be outside the cube near the wolf farthest west.

The wizard and paladin need to make a DC 17 wisdom save to resist the hypnotic pattern.

Let me know if the scale is ok. It looks correct given the scale on the map, but only you can determine.

She will telepathically say, "Focus on the wolf on the far left. Take the giants if they are still active Dom."
 

This I think the best plan of action is to kill those wolves first they are the real threat imo. I mean they have pack tactics on there side are cutting off our retreat and that breath weapon. Not only that but we should be able to drop 2 of them this round minimum, then the rest. Leaving the frost giants that we can plink from a distance and have our paladin shield of faith up and Dodge.

Or another route we could try can't believe I didn't see it earlier is to use awakened mind, it will let me communicate with them all be it one way. I'm sure by 13th level we have personal bank vaults full of platinum, or giants like booze I got a never ending tankard?

I like the tankard idea. Bedrock gets +8 on Persuasion, if it helps?

Let's see how many AOs I get, then it's the wolves' turn. How long does it take for two of these wolves to open a suit of plate and eat the contents? You got that long.
 

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