D&D 5E New Vecna Battle (Let's Get Ready to RUMBLE!!!) - CONCLUDED

[Cruentus]

Also, thanks to all for the props. I am glad you think this has been run (decently) well and (hopefully) fair. Like I said, I am running this just like I would run a real in-person game, so the praise is appreciated.


No problem, I've enjoyed it myself. It almost makes me want to run a game via EnWorld posts LOL!

Ooooh... that could be fun (to play in or follow).

 

[DND_Reborn]

4.8.12 (Vecna) A whirlwind of necrotic energy engulfs Vyrlim, causing him agony (FAIL roll 10,6+7=17 vs. DC 22 CON save), dealing 48 necrotic damage (half 96).

Moving forward, Venca teleports next to Vyrlim, inflicting 15 psychic damage on Vyrlim and Pyre, as his wounds heal! Pyre collapses in unconsciousness! "And so another falls!" Vecna taunts the Paladin.

Vecna stabs Vyrlim twice with Afterthought, HITTING (Roll 14+13=27, 15+13=28 vs. AC 21), dealing 10 damage (7 piercing + 3 necrotic (half 7)) and 10 damage (7 piercing + 3 necrotic (half 6)).

Vecna falls back, but the Paladin strikes and HITS (Roll 16+11=27 vs. AC 18) for 47 radiant damage. Vecna laughs at the Paladin's feeble strike and utters a fell word, dealing 5 necrotic damage (half 11) to Vyrlim. Vecna teleports outside of the holy nimbus and moves back further.

@Smythe the Bard it is now Vyrlim's Turn on Initiative 2.

 

[DND_Reborn]

@Greg Benage after this is over, I plan to reveal the entire lair along with the Book of Vile Darkness and the changes to Vecna.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I mentioned this in my vecna fight commentary thread, but while the lair is strong, I think vecna has "extra" synergy with any good lair.

I agree with your analysis completely. When I designed the lair I did my best to think of anything and everything a creature like Vecna might have added, but without overkill (IMO anyway...).

 

[Stalker0]

Alright paladin, time to double crit with smite, and we can all go home

 

[DND_Reborn]

Alright paladin, time to double crit with smite, and we can all go home

FWIW, in DMing my game tonight, I DID roll double crits... unfortunately for the PC.

 

[Helldritch]

I guess I don't know what the book or his spells are doing at this point. Spells could certainly make it worse, if he needed to cast any.

Near as I can tell, this is the ballgame for a party that can't create cover without casting. And, honestly, if the party were less caster-dependent, he probably just sits in his magically obscured pillbox and lets them eat not-spells while they try to figure out how to get at him without casting a spell.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Again, not bitching -- it's a cool lair. But...it's the lair. You had players who couldn't find any better tactical option than casting 9th-level spells and hoping Vecna gets unlucky, entirely because of the lair.

Not really.
I would put that entirely on the fact that these are simple characters put together hastily for a nice show down.
Some mistakes were made sure.
1) No scouting. Where was wizard eye? Scry? Clairvoyance? Sending a familiar, especially in 5ed, to scout a bit ahead would not have been that hard.
2) It is a lich. Some potions of necrotic resistance would have had a lot mileage. Liches powerful lair damage and usual legendary actions involves necrotic damage. Any 20th knows that. I would not have consider it unfair knowledge as this applies to all "normal" liches...
3) It is play by post. Not everything is optimal here. In real person, things would have been easier as player might actually talk to each others and give insight or help another remember something he/she is about to forget. This is not so in PbP.
4) So far, I consider the players did a good job considering PbP. Same with @DND_Reborn. No one is flawless and the retro time were all justified.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I'll touch a bit on these:

1) No scouting. Where was wizard eye? Scry? Clairvoyance? Sending a familiar, especially in 5ed, to scout a bit ahead would not have been that hard.

FWIW, Vecna was scrying the PCs once they activated the portal to enter his sanctum. @Stalker0 asked what pre-knowledge they would have and I told them what they knew without resorting to actually taking actions. If they wanted to take actions to investigate before moving forward, they could have, but elected not to. Perhaps this was because last time the level 20 PCs beat the pulp out of (default) Vecna (well, toasted him).

2) It is a lich. Some potions of necrotic resistance would have had a lot mileage. Liches powerful lair damage and usual legendary actions involves necrotic damage. Any 20th knows that. I would not have consider it unfair knowledge as this applies to all "normal" liches...

True. Of the PCs, two had necrotic resistance (one by race, one by magic armor).

3) It is play by post. Not everything is optimal here. In real person, things would have been easier as player might actually talk to each others and give insight or help another remember something he/she is about to forget. This is not so in PbP.

Yes. I wish the players had communicated more, especially via direct message, to form a strategy and discuss tactics. I am not certain how much that would have helped, given the lair structure, but I think it would have helped some. Unfortunately, PbP is slow and communication is often unclear.

4) So far, I consider the players did a good job considering PbP. Same with @DND_Reborn. No one is flawless and the retro time were all justified.

Again, thanks. I think everyone has done fairly well considering the format, also. Some features would have been useful if activated sooner (such as holy nimbus) or even recalled (like stroke of luck).

 

[Stalker0]

True. Of the PCs, two had necrotic resistance (one by race, one by magic armor).

This is again a scenario where your one off versus organic story can create a difference.

For this one shot we were given a certain number of items (which is exactly how I run my one shots too). However, in a campaign where I knew I was fighting vecna as the endgame, yes I would shop around or even try to craft potions of necrotic resistance...that just makes good sense. Then again, there was dispelling, so potions might have failed...and I would not expect all players to have items of permanent necrotic resistance. Likewise, if a group of 20th level characters is prowling around an area, the super lich is probably going to know about it...and might have preparing for weeks for our arrival....so that's always a possibility.

Ultimately half of the primary being resistant to his primary damage is pretty good.

I can say my biggest goof in this one, was having contingency but not using it. I thought of my shorter range buffs, and completely forgot about the super long term one!

 

[DND_Reborn]

I can say my biggest goof in this one, was having contingency but not using it. I thought of my shorter range buffs, and completely forgot about the super long term one!

Yep, that is a biggie! FWIW, I almost gave Venca contingency... almost.