Encounters with Alternate Goals

Originally posted by hirou:

Some encounters from Zeitgeist adventure path (which I currently run and highly recommend):

• prevent an explosion of techno-magical ship engine, sabotaged by enemies. Lvl+1 encounter + party has to stop the engine from exploding (various means, from shoveling out the fuel, to creative usage of Affect normal fires ritual)
• suppress an epic-level NPC: basically, a stand-off of lvl1 party against severely wounded lvl 20 elite. Not really "alternative" (they still can kill him, as usual), but definitely not typical
• survive a night on the haunted hill: party is basically surrounded by a horde of minions and some lvl+3 monsters, which are attracted to light and blood. It's not as tough as it sounds until an antagonist arrives with several sunrods, which he throws at the party...

Originally posted by crimsyn:

Couple thoughts on that one:
 
1. What is the PC victory conditions?  Kill all gnolls?  Do they stop spawning after they try going over the top?  Or is there a turn limit where if they haven't done it by turn X, reinforcements arrive and mop the floor with them?
 
2. I know this encounter's weakness.  It will crumble when confronted with the most OP class in the game... the dreaded Seeker!

Originally posted by iserith:

1. Prevent 3 gnolls from getting off the left side of the map. They stop spawning once the third "wave" is on the map. I'm probably going to add a round limit the PCs can "hold the line" to cause the gnolls to lose, but haven't settled on a fair amount of rounds.
 
2. Dammit.

Originally posted by Daemod:

Let me start by saying I am neither truly experienced in alt-goals or Dming in general, so what follows might be completely wrong.

iserith, may I ask the make up of your party? 

So the Braaag gets 3 rounds before the gnolls make a run for it. If his stats are the same, that would be 1 square a turn, from double attack. So if he AP, that is either a 2x2 hole, or 2 separate corridors through it, (I'm guessing a 2x2, so the Braag can come through). Since the gnolls would need close to a nat 20 to jump the wire, they have to go through those spots. if the controller has any decent zones, he could stop them from coming through just by blocking it. Or making those squares difficult terrain.

Do the gnolls care about OAs?

With the 15 gnolls, all of whom I'd guess are double moving, the ones in the front-line could make it all the way to between reserve and comm trenches with a speed of 6.
I'm not quite sure how your PCs play, but I'm not seeing an way of stopping 13 gnolls from crossing, since I'd think at least 1-2 PCs would have tried to engage the Braaag. Actually, if they could stop him from destroying it all, the gnolls are stuck. Depending on the controller, they might be able to hold pretty well.

Since the first three round the gnolls won't be attacking, I'd say a total of 5-6 rounds before some help arrives., since any gnoll would have made it across by then anyway. (assuming double move)

Originally posted by iserith:

Daemod wrote:iserith, may I ask the make up of your party?

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I'm not sure yet. Only one PC has been posted so far - Lieutenant Void, an eladrin starpact hexblade/swordmage.

Daemod wrote:So the Braaag gets 3 rounds before the gnolls make a run for it. If his stats are the same, that would be 1 square a turn, from double attack. So if he AP, that is either a 2x2 hole, or 2 separate corridors through it, (I'm guessing a 2x2, so the Braag can come through). Since the gnolls would need close to a nat 20 to jump the wire, they have to go through those spots. if the controller has any decent zones, he could stop them from coming through just by blocking it. Or making those squares difficult terrain.

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Depending on how initiative shakes out, Braaag might have four rounds to break the barbed wire before the gnolls go over the top. It only takes destroying a 5' square to break through (this would be more clear with a grid overlay as the barbed wire straddles the line between two squares but is only 5' wide itself). So Braaag could create 4 such gaps in the barbed wire, 5 if he action points. This also assumes no natural 1's and all attacks doing an average of 15 damage each (his MBA is 2d10+7 so that's doable at 18).
 
Looking at the minions' stats, even a Natural 20 can't get them over the barbed wire. (Braag could probably throw gnolls over, too, but only one at a time - easy to pick off.) A controller with zones or walls could block the gaps, sure. Preventing Braaag from making the gaps would be another way. His job is to make gaps so I'll have him focusing on that as long as possible, even after the gnolls go over the top if needed. I could also have the infernal contraptions fire at the barbed wire, but they only do 2d6+5 per attack (average of 12). Whether it's better to attack barbed wire or harass the PCs with those attacks will remain to be seen.

Daemod wroteo the gnolls care about OAs?

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It will depend on the situation. If the gnolls are overwhelming the PCs, they probably won't care if they lose a few to OAs. If they're fewer in number, they'll likely be more cautious about that.

Daemod wrote:With the 15 gnolls, all of whom I'd guess are double moving, the ones in the front-line could make it all the way to between reserve and comm trenches with a speed of 6.
I'm not quite sure how your PCs play, but I'm not seeing an way of stopping 13 gnolls from crossing, since I'd think at least 1-2 PCs would have tried to engage the Braaag. Actually, if they could stop him from destroying it all, the gnolls are stuck. Depending on the controller, they might be able to hold pretty well.

Since the first three round the gnolls won't be attacking, I'd say a total of 5-6 rounds before some help arrives., since any gnoll would have made it across by then anyway. (assuming double move)

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Once they hit the PCs' trenches, some or all probably get slowed down a bit due to the difficult terrain and needing to change directions to maneuver through the trenches. So I think it's more likely that they can manage getting across to the left side of the map in two turns. It seems like the first three rounds will be a mad dash to prepare and mitigate with the final two rounds being fights in the trenches. Since my goal was to use the mechanics to create an experience during actual play like trench warfare, I think this might hit the mark. Thinking about the countdown, if all goes according to the plan of Team Monster, they should have 3 gnolls off the left side of the map in 5 rounds. Maybe a decent countdown for the PCs to win by holding them back is 10 rounds at which point they break off the attack.
 
Side thought - I wonder how hard it would be for the PCs to just rush the other trench as the gnolls are staging and take them down. That'd be cool to see - a pre-emptive strike...
 
A controller does seem like the key role in this scenario. Thanks for the analysis - that made me think!

Originally posted by JTheta:

survive a night on the haunted hill: party is basically surrounded by a horde of minions and some lvl+3 monsters, which are attracted to light and blood.

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I did a thing kind of like that. The players were in an old temple of Nerull in the Shadowfell, and they needed to take a series of measurements with something like an astrolabe to figure out the exact positions of the stars, in order to look up the pass code for the portal leading out. This meant going outside in the Shadowfell at night, and staying out there long enough to take the measurements. Which in turn meant fighting off waves of undead things. Basically it was a skill challenge with small encounters in between the rolls, with the twist that whoever wanted to make a skill challenge roll couldn't take a short rest.

Originally posted by iserith:

Here's another encounter with an alternate goal from my "superhero" D&D 4e mashup campaign. This takes place in a city at the Cracker & Sons Fireworks Factory. This is a fairly average encounter for 8th-level PCs in our game as far as the XP goes.
 

 
T H E   S I T C H
The villains Lily Larkspur aka Mistletoe and Brian Teaser aka The Puzzler have taken over this location as their temporary base at the behest of supervillain The Comedian. They've rigged the factory owner Cletus Cracker and his sons, Bobby and Jimbo, with explosives and put hidden them in the loaded powder stores (batteries). Clues have led the PCs here while The Comedian sets about some dastardly deed elsewhere in the city. If the Crackers aren't found in time, then the fireworks factory will go up in smoke.
 
There are two large, guarded entrances to the factory and one skylight above the long table at the center for superheroes inclined to dropping in. Suitably mocking graffiti is sprayed on the sign out front making fun of the PCs.
 
O B J E C T I V E
Find Cletus, Bobby, and Jimbo and disarm the bombs before they go off. They are located behind closed doors. Complications to overcome in order to disarm a bomb are listed in white left of the captive with a DC 16 for each. (One of them, determined randomly, is DC 23.) Once The Puzzler sets the timer (when they first see him), the PCs have 30 seconds (5 rounds) to succeed. Failure means the fireworks factory is destroyed as are any normals (non-superheroes) within and the distraction allows The Comedian to advance in his nefarious schemes across town.
 
Secondary Objective: The Puzzler has on him one magic item from a randomly determined character's wish list. This is noticeable by the PCs in some way when they see him.
 
T E A M   V I L L A I N
Lily Larkspur aka Mistletoe

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[sblock]Mistletoe aka Lily Larkspur
Medium fey humanoid
Level 8 Controller XP 350
Traits
Charmed Defense
Mistletoe gains a +3 bonus to all defenses while it is adjacent to a creature dominated by it.
 
Standard Actions
 Poisonous Kiss (charm, poison)  At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. Will
Hit: 1d6 + 3 poison damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).

 Slow-Mo Pollen (charm, poison)  At-Will
Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +11 vs. Will
Hit: 1d8 + 5 poison damage, and the target is slowed (save ends).

 Floral Perfume (charm)  Recharge when no enemy is dominated by this power
Attack: Ranged 10 (one slowed or dazed creature); +11 vs. Will
Hit: Mistletoe pulls the target 3 squares, and the target is dominated (save ends).

 Bedroom Eyes (sleep)  Encounter
Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (nondominated enemies in the burst); +11 vs. Will
Hit: The target is slowed (save ends).
First Failed Saving Throw: The target falls unconscious (save ends).

Skills Bluff +15, Diplomacy +15, Nature +10
Str 16 (+7) Dex 18 (+8) Wis 13 (+5)
Con 15 (+6) Int 15 (+6) Cha 22 (+10)
Alignment unaligned Languages Common, Elven
 
 
 

[/sblock] 
Brian Teaser aka The Puzzler

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[sblock]The Puzzler aka Brian Teaser
Small fey humanoid (gnome)
Level 8 Artillery XP 350
Traits
Illusory Defenses
The gnome gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against ranged attacks.
 
Standard Actions
 Giggle Stick (psychic, weapon)  At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC
Hit: 3d6 + 4 psychic damage.

 An Enigmatic Riddle (implement)  At-Will
Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +13 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and the target cannot take immediate actions or opportunity actions until the end of the gnome’s next turn.

 A Real Stumper  Recharge if the power misses every target
Attack: Area burst 1 within 15 (enemies in the burst); +11 vs. Will
Hit: 3d8 + 5 damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).
 
 
 
Triggered Actions
Disappearing Act (illusion)  Encounter
Trigger: The gnome takes damage from an attack.
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The gnome becomes invisible until the end of its next turn.

Str 10 (+4) Dex 17 (+7) Wis 8 (+3)
Con 17 (+7) Int 12 (+5) Cha 20 (+9)
Alignment unaligned Languages Common, Elven
Equipment: giggle stick, ONE MAGIC ITEM
 

[/sblock] 
7 hired goons

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[sblock]Hired Goons
Medium natural humanoid, half-orc or human
Level 7 Minion Soldier XP 75
Standard Actions
 Beatdown Stick (weapon)  At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC
Hit: 6 damage.
Effect: The goon marks the target until the end of the goon's next turn.

 Bicycle Chain (weapon)  Encounter
Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +10 vs. Reflex
Hit: The target is immobilized (escape DC 16).

Str 17 (+6) Dex 15 (+5) Wis 12 (+4)
Con 14 (+5) Int 11 (+3) Cha 10 (+3)
Alignment Evil Languages Common
Equipment: club, chain, membership card to the local #431 hired goon union

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Villain Goals: The Puzzler and Mistletoe have no desire to stick around once the heroes have arrived on the scene. Upon meeting the PCs and trading barbs, The Puzzler uses a device on his giggle stick to set the timer on the bombs. They'll stick around and fight until blooded or until Round 3 of the countdown at which point they will try to get in The Puzzler's car and escape (or flee on foot if necessary). The goons stick it out as goons will do.
 
Special: The Puzzler is actually bad at riddles and puzzles, so instead he tells dirty jokes. He tells one dirty one-liner at the start of his turn as a free action. If any PC can interrupt him with the right punchline before he can say it, he gets so angry that he's stunned until the start of his next turn. The notes to his act are in the glove box of his car. If the PCs find it, they'll know all the punchlines.

Originally posted by bawylie:

I enjoy the time limit. I imagine it in play with some kind of oversized clock ticking down. 
 
But one thing is that all 3 brothers have these bombs. I feel like one should be different.

Originally posted by baldhermit:

My only comment is that if you want him to be around to be able to be bloodied and not dead in round 3, you might want to consider a lot more than 80 HP. Seems to me outright killing both elites in R1 is feasible at level 6+, making the alternate goal less of a viable option.

Originally posted by iserith:

bawylie wrote:I enjoy the time limit. I imagine it in play with some kind of oversized clock ticking down. 
 
But one thing is that all 3 brothers have these bombs. I feel like one should be different. 

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Each complication is different and suggests a different skill be applied. "Aggravated Wounds" is probably Heal. "Fat Man on a Bomb" is likely Athletics. Etc. I figured that'd make it different than Arcana and Thievery checks being thrown at it. What did you have in mind as far as differences go?
 

baldhermit wrote:My only comment is that if you want him to be around to be able to be bloodied and not dead in round 3, you might want to consider a lot more than 80 HP. Seems to me outright killing both elites in R1 is feasible at level 6+, making the alternate goal less of a viable option.

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They're standard monsters and I'm not too concerned with them living or dying. I just wanted them to harass the PCs while they set about their objective. Any time spend on killing them is a trade-off against the countdown on the bombs, kind of the "Oh, sure you can kill me, but will you be able to save these innocent Crackers?" sort of trope. How long is the minimum time to diffuse all three bombs do you think? Figure the PCs are all in the chamber where Mistletoe and The Puzzler are. They don't know which battery the brothers are in. Minor to open doors. Standard to make skill checks.