10 Characters, 7 Goblins, and a Hill Giant

[PeelSeel2]

So we gamed last night. 10 players, all 1st and 2nd level. I had an encounter in mind that I thought might challenge the characters. A Hill Giant. Level 13, made it elite, against 10 characters should present a challenge, but not a lethal one.

I presented the liar, the characters where in a position to some long term reconnaissance on the place. They found out it 'habits and decided to hit it during the day when it was asleep. When it came to coming up with tactics to approach it, I gave them 5 minutes to devise a plan. If planning took longer, the encounter would get harder somehow. They took longer. 7 Goblin Sharpshooters (5 played as minions) showed up during the day in the middle of the characters approaching the Giants liar. They where their to 'trade' with the giant.

The players played it right and ignored the Goblins to rush into the cottage and get the Giant while helpless. 6 went in, 2 stayed outside to deal with goblins and the warlords 'boosted'.

In one round between blowing all their daily's, action points, sneak attack damage, and a couple of criticals they did 162 points of damage to it, enough to bring it to bloodied and kill according to Coup De Grace.

For being a 'non' battle, it sure was intense. It came down to 1 dice roll at the end on a d8+1. If the Giant lived, it was top of the order, and could start wailing on the party, who had already suffered some damage from the sharpshooters.

They had ALOT of fun with that battle.

3 battles that night in total and more discovery of the plot equals a good session.

 

[Boarstorm]

I thought the bloodied value thing from coup de grace had to be from a single blow/power?

Ah well, so long as everyone had fun.

 

[samursus]

Hmm, not entirely clear about the CdG... the RAW leave it pretty open. I would have ruled that PeelSeel did it right. I think its because we expect it to have to be all from one hit. But if the creature is helpless, if makes sense to handle it the other way...

Glad your group enjoyed themselves!

 

[Otterscrubber]

That sounds like a really interesting setup you made there. Not sure about the CdG killing from multiple blows, but like someone else said as long as you had fun and now they can add "Giant Killers" to their resume

 

[frankthedm]

Being struck while naturally sleeping does wake the person up on the first hit.

You wake up if you take damage or if you make a successful Perception check (with a –5 penalty) to hear sounds of danger.

The Wizard "spell" sleep on the other hand renders the victim unconscious, so that can be argued only the save removes that condition.

CDG sure seems to say "If you deal damage greater" so reaching the kill quota is not a team effort.

 

[trayburn]

Hmm, not entirely clear about the CdG... the RAW leave it pretty open. I would have ruled that PeelSeel did it right. I think its because we expect it to have to be all from one hit. But if the creature is helpless, if makes sense to handle it the other way...

Glad your group enjoyed themselves!

Per PHB page 288 :
Coup de Grace: Standard Action

CdG is a standard action, and the auto-kill is an option of the outcome of the standard action. No one standard action did more than its bloodied value, hence no "Slaying the Target Outright".

As has been previously pointed out, only the first attack would have qualified for CdG as well.

 

[Kyrail]

Glad you had fun, but the giant is run as RAW would of destroyed them.

Of course as a non-elite it might of been okay.

 

[frankthedm]

Glad you had fun, but the giant is run as RAW would of destroyed them.

Of course as a non-elite it might of been okay.

Raw, I 'think' they had a chance, at least until the errata boosted the giant's damage.

 

[phil500]

Glad you had fun, but the giant is run as RAW would of destroyed them.

Of course as a non-elite it might of been okay.

what does RAW mean?

there is another acronym people use with it, whatsit again?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

i think "rules as written"