3-Way Fight Help: Party Vs. Psionic Slavers Vs. Dark Overlords (My players, stay out)

[Vrylakos]

Ok... My players, stay out...

Big climax for the current arc of my campaign...

To recover the Obsidian Needle as ordered by one of their gods, the party has to travel to distant Tleyzu, a realm ruled by a twisted offshoot of the first thinking race, the Talma. The Tleyans are psionics-inclined, not big on arcane or divine magic, keep slaves, and are loosely styled after Aztecs in their culture's style and architecture. Big on blood sacrifice.

So, my party is planning an assault on the ziggurat of the primary Witch-Queen of the city-state of Ghojalapai.

Bad News: While discussing this plan with the king of an kingdom at war with the Tleyans and friendly to the party, they let a NPC suspected spy for the Forces of Darkness sit in and help the ailing king.

The Forces of Darkness *now* know the location of the Obsidian Needle, an artifact that can kill gods and pierce heaven.

The PCs plan on resting up, making potions, then possibly teleporting into Tleyzu... (they were slaves there for part of 9th level)

... where I plan to have them find Ghojalapai under attack from the Forces of
Darkness and their Flying Invisible Keep Of Evil!

So, I want a three way battle. Psionics, our heroes battling their way up a ziggurat, sudden attacks from the black-scaled, blind fetishist saurian warriors serving the Forces of Darkness...

But, I'm wondering what cool scenes I should throw in, what crazy tactics 10-12th level baddies should use (I've never DMed to this level before, and all the magic is killing me).

Basically, anyone have any advice on the how to run this kind of crazy situation?

I also want opportunities for all the PCs to shine... so I'm thinking of having the PCs arrive JUST before the Forces of Darkness do, so the Stealthy Swordsman can do his infiltrate-stab-infiltrate stuff...

My Party:

Cleric (War/Good)
Barbarian 1/Bard 11
Fighter 3/Rogue 1/Heart-Stabbing Prestige Class 8
Sorcerer/Elemental Savant (Blue Dragon descendant... lots of lightning)

I want to turn up the heat, but I sometimes throw very lame fights at them, thinking they will be tough...

Anyone?

Vrylakos

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Use clerics. Lots and lots of cleric. A psion cannot substitute for a cleric, BTW, since they can't manifest anything like death ward or remove blindness.

As a result, you'll need characters from all classes.

I don't know if you're into AU, but if you see it, steal the Defensive Field spell. I'm stealing it for my 3.5 campaign right now.

NPCs are weak for their CR, unless they're prepared (eg everyone has all their 1 minute/level spells up ... find a way to delay the PCs, even if that involves using cannon fodder).

I've found using a group of similar creatures with one different one works well. For instance, one hill giant Bbn 7 and several Hill Giant Bbn 3. Make sure the players have no way of telling who the leader is, at least until he yells "Reggie Smash!"

If you use some weakish opponents, supported by a couple of brutes, it should work well.

What sort of brutes? Take a demon or devil (best-designed creatures in the 3.5 MM, IMO - my favorite if the barbed devil) and give it a template, then change it's appearance. (Or don't give it a template, but still change it's appearance.) Feel free to modify it's stats slightly. Write it's stats on paper or on a card so your PCs can't see what part of the MM you're turning to.

Know your players: they might be using more than 25 point buy or better equipment than they should have, or cheesy stuff. Be sure to compensate for this, and/or nerf where appropriate.

Last note: creatures with lots of ability that allow saving throws, such as those using spell-like abilities, should be used only in small groups. Otherwise everyone will make their saves.

 

[Nifft]

Use big guns. Really, really big ones.

For example: the FIKoE can't get to the city proper because the sky above the city's main Ziggurat is a swirl of lightning and fire -- no flying above treeline without being smote.

The elements are being used for the assault: lightning and wind storms rage (trying to knock the FIKoE out of the sky), the jungle is on fire, earthquakes rumble constantly -- from sappers or counter-sappers, it's a similar effect.

The main ziggurat is dimensionally warded (to prevent strike teams and easy escapes). Strike teams for both sides try to discover and eliminate the other side's strike teams -- everyone's got all available See Invisible stuff up, etc. There should be some corpses with full equipment, since looting might give away your position.

Basically, D&D tactics are always to hit first and hard, because it's easier to strike than to resist. So both sides depend on mobile "cavalry" teams -- which are basically parties of specialists, perhaps with a theme and a gimmick.

-- N

 

[Thanee]

Antimagic Field and some baddies that do not have to rely on magics!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nifft]

Is this a Psionics Are Different world? If so, the Psions should have some serious anti-magic stuff up in key locations.

Psion Tactics:
- Use slaves as "distractors" -- get the enemy to waste its resources on the disguised harmless dominated ( or Thrall'd, or just charmed) slaves.
- Golems: the Big Zig has the advantage of "home turf". They can bring out guards from their deepest tombs to help -- and this "empty tomb" business might help the PCs.

Now, we need to know: what races & classes do each side have at their disposal? Do the FoD have Vampires, Ghouls and Shadows with class-levels? Do the Psionic Slavers have enslaved Giants, Behirs, Umber Hulks, Displacer Beasts and other such things?


Suggestion: make a bunch of themed strike teams for both sides. Examples:

Lihran's Lions:
- Lihran: Telepath 9
- Fenrhil: PsiWar 6 bodyguard (Feats include Stand Still, WF (Glaive), WSpec (Glaive), Speed of Thought and Combat Reflexes; Powers include Reach, Vigilance, Burst and Biofeedback)
- 3 Archers (Fighter 4: WF (Bow), WSpec (Bow), PBShot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot)
- 2 Girallons
Tactics: Girallons attack, while archers fire away. Fenrhil keeps the party off of Lihran's back, while Lihran confuses & disables opponents.
Encounter Level: 11.7


Red Fester's Feeders:
- Red Fester: Ghoul Sorc 8
- Gestank: Wight Cleric 5
- Fadera: Shadow Rogue 5
- 5 Ogre Zombies as tanks
Tactics: Gestank starts comabt with Desecrate, making all of them stronger. Red Fester specializes in Necromantic and Enchantment de-buff spells, since he can use them safely without harming his own group.
Encounter Level: 12.2

-- N

 

[Vrylakos]

Is this a Psionics Are Different world? If so, the Psions should have some serious anti-magic stuff up in key locations.

Psion Tactics:
- Use slaves as "distractors" -- get the enemy to waste its resources on the disguised harmless dominated ( or Thrall'd, or just charmed) slaves.
- Golems: the Big Zig has the advantage of "home turf". They can bring out guards from their deepest tombs to help -- and this "empty tomb" business might help the PCs.

Now, we need to know: what races & classes do each side have at their disposal? Do the FoD have Vampires, Ghouls and Shadows with class-levels? Do the Psionic Slavers have enslaved Giants, Behirs, Umber Hulks, Displacer Beasts and other such things?


Suggestion: make a bunch of themed strike teams for both sides. Examples:

Lihran's Lions:
- Lihran: Telepath 9
- Fenrhil: PsiWar 6 bodyguard (Feats include Stand Still, WF (Glaive), WSpec (Glaive), Speed of Thought and Combat Reflexes; Powers include Reach, Vigilance, Burst and Biofeedback)
- 3 Archers (Fighter 4: WF (Bow), WSpec (Bow), PBShot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot)
- 2 Girallons
Tactics: Girallons attack, while archers fire away. Fenrhil keeps the party off of Lihran's back, while Lihran confuses & disables opponents.
Encounter Level: 11.7


Red Fester's Feeders:
- Red Fester: Ghoul Sorc 8
- Gestank: Wight Cleric 5
- Fadera: Shadow Rogue 5
- 5 Ogre Zombies as tanks
Tactics: Gestank starts comabt with Desecrate, making all of them stronger. Red Fester specializes in Necromantic and Enchantment de-buff spells, since he can use them safely without harming his own group.
Encounter Level: 12.2

-- N

Psionics and magic are not different, but psions can gain a feat similar to FR's Shadow-weave feat.

Wights, ghouls, and a vampire-like black liquid called the chaelgrata that lives in the bloodstream are all availablem, as well as humans who have sold out to what they see as the winning side.

They Tleyans also have blood-totems, big war-golem things that a psychic warrior takes psychic possession of via a sometimes fatal blood sacrifice ritual. They're also well-versed in dealing with arcane magic-users.

The Tleyan Witch-Queens and their Warlock Consorts (psychic warriors) are looked upon with a mixture of fear and awe by the barbarian jungle tribes that surround their ziggurats and city-states. The most favored tribes are called upon to serve, and become 'domesticated' over time, some of them serving the Witch-Queens with almost religious zealotry - something the Witch-Queens work to promote.

Enslaved jungle beasts, also used in arena games, are also common in the city-states of Tleyzu. They're also fond of throwing around Astral Constructs...

The Forces of Darkness could be led by the Reaver Blackheart, a black armored figure who bleeds Shadows. He's a Big Bad, and hasn't seen much screen time since the campaign's beginning.

Ak! I forgot a party member: Keska Mekis is a Psychic Warrior half-breed Tleyan, level 12, I think. He's an axe and armor man, with a psychoactive skin of the troll.

Phew...

Good ideas, BTW, Nifft! Thanks for the tactical assist!

Vrylakos

 

[Psion]

Psionics and magic are not different, but psions can gain a feat similar to FR's Shadow-weave feat.

Perchance, did you get this from the subpsionics thing in the Mind's Eye article series at the WotC website? If not, you may want to check it out; it sounds like the Shadow Mind and Subpsionics might be right up your alley, and some of the newer "vile psionics" might fit in there as well:

Subpsionics:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/psi/psi20021025a

Shadow Mind:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/psi/psi20021025b

Vile Psionics:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pse/20030628a

 

[Vrylakos]

Perchance, did you get this from the subpsionics thing in the Mind's Eye article series at the WotC website? If not, you may want to check it out; it sounds like the Shadow Mind and Subpsionics might be right up your alley, and some of the newer "vile psionics" might fit in there as well:

Subpsionics:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/psi/psi20021025a

Shadow Mind:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/psi/psi20021025b

Vile Psionics:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pse/20030628a

Oooo!

 

[Vrylakos]

Perchance, did you get this from the subpsionics thing in the Mind's Eye article series at the WotC website? If not, you may want to check it out; it sounds like the Shadow Mind and Subpsionics might be right up your alley, and some of the newer "vile psionics" might fit in there as well:

Subpsionics:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/psi/psi20021025a

Shadow Mind:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/psi/psi20021025b

Vile Psionics:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pse/20030628a

Ok, read over that at lunch. Thanks Psion! Excellent stuff!

Oh, and Nifft: I forgot, the main heavy-duty grunt troops of the FoD are the Nox-Drakken, pictured here:
http://www.enworld.org/modules.php?set_albumName=album36&id=Darkdrakken&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php


I suppose I could slap an undear template on some of those babies...


Vrylakos

 

[Graf]

[Your world sounds very cool btw, rich in detail and very flavorful. Do you have an SH or a web site?]

You actually don't have to do anything to make this fight hard.

You have the "dm who is worried about how powerful the encounter is going to be"'s ultimate back-up.... a flow of NPCs headed toward the PCs.
It's all about moderating the flow.

Make up significantly more foes than you think you'll need (just changing a few key powers on the psions or swapping a few levels of fighter for rogue will do this). Then drop a wave you think is "moderately powered" at the PCs.

If it's a tough fight then the next wave can be the same, or maybe a bit weaker. The PCs know they can take out this wave but they're wasting resources. Especially if you combine it with some of the stuff I talk about below just running lower and lower on spells and hit points gets scary, even if an individual encounter isn't much more than a speed bump.
If it was a weak totally non-challenging fight that's cool too. You get a measure of the PCs power and you can throw out a more challenging set of enemies. The PCs will notice they're getting weaker and their foes are getting stronger.

2. Emphasize the bigness and that PCs relative weakness means they need to be smart. It's not "a dozen troops milling around the base of the temple" it's "a couple dozen milling around the temple". Make it clear that there are a heck of a lot of people involved and that the PCs need to move sharpish and be very clever or they're just going to get swamped. A good way to do this is have the second encounter be a wounded 15th level character fighting with a bunch of troops, and surrounded by about three times as many bodies as the PCs made during their first "moderate strength" encounter. They can pick of the higher level character (or else this person just teleports away) but they know there are very big strike forces moving through the area.
(this also makes the sneaky character valuable, they can be the only person who can lead the party around large groups of troops and avoid pointless fights, or allow the party to fight on their terms....)

3. Dynamic, keep things moving, people they encounter are already wounded, the building shakes from far off explosions, people dim door in and out, the defenders are running around screaming instructions, the attackers are getting messages telling them where to go (which they then yell out to their comrades). People suddenly break of combat to run and try to support an attack on another flank.
A lot of this is just preparation.

4.Foreshadowing. If you're thinking about having Reaver Blackheart show up then have the PCs see him standing on his floating keep, a causeway below the temple, or wherever surrounded by goons and bellowing orders. A psion teleports in front of him and he cuts the mindmage down without pausing the stream of commands issuing from his mouth.
If you have a powerful psion you're interesting in using at the end have him appear, cast a nasty spell on the pcs or buff up what was looking like an easy encounter (long range astral construct?), and then shift out again.

5. Lulls and then frenetic activity. Kind of mentioned this above but it's worth repeating. Constant fights can be a bit tiring, break it up with other stuff. Let the PCs have a short break, make a decision or two (try to pretend to be members of one faction or the other to avoid some of the fighting, or use a passageway they remember from when they were slaves, or get help from an NPC they know from the slave time, etc.) and then another fight. Maybe their psionic Warrior can access some psionic data records, psionic spirits, whatever and get access to information that Reaver Blackheart doesn't have about where the Needle is. It explains why the PCs get there first....
[sorry if this is elementary, I just figured it was worth mentioning.]