[4e][Paragon] Kombat Kraziness (closed)

[Victim]

You basically have the dilemmas of the encounter: The dragon is a flying, ranged attacker, so bringing your melee to bear will be difficult. Focusing on any one monster can allow the others to advance and attack unchecked. But the dragon is tough and the Shamblers have regeneration and will be healed by the dragon, so attacks that aren't concentrated won't be very effective. Spreading out to reduce the effectiveness of the dragon's Lightning Burst means that isolated characters can hammered by the plants.

However, the sign at the door does say hard encounters - and this encounter is basically the minimum XP for a hard encounter (although, the composition and situation are admittedly nasty). Nothing in this encounter is above your level. Last time, you didn't even use all of your encounter abilities. And you do have powers that can help with some of the above problems.

 

[Victim]

[sblock=ooc]
yes, but I thought the game takes new players in at every "session"? Or how does it work?[/sblock]

Ah, yes. It's somewhat expected that there might turnover between mini adventures, or that one DM will want more people. However, we're in the middle of an adventure now, so it will probably be a few months before we reach the end given the pace of pbp. Unless the party wipes early.

 

[Evilhalfling]

well we may wipe, but we won't wipe Easy.

I am wondering what it takes to bring down 8 lvl 13 pcs.
we have a lot of power, and healing on hand but no get-away teleport, so a TPK is possible, but we will have to see...

 

[Graf]

I think it's very doable. Here's the situation.

They have a mobility advantage. They have overlapping, and sucky, energy fields, and they have the dragon.

The dragon, is, to my mind, the problem. The number of hit points aside, it does a lot of damage, doesn't heal and can maul us till the cows come home.

We need to pin it and kill it, while avoiding getting sandwiched by the dragon and the shamblers.

We need the defenders to hold off the salads (especially the electricity field guys), and everybody else needs to focus on the dragon.

The leaders, hopefully, will keep us alive; if they have to prioritize...
1. Keep themselves alive. Stay out of the fields. Cross heal.
2. Keep the defenders alive. Especially if they've managed to pin a stormrage down somewhere where it's not frying everyone. Defenders have the most hit points, the heals "do more" for them on a point by point basis.

That's my opinion of course, but killing the dragon is "the hump". It's not like this would be an easy fight with "just" the dragon.

[d]--[/d]
The fight is similar to KK1.
Difficult terrain (less of it, but the map is much larger)
One solo with mobility that can be in proximity but prefers range
Some annoying grunts that are close by

In KK1, people tended to say "I can't get to the solo on this turn, I'll just attack something nearby". I'm not sure that that's a winning strategy.

There are 8 of us. If 2-3 people can tie down the grunts (different people each round if necessary) that leaves 5 people, with all their dailies to deal with the solo.
Lock him down and take him out and the whole profile of the encounter changes.

[d]--[/d]

Just as a mental exercise...

What would you do if you were victim?
1. Ideal scenario would be to have the PCs tied up with the stormrages while the dragon hangs out at long range and cherry picks strikers/controllers. One on one it can probably down one character every round or two (I think, I'm not sure.... I deliberately haven't looked at any stats, the aboleth vs belkar was weird on a lot of levels)
2. Next best would be a divide and conquer type situation. It's a solo, it likes being near a couple (i.e. 2-3) PCs, while it's stormrages hold off the rest of the party (5-6)

We may not have an "optimal" strategy (unless someone can create a zone that supresses lightning effects) but we can act to deny the dragon (through victim) its optimal strategy > imho that's effectively our "optimal" strategy.

Personally I think that means mobbing it with PCs who're dumping dailies and action points; while holding off it's supercharged fodder. (He repeats himself)

 

[Graf]

Ah, yes. It's somewhat expected that there might turnover between mini adventures, or that one DM will want more people. However, we're in the middle of an adventure now, so it will probably be a few months before we reach the end given the pace of pbp. Unless the party wipes early.

I'll add Ata to the waiting list. .

(I think Ere13 posted a character once, which demonstrates interest).

Shayuri said something too. Should I add them?

 

[Graf]

My action: Since Xax goes first I may change but I'm thinking

(from E15) Move 1 NE (2sq) 1e (2sq) then 2 e.
Tornado Strike Shambler 2 (to get it out of the way) and Blue Dragon. Use elvin precision on the blue dragon if I miss.
If I hit they both slide 5. Sham2 goes away NW 5. (don't use sneak here though)

The dragon would move sw 1 s4 to O1718, right next to Narbel (and on earth).

Then I move 3 from Tornado (2e - can't get further with the terrain).

Spend AP (get a move from being a cat burgalar) 1e(2sq) 1se(2sq) 1 se (1sq - dry land right)
Then drop walking wounded. Hopefully the dragon is prone and it's mobility is limited; spending an AP with a tactical warlord gives me a bonus to hit, and I'll be flanking with Narbel.
If I hit I can put my sneak attack damage where it wants to go.

Ideas, suggestions? Preferred dragon placement?

 

[Victim]

You don't have a tactical warlord. A slide 5 doesn't bring the dragon all the way to the ground.

 

[Victim]

Oh yeah, I just noticed this when working on another character: Healer's Lore only applies to cleric powers, not paragon path powers, apparently. So Healing Sun isn't quite as good.

 

[Walking Dad]

If it is 5 sq above ground, I could attack the dragon's will to teleport it down and attack one enemy.

We need something to hold it there.

 

[covaithe]

Tharos could try Icy Rays to immobilize (save ends), if you can get it to the ground. With spell focus and orb of imposition, it would need a 15 to save. Assuming I've counted right. Of course, I'd have to hit it first.

I suppose it's worth asking; if you immobilize a flying creature, does it fall to the ground? Don't have my books with me, or I'd look myself.