Adventure: Lord Byron’s Economic Woes (DM: Tenchuu, Judge: H.M.Gimlord)

[ryryguy]

[sblock=ooc]Bah, I guess so. I should have moved one square further south, oops.

Well then, Hergunna and Wil currently have the slyblade flanked, so I'm thinking maybe Savage Rend on him, then move around the corner, action point, and thorn spray. I could catch the dragon and both kobolds with it but Kane is in the way... any chance he might clear out? Or else I can just get the dragon plus one kobold. (Really hoping to hit the dragon with it, then Kane can hit it with his daily attack.)[/sblock]

 

[renau1g]

[sblock=ryry]
Kane can't get into a position where he can be out of the blast and be able to attack the dragon to take advantage of the bonus to hit. Feel free to catch him in the blast. He's got a pretty good Fort[/sblock]

 

[ryryguy]

[sblock=renau1g]With action surge, she'll get a +3 to hit... I don't think it's that important to get both dragonshields, I'll just tag one plus the dragon.[/sblock]

Hergunna-wolf snarls as the slyblade darts past her. "Not so fast," she growls, snapping at his legs, but the kobold eludes her. Shaking her head, she shifts back to human form, then pounds around the corner.

Seeing the dragon for the first time, she freezes for a moment. "That's..." she begins, then trails off. Then her eye falls on the pile of bones on the other side of the room, and she snaps out of it. Setting her jaw grimly, she throws open her arms, and a storm of jagged thorns blankets the southern part of the room where the dragon and one of the dragonshields are. With the magic of her new totem helping to guide her aim, the blast is devastatingly effective. Dozens of thorns sink their barbs into both targets, even between the dragon's scales.

[sblock=Actions]Standard: Savage Rend (w/Flanking) vs. Slyblade (1d20+6+2=10, 1d8+5=10) Gah, Kane is draining all the IC luck I think.
Minor: Wild Shape to Human + shift to -H2
Move: to -E-1
Action Point: Thorn Spray catching dragon and southern dragonshield (top edge of the blast runs along row -J).
Thorn Spray (w/action surge) vs. Dragon, Dragonshield (1d20+6+3=28, 1d20+6+3=21, 1d6+5=11)
Woot! Oh-so-close to a crit, but max damage anyhow... I'll take it!
11 damage to each and -4 to all defenses TENT Hergunna.[/sblock]
[sblock=Hergunna stat block]Hergunna- Female Human Druid 2
Human Form
Passive Perception: 19, Passive Insight: 19
AC:17, Fort:14, Reflex:16, Will:17 -- Speed:7
HP:35/41, Bloodied:20, Surge Value:10, Surges left:8/9
Initiative +3
Action Points: 0, Second Wind: Not Used
Powers: Thorn Whip, Call of the Beast, Chill Wind,
Savage Rend, Wild Shape,
Thorn Spray, Summon Pack Wolf, Resist Energy,
Predator's Flurry, Hunter's Quarry, Death Fang Totem
[/sblock]

 

[evilbob]

[sblock=ooc]Start of turn: take 5 damage -> HP = 14[/sblock]
Mervin takes a step out of the kobold sandwich and begins casting a spell. The minion sees an opportunity and takes a swing at him, gouging him again. Wincing, Mervin waves his hands and suddenly tiny flying Kanes appear and hound his foes. This is simply too much for the minion and he falls over dead, and the skyblade is also affected, leaving him distracted.

"We'll have you out momentarily," Mervin says weakly to the woman, as blood continues to flow freely from his wounds.
[sblock=ooc]Move: shift to -L2

Standard: winged horde on -K2; draws OA from minion: hits for 4; HP = 10
winged horde: hits both (both were 19 vs. will) for 6+2 damage (Mervin took the feat destructive wizardry; he hit 2 targets so +2 damage) = 8 damage to skyblade and no OA TENT, minion dead

end of turn save: natural 1

Wil, I'm going to be presumptuous and assume I'll get your 4 temp HP this round...

Even so, I am sorry for continuing to suck up all the healing! My surges are horrible so it's a real waste. And frankly I have just about the best AC in the group, with interrupts to make it easily the best, but for some reason I just keep getting nailed. I could have avoided the minion attack but I'm trying to save my interrupts for worse...

Honestly, if you want to skip healing Mervin and hang on I can 2nd wind next round. I think I can survive the skyblade for 1 more round, since he can't CA.

Oh, and Hergunna: can you go last next round so we can all take advantage of your -4 for as long as possible? [/sblock]
[sblock=Mervin ministats]Mervin Male Human Wizard 2
Initiative: +2, Passive Perception: 12, Passive Insight: 17, Senses: Normal
AC:19, Fort:13, Reflex:17, Will:15
HP:10/27, THP: 4 Bloodied:13, Surge Value:6, Surges left:2/7
Action Points/Daily Item Uses/Milestones: 1/-/1
Powers:
Phantom Bolt
Winged Horde
Thunderwave
(Wizard cantrips)
Orbmaster's Incendiary Detonation
Shield
Staff of Defense
Second Wind
Flaming Sphere

Important Stuff:

Conditions: ongoing 5 damage

Full sheet: Mervin
Temporary backup: Mervin[/sblock]

 

[renau1g]

Kane begins laughing as the dragon calls itself a god, "You...you think you is a god? Like Lauto? Hahaha! Ok god give me your best" the bugbear taunts as he manages to parry the first claw, but the second slips by his defenses.

"Ok that mistake number 2 lizard, now Kane is mad. I will wear your skull as helmet" Kane threatens as the blast of thorns slams into the beast. He turns and sees Hergunna standing there, "Thanks!" he calls out as the bugbear steps forward to get nice and close to the dragon.

With a roar of battlelust Kane's sword slashes the dragon and draws a vicious wound as the sight of the enemy's blood sends Kane into a frenzy. Eyes turn red from their normal yellow and his breathing comes fast and hard.

[sblock=ooc]
Move: Shift to -K4
Standard: Swift Panther Rage on Dragon -
vs ac; dmg (1d20+10=18, 3d12+8=31) hits for 31 damage and Kane enters the rage of the swift panther. Until the rage ends, you gain a +2 bonus to speed and can shift 2 squares as a move action.
Minor: n/a
[/sblock]


[sblock=ministats]Kane Male Bugbear Barbarian 4
Initiative: +6, Passive Perception: 12, Passive Insight: 12, Senses: Low-light
AC:20, Fort:19, Reflex:18, Will:14
HP:32/47, Bloodied:23, Surge Value:11, Surges left:5/10
Action Points: 0
Powers:
Howl of Fury
Whirling Rend
Predatory Eye
Whirling Lunge
Whirling Frenzy
Brutal Slam
Shrug it Off
Swift Panther Rage

Important Stuff:
+1d8 damage when charging. Cool stuff happens when he bloodies or kills a bad guy

Conditions:

Full sheet: L4WC:Kane (renau1g - ENWiki) [/sblock]

 

[johnmeier1]

Thanks Mervin, you feeling okay? Wil askes. After the wizard nods, Wil moves quickly around the corner. He smiles at the challenge before them. It's just a bigger kobold he shouts, but the dragon seems to ignore him completely. Wil keeps he bow at the ready

[sblock=OOC] Okay, Mervin I will save my Majestic Words for now.
Immediate Interrupt: Virtue of Valor on Mervin for 4 temp hp
Move: Walk to -N-1
Standard: Cutting Words on Dragon 1d20+7=10 Miss even with -4 to defenses

Wow, one square closer and I could have used Shout of Triumph effectively. I was going to pull the dragon off the ice then push him back onto it along with the kobold dragonshield.
[/sblock]

[sblock=ministats]
Init: +2 Speed: 5 Perception:16 Insight: 14
AC: 17 NAD:14/13/17
HP: 35/38 Surges: 7/10 Surge Value: 8 AP: 1
Languages: Allarian, Imperia, Draconic
Str:8 Dex:13 Wis:11 Con:16 Int:10 Cha:20

Powers:
Jinx Shot
Cutting Words
Second Wind
Shout of Triumph
Twin Strike
Hunter's Quarry
Majestic Word
Words of Friendship
Moment of Escape
Rhyme of the Blood-Seeking Blade (use when Kane misses by 4 or less)
Arrow of Warning (used)
Songbow of Vanishment

Full Character Sheet
[/sblock]

 

[evilbob]

[sblock=ooc]It's ok, johnmeier1: the dragon is probably immune to the hazard and the kobolds are good against traps and have cold resistance. I don't think that would have done much.

So what's our general strategy, then, guys? Kill the dragon first or the kobolds?

Also, I have to admit: I am not looking forward to this next enemy turn... [/sblock]

 

[renau1g]

[sblock=Strategery]
I would suggest trying to blast the kobolds from range as the shifty basterds move away when Kane moves next to them Kane will keep the dragon focused on him, oh and don't bunch up [/sblock]

 

[johnmeier1]

[sblock=OOC] Don't worry, evilbob, Mervin is out of line of effect for dragon blasts Hey I don't know the mechanics of the trap, but why would the dragon have immunity? In any case it would knock the kobolds prone and be difficult terrain. I can debuff the dragon's defenses against melee attacks so it is good for Kane to go after it. Not sure what Hergunna and Mervin should do, but I will try to also hit the dragon+kobold with AoEs and dragon with ranged attacks. Shoot, should have realized that Jinx shot is good against enemies with multiple attacks (if they miss with any they are knocked prone)[/sblock]

 

[evilbob]

[sblock=meta tactics]Whoa! r1 - you changed your look! I didn't recognize you for a moment and I wondered who was talking in our thread!

Well, here's my thoughts on how this battle will play out, and how I think that affects what we could do.

First, Kane is most likely going to go down within two rounds. Assuming good tactics and only average rolls, he has a better than 50% chance of going down this enemy turn. Assuming Wil is not stunned, that means he'll spend the next two rounds helping Kane play "pop up fall down", after which point all of our healing will be gone - and so will Kane. (If Wil does get stunned, it will likely be worse.) Meanwhile Mervin will slowly bleed to death in the corner, while Wil and Hergunna are then quickly dispatched in brutal succession. Always the optimist!

So, given the probability that we basically have about three more rounds in which to work, my thought is that perhaps we should just go for broke on the dragon. If we throw every bit of damage we have on top of him, maybe we can take him down in time and maybe this would cause the morale of the kobolds to drop to the point of them running away, even with half our party dead.

Normally, I'm a strong advocate of "kill the little guys and save the boss for last". However just looking at the HP totals involved here, I just don't think we can do it - I just don't think we have time to throw damage at the other guys as well. We will be lucky to manage to kill that dragon before we're all dead even focusing exclusively on him; if we spread our damage out, and the dragon lives for even a round or two longer, his damage output will be obscene. (Obviously, if we can catch the other guys in AOE damage, that's great - but frankly there's not much reason we should be able to.)

What do folks think? Am I missing a key component anywhere?

Edit: Two more thoughts. This is effectively the tactic we have sort of instinctively started to do anyway, what with charging in and all, so I guess what I'm saying is: let's run with it. Also, ongoing 5 damage is brutal to a level 2 character![/sblock]