Are my players in big trouble?

[just__al]

The defenses will help. But, the wraith can still get in without any problems. As well, the cleric has access to Airwalk. A lot will depend on how well prepped the cleric is in regards to spell selection.

The cleric will have his standard run of spells on him. He is going to arrive nearby and realize that the party may know that the bell in the tower of the shrine of Wee-Jas can severely highten the turning of a cleric. It's the reason that the cult is after the town. The cleric sent ahead a small group of people who should have been able to clean out the entire town but the party happened along.

The cleric will not want to even wait until the next day to take out the party, so he will be more equipped to deal with being attacked while travelling instead of laying seige to the town.

Maybe they'll attack during the day so they can't bring the wraith. I was going to have the wraith just breeze through the defenses and kill a pocket of commoner archers... Maybe I'm insane. I think this battle will have to happen during the day.

The cleric in the party has sent for help with an animal messenger. The help wouldn't arrive for another day after this (maybe they'll get there even quicker or the evil cleric will arrive a day later)

I'm trying to gage how much help they'll need... The 7th level fighter could return with help too if they need it....

 

[S'mon]

The fighters are one of 3 types.

A) Studded leather, longbow, short sword and buckler - pointblank shot, precise shot, dodge, mobility

B) Banded mail - bastard sword, small shield - EWP: bastard sword, improved init, weapon focus bastard sword, power attack

c) Chain mail, bucklers, glaive, shortsword - combat reflexes, weapon focus: glaive, hold the line, expertise

I could bump them down to 12 (4 of each) or even 9. They've done pretty well against "patrols" of these fighters including one skirmish with a 3rd level cleric backing them up.

OK, they sound like 'average Joe' types. If they have only 15hp or so, a single fireball will kill most of those it hits. If they have 20+ hp they're likely to survive a 5th level fireball, and the standard DMG fighters have healing potions.

If the Clr-10 is also not a min-maxed nightmare and the PCs are fight, this could be a very tough but survivable fight. The best bet vs the Ftr-2s would be to get them at a choke point, as has been said, and hit with area-effect spells. You might consider making the remaining villagers a bit tougher than usual, Com-1s with 2hps die like flies from the slightest injury. They could be Com-1s with Toughness and 7hp or so, maybe leather armour and a missile weapon (ideally a light crossbow, although I doubt all would have one) or longspear. Used defensively eg on a palisade they could be quite handy.

 

[just__al]

OK, they sound like 'average Joe' types. If they have only 15hp or so, a single fireball will kill most of those it hits. If they have 20+ hp they're likely to survive a 5th level fireball, and the standard DMG fighters have healing potions.

If the Clr-10 is also not a min-maxed nightmare and the PCs are fight, this could be a very tough but survivable fight. The best bet vs the Ftr-2s would be to get them at a choke point, as has been said, and hit with area-effect spells. You might consider making the remaining villagers a bit tougher than usual, Com-1s with 2hps die like flies from the slightest injury. They could be Com-1s with Toughness and 7hp or so, maybe leather armour and a missile weapon (ideally a light crossbow, although I doubt all would have one) or longspear. Used defensively eg on a palisade they could be quite handy.

The group captured enough studded leather to armor the entire town. They also managed to gather enough arrows for the whole town as well.

 

[BSF]

I would definitely pull back on the wraith. Having ti take on the commoners will just create a bunch of wraiths. If you have 5 wraiths take on teh party, it will be very messy for them. Heh, here is a funny idea. Have them carrying the wraith. It basically has no weight, but could conceivably be carried in something that would hold it's size. Like a big, satin lined sack. Then, once the PC's have won, they will still need to deal with the wraith after the battle.

A bit sadistic.

OK, if the Cleric doesn't know that they are waiting for him, and his travelling spells are optimized for road use, it will be a little different. With good tactics, the PC's can make a good run at it. If you have the Cleric focus his forces on objectives other than killing the PC's, it will make the battle all the more interesting. Then it makes it clear that the Church is a very important objective and the PC's can act accordingly.

Without the wraith, and with good tactics, I think your party could pull off a very difficult, but well earned win. Of course, if they biff the tactics, it could be a massacre.

 

[just__al]

I would definitely pull back on the wraith. Having ti take on the commoners will just create a bunch of wraiths. If you have 5 wraiths take on teh party, it will be very messy for them. Heh, here is a funny idea. Have them carrying the wraith. It basically has no weight, but could conceivably be carried in something that would hold it's size. Like a big, satin lined sack. Then, once the PC's have won, they will still need to deal with the wraith after the battle.

A bit sadistic.

OK, if the Cleric doesn't know that they are waiting for him, and his travelling spells are optimized for road use, it will be a little different. With good tactics, the PC's can make a good run at it. If you have the Cleric focus his forces on objectives other than killing the PC's, it will make the battle all the more interesting. Then it makes it clear that the Church is a very important objective and the PC's can act accordingly.

Without the wraith, and with good tactics, I think your party could pull off a very difficult, but well earned win. Of course, if they biff the tactics, it could be a massacre.

Yeah, after hearing from everyone I think I might drop the wraith and 6 of the fighters. However, I think that perhaps the Cleric will have found where the town's women and children are hiding. That way the town will be assailed by child sized zombies (or maybe that's just too cruel)

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Yeah, after hearing from everyone I think I might drop the wraith and 6 of the fighters. However, I think that perhaps the Cleric will have found where the town's women and children are hiding. That way the town will be assailed by child sized zombies (or maybe that's just too cruel)

Yes, that's too cruel. Can I play in your game?

 

[Anabstercorian]

Why are you all worried about the wraith? If I'm not mistaken, it deals constitution damage. This makes it a HUGE threat to the PC's, but it'll take 2 - 4 hits to take down a typical human if that human isn't already wounded.

 

[just__al]

Why are you all worried about the wraith? If I'm not mistaken, it deals constitution damage. This makes it a HUGE threat to the PC's, but it'll take 2 - 4 hits to take down a typical human if that human isn't already wounded.

My original thought was to have the wraith just waltz through the barrier and attack commoners. It would draw the party cleric out to try to turn it right away. Should she fail, 1 wraith becomes 2 in 3 rounds. 2 become 4, four become eight, etc.

 

[S'mon]

My original thought was to have the wraith just waltz through the barrier and attack commoners. It would draw the party cleric out to try to turn it right away. Should she fail, 1 wraith becomes 2 in 3 rounds. 2 become 4, four become eight, etc.

IMC incorporeal undead don't rule the world because:

1. They're vulnerable to fire - including mundane fire - so torches are good, &

2. They're normally tied to a specific location.

If you do use wraith(s) I suggest you use #1, so the Commoners can at least use torches on it (for ca 1d6 dmg)

 

[Darklone]

Your group might have a chance... Single clerics may look horribly strong on paper, but a large group (more than 4 guys as you have) can quickly take them down. I wouldn't worry too much about the fighters, good use of two or three web spells will take care of them. The rangers put against the cleric with readied shots...

If your players are not above sacrificing a few commoners, it should be doable. Perhaps have the aristocrat attack the cleric heroically by putting himself on fire and chain himself to the cleric ?