Battle vs. Frenzied Berserker

[shilsen]

They should have simply forgotten the deathless frenzy ability. Instead, the FB should have gotten some nice amount of temporary hitpoints, e.g. twice his level or 5 times his class level or something.

Agreed. I'd be perfectly fine with even something like 10x class level. But I draw the line at characters that are fully functional at -300 or the like (which is where I took the FB to in an 18th lvl one-off I ran).

 

[Mark Chance]

I'm confused. People die in battle. Against a powerful foe, even PCs die in battle. That's part and parcel of the game. If the goal is to have a battle that doesn't kill PCs, put the group up against kobolds or some such lesser challenge.

 

[Palskane]

Seeing what type of spells that they currently have prepared, I'll probably simply use a 10th level Barbarian.

Anything in particular that everyone thinks I might change from that? I'm not sure that a straight 10th level PC class would be much of a challenge unless it was a spellcaster. I'm afraid that a straight 10th level Barbarian will fall extremely quickly. That's why I was contemplating the FB.

 

[BlackFiend]

Let them fight.

 

[Palskane]

I'm confused. People die in battle. Against a powerful foe, even PCs die in battle. That's part and parcel of the game. If the goal is to have a battle that doesn't kill PCs, put the group up against kobolds or some such lesser challenge.

Of course.

But as I said, they are going to rescue another PC who has been captured. I really don't want to kill them. This is supposed to be one of the evil guy's mooks... albeit like an Imperial Guard or the like. It should be a very close battle, maybe even put someone in the negatives.

Now, when it comes to the BBEG, I would be much more lenient on whether the PC's might perish. I know that I could simply let the dice fall where they may, but in this instance they are supposed to win. They don't know that of course, but....

 

[pallandrome]

Yeah, either you give everyone in the party in INT check to realize what this thing is and what it can do, or you are looking at several dead party members at the least, and possibly a TPK. If they know what it is, they might have a chance.

 

[Mark Chance]

But as I said, they are going to rescue another PC who has been captured. I really don't want to kill them.

I understand that. When I GM, I don't want to kill the PCs. Unfortunately, due to a variety of circumstances, it has happened before.

The PCs' best defense against this sort of foe is a good offense. They need to gather intelligence and strike by surprise after working out a coordinated plan of attack. If they know what the parameters are, achieve surprise, and act as a team, the foe isn't going to present much of a challenge.

If, OTOH, the players refuse to exploit their PCs' capabilities (and the group you describe ought to be quite capable), then let the dead bodies fall where they may.



Now, of course, if the PCs are supposed to win, then there are ways to stack the deck in their favor on your end of things. For example, perhaps the enemy has been sick lately. Apply some ability to damage to STR, CON, or whatever. Maybe the enemy is too overconfident, and therefore doesn't fight effectively for the first few rounds. Et cetera.

 

[shilsen]

I'm confused. People die in battle. Against a powerful foe, even PCs die in battle. That's part and parcel of the game. If the goal is to have a battle that doesn't kill PCs, put the group up against kobolds or some such lesser challenge.

That's not necessarily the case, nor is it necessarily part and parcel of the game, though it conventionally has been. I'd amend what you wrote to say that PCs are sometimes defeated in battle and, IMO, should suffer consequences of their losses. Dying can be part of that, but isnt necessarily so (not in my game, for example).

 

[IanB]

I'm confused. People die in battle. Against a powerful foe, even PCs die in battle. That's part and parcel of the game. If the goal is to have a battle that doesn't kill PCs, put the group up against kobolds or some such lesser challenge.

While this is true, I think the special abilities of the frenzied berserker are extenuating circumstances that merit examining the encounter to make sure it isn't a broken challenge - just the same way you have to be careful about using creatures with the blashphemy spell.

And remember, this apparently isn't a situation where the characters have a chance to re-prepare their spells before the fight or do any intelligence gathering. The NPC is already in their presence and threatening them, from what I understand.

 

[Hypersmurf]

... just the same way you have to be careful about using creatures with the blashphemy spell.

I'm shuddenly picshuring a bunk Dralor... I mean, a drunk Balor...

Blashphemy! [hic!]

-Hyp.