Best way to play an Ancient White Dracolich (with Ancient Red Stats)?

[Oofta]

It's difficult to design an encounter for a party that we don't know. In addition, what's the goal of the encounter and how does it fit in to the overall narrative? This is not the BBEG fight, so what's the goal? Wear people down? Give them a taste for how difficult the final boss fight well be?

My general advice is kind of a a repeat from another post, but here goes

• Monsters have advantage on a regular basis. I justify it multiple ways, or just secretly roll it. In this case I would give your dracolich "ice sight" where he can see through an icy fog that is obscuring for other people.
• Do more damage. Not just more damage, but more types of damage. Particularly useful for my wife's half-orc character that has resistance to weapon damage. The suggestion of necrotic damage is great here. They're going to be expecting cold attacks so mix it up some.
• Attack more. Bonus actions or just multiple attacks. Use lair actions to do damage.
• Attacks that do more than damage. Taking people out of the fight is boring, but restraining them by having ice grow around them that is slowly crushing them? Go for it.
• Transformations. This one is a little trickier (and to do justice would take more time than I have) but instead of making monsters big bags of HP, have them change at certain points. At a 2/3 of their HP they lose some AC but start blindly flailing getting more attacks at a bonus. At 1/3 their HP their acidic/demonic blood is spraying everywhere causing automatic damage (or constitution save for half). When they die they explode.
• Spiritual allies. Instead of giving a monster minions that can be killed, they send out spiritual allies (inspired by a cleric's spiritual weapon) that can attack as a bonus action. In this case it would be ice-devils of course.
• Counterspell. This one can be annoying if overused, but give the enemy casters counterspell. If you really want to be mean, the enemy caster is a sorcerer that can cast without verbal or somatic so their counter can't be countered.
• Ranged attacks. Almost all creatures have effective range attacks or can get to people that are flying away. I'd give the dracolich the ability to form ice-spears that he can chuck at people at will.
• Different saves. I make up a lot of monsters. So sometimes it's going to be strength saves, sometimes it's going to be intelligence and so on. I don't pick on individuals, but I do try to vary what I'm targeting.

 

[Balfore]

The most important thing for a big battle with a BBEG, is to present multiple objectives to the players. There should be minions and the environment of course, but there should also be something else that they need to focus on (apart from killing the BBEG). Maybe the BBEG is trying to open up a rift that will summon reinforcements, which makes the fight a lot more difficult? Maybe the players are on a timer, and they need to stop something from happening within a few rounds?

I also really like interactive environments. Have your monsters kick over a pillar or two, striking multiple squares in a line, or activating traps in the lair.

I really like this.
Did you read how and where the battle is taking place?
*It's in a pocket dimension in the Far Realm.
*Movement is accomplished by making a WIS check.
*They will all appear spread out by at least 50 feet.
*The BBEG will be in the center, standing in a runed activated Globe of Invulnerability.
*He will have access to 3, 9th level spells
*He has an insane save DC, to hit, artifacts and HP.


I like the idea if multiple objectives,
What are some ideas that would fit this 'thematically'?

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[Stalker0]

The boss looks pretty hoss. I would have the wand of orcus used ahead of time to have those undead in the field. It’s a waste to do it once the battle starts

 

[Quickleaf]

Well, here's th pyramid. LOL.

The Dracolich is the last boss fight before my BBEG, who is an old evil character of mine, in which an old DM of mine ran.
He (my character) was ruthless. Another player played as my brother, and a really good friend of mine played a lawful good paladin (ha...his mistake).<snip>

Good information in this post. Sounds like lots of good gaming history Let me break it down and ask some targeted questions & offer my own ideas...

Basically, the gist as I understand it is that you played an evil necromancer-turned-lich PC named Cyphus who didn't have much rhyme or reason beyond "being evil for evil's sake", and that same retired PC from years ago is now returning as an NPC villain and you're including bits from your old party's past adventures into the current game you're running (e.g. killed a white dragon, now it's a dracolich!).

I explained to the DM, that I wanted to know other worldly magic, which helped my learn how to do the pyramid. (I forget now how it works). And I made my home in this area. He eventually mastered necromancy and grew an army, to include the white dragon. He's probably the worst villain on the planet with understanding of multiple magic schools and artifacts of protection and sorts.

I'm still curious why an inverted pyramid (as opposed to a citadel)? My assumption would be there's a mystical reason, for example drawing "energy" up from below (instead of from above), perhaps draining the land itself in a manner akin to the defilers of Dark Sun?

Is the idea that inside the pyramid is Cyphus the lich (or at least the portal to his Far Realms demesnes is accessed from within the pyramid)? And that outside the pyramid is this ancient white dracolich acting as a guardian? So the challenge is getting past the guardian and into the pyramid, by any means possible, not necessarily killing it? If that's the case, this could be a much more open-ended encounter than a straight-up fight. Of course, you know your group best; maybe they're particularly bloodthirsty types.

Since this ancient white dragon was forcibly turned into a dracolich by Cyphus, I imagine it isn't on good terms with him? That could lead to an intriguing scenario where the dracolich performs its guard duty faithfully but drops hints during the fight about where its phylactery is hidden and how if only it were free from Cyphus' control its torment would end.

They fought their way through, and are now on the last 2 bosses.
Last week, they fought a boosted Death Tyrant with save DCs of 20...nearly wiped them. They fought on the same location as where the Dracolich will fight.
The flat part of the pyramid shown in the picture. Which is covered in ice.
I made it difficult terrain, and the melee needed to roll a Dex save before their attack, or fall prone.
Did I mention they have a Paladin? So broken...lol. their saves are amazing, and anyone near them have huge benefit.
Anyhoo...the Paladin turned to stone, the bard turned to stone, the 2 Barbarians were put to sleep...all that was left, was my wife.
The Life Cleric, who doesn't really play that much, and can't role play very well.
She decided to Flamestrike the Death Tyrant. Well, she killed it.
Everyone thought it was over, and people were upset, and we're complaining.
When she killed it (I faked the save, he really did make it, I just wanted them to feel like the heroes). They all got super excited, and said, FINALLY!
"Greg, that should have been your last battle...it's going to be hard to top that one"

Well, that's where I'm at now. Finding a new and creative way to finish this up.
The Dracolich will use the same platform (about 100x100) for the battle and his lair.

I'm a bit confused. Besides you making an amazing model (really, well done!), why is the dracolich using the same pyramid as the death tyrant? Didn't the party get resurrected? Or is this a new party returning to the site where their past PCs were petrified?

If so... that is just begging to be turned into part of the encounter with the ancient white dracolich (which deserves a proper name, btw)! For example, maybe the petrified PCs long-since died but the dracolich can "thaw them out" as undead versions of themselves? Like reverse the petrification mechanic of the medusa to give the PCs 1-2 rounds of warning as the "statues" of the former PCs begin to thaw and twitch in a parody of life.

Alternately, you might give the ancient white dracolich a memento from the death tyrant, like a necklace of frozen milky white beholder eyes which bestows it with some of the immunities the death tyrant had.

 

[Balfore]

I'm toying with the idea that the Dracolich will have a gem in its forehead tat the BBEG uses as a scrying device, and will be able to cast spells thru it.
It also enables him to see the progress oc the battle.

Yeah, I like that idea. A bunch of undead floating in the Far Realm, surrounding him like the Kuiper Belt...lol

Picture this...in the Far Realm.
The playing field will be about 100 x 100ft.

BBEG in the middle, standing on a runed pedestal with the spell Globe of Invulnerability etched in the runes, at 9th level.

Surrounded by undead (yet to be determined which undead would work here) at about 40 feet from him.

In order for the heroes to move, they must make a DC 15 WIS Check (not save) in order to 'will themselves' to move, because the Far Realm is a crazy place.

**here's where there needs to be stages in the battle. The heroes need to accomplish something in order to get the BBEG down to a winning chance.

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[Balfore]

Good information in this post. Sounds like lots of good gaming history Let me break it down and ask some targeted questions & offer my own ideas...

Basically, the gist as I understand it is that you played an evil necromancer-turned-lich PC named Cyphus who didn't have much rhyme or reason beyond "being evil for evil's sake", and that same retired PC from years ago is now returning as an NPC villain and you're including bits from your old party's past adventures into the current game you're running (e.g. killed a white dragon, now it's a dracolich!).



I'm still curious why an inverted pyramid (as opposed to a citadel)? My assumption would be there's a mystical reason, for example drawing "energy" up from below (instead of from above), perhaps draining the land itself in a manner akin to the defilers of Dark Sun?

Is the idea that inside the pyramid is Cyphus the lich (or at least the portal to his Far Realms demesnes is accessed from within the pyramid)? And that outside the pyramid is this ancient white dracolich acting as a guardian? So the challenge is getting past the guardian and into the pyramid, by any means possible, not necessarily killing it? If that's the case, this could be a much more open-ended encounter than a straight-up fight. Of course, you know your group best; maybe they're particularly bloodthirsty types.

Since this ancient white dragon was forcibly turned into a dracolich by Cyphus, I imagine it isn't on good terms with him? That could lead to an intriguing scenario where the dracolich performs its guard duty faithfully but drops hints during the fight about where its phylactery is hidden and how if only it were free from Cyphus' control its torment would end.



I'm a bit confused. Besides you making an amazing model (really, well done!), why is the dracolich using the same pyramid as the death tyrant? Didn't the party get resurrected? Or is this a new party returning to the site where their past PCs were petrified?

If so... that is just begging to be turned into part of the encounter with the ancient white dracolich (which deserves a proper name, btw)! For example, maybe the petrified PCs long-since died but the dracolich can "thaw them out" as undead versions of themselves? Like reverse the petrification mechanic of the medusa to give the PCs 1-2 rounds of warning as the "statues" of the former PCs begin to thaw and twitch in a parody of life.

Alternately, you might give the ancient white dracolich a memento from the death tyrant, like a necklace of frozen milky white beholder eyes which bestows it with some of the immunities the death tyrant had.[/QUOTE [MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION]
The Dracolichs domain is the entire area, which extends beyond the pyramid.
He allowed, and tolerated the Death Tyrant a small piece of real estate to perform his duties of guarding the next phase or 'running blocker' to stop people from getting to the BBEG.

Since the Death Tyrant failed, the Dracolich now has dominion over the lair.
He can bend the landscape to his will, so, having everything made of ice, it's an easy shoe in for the Dracolich.

Yes, the pyramid is drawing energy from deep within the earth.
Ice is also a magnificent prerequisite to make Simulacrums. (We haven't even touched on that possibility )

The Dracolichs swore to protect the area from intruders, and the BBEG granted him rule over the area, giving him items and treasure to start his hoard.

In The Tomb of Horrors, room 22, I made that a gateway to the Far Realm, as an obstacle to keep people away. Once they went through, separated them all, (so they didn't have the benifits of standing next to the Paladin. They then had to WILL themselves to move).
Upon entering, and being separated, they saw a Shuggoth, a Blood Orchid Savant and 2 Nether Voidlings (from Tome of Beasts...awesome book), that were guarding another portal.
Once they finally killed the monsters, they went through the portal, and landed on top of the pyramid (which is the larger flat part).
That's when they fought the Death Tyrant.
They were all pretty much dead, except the life cleric. She was able to bring them all back.
So the bard cast the magnificent mansion, and they rested for the next fight.

When they exited the mansion, I explained that they saw the Dracolich off in the distance perched upon the walls of an ancient elven city, that was totally encased in ice for centuries (part of my epilogue).

That's where we ended until next session.

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[Balfore]

Take a look at what I have so far.
Feel free to adjust:

Dragon
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B75HENtC9YIKRV9wMHVKQjBuZFkwVXNPRTk2Qm1nVGQ5czN3/view?usp=drivesdk

The Master
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B75HENtC9YIKZ2tkbF9WTHJ1aUc0YzBVWlpIaUFNREVkbWhj/view?usp=drivesdk


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[Balfore]

I really would like a homebrew version of a 5e Blasphemy spell. Nothing too OP, but something to create some obstacles to over come.

OH, I almost forgot.
The Dracolich needs to have some decent treasure that will help them overcome the BBEG.
I've discovered, that most players 'forget' they even have the items, and they fail, where they should have succeeded...lol

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[Balfore]

Bump

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[Imaculata]

Don't bump the thread. If you are the last person to post in a thread, just edit your last post to include your extra text. And if you don't have anything new to say, then don't add a post. Not everyone posts on these forums on a daily basis. Threads will sometimes remain on hold for a week until a new person posts in it, after which they will gradually sink to the bottom of the forum, as they should. So don't panic if no one responds in a thread for a while. It doesn't mean people don't care.