Here is another encounter from my epic level campaign. This encounter took place on the ground floor of Vecna’s secret tower deep inside Pandemonium.
In my campaign Vecna has been killed and the group were on a mission to collect a vial of liquid from the Font of Tears that is somewhere in the tower. This was sort of a side quest, they were getting the vial in exchange for information of where they might find the third piece of an artefact they are collecting might be found.
They had previously been through a few trials travelling through Pandemonium, and had battled a load of undead outside the tower, which they dealt with very easily.
Inside the large tower were eight stone pillars, two sets of small metal pillars and three operating tables, one with the remains of a skeleton and one with a partly dissected corpse on it.
When the group investigated the tables four of the columns opened up each revealing a Bone Gollum and the battle was on, their was also a Spectral Surgeon in the room (invisible) that started to make its way into an advantageous position.
When the first four Bone Golems had been defeated the second set of stone pillars opened revealing four more.
Bone Golem Guardian Level 26 Brute
Large Natural Animate (construct) XP 9,000
Initiative +19 Senses Perception +21
HP 300; Bloodied 150; see Shatter
AC 38; Fortitude 40, Reflex 36, Will 38
Immune disease, poison, sleep;
Resist 15 necrotic
Speed 6 (cannot shift)
Bone Grab (Standard; at-will)
Reach 2; attack +29 vs. AC; 3d8+10 damage; on hit target is grabbed
(escape ends)
Choke Hold (Standard; at-will) ♦ grabbed target only
Grabbed target only; attack +27 vs. Fortitude; 4d6+10 damage; on hit the
grab is maintained and target is dazed (save ends), first failed save target
is unconscious (save ends); on miss target takes half damage and the
grab is maintained
Shatter (Free) ♦ when reduced to 0 HPs
When reduced to 0 HPs; burst 2; attack +27 vs. Reflex; 2d6+10 damage
Alignment Unaligned
Skills Athletics +28, Endurance +28
Str 30 (+23) Dex 22 (+19) Wis 8 (+12)
Con 30 (+23) Int 3 (+9) Cha 3 (+9)
Spectral Surgeon Level 24 Elite Lurker
Medium Shadow Humanoid (ghost, undead) XP 12,100
Initiative +25 Senses Perception +21
HP 348; Bloodied 174
AC 38; Fortitude 36, Reflex 37, Will 37
Immune disease, poison;
Resist 30 necrotic, 15 psychic; insubstantial;
Vulnerable 10 radiant
Saving Throws +2
Speed fly 8 (clumsy), phasing
Action Points 1
Bloodletting Incision (Standard; at-will)
Attack +29 vs. AC; 2d6+9 damage (crit 5d6+21); on hit target takes 10
ongoing bleeding damage (save ends); if target is already taking bleeding
damage it is instead increased by 10
Phasing Attack (Standard; at-will) ♦ necrotic
Attack +27 vs. Reflex; 6d6+9 necrotic damage; on hit target gains 1
Wound Point until the end of the encounter
Spectral Dance (Standard; recharge 
) ♦ necrotic
Surgeon shifts 8 squares and may move through enemy squares, this
movement does not provoke opportunity attacks; each enemy Surgeon
moves through takes the following attack; attack +27 vs. Fortitude;
2d6+9 necrotic damage; on hit target gains 2 Wound Points until the end
of the encounter
Amputation (Standard; at-will) ♦ helpless target only
Helpless target only; attack +29 vs. Fortitude (includes CA); automatic
critical hit 5d6+44 damage; on hit target is slowed until the end of the
encounter; hit or miss Surgeon may shift 5 squares
Induce Seizure (Standard; recharge ) ♦ necrotic
Burst 8; enemies only; attack +27 vs. Fortitude; 4d6+9 necrotic damage;
on hit target takes ongoing damage equal to 5 times the number of Wound
Points it has gained (save ends), this ongoing damage may not be reduced
by any means
Wounded Strain (Free) ♦ when attacked
Any enemy with 1 or more Wound Points that includes Surgeon in an
attack either takes damage equal to 2 times the number of Wound Points
they have (this damage may not be reduced by any means) or gains 1
Wound Point until the end of the encounter
Ghost in the Night (Minor; recharge)
Surgeon becomes invisible until it makes an attack; this power may not
recharge while the Surgeon is invisible
Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages common
Skills Intimidate +26, Stealth +26
Str 18 (+16) Dex 28 (+21) Wis 18 (+16)
Con 24 (+19) Int 20 (+17) Cha 28 (+21)
Equipment oversized silver scalpel
It was an interesting enough encounter, due to the Spectral Surgeons special wound system. But My PCs didn’t really have any problems. I had originally designed this encounter with just four Bone Golems but it quickly became apparent that I needed a second wave.
I think the main reason why this encounter wasn’t as deadly as it could have been was due to the Surgeon being undead. My group are very good against undead (well they are very good against everything, but undead more so). It is a good reminder to me that some encounters are there to demonstrate how Epic the characters are, and the next encounter where they faced the three remnants of Vecna himself is a warning to everyone how unstoppable Epic characters can be. But that is another story……
In my campaign Vecna has been killed and the group were on a mission to collect a vial of liquid from the Font of Tears that is somewhere in the tower. This was sort of a side quest, they were getting the vial in exchange for information of where they might find the third piece of an artefact they are collecting might be found.
They had previously been through a few trials travelling through Pandemonium, and had battled a load of undead outside the tower, which they dealt with very easily.
Inside the large tower were eight stone pillars, two sets of small metal pillars and three operating tables, one with the remains of a skeleton and one with a partly dissected corpse on it.
When the group investigated the tables four of the columns opened up each revealing a Bone Gollum and the battle was on, their was also a Spectral Surgeon in the room (invisible) that started to make its way into an advantageous position.
When the first four Bone Golems had been defeated the second set of stone pillars opened revealing four more.
Bone Golem Guardian Level 26 Brute
Large Natural Animate (construct) XP 9,000
Initiative +19 Senses Perception +21
HP 300; Bloodied 150; see Shatter
AC 38; Fortitude 40, Reflex 36, Will 38
Immune disease, poison, sleep;
Resist 15 necrotic
Speed 6 (cannot shift)
Bone Grab (Standard; at-will)Reach 2; attack +29 vs. AC; 3d8+10 damage; on hit target is grabbed
(escape ends)
Choke Hold (Standard; at-will) ♦ grabbed target onlyGrabbed target only; attack +27 vs. Fortitude; 4d6+10 damage; on hit the
grab is maintained and target is dazed (save ends), first failed save target
is unconscious (save ends); on miss target takes half damage and the
grab is maintained
Shatter (Free) ♦ when reduced to 0 HPsWhen reduced to 0 HPs; burst 2; attack +27 vs. Reflex; 2d6+10 damage
Alignment Unaligned
Skills Athletics +28, Endurance +28
Str 30 (+23) Dex 22 (+19) Wis 8 (+12)
Con 30 (+23) Int 3 (+9) Cha 3 (+9)
Spectral Surgeon Level 24 Elite Lurker
Medium Shadow Humanoid (ghost, undead) XP 12,100
Initiative +25 Senses Perception +21
HP 348; Bloodied 174
AC 38; Fortitude 36, Reflex 37, Will 37
Immune disease, poison;
Resist 30 necrotic, 15 psychic; insubstantial;
Vulnerable 10 radiant
Saving Throws +2
Speed fly 8 (clumsy), phasing
Action Points 1
Bloodletting Incision (Standard; at-will)Attack +29 vs. AC; 2d6+9 damage (crit 5d6+21); on hit target takes 10
ongoing bleeding damage (save ends); if target is already taking bleeding
damage it is instead increased by 10
Phasing Attack (Standard; at-will) ♦ necroticAttack +27 vs. Reflex; 6d6+9 necrotic damage; on hit target gains 1
Wound Point until the end of the encounter
Spectral Dance (Standard; recharge ) ♦ necroticSurgeon shifts 8 squares and may move through enemy squares, this
movement does not provoke opportunity attacks; each enemy Surgeon
moves through takes the following attack; attack +27 vs. Fortitude;
2d6+9 necrotic damage; on hit target gains 2 Wound Points until the end
of the encounter
Amputation (Standard; at-will) ♦ helpless target onlyHelpless target only; attack +29 vs. Fortitude (includes CA); automatic
critical hit 5d6+44 damage; on hit target is slowed until the end of the
encounter; hit or miss Surgeon may shift 5 squares
Induce Seizure (Standard; recharge ) ♦ necroticBurst 8; enemies only; attack +27 vs. Fortitude; 4d6+9 necrotic damage;
on hit target takes ongoing damage equal to 5 times the number of Wound
Points it has gained (save ends), this ongoing damage may not be reduced
by any means
Wounded Strain (Free) ♦ when attacked
Any enemy with 1 or more Wound Points that includes Surgeon in an
attack either takes damage equal to 2 times the number of Wound Points
they have (this damage may not be reduced by any means) or gains 1
Wound Point until the end of the encounter
Ghost in the Night (Minor; recharge
)Surgeon becomes invisible until it makes an attack; this power may not
recharge while the Surgeon is invisible
Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages common
Skills Intimidate +26, Stealth +26
Str 18 (+16) Dex 28 (+21) Wis 18 (+16)
Con 24 (+19) Int 20 (+17) Cha 28 (+21)
Equipment oversized silver scalpel
It was an interesting enough encounter, due to the Spectral Surgeons special wound system. But My PCs didn’t really have any problems. I had originally designed this encounter with just four Bone Golems but it quickly became apparent that I needed a second wave.
I think the main reason why this encounter wasn’t as deadly as it could have been was due to the Surgeon being undead. My group are very good against undead (well they are very good against everything, but undead more so). It is a good reminder to me that some encounters are there to demonstrate how Epic the characters are, and the next encounter where they faced the three remnants of Vecna himself is a warning to everyone how unstoppable Epic characters can be. But that is another story……
