OB1
Jedi Master
Yes, it is possible to challenge high level PCs run by experienced players.
Had a fantastic session this weekend and thought I would share with everyone the results of a 6 PC, 15th level combat that was challenging, fun and appropriately epic. The combat itself was 4 hours of a 5 ½ hour session.
The Style: I run a summer blockbuster style game that is part Mission Impossible, part Avengers. Players have broad control over how to approach the missions they are given by their Captain in the Worldwide Agency. Each player runs 2 PCs, who are typically split on different missions but who all come together for Tier Finale sessions.
The Setting: Duotin, a small blob of material plane in the Far Realms. Cut off from Divine power except for a benevolent force known as Ki, the light of the world (but no resurrection magic). All races were brought here by Illithid millennia ago attempting to hide from the Gith and re-establish their empire. The Illithid were killed off shortly after arrival by The Darkness Itself. The races they brought remained and thrived under the protection of Ki.
The PCs: All 15th level, all with +2 weapons (with other effects) plus an assortment of other rare/very rare gear. Human Assassin, Human Batlemaster, Human Four Elements monk (with healing abilities), High Elf Hunter Ranger, Drow Shadow Monk, Illithid (home brew) Transmuter Wizard. All got an additional ASI at 1st level, reflecting their status as Agents.
The Mission: A powerful Lich, Arath Sindo, who has been pulling the strings behind the events of the last three Tiers has revealed herself and is preparing her final plan to bring a Great Old One known as The Darkness Itself into the world in an attempt to raise a massive undead army. Our six heroes, having foiled two other plans as separate teams of 3, have joined back together to confront this threat, though they believe it may be a trap. Players are given a “Life Support System” as a final magic item boon before the mission, they can regain 50hp as a bonus action, or, when they drop to 0 HPs, can activate as a reaction and go to 25hp instead. This is a one-time use item.
The Encounter: Decided to put all of the daily XP allotment (108,000) into a single, two part combat in the ruined, mountain top tower that is the lair of the Lich. Given the advantages my PCs have, I tend to have the Tier finales against an enemy who is about 150% of their level in CR. In this case, a CR22 Lich in her lair. I also used Sly Flourish’s guide to running the deadly Lich, giving Arath both a Staff of the Magi and Robe of the Archmagi.
Part 1: After tempting the players with the promise to turn them into powerful undead to help in the coming war against the Illithid that the players rejected, combat begins against a Lich Clone (Half HP, only 4th level spells and below) riding a Blue Dracolich. The main goal of the Lich is to extract Ki from the monks to open a portal for The Darkness Itself. A DC 22 Con save could be activated by the Lair or the Clone (as a Legendary Action) and on a fail a Ki point is taken (this was the trap).
This part works almost exactly as I intended, with the PCs taking out the clone halfway through the second round and the portal having extracted enough Ki to open.
Interlude: The real Arath, who has been watching from a crystal ball in an extradimensional space connected to the lair, uses a Time Stop Scroll to come out of hiding and meet The Darkness Itself along with two Shield Guardians and an Iron Golem. But alas, it turns out the insane great old one had other plans, and doesn’t come through the portal (Tier IV setup stuff that I won’t go into here). Enraged, Arath prepares to destroy the party, first getting herself into good position and then unleashing Meteor Swarm to end the Time Stop and officially start Part 2 of combat.
Part 2: Four of the six PCs end up having to use their Life support system to prevent themselves from dropping from the Meteor Swarm. Additionally, the swarm has begun an avalanche that cuts the board in half making it tricky to get back and forth and almost sweeping one PC over an 80’ drop. With such a massive initial blow, the PCs have trouble getting their feet under them, having to choose each round between rising up falling comrades or trying to deal damage to the enemy. They manage to take out the Dracolich in round 5, but by round 7, with 3 PCs down and the other 4 enemies remaining, it begins to look like it might end in a TPK (which I had a fail forward plan for).
That’s when the Elements Monk (who has healing) takes a huge risk to get into position to use his remaining Ki to heal the 3 PCs (including the shadow monk and wizard who both were down with 2 death strikes against them). I take him out with the next three turns (Lich, Shield Guardian, Golem), but also award inspiration to the survivors for his sacrifice.
That ends up being the turning point in the battle, as the Wizard takes out the two Shield Guardians (who were low on HP) allowing the group to focus on Arath. Arath commands the Golem to take out the wizard as she fights for her life. The wizard puts himself in extreme jeopardy to line up a sunbeam against the Golem and the Lich, dealing enough damage to Arath that the shadow monk is able to take her out the next turn. But the Golem follows its last command, attacking the Wizard until it is first down and then finishing him with a sword through the heart as the rest of the party attacks it. It’s too late, but they finally get the Golem down.
Wrap up: PCs are able to find and destroy the Phylactery, but with 2 PCs dead it’s a somber walk back home.
At the end of the 5 hour 10 round combat and story wrap, we talked about the results as players. Everyone believed that fight was challenging and fair (there had been plenty of hints and warnings beforehand to let them know what to expect and just how difficult this would be) and thought that this was one of the best sessions of the entire campaign (which began during the playtest).
My biggest concern was the Iron Golem taking a death strike against the Wizard when he was down, but the player respected the decision. He heard the Lich give the command to kill him and put himself in danger anyhow. With Arath down, he thought it made sense that the Golem would continue following its last command.
Curious to hear what Enworld thinks of the combat and happy to answer questions anyone might have.
Had a fantastic session this weekend and thought I would share with everyone the results of a 6 PC, 15th level combat that was challenging, fun and appropriately epic. The combat itself was 4 hours of a 5 ½ hour session.
The Style: I run a summer blockbuster style game that is part Mission Impossible, part Avengers. Players have broad control over how to approach the missions they are given by their Captain in the Worldwide Agency. Each player runs 2 PCs, who are typically split on different missions but who all come together for Tier Finale sessions.
The Setting: Duotin, a small blob of material plane in the Far Realms. Cut off from Divine power except for a benevolent force known as Ki, the light of the world (but no resurrection magic). All races were brought here by Illithid millennia ago attempting to hide from the Gith and re-establish their empire. The Illithid were killed off shortly after arrival by The Darkness Itself. The races they brought remained and thrived under the protection of Ki.
The PCs: All 15th level, all with +2 weapons (with other effects) plus an assortment of other rare/very rare gear. Human Assassin, Human Batlemaster, Human Four Elements monk (with healing abilities), High Elf Hunter Ranger, Drow Shadow Monk, Illithid (home brew) Transmuter Wizard. All got an additional ASI at 1st level, reflecting their status as Agents.
The Mission: A powerful Lich, Arath Sindo, who has been pulling the strings behind the events of the last three Tiers has revealed herself and is preparing her final plan to bring a Great Old One known as The Darkness Itself into the world in an attempt to raise a massive undead army. Our six heroes, having foiled two other plans as separate teams of 3, have joined back together to confront this threat, though they believe it may be a trap. Players are given a “Life Support System” as a final magic item boon before the mission, they can regain 50hp as a bonus action, or, when they drop to 0 HPs, can activate as a reaction and go to 25hp instead. This is a one-time use item.
The Encounter: Decided to put all of the daily XP allotment (108,000) into a single, two part combat in the ruined, mountain top tower that is the lair of the Lich. Given the advantages my PCs have, I tend to have the Tier finales against an enemy who is about 150% of their level in CR. In this case, a CR22 Lich in her lair. I also used Sly Flourish’s guide to running the deadly Lich, giving Arath both a Staff of the Magi and Robe of the Archmagi.
Part 1: After tempting the players with the promise to turn them into powerful undead to help in the coming war against the Illithid that the players rejected, combat begins against a Lich Clone (Half HP, only 4th level spells and below) riding a Blue Dracolich. The main goal of the Lich is to extract Ki from the monks to open a portal for The Darkness Itself. A DC 22 Con save could be activated by the Lair or the Clone (as a Legendary Action) and on a fail a Ki point is taken (this was the trap).
This part works almost exactly as I intended, with the PCs taking out the clone halfway through the second round and the portal having extracted enough Ki to open.
Interlude: The real Arath, who has been watching from a crystal ball in an extradimensional space connected to the lair, uses a Time Stop Scroll to come out of hiding and meet The Darkness Itself along with two Shield Guardians and an Iron Golem. But alas, it turns out the insane great old one had other plans, and doesn’t come through the portal (Tier IV setup stuff that I won’t go into here). Enraged, Arath prepares to destroy the party, first getting herself into good position and then unleashing Meteor Swarm to end the Time Stop and officially start Part 2 of combat.
Part 2: Four of the six PCs end up having to use their Life support system to prevent themselves from dropping from the Meteor Swarm. Additionally, the swarm has begun an avalanche that cuts the board in half making it tricky to get back and forth and almost sweeping one PC over an 80’ drop. With such a massive initial blow, the PCs have trouble getting their feet under them, having to choose each round between rising up falling comrades or trying to deal damage to the enemy. They manage to take out the Dracolich in round 5, but by round 7, with 3 PCs down and the other 4 enemies remaining, it begins to look like it might end in a TPK (which I had a fail forward plan for).
That’s when the Elements Monk (who has healing) takes a huge risk to get into position to use his remaining Ki to heal the 3 PCs (including the shadow monk and wizard who both were down with 2 death strikes against them). I take him out with the next three turns (Lich, Shield Guardian, Golem), but also award inspiration to the survivors for his sacrifice.
That ends up being the turning point in the battle, as the Wizard takes out the two Shield Guardians (who were low on HP) allowing the group to focus on Arath. Arath commands the Golem to take out the wizard as she fights for her life. The wizard puts himself in extreme jeopardy to line up a sunbeam against the Golem and the Lich, dealing enough damage to Arath that the shadow monk is able to take her out the next turn. But the Golem follows its last command, attacking the Wizard until it is first down and then finishing him with a sword through the heart as the rest of the party attacks it. It’s too late, but they finally get the Golem down.
Wrap up: PCs are able to find and destroy the Phylactery, but with 2 PCs dead it’s a somber walk back home.
At the end of the 5 hour 10 round combat and story wrap, we talked about the results as players. Everyone believed that fight was challenging and fair (there had been plenty of hints and warnings beforehand to let them know what to expect and just how difficult this would be) and thought that this was one of the best sessions of the entire campaign (which began during the playtest).
My biggest concern was the Iron Golem taking a death strike against the Wizard when he was down, but the player respected the decision. He heard the Lich give the command to kill him and put himself in danger anyhow. With Arath down, he thought it made sense that the Golem would continue following its last command.
Curious to hear what Enworld thinks of the combat and happy to answer questions anyone might have.
