Challenging my high-lvl group (NPCs and monsters; my players shouldn't read this!)

[Piratecat]

It really depends on the session. I average an hour of aimless brainstorming and an hour of actual prep per week.

Most sessions require little or no prep work, other than thinking about plot in the shower (or driving, or falling asleep; I really miss not being in more boring business meetings, because that's when I did my best design work). I scribble my thoughts down in cryptic sentence fragments on a single piece of paper, and I'm ready to go. A favorite technique is also using a flowchart to map out who's doing what, and how the PCs might react.

I really like doing handouts. Most of my Excel maps don't take me too long (less than an hour), but I only make them when they'll actually be useful. I also like providing handouts like Murliss' love note, because it provides insight into the minds of the bad guys. Lately, Agar has been using a spell that shows him visions, and I've spent maybe a half hour a week writing up "cut scenes" that he sees.. thus providing the same sort of effect.

But lordy, there are exceptions. I find that I dislike "ballparking" NPCs only when I want to provide a real challenge. That means that before a big fight game, I spend a lot of time generating NPCs. I'll be moving to doing this electronically, but I'm not there yet. It can be time consuming. I plan ahead enough that I can spread the effort out over 2-4 weeks.

For this next session, for instance, I've had to create:

- a prestige class (the kuo-toa whip),
- a 19th lvl kuo-toa cleric/hierophant,
- two 16th lvl kuo-toa whips (cleric 3/rogue 3/whip 10),
- a 16th lvl kuo-toa monitor,
- an assortment of 10th lvl kuo-toa fighters,
- a half-dozen or so unique magic items,
- a rough schedule of what happens when (with or without the PCs' intervention),
- a series of prophecies,
- a rough map of Glubyal,
- a specific map of the area around the shrine of the Glass Pool,
- some research into new ways to resolve large-scale combat,
- sneaky kuo-toa battle tactics.

Whew! The high level spellcasters, in specific, took me at least an hour per NPC. I'm glad I don't do this sort of thing too often. It should be worth it, though; if the PCs go into next game foolishly and without a clever plan, they're going to get a very rude awakening. There's a good chance of a body count; and really, that's why I want to make sure that my rules are nice and solid.

 

[Schmoe]

I want to share with you the game announcement that I just sent out to my players. We won;t reach it in the story hour for a month or so, but I thought you might be amused:

You know, I really like this idea! What a wonderful way to get players interested and involved in the game before an evening's session. Do you do this before every game, or just certain sessions that seem more important?

 

[Ashy]

I used to do it for my group, but the bulk of them (sadly) never seemed to appreciate it.

Actually, there is a lot that PKitty and I do the same when it comes to DMing, I just think that he does it LOTS better than me!

 

[Talix]

Looking at that list of preparation materials, I despair of ever having enough time or creativity to do a good story hour. Hell, even a decent storyhour - I'm not saying I want to be PirateCat (well, I do, but you know what I mean ), but just to not bore my future players.

Enough of my whining - if you can't tell, I'm very impressed, and I can't WAIT to hear about this mammoth session - it sounded like an uber-climax to me, and the fact that this is only about half-way through the campaign is pretty freaked out. In a good way.

 

[Piratecat]

Cruciel, Angel of the Arch, Angel of the Broken Siege

NG half-celestial; Rogue 1, fighter 5, Devoted Defender 8

AC: 26 or 30 (+7 armor, +5 shield, +1 natural, +3 dex, +4 dodge when defending charge)

S 22 +6
D 16 +3
C 16 +3
I 12 +1
W 17 +3
CH 18 +4

Fort: +13 (+4 vs poison)
Ref: +12
Will: +8

Init +7
Move 30’, 60’ flying (feathered wings.) Low-light vision.
Immune to acid, cold, disease, & electricity.

Hit Points: 130

BAB: +13/+8/+3
With Godguard: +22/+17/+12, 1d8+10 (+2d6 vs evil), 17-20/x2 (+1d6 sneak attack?)

Feats: Alertness, combat reflexes, expertise, improved critical (longsword), improved initiative, iron will, weapon focus (longsword), weapon specialization (longsword),

Skills: diplomacy +8, intimidate +8, knowledge (siegecraft) +15, listen +9, perform (trumpet) +8, profession (mason) +10, search +13, sense motive +15, spot +17

Class abilities:

• Sneak attack +1d6
• Harm’s Way: You can switch places with your charge if you are within 5’ of him and he is attacked.
• Defensive strike +3: You may make an AoO against any adjacent opponent who attacks your charge in melee. This attack is made with the listed competence bonus to hit.
• Deflect attack +3: Once per round when your charge is attacked, you may make an opposed attack roll. You gain a competence bonus to your attack roll as indicated on the table. If you beat the attacker, you deflect the blow.

Spell-like abilities (at character lvl.)
At will: light. 3/day: prot vs evil
1/day: bless, aid, detect evil, cure serious wounds (worshippers of Calphas only), neutralize poison (worshippers of Calphas only), holy smite, remove disease (worshippers of Calphas only), hallow

Longsword +2, holy (Godguard): as a one minute action, allows wielder to merge with charge’s shadow, intangible but seeing and hearing normally. May emerge as a free action. DR 20/+1 while in shadow form.

Mithral chain shirt +3 (+7 AC)

Shield +3 (+5 AC)

Personality: Cruciel suffers from pride. She has been instructed to guard Velendo as a lesson in humility, abasing herself as a servant of a mortal, and no matter how attentive and devoted she is the punishment still rankles. She tends to personally condemn sinners and exceeds her authority in rewarding the faithful. In her current task, she usually prefers to blend in with Velendo’s shadow and not draw undue attention. Cruciel is credited with giving the secret of the arch to mortals, and for teaching them the secrets of defensive siegecraft. Her task as divine bodyguard is partially to pay for these lapses, and partially to pay for the willfulness that inspired them.

---

Note: Cruciel does not have access to several spell-like abilities (dispel evil, holy aura, holy word) normally available to half-celestials.

 

[Greybar]

Mechanism-wise, is she a cohort to Velendo or a special plot-related NPC?

John

 

[Piratecat]

She's his new cohort. She's not especially used to having flesh, and that may cause some trouble - we'll have to see.

Cause y'know, what we REALLY need is another NPC in the group! That's why she has Godguard - she can stay out of the way when we're worrying about other things, yet stay close enough to still protect him. It seems to work fairly well.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

Fantastic stuff. Really interesting use of the Devoted Defender PrC.

BTW, have the Paladins acquired the Radiant Servant PrC yet, in game, because from what I've read it doesn't appear so. How close are they to it?

 

[Benben]

Guardian angels hiding in people's shadows is something I will definitely be stealing for my campaign. I'm surprised you added that ability to the sword, instead of swapping out some of the Half-Celestial powers.

It also adds an interesting twist to an old moral homily about a variable number of footprints in sand.

 

[Piratecat]

BTW, have the Paladins acquired the Radiant Servant PrC yet, in game, because from what I've read it doesn't appear so. How close are they to it?

They have, but I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't recount it in the story hour. The moment passed while they were in Akin's Throat, and I was so anxious to finish up to this point that I haven't written it yet.

I'll cover it in a flashback, I think.