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

[Bryan898]

Hi, I've mostly lurked here and just read through your story hour over most of the last week and have to say you are an excellent DM with a great group of role-players. Such creative genius is rare

I have an idea as to what you could have happen... If you're looking for the classical approach you could have there be an evil greater evil behind Imbrindarla. Perphaps the next most fitting person rises to gain her portfolio, a likely candidate being Kellharin. Then he could be much much worse than Imbrindarla ever was, bringing about more problems than she ever did. You could even push it further, creating a story that Kellharin himself created the coup. Galanna is exiled from godship for striking down another diety and she needs Tao's help to uncover the truth and recover her portfolio and divine rank. Meanwhile, the ghouls whom were thought defeated are now stronger than ever. The Defenders must defend against the onslaught of ghouls and prove Kellharin's crime at the same time. It seems the Defenders already have a hatred for Kellharin, perphaps now they can hate him much more.

 

[Talix]

The deviousness level in this thread is rather frightening!

 

[Piratecat]

I agree.

Actually, I read recently about a spell that makes zombies into fireball traps; kill one, and it blows up. Anyone remember where that was?

I'm thinking of a very, very sneaky trap.

Some of the ideas above are just wonderful. I'm not planning on having Tao ascend; high fantasy or not, I'm not a big fan of PCs becoming gods. I'm sure it's a remnant of my adolescent monk/cleric/wizard who solely killed lots of "monsters" in Dieties and Demigods. Ahem. Not that ever happened, or anything. Honest.

But thanks to you folk, I've found a way to gracefully remove her from the action and give her something meaningful to do. I think it's reasonable that people not in the know are rising up against Galanna's church. Tao will need to revive the Knights of the Horn in order to turn the tide - just the thing for a solo PC!

 

[The Forsaken One]

I had zombies/ghouls dat detonated in a blast with damage in negative energy equal to their HD... That gave my PC's a scare from anything that might lurk around the next corner.

Kill it before it gets into ran... BOOM... crap not again....

Or if you are really feeling evil.. have a part of it be Vile damage..

--

Also had a spell, medium range, level 3 necromancy, that had corses explode with negative energy (or part vile..) and dmg anyone withni XX feet (30 ft radius burst I believe) with damage equal to the HD of the creature. This HD type would be of the creatures type so Humans would get d4's dmg, 11th level wizard would explode into 11d4, but a 11th level barb would also explode into it. It's a bit weird I know but just using species HD make it work and balanced it abit.

And as one of your creations once had, it strengthens the other undead 2...

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Actually, I read recently about a spell that makes zombies into fireball traps; kill one, and it blows up. Anyone remember where that was?

Corpse Explosion from Diablo?

 

[Olive]

Actually, I read recently about a spell that makes zombies into fireball traps; kill one, and it blows up. Anyone remember where that was?

It's not the corpsebomb thing from RttToEE?

 

[The Forsaken One]

Just inspire yourself with Infested Terrans from the Starcraft PC Game.

Worked for me

 

[Kaodi]

Exploding People

No way. The only place it can be at is Deja Vu's exploding civilians. I seem to remember that this has special relevance to a particular member of the group.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

I think the spell you're thinking of is Unliving Weapon, a 3rd level cleric spell in the Book of Vile Darkness that causes 1 undead creature to explode for 1d6 damage/caster level in a 10 ft. radius if it takes 1 point of damage. Tell me if you need the specifics though, I'd be glad to help

 

[sithramir]

zombies

Zombies that blow up with fireballs when killed are called melts. They are out of Dragon's Ascension from Ed Greenwood. As to a spell that replicates it I dunno. Maybe some mix of a contingency/delayed blast fireball or something or your own making could do the trick?