couple questions (intimidate, temp HP, KotS, etc)

[Coldaan]

Hi Everyone!

I just recently started DMing the new "mini-adventure" included in the new DMG which will lead my group eventually into KotS. After the first playsession, however, a lot of questions occured to me.

1) Intimidate

My players decided they wanted to play evil characters, so I let them. I like evil characters.^^ But it seems to me the act of intimidating is far too easy. Although it is stated in the PHB that being "unfriendly" grants you a +5 on will defense it is still too easy somehow, some of my players have as much as +10 on intimidate, but only about 11 or 12 on will defense.
So not only am I looking for a rule that states how often it is possible to try to intimidate someone out of combat, but also it seems strange to me that my tiefling warlock is very good AT intimidating but also very weak AGAINST bein intimidated.

Any thoughts?

2) Warlock constantly hurting himself

I assume this "Hellish Rebuke" power already screams for the action of hurting yourself every round, but is "I cut myself a little bit (1HP) with my Scythe on my back" really a minor or free action? Then what's the whole point of this "Hellish Rebuke" if it's so easy to trigger the second effect?

3) Temporary Hitpoints

Sigh, so the PHB states they don't stack from different sources, and that's about it. So my Paladin uses "Bolstering Strike" and gets lets say 2 Temp HP. Then he uses his "Lifedrinking Longsword" to kill someone, and the sword grants him 5 temp HP. So I assume he has 5 temp Hp then, because temp HP don't stack and 5>2. Is this right?
But what if he kills someone with the sword (+5 temp HP) and in the next round uses his "Bolstering Strike"? He already has 5 temp HP, so is the Strike really useless then?

4) Adventure Hook for evil Groups (SPOILER)

As I said I plan to go to KotS now, and I use the "missing mentor" hook to get them there, because that seemed to me the only reasonable hook for evil chars. But what if they get there then? They all worship Bane except for 1 who worships the Raven Queen (my only hope^^), but is this really enough to bring them as far as stopping the Cult of Orcus? Is this adventure even playable for an evil group?

PS:: I really hate the fact they left out evil characters completely, there are not only no adventure hooks but also not even "channel divinity" feats for the evil divine classes.

 

[Mirkurnas]

2) I would rule out that your Warlock could exactly give himself 1 hp of damage. Cutting yourself (in combat) isn't that easy, so just make him roll the damage of his dagger (or whatever weapon he's using). That will make him think twice, though I believe that the option of hurting yourself to deal damage to someone else should stay open (its the warlock way )

3) Yep, use another power if you already have more temporary hitpoints

4) Every God, except Lolth and Gruumsh, hate demons because they just want to destroy the world. Bane would hate that, as he wants to dominate everything himself. Make your players understand that and bring the head of that necromancer on a silver platter

 

[Dayspire]

(snip)As I said I plan to go to KotS now, and I use the "missing mentor" hook to get them there, because that seemed to me the only reasonable hook for evil chars. But what if they get there then? They all worship Bane except for 1 who worships the Raven Queen (my only hope^^), but is this really enough to bring them as far as stopping the Cult of Orcus? Is this adventure even playable for an evil group?

PS:: I really hate the fact they left out evil characters completely, there are not only no adventure hooks but also not even "channel divinity" feats for the evil divine classes.

This is the problem with evil groups, and why they have left out that 'style' completely. It rarely works (and when it does it usually devolves into 'kill porn'). Motivating evil groups is way too difficult for DM's...

 

[Coldaan]

thanks for the answers ;-)

I probably will rule that cutting himself with his scythe (which is on his back) will result in at least 1d4 damage, which is half of the damage a scythe does.
and it will probably be either a minor or even a move action (so he probably can't do it every round), but i'm not sure about that yet.

yes and thanks for the tip with the evil gods also not liking to get the world destroyed they actually want to rule, i wonder how long this will hold my players back ;-)