FormerlyHemlock
Hero
Good points. Well-said. I'll think about this.
D&D 5E (2014) Design Debate: 13th-level PCs vs. 6- to 8-Encounter Adventuring Day
- Thread starter iserith
- Start date
Good points. Well-said. I'll think about this.
Flamestrike
Legend
Firstly, to those who have contacted me via PM to offer words of support and thanks in the face of some adversity, I thank you. It has... proved surprisingly hard to lay down an adventure and have fun, and your words have given me some hope that I'm not totally mad or doing it wrong. There is a certain type that is an element of our hobby that... well.... you all know the rest.
Anyway, before the fun is totally drained from this experience (and for Azurewraith who has been patently waiting), here is encounter 5 and 6.
I hope encounter six gives you all a chuckle.
Encounter 5:
This room contains 3 shadow demons, that have been infused with the dark energies of the demiplane. They have 100 hit points each, and are under the effect of a haste spell (they keep spread out, and tend to use the extra action granted by haste to use the disengage or dash action). Increase their CR by 2 to reflect these changes. They were recently encountered by the Githyanki above (who underestimated the threat posed by the demons) and wait in this room hidden (DC 22 perception) in ambush. They attack on sight, using a bonus action (and the darkness of the room and the alcoves) to hide each turn, taking advantage of their mobility via the haste spell to move about the room and strike from hiding. They do not leave this room.
Adjusted Difficulty Rating: 13800 XP (medium) XP to award: 6900 XP
Encounter 6:
Lair of Keraptis the mad.
Keraptis has always been a fairly unhinged, however recent events have driven him completely insane. When the adventuring party who destroyed his lar were raiding it, he was in his bathroom taking a bath. Keraptis has always been a modest fellow, and has long held a pervasive fear that he would one day die in the bath. Accordingly his bathroom was one of the most magically guarded and warded places across the planes (including its own shield guardian as a permanent fixture). When the dimensional rift opened up and his lair was destroyed, his bathroom (and both Keraptis and the golem) was largely protected from the devastation – however it was also sucked into the demiplane, being absorbed in this room. Now part of Keraptis' madness has him thinking that the bath he sits in makes him immortal. He refuses to leave it under any circumstances. A DC 10 insight check reveals him to be utterly insane.
As the PCs near this room, they hear mad garbled singing coming from ahead. Inside the room (and still in the bath) is a withered and rather pathetic looking old man singing a nonsensical song to himself sitting in a bath. The bath itself slowly walks around the room as if alive. From the looks of his waterlogged skin, he’s been in the bath for some time. A staff lies on the back wall, near some crumpled clothing (a robe of the evil archmage, with built in pockets that hold his spell components). The bath provides him with cover. A shield guardian stands motionless in the corner of the room, surveying the entrances.
His shield guardian has been enchanted to be under the effect of true seeing at all times (yet another of Keraptis paranoid security measures). It alternates between looking at each of the three doors (randomise which it looks at when the PCs arrive) each round, in a clockwise direction. If it detects the PCs it immediately notifies Keraptis, and its mirror image spell stored in it activates. Finally, all three entrances to the bathroom are under the effects of a permanent alarm spell.
Once Keraptis is aware of the PCs presence, he shrieks a loud ‘GET OUT!’ covers his modesty, and reaches for his robes and staff. Unless the PCs can somehow talk him down (about the only thing that gets his interest and breaks through his madness is a discussion related to weapon collection) he initiates combat and casts time stop on his first turn. He uses his action on the first round to pull his robes on and grab his staff, and the second round to cast globe of invulnerability (which triggers a contingent mirror image). If he has at least one round of time stop remaining, he then casts true seeing (I told you he was paranoid). On the following round, he identifies anyone who looks like a wizard (assuming a rival) or, failing that, anyone with an impressive looking magic weapon (he is a collector after all) and hits them with a power word stun (ending the time stop, if it hasn’t ended already) directing his golem to attack. From there he unleashes his most destructive and highest level spells as soon as he can get them off (chain lightning is a favourite), confident in his magical protections (and the power of his bath).
He is an intelligent and powerful wizard [despite his madness] and should be used to the best of his abilities.
The bath has a movement speed of 30’. It has the same stats as animated armor, but lacks a slam attack. It has a CR of 0.
Keraptis the mad – Archmage – remove wall of force and stoneskin and add contingency, chain lightning and power word stun. Increase his CR to 14 to account for the robes of the archmage – his CR would be higher however he begins the battle vulnerable and without his magical protections active.
Adjusted Difficulty Rating: 21600 XP (hard). XP to award: 14,400 XP
Treasure: Robes of the Evil archmage and his spellbook are his main treasures (and both are almost priceless). He also has components for his spells (including the statue for contingency valued at 1500 gp). The bath is also valuable – any water placed in it is instantly heated and remains warm no matter what the outside temperature, it is inlayed in gold and marble and worth 5000gp, in addition it makes for a rather interesting form of transportation. It obeys the mental commands of anyone inside of it, otherwise it sits around motionless.
Anyway, before the fun is totally drained from this experience (and for Azurewraith who has been patently waiting), here is encounter 5 and 6.
I hope encounter six gives you all a chuckle.
Encounter 5:
This room contains 3 shadow demons, that have been infused with the dark energies of the demiplane. They have 100 hit points each, and are under the effect of a haste spell (they keep spread out, and tend to use the extra action granted by haste to use the disengage or dash action). Increase their CR by 2 to reflect these changes. They were recently encountered by the Githyanki above (who underestimated the threat posed by the demons) and wait in this room hidden (DC 22 perception) in ambush. They attack on sight, using a bonus action (and the darkness of the room and the alcoves) to hide each turn, taking advantage of their mobility via the haste spell to move about the room and strike from hiding. They do not leave this room.
Adjusted Difficulty Rating: 13800 XP (medium) XP to award: 6900 XP
Encounter 6:
Lair of Keraptis the mad.
Keraptis has always been a fairly unhinged, however recent events have driven him completely insane. When the adventuring party who destroyed his lar were raiding it, he was in his bathroom taking a bath. Keraptis has always been a modest fellow, and has long held a pervasive fear that he would one day die in the bath. Accordingly his bathroom was one of the most magically guarded and warded places across the planes (including its own shield guardian as a permanent fixture). When the dimensional rift opened up and his lair was destroyed, his bathroom (and both Keraptis and the golem) was largely protected from the devastation – however it was also sucked into the demiplane, being absorbed in this room. Now part of Keraptis' madness has him thinking that the bath he sits in makes him immortal. He refuses to leave it under any circumstances. A DC 10 insight check reveals him to be utterly insane.
As the PCs near this room, they hear mad garbled singing coming from ahead. Inside the room (and still in the bath) is a withered and rather pathetic looking old man singing a nonsensical song to himself sitting in a bath. The bath itself slowly walks around the room as if alive. From the looks of his waterlogged skin, he’s been in the bath for some time. A staff lies on the back wall, near some crumpled clothing (a robe of the evil archmage, with built in pockets that hold his spell components). The bath provides him with cover. A shield guardian stands motionless in the corner of the room, surveying the entrances.
His shield guardian has been enchanted to be under the effect of true seeing at all times (yet another of Keraptis paranoid security measures). It alternates between looking at each of the three doors (randomise which it looks at when the PCs arrive) each round, in a clockwise direction. If it detects the PCs it immediately notifies Keraptis, and its mirror image spell stored in it activates. Finally, all three entrances to the bathroom are under the effects of a permanent alarm spell.
Once Keraptis is aware of the PCs presence, he shrieks a loud ‘GET OUT!’ covers his modesty, and reaches for his robes and staff. Unless the PCs can somehow talk him down (about the only thing that gets his interest and breaks through his madness is a discussion related to weapon collection) he initiates combat and casts time stop on his first turn. He uses his action on the first round to pull his robes on and grab his staff, and the second round to cast globe of invulnerability (which triggers a contingent mirror image). If he has at least one round of time stop remaining, he then casts true seeing (I told you he was paranoid). On the following round, he identifies anyone who looks like a wizard (assuming a rival) or, failing that, anyone with an impressive looking magic weapon (he is a collector after all) and hits them with a power word stun (ending the time stop, if it hasn’t ended already) directing his golem to attack. From there he unleashes his most destructive and highest level spells as soon as he can get them off (chain lightning is a favourite), confident in his magical protections (and the power of his bath).
He is an intelligent and powerful wizard [despite his madness] and should be used to the best of his abilities.
The bath has a movement speed of 30’. It has the same stats as animated armor, but lacks a slam attack. It has a CR of 0.
Keraptis the mad – Archmage – remove wall of force and stoneskin and add contingency, chain lightning and power word stun. Increase his CR to 14 to account for the robes of the archmage – his CR would be higher however he begins the battle vulnerable and without his magical protections active.
Adjusted Difficulty Rating: 21600 XP (hard). XP to award: 14,400 XP
Treasure: Robes of the Evil archmage and his spellbook are his main treasures (and both are almost priceless). He also has components for his spells (including the statue for contingency valued at 1500 gp). The bath is also valuable – any water placed in it is instantly heated and remains warm no matter what the outside temperature, it is inlayed in gold and marble and worth 5000gp, in addition it makes for a rather interesting form of transportation. It obeys the mental commands of anyone inside of it, otherwise it sits around motionless.
Last edited:
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
Is contingency already cast and, if so, what's the trigger and result?
Flamestrike
Legend
Described in tactics in the post above mate,
Flamestrike
Legend
I'll give ya'll some time to catch up and soak that in and post the BBEG in a day or two.
The trick with encounter 5 is to use the hiding and stealth rules to nail the PCs.
Encounter 6 is to use a bit of comedy relief, and perhaps elicit some sympathy before going ballistic with a 9th level spell caster and archmage.
The BBEG is just a bastard. Youll see why in 24 hours or so.
The trick with encounter 5 is to use the hiding and stealth rules to nail the PCs.
Encounter 6 is to use a bit of comedy relief, and perhaps elicit some sympathy before going ballistic with a 9th level spell caster and archmage.
The BBEG is just a bastard. Youll see why in 24 hours or so.
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
Okay, I see it now. I was keyword searching "contingency" not "contingent."
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
It will probably be a pushover to groups that face him having only expended a handful of hit points and one spell slot so far (as some would have us believe).
Charles Rampant
Adventurer
I might steal that bathtub for my home campaign, just as amusing magical loot. I can very easily see players becoming very attached to a wandering bathtub full of permanently heated water. 
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
I might steal that bathtub for my home campaign, just as amusing magical loot. I can very easily see players becoming very attached to a wandering bathtub full of permanently heated water.
Given how long he's been sat in the tub, it also comes with a ring.
BoldItalic
First Post
I'm somehow imagining, after the Time Stop ends, Keraptis is sitting in the bath, partly immersed in warm water whilst wearing his robes. Then I'm thinking of entertaining things to do.
- Reverse Gravity might result in the bath hitting the ceiling with Keraptis and the water still inside it
- Use a Mage Hand to stir up the water around him
- Use Create or Destroy Water on the bath water
- Cast Bones of the Earth to raise the bath and its contents 30ft towards the ceiling on a pillar of stone
- Use Heat Metal on the bath, causing the water in it to turn to steam, obscuring Keraptis's vision
