D&D 5E Enhancing Vecna: Eve of Ruin *SPOILERS*

[BeachRat88]

Another thought.... Assuming that Vecna has enough of magic to make this possible, how could the Wizards Three hope to counteract a ritual being cast by a god, even with the real Mordy and considering how powerful they each are? It appears that he needs a boost in power to make his ritual happen and that the complete Wizards 3 (or even 10) wouldn't be able to stop him by themselves anyways. I think this might be the foundation of why their wish "seemed" to fail, how it sets up the inclusion of the Infinite Staircase and its NPC, and the inclusion of the Rod and the characters'.

Ps. FWIW, VEoR still feels like part 1 of a 2 (or more) part story line. Especially considering the inclusion of Greyhawk in the 2024 PHB and that

Spoiler

he's "bannished" to Oerth at the end

...

 

[Distracted DM]

Found this update to Vecna's statblock by Eventyr Games. Very strongly considering using this...

https://www.patreon.com/posts/68536246

Is it just me or are both the book Vecna and this improved Vecna incredibly weak for a god? They seem like they're designed for the characters to take a bit of time to kill, but to not really threaten them with real danger.

 

[Weiley31]

Is it just me or are both the book Vecna and this improved Vecna incredibly weak for a god? They seem like they're designed for the characters to take a bit of time to kill, but to not really threaten them with real danger.

Spoiler: Eve of Ruin spoilers

Sooo, the "reason" for that is by the time the PCs meet up with Vecna for the final showdown, he has drained a considerable amount of his own godly power after creating seven Demi Planes via the ritual he is using to remake the Multiverse. For default book Vecna anyway. Of course, the actual reason is that WoTC never gave us god stats to fight against except for Tyranny of Dragons Tiamat stat block.

 

[Distracted DM]

Spoiler: Eve of Ruin spoilers

Sooo, the "reason" for that is by the time the PCs meet up with Vecna for the final showdown, he has drained a considerable amount of his own godly power after creating seven Demi Planes via the ritual he is using to remake the Multiverse. For default book Vecna anyway. Of course, the actual reason is that WoTC never gave us god stats to fight against except for Tyranny of Dragons Tiamat stat block.

I'm starting to think we don't need spoilers for a thread dedicated to enhancing the adventure- and whose title is marked with spoilers

Miska the Wolf Spider is CR26, but the adventure doesn't have the demon lord as an enemy normally- Miska can only use legendary actions while they fight a CR13 and a CR19 bodyguards. It does say that if the DM thinks that the players are very skilled, they can fight this "deadly" foe- though Miska will still be immobile. At this point the characters are level 19.

Miska is a damage sponge with 400hp, but his three attacks deal embarrassingly low damage for CR26. His most powerful features are his spells, which involve DC21 dominate and suggestions- but at level 19 I'm thinking most parties would make mincemeat of this?

This whole encounter is instantly defeated if a character makes a DC25/DC10 Athletics check to pull a piece of rod from the floor (DC depending on an earlier event). Miska is sealed away and his spider-fiends flee.

Hm.

I'd think that Miska has such a reputation that they should be something of a threat- upping the damage of their attacks and adding some debilitating effects could help. It seems that Miska's spells are all about domination, so maybe there's a poison on the trident that also gives disadvantage on saves vs charm or wisdom saving throws?

 

[Distracted DM]

Spoiler: Eve of Ruin spoilers

Sooo, the "reason" for that is by the time the PCs meet up with Vecna for the final showdown, he has drained a considerable amount of his own godly power after creating seven Demi Planes via the ritual he is using to remake the Multiverse. For default book Vecna anyway. Of course, the actual reason is that WoTC never gave us god stats to fight against except for Tyranny of Dragons Tiamat stat block.

Wait a minute.. I just realized, if he's severely depowered then why is he still CR26? Cuz he's pathetic for that CR

 

[dave2008]

Wait a minute.. I just realized, if he's severely depowered then why is he still CR26? Cuz he's pathetic for that CR

Because that is the power level of a CR 26 monster in 5e. I think people have preconceived notions of the power level of particular CRs without investigating what they really are

 

[dave2008]

I'm starting to think we don't need spoilers for a thread dedicated to enhancing the adventure- and whose title is marked with spoilers

Miska the Wolf Spider is CR26, but the adventure doesn't have the demon lord as an enemy normally- Miska can only use legendary actions while they fight a CR13 and a CR19 bodyguards. It does say that if the DM thinks that the players are very skilled, they can fight this "deadly" foe- though Miska will still be immobile. At this point the characters are level 19.

Miska is a damage sponge with 400hp, but his three attacks deal embarrassingly low damage for CR26. His most powerful features are his spells, which involve DC21 dominate and suggestions- but at level 19 I'm thinking most parties would make mincemeat of this?

This whole encounter is instantly defeated if a character makes a DC25/DC10 Athletics check to pull a piece of rod from the floor (DC depending on an earlier event). Miska is sealed away and his spider-fiends flee.

Hm.

I'd think that Miska has such a reputation that they should be something of a threat- upping the damage of their attacks and adding some debilitating effects could help. It seems that Miska's spells are all about domination, so maybe there's a poison on the trident that also gives disadvantage on saves vs charm or wisdom saving throws?

I don't have the book yet, but I will make you a more powerful Miska once I do (in 4 hours), With work and all it probably will not be ready until this weekend. I will probably throw in an enhanced Vecna as well.

 

[dave2008]

Some additional thoughts/points I'm going to work through...

• Thread Miska's influence throughout the campaign rather than him just being a set-piece at the end. Miska, the OG Prince of Demons, has been imprisoned for a LONG time but probably has been able to spread his influence using his minions/Queen of Chaos/etc all along. If not, why not?
• Determine the relationship between Lolth and the Queen of Chaos [and why Lolth is working with Vecna (should be to perform a coup at the end a supplant him)].
• Restore the chaotic properties of the Rod of Seven Parts. EoR sadly only requires an action to assemble each piece, and also sadly, has no repercussions if it's done improperly. I can see having a couple of other 1-shot settings or places lying in wait just in case (Shadowfell, Feywild, etc).
• Replace simulacrum spell with a less game-breaking spell that's more relevant to the Rod in 2e.
• Mordy is the real Mordy, and other Chosen of Mystra/Bahumut/etc are discreetly involved in the background somehow. Doesn't really make sense that they wouldn't be involved.
• Replace Tasha the Witch with Tasha the Archfey. EoR's statement that Tasha the Archfey has bigger things to attend to seems hard to swallow given the threat level.
• Additional arch-demon NPCs appear in select places. Each wants a seat at the table given that all demons envision themselves as the ultimate BBEG and don't want to "miss out".
• Characters will probably have to visit a larger part of Sigil to figure out where some of the other Rod pieces are.
• Infinite Staircase and its major NPC will play a roll.
• Add in a ticking clock to the narrative to drive a greater sense of urgency.
• Given that the Barovia section appears to be at least decades prior to CoS, consider moving it all the way back to the VotM or KotD times. Could allow for inclusion of some additional interesting pieces/places. Replace Death House Strahd statblock (weaker) with CoS Strahd statblock.
• Replace Soth statblock with Weiss/Hickman-aproved Soth statblock. Consider adding in Dargaard Keep.
• Update Vecna statblock to feature Legendary Actions, automatic mage armor, better weapon damage imunity (artifacts only?) and Lair actions if the battle takes place where it's described in EoR.

More to come later...

I'm going to work on improved versions of Soth, Miska, Strahd, and Vecna after I get the book. I will post them here when I'm done. They will be simple 2-page dossiers, so nothing to fancy.

 

[Osgood]

I don't have the book yet, but I will later today. I'm going to give it a read through, but I'm pretty sure I'll be using it for my current campaign at 10th level; if so I would likely up Nest of Ruin to 6th level (which is where they are are now) and switch some locations, as my campaign is in the Cormyr/Dalelands region.

By weird coincidence, I was initially planning on running a converted version of the 2E Rod of Seven Parts boxed adventure when the party hit 9th level. They've already encountered spyder-fiends and have the first part of the Rod (but have no idea what it really is).

My dilemma is that based on the previews, the powers of the Rod seem quite different, so their "wand of healing" no longer seems to fit as the first part of the Rod. So I need to figure out how to account for that--I could just pull the player aside and tell they we are retconning it, or I could mix in a little chaos and lean into the fact that they have never actually used it (surprise, it doesn't actually do what you thought it did!).

Then I have to figure out what to do for the "find the first part of the rod" chapter. Maybe Spyder-fiends swipe it earlier and they need to reclaim it. Maybe upon using it earlier int he campaign, it just disappears. Maybe instead of the Rod, they need to find instructions or critical components for assembly. Maybe at some point when assembling, a piece teleports away, causing the need for the extra adventure.

 

[TheGlen]

The one suggestion I would highly recommend for everyone making a party that turned out to be incredibly popular with my group was to have everyone make a character from a different setting. Then the party gets a symbol by in my case and immortal from Mystara to deal with the threat. It led to a lot of hilarious culture shock moments.

The Dark Sun wizard hoarding metal weapons every chance she got even though she was the wizard.

The mystara character completely not understanding the concept of Gods and just viewing them as another very powerful creature.

The Dragon Lance character thinking that the Dracolich sorcerer king in Dark Sun where most of their magic items didn't work and a good chunk of their spells were nerfed was just another dragon