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

[dave2008]

I can't lie, I'm excited to see Iggwilv. She is evil and fk'd up I can't understand why WotC insists on repeatedly using her while ignoring how crazy she is.

I have an old draft of here I am updating and modifying. The issue I found is I created her like a PC and then powered her up with magic items and Epic Boons. However the Tasha in the book has stats no PC could ever attain. So while the CR of my Iggwilv is higher than the official Tasha, her ability scores a quite a bit lower in some cases. Not sure what to do about that.

 

[dave2008]

Not to mention that if you choose the more difficult version of the encounter where Miska is an actual combatant, Miska is still immobile. He's stuck in place. I guess because if he could move, he might just leave/escape- leaving the adventure's planned path.

To enhance this fight (beyond the statblock), I'd consider making the area some sort of enclosed arena that Miska can't escape. Heck, maybe it takes place over where he's trapped in the adventure.

I am 90% sure in my version he can complete escape. I think that will be a failure condition in my rewrite. If the PCs don't succeed at something, Miska escapes and now they have to deal with that too. I may say it is a weakened Miska (which would explain his stats), but he is 100% out.

 

[dave2008]

Additional thoughts...

• Lolth vs Queen of Chaos: they are one and the same similar to how Tiamat and Takhisis are, etc. The implications of this is that Lolth has put a plot into motion to free Miska. She is still aligned with Vecna but not to "be by his side" as the module states. She is because she LOVES creating chaos, and while she doesn't think Vecna's plan to remake the multiverse will succeed, she feeds on the chaos surrounding it. She also sees a side benefit in adding Miska back to the demon lineup in the Abyss. Miska and Lolth will be on team Vecna, until it's no longer profitable for Lolth.
• Blood War: aka Law vs Chaos. I'm think I'm going to lean in to what I said earlier about Vecna/Miska/etc tipping the balance of the Blood War and therefore the devils playing a larger role. The Nine Hells will be "allied" with the party, as a resource of information on Rod locations and also in the final battles.
• Still figuring out what to do with Kas. Not sure if I want to leave him in Tovag (for the PCs to visit) or move him to another place on the board....

That all makes a lot of sense. I think I will use some of this.

 

[dave2008]

For me, the most important enhancement will be making Vecna a proper spell caster again. If at any point he is making physical attacks, I'm playing him wrong.

I'm not 100% sure what you mean, but I agree generally. Here is what I am giving Vecna to make him more "magical."

Divine Spellcaster. In addition to his spellcasting, Vecna knows all Wizard, Sorcerer and Warlock spells and can cast each spell once per day at 9th level for a cost of 6 Divine Actions.*

Annihilation Bolt. Vecna conjures a bolt of purple light that streaks to a target he can see within 600 feet of him. The target must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 95 (10d10 + 40) forced damage plus 95 (10d10 + 40) necrtoic damage on a failed Saving Throw or half as much damage only on successful one.

Spellcasting. Vecna casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 25, +17 for spell attack rolls):

At will: Animate Dead (as an action), Arcane Lock, Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Fly, Knock, Lightning Bolt, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Ray of Sickness, Shield
3/Rest each: Blight, Dimension Door, Hold Monster, Invisibility, Scrying (as an action), Wall of Force
2/Rest each: Dominate Monster, Finger of Death, Globe of Invulnerability, Plane Shift, Teleport
1/Rest each: Meteor Swarm, Timestop, Wish

*Divine Actions are similar to Legendary Actions.

 

[dave2008]

It's established that Vecna always thinks many steps ahead of his opponents. He wouldn't even start the ritual until he had ensured that gods and major powers could not intervene. "Whoops, I forgot about the gods" would be so out of character that it can be ignored. Maybe that's what the obelisks were for, but the details really don't matter, since the players have no way of learning them. Which means only those who Vecna considered beneath his notice would be left to oppose him.

As the god of secrets, Vecna is very very good at keeping secrets. The probability of detecting what he is up to is very low (but non-zero). Nevertheless, there may be other groups across the multiverse working against him, the multiverse is a big place. However, there is no reason the PCs would expect to cross paths with them, especially since the Rod of Law is not required. Maybe some got to Vecna first, and were destroyed. Maybe others are still working on assembling whatever McGuffin they plan to use.

That makes some sense and could work for some. It still doesn't work for me.

I am going with the idea @Thommy H-H had (here) and make it about Vecna returning to divine status instead remaking the universe

 

[Paul Farquhar]

• Tying into your previous idea of Kas wanting / needing to return Vecna to the DoD: that is what he needs the rod for (restore the "correct" order of things), not freeing Miska. Maybe the last piece is actually keeping Miska imprisoned, so assembling the rod frees Miska? This idea doesn't work well with the idea it has been used many times though. Though I think I have an idea for that.

Nah, Kas doesn't need the rod, he has been fed the line by Tasha. He isn't a wizard, he doesn't really know any more than the PCs (and wouldn't be able to subvert Vecna's ritual in any case). It's Iggwilv the demonologist who is allied with Miska and wants to subvert the unlimited powah ritual for herself.

The rod imprisoned Miska, so it can free him, but it can also be used for other things, especially when it looks like chaos is getting the upper hand in the multiversal balance.

The rod is yet another D&D artifact based on Moorcock, in this case, the Runestaff, which is the lawful equivalent of chaotic Stormbringer (which is Blackrazor in D&D).

I was thinking of making Kas's crown amber, or at least have amber in it, to make it more clearly a vessel for the Dark Powers. If Kas steps out of line it has the power to immediately return him to Ravenloft.

 

[dave2008]

Nah, Kas doesn't need the rod, he has been fed the line by Tasha. He isn't a wizard, he doesn't really know any more than the PCs (and wouldn't be able to subvert Vecna's ritual in any case). It's Iggwilv the demonologist who is allied with Miska and wants to subvert the unlimited powah ritual for herself.

The rod imprisoned Miska, so it can free him, but it can also be used for other things, especially when it looks like chaos is getting the upper hand in the multiversal balance.

The rod is yet another D&D artifact based on Moorcock, in this case, the Runestaff, which is the lawful equivalent of chaotic Stormbringer (which is Blackrazor in D&D).

I was thinking of making Kas's crown amber, or at least have amber in it, to make it more clearly a vessel for the Dark Powers. If Kas steps out of line it has the power to immediately return him to Ravenloft.

Sure, but Kas things he needs the rod because Tasha/Iggwilv has said as much. At least that is how I am think at the moment.

Also, for me, the ritual to make Venca a god again. So it makes sense why the other gods are not concerned and it is still important for Kas or Iggwilv as it could make them gods too (and prevent Vecna from returning to their ranks). I'm not sure what version of the story the PCs will know

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Maybe, and this is not a spoiler but a theory, Vecna could try something linked to Tharizdum, the elder elemental eye.

Nobody with divine powers will alow Vecna to become "the tallest poppy in the field".

Vecna wants complete revenge against the Dark Powers, and maybe Azalin Rex was manipulated for this goal.

In a future event Vecna could "rescue" Rajaat (Dark Sun), and offer him a "return to the blue age". This time the deal would be relatively fair, but the trick or fine print would be the Athasian Tablelands to become the battlefield in the middle of Vecna vs Tharizdum.

I guess this is not a true spoiler, but only my own speculation. Let's imagine Vecna created his own "demiplane of the dread". For example if Vecna hates Tasha, then her daughter Drelnza could be rerisen and the "dark lady" of a dark domain created by Vecna.

Maybe Vecna is a new demiplane where he is the supreme power, but this is only a trick by the rest of divine powers to prison him. Really Vecna is dreaming in some "tomb" and he is too busy to start supecting he is living an illusion. Or maybe the Vecna trapped in this dreamscape isn't the original but only a "decoy", one of his incarnations.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sure, but Kas things he needs the rod because Tasha/Iggwilv has said as much. At least that is how I am think at the moment.

He thinks the group needs the rod. But he doesn't steel it. The players run in to find Alustriel and Tasha KOed. Tasha gasps "it was - him, stop him!" pointing at Kas*, who obligingly runs off. The PCs pursue, Tasha, who was faking injury, grabs the staff, jumps through the portal and goes off to free Miska.

*I don't see how the players won't have already sussed Kas by this point, the clues are so obvious.

Also, for me, the ritual to make Venca a god again. So it makes sense why the other gods are not concerned and it is still important for Kas or Iggwilv as it could make them gods too (and prevent Vecna from returning to their ranks). I'm not sure what version of the story the PCs will know

The gods weren't keen on Vecna becoming a god in the first place, I don't think "we can't be bothered to intervene" works for that. It's the usual Marvel problem - why don't hundreds of superheroes show up every time the universe is threatened? (which is pretty much monthly). You have to assume they are busy elsewhere and suspend disbelief.

 

[dave2008]

...and suspend disbelief.

That is what I am trying to do. Become a god is much more normal than remaking the multiverse, so it is easier for me to suspend my disbelieft