D&D 5E Flamestrike and Stalker0's little adventure

[Ruin Explorer]

Yeah. In the context of a standard adventuring day (6 or so combat encounters, 2 or so short rests, a mix of social and exploration, roughly cleaving to the AD XP charts in the DMG).

That's not standard adventuring day, dammit, it's 6-8 ENCOUNTERS, not "combat encounters" please can people stop making this mistake?

 

[Flamestrike]

That's not standard adventuring day, dammit, it's 6-8 ENCOUNTERS, not "combat encounters" please can people stop making this mistake?

Can you please stop.

For the record (and to spoil the adventure unnecessarily; so yeah thanks) there are roughly 6 combat encounters, some of which may ALSO be or include social encounters, skill challenges, plus some exploration/ environmental or mixed encounters, and 1 purely social encounter.

My XP budget for the Adventuring day was 25,000 (5 x 7th level PCs), which I used as an eyeball (plus the encounters, which I simply eyeballed over the course of the 5 minutes I took to write the damn thing) however due to the presence of Magic items in the party (which are not accounted for in the base math), I felt the PCs could go over this 25k a slight bit.

Now that you've made me spoil the adventure a bit, can we please proceed?

 

[Flamestrike]

I just did some quick math, and the combat encounters add up to roughly 30,000 adjusted XP, with 3 x Mediums, 2 x Hards and 1 x Easy.

This particular encounter has an adjusted XP value of 6,900, making it Hard.

If you consider the presence of magic items, the party are probably closer to an 8th level party in power (the Wizard in this case has bracers of armor, and a ring of protection, which would be worth a CR adjustment for a monster) in which case their adventuring day budget would be 30,000 XP.

So its a challenging adventuring day, but nothing they cant handle.

Now that I've spoilt it a bit, can we continue?

 

[Stalker0]

Now that I've spoilt it a bit, can we continue?

Absolultely. The peanut gallery can take it to another thread if they want to argue again, this thread should just be for running the adventure.

However, you reminded me of my magic items, and I did mention I had cast mage armor on myself 2 hours before we got to the temple. Is this 2 hours out and I haven't cast it yet or did we forget that with my AC?

Ok no banishment yet, I will misty step and firebolt. Attack roll....ah, rolled a 1!

 

[Flamestrike]

However, you reminded me of my magic items, and I did mention I had cast mage armor on myself 2 hours before we got to the temple. Is this 2 hours out and I haven't cast it yet or did we forget that with my AC?

It's only just turned dark, so you're still just over 2 hours from the Temple, so no Mage armor yet.

Ok no banishment yet, I will misty step and firebolt. Attack roll....ah, rolled a 1!

Damn - that fire damage would have come in handy!

Ok next is the Life Cleric - he moves back 30' to where you are, and (knowing your magic is important here) uses his second channel divinity to restore 35 HP to you. You're now on 37 HP.

The Fighter Warlord goes next. He draws a javelin of lightning (he has that and a +1 Greatsword) and throws it at one of the Trolls (he can only get one). The Troll fails its save, and the javelin also strikes it. He spend a superiority dice on Maneuvering attack, recalling the Dwarf Cleric 15' back to his position to hold the end of the bridge. He then moves 15' back to stand next to the Dwarf. Total damage is 16 lightning and 14 piercing. After that he calls out to you 'Defensive positions everywhere, Rally Wizard - TO ME!' spending a Superiority die on Rally, and granting you 5 Temporary HP.

The Trolls go next. They move 15 feet back off the shattered bridge to solid ground... and then burrow into the earth, disappearing from view!

Finally the Bard gets a turn. He throws the Fighter a Bardic inspiration die, and advances to the Fighter and Clerics position, casting Mirror Image once he gets there, forming a defensive triangle, the three of them back to back.

Round 3 -

The Rogue moves to some nearby bushes, readies a ranged attack - the trigger being 'When I see a Troll', and uses his Bonus action to hide via cunning action getting a Stealth result of 27 (!!!).

Its your turn - You were healed for 35, and also got 5 Temp HP from the party last round. It's your turn, what do you want to do?

 

[Stalker0]

I will also move next to the fighter, readying a firebolt for when the troll returns.

 

[Flamestrike]

I will also move next to the fighter, readying a firebolt for when the troll returns.

Cleric pops a 1st on Bless, - targets being You, the Fighter and the Bard.
Fighter readies a melee attack, looking about warily.
Trolls... remain unseen.
Bard - Tosses you a Bardic inspiration die (can be used on damage for spells as well as weapon damage or AC in addition to its normal use - he's from the College of Valor and the DM is using Tashas) and also readies a melee weapon attack.

You're now Blessed, and you have a Bardic inspiration die.

Round 4.

Rogue stays hidden, scouting the area for threats, with the same ready action.

It's you again. What this turn?

 

[Stalker0]

I stand strong, maintaining my readied action. I would also like to make a knowledge check (I will roll, just let me know what knowledge you feel appropriate and then just add the modifier), to see if I know if Cave Trolls tend to be tenacious and will come back to finish the job (aka after they regeneration) or if they tend to leave for easier meals. (its actually nice that this was the monster as I have never dmed it before, so its actually a monster that's a little surprising to me as well as my character!)

Roll is...9

 

[Flamestrike]

I stand strong, maintaining my readied action.

Love it! Cleric and Fighter do the same.

Trolls: With a mighty roar, they burst from the ground - One (the wounded one that's hot on his rolls tonight) adjacent to you (and the Bard) - the second one (unwounded) adjacent to the Fighter and the Cleric.

Readied action time. I'll resolve them in order of Dex, seeing as they all had the same trigger (when the Trolls are seen).

Rogue: Attacks with advantage (tremorsense doesnt negate stealth), hits, 19 points of damage on the unwounded one (its closest to him).
Bard: Attacks the wounded Troll at +6 (+1d4 from bless) and hits. He burns a 2nd level slot on Divine Smite (from his 2 Paladin levels) and deals 12 slashing, and 13 radiant damage. The troll uses its reaction to halve the weapon damage (but not the smite damage).

Now you. The Troll is adjacent to you (disadvantage on ranged spell attacks) but you do have Bless and a Bardic inspiration die (d8).

Roll your firebolt, the AC is 15.

 

[Stalker0]

Roll your firebolt, the AC is 15.

My dice are ice cold tonight, roll + bless is a 3, so 10 total