Help my players hate me! (My players stay out.)

[Dimenhydrinate]

How bad do you want to "mess" with your players? If you want this to be a VERY memorable encounter then use the SA every chance you get. If you don't want to "mess" with them too much only use it the first time. Also IIRC rogues aren't much on straight up fighting without their SA. At least that is what I hear.

 

[Salamander Napolean]

Re: Rules question...

Ok, I've been going crazy trying to figure out the answer to the following: A phase spider moves from the Ethereal plane to the material plane as a free action - does Tillix get sneak attack damage every time he moves from the Ethereal, or does he only get it the very first time, when the characters would be surprised.

The MM decription of phase spiders doesn't mention anything about targets losing their dexterity bonus to AC when the spider materializes, so I'm inclined to say no.

On the other hand, I don't think the designers anticipated a phase spider with levels of rogue.

Any thoughts?

He would only get a SA while the characters were flat-footed. You could rule that being attacked by a suddenly appearring phase spider denies the characters their dex bonus to AC and thus allows a SA, but there's nothing in the rules that says that.

(You could say the spider had a special ability which allows him to make such Suprise Attacks, though. He's already a pretty unique villain)

 

[Dimenhydrinate]

Re: Re: Rules question...

He would only get a SA while the characters were flat-footed. You could rule that being attacked by a suddenly appearring phase spider denies the characters their dex bonus to AC and thus allows a SA, but there's nothing in the rules that says that.

(You could say the spider had a special ability which allows him to make such Suprise Attacks, though. He's already a pretty unique villain)

I would rule it is like Blinking myself. TPK here we COME!

 

[SwordInHand]

I would suggest a mix of most of the suggestions already stated. I would have the spider first phase in at night and steal there most powerful weapons(note that more then likely the spider does not no which weapons are the most powerful and might take the wrong one) and then I'd have him wait till one split off, jump him, and kill him. The PCs sould be completely confused and paranode by this time. Then set the building the are currently sleeping in on fire. Phase in, attack, phase out while their are tring to get out of the fire. Now thats crule! ::luaghs menancingly::

 

[ZSutherland]

If you want to be truly vile, have the spider follow them around invisible and start killing people they talk to or encounter. Have the city watch come 'round after the first and say, "Hey, we're just interviewing everyone we can find that encountered the victim yesterday. Did you notice anything strange?" Light-hearted, no suspicion. With luck, your PCs will start to investigate this on their own, which will put them in suspicious places later on. Never have the spider attack a guardsman or simliar NPC, but small children they encounter, shop owners, barmaids, etc and make it someone the PCs converse with in public. Lots of witnesses. One every day or two. The guards will get suspicious since they'll constantly be coming to interview the PCs about the latest victims. Now, have the spider start phasing in at the edge of their vision. Ideally, only let one PC see it the first time. As this continues, the guards should become more and more convinced that the PCs are murdering townsfolk left and right, and the best story the PCs can come up with is:

"It wasn't us! It was the giant spider in leather armor! You can only see him when he wants you to see him."

"Sure Mr. Hero. Why don't you make this easy on yourself and come quietly."

Z

 

[Arc]

If you have a high enough Use Magic Device, have the spider use a Wand of Silence (4500gp), then attack the characters as they sleep. A sleeping character is always considered flat footed, and if the area is Silenced, the spider has another round or to finish him the character off without threat of facing the whole party. Have the spider grapple a weaker character, or use a Wand of Hold Person (4500gp again) to keep 'em helpless. There are a lot of options while attacking sleeping parties, try to think of how you can kill 1 or 2 party members without the rest waking up (take the character in question out of the room to describe it). The party is going to be mighty worried when they wake up with 1 less member than before. You won't be able to pull the same trick again (Alarm spells most likely), but it's a great opening move.

 

[carpedavid]

If you want to be truly vile, have the spider follow them around invisible and start killing people they talk to or encounter.

Actually, I've already got a few doppleganger-like creatures working on this very thing.

Although,

"It wasn't us! It was the giant spider in leather armor! You can only see him when he wants you to see him."

"Sure Mr. Hero. Why don't you make this easy on yourself and come quietly."

that would be *really* funny.

 

[carpedavid]

Re: Re: Rules question...

He would only get a SA while the characters were flat-footed. You could rule that being attacked by a suddenly appearring phase spider denies the characters their dex bonus to AC and thus allows a SA, but there's nothing in the rules that says that.

(You could say the spider had a special ability which allows him to make such Suprise Attacks, though. He's already a pretty unique villain)

After emailing the Sage (who was actually of very little help, oddly) and Wizard's customer service (which was answered by ENWorld's very own Baraendur), I've determined that Tillix will, in fact, get sneak attack damage on the attack immediately following each phase-in. Plus, the target will be denied his/her dexterity bonus to AC.

*evil DM laugh*

 

[carpedavid]

1. The suggestions of attacking while the party is asleep are what I initially had intended. Unfortunately for me, for the timeframe in which Tillix will be active, the PCs are actually sleeping in a building that actually extends into the Ethereal plane - thus no sneaking in.

2. I've updated Tillix's stats and description, including the changes caused by buffing magic. I think, at this point, that he's pretty much ready to go, though I would certainly appreciate any other suggestions and comments that you would have.

 

[Dimenhydrinate]

DUDE!!

You forgot the most important thing. The Fire.