How many Shadows are too many?

[der_kluge]

So, I've got this party of 11th level bad-asses, and I've been trying to figure out how to inflict massive amounts of pain upon them. Several of them have insane armor classes (like 33 when buffed) and so trying to hit that is difficult.

So, I was thinking about shadows. Shadows only need a touch attack, and their strength drain attack is nasty, nasty. So, I was thinking, "wow, wouldn't it be scary for them to explore this ancient dungeon and come across a room full of shadows."

And then reality set in - that's a few rounds away from a TPK, dumbass! Because you can't stop a shadow! With a normal creature, you can throw up a wall of force (a favorite tactic among the party's sorcerer) and block them off, but a shadow can just seep into the ground or ceiling and come up right below you. Which is cool for me, but if one of the players gets hit like more than 3 times by a shadow the player is looking at insta-death, which is not cool for them.

By the same token, the party has access to area effect spells like fireball, so they could empty out a room of shadows, and the cleric has greater turning, so he could get rid of a fair amount easily as well.

So, I was thinking that I could have them come in waves and waves. The first few waves would be dispatched easily, and then as they use more and more resources getting rid of them using AE spells and turn undead checks, once they run out of those, then they have to deal with them one-on-one, and then that could be scary.

So, how many shadows would be a reasonable number for me to throw at a party like this such that when they are done, everyone in the party has a single-digit strength, and no spells, and no turn undeads left. It would be cool if it got the point where the sorcerer had to resort to beating at the shadows with a stick because he was tapped out.

The problem, of course, is that if anyone goes to 0 str, they become a shadow in 1d4 rounds, and that's not cool. So, I want to avoid that if possible.

 

[trentonjoe]

I went against 6 waves of 4 shadows each (every two rounds I think) with about 6 11th level PCs and we were shaking.

 

[orangefruitbat]

The trick to making an encounter scary is to set it up so that the party can't rely on their traditional strengths. For example, if one shadow came out of each direction (through the walls), then the party members in the back would be exposed. Nor could they rely on a single area-effect spell to destroy them.

However, a single cleric could hold off ALL the shadows, unless the area is unhallowed or something (hint, cast unhallow in the ambush zone).

Another thing would be to give at least some of the shadows PC levels - shadow monks, shadow wizards, shadows with spring attack (such as the greater shadows in the 3.5 MM), etc. so they have some new tactics. For example, shadows that slow the party, dispel light sources, etc.

Acording to the DMG, an EL 11 encounter would consist of 8 regular shadows (all together). Since you want to scare the party, you probably need to up to boost the EL by 1-4. At EL 15, the attack would consist of at least 12 shadows in a pack. 24 shadows in staggered groups of 4 should be fine.

(Incidentally, you should set the encounter up so that there is some sort of escape route, just in case they need to flee).

I went against 6 waves of 4 shadows each (every two rounds I think) with about 6 11th level PCs and we were shaking.

 

[shadow]

Of course, you know that there's only one TRUE Shadow!

 

[Ycore Rixle]

I had four shadows plus three unturnable shadowdancer advanced shadows terrify a 13th-level party. This eventually became an encounter in "Worms in the Exchequery" in Dungeon 92. There is no doubt in my mind that shadows are some of the most deadly creatures around. I wrote a special advisory in that mod, actually, warning about the lethality of the encounter, but they edited it out before publication.

I added traps into the dungeon too, so that as the party ran willy-nilly from the shadows, they tripped over various hazards.

To answer your question, I'd not rely only on the shadows to terrify the party. Send six or eight shadows in (depending on how good the cleric is at turning). The shadows will probably attack by surprise out of a wall or floor. Have them spread out their attacks (not the best tactic for shadows, but rationalize it by saying they're half-crazed from their undead hunger and they strike at the nearest target). This lets everyone in the party feel the pain and start to worry about how close they are to zero strength. When the party gets a chance to act, they should dispatch the shadows in one or two rounds. Then hit the party with something else quickly - traps, a horde of hobgoblins attracted by the noise, the shadow's vampire master, etc. Switching adversaries will keep the pressure on the party but allow you to avoid having to worry about insta-death at 0 Strength.

Just my two cents.

 

[Crothian]

And the Shadow knows.

I'd inter mix the Shadows with other creaturers. None undead so the cleric can't effect everything. You could have a dungion filled with normal critters, but also have an evil Cleric somewhere (and someone the PCs don't knopw about or expect) summoning shadows and then sending them through out the dungion to harrass the PCs.

 

[shilsen]

By the same token, the party has access to area effect spells like fireball, so they could empty out a room of shadows, and the cleric has greater turning, so he could get rid of a fair amount easily as well.

One thing to remember - as incorporeal creatures shadows have a 50% chance to avoid being affected by area of effect spells. So a fireball and the like could end up having next to no effect at all.

 

[der_kluge]

One thing to remember - as incorporeal creatures shadows have a 50% chance to avoid being affected by area of effect spells. So a fireball and the like could end up having next to no effect at all.

Oh, I misread that in the description for incorporeal. That's good to know.

And I was thinking about offering up an escape route - to a deadend.

MUAHAHAHAHAH!

The thing I want to create is to put forth some kind of puzzle, or riddle, and to have the PCs with their backs to a wall while they fend off wave after wave of shadows, at the same time try to solve a riddle to get into a sealed chamber. I think, if done right, that could be the most gut-wrenching event ever.

 

[Nightfall]

Add in shadows and wraiths. Makes for good combos.

 

[Gothmog]

A couple months ago, my group of 10 9-10th level characters ran into 15 shadows and two 8HD advanced shadows. Clerical turning was weakened in this place, but even still I thought they wouldn't have too much of a problem. Turns out those shadows put the fear of God into them- the paladin got drained from Str 17 to Str 6, and they were running like little girls through unmapped corridors trying to get away from them! This is from a group that rarely retreats from battle. Makes an old DM's heart warm and fuzzy to think about it.

For the record, wraiths would also work, just a lot nastier.