Is this encounter too hard or too easy?

[Schmoe]

I'm predicting that my group will soon run afoul of an Unseelie Lord known as the Juniper Lord. When he discovers their involvement in his defeat, he will send an agent of vengeance to "prune the weeds," so to speak. I want this to be a challenge, but I'm hoping to avoid too many PC deaths. Anyway, here is the party (long story):

Human Ranger 3/Druid 3
Tainted Yuan-Ti Ranger 2/Fighter 4 (Whirlwind Attack)
Elf Cleric 7 (Travel and Time domains)
Grig Rogue 1/Sorcerer 4
Human Rogue 1/Bard 2/Sorcerer 2/Cleric 1 (Travel and Knowledge)

And here is the agent of vengeance (rules from Masters of the Wild liberally applied):

Kisishtri
Human Druid 7/Verdant Lord 1
HD: 8d8+16 (62 HP)
Speed: 30'
Init: +1 (+1 Dex)
AC: 14 (+3 Armor, +1 Dex)
Attacks: Quarterstaff +9/+4 melee, 1d6+3, 20/x2
Special: Nature Sense, Woodland Stride, Trackless Step, Resist Nature's Lure, Wild Shape 3/day
Saves: Fort +9 Ref +3 Will +10
Abilities: Str-14 Dex-13 Con-14 Int-11 Wis-17 Cha-12
Skills: Concentration +12, Hide +4, Intuit Direction +9, Knowledge Nature +9, Profession Herbalist +8, Swim +9, Wilderness Lore +13
Feats: Plant Defiance, Plant Control, Combat Casting, Track
Spells (DC 13+level): 6/5/4/4/2
0th - Irrelevant
1st - Camouflage (MotW)*, Cure Lt. Wds., Faerie Fire, Goodberry*, Invisibility to Animals
2nd - Regen. Mod. Wds. (MotW), Might of the Oak (MotW)*, Green Blockade (MotW)*, Barkskin
3rd - Protection f. Elements*, Plant Growth, Spikes (DotF)*, Cure Mod. Wds.
4th - Control Plants, Summon Nature's Ally IV
Equipment: +1 Leather Armor, Boots of Endurance (MotW), Wilding Clasp (MotW, on boots), Masterwork Quarterstaff, Infusions (Dispel Magic, Cure Mod. Wds., Tree Shape x2, Warp Wood, Forestfold [MotW]), 6 Goodberries

Kisishtri has been tracking the party in wolf form. When he feels that he is less than an hour away, he stops and casts the following spells:
Might of the Oak, Spikes, Barkskin, Protection from Elements (Fire), Camouflage

Giving him the following adjustments:
AC: 17
Attacks: Quarterstaff +12/+7, melee 1d6+14, 19-20/x2
Saves: Ref +2
Abilities: Str-18 Dex-11
Skills: Hide +13
Special: 96 points of Fire protection

When combat begins, he starts by casting Summon Nature's Ally IV to summon an Assassin Vine on a spell caster. He then casts Plant Growth to trap and isolate the party members, followed by Control Plants to allow him to walk through the thicket. He then casts Regenerate Moderate Wounds and begins hunting down the PC's, trapped in the thicket, and killing them off one by one.

He also should have an animal companion of up to 14 HD, but I haven't decided what to do on that one yet. I may have him accompanied by a small swarm of Wood Stingers, which are essentially tiny, wooden, construct-like sprites that have a poisonous bite that creates a Slow effect.

I guess that my main concern is that the combination of the Assassin Vine, the Plant Growth, and the Control Plants will be too much for them to counteract, allowing Kisishtri to fight them one-on-one, where his staff will wreak absolute havoc.

Like I said, I want the battle to have sort of a climactic tension, but I don't want to kill off the entire party.

Does anyone have any opinions, thoughts, or suggestions?


(Edit: added bold text for readability)

 

[Vaxalon]

Expect that their missile weapons will likely disrupt his spellcasting. He might get one of them off, but probably not all three.

Expect that he'll be engaged in hand to hand combat before he can get the third spell off.

My guess is that the party goes all out, uses all of their spells and one might get taken negative, but in the end they'll be victorious.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Well, your party's level is 6, and the CR of the bad guy is 8. They should defeat him, but expect some close calls, maybe even a death or two.

 

[Schmoe]

Expect that their missile weapons will likely disrupt his spellcasting. He might get one of them off, but probably not all three.

Expect that he'll be engaged in hand to hand combat before he can get the third spell off.

My guess is that the party goes all out, uses all of their spells and one might get taken negative, but in the end they'll be victorious.

Cool, that would be a fine outcome by me.

What would you think if I add a small swarm of about 6 Wood Stingers (assume HP: 3; AC: 17; Attack: +5, 1d6-2+poison; Poison: Fort DC 10, Slow/Paralysis)?

Hmm, maybe I should have him cast the Plant Growth first? Decisions decisions...

 

[Schmoe]

Well, your party's level is 6, and the CR of the bad guy is 8. They should defeat him, but expect some close calls, maybe even a death or two.

Actually, it's not quite as straightforward as that. I've ruled the Tainted Yuan-ti template to be +2 ECL (with slight modifications), and the Grig template to be +3 ECL. Plus, they have 5 characters versus 4.

Of course, due to rampant multi-classing, at least one of the characters is nowhere near as effective as his level would imply. I think they did that just to make my life hard.

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

I honestly don't see those critters you're suggesting accomplishing anything during the fight. They'd have trouble hitting the party members and the Fort save DC isn't very hard to defeat, even for a 6th level Wizard.

Why not go with something very similar to what you're already looking at, the good old standard: Stirges

Forgive my stupidity but I'm more than a little tired. Doesn't a Druid automagicaly get the ability to simply pass through plants without impediment? Why then would she need to use Control Plants just to get around the 'thicket' that Plant Growth caused?

Isn't there a Feat in Masters of the Wild that lets you cast while using Wild Shape? Taking that seems to me to be more effective than many other feats for someone that wants to take out a group of seasoned adventurers. Get into an appropriate shape, use that new 'summon drizzle' spell to get clouds and rain, then cast the time-honored Call Lightening while at a safe distance. If you've managed to nail the group, or at least enough of them to halt the rest, with your initial Entangle spell you'll have plenty of targets.

If you want a distraction I'd suggest multiple animals/companions of the same type. The distraction comes when you're sharing thier form (you look like an average whatever when Wild Shaped) while the whole 'pack' attacks.

Another option, you could go with one big critter as your companion and cast a few enhancement spells on it before you both charge into the fight. You would of course share the same shape as your companion in the attack. Then you'd both be radiating magic to anyone trying to figure out which one was the Druid.

Either of the previous examples could be amplified by summoning more of the form your 'pack' shares. While they'd radiate Conjuration magic, what mage would be willing to 'waste' the time concentrating on any one long enough to tell the specific school of magic involved? This could be thought of as a version of Mirror Image, only the Druidic one has 'teeth'

Hatchling Dragon

 

[Schmoe]

I honestly don't see those critters you're suggesting accomplishing anything during the fight. They'd have trouble hitting the party members and the Fort save DC isn't very hard to defeat, even for a 6th level Wizard.

Actually, you'd be surprised. The first battle with the Wood Stingers (which they fought without benefit of the ranger/fighter), was against 8 of the critters, and three of the party were left paralyzed after the battle. The critters did a total of about 30 points of damage, though they were admittedly rather lucky. They're only CR 1/2 (maybe even less), but the average party AC is only about 14-15, and anytime you're making multiple saves, your chance of rolling low grows accordingly.

You're right, though, the Wood Stingers are pretty darn easy.

Why not go with something very similar to what you're already looking at, the good old standard: Stirges

These, on the other other, would be a bit tougher. One reason I would go with Wood Stingers over other creatures is flavor. This guy is a Verdant Lord, so I'd like to keep his companions plant-like in nature. Still, a Shambling Mound just seems to be a little over the top. Plus, both Kisishtri and the Wood Stingers are agents of the Juniper Lord, so it would make very obvious sense to include them.

Forgive my stupidity but I'm more than a little tired. Doesn't a Druid automagicaly get the ability to simply pass through plants without impediment? Why then would she need to use Control Plants just to get around the 'thicket' that Plant Growth caused?

Yeah, Woodland Stride would allow him to pass through grown plants, but Control Plants and the Assassin Vine can both create an Entangle effect. Control Plants effectively lets him discriminate what gets entangled and what does not, and it makes him immune to any other entangle effects in the area.

Isn't there a Feat in Masters of the Wild that lets you cast while using Wild Shape? Taking that seems to me to be more effective than many other feats for someone that wants to take out a group of seasoned adventurers. Get into an appropriate shape, use that new 'summon drizzle' spell to get clouds and rain, then cast the time-honored Call Lightening while at a safe distance. If you've managed to nail the group, or at least enough of them to halt the rest, with your initial Entangle spell you'll have plenty of targets.

If you want a distraction I'd suggest multiple animals/companions of the same type. The distraction comes when you're sharing thier form (you look like an average whatever when Wild Shaped) while the whole 'pack' attacks.

Well, for style considerations I'd like to keep the attack centered around plants. If I was going for the most effective attack, I'd use the Natural Spell (cast while in wildshape) feat, cast two Flamestrikes in the form of a sparrow, then cast Briar Web (Defenders of the Faith) and send in the stirges. But I can nearly guarantee you that would wipe out the party. Especially after Kisishtri goes in to clean up the trash.

Another option, you could go with one big critter as your companion and cast a few enhancement spells on it before you both charge into the fight. You would of course share the same shape as your companion in the attack. Then you'd both be radiating magic to anyone trying to figure out which one was the Druid.

Either of the previous examples could be amplified by summoning more of the form your 'pack' shares. While they'd radiate Conjuration magic, what mage would be willing to 'waste' the time concentrating on any one long enough to tell the specific school of magic involved? This could be thought of as a version of Mirror Image, only the Druidic one has 'teeth'

Hatchling Dragon

All good ideas. I'm going to think a while and see if I can come up with a way to make the companion(s) fit the theme a little more. I remember seeing a Wood Element template somewhere...

 

[Richards]

The Wood Element template you're looking for is in Manual of the Planes.

Johnathan

 

[JRRNeiklot]

If the druid/vl spends all his time in the area, he is entitled to 14 hit dice of animal companions, so two 7 hit dice creatures would add to the fun. Two 7 hit die advanced dire wolves should do the trick.