Looking for Dragon Hunting Party

[Nifft]

Okay... LN level 5 Wyrmling Wranglers. All using 25 point buy.

- - -

Ranger Rick - Halfling Ranger 5
Small Humanoid (halfling)
Str 10 (12-2), Dex 16 (14+2), Con 15, Int 10, Wis 14 (13+1), Cha 8
HD: 5d8 +10
1/ Ranger 1 - [Track], Point Blank Shot, FE Dragons +2
2/ Ranger 2 - [Rapid Shot]
3/ Ranger 3 - [Endurance], Precise Shot
4/ Ranger 4 - Animal Companion: Riding Dog
5/ Ranger 5 - FE Dragons +4, Magical Beasts +2

Skills:
* Handle Animal +7
* Jump +10
* Listen +10
* Ride +11
* Spot +10
* Survival +10

Spell prepared: Longstrider, shared with mount animal companion.

Loot: six Sleep Arrows, MW composite shortbow (small), small studded leather, 60 normal arrows, small longsword, small dagger.

- - -

Suzy Striker -- Aranea 3 / Sorcerer 1
Medium Magical Beast (shapeshifter); speed 50 ft., climb 25 ft.
Str 8, Dex 17 (13+4), Con 18 (14+4), Int 14 (10+4), Wis 14 (12+2), Cha 20 (15+4+1)
HP: 3d8 +1d4 +16
1/ Aranea 1 - [Iron Will], Ability Focus (poison)
2/ Aranea 2
3/ Aranea 3 - Weapon Finesse
4/ Sorcerer 1 - (any option that gives up Familiar)

Spells (caster level 4) per day / known:
Cantrips (DC 15) - 6 / Touch of Fatigue, Disrupt Undead, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Acid Splash, Prestidigitation
L1 (DC 16) - 8 / Ray of Enfeeblement, Shocking Grasp, Magic Missile
L2 (DC 17) - 4 / Glitterdust

Poison (Ex): Injury, DC 18. initial damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Web (Ex): In spider or hybrid form, an aranea can throw a web up to six times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets of up to Large size. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement.

An entangled creature can escape with a DC 16 Escape Artist check or burst the web with a DC 20 Strength check. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus. The web has 6 hit points, hardness 0, and takes double damage from fire.

- - -

Mad Martin -- Human Rogue 3 / Fighter 2
Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14 (13+1), Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 10
HP: 3d6 +2d10 +10
1/ Rogue 1 -- Improved Initiative, Iron Will, SA +1d6
2/ Fighter 1 -- Weapon Focus (long sword)
3/ Rogue 2 -- [Evasion], Dodge
4/ Fighter 2 -- Mobility
5/ Rogue 3 -- SA +2d6

Skills:
* Balance +8
* Intimidate +8
* Jump +9
* Listen +3
* Ride +4
* Sense Motive +4
* Spot +3
* Tumble +9
* Craft (fletcher) +9

Loot: Mad Martin wields the bulk of the group's wealth in the form of his blade "Scarless", a +1 Merciful Longsword. He wears a chain shirt, and he also carries a silver dagger.

- - -

Lucy Lawful -- Elf Cleric 5 (Law, Protection)
Str 12, Dex 14 (12+2), Con 11 (13-2), Int 10, Wis 16 (15+1), Cha 8
HD: 5d8
1/ Cleric 1 - Point Blank Shot
2/ Cleric 2
3/ Cleric 3 - Rapid Shot
4/ Cleric 4
5/ Cleric 5

Spells (caster level 5):
Orisons: 5 -- create water, light x2, cure minor wound x2
L1 (DC 14): 4+1 -- bless x2, remove fear, command, sanctuary*
L2 (DC 15): 3+1 -- sound burst, bull's strength, shield other, calm emotions*
L3 (DC 16): 2+1 -- monster summoning III, magic circle vs. alignment, protection from energy*
*) domain spell

Loot: Chain shirt, MW composite longbow (Str +1), 60 normal arrows, 10 silver arrows, rapier.

- - -

Tactics: Suzy will always attempt to use Glitterdust to blind their opponents. Once she has done so, she will attempt to Enfeeble it. Then, she charges in and uses her bite attack.

Once Suzy signals that she's done casting Glitterdust, Martin will charge in. If his opponent is blinded, he gains Sneak Attack damage, giving him an attack which deals 1d8+3d6+3 nonlethal damage.

Lucy starts combat by casting Bless. She should have already cast Shield Other on Martin. If the opponent seems particularly tough, she may also cast Bull's Strength on Martin. She tries to save her 3rd level slot for self-healing, because otherwise absorbing half of Martin's damage could leave her quite vulnerable. If the wyrmlings attempt to escape via flight, however, she'll summon a small Air Elemental (fly speed 100 ft.).

Rick always stays to the rear. He isn't good at riding and attacking, so he'll full move away when he starts a round threatened, and full attack when he does not.

The group always makes an effort to deal some nonlethal damage before switching over to lethal.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Other Possibles:

Half-Giant (LA +1) Ftr2/PsyWar2

Main Benefits: 4 Bonus Feats, Powerful Build. Burn 1 Feat to take Greatspear, then add Power Att, WeapFoc Longspear (according to CompAdv, Greatspear counts as Longspear for certain feats), Psionic Weapon, and Stand Still.

Take Expansion as 1st power. Normally, I'd take Inertial Armor as the 2nd power, since it gives +4AC and lasts 1 hour/lvl, but you're using a 2 handed weapon, so Force Screen is the better choice despite lasting only 1minute/level for the same AC benefit.

With Expansion and a Large Greatspear, you'll be doing a minimum of 4d6 for a normal strike, more w/Power Att & Psionic Weapon. Your increased Reach* will be of use in keeping the Dragon off of you or partymates AND hitting the Dragon when he tries to attack from a distance. Stand Still keeps the Dragon pinned in place if he fails his Ref save, meaning that if/when your party achieves a tactical advantage on him, he may not be able to retreat or shift to a more advantageous position...including taking flight.

Also, the Greatspear is a throwing weapon, so as a last-ditch attempt to kill the beast, it may be thrown (unless the weapon has Returning on it, in which case you can keep using it).

*According to Sage Advice in Dragon #333 regarding wielding oversized weapons (via Monkey's Grip/Powerful Build) "While this reference {PHB p113 on Reach} doesn't mention the ability to wield a weapon larger than the appropriate size, allowing such a weapon to grant reach to its wielder is a reasonable extension of the spirit and intent of the rule."

So, depending upon your ruling, a Half-Giant PsyWar with one level of Expansion and using an oversized Great Spear would have the reach of either a Large or Huge creature.

Main Drawback: Gives up 1 level for race and full BAB progression, costing +2BAB, and only has 1st level powers.

Half-Giant (LA +1) PsyWar4

As above, but loses 2 feats (your choice). In exchange, gains a 1st level psionic power (your choice) and a 2nd level psionic power, which should be Dissolving Weapon- getting an additional 4d6 Acid damage, +1d6 per additional 2 power points.

 

[Derro]

Total aside here:

This reminds me of subduing dragons from 1e. Even if the encounter goes wrong you have a new adventure with the wyrmlings as unwilling servants to some vile potentate.

Good luck!

 

[Animal]

i really like nifft's little beasts but i'd like to throw in my 2 cents if you don't mind.

imho, scout 3/ranger 2 with swift hunter [CS] would be more effective for Rick. ranger's animal companion is near useless against dragon and longstrider is clearly outshined by scout's permanent speed increase. he loses +1 BAB but gains (+2d6, +1AC) skirmish.

and Mad Marty could be swash 3/rogue 2 with daring outlaw [CS]. dump str and boost dex and int. better AC, AB, better save vs. dragonbreath and +1d6 SA.

also when you fight dragons, dragonfoe is better than weapon focus and dragonhunter is better than dodge any day of the week.

 

[Nifft]

i really like nifft's little beasts but i'd like to throw in my 2 cents if you don't mind.

imho, scout 3/ranger 2 with swift hunter [CS] would be more effective for Rick. ranger's animal companion is near useless against dragon and longstrider is clearly outshined by scout's permanent speed increase. he loses +1 BAB but gains (+2d6, +1AC) skirmish.

and Mad Marty could be swash 3/rogue 2 with daring outlaw [CS]. dump str and boost dex and int. better AC, AB, better save vs. dragonbreath and +1d6 SA.

also when you fight dragons, dragonfoe is better than weapon focus and dragonhunter is better than dodge any day of the week.

Thanks! My main goal was "all core", and I think they're decent opponents with that restriction.

That aside, don't overlook some things:

1/ The Ranger's animal companion has 50 ft. move, which turns into 60 ft. with longstrider. It'll be a while before the Scout can beat that! The Ranger can also full move and shoot (at a penalty), which the scout cannot do. When you're targeting Dragons who can fly up to 100 ft. move, it's good to be VERY mobile.

2/ Mad Marty could alternately pack a Merciful Glaive, which would give him reach. The Swashbuckler cannot do the same.

3/ Iron Will and Dodge are the pre-requisites for the Dragonslayer PrC (from Draconomicon), so when I had a spare feat, I took one of those, because I figured these NPCs would pretty much all be aiming for that PrC. However, you're right -- other feats would be more optimal in the short term (i.e. if these NPCs are not going to be recurring foes).

Cheers, -- N

 

[Jack Simth]

Looks like we have a winner for today's session.... mwhahahah...
Thanks. I will be switching things out for bane effects, though - these are bounty hunters, after all, and it's a "dead" bounty, not a "dead or alive" bounty.

Okay... LN level 5 Wyrmling Wranglers. All using 25 point buy.

- - -

Ranger Rick - Halfling Ranger 5
Small Humanoid (halfling)
Str 10 (12-2), Dex 16 (14+2), Con 15, Int 10, Wis 14 (13+1), Cha 8
HD: 5d8 +10
1/ Ranger 1 - [Track], Point Blank Shot, FE Dragons +2
2/ Ranger 2 - [Rapid Shot]
3/ Ranger 3 - [Endurance], Precise Shot
4/ Ranger 4 - Animal Companion: Riding Dog
5/ Ranger 5 - FE Dragons +4, Magical Beasts +2

Skills:
* Handle Animal +7
* Jump +10
* Listen +10
* Ride +11
* Spot +10
* Survival +10

Spell prepared: Longstrider, shared with mount animal companion.

Loot: six Sleep Arrows, MW composite shortbow (small), small studded leather, 60 normal arrows, small longsword, small dagger.

- - -

Sleep Arrows -> +1 Bane(Dragon) arrows; vs. Dragon's thats:

Initiative: +3
AC 18
HP: 32/32
Attack: +12 (+13 within 30 feet) for 1d4+2d6+7
Full Attack: +10/+10 (+11/+11 within 30 feet) for 1d4+2d6+7
Notes: -4 if mount double-moves, -8 if mount full moves
Saves: +7/+8/+4
Mount-move 50 (they're going into a lair, and know they're doing so)

Suzy Striker -- Aranea 3 / Sorcerer 1
Medium Magical Beast (shapeshifter); speed 50 ft., climb 25 ft.
Str 8, Dex 17 (13+4), Con 18 (14+4), Int 14 (10+4), Wis 14 (12+2), Cha 20 (15+4+1)
HP: 3d8 +1d4 +16
1/ Aranea 1 - [Iron Will], Ability Focus (poison)
2/ Aranea 2
3/ Aranea 3 - Weapon Finesse
4/ Sorcerer 1 - (any option that gives up Familiar)

Spells (caster level 4) per day / known:
Cantrips (DC 15) - 6 / Touch of Fatigue, Disrupt Undead, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Acid Splash, Prestidigitation
L1 (DC 16) - 8 / Ray of Enfeeblement, Shocking Grasp, Magic Missile
L2 (DC 17) - 4 / Glitterdust

Poison (Ex): Injury, DC 18. initial damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Web (Ex): In spider or hybrid form, an aranea can throw a web up to six times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets of up to Large size. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement.

An entangled creature can escape with a DC 16 Escape Artist check or burst the web with a DC 20 Strength check. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus. The web has 6 hit points, hardness 0, and takes double damage from fire.

Starting with Hybrid form,
HP 32/32
Initiative: +3
AC 14
Attack +6 (melee or ranged) for 1d6+poison (bite) or Web
Saves +7/+6/+7

- - -

Mad Martin -- Human Rogue 3 / Fighter 2
Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14 (13+1), Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 10
HP: 3d6 +2d10 +10
1/ Rogue 1 -- Improved Initiative, Iron Will, SA +1d6
2/ Fighter 1 -- Weapon Focus (long sword)
3/ Rogue 2 -- [Evasion], Dodge
4/ Fighter 2 -- Mobility
5/ Rogue 3 -- SA +2d6

Skills:
* Balance +8
* Intimidate +8
* Jump +9
* Listen +3
* Ride +4
* Sense Motive +4
* Spot +3
* Tumble +9
* Craft (fletcher) +9

Loot: Mad Martin wields the bulk of the group's wealth in the form of his blade "Scarless", a +1 Merciful Longsword. He wears a chain shirt, and he also carries a silver dagger.

Scarless -> Scarr: +1 Bane(Dragon) Greatsword
Weapon Focus (Longsword) -> Weapon Focus (Greatsword)

Initiative: +6
AC: 16 (17 vs. 1 opponent)
Attack: +11 for 2d6+3+2d6+3+2d6 sneak attack
Charge: +13 for 2d6+3+2d6+3+2d6 sneak attack
HP: 32/32

- - -

Lucy Lawful -- Elf Cleric 5 (Law, Protection)
Str 12, Dex 14 (12+2), Con 11 (13-2), Int 10, Wis 16 (15+1), Cha 8
HD: 5d8
1/ Cleric 1 - Point Blank Shot
2/ Cleric 2
3/ Cleric 3 - Rapid Shot
4/ Cleric 4
5/ Cleric 5

Spells (caster level 5):
Orisons: 5 -- create water, light x2, cure minor wound x2
L1 (DC 14): 4+1 -- bless x2, remove fear, command, sanctuary*
L2 (DC 15): 3+1 -- sound burst, bull's strength, shield other, calm emotions*
L3 (DC 16): 2+1 -- monster summoning III, magic circle vs. alignment, protection from energy*
*) domain spell

Loot: Chain shirt, MW composite longbow (Str +1), 60 normal arrows, 10 silver arrows, rapier.

Sound Burst -> Silence (party is raiding, and needs to be able to sneak in to limit of Blindsense range before attacking)


HP 23/23
Initiative: +2
AC 16
Attack Longbow +6 ranged for 1d8+1 or Rapier +5 for 1d6+1
Full Attack Longbow +4/+4 ranged for 1d8+1 or Rapier +5 for 1d6+1
Saves +4/+3/+7

Tactics: Suzy will always attempt to use Glitterdust to blind their opponents. Once she has done so, she will attempt to Enfeeble it. Then, she charges in and uses her bite attack.

Once Suzy signals that she's done casting Glitterdust, Martin will charge in. If his opponent is blinded, he gains Sneak Attack damage, giving him an attack which deals 1d8+3d6+3 nonlethal damage.

Lucy starts combat by casting Bless. She should have already cast Shield Other on Martin. If the opponent seems particularly tough, she may also cast Bull's Strength on Martin. She tries to save her 3rd level slot for self-healing, because otherwise absorbing half of Martin's damage could leave her quite vulnerable. If the wyrmlings attempt to escape via flight, however, she'll summon a small Air Elemental (fly speed 100 ft.).

Rick always stays to the rear. He isn't good at riding and attacking, so he'll full move away when he starts a round threatened, and full attack when he does not.

The group always makes an effort to deal some nonlethal damage before switching over to lethal.

Cheers, -- N

Thanks again.

For the rest of you who gave suggestions: Thank you also - those will end up being used if the players keep to the same area, or don't arrange to block things off so that they're harder to get to.

 

[Nifft]

Looks like we have a winner for today's session.... mwhahahah...
Thanks. I will be switching things out for bane effects, though - these are bounty hunters, after all, and it's a "dead" bounty, not a "dead or alive" bounty.

I figure that LN hunters wouldn't voluntarily kill Good dragons... but it's your game. May Bahamut have mercy on your players!

Note that I did cheat a bit in giving a +2 weapon to Marty -- justified by the fact that he lost the extra +1d6 by not packing a Greatsword! If you're changing his weapon to a Greatsword, you should probably drop it back to just plain +1. Otherwise, he'll murder them, and it will be unfair.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Jack Simth]

I figure that LN hunters wouldn't voluntarily kill Good dragons... but it's your game. May Bahamut have mercy on your players!

Note that I did cheat a bit in giving a +2 weapon to Marty -- justified by the fact that he lost the extra +1d6 by not packing a Greatsword! If you're changing his weapon to a Greatsword, you should probably drop it back to just plain +1. Otherwise, he'll murder them, and it will be unfair.

Cheers, -- N

I mentioned they'd been "noisy" - I'd neglected to mention how.

See, they flew over a small elven city... and one of them spouted off a blast of flame. They ran off after they found out that most the populace was armed with bows (thirty or forty elven commonoer-1's with longbows are surprisingly effective - especially when they've got a few professional guards (warrior-2's) backing them up).

Later, one of them landed out of sight of said city, used Alternate Form to blend in, and came in. He was running away from a random encounter (two cockatrices), and the guards drove the beats off (they're up on a wall, shooting arrows - multiple targets, they're taking damage, now away from their nest, I decided they'd run). He said a couple of things to the guards, one of which was that he'd lost a wallet with a lot of cash (a lie, buy that parts immaterial). Guards sent out a tracker to recover it (for themselves, mind...) and he encountered the tracker on his way back out. Tracker had located his landing spot and was standing around looking confused. Dragon attacked tracker, tracker escaped (Cape of the Mounteback).

Combine that with some earlier dragon hunters, one of which tracked them back to their lair, was taken prisoner, and managed to escape, and, well... these guys have a local reputation for being aggressive, regardless of type.

Add to that the bounty on dragon heads, and you can see why I need a dragon hunting party, no?

 

[Nifft]

I mentioned they'd been "noisy" - I'd neglected to mention how.

See, they flew over a small elven city... and one of them spouted off a blast of flame. They ran off after they found out that most the populace was armed with bows (thirty or forty elven commonoer-1's with longbows are surprisingly effective - especially when they've got a few professional guards (warrior-2's) backing them up).

Woah. Yeah. You don't try to set cities on fire and retain the benefits of Good.

Later, one of them landed out of sight of said city, used Alternate Form to blend in, and came in. He was running away from a random encounter (two cockatrices), and the guards drove the beats off (they're up on a wall, shooting arrows - multiple targets, they're taking damage, now away from their nest, I decided they'd run). He said a couple of things to the guards, one of which was that he'd lost a wallet with a lot of cash (a lie, buy that parts immaterial). Guards sent out a tracker to recover it (for themselves, mind...) and he encountered the tracker on his way back out. Tracker had located his landing spot and was standing around looking confused. Dragon attacked tracker, tracker escaped (Cape of the Mounteback).

Okay, that's downright mean. I have no longer have any reservations about their termination.

Combine that with some earlier dragon hunters, one of which tracked them back to their lair, was taken prisoner, and managed to escape, and, well... these guys have a local reputation for being aggressive, regardless of type.

Add to that the bounty on dragon heads, and you can see why I need a dragon hunting party, no?

No worries. I still say you shouldn't use the Greatsword of Bane (dragons), because that's cheating in terms of wealth -- which I could only excuse by nerfing the weapon down to Longsword and using a +1d6 power like Merciful. Marty's attacks are still going to be brutal even without the +2d6 Bane damage.

If Marty drops Mobility, switches to a Reach weapon, and takes Stand Still (as mentioned by wise posters earlier in the thread), he has a good chance of preventing the dragons from closing with him, or of flying away. An alternate build would give him +1 Armor spikes, a +1 Glaive, Combat Reflexes and Stand Still (in place of Dodge and Mobility). He'll still try to flank with Suzy, but he also serves as strong battlefield control.

- - -

I also was reading through the Spell Compendium for my own Cleric in another game, and stumbled across downdraft (Cleric 3). This is an awesome spell for the group, and Lucy should prepare it twice, in place of summon monster III and magic circle.

Also, don't forget Lucy should use her Domain power on Martin before the start of the encounter. This gives Martin a +5 bonus on his next save.

- - -

Suzy should start the encounter in spider form, because her speed goes up to 50 (10 squares). She has two hands in all of her forms, and retains her spellcasting.

- - -

Finally, even though it's not required, there's nothing wrong with capturing the Dragons. The mercs could collect their bounty, then sell the dragons in a distant port as experimental subjects for an evil blah blah blah. This would let the PCs play a more traditional "escape from dungeon" adventure against foes who they are allowed to set on fire.

Unless, of course, you're tired of this game, and you just want to kill these characters. In which case, bend the wealth rules, it's your right as a DM!

Cheers, -- N

 

[calighis]

The aranea is LA+4 and she only has three levels of monstrous humanoid. I might be wrong but I think she needs another level.
Also good back story. I think the bulk of us are rooting for the DM here. Those silly PC's are simply acting childishly and need a real slap on the wrist.