Lord of the Iron Fortress Questions ***SPOILERS***

[Frosty]

Hrmm...sure it wasn't a Pit Fiend? The second one was probably the same one that got banished...I think the encounter specifically tells the DM how to bring the Pit Fiend back a round or two after being banished.

I think the trick is for the party to get into the fight with Imperagon without him getting all the crazy buffs out of his cohorts.

When we encountered Imperagon we had to face his Elder Fire Elemental, a couple of steel beasts, the fallen Planetar (that was impossible to hit), one or two pit-fiends (it could be the same one that came back) and numerous followers. Luckily two of our party-members are wargamers so we managed to pull through. Now we are off to Bastion of Broken Souls for more hack, hack and slay.

 

[Numion]

When we encountered Imperagon we had to face his Elder Fire Elemental, .

What's up with that? I don't think that Big I was supposed to have Elder Fires up there...

 

[Plane Sailing]

One thing that I've noticed in the modules that doesn't gel with the DMG suggestions about creating & running adventures. No offence intended to Andy & others BTW.

I'm sure that I recall the DMG suggesting that normally higher level characters will progress more slowly through the levels as they are more likely to face a fair number of challenges which are a lower CR than their party level... however the high level modules only seem to have encounters with whopping CR's!


It is a shame that each of the modules didn't have at least one encounter which was of a CR about 4-6 lower than the the party, in order to let them "strut their stuff" and enjoy being high level... I remember Monte Cook talking about this principle in one of his website articles.

My players are a long way from LoIF at the moment ( c.8th level) but as it stands at the moment I'm hard pressed to see how to avoid killing everyone if I make optimum use of all the bad guys! Hopefully by the time we reach that exalted level my experience as a high level 3e DM will have grown too.

Cheers

 

[Frosty]

What's up with that? I don't think that Big I was supposed to have Elder Fires up there...

I don't know - EFE came out from the forge. Hm, I'm beginning to suspect my DM gave us a harder time than we should have had. Still, we are alive and kicking.

 

[Numion]

I don't know - EFE came out from the forge. Hm, I'm beginning to suspect my DM gave us a harder time than we should have had. Still, we are alive and kicking.

Ok, you were fighting at the forge. Then it's ok, and you being alive is.. well, ok too My group fought upstairs, and I assumed thet you were too. No EFEs there.

 

[Johno]

Here is an idea: If your DM told you to make a 15th level character, what would it be like. My players are operating under the following restrictions:

32 point-buy
Core Rules only.
All DMG magic items are available (with a veto power from me upon review).
Wands and Staves only have 20 charges(but cost the same).

What would kind of character would you produce. Maybe if I could show my players a couple of samples, it would help them out. (I showed them a Rog11/Ftr4 and a Bard15 as examples).

My 32 point buy:

Human Cleric 15

Stats:
Str 14
Dex 10
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 16 +3 level +6 Enhancement bonus
Cha 14

Feats (7):
Scribe Scroll, Extend Spell, Craft Magic Arms and Armour, Extra Turning, Craft Wondrous Item, Alertness, Blind-fight

Other possible candidates for feats are: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Great Fortitude, Craft Wand, Create Staff, and Lightning Reflexes.

Equipment:
+1 Adamantine Full Plate Armour of Heavy Fortification (Base value 47500gp).
+3 Animated Large Shield (Base value 25180gp) for 12680 gp)
Ring of Protection +3 (18,000 gp)
Ring of Counterspells (4000 gp) (Loaded with Dispel Magic)
Cloak of Resistance +4 (16,000 gp)
Periapt of Wisdom +6 (36,000gp)
Gloves of Climbing and Swimming (6000 gp)
Hat of Disguise (2000 gp)
Boots of Springing and Striding (6000 gp)
Vest of Escape (
A weapon X, according to deity. Perhaps bastard sword, or great sword?

I prefer Adamantine weapons. If you need a higher bonus you can always cast Greater Magical Weapon...which you should have done earlier any way...

Most of the above equipment you can create yourself, and thus you should be allowed to obtain even more equipment.

I enjoy War and Magic domains. But there are many good ones; following Obad-hai allows you to control or repel all elemental creatures

A large number of Scrolls, with defensive spells; cures, boosts, power ups, removes, resistances, that kind of stuff.

AC is at least 29, boostable to 35+ with the Magical Vestment spell. Boost Dex 2 to squeeze yet more AC into the packet. Immune to Criticals and sneak attacks.

With the boosting spells, you are able to get in as much damage as a fighter, in a critical fight.

 

[Uller]

That looks good Johno. It is right in line with the characters in the back of the adventure. Jozan for instance has a 24 Wisdom and can fly!

I am allowing the players to make magic items as per the rules for creating magic items. It is assumed their XP has them exactly halfway to 16th level and if they want, they can "lose" a level (the character just created so much magic that he is behind the curve, level wise.

 

[Xarlen]

Ullier, I would suggest that, if no one wants to play a medic At All, then you probably want to make a cleric NPC. A party of 6 should really whoop through that thing. For this, you might want to raise the ECL of one or two encouthers, but otherwise, it should help some people out.

 

[Uller]

Ullier, I would suggest that, if no one wants to play a medic At All, then you probably want to make a cleric NPC. A party of 6 should really whoop through that thing. For this, you might want to raise the ECL of one or two encouthers, but otherwise, it should help some people out.

I'm considering that. I'd probably make him just 10th or 12th level and use spells almost exclusively for booting and healing...Bull's Strenght, Endurance, Magical Vestment, Magic Circle against Law or Evil, etc. etc.