NEW (AGAIN)- Thunderspire Labyrinth- Stat analysis #25 Shrine to Baphomet

[Taed]

When I ran this portion of KotS just two weeks back, the first hobgoblin battle was a good one, as the spiders arrived late to the party just as they were finishing the hobgoblins (despite their high AC), and the spiders immediately KOed two PCs. But of course the PCs eventually prevailed.

The next two encounters I combined into a single encounter. The PCs went south, and tripped the portcullis [sic]. They lifted it, and while holding it up (it wouldn't latch as they were standing on the trap squares), the hobgoblins from the South attacked. They couldn't decide what to do with the gate, but eventually decided to drop it with all the PCs on the north side of it. They then started fighting through the gate. But then the batch of hobgoblins from the north took them by surprise with the hobgoblin warcaster getting off its nice area attack, hitting nearly everyone (and there was a wizard and warlock in the back taking the brunt of the melee attacks). One of the players was quite tweeked by this and accused me of trying to kill off the entire party, to which I merely said that I thought that they were up to the challenge. They got off some great attacks on both fronts, and the battle was over in just 4 rounds with no PCs dead and only one KO. I thought it was a pretty exciting double battle, though I didn't tell them that I combined two encounters.

One interesting bit is that Splug (though we call him Splurg) has been running with them all this time, and I've been having players take turns running him, with little prompting from me as everyone understands Splug's motivations. Anyway, Splug was down to 3 HPs from the initial attack from the hobgoblin warcaster and immediately ran away. I'm of two minds what to do with him. He does add something to the party, but they've been using him basically as a free javelin attack (Splug won't enter melee as he values only his life more than money). I was hoping to use him as a traitor of the party, going over and warning Kalarel. However, I'm also tempted for them to hear a scream, and they find his dead body, killed in the statue trap room.

 

[Goonalan]

When I ran this portion of KotS just two weeks back, the first hobgoblin battle was a good one, as the spiders arrived late to the party just as they were finishing the hobgoblins (despite their high AC), and the spiders immediately KOed two PCs. But of course the PCs eventually prevailed.

The next two encounters I combined into a single encounter. The PCs went south, and tripped the portcullis [sic]. They lifted it, and while holding it up (it wouldn't latch as they were standing on the trap squares), the hobgoblins from the South attacked. They couldn't decide what to do with the gate, but eventually decided to drop it with all the PCs on the north side of it. They then started fighting through the gate. But then the batch of hobgoblins from the north took them by surprise with the hobgoblin warcaster getting off its nice area attack, hitting nearly everyone (and there was a wizard and warlock in the back taking the brunt of the melee attacks). One of the players was quite tweeked by this and accused me of trying to kill off the entire party, to which I merely said that I thought that they were up to the challenge. They got off some great attacks on both fronts, and the battle was over in just 4 rounds with no PCs dead and only one KO. I thought it was a pretty exciting double battle, though I didn't tell them that I combined two encounters.

One interesting bit is that Splug (though we call him Splurg) has been running with them all this time, and I've been having players take turns running him, with little prompting from me as everyone understands Splug's motivations. Anyway, Splug was down to 3 HPs from the initial attack from the hobgoblin warcaster and immediately ran away. I'm of two minds what to do with him. He does add something to the party, but they've been using him basically as a free javelin attack (Splug won't enter melee as he values only his life more than money). I was hoping to use him as a traitor of the party, going over and warning Kalarel. However, I'm also tempted for them to hear a scream, and they find his dead body, killed in the statue trap room.

I don't want to give too much away but... as you'll see I combine the two encounters your talking about also, I did it on my last (before this) play through of KOTS and it seemed to work well so- do it again. Players tend to worry overly about their characters dying, I have no idea why- players are just odd that way.

Although your guys must have gone to town if they got through the encounter in 4 rounds, good work.

As for Splug- in one run through he served as a Javelin thrower (who got to save the day at least once), in another I played him as a Marxist revolutionary who never fought anything, but had the info and so the players needed to put up with him- basically he knew where every passage way went (more or less). The later was just a chance for me to yell revolutionary slogans and make the players giggle- although in the end several players did gang up on Splug and explain the difficulties of Marxism in a Capitalist society- forcibly, with hammers. Splug appeared again later in their adventures as a Paladin of The Raven Queen- all the life had gone out of him, a kind of moping Paladin.

If I were in your shoes, with a Splug in the hand as it were, I'd save him till he was needed- if the appearance of Splug and a fudged (or not) dice roll will save the PCs neck then you've got it covered. If not then have him standing by his Dark Master Kalarel with something from one of the PCs (skin/hair- the voodoo thing) and make that PC suffer a little more.

Either that or to Thunderspire for the lad.

Thanks for sharing.


Oh, more of it...


H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #17 Area 12: Hobgoblin Guard Room

Round #6.

HG1- DEAD.

HG2- DEAD.

HG3- DEAD.

HG4- DEAD.

HG5- DEAD.

DJS- Prodigious Leap- Shift 12 back towards Cage- wants to go home.

Grey- Shift. Magic Missile HS2; Miss.

Phrenic- Shift. Wolf Pack Tactics HS2; Miss.

Winstanley- Sly Flourish Combat Advantage HS2; Miss. Action Point- Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic +2 To Hit & +4. Sly Flourish Combat Advantage HS2; Miss.

Dirty- Reaping Strike HS2; Miss 3 damage (3 HP bloodied) & Marked.

HS1- DEAD.

HS2- No Surrender. Flail Dirty; Hit 9 damage (22 HP).

HS3- DEAD.

HS4- DEAD.

Kaspard- Sacred Flame HS2; Hit 10 Radiant damage- DEAD & 4 Temp HP Dirty. Move after DJS.

Time to play 6 minutes.

End of Round-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP22/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP29/29)

Bad Guys 965XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x5) (HP1) 5 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x4) (HP47) 4 DEAD
Deathjump Spider Level 4 Skirmisher [DJS] (HP13/55)

Action Points 1 Total 9
Daily Powers 0 Total 1
Healing Surges 0 Total 2
2nd Winds 0 Total 1
Crits 0 Total 2
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: Just the Deathjump Spider to chase down and destroy.

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #17 Area 12: Hobgoblin Guard Room

Round #7.

HG1- DEAD.

HG2- DEAD.

HG3- DEAD.

HG4- DEAD.

HG5- DEAD.

DJS- Move back. Ready action.

Grey- Move. Magic Missile DJS; Miss.

Phrenic- Move towards DJS. Readied Action DJS Charge Phrenic; Hit 9 damage (20 HP) & ongoing 5 Poison damage. Viper's Strike DJS; Hit 6 damage (7 HP bloodied). Save vs Ongoing Poison damage- Success.

Winstanley- Move. Sly Flourish DJS; Hit 9 damage- DEAD.

Time to play 5 minutes.
Total time to play 1 hour & 2 minutes.

End of Combat-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP22/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP20/29)

Bad Guys 965XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x5) (HP1) 5 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x4) (HP47) 4 DEAD
Deathjump Spider Level 4 Skirmisher [DJS] (HP55) DEAD

Action Points 0 Total 9
Daily Powers 0 Total 1
Healing Surges 0 Total 2
2nd Winds 0 Total 1
Crits 0 Total 2
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: A meaty fight in which the PCs couldn't get the better of the Hobgoblins, failing to connect with the bad guys due to their Phalanx Soldier routines.

The PCs scour the place but are in no state to go on, Dirty is still wounded and has no Healing Surges left, Phrenic has but one, this has been by far their best sequence of encounters-

Level +1 – Level +1 – Skill Challenge – Level -1 – Level +2.

Admittedly it's not a great haul but these are new players with Level 2 PCs, and slightly wary of 'big' encounters, they've also shot through a lot of their Action Points in the last combat. The PCs high tail it back to the caverns they fought the Giant Rats and the Ochre Jelly in, to rest up, and don't forget after an Extended Rest they're up to Level 3.

Stats: Well that was a shocker from my guys, the monsters connected with only 28% of their attacks, that's only 7 hits from 25 attacks. The PCs were missing more often than hitting also with a 48.28% connection rate, 28 hits from 58 attacks; that is however more hits than the monsters made attacks.

The PCs delivered 308 points of damage in total at 44 HP damage/turn on average; the bad guys on 69 points of damage in total at 9.86 HP damage/turn. Out of the monsters 25 attacks 13 were against Dirty and 10 were against Phrenic (Grey & Kaspard 1 each, Winstanley 0), that's an easy piece of maths- the Defenders (I'm including Phrenic the Warlord in this) absorbed 92% of the attacks. Grey, Kaspard and Winstanly didn't take a point of damage- it's all right saying I should focus my fire on the back row but I have to get there first. The Deathjump Spider was designed to do exactly that, look how that worked out- '1' x2 for its first two attacks, and the Crit by Winstanley and instantly bloodied. Not exactly to plan.

I'm still not sure why the PCs used 9 Action Points here, and only 1 Daily Power; in lots of previous games of 4E D&D I've noticed this pattern however, Daily Powers are saved for the 'big guys', some terrifying HP heavy Solo or EOLBG. The problem is in dungeon crawls like KOTS there are sometimes plenty of smaller encounters, or like this encounter medium sized ones, that would benefit from the use of Daily Powers.

Action Points seem to be being spent out of frustration, a series of fights in which the PCs hit more often than not and then a fracas in which the PCs struggle in comparison- result, spend Action Points and get another roll at the bad guy.

Oddly Kaspard emerged from the fracas with a 83.33% hit rate, which is... unreal, Dirty on the other hand was down to 30%.

Combined Stats; We'll hold of on this, you'll see why.

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #18 The Hobgoblin Patrol (in Area 9: The Maze of Caves)


Back in this chamber with the PCs watching the stairs.

The PCs make a significant effort to hide their location, they also use make excellent use of Grey's Eye of Alarm Ritual, planning meticulously exactly where to place it- a good distance away from where they rest, far enough to give them enough time to be ready, and for it to still be heard.

They also rota at least two PCs to be awake at all times.

And they're right to, several hours later a Hobgoblin Patrol sent out to find the PCs wanders into the alarmed zone, result the PCs are awake and in position at the bottom of the stairs by the time the Hobgoblins close in for the kill.

I figure I should reward the PCs, I've DM'ed other groups that have made little or no provision for such an event, although less than 20 hours into their D&D careers the players are clearly thinking.

And so for this encounter I'm using the Hobgoblin Patrol from Shadowfell Keep Level Two Overview- another Level 4 Encounter, and remember the PCs are low on resources, well Action Points anyway.

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP29)

Bad Guys 902XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x4) (HP1)
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x2) (HP47)
Hobgoblin Archer Level 3 Artillery [HA] (x2) (HP39)
Hobgoblin Warcaster Level 3 Controller [HW] (HP46)

This is their first Hobgoblin Warcaster as well.

Initiative 25 Hobgoblin Archers 24 Phrenic 23 Hobgoblin Grunts 18 Dirty 17 Kaspard 13 Grey 12 Hobgoblin Soldiers 11 Winstanley 10 Hobgoblin Warcaster.

PCs hold until Hobgoblins descend stairs and into chamber.

Surprise round.

Phrenic- Scorching Burst HG1&3-4 & HA1 & HS2; Hit HG1; 5 Fire damage- DEAD & HA1; 5 Fire damage (34 HP) & HS2; 5 Fire damage (42 HP).

Dirty- Charge HG3; Miss & Marked.

Kaspard- Sacred Flame HG3; Miss.

Grey- Scorching Burst HA1 & HG4 & HS1-2; Hit HS1; 9 Fire damage (38 HP) & HS2; 9 Fire damage (33 HP).

Winstanley- First Strike Combat Advantage Sly Flourish HG4; 14 damage- DEAD.

Time to play 10 minutes including setting up map and minis.

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP29)

Bad Guys 902XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x4) (HP1) 2 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x2) (HP38/47 & 33/47)
Hobgoblin Archer Level 3 Artillery [HA] (x2) (HP34/39 & 39/39)
Hobgoblin Warcaster Level 3 Controller [HW] (HP46)

Action Points 0 Total 0
Daily Powers 0 Total 0
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 0
Crits 0 Total 0
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 0

Comment: Two Grunts dead and three Hobgoblins injured not bad as far as Surprise Rounds go, particularly against creatures they've had problems hitting.

 

[the Jester]

Comment: Two Grunts dead and three Hobgoblins injured not bad as far as Surprise Rounds go, particularly against creatures they've had problems hitting.

Well, half of the attacks vs. AC missed, anyway.

 

[Goonalan]

Well, half of the attacks vs. AC missed, anyway.

LOL, well the players seemed to think they'd done okay, small victories when it comes to Hobgoblins, I've had players Action Point Grunts just to see them off.

I tried (and succeeded) in clumping all the Hobgoblin Encounters together, the few encounters after the players get past them are easy(-ish) in comparison, until the finale.

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #18 The Hobgoblin Patrol in Area 9: The Maze of Caves.

Round #1.

HA1- Move. Longbow Kaspard; Hit 8 damage (23 HP).

HA2- Move. Longbow Winstanley; Hit - 2nd Chance – Miss.

Phrenic- Move. Leaf on the Wind HA1; Crit 21 damage (13 HP bloodied) & swap places with HA1. Action Point. Daily Lead the Attack HS2; Miss & all +1 To Hit HS2.

HG1- DEAD.

HG2- Charge Winstanley; Miss.

HG3- Longsword Phrenic; Hit 5 damage (22 HP). AoO Dirty HG3; Miss & Marked.

HG4- DEAD.

Dirty- Shift. Reaping Strike Combat Advantage HA1; Hit 16 damage- DEAD.

Kaspard- Move. Daily Beacon of Hope HG2-3 & HS1-2 & HA2; Miss all except HA2; Weakened & Allies in burst regain 8 HP- Self, Dirty & Phrenic now all on full.

Grey- Move. Ray of Frost HA2; Miss.

HS1- Shift. Flail Combat Advantage Phrenic; Crit Immediate Interrupt Kaspard Armour of Bahamut- reduced to 6 damage (23 HP) & Slowed & Marked.

HS2- Flail Phrenic; Hit 7 damage (16 HP) & Slowed & Marked.

Winstanley- Sly Flourish HG2; Hit 7 damage- DEAD. Action Point- Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic +2 To Hit & +4. Sly Flourish Combat Advantage HS2; Crit 32 damage (1 HP bloodied).

HW- Move. Shockstaff Phrenic; Miss (by 1).

Time to play 14 minutes.

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP16/29)

Bad Guys 902XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x4) (HP1) 3 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x2) (HP38/47 & 1/47)
Hobgoblin Archer Level 3 Artillery [HA] (x2) (HP39/39) 1 DEAD
Hobgoblin Warcaster Level 3 Controller [HW] (HP46)

Action Points 2 Total 2
Daily Powers 2 Total 2
Healing Surges 0 Total 0
2nd Winds 0 Total 0
Crits 2 Total 2
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 1 Total 1

Comment: The PCs are making in roads, the first non-minion falls, although as per usual Phrenic is taking a beating. Brutal Crit by Winstanley there, although looking back at it I've no idea how we arrived at 32 damage.

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #18 The Hobgoblin Patrol in Area 9: The Maze of Caves.

Round #2.

HA1- DEAD.

HA2- Weakened. Move. Longbow Grey; Hit 5 damage (22 HP).

Phrenic- Viper's Strike HS1; Miss. Inspiring Word +1 HP Self (24 HP).

No more Healing Surges left for Phrenic, remember Dirty didn't have any to begin with.

HG1- DEAD.

HG2- DEAD.

HG3- Longsword Combat Advantage Phrenic; Miss.

HG4- DEAD.

Dirty- Move. Daily Brute Strike HS1; Miss (Reliable) & Marked.

Kaspard- Sacred Flame HS2; Miss. Action Point- Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic +2 To Hit & +4. Sacred Flame HA2; Hit 13 Radiant damage (26 HP).

Grey- Ray of Frost HA2; Hit 11 Cold damage (15 HP bloodied) & Slowed.

HS1- Flail Dirty; Hit 11 damage (26 HP) & Slowed & Marked.

HS2- Flail Combat Advantage Phrenic; Miss.

Winstanley- Sly Flourish Combat Advantage HS2; Hit 11 damage- DEAD. Tumble into Combat Advantage over HS1.

HW- Shockstaff recharges and... Shockstaff Phrenic; Miss (again).

Time to play 8 minutes.

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP26/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP22/27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP24/29)

Bad Guys 902XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x4) (HP1) 3 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x2) (HP38/47) 1 DEAD
Hobgoblin Archer Level 3 Artillery [HA] (x2) (HP15/39) 1 DEAD
Hobgoblin Warcaster Level 3 Controller [HW] (HP46)

Action Points 1 Total 3
Daily Powers 0 Total 2
Healing Surges 1 Total 1
2nd Winds 0 Total 0
Crits 0 Total 2
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 1

Comment: The war of attrition continues, and another non-minion bites the dirt, although the Warcaster has still not taken any damage. In truth the Warcaster can't seem to get out of the action, the monster is having to make up the numbers in the front line, either that or flee back up the stairs- he's got no where else to go.

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #18 The Hobgoblin Patrol in Area 9: The Maze of Caves.

Round #3.

HA1- DEAD.

HA2- Move. Longbow Grey; Hit 12 damage (10 HP bloodied).

Phrenic- Viper's Strike HW; Hit 10 damage (36 HP). Inspiring Word +6 HP Grey (22 HP). Shift back.

HG1- DEAD.

HG2- DEAD.

HG3- Longsword Phrenic; Miss.

HG4- DEAD.

Dirty- Daily Brute Strike HS1; Miss. Daily Unstoppable 10 Temp HP.

Kaspard- Sacred Flame HG3; Miss. Action Point- Tactical Presence/Assault from Phrenic +2 To Hit & +4. Sacred Flame HW; Hit 9 Radiant damage (27 HP) & 4 Temp HP Phrenic.

Grey- Move. Burning Hands HS1 & HW & HG3; HG3; Hit 10 Fire damage- DEAD & HW; Hit 10 Fire damage (17 HP bloodied).

HS1- Flail Dirty; Miss.

HS2- DEAD.

Winstanley- Move. AoO HS1; Miss & AoO HW; Miss. Behind HW. Positioning Strike HW; Hit 9 damage (8 HP bloodied) and Slide between Phrenic & Kaspard.

HW- Force Pulse Dirty; Hit 13 Force damage (23 HP) not Pushed and Saves vs Prone & Grey; Hit 13 Force damage (9 HP bloodied) Pushed 1 and Prone & HS1; Miss 6 Force damage (32 HP) & Phrenic; Miss 6 Force damage (22 HP). Shift away.

Time to play 14 minutes.

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP23/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP9/27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP22/29)

Bad Guys 902XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x4) (HP1) 4 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x2) (HP32/47) 1 DEAD
Hobgoblin Archer Level 3 Artillery [HA] (x2) (HP15/39) 1 DEAD
Hobgoblin Warcaster Level 3 Controller [HW] (HP8/46)

Action Points 1 Total 4
Daily Powers 1 Total 3
Healing Surges 1 Total 2
2nd Winds 0 Total 0
Crits 0 Total 2
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 1

Comment: Nice Force Pulse but it's not going to be enough, the Warcaster is almost down.

 

[Goonalan]

H1 Keep on the Shadowfell
Encounter #18 Area 9: The Hobgoblin Patrol in Area 9: The Maze of Caves.

Round #4.

HA1- DEAD.

HA2- Move. Longbow Dirty; Hit 5 damage (18 HP bloodied).

Phrenic- Viper's Strike HW; Hit 5 damage (3 HP bloodied). Shift back to block stairs.

HG1- DEAD.

HG2- DEAD.

HG3- DEAD.

HG4- DEAD.

Dirty- Daily Brute Strike HS1; Crit 41 damage- DEAD. Move to HA2.

Kaspard- Healing Strike HW; Hit 5 damage- DEAD & Healing Surge +8 HP Grey (20 HP).

Grey- Stand. 2nd Wind (26 HP).

HS1- DEAD.

HS2- DEAD.

Winstanley- Move. Sly Flourish HA2; Miss.

HW- DEAD.

The final Hobgoblin Archer surrenders.

Time to play 5 minutes.
Total time to play 51 minutes.

End of Combat-

Good Guys
Dirty Biskit, Male Dwarven Fighter 2 (HP18/37)
Kaspard, Female Half-Elf Cleric of Bahamut 2 (HP31)
Winstanley Portico, Male Halfling Rogue 2 (HP30)
Grey Morlock, Male Human Wizard 2 (HP26/27)
Phrenic, Male Tiefling Warlord 2 (HP22/29)

Bad Guys 902XP Level 4 Encounter.
Hobgoblin Grunt Level 3 Minion [HG] (x4) (HP1) 4 DEAD
Hobgoblin Soldier Level 3 Soldier [HS] (x2) (HP47) 2 DEAD
Hobgoblin Archer Level 3 Artillery [HA] (x2) (HP39) 1 DEAD 1 SURRENDERED
Hobgoblin Warcaster Level 3 Controller [HW] (HP46) DEAD

Action Points 0 Total 4
Daily Powers 1 Total 4
Healing Surges 2 Total 4
2nd Winds 0 Total 0
Crits 1 Total 3
PCs Ko'd 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Action Points 0 Total 0
Bad Guys Crits 0 Total 1

Comment: The Hobgoblin Patrol is decimated, the Hobgoblin Archer is hog-tied and made to answer a few questions, actually very few- such is his resilience, and the PCs, despite Dirty's protests, dislike of torture.

The PCs do however learn that there's a 'Dark Priest' and a bunch of his helpers, mostly Undead, working below. They also learn that there's also a whole bunch more Hobgoblins in the way of their progress.

The Hobgoblin is dumped in a hole and duly forgotten about for the remainder of the PCs extended rest (and for the rest of the adventure I may add).

The Eye of Alarm is reset of course, but the PCs are not bothered again.

Stats: Business as usual for the PCs, surprisingly simple for a Level +2 (Level 4) Encounter, certainly compared to the previous encounter of the same level which needed a lot more in the way of Action Points and Daily Powers. Again, is this the benefit of a surprise round?

Once again my 'main man', the Hobgoblin Warcaster failed to hit twice in a row, I think a good hit on Phrenic would have taken him down, or thereabouts. Connection rate for the PCs was 56.76% (21 hits from 37 attacks); the bad guys 47.62% (10 hits from 21 attacks). The damage ratio is equally telling PCs at 51.4 hit points/turn on average versus the monsters with 18.2 hit points/turn.

The PCs managed to land two tremendous Crits from Dirty and Winstanley, both of which more-or-less did for one non-minion, Grey still hasn't rolled a '20', he did however spend 3 Healing Surges in this fight- something he doesn't normally do.

Other than that- business as usual.

Combined Stats: See tomorrow for a direct comparison between the PCs at Level 1 against at Level 2.