Oots 447

[diaglo]

All I can say is


"What possible reason could he have for attacking the gate now, instead of waiting for the army to move in"

Possibly coupled with

"Time for some fun" - Xykon

he's Chaotic before he is evil... yanno. Chaotic Evil.

 

[Pbartender]

At the end of the day, a 20th level spellcaster prepared in advance doesn't lose. They just don't. Anybody arguing otherwise hasn't played a spellcaster.

I won't argue with that, but don't forget that Xykon is a Sorcerer-Lich, not a Wizard-Lich... He's got to work with the spells he knows. It's not like he can prepare a different set of spells in advance.

Of course, we don't know what all the spells are on his known spells list... Which is advantageous for the author, who can simply add spells to that list as he needs them.

 

[Klaus]

My thought exactly.

Who knows what contingencies he may have going as well.

At the end of the day, a 20th level spellcaster prepared in advance doesn't lose. They just don't. Anybody arguing otherwise hasn't played a spellcaster.

You are thinking only of the paladins. The throne room is the focal point of a LG order that dates back quite a while. If that room sin't covered in multiple Consecrates (permament fixtures, giving Xykon -2 on all attacks, damage and saves, plus no Animated Dead), Hallow (permanent Magic Circle Against Evil, plus a secondary spell like Dispel Magic?), etc, I'd be severely disappointed. Plus the Paladins have access to Resist Energy, Dispel Magic, Prayer, Bless, Death Ward, Dispel Evil and Holy Sword. Spellcasting works both ways.

And all it takes is a Monk (hey, we're in the South, right?) to grapple Xykon. Ki Strike (magic) + Improved Grapple (bludgeoning damage) = no DR. A Monk 11 has SR 21, and can make 4 grapple checks per round (using flurry or blows) to deal 1d10 + Str mod. With a grapple modifier at or above +16, such a character could single-handedly deal about 12 points of damage with a single Grapple check (which would also force Xykon to make Concentration checks to cast any spell, even Voice-only spells).

And all of this is without thinking that one of those could be a cleric. Consecrate + 10 paladins using Aid Another on turning checks = +26 to a turning cleric's Turn Undead. Add an Amulet vs. Undead and we're looking at a successful turn vs. undead with HD equal to cleric's level +8.

Monks = caster killers.
Paladins + clerics = undead killers.

 

[wingsandsword]

I can't recall which comic it was offhand, but Xykon has said that his goals there involve rituals that will take weeks (hence why they didn't try to sneak into the castle, they need to take and overrun Azure city).

He's trying to have some "fun", and we've seen from the crayon scribbles of the past that the breaches, when unsealed, can have the claws of Snarl lashing out from them, maybe he's trying to let Snarl partly out to help destroy Azure City, then reimprison him and enslave it afterwards?

 

[Pbartender]

And all it takes is a Monk (hey, we're in the South, right?) to grapple Xykon. Ki Strike (magic) + Improved Grapple (bludgeoning damage) = no DR. A Monk 11 has SR 21, and can make 4 grapple checks per round (using flurry or blows) to deal 1d10 + Str mod. With a grapple modifier at or above +16, such a character could single-handedly deal about 12 points of damage with a single Grapple check (which would also force Xykon to make Concentration checks to cast any spell, even Voice-only spells).

Monks = caster killers.

That's not as easy as it sounds...

Attack Your Opponent

You can make an attack with an unarmed strike, natural weapon, or light weapon against another character you are grappling. You take a -4 penalty on such attacks.

Damage

A lich without natural weapons has a touch attack that uses negative energy to deal 1d8+5 points of damage to living creatures; a Will save (DC 10 + ½ lich’s HD + lich’s Cha modifier) halves the damage. A lich with natural weapons can use its touch attack or its natural weaponry, as it prefers. If it chooses the latter, it deals 1d8+5 points of extra damage on one natural weapon attack.

Paralyzing Touch (Su)

Any living creature a lich hits with its touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (see the bestow curse spell description).

The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a lich seems dead, though a DC 20 Spot check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.

Here's hoping that the grappling monk has really high saving throws... that paralyzing touch isn't subject to spell resistance.



Although I'd tend to agree... The Sapphire Guard spellcasters have to be at least as well prepared for specifically fighting a Lich (an evil undead in general) as Xykon would be for fighting paladins.

 

[Particle_Man]

Xykon wants to be a sexy shoeless god of war too!

 

[questing gm]

the 2 hooded figures in there could be Miko and Nale.

IIRC, Miko wasn't offered pardon if she served in the battle like the rest of the criminals.
She was still in her cell when the poison arrow bouched off V.

 

[Ry]

Yeah, but Nale could be Xykon's ace in the hole, Miko could have snuck out after him.

Actually, let me rephrase:

Yeah, but Sabine could be Xykon's ace in the hole, and Miko could have snuck out after her.

 

[questing gm]

Well, Miko was THIS close in succeeding Xykon's plan.

 

[Klaus]

That's not as easy as it sounds...







Here's hoping that the grappling monk has really high saving throws... that paralyzing touch isn't subject to spell resistance.



Although I'd tend to agree... The Sapphire Guard spellcasters have to be at least as well prepared for specifically fighting a Lich (an evil undead in general) as Xykon would be for fighting paladins.

Monks have all good saves, and if the Paralyzing Touch is based on Hold Monster, it's an enchantment effect, and therefore subject to Still Mind. A Monk 11 with 17 Wis and 12 Con, wearing cloak of resistance +2 will have Will +12 and Fort +10. If Xykon is a Sorcerer 20 with Cha 20, his save DC will be 25. Factor in Bless, Prayer and other stuff that improves saves, and the saving throw becomes easier.

Plus, Xykon will have -4 to hit from the Grapple, and possibly -2 from Consecrate. Add in +2 AC from Protection from Evil and a Sorcerer's poor BAB (+10 at 20th level) and we'll have Xykon rolling d20+4 to hit...