Pimp my spooky tomb encounter

[carborundum]

Would you guys be able to help me with another brainstorming session? Next week I’ve got a party of 5 10th level characters going into the last section of an Aztec style tomb. I’ve been retooling the Rakasta (cat people) temple from Savage Tide to make it a bit of a challenge for my pimped up party.

Quick background: The Rakasta Temple has been attacked and the people slaughtered by demonic, living lion skin-wearing warriors called Skinwalkers. (In service of an aspect of Demogorgon). They’ve left some nasty surprises behind, including a Blood Amniote (Libris Mortis) and a Skullripper (Giant Scorpion construct that decapitates its foes) that fought under a Symbol of Sleep.

Anyway, the party has continued undaunted, descending into a stinking pit and discovering a secret tunnel that’s going to lead them to the inner sanctum.

I was thinking that the tunnel would lead to a large, trapped chamber (pressure plates, spikes and spears in the floor and walls, tipped with poison that slows the victim until they save) with three antechambers. The middle of the central chamber is a raised dais where an invisible and insane coautl mourns his failure to protect his people. He may intervene to help.

The party has no cleric, and haven’t had met many undead yet. I’m planning on changing that – and they’re resourceful enough to handle plenty. I just want them to have a serious challenge. My first thought was some sort of pumped-up wights, but now I’m leaning towards spectres. Mostly for incorporeal giggles, fly/by attacks, and that sort of jolliness.

Beyond that, I’m open to any ideas, other ways of playing it, whatever you guys throw at me!

Thanks in advance for any ideas

 

[aboyd]

My initial comment is that incorporeal creatures usually don't come across as being as hard as their CR implies. And that's usually because the DM doesn't take proper advantage of the incorporality traits. If the creature has flyby attacks (as you mentioned) or spring attacks, that creature should end every single one of its turns in a wall or in the ground or in the air.

It flies out, does damage, and then continues moving (because of the feats) into a location that is safe from attack.

Once you start doing this, the players have to begin to fight differently -- everyone has readied actions, or puts up defenses that auto-retaliate (some spells will do huge amounts of damage to anyone who attacks a caster, for example), or find immediate actions that can interrupt the spirit's attacks.

Remember to think 3-dimensionally. Lots of times we get stuck on a battle mat and only think of moving left or right, rather than up or down.

If you do this well, then the CR of these creatures becomes more accurate. Good luck.

-Tony

PS: I think it sounds like a good place to drop in some Nilbogs or Necrophidius. Both are in the Tome of Horrors, revised 3.5 edition.

 

[carborundum]

Thanks! I totally want them to have to shift tactics, so incorporeal somethings with fly-by attack was my first thought. Basically let it fly into their chest and out the other side, leaving them gasping for breath (and down some Str or Con).

Nilbogs would be a great idea - they have not got that much healing (Muhahahahaha!) - there's a VoP druid, a handy haversack full of potions, and a few wands of Cure Light. They'd have to grapple the Nilbogs one by one and force potions down their necks!

Official Nilbogs couldn't do anything with the party AC except harass the wizard, unfortunately. Unless... I make a few sorceror 5s with Fireball
Describe them as Aztec underworld beasies, blessed by Camazotz. Use Nilbog stats as a starting point, I could let healing and cold hurt them... oh yeah, this will be nice! Maybe have some of them throwing green slime around or some other sort of touch attacks. Simultaneously have the spectre doing it's thing - nice and chaotic, plenty of enemies for action economy balance... going to be a memorable scene!

If you're readying for a spectre, would you get a minus on your Reflex saves? (giggle)

Thanks for the ideas, you've got me started again! Any more?

 

[Runestar]

Libris mortis has this concept of a ghost medusa. The idea is that it floats in, forces the party to make 3 fort saves or be subject to an array of effects (petrification, damage, str/dex/con/cha damage), attacks if possible then floats back into the walls.

Should be able to sufficiently challenge the party, even if it is just cr9. Or use 2 for an EL11 fight.

 

[carborundum]

Mother of ... that's awesomely evil!

I love it! I may have to open up the whole tomb area to get this, the super-nilbogs and the rest into it. The party will also get a lesson in retreat-and-resupply. That's never bad

 

[NewJeffCT]

And, don't forget that incorporeal creatures can even take a 5 foot step down - into the ground. So, you don't even need flyby attack if they can do that. Of course, next round, they spring back out of the ground and then do their flyby. Heck, they can do that a few times and retreat and come back later - continual hitting & running will keep the party paranoid and slowly wear down their spells, turn attempts and hit points.

 

[Runestar]

You can't move and make a 5-ft step in the same round, so a medusa ghost can't move out of the wall, gaze and then retreat without flyby attack.

Of course, she can move forwards and backwards (without attacking) while still subjecting the party to her passive gaze attacks, but flyby lets her take a standard action in the process (which can be an additional gaze attack).

 

[carborundum]

Is there anything to stop an incorporeal creature staying inside the floor and touch-attacking people's feet?

Apart from the obvious "it's really annoying" and the cover/concealment penalties then...

 

[Runestar]

Nothing really, but players can still ready actions to attack it, and it gets cover.

But yeah, its mostly just annoying.

 

[carborundum]

And a ghost... say, pixie or something very small... could theoretically appear inside someone, touch them, zoom away again via the inside of their leg and foot, and never be seen?