Reavers of Harkenwold Question (SPOIILERS!)

[Uller]

I'm running two groups through the "Essentials" adventure path. Both are just finishing up the Twisting Halls. From there hooks should lead them either into Reavers of Harkenwold or into Keep on the Shadowfell. In reading Reavers, the encounter D4 seems terribly off to me.

Yisarn is listed as a Lvl 3 Elite Controller...seems appropriate enough. All his stats mesh with similar 300 XP monsters. But one ability gives me great pause: Necrotic Burst...

At Will, Triggered Action
Trigger: Yisarn takes damage from an attack
Attack: Close burst 1 (enemies in burst) +6 vs Fort
2D6+3 Necrotic damage, target is pushed 2 squares and if target is daze it falls unconscious (Yisarn's other at-will attack powers daze the target)

There are no limits on how much it is used...It's not rechargeable, it's not once per round or even once per turn. It's every time he takes damage he gets a free attack on all enemies adjacent to him and oh by the way, there's a good chance he'll have dazed at least one of the targets so on his turn he could easily coup de grace...

By comparison, an Ochre Jelly (also a Lvl 3 Elite monster) has no attacks that come anywhere close to this.

Am I wrong or does this guy seem a bit tough? It seems to me it should be an encounter power or recharge on bloodied, or recharge and triggered when he is reduced to 0 hp....That way he can open with Lightning Talons, move adjacent to a dazed foe, then knock him unconcious and coup de grace...but at best can only do that once in the fight, then when he is destroyed, maybe do some more damage as a last act of defiance.

 

[Klaus]

I'm running two groups through the "Essentials" adventure path. Both are just finishing up the Twisting Halls. From there hooks should lead them either into Reavers of Harkenwold or into Keep on the Shadowfell. In reading Reavers, the encounter D4 seems terribly off to me.

Yisarn is listed as a Lvl 3 Elite Controller...seems appropriate enough. All his stats mesh with similar 300 XP monsters. But one ability gives me great pause: Necrotic Burst...

At Will, Triggered Action
Trigger: Yisarn takes damage from an attack
Attack: Close burst 1 (enemies in burst) +6 vs Fort
2D6+3 Necrotic damage, target is pushed 2 squares and if target is daze it falls unconscious (Yisarn's other at-will attack powers daze the target)

There are no limits on how much it is used...It's not rechargeable, it's not once per round or even once per turn. It's every time he takes damage he gets a free attack on all enemies adjacent to him and oh by the way, there's a good chance he'll have dazed at least one of the targets so on his turn he could easily coup de grace...

By comparison, an Ochre Jelly (also a Lvl 3 Elite monster) has no attacks that come anywhere close to this.

Am I wrong or does this guy seem a bit tough? It seems to me it should be an encounter power or recharge on bloodied, or recharge and triggered when he is reduced to 0 hp....That way he can open with Lightning Talons, move adjacent to a dazed foe, then knock him unconcious and coup de grace...but at best can only do that once in the fight, then when he is destroyed, maybe do some more damage as a last act of defiance.

That's a "keep melee characters away from me" ability, and can be sidestepped with appropriate planning. In fact, a melee character with a reach weapon can bypass it just fine.

 

[Uller]

That's a "keep melee characters away from me" ability, and can be sidestepped with appropriate planning. In fact, a melee character with a reach weapon can bypass it just fine.

Fighter with reach 2 attacks Yisarn. Yisarn dazes fighter and possibly others with a close blast 5 rechargable, shifts (or even moves to an optimal place...after all dazed characters don't get OAs and don't flank), then dares someone to hit him. He's got an action point so he can use that to Coup De Grace an unconscious foe and still have an action left over to daze the next victim, coup de grace another victim or move to safety to await the recharge. He's a cool monster...but seems like he is not appropriate for 2nd level PCs, especially with 3 allies.

Has anyone run this fight with 2nd or 3rd level characters?

Edit: Now that I think about it...he might even WANT to provoke an Opportunity Attack in his opening round...after all, if it hits, free powerful attack...probably does more damage to his opponent than he'll take.

It just seems like that should be a recharge ability...even a once per turn limit.

 

[Klaus]

For starters, it's an Immediate Reaction, so Yisarn can only use it once per round.

Second of all, Lightning Talos is a "creatures in blast" power, so he'd be cutting down his own allies if he uses it indiscriminatedly.

 

[Ktulu]

When my players fought him, it hardly came up. 1, they used what I call "immediate recognition", when an immediate reaction/interrupt comes from an enemy, they switch tactics and have the guy with either A: the highest defense against that attack or B: the guy with the most HP move to attack him first on a round, then the others follow up - rogue moves in to flank, etc...

Yisarn's attack is effective, but only if the players fail to recognize a pattern of use. The nastier creature in that fight, by far, is that spider. I locked them down and beat the party senseless with the skeletons.

And, to build on the infamous Klaus, it's an immediate, so it can ONLY be triggered when it's not Yisarn's turn, and only once per round. Thus, he can't trigger it from an Opportunity Attack that he causes.

 

[Uller]

And, to build on the infamous Klaus, it's an immediate, so it can ONLY be triggered when it's not Yisarn's turn, and only once per round. Thus, he can't trigger it from an Opportunity Attack that he causes.

Ahh. Didn't realize Immed Reacts were once per round. Good to know. I assume he can choose to not use it, though (save it for when he is in good position) - don't have my books with me right now...

What level were your PCs when they fought him?

Anyone else play through this encounter?

Thanks for the responses!

 

[LostSoul]

Edit: Now that I think about it...he might even WANT to provoke an Opportunity Attack in his opening round...after all, if it hits, free powerful attack...probably does more damage to his opponent than he'll take.

I'm not sure if you can take Immediate actions on your own turn.

 

[Klaus]

And let's not forget, Yisarn's melee basic attack has reach 2, so the creature's burst 1 retribution is meant to go off once, then the PCs fall back to ranged/reach weapons and fight from nonadjacent spells.

To help this, I'd place a few halberds and longspears decorating the walls, so the PCs might have the idea of picking one of them up even if they don't own polearms beforehand.

 

[Ktulu]

Great suggestion by Klaus. What a way to change an encounter! Grant him Xp....(as if he did'nt have enough!)

Ahh. Didn't realize Immed Reacts were once per round. Good to know. I assume he can choose to not use it, though (save it for when he is in good position) - don't have my books with me right now...

Yes, a creature can elect to not use an immediate action.

What level were your PCs when they fought him?

My group was 5 level 3 characters: human bbn, halfling rogue, dragonborn paladin, elven druid, and half-elf bard.

The barbarian took the brunt of Yisarn's attacks, since he stayed in melee with him most often. The paladin and Bard struggled against the spider, while the rogue and druid had trouble getting across the pit (they almost both fell in the second one), and then took on a couple skeletons. I almost had a character death with the rogue, as he got stuck out of the bard's healing range and started failing saves. The druid elected to try some healing to stabilize him, though. It was a tough fight, but in the end, they won and there were no deaths.

 

[pedr]

I'm not sure if you can take Immediate actions on your own turn.

You can't. You can't take Immediate or Opportunity actions during your turn, only during other people's turns.