Lord Zardoz
Explorer
I ran this encounter today, and had what is probably the single best in game battle I have ever had in 3rd edition. Lacking anything better to do at this instant, I shall recount it.
Players:
8th level Human Fighter, Mounted
8th level Human Cleric
6th Ranger / 2nd Fighter Human, Dual Weilding with a Dire Flail
4th Level Human Barbarian (NPC)
The encounter was customized a bit to be happening in a hamlet with a few houses, a tannery, and a stable. Instead of Black Spawn Raiders, I used Blood Ghost Berzerkers, which are 2nd level Barbarian Bugbears. Instead of 1 prisoner, there were about 12 on stakes crucified.
Opponents:
5 Hobgoblin Regulars (2 HD)
1 Ogre
2 Greater Barghests
4 Ghost Blood Berzerkers (used instead of Blackspawn raiders).
The fight started with the ranger scouting the town. He heard, but did not spot the invisible Greater Barghest in the tannery. The cleric buffed the parties AC, and combat started. The Ogre went down fast to two consecutive critical hits from a spiritual weapon. The mounted fighter chased 2 regulars into a house, succeeding on a difficult ride check. After that he went and did Ride by Attack lance charges. The ranger climbed to the roof of the tannery, then chased a hobgoblin down a hole in the roof inside.
Then things got nasty. The barghest in the tannery used Mass Enlarge on the Blood Ghost berzerkers to buff, and the Blood Ghosts went All Power Attack all the Time. Ranger took some serious damage but used Combat expertise to pump his AC and dive out a window. The ranger lucked out since the Blood Ghosts took penalties to hit due to being too large for the tannery (player reminded me, so I ate the penalties) The other Bargest + 2 Blood Ghosts went after the cleric and Barbarian, who had taken out one of the regulars. That Barghest used a Mass Bull Strength.
Now, the Blood Ghosts are basically pretty scary. The first clue, aside from attacks scoring 1d12 + 20, was when the Mounted fighter confirmed a critical on a Lance Charge on a Blood Ghost for 5d8 + 20 and the Blood Ghost was still standing. Blood Ghost Berzerkers are nasty. When going APAT, they are going at +9 to hit with a Masterwork Great Axe, and dealing 1d12+18 damage. Buffed with Bulls Strength, two of them were going at +11 to hit for 1d12+20 (should have been 1d12+21, but whatever, things were busy). The other ones were large and had reach. The first to drop was the Cleric. He realized how much danger he was in and cast Sanctuary. But the first Blood Ghost to attack him made his save and dropped him. Next to go down was the Ranger, who had taken damage earlier in the tannery, and went down to -1 when a greater Barghest attacked him and hit with a bite. The rangers animal companion dog went down next to a Wolf formed Barghest. The 4th level barbarian managed to take down one of the Blood Ghosts, but was then put down himself.
I now had 1 8th level human fighter with an admittedly absurdly high AC who had not yet been hit. Against him were 2 greater Barghests and 3 Blood Ghost Berzerkers, two enlarged, and 1 with a bulls Strength.
The Blood Ghosts were missing often, but when they did hit, they put some hard damage on them. A few tried for trip attacks but most went for attacks, either on the rider or his horse. The player was in bad shape. He could have run, but in his words "Screw it. We have already had 3 of us drop. Why break the pattern?". More blows were exchanged. One Blood Ghost was killed. After a few more rounds, I dropped his horse. I had the player cornered with his back to the wall of a house. He managed to drop a 2nd Blood Ghost, so I let him try an intimidate check. The Barghests were unimpressed, but he did put the Blood Ghost into Shaken. I had one Barghest squeezing into a small space and taking the -4 to hit so that I could have 3 large opponents attack him. After a few more rounds, the last of the Blood Ghosts finally dropped. Then the other. The player had mid twenties for hp. I scored a critical hit with a Barghest finally, and took him down to 7 Hp, but he had dropped the Bloodghost. I tried another disarm with a Barghest, but that failed. he responded by dropping one of the Barghests two rounds later.
Down to 1 on 1. There was a sense of manic optimism. At the suggestion of one of the players, he took a 5 foot step back and drank a Potion of Cure Moderate wounds. he rolled somewhat poorly, and went up to 12 Hp. I then scored a hit with the Barghest and put him at 1 Hp. He responded with his own attack, and confirmed a critical. And I am not making this up, he had the opponent at exactly 1 Hp.
From out numbered and outgunned, we were down to two combatants with exactly 1 HP left. The Barghest went, and missed. The player hit. and there was much cheering.
In the words of the player in question. "Yeah. 73 Hp for my character is awesome. Not 72 Hp. That would have been less good."
I will admit to taking a few more AoO then I strictly needed to. I will admit that dropping his horse first was not optimal, but given the combatants, reasonable, especially considering that the ride by attacks were doing well for the player.
However, the fight was not fudged. All dice rolls were in the open. I was thinking of what sort of Deus Ex Machina I ought to use to keep the game going if he lost the fight. Turns out though, that it was not necessary.
How bloody often do you go for a balls out fight and end up with the last two combatants with exactly 1 Hp?
So yeah, it was a good day for gaming.
END COMMUNICATION
Players:
8th level Human Fighter, Mounted
8th level Human Cleric
6th Ranger / 2nd Fighter Human, Dual Weilding with a Dire Flail
4th Level Human Barbarian (NPC)
The encounter was customized a bit to be happening in a hamlet with a few houses, a tannery, and a stable. Instead of Black Spawn Raiders, I used Blood Ghost Berzerkers, which are 2nd level Barbarian Bugbears. Instead of 1 prisoner, there were about 12 on stakes crucified.
Opponents:
5 Hobgoblin Regulars (2 HD)
1 Ogre
2 Greater Barghests
4 Ghost Blood Berzerkers (used instead of Blackspawn raiders).
The fight started with the ranger scouting the town. He heard, but did not spot the invisible Greater Barghest in the tannery. The cleric buffed the parties AC, and combat started. The Ogre went down fast to two consecutive critical hits from a spiritual weapon. The mounted fighter chased 2 regulars into a house, succeeding on a difficult ride check. After that he went and did Ride by Attack lance charges. The ranger climbed to the roof of the tannery, then chased a hobgoblin down a hole in the roof inside.
Then things got nasty. The barghest in the tannery used Mass Enlarge on the Blood Ghost berzerkers to buff, and the Blood Ghosts went All Power Attack all the Time. Ranger took some serious damage but used Combat expertise to pump his AC and dive out a window. The ranger lucked out since the Blood Ghosts took penalties to hit due to being too large for the tannery (player reminded me, so I ate the penalties) The other Bargest + 2 Blood Ghosts went after the cleric and Barbarian, who had taken out one of the regulars. That Barghest used a Mass Bull Strength.
Now, the Blood Ghosts are basically pretty scary. The first clue, aside from attacks scoring 1d12 + 20, was when the Mounted fighter confirmed a critical on a Lance Charge on a Blood Ghost for 5d8 + 20 and the Blood Ghost was still standing. Blood Ghost Berzerkers are nasty. When going APAT, they are going at +9 to hit with a Masterwork Great Axe, and dealing 1d12+18 damage. Buffed with Bulls Strength, two of them were going at +11 to hit for 1d12+20 (should have been 1d12+21, but whatever, things were busy). The other ones were large and had reach. The first to drop was the Cleric. He realized how much danger he was in and cast Sanctuary. But the first Blood Ghost to attack him made his save and dropped him. Next to go down was the Ranger, who had taken damage earlier in the tannery, and went down to -1 when a greater Barghest attacked him and hit with a bite. The rangers animal companion dog went down next to a Wolf formed Barghest. The 4th level barbarian managed to take down one of the Blood Ghosts, but was then put down himself.
I now had 1 8th level human fighter with an admittedly absurdly high AC who had not yet been hit. Against him were 2 greater Barghests and 3 Blood Ghost Berzerkers, two enlarged, and 1 with a bulls Strength.
The Blood Ghosts were missing often, but when they did hit, they put some hard damage on them. A few tried for trip attacks but most went for attacks, either on the rider or his horse. The player was in bad shape. He could have run, but in his words "Screw it. We have already had 3 of us drop. Why break the pattern?". More blows were exchanged. One Blood Ghost was killed. After a few more rounds, I dropped his horse. I had the player cornered with his back to the wall of a house. He managed to drop a 2nd Blood Ghost, so I let him try an intimidate check. The Barghests were unimpressed, but he did put the Blood Ghost into Shaken. I had one Barghest squeezing into a small space and taking the -4 to hit so that I could have 3 large opponents attack him. After a few more rounds, the last of the Blood Ghosts finally dropped. Then the other. The player had mid twenties for hp. I scored a critical hit with a Barghest finally, and took him down to 7 Hp, but he had dropped the Bloodghost. I tried another disarm with a Barghest, but that failed. he responded by dropping one of the Barghests two rounds later.
Down to 1 on 1. There was a sense of manic optimism. At the suggestion of one of the players, he took a 5 foot step back and drank a Potion of Cure Moderate wounds. he rolled somewhat poorly, and went up to 12 Hp. I then scored a hit with the Barghest and put him at 1 Hp. He responded with his own attack, and confirmed a critical. And I am not making this up, he had the opponent at exactly 1 Hp.
From out numbered and outgunned, we were down to two combatants with exactly 1 HP left. The Barghest went, and missed. The player hit. and there was much cheering.
In the words of the player in question. "Yeah. 73 Hp for my character is awesome. Not 72 Hp. That would have been less good."
I will admit to taking a few more AoO then I strictly needed to. I will admit that dropping his horse first was not optimal, but given the combatants, reasonable, especially considering that the ride by attacks were doing well for the player.
However, the fight was not fudged. All dice rolls were in the open. I was thinking of what sort of Deus Ex Machina I ought to use to keep the game going if he lost the fight. Turns out though, that it was not necessary.
How bloody often do you go for a balls out fight and end up with the last two combatants with exactly 1 Hp?
So yeah, it was a good day for gaming.
END COMMUNICATION
