Request for some Ideas (my players please avoid)

[Sandain]

Halga, Female Human Clr21/Hier2: CR 23; Medium Humanoid; HD 21d8+2d8+115; hp 245 (Disabled -5/Dying -20/Injury 20); Init +6; Spd 20; AC 40 (FF 37, Touch 19); Base Atk +21/+16/+11 base melee, +23/+18/+13 base ranged; Grapple +19; Full Atk +27/+22/+17 Melee (+6 Mace, heavy 1d8+10/crit 20/x2); +28/+23/+18 Ranged (+5 Crossbow, light 1d8+5/crit 19-20/x2); +20/+15/+10 Melee (+3 Bolts, crossbow (50) 1d4+7/crit 20/x2); +21/+16/+11 Melee (Unarmed strike 1d3+4/crit 20/x2); Class Features: Cleric: Spontaneous casting, Turn or rebuke undead (3+Cha.Mod/day), Spells, Domain Access (2), Hierophant: Special Abilities, Special Abilities, Increased Caster Level, Divine Reach (Su), Metamagic Feat; Evil domain power (You cast evil spells at +1 caster level), Trickery domain power (Bluff, Disguise, Hide are class skills); AL CE; SV Fort +24, Ref +19, Will +29; STR 18, DEX 23, CON 20, INT 16, WIS 30, CHA 20.
Skills: Bluff +21, Concentration +30, Diplomacy +24, Disguise +10, Heal +15, Hide +11, Knowledge (Arcana) +8, Knowledge (History) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +23, Knowledge (The Planes) +23, Knowledge (Underdark) +7, Spellcraft +30; Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Staff, Craft Wondrous Item, Domain Focus, Empower Spell, Heighten Spell, Improved Spell Capacity, Improved Turning, Spell Focus (Evil).
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Draconic, Infernal.
Spells Prepared (Clr 6/8/8/7/7/7/6/5/5/5): 0 - detect magic, guidance, light, mending, purify food and drink, read magic; 1st - deathwatch, detect good, doom, endure elements, entropic shield, obscuring mist, protection from good (d), protection from good, sanctuary; 2nd - align weapon, cure moderate wounds x2, darkness, deific vengeance, desecrate (d), hold person, restoration, lesser, sound burst; 3rd - animate dead, contagion, cure serious wounds x2, deeper darkness, glyph of warding, inflict serious wounds, nondetection (d), protection from energy; 4th - cure critical wounds x2, dimensional anchor, dismissal, doomtide, freedom of movement, spell immunity, unholy blight (d); 5th - atonement, break enchantment, dispel good (d), dispel good, flame strike, stalwart pact, unhallow; 6th -- banishment, blade barrier, create undead, dispel magic, greater, heal, mislead (d), word of recall; 7th - blasphemy (d), blasphemy, control weather, destruction, restoration, greater, spell resistance, mass; 8th - create greater undead, death pact, dimensional lock, polymorph any object (d), symbol of death, unholy aura; 9th - gate, heal, mass, implosion, storm of vengeance, summon monster IX, time stop (d).
Possessions: +6 mace, heavy: (unholy, paralyzing), +5 crossbow, light: (unholy), +3 bolts, crossbow (50), +6 full plate: (etherealness, fortification, moderate, ghost touch), +5 shield, heavy steel: (ghost touch), amulet of the faithful boneheart (grants a +8 enhancement bonus to Wis and Con, +6 resistance to all saves, and acts as a phylactery of faithfulness.), +6 belt of giant strength, boots of speed, +6 cloak of charisma, +6 gloves of dexterity, horn of evil, incense of meditation, ioun stone, iridescent [spindle], necklace of fireballs, type vi, ring of regeneration, +6 ring of epic protection, staff of soul ward (Charges: 28), holy symbol.

 

[Sandain]

Jumper, Male Human Wiz23: CR 23; Medium Humanoid; HD 23d4+161; hp 221 (Disabled -7/Dying -24/Injury 24); Init +8; Spd 30; AC 34 (FF 26, Touch 25); Base Atk +12/+7 base melee, +20/+15 base ranged; Grapple +10; Full Atk +17/+12 Melee (+5 quarterstaff 1d6+5/crit 20/x2); +8/+3 Melee (unarmed strike 1d3/crit 20/x2); Class Features: Wizard: Scribe Scroll, Summon Familiar, Spells, Spellbooks, Bonus Feat (4), Epic Bonus Feat;AL CE; SV Fort +21, Ref +22, Will +28; STR 10, DEX 26, CON 24, INT 30, WIS 26, CHA 15.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +7, Concentration +33, Craft (Alchemy) +13, Decipher Script +36, Knowledge (Arcana) +36, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +25, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +15, Knowledge (Forbidden Lore) +25, Knowledge (Geography) +20, Knowledge (History) +20, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +15, Knowledge (Religion) +20, Knowledge (The Planes) +25, Speak Language +1, Spellcraft +41; Combat Casting, Craft Rod, Craft Wondrous Item, Empower Spell, Extend Spell, Forge Ring, Greater Spell Penetration, Heighten Spell, Improved Counterspell, Improved Spell Capacity, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Skill Focus: Spellcraft, Spell Focus (Chaos), Spell Penetration.
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Draconic, Flan, Goblin, Undercommon.
Spells Known (Wiz 4/7/7/6/6/6/6/5/5/5): 0 -- acid splash, arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue; 1st -- charm person, color spray, comprehend languages, detect secret doors, disguise self, expeditious retreat, feather fall, hypnotism, identify, magic missile, nystul`s magic aura, ray of enfeeblement, silent image, sleep, ventriloquism; 2nd -- bear`s endurance, blur, cat`s grace, eagle`s splendor, fox`s cunning, hypnotic pattern, invisibility, leomund`s trap, magic mouth, minor image, mirror image, misdirection, see invisibility, spider climb; 3rd -- blink, deep slumber, displacement, fireball, fly, haste, hold person, illusory script, invisibility sphere, lightning bolt, major image, suggestion, tongues, vampiric touch; 4th -- charm monster, confusion, detect scrying, fear, fire shield, hallucinatory terrain, illusory wall, invisibility, greater, phantasmal killer, rainbow pattern, scrying, shadow conjuration, shout; 5th -- dream, fabricate, false vision, hold monster, magic jar, mind fog, mirage arcana, nightmare, permanency, persistent image, seeming, shadow evocation; 6th -- contingency, disintegrate, eyebite, mislead, permanent image, programmed image, shadow walk, stone to flesh, suggestion, mass, true seeing, veil; 7th -- finger of death, invisibility, mass, limited wish, power word, blind, prismatic spray, project image, reverse gravity, shadow conjuration, greater, simulacrum, symbol of stunning; 8th -- antipathy, binding, charm monster, mass, moment of prescience, polymorph any object, scintillating pattern, screen, shadow evocation, greater, symbol of insanity; 9th -- dominate monster, etherealness, foresight, meteor swarm, power word, kill, shades, time stop, weird, wish; epic – epic mage armor, mass frog, raise island.
Spells Prepared (Wiz 4/7/7/6/6/6/6/5/5/5): 0 - dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound (s), prestidigitation, read magic; 1st - charm person, color spray, disguise self, identify, magic missile x2, silent image (s), ventriloquism; 2nd - blur, eagle`s splendor, invisibility, magic mouth, mirror image (s), misdirection, see invisibility, spider climb; 3rd - blink, fireball, fly, hold person, invisibility sphere, major image (s), tongues; 4th - confusion, fear, fire shield, invisibility, greater, phantasmal killer (s), scrying, shadow conjuration; 5th - fabricate, hold monster, magic jar, mind fog, mirage arcana, persistent image, shadow evocation (s); 6th -- contingency, disintegrate, eyebite, mislead, shadow walk (s), suggestion, mass, true seeing; 7th - finger of death, invisibility, mass, power word, blind, reverse gravity, shadow conjuration, greater (s), symbol of stunning; 8th - binding, moment of prescience, polymorph any object, scintillating pattern, shadow evocation, greater (s), symbol of insanity; 9th - etherealness, foresight, power word, kill, shades, time stop, weird (s); 10th – quickened mislead.
Possessions: +5 quarterstaff: (brilliant energy), amulet of the faithful boneheart (grants a +8 enhancement bonus to Wis and Con, +6 resistance to all saves, and acts as a phylactery of faithfulness), +7 Ring of Epic Protection, Nolzur`s Marvelous Pigments, Robe of Scintillating Colors, +8 Headband of Epic Intellect, +8 Gloves of Epic Dexterity, Dust of Disappearance, Cloak of Free Action and Displacement, Major, +9 Bracers of Epic Armor, Boots of Speed, Bag of Tricks, Tan, Ring of Blinking and Feather Falling, Rod of Wonder, Staff of Illusion (Charges: 22) Carpet of Flying, 5 ft. by 10 ft.

 

[WizarDru]

And now we come to some ugly dark places:

Tonight, the PCs will undoubedtly come face-to-face with:

The Flint Golem; Large Construct: CR 24; Size L; hp 398; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 33, touch 21, FF 32; BAB +49; Grapple +72; Melee Slam +71 (8d8 + 23); Full Attack: 2 Slams; SA Slow (1/every 2 rounds, Will DC 29); SQ Construct traits, DR 10/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft, immunity to fire, immunity to magic, low-light vision; AL N; SV Fort +21, Ref +22, Will +23; Str 56, Dex 13, Con 0, Int 0, Wis 14, Cha 1.

SA - SLOW (SU): Once every 2 rounds as a free action, a flint golem can use a slow effect, as per the spell. It has a range of 10 feet, duration of nine rounds, and requires a DC 29 Will save to negate.


I'll be honest here, the Slow DC is purely made up, based on experience. Scary as this fellow looks, he's a speed-bump more than anything else to a 25th level party. The original DC 19 was far too low, but if I advance it based on Hit Dice, it's ridiculously high. Advance based on stats, and it's ridiculously low. This is a common problem with high-level/epic creature creation. Then I learned to stop worrying and love the Bomb, and it was all OK.

 

[WizarDru]

And not too long after that, they'll encounter a very nasty room with a very nasty trick filled with undead led by THIS guy:

Foegar; Lich Clr20: CR 22; ECL 20; Size M; HD 20d8; hp 117; Init +6; Spd 0 ft, 30 ft; AC 40, touch 25, FF 39; BAB +15/+10/+5; Grapple +18; Melee Weapon +7/+2/-3 (1d6 + 3); SA Fear aura (DC 23 Will save), paralyzing touch (DC 23 Fortitude save); SQ Turn resistance (+4), DR 15/bludgeoning and magic, immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph, and mind-affecting attacks, undead traits; AL CE; SV Fort +18, Ref +7, Will +21; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 0, Int 10, Wis 24, Cha 12.

Skills and Feats: Concentration +23, Heal +19, Knowledge (Religion) +6, Listen +16, Spellcraft +15; Armor Proficiency (Heavy), Armor Proficiency (Light), Armor Proficiency (Medium), Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Extra Turning, Greater Spell Focus, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Spell Focus.

Clr Spells Prepared (6/7/7/7/6/6/5/5/4/4): 0--Detect magic (2), Guidance, Read magic, Resistance, Virtue, 1--Bane, Command (2), Divine favor, Shield of faith, 2--Aid, Darkness, Silence (2), 3--Bestow curse, Blindness/deafness, Dispel magic, Inflict serious wounds (2), 4--Divine power, Inflict critical wounds (2), Spell immunity, 5--Break enchantment (2), Greater command (2), Summon monster v, 6--Animate objects, Antilife shell, Blade barrier, Harm (2), Heal (2), Mass bull's strength, 7--Destruction (2), Dictum, Mass inflict serious wounds, Repulsion, Word of chaos, 8--Fire storm (2), Greater spell immunity, Holy aura, Shield of law, 9--Energy drain, Implosion, Mass heal, Miracle.
Equipment: Chaos-box (full plate +3) (10150 gp, 50 lb), Chaos-slate (shield heavy steel +2) (4170 gp, 15 lb), Scarab of protection (38000 gp, 0 lb), Periapt of wisdom +6 (36000 gp, 0 lb).

Special Attacks: Fear aura (DC 23 Will save), paralyzing touch (DC 23 Fortitude save)
Special Qualities: Turn resistance (+4), DR 15/bludgeoning and magic, immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph, and mind-affecting attacks, undead traits
DOMAINS: Healing and Chaos (*indicates domain
spell)

Chaos-Slate: +2 Heavy Steel Shield that grants Fire Resistance 20
Chaos-Box: +3 Full-Plate that grants +6 Profane Bonus to Wisdom


The more astute readers may note that Foegar doesn't have every spell picked out for 5th level. This is a practical matter, really. He'll never cast that many spells for it to be important for me to bother selecting them.

 

[WizarDru]

They'll also face a pair of these nasty sharp-toothed bastards:

Dire Shark Ghost; Huge Undead (aquatic, incorporeal): CR 17; Size H; HD 38d12+456; hp 721; Init +1; Spd 0 ft, fly 30 ft (perfect), swim 60 ft; AC 22, touch 8, FF 21; BAB +23/+18/+13/+8/+3; Grapple +46; Melee Weapon bite +40 (1d6 + 23+1d4 points of any one ability score); SA corrupting gaze (Fort DC 21), corrupting touch, draining touch, horrific appearance (Fort DC 21); SQ manifestation, keen scent; AL NE; SV Fort +30, Ref +18, Will +24; Str 56, Dex 12, Con 34, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 16.
Skills and Feats: Listen +12, Spot +11, Swim +51; Blind-Fight, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Natural Attack, Power Attack, Power Critical, Powerful Charge, Toughness, Weapon Focus.

Special Attacks: corrupting gaze (Fort DC 21), corrupting touch, draining touch, horrific appearance (Fort DC 21)
Special Qualities: manifestation, keen scent
SA - CORRUPTING GAZE (SU): Range 30 feet, Fort save DC 21 or 2d10 damage and 1d4 Charisma damage.
SA - DRAINING TOUCH (SU): The ghost sharks heal 5 points of damage for every successful touch attack.
SA - HORRIFIC APPEARANCE (SU): Range 60 feet, any target that views ghost, Fort save DC 21 or 1d4 (2) points of Strength, Dexterity, and Con damage; successful save indicates cannot be affected for 24 hours.
SQ - MANIFESTATION (SU): When on the ethereal plane or against ethereal opponents, the ghost sharks retain their normal bite attack (+18 melee, 2d8+9), their improved grab ability, and their swallow whole ability. Otherwise, a ghost must manifest to attack. A manifested ghost can attack only with its touch or gaze attacks, and is subject to a 50% miss chance from corporeal attacks.

 

[MTR]

The more astute readers may note that Foegar doesn't have every spell picked out for 5th level. This is a practical matter, really. He'll never cast that many spells for it to be important for me to bother selecting them.

When I was DMing Epic I did the same thing. You think an epic caster is going to need Cure Light Wounds?

 

[LordVyreth]

So where were the laser beams Zad mentioned for the shark ghosts? I don't see where they came from in the above description.

Any chance we can see the stats for Gulthias in advance? And how did the Heart affect him? Or do you want to wait until after the fight to reveal it to us and the curious Dravot at the same time?

 

[LordVyreth]

Oh, and I noticed that the party minimum is hovering around 24 now. I made all the monsters for you with a base CR of 23, but this module caught us both by surprise, and now everything's a bit too weak for the party. I wouldn't mind updating a few if you want. What new CR should I aim for, and what monsters are they likely to encounter first? The Hihoca? Xetich? The Hive Birds? Consumers? The Madness Horses? Or should I update something from really far back? On that note, do you need anything new? Perhaps the remaining two assassins?

 

[WizarDru]

Oh, and I noticed that the party minimum is hovering around 24 now. I made all the monsters for you with a base CR of 23, but this module caught us both by surprise, and now everything's a bit too weak for the party. I wouldn't mind updating a few if you want. What new CR should I aim for, and what monsters are they likely to encounter first? The Hihoca? Xetich? The Hive Birds? Consumers? The Madness Horses? Or should I update something from really far back? On that note, do you need anything new? Perhaps the remaining two assassins?

No, most of the creatures I can level up appropriately, or use greater numbers of them as need be. Which two assassins are you referring to, again?

 

[LordVyreth]

No, most of the creatures I can level up appropriately, or use greater numbers of them as need be. Which two assassins are you referring to, again?

Damn, I was hoping for an excuse to correct some typos.

The assassins are the Hrdad, the yugoloth hunters going after the party. Xetich the half-machine mezzoloth was supposed to be one of the three. But at CR 23, she might be too weak for the party now, since I believe it was set that there's only 3 hunters in total. And I don't think we ever figured out the other two.