Sunless Citadel dm:s: I need help - my players stay out!

[Zaruthustran]

When my group went through we almost died to a dire rat. Quite scary.

We found the troll on the way out. By that time we were all second level, and we had a potion of fire breathing (or something). Plus, we'd returned to the surface, and we all had oil and alchemist fire. The thing died in the first or second round of combat.

Trolls are scary, but only if you let them get a full attack on you. If you keep moving you'll do okay. Unless the DM is clever and has the thing start grappling...

-z

 

[Fast Learner]

Trolls are scary, but only if you let them get a full attack on you. If you keep moving you'll do okay. Unless the DM is clever and has the thing start grappling...

With his 10' reach, though, you provoke a lot of AOOs if you keep moving. If you happen to have a reach weapon and you just take 5' steps, all the troll has to do is ready an action to follow your 5' step and perform his full-round attack. Tough critters.

 

[hong]

With his 10' reach, though, you provoke a lot of AOOs if you keep moving. If you happen to have a reach weapon and you just take 5' steps, all the troll has to do is ready an action to follow your 5' step and perform his full-round attack. Tough critters.

You can't ready a full attack.

 

[Elf Witch]

When the party I play in encountered the troll we were a party of six between fourth and sixth levels. My sorcereress was killed by the rend in one round and I was at full hit points. The rest of the party had a devil of a time taking the troll out.

When I ran this for a differant group who were third level I modified this encounter some otherwise I would have killed most of the party. They had big problems because they had the bad luck to run into him when they had to access to magical fire and only had one torch with them at the time and no oil.

 

[Shadowdancer]

When I ran this module, the party of 5 -- all third level, but multiclassed -- encountered the troll as they exited the citadel. They killed the thing in two rounds, before it could get out of its tomb.

They were smart, and took up flanking positions before removing the lid from the tomb. When the troll started moving, they started hitting it. They all had +1 weapons, and the sorceress had fire spells. Three of the characters were rogue/fighters, and they got their extra damage from the troll being flanked.

It was the easiest fight they had in the whole module.

 

[Fast Learner]

You can't ready a full attack.

Ah, well, yeah. What I meant was if you attack with a reach weapon and take a 5' step, he'll just take a 5' step and full attack.

Yeah, that's what I meant. Yeah.

 

[Asmo]

posted by drakhe:

"My players ran into the troll very early into the module (even before finding any of the kobolds and goblins)"

This is interesting:how did they get past that massive stone door without the proper key and the gross strength check (DC 36)?
The party are using the key wich they obtained after a deal with Yusdrayl,the kobold queen.

And yes - the dire rats was a problem in the beginning of the module,before they realized that they actually could get sick if they didn´t tend their wounds. The rogue was at -4 in area 2-the ledge- but exept that dire rats has not been a problem.

The Water Mephit on the other hand was a problem.. I had my only charcater death in that room. The party cleric meet his maker in that encounter. I rolled incredible well,and the rest of the party couldn´t stabilize him with heal-checks.

It would have helped if they had used the potion of Cure light wounds that the cleric carried, but that´s another story

I´ve had great battles: the final battle against Belak was a real nail-biter,but in the end they managed to pull through.

I really hope that they don´t mess up tonight: I would hate to see someone die.

Asmo

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Fun With Half-Fiend Monks

I've played several Half-Fiend (Human) Monks in my group's D&D games, and I've found the easiest way to deal with trolls, no matter what level you are.

Break a couple of vials of alchemist's fire over your head and charge. It's not going to try to grapple you.

 

[Asmo]

I´m back from tonights session,and as usual it was a blast!
I went for the "real troll" option after giving it some thought.

They cut it down in 2 (!) rounds.

The troll managed to hit with one claw in the first regular round, but that was it,then it was lights out for the troll (missed the attack during the surprise round).

They hit him for 35 during the surprise round and 31 during the first regular round..and that was after he had regenerated.

The dwarwen fighter and the dwarwen barbarian was amazing: hit like crazy and dealt a lot of damage. The rogue had a brutal sneak-attack and Meepo and the wizard hurled Magic Missiles at the poor thing...

I´m so proud of my players!

Asmo.

 

[Rhianni]

Hmmm if I am understanding this whole thread correctly you took the players above 1st level through the module after they had already received equipment and levels? That would make it easier. I have run the module twice starting the players out as 1st level going through it.

I am curious how close the rest of the module was for fights. I am guessing your players destroyed the module. Did they leave and come back? I didnt think there was enough exp in the module to raise 6 players (meepo included) to 3rd lvl.