Aberzanzorax
Hero
WOW you're good.
I just checked and that was exactly it!
I just checked and that was exactly it!
The evil horde on the march - what defenses would they have?
- Thread starter NewJeffCT
- Start date
MM5? I thought they stopped at 4?
I know, but I'm not very good at thinking on my feet at the table, so I like to prep these things as much as possible.
I think I have a pretty good idea of a good encounter for the players if (when?) they teleport into the enemy's encampment. It will be an interesting surprise for them, but it will also help me avoid a TPK, while still giving them a challenging encounter.
My initial thought is if the evil horde is encamped a day's march away from the last bastion of humanity in the region, they will likely take some pretty strong precautions to prevent their leadership from being attacked and it would likely be a TPK if I played it realistically.... Greater Anticipate Teleport, bad guys have readied actions and blitz the PCs as soon as they materialize.
Aberzanzorax
Hero
And maybe they should have, though I actually like a lot of the monsters in 5 (though from what I've heard from others, I might be an anomaly here).
Deadborn vultures, if you don't want to buy the book just for them, are basically vultures that, when killed, turn into zombie vultures (they don't even fall out of the sky when this happens).
I like the idea of this for your army as vultures that feed on undead might just turn undead when they die.
Thanks - I have the other books up to MM5, but even Heroforge and Monsterforge for 3.5 only go up to MM4.
that looks interesting - the skybleeder.
Creepy bastard indeed.
Truth be told if you want to go mad with amazing defenses, I suggest you look at Eberron's living spells. There are truly few things that cannot be done with living spells.
The_Warlock
Explorer
Another thought...
Should a Fireball Barrage Team enter the fray, have one Gnoll Druid or Marrash Cleric with the Air Domain as the default "Commander" of the air forces.
He flies at mid-height of the air defense, preferably under invisibility, possibly with a non-detection item. He's worth it, he's the ace in the hole. (Actually, I take it back, Gnoll Blight Druid on his Undead Giant Eagle Companion - always flies in the 700' to 900' altitude range to oversee the total air defense.)
If a fireball assault begins (and by all means let one or two impact - it's a really good plan, and there should be some bombardment success), have him climb to roughly the height where the fireballs originate from and:
Control Winds
Transmutation [Air]
Level: Air 5, Drd 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 40 ft./level
Area: 40 ft./level radius cylinder 40 ft. high
Duration: 10 min./level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: No
You alter wind force in the area surrounding you. You can make the wind blow in a certain direction or manner, increase its strength, or decrease its strength. The new wind direction and strength persist until the spell ends or until you choose to alter your handiwork, which requires concentration. You may create an “eye” of calm air up to 80 feet in diameter at the center of the area if you so desire, and you may choose to limit the area to any cylindrical area less than your full limit.
Wind Direction: You may choose one of four basic wind patterns to function over the spell’s area.
• A downdraft blows from the center outward in equal strength in all directions.
• An updraft blows from the outer edges in toward the center in equal strength from all directions, veering upward before impinging on the eye in the center.
• A rotation causes the winds to circle the center in clockwise or counterclockwise fashion.
• A blast simply causes the winds to blow in one direction across the entire area from one side to the other.
Wind Strength: For every three caster levels, you can increase or decrease wind strength by one level. Each round on your turn, a creature in the wind must make a Fortitude save or suffer the effect of being in the windy area.
Strong winds (21+ mph) make sailing difficult.
A severe wind (31+ mph) causes minor ship and building damage.
A windstorm (51+ mph) drives most flying creatures from the skies, uproots small trees, knocks down light wooden structures, tears off roofs, and endangers ships.
Hurricane force winds (75+ mph) destroy wooden buildings, sometimes uproot even large trees, and cause most ships to founder.
A tornado (175+ mph) destroys all nonfortified buildings and often uproots large trees.
Welcome the single most devastating environmental spell under 6th level. Even at 9th level caster and only Windstorm, flying PCs are in for a rude surprise as they lose almost all ability to control their flight. If the Air shamans have a tasliman that ups their caster level (even if only briefly 1/day) to get up to Hurricane or Tornado...well, someone's gonna have a bad day.
Oh, and since it's not technically an attack, just altering the environment, it shouldn't break invisibility.
How's them apples?
PS: Did I forget to mention that while the PCs are messed with in the Windstorm, the Shadows on air patrol rush in, and being incorporeal should remain unaffected by the winds, making them even more brutal.
Should a Fireball Barrage Team enter the fray, have one Gnoll Druid or Marrash Cleric with the Air Domain as the default "Commander" of the air forces.
He flies at mid-height of the air defense, preferably under invisibility, possibly with a non-detection item. He's worth it, he's the ace in the hole. (Actually, I take it back, Gnoll Blight Druid on his Undead Giant Eagle Companion - always flies in the 700' to 900' altitude range to oversee the total air defense.)
If a fireball assault begins (and by all means let one or two impact - it's a really good plan, and there should be some bombardment success), have him climb to roughly the height where the fireballs originate from and:
Control Winds
Transmutation [Air]
Level: Air 5, Drd 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 40 ft./level
Area: 40 ft./level radius cylinder 40 ft. high
Duration: 10 min./level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: No
You alter wind force in the area surrounding you. You can make the wind blow in a certain direction or manner, increase its strength, or decrease its strength. The new wind direction and strength persist until the spell ends or until you choose to alter your handiwork, which requires concentration. You may create an “eye” of calm air up to 80 feet in diameter at the center of the area if you so desire, and you may choose to limit the area to any cylindrical area less than your full limit.
Wind Direction: You may choose one of four basic wind patterns to function over the spell’s area.
• A downdraft blows from the center outward in equal strength in all directions.
• An updraft blows from the outer edges in toward the center in equal strength from all directions, veering upward before impinging on the eye in the center.
• A rotation causes the winds to circle the center in clockwise or counterclockwise fashion.
• A blast simply causes the winds to blow in one direction across the entire area from one side to the other.
Wind Strength: For every three caster levels, you can increase or decrease wind strength by one level. Each round on your turn, a creature in the wind must make a Fortitude save or suffer the effect of being in the windy area.
Strong winds (21+ mph) make sailing difficult.
A severe wind (31+ mph) causes minor ship and building damage.
A windstorm (51+ mph) drives most flying creatures from the skies, uproots small trees, knocks down light wooden structures, tears off roofs, and endangers ships.
Hurricane force winds (75+ mph) destroy wooden buildings, sometimes uproot even large trees, and cause most ships to founder.
A tornado (175+ mph) destroys all nonfortified buildings and often uproots large trees.
Welcome the single most devastating environmental spell under 6th level. Even at 9th level caster and only Windstorm, flying PCs are in for a rude surprise as they lose almost all ability to control their flight. If the Air shamans have a tasliman that ups their caster level (even if only briefly 1/day) to get up to Hurricane or Tornado...well, someone's gonna have a bad day.
Oh, and since it's not technically an attack, just altering the environment, it shouldn't break invisibility.
How's them apples?
PS: Did I forget to mention that while the PCs are messed with in the Windstorm, the Shadows on air patrol rush in, and being incorporeal should remain unaffected by the winds, making them even more brutal.
Last edited:
The_Warlock
Explorer
Oh, and I forgot the follow-up:
If he makes a rotating windstorm, keeping a small (10' max) eye for his own safety, then drops about 60', and if he has another 5th level spell (assuming druid here, and not domain limited), he casts another control winds, offset so the eyes don't match, and spinning counter.
If telepathic communication is available, or maybe a flare, or what have you, he informs ground control. If someone has access to Blade Barrier, drop it or another deadly placed magical effect that would be unaffected by the winds.
Rotating PCs discover what it's like to be in a Salad Shooter (Another Popeil Product!).
If he makes a rotating windstorm, keeping a small (10' max) eye for his own safety, then drops about 60', and if he has another 5th level spell (assuming druid here, and not domain limited), he casts another control winds, offset so the eyes don't match, and spinning counter.
If telepathic communication is available, or maybe a flare, or what have you, he informs ground control. If someone has access to Blade Barrier, drop it or another deadly placed magical effect that would be unaffected by the winds.
Rotating PCs discover what it's like to be in a Salad Shooter (Another Popeil Product!).
frankthedm
First Post
There really isn't. This is the situation where Fireball being long range becomes a problem imho.
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