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Message: <blockquote data-quote="starkad" data-source="post: 1894668" data-attributes="member: 6803">Ok, I need some help. If you're a player in the module, or will be a player - stop reading here. Spoilers are included, and it's a good module - don't ruin it for yourself!!!--------------Players gone? Good.My players are at the end of the module, and are now fighting Lucan the Vampire... And are getting their butts handed to them on a silver platter. They didn't prep very well, having role-played their characters very well. They're now 5th level (there are 5 players), and can't seem to touch Lucan's AC, and when they do, aren't doing enough damage to take him down. They are headed for a TPK tonight, and I don't want the game to end this way.I need some help/suggestions on how to avoid this. I don't want to coddle my players, but I do think the endgame series of encounters are rather tough. The vampire has a fast heal of 5, and a really good damage reduction. Couple that with his sneak attack ability, the ability to dominate, and the confusion ability of the soul blade... Let's just say that the party is grossly overmatched in this particular scenario.Party consists of:Warforged fighter 5 (longsword/shield)Shifter Barbarian 2 / Ranger 3 (prefers natural weapons)Human Ranger 2 / Druid 3 (uses a valenar double scimitar)Dwarf Artificer 5 (good with magic items)Human Cleric of the Silver Flame 5 (bow specialty, bad melee)The Enemy:Lucan, human vampire, rogue 6. (possesses the Soulblade, a powerful magic item - +2 keen longsword; AL NE; Faerie Fire 3/day, Cure Mod Wounds 3/day, Confusion burst (15ft) at will). The major drawback is that the blade is trying to overcome the willpower of Lucan, and bend him to its will. Therefore, if Lucan disobeys the whims of the sword, it refuses to use powers for him, and can even use them against him. The problem with this, is that the cure moderate wounds ability by itself is not sufficient to allow this particular party to overcome the incredible weight of the defenses. The book lists Lucan as a CR8 (6 levels of rogue, +2 for vampire), but doesn't take into account the soul blade, or lucan's other magic items. I'd peg him as a CR9, especially given the atmosphere around him... A CR9 encounter is going to be extremely difficult for 5 characters at 5th level...Some thoughts I had to try and fix this:- The Soulblade, in addition to hitting him with its Cure ability, keeps a constant stream of energy flooding into the vampire, negating his damage reduction (but not the fast healing)- The Soulblade negates Lucan's damage reduction AND fast healing, but doesn't hit him with cure spells (I think this would be too easy)- The Soulblade, because of the cure ability, negates the fast healing, but not damage reduction- The soulblade refuses to use any special power at all, and functions only as a keen longswordI'm open to suggestions... But I'd like an innovative way to avoid a TPK.</blockquote>

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