Two monks, an assassin, a cleric and a wizard

[Innocent Bystander]

This may be a dumb question, but I thought character level had little to do with CR? I thought a party of 4 level 10 PCs would be balanced against an encounter rated CR 10 - 13?

 

[Palskane]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies so far.

I've conferred with the DM, trying to glean a bit more info, and henhas told me the following. All the NPC's are human. They are members of the Scarlet Brotherhood, so he says that any race other than human is right out.

As far as the ECL/CR disparities... *shrugs*... I'm merely putting this together for him. But as I understand it, yes, there are seven ECL 10 PC's, as well as at least one level 9 ally. There are some cohorts as well, but I am not sure of their levels.

 

[Nifft]

7 ECL10 characters < 2 CR13 monks?

I don't think that's right...

Hmm, I saw them being level 8 each. Let us know what these extra +2 LA are... if it's stuff like being a Drow, they will die. If it's stuff like a +5 Holy Avenger, they might stand a chance.

-- N

 

[Palskane]

Nifft: I was only able to get a peek at one PC character sheet, but have to assume that the others are similarly equipped/tweaked. This is the heavy melee character:

Level 8. Ftr 5/Barb 1/Phoenix Warrior 2 (custom PrC)
STR 19, DEX 14, CON 16, INT 12, WIS 16, CHA 14
AC 27
HP: 83
+2 Flaming Impact maul
+2 Tower Shield animates 1/week
+3 breastplate, Light Fortification, Fire Shield 1/week

Those stats/hp's are before raging. The custom PrC gives him one level of an existing class, so he is effectively a 6th level Ftr. Also gives him the ability to fight to negative CON before dying, and he can heal 8 hp's a day.

I think that is about it. I don't have the complete sheet.

 

[Nail]

This may be a dumb question, but I thought character level had little to do with CR? I thought a party of 4 level 10 PCs would be balanced against an encounter rated CR 10 - 13?

Sure they would.

But this encounter is against

• two Mnk 13,
• one Asn 8,
• one Clr 7,
• one Wiz 9.

So far that's an EL 15.

Throw on top the fact that this is a hit squad whose primary aim is to kill the PCs. They're not just some random encounter. They are equiped to kill those particular PCs. They'll know the PC tactics, where the PCs are, etc. Suprise rounds are expected.

Given the tables in the DMG, that sounds like an EL+2.

So EL 17....

...against a party of seven ECL 10 PCs....and we don't know how they got that ECL. Given typical LA's, it's likely the PCs are whimps.

There will be PC deaths. (Barring new information posted.)

 

[Nail]

I think that is about it. I don't have the complete sheet.

So...where's the ECL 10 come from? I don't see it.....

 

[Palskane]

I think he was taking into account the high stats and the magic items for their level? I don't think that any of them actually have a LA from a non-standard race or anything.

 

[fafhrd]

Perhaps it's the stuff. That maul by itself puts him over the wealth by level table.

 

[Nail]

I think he was taking into account the high stats and the magic items for their level? I don't think that any of them actually have a LA from a non-standard race or anything.

Right....that's a problem.

Not your problem, of course. But a "DM's looking to challenge his players, and he's gonna get a TPK without DM fudging" sort of problem.

 

[Innocent Bystander]

Sure they would.

But this encounter is against

• two Mnk 13,
• one Asn 8,
• one Clr 7,
• one Wiz 9.

So far that's an EL 15.

Throw on top the fact that this is a hit squad whose primary aim is to kill the PCs. They're not just some random encounter. They are equiped to kill those particular PCs. They'll know the PC tactics, where the PCs are, etc. Suprise rounds are expected.

Given the tables in the DMG, that sounds like an EL+2.

So EL 17....

...against a party of seven ECL 10 PCs....and we don't know how they got that ECL. Given typical LA's, it's likely the PCs are whimps.

There will be PC deaths. (Barring new information posted.)

I should have expanded a bit more. The point I was trying to make was that the original post has 2 monks at CR 13, an assasin at CR 8... If I'm reading/using the terminology correctly, the 2 monks alone are well beyond the party's abilities.