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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Randomthoughts" data-source="post: 5767681" data-attributes="member: 6681248">I've looked up Wraith on the Compendium, a L5 Lurker. For powers, I see insubstantial but not regen or weaken. Am I missing something? Assuming this is the correct Wraith stats, does the party have anyone who does radiant or force damage? Or turn undead? I like knowing these things to gauge how difficult the encounter will be. Anyway, here's my gut reaction using a lurker whose main attack is Shadowtouch (a fairly straightforward melee attack, but I don't see that it weakens) and goes insubstantial, phases, turns invisible (shadowglide), teleports (shadowglide) and creates other wraiths (more below): * I like using Lurkers "Predator-style" meaning one at a time b/c more loses their effect IMO. But if the PCs are powerful or have force/radiant powers, more may be needed. So I'd suggest an Elite (I avoid Solos except for really key encounters). * It makes sense that a Lurker attacks a party when it is vulnerable i.e., a percarious part of the mountain pass, howling winds threatening to throw them off. I like that idea. * I would make the pass narrow (not too narrow but not too wide) and I would make the winds blow them in one direction - off the cliff, or, have the wind mainly blow them off the cliff. I would also litter the pass with boulders or ice structures. They serve two purposes: (1) PCs can hold on to them, to prevent falling off, but at a cost of (say) a Move action. (2) Since the Wraith can phase, it would be cool for it to run through these things with impunity. I'd also use Unwise's ideas of terrain (but don't go overboard). * If it fits the story, I'd add a few NPCs in the party (e.g., porters) wearing red tunics <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious    :]" data-shortname=":]" />. This is important. You see, the Wraith can create new Wraiths if he kills them (Spawn Wraith). So, the difficulty of the encounter seems easy at first - it's only one Wraith - but it will eventually dawn on the PCs that more Wraiths will be created. That creates a sense of urgency. You can wrap some story around this. Maybe the Wraith died by falling off. So, maybe the Wraith attacks by trying to throw PCs off the cliff (as described by Quickleaf). This will spawn more Wraiths. How easy it will be to throw someone off the cliff will depend on the narrowness of the pass.  Ok, with the scene set, imagine: * The party reaches a precarious part of the pass. Party makes preparation to "cross" - perhaps tying people together (depends on the narrowness of the pass). * As the party crosses the pass, howling winds threaten to push them off. Maybe a porter actually does fall off, to underscore the danger. * At the right time (maybe 2-3 round), Wraith attacks commando style. The attack could come from the front, back or middle. Since it could phase, become invisible and teleport along that pass, NO ONE IS SAFE. That's the feeling I'd try to convey. Meanwhile, the party is pushed to the edge (or beyond) by the winds. What if the party actually decided to lash themselves together? * In time, more Wraiths could be created as porters (and perhaps PCs) die. How often and fast this occurs depends on the description of the Spawn Wraith power (and how easy/hard you want to make it). * Fail-safe: Sometimes I build these in encounters and sometimes not. If you party doesnt have someone who uses force/radiant attacks or turn undead, you may want to place some story element to help them. Say the Wraith died by being pushed off. Any PC or NPC pushed off may actually have survived the fall, and they discover some personal item's of the Wraiths that could be used to do radiant damage to it (which in turn shuts off a lot of its powers).</blockquote>

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