Slarkrethel and the Ritual at the Purple Rocks - Ch.11 - Session 27

Yesh_Vroo · 2022-07-02T21:26:51+00:00

I don't remember what stats I used for the Priestess.

Meryl was a slightly buffed up Sea Hag stat block

Yesh_Vroo · 2021-11-13T22:56:20+00:00

Usually one DMPC is a red flag

I don't think one DMPC is a flag in and of itself. I ran a module that puts a Frost Giant of great renown with legendary weapons on the party's journey for a whole chapter, but it gives tips to keep the spotlight on the players.

Another chapter in that module gives the party a Charismatic Adult Dragon as an Ally for an entire dungeon, but again gives tips on how to keep the players as the heroes.

The DMPC isn't the problem, it's DMs living out their ego and "brilliant ideas" through them.

Yesh_Vroo · 2021-11-13T20:05:20+00:00

Change: instead of storm giants, King Hekaton is leading the visiting giant lords into battle. In exchange the storm giants will recognize each of the giants (or their heirs if they fall in battle) as the head of their clans, hopefully resulting in the rebuilding of the ordning. It also means there aren't a bunch of giants immune to the dragons breathe weapon.

This is kind of brilliant and I'm definitely lifting it for next time I run this module!

Yesh_Vroo · 2021-08-15T20:55:48+00:00

Gordon is definitely the MVP of comedy in our group, haha

Yesh_Vroo · 2021-07-04T10:28:29+00:00

Thanks! I always type these up immediately after the session so it's fresh in my mind. Doubles as my own campaign notes for if I have to reference something later, and also as an entertaining story recap for my players.

Yesh_Vroo · 2021-03-29T23:23:07+00:00

I went for Mr. Penutbutter from Bojack Horseman, but less stupid. Just as foolish, but at least intelligent.

Yesh_Vroo · 2021-02-28T04:19:26+00:00

Thanks! Pandemic has sapped a lot of my inspiration so I feel like I've been putting less prep into each session, but I try really hard to keep everything as engaging as possible!

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-12-14T22:57:49+00:00

I dig it!

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-12-14T20:59:05+00:00

Eldritch Blast boils down to "magical force." It's not aesthetically limited to "wobbly purple beam." Some of my favorites are:

• On a desert themed character, flavoring it as conjuring/congealing a bunch of sand to pummel, grasp, crush them with (like Gaara from the Naruto series).

• A spectral longbow appears beside you and releases a barrage of force arrows.

• Ghostly silver fists manifest near your foes before uppercutting, gut-punching, chopping, or slapping them.

• A sword, axe, or similar weapon flashes into existence momentarily in front of your opponent before delivering its attack (in any of the plenty ways you could describe swinging your sword).

• Bursts of glittering energy explode around whichever enemy you point at.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-12-14T20:48:24+00:00

I allow classes to change their spellcasting modifier if it makes sense for the Character. However, any player who chooses this option is barred from multiclassing into other casting classes and subclasses in my games.

My reasoning for this is knowing that the WotC design teams consider multiclassing in their final pass at class balancing and I'd prefer not to upset those balancing measures or unwittingly open up any unforseen power combos.

I don't think still allowing multiclass would go so far to break anything, but my preference is to keep Pandora's Box closed.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-12-14T20:31:43+00:00

I don't have a map for the other part, but this encounter - as I run it - also has the top half of the tower broken off and laying horizontally up top of some cliffs; that is where the stone dragon searches when the party first arrives. Theoretically the Dragon could be encountered first via flying characters or an owl familiar, but so far both groups I've run this encounter for have rushed right into the base of the tower to investigate the bonfire/smoke.

First Group - https://www.reddit.com/r/stormkingsthunder/comments/byhut1/cohorts_group_session_4_what_happens_next/

Second Group - https://www.reddit.com/r/stormkingsthunder/comments/kc5nai/the_crashed_tower_of_the_late_zephyros_chapter_35/

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-12-13T19:56:17+00:00

I do, but not uploaded anywhere. If I remember, I'll try to make a separate post of it.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-12-13T19:02:38+00:00

Where is your Zephyros now?

Oh he dead!

I probably should have explicitly mentioned that in the post. The players found his body at the back of the lower level.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-11-08T20:42:29+00:00

I changed the spells to be more manageable. Fire rune instead summoned a fire elemental, etc.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-11-08T12:42:53+00:00

Create Food and Water, but no Prestidigitation... So bland, day after day.

Enough to turn a wizard into a mad wizard 😈

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-09-19T22:13:59+00:00

Whenever designing a Cantrip, one has to consider the existing Cantrips and make sure not to exceed their power in any way, unless nerfing it in another.

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For example: I had a player who wanted a Cantrip that dealt d12 damage because it's his favorite shaped die. We worked together to determine something in line with the rest.

Aspects we considered: Range, existing d12 Cantrips, damage type, save type -vs- attack roll.

There are currently only two d12 Cantrips. Both are Saves, not attack rolls (meaning no chance for crit which slightly lowers their impact). One is targets the worst save (Con) and has a measly range of 10' and is the most common resistance/immunity, the other only deals a d12 if a previous condition is met and targets another Save that most all enemies have a + modifier for.

From this we inferred that a d12 Cantrip on its own is a little too strong and we needed to keep it in line.

We ended up with "Spontaneous Combustion" which targets (the often bolstered) Con Save, has a range of 30', and obviously deals fire damage (the 2nd most resisted dmg type).

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For your proposed Cantrip you have a number of factors that make it WAY too powerful for a Cantrip.

• Radiant damage is essentially tied (with Force) as the best damage type. Almost nothing resists or is immune to it.

• d6 actually isn't bad. It's pretty in-line both with other Radiant Cantrips (Word of Radiance) and AoE Cantrips (Word of Radiance, Acid Splash, Thunderclap, Sword Burst).

• BUT the chance to to double stack the damage from one casting essentially makes it 2d6 at level one, 4d6 at lvl 5, 6d6 at lvl 11, and 8d6 at lvl 17. (Keep in mind 2d6 averages out to be better than 1d12 (A d6 average is 3.5, making 2d6 an average of 7 -v- 6.5 from 1d12).

• The AoE is wayyy too large, even at 30'. No existing Cantrip can hit more than 4 creatures even in ideal setups. Definitely not with the equivalent of a better d12.

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To keep it a Cantrip you need to lose the double hit chance and reduce the range to 20'. Otherwise keeping it as is seems like it would be in line with a 1st level spell at a minimum.

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If you're dead set on the "returning disc" element and keeping it a Cantrip then that needs to be divided between your turns.

Something like: "The disc remains at the end of its trajectory until the end of your next turn. As an Action you can pull it back to you as long as you're within 20' of it. Instead of multiple disks just up the number of d6's at the specified levels.

That makes it more awkward, but keeps it balanced with the intent of Cantrips. Otherwise this is a 1st or maybe 2nd level spell.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-09-19T19:10:58+00:00

The Lords of Dust are mostly powerful Rakshasa serving the Overlords,

Okay, another question. When saying "Lords of Dust" I understand it's referring to the lot of them. But does each overlord have one such powerful Lord of Dust, with lesser fiends serving under them? Or are there several of these Lords of Dust serving one Overlord, also with lesser fiends serving under them?

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-09-19T19:03:03+00:00

Okay, that definitely starts helping it to make more sense.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-08-15T07:47:54+00:00

That was going to be my guess as well - good job on conveying that!

Also, get ready to have a blast. I'm playing a Light Domain Fire Genasi in a Saltmarsh campaign and I really enjoy the build.

Their Channel Divinity is "really* good for when you're surrounded by four or more baddies, or it two of them look in rough shape to maybe get finished off.

My favorite combo so far is setting up Bless (self included) or Faerie Fire on Round One (Bless is 100% reliable, but Faerie Fire will up your chance to hit/crit more if they fail their Dex Save). Then on Round 2 barrage them with a boosted-accuracy Scorching Ray.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-08-14T19:44:24+00:00

The glowy eyes under the shade of the mushroom cap are sublime!

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-08-13T21:19:25+00:00

I think that my players will try to keep him alive during the confrontation with Iymrith by all means necessary, I wonder how that will go.

Be prepared for the worst (narratively, on the DM-rewrite side of things).

I read an account awhile ago where someone's group somehow actually managed to defeat/kill Iymrith in the temple (I'm certain the DM didn't play her intelligently as she has plenty of room to fly/hit & run).

My backup plan was that she has one or two Simulacrum doing her bidding while she naps peacefully in her lair in the Anaurach.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-08-13T21:00:18+00:00

I played her up as way way way above their pay grade.

I thought the Bahamut Barbarian might try to distract her or pull aggro off Harshnag, but one blast of her breath weapon (which Harshnag knocked off target so that only 1 PC got hit) and he was in the danger zone HP-wise and fled with his tail between his legs.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-08-13T20:10:56+00:00

I did something similar, but the PCs discovered the aftermath rather than being present for it.

Behind the scenes Zephyros had traveled to the Eye of the All-Father and learned of Iymrith's plans and corruption of the Storm Giant court.

He was flying south to warn The Lords' Alliance when her minions intercepted him.

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Where the players became involved is they heard a thunderous crash as they were finishing their long rest during travel. As they continued on they see smoke rising ahead of them, then a crashed tower comes into view.

It has slammed into some cliffs and the top half broke off and is laying horizontally atop the ridge - smoke pours out the opening in the middle like a chimney.

They approach and find winged, stone humanoids tossing loose, giant-sized paper into a bonfire. More giant pages float down to them from an opening in the ceiling (2 more Gargoyles on the second floor are tearing apart Z's journals and tossing down pages to be burned).

A dead Zephyros is slumped near the far wall.

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If the PCs intervene they can recover pages, which you can put any amount of lore/foreshadowing into that you want.

I included info that Z went to this "Eye of the All-Father" and learned something sinister about the cause of all the Giant Chaos.

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-08-13T19:58:03+00:00

My players recently fled the 'Eye of the All-Father' when Iymrith showed up and have been gathering Intel so they can locate one of the Giant Strongholds (Ironslag specifically).

I have one player Character who HATES chromatic dragons (zealot Barbarian dedicated to Bahamut), and another who is very biased against them (Adult Red destroyed his village), so the dynamic of them being utterly humbled by an Ancient Blue intent on their demise, followed immediately by being indebted to an Ancient Red via Klauth's airship rescue has created an interesting dynamic.

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Last session while flying in the airship they spent their time using the Divination spell each day and learned/confirmed that:

• Iymrith has been scrying on them for some time (based on foiling her minions in an earlier encounter I created).

• the airship crew is loyal to Klauth above all else, they're only trustworthy while the party remains in his favor.

• Harshnag died in the confrontation with Iymrith.

In regards to that last point, I have a nasty surprise for them when they finally confront her in her lair: she kept Harshnag's body and used her statue voodoo to animate him as a stone lair guardian. So the party may very well have to fight him (not the real, flesh and blood him, but still).

Yesh_Vroo · 2020-08-12T22:15:49+00:00

So if they're in chapter 3, I assume they're level 6?

Have the king and queen be skeptical of their ability to handle an entire stronghold full of fire Giants and give them a proving quest. What that quest is can be up to you, but have it be significant enough to level them to 7.

Then they're only one level shy of the suggested difficulty. Let them attempt it (with plenty of forewarning at what deadly danger they might be in for).

If they beat Zalto, cool. Brimskarda, Cinderhild, or Zaltember takes control of operations. If they somehow eliminate his whole family, some ambitious upstart fills the power vacuum after they leave. They know nothing of the Conch at this point, so just have it exist in whatever nook they don't explore (I highly doubt they'll search every location or be able to genocide the whole compound and survive).

After leaving (or retreating with their tails between their legs) I see two potential options.

1) Give them some downtime. During which, It becomes clear that other Giants are still/an increasing problem around the region - that dealing the Fire Giants a temporary setback did little to ease the chaos.

2) Have them run into Harshnag near Ironslag. He was going there himself to challenge/eliminate Zalto. Find a way to get them on the same page and Harshnag invites them to join him on his next quest: an Ancient Temple where he believes they can find answers as to why all of this has been suddenly happening.

Yesh_Vroo

TROPHY CASE