Spear of the Skylord

Greetings!

A player of mine has asked for a chance to obtain the Spear of the Skylord (Dragon #364, pg 24). It is a Paragon level artifact and the player himself is playing an Eladrin Greatspear Fighter/Polearm Master (L11). The campaign is taking place in Cormyr, but they just chased the BBEG in the heroic tier conclusion through a portal to Sharn. I know that a professor at Morgrave University is going to give them the quest of finding some artifacts in a ruin in Xen'drik. They will meet him on a Skycoach where he'll be the first person who can speak their language.

My question is this: I know that I want them to go through the ruins and come to a puzzle that will open a portal to the plane of air. There they will find the last piece needed to complete the spear. What are some level appropriate encounter/enemy ideas for the plane of air? I'm converting all monsters to MM3/MV standards. I was thinking Air Elementals (the level 11 ones), and a bunch of Air Elemental minions who can 'form' together to make an Elite level 12/13 creature. Also, I wanted to use Archons but I don't think there are any air type ones, should I just refluff? I was also thinking of making the big baddie here be a Storm Giant leveled down to a reasonable point. Any ideas for monsters or that puzzle?

I could try to make an air archon for you. Just tell me and it'll be ready within a day

Edit:
I found that there is an air archon. I leveled it down for you.

Air Archon Tempestblade

Spoiler

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Level 12 Skirmisher
Medium elemental humanoid (air) XP 700
Hp 123 Bloodied 61
AC 26 Fort 25 REf 26 Will 24
Speed 0, fly 8 (hover)
Immune: disease, poison resist: lightning 15

Abilities
Traits:

~Billowing Winds - Aura 3
while in the aura, enemies without the air keyword are deafened and take a -2 penalty to melee attack rolls and ranged attack rolls

~Tempest Dash
If the tempestblade moves 4 squares or more from its previous location on its turn, it gains a +2 bonus to AC, and its melee attacks deal an extra 1d8 lightning damage.

Standard Actions:

~Longsword MBA (lightning, weapon) - At-will
Attack: +17 vs AC
Hit: 1d8 +2 damage plus 1d8 lightning damage, and the target is pushed 1 square

~Bonds of Wind (lightning, weapon) - Encounter
Requirement: Requires longsword
Attack: +17 vs AC
Hit: 3d6 + 8 lightning damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).
Miss: Once per round on this creature's turn, it can use a minor action to slide the target 1 square (save ends)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Silma

I could try to make an air archon for you. Just tell me and it'll be ready within a day

Edit:
I found that there is an air archon. I leveled it down for you.

Air Archon Tempestblade

Spoiler

Show

Level 12 Skirmisher
Medium elemental humanoid (air) XP 700
Hp 123 Bloodied 61
AC 26 Fort 25 REf 26 Will 24
Speed 0, fly 8 (hover)
Immune: disease, poison resist: lightning 15

Abilities
Traits:

~Billowing Winds - Aura 3
while in the aura, enemies without the air keyword are deafened and take a -2 penalty to melee attack rolls and ranged attack rolls

~Tempest Dash
If the tempestblade moves 4 squares or more from its previous location on its turn, it gains a +2 bonus to AC, and its melee attacks deal an extra 1d8 lightning damage.

Standard Actions:

~Longsword MBA (lightning, weapon) - At-will
Attack: +17 vs AC
Hit: 1d8 +2 damage plus 1d8 lightning damage, and the target is pushed 1 square

~Bonds of Wind (lightning, weapon) - Encounter
Requirement: Requires longsword
Attack: +17 vs AC
Hit: 3d6 + 8 lightning damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).
Miss: Once per round on this creature's turn, it can use a minor action to slide the target 1 square (save ends)

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You.... are.... AWESOME!!! Can you point me to the source of this monsta? Any ideas for the puzzle or about my idea of leveling down the storm giant?

The original (18th level) version of this monster is from manual of the planes.
i leveled it down using the dnd insider monster builder.
I will try to think of some ideas, but i cant promise anything.

I am using the following puzzle which will unlock a chamber that has runes inscribed on the floor. Once all PC's are in the middle of the runes they will light up and there will be a small, intense cyclone coming from a small hole in the ceiling. They are all swept up into it and taken through the small hole in the ceiling, this taking them to the Plane of Air.

Puzzle (taken from WotC forum):

Spoiler

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The Measuring Puzzle



As you descend into the newly opened passage in the temple, you find yourself in a long tunnel lined with stone panels. You can see where intricate abstract carvings have been worn down with untold ages of moisture and weathering. The stone has been marked over with simplistic depictions of hunters, game, and magical creatures. In one spot, you see the outline of a handprint that was painted with blown soot.


The passage eventually opens into a large chamber at the end of which you see a sealed stone portal. On one side of the chamber is a stone ramp. Before it is suspended a large hourglass-shaped device, but with an open top. Two large, differently sized copper basins sit next to the hourglass. On the other side of the room, a stream of cold mountain water pours through the cavernous ceiling into a shallow pool of water.



The larger copper basin can hold five units of water, and the smaller holds three units of water. A draconic rune for each number is etched into the bottom of the inside of each basin.


In order to open the door into the next chamber, the Loremaster must pour exactly one unit of water into the hourglass. If not enough water is poured in, then the hourglass’ trigger mechanism will not activate. If too much water is poured in, a concealed sluice in the hourglass opens, emptying it.


The simplest solution to the puzzle is to fill the small tub and pour it into the larger tub, then fill the small tub again and pour just enough in the larger basin to fill it, leaving one unit of water in the small basin.


Alyousa the Crone’s clue for this puzzle was:





The first is five,


The second three,


But only a pure one opens me.


History DC 18: The intricate carvings date to the Arkhosian Empire. The cave paintings were probably made by early human tribal inhabitants that settled in the area after the draconic empire collapsed.


Thievery DC 26: The character finds and deactivates the secret sluice in the hourglass device.


Thievery DC 26: The character finds the locking mechanism to the stone door.


Stone Door: This stone door can be burst open with a DC 25 Strength check.

Hi!

I don't want to sound bad, OP, really, but that puzzle is as old as Bruce Willis. I'm not sure where you're from (again, not in the bad sense), but that "fill the thing with X liters, you got M and N liter buckets" is kinda famous, so I think your players will know what to do easily (come on, water is pouring right next to them).

Also, I'm not sure about skill/ability score checks in the puzzle.
1What is that History for, exactly? Is it related to the plot? I don't mind it, of course, but I don't think it really helps in solving the puzzle, that's all.
2Your players are early paragon. If I understand correctly, a DC 26 Thievery check completely bypasses the entire puzzle! If done with training in the skill, without any Dexterity bonus or similar, a level 11 character can do it with a roll of 16. Now add up +5 Dexterity for a decent level 11 Rogue, and it becomes too easy. (If you have a Thievery dude in the party, of course.)
3 Oh, yes, for finding stuff Perception is usually used, and after finding it, Thievery if applicable (for the stone door lock mechanism part).
4The same goes for DC 25 Strength check. If you have a Konan in the party, and he knows the DC for smashing the door (or maybe even if he doesn't), he's just gonna headbutt it into oblivion and your puzzle would be wasted.

That said, this kind of thing can, again, if I read correctly, be solved by pouring bit by bit until it opens.


Hope this will be useful, and, more importantly, that you'll all have loads of fun! Cheers! :smallsmile:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mandrake

Hi!

I don't want to sound bad, OP, really, but that puzzle is as old as Bruce Willis. I'm not sure where you're from (again, not in the bad sense), but that "fill the thing with X liters, you got M and N liter buckets" is kinda famous, so I think your players will know what to do easily (come on, water is pouring right next to them).

Also, I'm not sure about skill/ability score checks in the puzzle.
1What is that History for, exactly? Is it related to the plot? I don't mind it, of course, but I don't think it really helps in solving the puzzle, that's all.
2Your players are early paragon. If I understand correctly, a DC 26 Thievery check completely bypasses the entire puzzle! If done with training in the skill, without any Dexterity bonus or similar, a level 11 character can do it with a roll of 16. Now add up +5 Dexterity for a decent level 11 Rogue, and it becomes too easy. (If you have a Thievery dude in the party, of course.)
3 Oh, yes, for finding stuff Perception is usually used, and after finding it, Thievery if applicable (for the stone door lock mechanism part).
4The same goes for DC 25 Strength check. If you have a Konan in the party, and he knows the DC for smashing the door (or maybe even if he doesn't), he's just gonna headbutt it into oblivion and your puzzle would be wasted.

That said, this kind of thing can, again, if I read correctly, be solved by pouring bit by bit until it opens.


Hope this will be useful, and, more importantly, that you'll all have loads of fun! Cheers! :smallsmile:

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I appreciate your input Mandrake! I don't want to put a puzzle that will be too difficult to solve but at the same time isn't so super easy that they just figure it out right away. There are other puzzles to use on the Wizards forum I could probably switch to that might not be so obvious.

The DC's are there because I know my players are going to want to roll to find a solution, so these represent what they'll find out about the puzzle. I would not tell any of my players the DC's especially not the Dwarf who would definetly punch a huge hole through the stone door. The 'sluice' opening prevents the players from pouring it in bit-by-bit as if it's not weighted correctly the water just slides out.

As far as Plane of Air monsters... do you think any of the following are inappropriate?

- Manticores
- Storm Giant
- Roc
- Elemental Dragon from MM3

Am I missing anything exceptionally noteworthy? I was also thinking of creating some monsters from this pixar short story. Essentially, he'll float above the players and create cloud/air elementals and throw lightning bolts at the players!