How's this for an encounter?

[starship1]

Area: A large 8x8 room connected to a 4x4 chamber by a 2x8 hallway.

a skeleton lays in the corner of the 4x4 rooom: DC 15 perception

the monsters: vampire lord(gm fiated) shadow hound MM1&DMG
a trap haunt MM1
and a elite Pit Trap DMG

this is a level 5 party made up with just the PH


Is this decent? I tried for a "Man and his dog" feel

[neonchameleon]

Three things.

1: MM1? That thing's dated badly.
2: The pit trap as a full elite is probably seriously overrated - pits normally get one attack off and are then obstacles for everyone to throw everyone else in.
3: What's the motivation? Why are the PCs there?

[starship1]

3. this is a random dungeon crawl.

2. notice that both the monsters have a dominate attack. they will send their new minions to die in the pit. when people climb out, they get pushed back in by either a minion, or get dominated to jump in.

1. i'm not a real fan of 4.0 but i got a good deal on the first three books, as well as arcane power $20!

[Drglenn]

*cough*mathupdate*cough*

[starship1]

thats stupid.

I expect more from you, WOTC!

but using just the books i have, is this a good encounter?

[Sipex]

Depends, what's the party composition like? Where's the pit trap located (and how big is it)?

[starship1]

1: a level 5 warlord, fighter, wizard, and ranger

2: the trap is located in the corridor blocking it 2x2

[Sipex]

Alright, I'm guessing the vampire lord is in the 8x8 room? Where do the PCs start?

One thing you have to remember is the PCs are going to bypass that trap and bypass it hard. Then they're going to dog pile your vampire lord, you should build in a few contingencies for this.

Some ideas:
- Give the vampire lord a teleport which can get him over the pit easily. That way, when all the PCs run over to him, he teleports away and forces them to deal with the pit, again. Up to you if you want this at-will, encounter or recharge.
- Put difficult terrain around the pit. Maybe the 2x2 squares on each side of it? Possibly make it a slope (slopes in towards the pit) which, slides the PCs 1 square towards the pit whenever they take a hit or something (get creative).
- Put something to do in the big 8x8 room, special terrain, maybe something which drags the PCs back to the pit again? More traps are a bonus too.

[starship1]

1: I'm AFB right now, but i believe that the shadowhound (the base monster for the vampire template) has teleport 7

2: in the 8x8 room there will be a graveyard, disturbing the bones summons the trap haunt

[Sipex]

This...changes things.

This means the Vampire Lord and the hound are, potentially, the only two active combatants at first. Is there any reason for the PCs to want to disturb the bones?

It's an alright encounter, but as is, I think you'll find your PCs will trounce it easily.

[starship1]

1: the vampire IS the shadow hound, i applied the template to the shadow hand. the ghost is an active combatant as well, as it can fly. im scrapping the graveyard idea.

[TopCheese]

Do you know how in 3.5 or earlier editions when you had one boss go up against the party and the party wiped the floor with the boss?

Yeah that will happen....

Even if you are teleporting around the the party (edit haha) can still shoot your boss thing. (Depending on how they are built).

And 4.0 Wizard can be just as scary up close (again build and such) as far away... The wizard may be able to push your boss around (and into the trap...

Does the Vampire need line of effect for his teleport? How about line of site? I'm AFB right now and been talking 3.5 recently haha.

If he needs either line of effect or line of sight... DON'T let him get put in the trap! The party fighter might jump down there with him and the others stand around the edge and shoot down into the trap... Your boss would be dead faaaast.

I know I would jump down there... Fun times with some old 4.0 classes :D

You should keep the pit trap easy to avoid but keep a hidden lever down in the bottom or a keyhole.. This is where the vampire has kepted his minion generating device... Thus your sekelton minions keep rising ... >:D

Minions are like cowbells, you always need more!

Haha