Togo's Planar Adventure set partly in Sigil (OOC)

[Togo]

No, you can't cast a spell in response to something unless it's an immediate action. The save will be a fail, so that's 66 damage.

So far only Godot has acted. Everyone else can still act.

[Ifni]

Togo, was that 21 a fail on the save? (or 22 if we're currently Hasted)

(1d20)[20] checking for massive damage in case it's a fail (if we're using massive damage rules).

EDIT: Well it would've been nice if I'd rolled that on the original save! But ok, Umbriel will still be alive - I just got home from Australia, will try to post something tomorrow.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Originally Posted by Ifni

Togo, was that 21 a fail on the save? (or 22 if we're currently Hasted)

[roll0] checking for massive damage in case it's a fail (if we're using massive damage rules).

EDIT: Well it would've been nice if I'd rolled that on the original save! But ok, Umbriel will still be alive - I just got home from Australia, will try to post something tomorrow.

I am back as well. I am going to wait for Umbriel's action, because there is not much I can do at this point (and she is ahead of me in initiative).

[Togo]

Umbriel - 21 is a fail on the save. I can't find any post suggesting that anyone cast haste.

[Ifni]

I am sorry, guys. My grandfather passed away a few days ago, on the other side of the world, and I'm flying home shortly for the funeral (which is a 24-hour flight) - I've been distracted.

Umbriel is a bit stretched for actions at the moment because she spent her swift for this turn on immediate-activating her amulet; I can basically do one thing.

I'm inclined to not make that one thing 'teleport the fighters next to the priest', because if he can immediate-teleport again, he'll just pop over to the other side of the blade barrier, and we won't gain anything.

I could ready a Sculpted Evard's Black Tentacles for 'if he frees himself from Godot's grapple / if he begins casting a spell with somatic components': you can only do one immediate/turn, so this seems like it might work (assuming I can beat him on the grapple).

I could possibly Radiant Assault him and hope for a fail vs daze, but his Will save is probably pretty good. I could ready a Radiant Assault to interrupt casting, but that could backfire badly if he teleports into the middle of the group.

I could Limited Wish for Greater Anticipate Teleport, but that costs 300 XP, and may also limit our options for getting around the Blade Barrier.

AMF seems like a bad option at the moment as he'll probably just hop away if I start casting it near him / move toward him after casting (it's what I would do!)

I could alacritously cogitate a targeted Greater Dispel, but if I do it on the Blade Barrier that just puts us back where we were last turn, and if I do it on him... people still can't get to him, and it doesn't stop his next turn's actions (well, unless I knock out the Con-booster that's keeping him conscious).

Any preferences / tactical considerations I'm missing?

(I'm asking because Umbriel is Int 29 and I am... not, ever, but especially right now, with the other stuff I have going on.)

[Toliudar]

So sorry for your loss, and the attending complexities, Ifni.

I think you've articulated some strong options there. He seems to have swift dimension dooring happening, not necessarily from a spell, so attempts to shut him down with a greater dispel magic seem like a bad idea. AMF costs us one of our tanks, shuts down Godot's only offense, and in general seems like a risky trade-off.

Since he seems to be able to teleport without somatic components, Evards seems like it's duplicating what Godot is currently doing each round - making sure he starts in a situation where he can't cast where he is, and doing a modest amount of damage. Greater anticipate teleport is only useful if we have something that we would do differently in the rounds while we wait for him to reappear.

Radiant assault is, as you noted, a low-percentage high-payoff maneuver. If you're going to do that kind of 'roll-the-dice' effort anyway, I'd go with Blinding Colour Surge. It effectively takes away his action for the round if you're successful, and it's not a mind-affecting effect (which he seems to be immune to).

Or, failing that, just give him a taste of his own medicine and hit him with a whirling blade.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

I am very sorry to hear that, Ifni. I wish you all the strength and energy you might need.



As for the less important stuff: I am inclined to think that a combination of a dispelling bombardment (can others cast it as well...Godot?) and a physical punishment salvo is the best workable solution now. I mean, the guy has to give in at some point, and run out of funky abilites.

Edit: I have dimensional anchor, could give that a shot, but my caster level is fairly low, so he is bound to resist that....

[Toliudar]

I have one or two Greater Dispels in me. My only hesitation in switching to using it, aside from the fact that even without his buffs we can't get to him, is that in order to use it, she has to stop using telekinesis, which is currently what's forcing him to keep hopping around (and is doing modest-but-steady damage along the way).

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Aye, very true. I am also not sure how to proceed. It is in Godot/Umbriel's hands, though. I am stuck at 1/2 health on the other side of the blade barrier . I can attempt the dimensional anchor once, that would take away some of the annoyingness of this encounter.

[Toliudar]

Originally Posted by Autopsibiofeeder

Aye, very true. I am also not sure how to proceed. It is in Godot/Umbriel's hands, though. I am stuck at 1/2 health on the other side of the blade barrier . I can attempt the dimensional anchor once, that would take away some of the annoyingness of this encounter.

Fortunately, blade barriers do nothing to actually block missile fire. So you've got a few options.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Originally Posted by Toliudar

Fortunately, blade barriers do nothing to actually block missile fire. So you've got a few options.

True. I will try a dimensional anchor and then I might shoot an arrow or two, but those don't do much in the sense of damage dealing (or hitting, for that matter)...especially considering the DR Rhion was facing. We'll see.

[Cespenar]

Originally Posted by Toliudar

I have one or two Greater Dispels in me. My only hesitation in switching to using it, aside from the fact that even without his buffs we can't get to him, is that in order to use it, she has to stop using telekinesis, which is currently what's forcing him to keep hopping around (and is doing modest-but-steady damage along the way).

Though for all we know, he might be using a x per day item to teleport around. I'd say risk a Greater Dispel.

Edit: Hmm. But now that I remember, we might also go with the telekinetic grappling if anyone got another Blood Wind or three to dump on Rhion.

[Toliudar]

Well, he's already teleported, what? Four times? So if it's an X/day use item, then he's got to be coming to the end of it anyway. In which case he stays put for a round, and there's a good chance that Godot can pin him the round after, more or less solving the problem in the short term.

[Togo]

Ifni. Sorry to hear about your loss. Good luck in this difficult time. I appreciate it's unlikely, but if there is any way I can help, or if you need a place to crash in London to make an odd connecting flight, let me know.

I'll chip with answers to questions I would expect Ifni to have asked me, that Umbriel would know the answer to. He's teleported twice in a straighforward fashion, and once while he certainly appeared to be dead. The other sudden movement was not a teleport effect, but rather him moving so quickly that time stood still from your point of view.

Anything else you feel you would want to ask Umbriel that I would be well placed to answer, you can ask me. That should relieve the pressure on Ifni for a while.

Also, Blade Barrier provides cover (+4 to AC).

[Toliudar]

Thanks, Togo!

Eep. So quickly that...so, 9th level spells, and a contingency effect as well. I feel better about having trouble taking him down now!

[Cespenar]

Originally Posted by Toliudar

Thanks, Togo!

Eep. So quickly that...so, 9th level spells, and a contingency effect as well. I feel better about having trouble taking him down now!

Yeah, for a moment there, I too thought that a group of level 15 characters were having difficulties taking down another level 15 cleric.

(Though that would also be dependent on optimization levels, I guess.)

[Togo]

So... is there a plan?

[Toliudar]

I can't speak for the others. I'm going to keep grabbing the abbot and smashing him into the floor.

You know, a readied action to hit the abbot with a Magic Missile has a pretty good chance of disrupting any spellcasting. This strikes me as right up Sthrer's alley. GuesssWho, are you still with us?

[Cespenar]

To reiterate, in order for Rhion to be able to attack, either the Blade Barrier should be dispelled, or he should get a Blood Wind or something similar.

Otherwise, he will suffer 15d6 if he tries to attack, and I'm not sure if that's a fair trade, seeing how Rhion does reduced damage and all.

Edit: Also, a weird idea. Can Godot grapple-move the abbot into the Blade Barrier?

[Toliudar]

That's assuming Rhion stays in wolf form. Why is that a given?

Alternately: we're on the top floor of a ramshackle wooden building. Blade barriers are horizontal. What's preventing Rhion from going through the roof? Rhion's a superhero - he might as well act like one! Or use shape wood to make a door to wherever you want to go.

Moving the abbot into the blade barrier is actually a very good idea! It's something that she can do once the grapple is established. I'd suggest that her priorities, roughly, are: 1) hold onto him; 2) pin him so that he can't cast spells with verbal components; 3) hurting him. Of course, by then the combat may be over.

[Togo]

Stone building. Walls are stone, roof is stone. Hence the cracks in the roof caused by Derk's missed fail strike earlier.

The floor here is actually wood, but the cealing is stone.

In the spirit of cooperation, and simulating the advice of a missing player...

The last spell that the Abbot cast was silent Blade Barrier. The one before (that lost Derk 7 neg levels) was Energy Drain.

The barrier extends outwards from the Abbot, it doesn't form a wall in front of him. (presumably because he was more concerned with hurting people than defence. As such you could squeeze past it if the Abbot wasn't in the way.
The Abbot is grappled. Grappled people do not threaten any squares, and thus can be moved through freely. The Abbot is not in the way.
As such there is nothing to stop you just walking through his square and down the corridor, although I'd charge you an extra 5' movement for squeezing past the barrier.

I'd also point out Rhion could join the grapple this turn, and then next turn move the grapple himself on a successful check. The obvious problem here would be that he'd end up in the bladebarrier with the Abbot. If he took -20 on his initial grapple check, he could then move the grapple without moving himself. That may be too high to succeed however. And there's no guarentee that the Abbot wouldn't escape like he did last time.

[Toliudar]

Thanks, Togo. I stand corrected. Well, with wood shape, Rhion could also try to create a shield between yourself and the barrier out of the floor, or using stone shape on the ceiling.

[Cespenar]

Would it be too much of a hassle if I'd ask a map update?

Also, @Toliudar: I'm trying to find a way that won't cost Rhion a round of attacks. Wild shaping and all those spells would eat up at least one round.

Now, I'm a little unclear on the exact locations of everyone, but if Godot could telegrapple the abbot into the Blade Barrier which also happens to be in a square that Rhion can 5' step and full attack, that would be the bee's knees.

[Toliudar]

Well, I have to spend a round establishing the grapple, and probably a round creating the pin first. The telekinesis spell only gives one grapple check a round, so there's only so much I can accomplish.

[GuesssWho]

I was sick, this week but I'm here now.

And since Sthrer isn't doing too great, she'll probably just be keeping an eye on things until the rest of the party manage to stop this lunatic. Make sure there are no reenforcements or anything, you know.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Okay, this is taking a little bit long and I have limited pbp access now, so I am just going to have Derk do something. I suggest the squeezing, grappling and higher arcane stuff is better for others to do now, so Derk will use one of the spells he took and thought were useful.

Why else did I take it, huh?

[Toliudar]

Originally Posted by Autopsibiofeeder

Okay, this is taking a little bit long and I have limited pbp access now, so I am just going to have Derk do something. I suggest the squeezing, grappling and higher arcane stuff is better for others to do now, so Derk will use one of the spells he took and thought were useful.

Why else did I take it, huh?

If ever there was a time for that kind of roll vs spell resistance, this was it. Way to go!

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Originally Posted by Toliudar

If ever there was a time for that kind of roll vs spell resistance, this was it. Way to go!

I know... I am so frickin' proud of myself

[Togo]

So, he's probably not going to teleport for a while... That leaves Rhion (and an action for Ifni, if people want to agree on one).

I'll try and get a map up later today.

[Togo]

Map:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/...ightupdate.jpg