Space Dragon - I think your encounter is good as is. It's ok that they're all minions and could be potentially one-shotted because the first encounter's (the encounter made by Delazar) creates the possibility that your encounter might also include some of the kobolds from that encounter.
From how I understand it, your room looks something like this:
OO3 XKK XKK XJJ XTT XTT XXX2 1
1 = where the pcs enter 2 = the unimportant door 3 = guarded door X = empty squares O = wall T = trapped squares J = junk pile K = kobolds
The only thing I was unsure of was which door you picked from the main room to connect your hallway to. The way I have it oriented would be as if it were connected to the North door; the one which was straight across from the door through which the PCs first entered the complex.
I'm both orderly and selfish. I act mostly for my own benefit, but I respect and help my community - Specially when it helps me. At best, I'm loyal and dedicated; at worst, I'm elitist and shrewd.
Cool. Yes, that diagram is very much what I had in mind.
My room can really be attached to any of the doors in area 1. It would help if we knew what sort of building this used to be and how long the kobolds have been here. Any ideas?
If from the first chamber the PCs choose to go through the western door (the one to the left of the room if you're looking at Delazar's map of the original room,) it brings them to the following:
With a little effort the stone doors open.(Alternatively the doors may have already been open if some of the kobolds from the first encounter fled this way.)What you can immediately see is a 10 ft (2 square) by 10ft chamber made of stone; from floor to ceiling the corridor also appears to measure the same distance - 10 ft. You can also easily notice that in the far left corner of the room is a spiral stairway carved out of stone leading down.
------ |XX1 |SX1 ------
X = empty spaces S = stairway 1 = the direction the PCs will be coming from
If the PCs venture down the spiral stone stairway, it spirals down for about 100 ft (20 squares.) There are not torches or any other light source, so without light the PCs may possibly be in total darkness during the trek down. Eventually the corridor connects to a lower level chamber measuring 20 ft long (4 squares) by 25 ft wide (5 squares) as shown below. Light can be seen at the end of the stairway; the chamber it connects to is lit by several torches hanging along the far wall. Inside the room is a pair of Kobold Minions, a Juvenile Flame Spitting Drake, and a Dragonshield Guardian. The position of the kobolds may vary from the diagram shown below if they have been warned of the PCs' approach; they may also possibly have actions readied.
At the south end of the chamber is a large metal door similar to that of a bank vault. Flanking the door; attached to the wall, are two levers. The door is electrified whenever both levers are in the same position (whether that be up or down.) It works similar to a simple electrical circuit; if both levers are not in the same position, the circuit is broken and the door is no longer electrified.
Beyond the door is a group of Goblins who are being held prisoner by the kobolds, but the PCs won't know that yet. The Goblin group consists of 2 Goblin Cutters and 1 Wounded Goblin Warrior; the wounded warrior acts as the leader of the group. How the goblins interact with the PCs varies depending upon how the encounter plays out. If the door is opened during the fight with the kobolds then they will engage the kobolds; they won't immediately attack the PCs unless an attack made by the PCs harms one of them. If the kobolds are all killed and the goblins have not been provoked, the PCs may attempt a negotiation skill challenge in order to gain the goblins as allies. If the PCs fail the skill challenge it is the DM's choice as to what happens. The goblins may still offer some information about the complex; the goblins may fight the pcs; the goblins may simply just leave and not help the PCs at all. The goblins speak only goblin; if the PCs cannot communicate with them then the goblins more than likely simply just attempt to leave the complex.
Treasure Parcel 8: A pouch on the Dragonshield Guardian contains 120 GP.
1 = where the PCs will be entering from X = empty squares K = Kobold Minion G = Dragonshield Guardian D = Juvenile Flame Spitting Drake ! = levers = = metal door ? = prison chamber in which the goblins are located
DRAGONSHIELD GUARDIAN LEVEL 2 ELITE SOLDIER Small natural humanoid (kobold) XP 250 Initiative +4 Senses: Perception +2; darkvision HP 64; bloodied 32 AC 20 Fort 16 Reflex 14 Will 14; see also trap sense Action Point 1; Saves +2 Resist 5 fire Speed 5 Short Sword (standard; at-will) * weapon +7 vs AC; 1d6+3 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the Dragonshield Guardian's next turn Dragonshield Tactics (immediate reaction, when an adjacent enemy shifts away or an enemy moves adjacent; at-will) The Dragonshield Guardian shifts 1 square Shifty (minor; at-will) The Dragonshield Guardian shifts 1 square Mob Attack The Dragonshield Guardian gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls per kobold ally adjacent to the target. Shieldbearer Allies adjacent to the bodyguard gain a +2 power bonus to Indomitable Presence Every time a Dragonshield Guardian attacks an enemy, whether the attack hits or misses, it marks that target. The mark lasts until the end of the Dragonshield’s next turn. When a target is marked, it takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls if the attack doesn’t include the Dragonshield as a target. A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place. In addition, whenever a marked enemy that is adjacent to the Dragonshield shifts or makes an attack that does not include the bodyguard, the Dragonshield can make a basic melee attack against that enemy as an immediate interrupt Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps
Alignment: evil Languages: draconic, common Skills: acrobatics +5, stealth +7, thievery +7 STR 14 (+3) DEX 13 (+2) WIS 12 (+2) CON 12 (+2) INT 9 (+0) CHA 10 (+1) --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Juvenile Flame Spitting Drake Level 1 Elite Artillery Medium natural magical beast (reptile)(elemental) XP 200 Initiative: +5 Senses: perception +3 HP 48; bloodied 24 AC 16 Fort 14 Reflex 16 Will 12 Action Point 1, Saves +2 Resist 10 acid; 5 fire Speed 7 Bite (standard; at-will) +4 vs AC; 1d6+1 damage Caustic Spit (standard, at-will) * acid Ranged 10; +6 vs Reflex; 1d10+3 acid damage Born of Fire The Fire Spitting Drake can convert any attack power it has to fire. Change a power’s energy keyword to fire, or add fire energy to an attack power that doesn’t normally deal energy damage. Hot Body Any creature that hits the scion of flame with a melee attack takes 2 fire damage.
Alignment: unaligned Languages: --- STR 14 (+3) DEX 18 (+5) WIS 14 (+3) CON 14 (+3) INT 3 (-3) CHA 12 (+2) --------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Wounded Goblin Warrior is the same as a regular Goblin Warrior with the following exceptions: HP 10; AC 16; Fortitude 10; Reflex 12; Will 10; XP special
The Electrified Door: Anyone touching the electrified door while it is active risks being shocked. The DM should be sure to give obvious hints that something is wrong with the door such as describing an "electrical buzz" coming from the door. +6 vs Fortitude; 4d4 damage on a hit; half damage on a miss. The door is opened by turning a large wheel which is centered on the door. XP special
Encounter Level 2 - Total XP 625
2 Kobold Minions, Level 1 Minions - XP 50 Juvenile Fire Spitting Drake, Level 1 Elite - XP 200 Dragonshield Guardian, Level 2 Elite - XP 250 2 Goblin Cutters, Level 1 Minions - XP 50 Wounded Goblin Warrior, Level 1 Soldier (modified) - XP special Electrified Door, obstacle/terrain feature - XP special
Treasure Parcel 8: A pouch on the Dragonshield Guardian contains 120 GP.
Setup: For the Goblins to provide assistance, the PCs need to be able to speak and understand the Goblin language. The PCs may be able to convince the Goblins to assist the PCs in fighting the Kobolds.
Complexity 1: 4 successes before 2 failures
Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight. Bluff (DC 20): You try to encourage the Goblins to aid your quest using false pretenses. Diplomacy (DC 15): You entreat the NPC for aid in your quest. Insight (DC 10)(can only be used once in this encounter): You empathize with the Goblin and use that knowledge to encourage assistance. First success with this skill reveals that the goblins are currently on edge due to their captivity at the hands of the kobolds. Any use of the Intimidate skill will provoke combat. Success: The Goblins will follow the PCs into other areas of the complex and aid in fighting the kobolds. However, if at any time an attack from the PCs causes damage to one of the goblins they immediately become hostile...even in the midst of a fight. Failure: The DM should feel free to determine the exact details of failure in this situation. The Goblins may have some sort of information that they offer the PCs, but beyond that they refuse to help. Depending on how badly the PCs fail, failure may provoke combat.
Regardless of how the Goblins are dealt with, they (along with the door) are worth the rest of the XP for the encounter. I realize that this is somewhat ad hoc, but I had a few reasons for diverging from the normal experience amounts. The door is similar to a trap, but it is exceedingly easy to avoid, and clues as to the nature of it should be fairly obvious; also, the way to "disarm" it is extremely easy. The door is also just as much of a hazard to the enemy as it is the PCs. As for the Goblins, a skill challenge would normally yield more XP; however, this particular challenge has rewards which go beyond XP. The goblins could possibly make other encounters in the complex easier. The DM should feel free to have the goblins die via making stupid decisions if they start to make things easier than desired.
I'm both orderly and selfish. I act mostly for my own benefit, but I respect and help my community - Specially when it helps me. At best, I'm loyal and dedicated; at worst, I'm elitist and shrewd.
Johnny, that post was difficult to read and a little confusing; could you please restructure it? Maybe putting the creature stats in spoilers would help. Anyway, as long as the door is obviously electrified and the PC's would have to be retarded to touch it while its active, it shouldn't affect the encounter difficulty.
By the way, did you make those monsters from the ground up, or did you apply templates to existing ones? Just curious.
The fact that this is basically two encounters in one (for a total of 625 xp) should serve as a reminder that not all the encounters need to be set up in linear order. A first level party can have a couple of second or third level encounters (harder than usual fights), and a third level party can have a couple of first level encounters (easier than usual fights). Its all worth the same amount of XP in the end. Granted, this should only happen in a few cases; more often than not, we should progress linearly along the level chain when making these encounters.
I'm also wondering about the goblins now. How did the kobolds end up capturing them, and for what purpose? Maybe they were planning to sacrifice them to a drago...nah, too predictable, we'll think of something else.
EDIT: hang on, if that was a level 2 encounter, how come it uses the level 1 treasure parcel 8?
Johnny, that post was difficult to read and a little confusing; could you please restructure it? Maybe putting the creature stats in spoilers would help. Anyway, as long as the door is obviously electrified and the PC's would have to be retarded to touch it while its active, it shouldn't affect the encounter difficulty.
By the way, did you make those monsters from the ground up, or did you apply templates to existing ones? Just curious.
The fact that this is basically two encounters in one (for a total of 625 xp) should serve as a reminder that not all the encounters need to be set up in linear order. A first level party can have a couple of second or third level encounters (harder than usual fights), and a third level party can have a couple of first level encounters (easier than usual fights). Its all worth the same amount of XP in the end. Granted, this should only happen in a few cases; more often than not, we should progress linearly along the level chain when making these encounters.
I'm also wondering about the goblins now. How did the kobolds end up capturing them, and for what purpose? Maybe they were planning to sacrifice them to a drago...nah, too predictable, we'll think of something else.
EDIT: hang on, if that was a level 2 encounter, how come it uses the level 1 treasure parcel 8?
Yeah, I do have to admit that the post was probably a little convoluted. I was trying to type it while multitasking with a few other things. I'll see if I can figure out a way to make things clearer.
As for the treasure parcel...I thought that the treasure parcel level was based on the level of the party? It's possible that I'm wrong about that though because my experience with actually DMing 4E is fairly limited.
You're right, they are two seperate encounters, but they have the possibility of becoming one encounter depending upon how the PCs progress, so I basically gave the XP total for a level 2 encounter. As I said in my previous post though, the XP I gave was somewhat ad hoc in order to handle a few situations that I wanted to include in the encounter(s) which weren't really covered by the 4E guidelines.
The Fire Spitting Drake and the Dragonshield Guardian were created with templates, but I changed the names of a few of their abilities in order to create somewhat of a theme with what I ended up with. The Dragonshield Guardian is a Kobold Dragonshield with the Bodyguard template, and the Fire Spitting Drake is a Spitting Drake which I lowered to level one and then added the Scion of Flame template.
I'm both orderly and selfish. I act mostly for my own benefit, but I respect and help my community - Specially when it helps me. At best, I'm loyal and dedicated; at worst, I'm elitist and shrewd.
I don't want to post another room immediately (since I did the one before last), but I just had an idea I thought I'd run by you guys.
These kobolds (instead of serving a dragon, which is what the PC's will probably be expecting) have taken up the worship of devils. An early boss can be the kobold diabolist; a wyrmpriest with the Warlock (infernal pact) template and his imp buddy, probably assisted by a pack of kobold minions.
You guys like this idea? If so, we should maybe drop a couple of subtle hints about the diabolical connection in the next few rooms.
Cool. Yes, that diagram is very much what I had in mind.
My room can really be attached to any of the doors in area 1. It would help if we knew what sort of building this used to be and how long the kobolds have been here. Any ideas?
I'm still trying to come up with a few ideas for what the complex is supposed to be. I think perhaps once we flesh out a few more encounters that I may have a better idea depending upon what sort of interactions we find between encounters that people create.
Space_Dragon wrote:
I don't want to post another room immediately (since I did the one before last), but I just had an idea I thought I'd run by you guys.
These kobolds (instead of serving a dragon, which is what the PC's will probably be expecting) have taken up the worship of devils. An early boss can be the kobold diabolist; a wyrmpriest with the Warlock (infernal pact) template and his imp buddy, probably assisted by a pack of kobold minions.
You guys like this idea? If so, we should maybe drop a couple of subtle hints about the diabolical connection in the next few rooms.
I think it would be interesting to possibly try something different than the typical "Kobolds worship dragons." Kobolds working for devils could be interesting. Another interesting idea (and one which I don't think I've seen much in 4E) would be Kobolds who have some sort of religious connection to a Primordial. Primordials have a very elemental nature; as such, they could grant powers which might superficially seem similar to a dragon's powers -such as being able to spew fire from their mouths.
One the other hand, using the typical dragon schtick might be a nice way to show off some of the new Kobold options in the Draconomicon.
I don't really favor one idea or the other...just some food for thought.
It may actually even be possible to use multiple ideas. For example, if I wanted to use both the Primordial idea and the Dragon idea the story could be that the kobolds did originally worship the dragon. Somewhere along the line their beliefs were swayed by coming into contact with a Primordial whom they came to view as a god of sorts. Somewhere along the line the dragon picked up the goblins as its new followers and a religious war of sorts was started.
I'm both orderly and selfish. I act mostly for my own benefit, but I respect and help my community - Specially when it helps me. At best, I'm loyal and dedicated; at worst, I'm elitist and shrewd.
Lately I was reading the DMG, and once again I was positively surprised by how modular the planning of a "campaign" can be, how easy it is to plan a series of encounters, with the XP budget and the Treasure Parcels.
So I thought, as a "mental exercise" and also for use by all of us, why don't we create 300 encounters, 10 for each level, all tied up in one big campaign?
The challenge is of course to try to find a connection to what the person that posted before us has done... if someone created an encounter with goblins in a big room, am I going to create another encounter where the PCs get out of the room, and into the wilderness? Or do I keep mapping dungeon rooms?
The idea would be to have as much variety as possible, still trying to keep coherent with each other.
We can have 10 encounter for each level, and each 10 encounters will be one "dungeon" (but can also be one story-line, travel, RP plot, etc), at the end of which the players can go back to their home base (or keep travelling), for levelling up, replenish resources and such.
Each encounter will have the standard XP budget, for the Treasure Parcels, I think we can proceed as follows:
With Encounter 10 being the final showdown with the "level-boss"
of course, as DMs, sometimes we put more parcels to one encounter, like when we want to simulate a Dragon's Horde, or a treasure chamber... not sure how we can handle this, but i guess if someone feels like his encounter shouldn't have any treasure, he can "leave it open" for someone else to use in a future encounter.
Same goes for XP budget... usually, I allot less XP to early encounters, and give more for the Final Showdown, but I felt it was better to give all encounters the same XP budget in this situation, so nobody feels neglected
if you post an encounter, you cannot post until 2 OTHER encounters have been posted (so, if you post encounter 1, you need to wait till 4 to post again)
Try to put as much details as you can in your encounter, like a map, tactics, personalities of the creatures involved, skill challenges, description of traps, etc.
Maybe you expect me to start this up with an encounter, but I really just thought about posting this... if I see no responses in the forst few days, I'll come up with something.
ok, I think that's it, if you have any suggestions, feel free to post.
I think this could be a great tool for all DMs on these boards, and honestly I have much more trust in fellow palyers to create scenarios than in "so-called" professionals... but that's another story entirely
have fun!
I was trying to group together the initial rules and the encounters we have so far, but the multi-quote feature doesn't seem to be working for me.
I'm both orderly and selfish. I act mostly for my own benefit, but I respect and help my community - Specially when it helps me. At best, I'm loyal and dedicated; at worst, I'm elitist and shrewd.
trying to link this image, but it's not working...
Kobold Skirmisher x2 Fire Beetles x2 Stirge x1
Setup This area serves as a guard point for the entrance to the complex.
As the adventurers enter this chamber, read: Opening the big stone double doors, you find yourselves into a square room of big stone bricks, with openings on all sides. Four colums, representing stout dwarves with angular features, are spaced evenly at the corners of the room. A few torches illuminate the room, togheter with a weird luminescence coming out of two big bugs. In the south, a big cage contains a weird birdlike creature. As you enter, you're welcomed by the screams of "Intruders!"
Features of the Area: Columns - they grant cover Stone double doors - none of them are locked, but they require a DC 15 Strength check to swing open.
Tactics: The kobolds send their bettles charging ahead, as one of them open the cage of the stirge. Then they join the fray, using their mobility to flank. If both beetles and the stirge are dead, the kobolds try to run away to look for help inside the complex.
Treasure (Parcel 10): The column on the northeast hides a secret compartment (DC 12 Search check). If uncovered, it contains an obsidian statuette of a dwarf, worth 40 gp
and that's my first encounter... now up to you to map another room!
The kobolds noticed the weak and crumbling floor of this room when they took over the complex, and turned it into a trap.
As the adventurers enter this chamber, read: This dingy, low-ceilinged hall is filled with the scent of decay, as well as a strange chemical undertone. There is a door leading away to your right. At the far end of the hall is a pile of junk (crumbled bits of wood, cloth, and rubble) that blocks your view of the far end.
Features of the Area:
Size - the hall is three squares across and six squares long.
The ochre jelly is inside of the pit trap. If a PC falls in, it will attack.
Special
Since the ochre jelly's presence in the fight depends on someone falling in the pit, another source of XP must be provided if this event does not happen. If it appears that the pit (despite the DM's best efforts) will not claim any victims, have the door burst open and a pair of Skeletons burst in. These skeletons were raised by the evil guy who controls the kobolds, and together are worth the same amount of XP as the jelly.
Anyway, there should be a relatively plot-unimportant encounter behind the unguarded door, and a major kobold-nest behind the hidden and guarded one. If you don't understand the room layout (which I admit is a bit complicated), I'll see if I can put together a crude diagram in MS Paint.
Also, in retrospect I realize that a wizard could potentially one-shot all four kobolds with an area spell, assuming he hits them all (granted, he'd have to roll well four times, and two of them have cover, but its still possible). Should I weaken the monster in the pit and use that XP to buy tougher kobolds?
I'm both orderly and selfish. I act mostly for my own benefit, but I respect and help my community - Specially when it helps me. At best, I'm loyal and dedicated; at worst, I'm elitist and shrewd.
If from the first chamber the PCs choose to go through the western door (the one to the left of the room if you're looking at Delazar's map of the original room,) it brings them to the following:
With a little effort the stone doors open.(Alternatively the doors may have already been open if some of the kobolds from the first encounter fled this way.)What you can immediately see is a 10 ft (2 square) by 10ft chamber made of stone; from floor to ceiling the corridor also appears to measure the same distance - 10 ft. You can also easily notice that in the far left corner of the room is a spiral stairway carved out of stone leading down.
------ |XX1 |SX1 ------
X = empty spaces S = stairway 1 = the direction the PCs will be coming from
If the PCs venture down the spiral stone stairway, it spirals down for about 100 ft (20 squares.) There are not torches or any other light source, so without light the PCs may possibly be in total darkness during the trek down. Eventually the corridor connects to a lower level chamber measuring 20 ft long (4 squares) by 25 ft wide (5 squares) as shown below. Light can be seen at the end of the stairway; the chamber it connects to is lit by several torches hanging along the far wall. Inside the room is a pair of Kobold Minions, a Juvenile Flame Spitting Drake, and a Dragonshield Guardian. The position of the kobolds may vary from the diagram shown below if they have been warned of the PCs' approach; they may also possibly have actions readied.
At the south end of the chamber is a large metal door similar to that of a bank vault. Flanking the door; attached to the wall, are two levers. The door is electrified whenever both levers are in the same position (whether that be up or down.) It works similar to a simple electrical circuit; if both levers are not in the same position, the circuit is broken and the door is no longer electrified.
Beyond the door is a group of Goblins who are being held prisoner by the kobolds, but the PCs won't know that yet. The Goblin group consists of 2 Goblin Cutters and 1 Wounded Goblin Warrior; the wounded warrior acts as the leader of the group. How the goblins interact with the PCs varies depending upon how the encounter plays out. If the door is opened during the fight with the kobolds then they will engage the kobolds; they won't immediately attack the PCs unless an attack made by the PCs harms one of them. If the kobolds are all killed and the goblins have not been provoked, the PCs may attempt a negotiation skill challenge in order to gain the goblins as allies. If the PCs fail the skill challenge it is the DM's choice as to what happens. The goblins may still offer some information about the complex; the goblins may fight the pcs; the goblins may simply just leave and not help the PCs at all. The goblins speak only goblin; if the PCs cannot communicate with them then the goblins more than likely simply just attempt to leave the complex.
Treasure Parcel 8: A pouch on the Dragonshield Guardian contains 120 GP.
1 = where the PCs will be entering from X = empty squares K = Kobold Minion G = Dragonshield Guardian D = Juvenile Flame Spitting Drake ! = levers = = metal door ? = prison chamber in which the goblins are located
DRAGONSHIELD GUARDIAN LEVEL 2 ELITE SOLDIER Small natural humanoid (kobold) XP 250 Initiative +4 Senses: Perception +2; darkvision HP 64; bloodied 32 AC 20 Fort 16 Reflex 14 Will 14; see also trap sense Action Point 1; Saves +2 Resist 5 fire Speed 5 Short Sword (standard; at-will) * weapon +7 vs AC; 1d6+3 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the Dragonshield Guardian's next turn Dragonshield Tactics (immediate reaction, when an adjacent enemy shifts away or an enemy moves adjacent; at-will) The Dragonshield Guardian shifts 1 square Shifty (minor; at-will) The Dragonshield Guardian shifts 1 square Mob Attack The Dragonshield Guardian gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls per kobold ally adjacent to the target. Shieldbearer Allies adjacent to the bodyguard gain a +2 power bonus to Indomitable Presence Every time a Dragonshield Guardian attacks an enemy, whether the attack hits or misses, it marks that target. The mark lasts until the end of the Dragonshield’s next turn. When a target is marked, it takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls if the attack doesn’t include the Dragonshield as a target. A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place. In addition, whenever a marked enemy that is adjacent to the Dragonshield shifts or makes an attack that does not include the bodyguard, the Dragonshield can make a basic melee attack against that enemy as an immediate interrupt Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps
Alignment: evil Languages: draconic, common Skills: acrobatics +5, stealth +7, thievery +7 STR 14 (+3) DEX 13 (+2) WIS 12 (+2) CON 12 (+2) INT 9 (+0) CHA 10 (+1) --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Juvenile Flame Spitting Drake Level 1 Elite Artillery Medium natural magical beast (reptile)(elemental) XP 200 Initiative: +5 Senses: perception +3 HP 48; bloodied 24 AC 16 Fort 14 Reflex 16 Will 12 Action Point 1, Saves +2 Resist 10 acid; 5 fire Speed 7 Bite (standard; at-will) +4 vs AC; 1d6+1 damage Caustic Spit (standard, at-will) * acid Ranged 10; +6 vs Reflex; 1d10+3 acid damage Born of Fire The Fire Spitting Drake can convert any attack power it has to fire. Change a power’s energy keyword to fire, or add fire energy to an attack power that doesn’t normally deal energy damage. Hot Body Any creature that hits the scion of flame with a melee attack takes 2 fire damage.
Alignment: unaligned Languages: --- STR 14 (+3) DEX 18 (+5) WIS 14 (+3) CON 14 (+3) INT 3 (-3) CHA 12 (+2) --------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Wounded Goblin Warrior is the same as a regular Goblin Warrior with the following exceptions: HP 10; AC 16; Fortitude 10; Reflex 12; Will 10; XP special
The Electrified Door: Anyone touching the electrified door while it is active risks being shocked. The DM should be sure to give obvious hints that something is wrong with the door such as describing an "electrical buzz" coming from the door. +6 vs Fortitude; 4d4 damage on a hit; half damage on a miss. The door is opened by turning a large wheel which is centered on the door. XP special
Encounter Level 2 - Total XP 625
2 Kobold Minions, Level 1 Minions - XP 50 Juvenile Fire Spitting Drake, Level 1 Elite - XP 200 Dragonshield Guardian, Level 2 Elite - XP 250 2 Goblin Cutters, Level 1 Minions - XP 50 Wounded Goblin Warrior, Level 1 Soldier (modified) - XP special Electrified Door, obstacle/terrain feature - XP special
Treasure Parcel 8: A pouch on the Dragonshield Guardian contains 120 GP.
Setup: For the Goblins to provide assistance, the PCs need to be able to speak and understand the Goblin language. The PCs may be able to convince the Goblins to assist the PCs in fighting the Kobolds.
Complexity 1: 4 successes before 2 failures
Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight. Bluff (DC 20): You try to encourage the Goblins to aid your quest using false pretenses. Diplomacy (DC 15): You entreat the NPC for aid in your quest. Insight (DC 10)(can only be used once in this encounter): You empathize with the Goblin and use that knowledge to encourage assistance. First success with this skill reveals that the goblins are currently on edge due to their captivity at the hands of the kobolds. Any use of the Intimidate skill will provoke combat. Success: The Goblins will follow the PCs into other areas of the complex and aid in fighting the kobolds. However, if at any time an attack from the PCs causes damage to one of the goblins they immediately become hostile...even in the midst of a fight. Failure: The DM should feel free to determine the exact details of failure in this situation. The Goblins may have some sort of information that they offer the PCs, but beyond that they refuse to help. Depending on how badly the PCs fail, failure may provoke combat.
Regardless of how the Goblins are dealt with, they (along with the door) are worth the rest of the XP for the encounter. I realize that this is somewhat ad hoc, but I had a few reasons for diverging from the normal experience amounts. The door is similar to a trap, but it is exceedingly easy to avoid, and clues as to the nature of it should be fairly obvious; also, the way to "disarm" it is extremely easy. The door is also just as much of a hazard to the enemy as it is the PCs. As for the Goblins, a skill challenge would normally yield more XP; however, this particular challenge has rewards which go beyond XP. The goblins could possibly make other encounters in the complex easier. The DM should feel free to have the goblins die via making stupid decisions if they start to make things easier than desired.
This is the third encounter. This encounter may possibly be totally avoided if the PCs do not go the way which leads to it.
I'm both orderly and selfish. I act mostly for my own benefit, but I respect and help my community - Specially when it helps me. At best, I'm loyal and dedicated; at worst, I'm elitist and shrewd.
