Author here. I regret that you had a less than stellar time. Did it seem like your DM was prepared? Based on your comments, it doesn't seem that you got the experience that I had hoped to present.
As Madfox11 pointed out, why didn't you get off the boat? Several of the skill challenge actions can only be accomplished while next to the breach, so getting off is kinda expected.
Also, did you really do the last fight in a 3x10 area? The map is 8 squares wide as presented in the mod, plenty of room to go around the kraken, and other than the edges of the map (which deal damage to aberrations forced into them) there shouldn't have been a barrier that prevented the kraken from being pushed. Were you pinning it against the wall when you tried Thundertusk? That is the only scenario where forced movement wouldn't have worked.
In which fight were minions appearing next to you? They had designated spawn points in both encounters where minions appeared; if you were next to a pit in the first fight, they might have popped out there, but since it seems that nobody got off the boat in the third fight, the minions are supposed to enter from the kraken hazard area ahead of the boat.
A point that contains a spoiler for CORE 2-2: Spoiler:Show
I got my fill of threatening reach that covers the whole map in this mod, and I specifically designed encounter 3 with plenty of room to get around the kraken as long as someone was able to keep it occupied. That being said, the solo in that combat was changed to the kraken by campaign staff after my final draft went in; my original creature had threatening reach, but did not grab with its basic attacks. It was still deemed to challenging when scaled down to lower levels, so the grabby soldier was switched in.
For the first fight, the minions were either appearing in or charging in and grabbing the pilgrims in the protected area (the DM placed them on the map inside the area). I managed to stay out of melee and ungrabbed (thanks to Fox's Cunning and a well-placed Disruptive Shot), and spent most of the fight killing off minions in order to save the pilgrims. Our warlock wasn't as lucky, and spent most of the fight restrained or chucked into a pit.
The second fight started with us surrounded, and I had two monsters in melee range by the time my initiative came up in the first round. I seem to recall being grabbed and prone - Acrobat Boots helped, and so did my Thundertusk Boar Strike to push the monster grabbing me out of range. I finally got out of the center of the map about 2/3rds of the way through the combat, maneuvered to put as many obstacles in the way as possible, and hammered my quarry from range.
The final fight, it was NOT communicated to us that we could walk on the water (and the boxed text implied the opposite, that our ship was beng rocketed through the water). Before my first action I was dazed, and then another character was thrown at me to knock both of us prone. Minions were appearing all around us on the back half of the boat, though I think they were double-moving to get there because they didn't attack on the first round. I wasn't able to save versus the daze for a few rounds, which meant I was using Twin Strike while prone and drawing OAs just to pop the minions next to me. My saving grace was that I had a 25 base AC, and +4 versus OAs from making ranged attacks...they had a tough time hitting me on OAs.
The only character that wasn't dazed, prone, or grabbed in the first round was Midnight, who was at the very front of the ship (and making most of the skill challenge checks). When I finally used Thundertusk Boar Strike, the Kraken was on one side of the ship and immediately hit the wall on the edge of the map (the water only extended two squares out from the edge of the boat), because I couldn't push it anywhere else. It's possible that the creature took damage from that and I just missed it, but it wasn't enough damage for anyone to make a big deal of it.
The breach was definitely run wrong - any of us could make checks without being next to it, though that may have just been the DM throwing us a bone. We definitely would have failed the skill challenge if we had to be next to the breach.
I would say that the amount of status effects in this module were over the top - and I am including grabs for this purpose, since they were just as debilitating as the proning and dazing effects. It made for a very frustrating adventure where I felt more like a Keystone Cop than a hero.
For the first fight, the minions were either appearing in or charging in and grabbing the pilgrims in the protected area (the DM placed them on the map inside the area). I managed to stay out of melee and ungrabbed (thanks to Fox's Cunning and a well-placed Disruptive Shot), and spent most of the fight killing off minions in order to save the pilgrims. Our warlock wasn't as lucky, and spent most of the fight restrained or chucked into a pit.
> The minions are not supposed to attack the cultists. There are tentacles (random number) grabbing them, and dragging them into the pits the next round, but that is it. Obviously with some bad luck and/or DM targetting the same person all time long you can end up being restrained/grabbed all the time, but the times I ran it the defenders and melee fighters made sure that that did not happen. Mind you, killing off tentacles and minions is part of the challenge of the fight (without it, it would be a rather boring fight), so it might not be too kind on single target strikers, but that has nothing to do with being an archer. Monks, swordmages, sorcerers and most controllers will absolutely shine in this fight.
The final fight, it was NOT communicated to us that we could walk on the water (and the boxed text implied the opposite, that our ship was beng rocketed through the water). Before my first action I was dazed, and then another character was thrown at me to knock both of us prone. Minions were appearing all around us on the back half of the boat, though I think they were double-moving to get there because they didn't attack on the first round. I wasn't able to save versus the daze for a few rounds, which meant I was using Twin Strike while prone and drawing OAs just to pop the minions next to me. My saving grace was that I had a 25 base AC, and +4 versus OAs from making ranged attacks...they had a tough time hitting me on OAs.
> There are still DMs out there who don't provide the players with the necessary details without prompting by the players. It is not the 4e philosophy, and it has a tendency to draw out fights were it is absolutely vital the players understand what is going such as with any mandatory in fight skill challenge. Having said that, this is certainly a fight that due to bad luck can end up badly for an archer, especially if there are no controllers aboard to deal with the minions. It is a bit like the first fight in this regard.
You give Midnight a Dazing power along with a way to sustain the daze for longer, against a creature that auto-sheds daze? Seriously? This was a horribly designed NPC all around...no items, crappy powers, and she provokes, in a fight that minionswarms.
I actually felt like the party was punished for having stay someone behind, having such a horrible NPC to control. Basically all I did was throw 4 surges into the surge mechanic, use her two encounter heals, then try not to die.
You give Midnight a Dazing power along with a way to sustain the daze for longer, against a creature that auto-sheds daze? Seriously? This was a horribly designed NPC all around...no items, crappy powers, and she provokes, in a fight that minionswarms.
I actually felt like the party was punished for having stay someone behind, having such a horrible NPC to control. Basically all I did was throw 4 surges into the surge mechanic, use her two encounter heals, then try not to die.
Well, when I wrote it, I had a completely different monster. It was changed after I handed in my final draft.
You give Midnight a Dazing power along with a way to sustain the daze for longer, against a creature that auto-sheds daze? Seriously? This was a horribly designed NPC all around...no items, crappy powers, and she provokes, in a fight that minionswarms.
I actually felt like the party was punished for having stay someone behind, having such a horrible NPC to control. Basically all I did was throw 4 surges into the surge mechanic, use her two encounter heals, then try not to die.
I, too, played Midnight, but had a substantially different experience. Although it was bizarre to be playing an NPC, it was a very unique and rewarding encounter. The table had a fairly optimized Defender who convinced the Kraken that taking OAs was a very bad idea, while several other PCs laid down the hurt. That left Midnight to seal the rift and take out minions, both of which are tasks at which she excels. I thought it was fairly clear that she was not designed for taking out the solo; her main draw is the chance to hit 3 targets at-will, so using that power on just the Kraken seems wasted. While it's true that, in an encounter with nothing but minions and a Superior Will-using solo, daze essentially does nothing, Midnight, even if only for her Healing Words (which, it's worth noting, can both be used on the same turn), is still a more than viable character. Also, any player who's ever taken Superior Will should really have no complaints at seeing a solo that has exactly the same ability.
You give Midnight a Dazing power along with a way to sustain the daze for longer, against a creature that auto-sheds daze? Seriously? This was a horribly designed NPC all around...no items, crappy powers, and she provokes, in a fight that minionswarms.
I actually felt like the party was punished for having stay someone behind, having such a horrible NPC to control. Basically all I did was throw 4 surges into the surge mechanic, use her two encounter heals, then try not to die.
I, too, played Midnight, but had a substantially different experience. Although it was bizarre to be playing an NPC, it was a very unique and rewarding encounter. The table had a fairly optimized Defender who convinced the Kraken that taking OAs was a very bad idea, while several other PCs laid down the hurt. That left Midnight to seal the rift and take out minions, both of which are tasks at which she excels. I thought it was fairly clear that she was not designed for taking out the solo; her main draw is the chance to hit 3 targets at-will, so using that power on just the Kraken seems wasted. While it's true that, in an encounter with nothing but minions and a Superior Will-using solo, daze essentially does nothing, Midnight, even if only for her Healing Words (which, it's worth noting, can both be used on the same turn), is still a more than viable character. Also, any player who's ever taken Superior Will should really have no complaints at seeing a solo that has exactly the same ability.
While I appreciate that your experience was different than mine, maybe you should also realize that other experiences don't mesh with yours, and I'm not complaining about how hard the fight is, or anything like that, but the poor combination of NPC and monster.
My group had someone who auto-popped minions (but only after they got a turn, which always involved attacking the NPC, and with being dazed the first couple rounds, the only choice I had was drop surges into the surge machine, so by the time I could do anything else, it was one check to seal the rift, then pound on the kraken, which she was useless for.
I'm not complaining, at all, about the Kraken's ability. I dislike having a fight with 2 combatants where one nullifies the other, it was a poor combination. Keep the kraken's ability, it was fine, but give the controller a power that doesn't daze, not that difficult, especially when you combine that with the hilarity of her having a power to EXTEND that daze....against what?
Hmm so essentially you are telling Midnight she is a n00b for making the wrong power selection? Damn those NPC's for not pre-reading the adventure and reading char-op!
There have been and will be PC characters that take a look at that monster find their powers all but useless against it. I am assuming you will aim your scorn at them too?
The NPC can still do a lot of usefull things in that encounter and even that one combination has its uses.
The changes made to the encounter after playtesting and in editing were made with good reason, sure this particular power may have lost its luster but overall the encounter works well as it is now (in my experience).
To DME, or not to DME: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous powergaming, Or to take arms against a sea of Munchkins, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;No more;
I would like to second that tables where someone ended up playing Midnight had a much easier time than those who didn't; at the very least, she is good at the required skill checks.
Hmm so essentially you are telling Midnight she is a n00b for making the wrong power selection? Damn those NPC's for not pre-reading the adventure and reading char-op!
She's a n00b because she's really a 2nd level character who already used up her daily earlier in the mod.
She's amazingly optimized at 2nd level, perhaps scarily so, but at AL8...
Getting to use the same at-will 4 or so times in a row in the final combat after sacrificing your character in an amazing cause was a letdown for me. Particularly when the only benefit of the main at-will is damage to multiple targets and you're likely fighting a single target.
I generally liked it a lot. It had a lot of elements vital to my character(an Avenger|Psion of Selûne who has a spooky cataract eye that has a subtle moon floating in it and hair that changes color based on the phase of the moon). It did feel railroady in the wrong kind of way in a couple of instances - there are mods where I know every action is going to be on a railroad and some of those are okay due to the circumstances. This is a case of where I think it is justified if necessary. But, here are some examples: Sunrise reveals the Moonmote. While maybe she doesn't reveal that she has it earlier, bringing up how Sunrise seemed serene earlier on in the mod and then having Twilight finally having it out about not realizing the dangers they're in with her works better than what happens in the mod. Which is basically, "Hey, we seem stuck." "Oh, nothing to worry about, I had this McGuffin in my back pocket the whole time. Sorry I didn't mention it sooner." - where if it is foreshadowed, then she simply says, "Before the ritual, mentioning the presence of an artifact didn't seem relevant."
Linked Ritual. That seems like the kind of element that even if the players don't pick it up, the PCs would in seconds. Remembering it isn't challenging the PCs, it is challenging the players. The challenge should be to the PCs
Well, that's the way companion characters work. Making her too complex, or changing everything at each level, just makes it harder on players and DMs, particularly in a limited time frame. I probably would have changed her encounter powers if I had known what the last critter was actually going to be. You'll just have to trust that her powers were meant to make her a huge help against the original opponent.
