Jaya telepathically sends a message to everyone, one at a time, to not make a sound. “Perhaps we can offer it the giant spider corpses if they are hungry?”
You're heading towards the entrance, with Pisgah taking the first steps into the room. Nikk recalls having read that manticores are intelligent enough to understand common and are known to work together to take down prey. It's also known that they are sometimes employed by someone to fend off threats - which they usually do with enthusiasm. There have been tales of adventurers being spared by one when offering a substantial amount of food.
It's difficult to see in this dark room, so what happens next is predictable.
There are multiple loud roars to be heard. Above Pisgah, there is a clatter of stone and some debris rains down as something descends. Left and right of him, large creatures pounce towards him with feline grace. Except these are no cats, as evidenced by their wings and humanoid faces. Those faces are delirious with the joy of battle and feature multiple rows of sharp teeth. Three manticores!
Manticore image:
They were expecting you and you were expecting them, nobody is surprised (DM Note: holding attacks out of combat doesn't do anything, that's what the surprise round is for):
Initiative Order: Canti and Rico < YOUR TURN Manticore 3 Pisgah, Nikk and Jaya Manticores 1 and 2
If anyone doesn't agree at all with this initial positioning, tell me before the manticores go.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Canti stifles a gasp as she sees the enormous creature descending into view. But as Rico moves into action, the flesh-and-blood gnome does the same. She moves forward 25 feet and reaches inside her quiver, drawing two arrows and firing them both at the nearest manticore. She attempts to pull one of Bwibble's special arrows, but she's not sure if she succeeded with her shaking fingers.
Attack 1: 20 Damage: 6
Attack 2: 29 Damage: 7
If one of those hit, the first that does, apply an arcane shot: grasping arrow (A creature hit by the arrow takes an extra 6 poison damage, its speed is reduced by 10 ft., and it takes 2d6 slashing damage the first time on each turn it moves 1 ft. or more. The brambles last for 1 minute, until you use this option again, or until any creature uses an action to remove them with an Athletics check (DC 14).)
Manticore 3 careens down in a rush as three of the projectiles hit, one from Rico and two from Canti. Because of the special arrow, it roars in pain as it continues to descend (takes 8 slashing damage). Instead of removing the bothersome obstruction, it whirls in the air, snapping the tail around in a blur three times in the direction of Pisgah and Steel. Some of the long spikes adorning its body come loose, whirring down upon you with deadly precision. After that, it lands a distance away on the rooms dirty floor, scratching at the restraints enveloping it.
It roars: "Food, Food! Fall to your knees and your death will be swift!"
To hit Pisgah: 10, Damage: 7 To hit Pisgah: 24, Damage: 6 To hit Steel: 15, Damage: 8
Initiative Order: Canti and Rico Manticore 3 Pisgah, Nikk and Jaya < YOUR TURN Manticores 1 and 2
OOC: DM, how big are the manticores? The token circles look like they would be huge. Does it look like more than 1 could fit through the door at a time?
Jaya will move SE on block from Pisgah, 30 movement should get me there. I will look at the Manticore to the south of me and send him a telepathic message saying.
“There are two big fat juicy dead spiders in the hall behind us. A veritable feast for you. Go eat them, no reason for you to die today.”
OOC: DM, how big are the manticores? The token circles look like they would be huge. Does it look like more than 1 could fit through the door at a time?
They are large, one size category bigger than Jaya and Pisga, and two bigger than the rest. This means they would still be able to squeeze through a space that a medium creature fits through, like the doorway.
Manticore 3 roards in pain, clearly heavily wounded by the amount of attacks being thrown its way. It manages to avoid one longbow attack and the necromantic spell from Nikkitch.
Manticores 1 and 2 pounce towards Jaya and Pisgah respectively. Throwing spikes and finally using their many-fanged mouths.
(If I got Pisgahs movement wrong, these go towards Steel instead) Manticore 1, against Pisgah: To hit: 7, Damage: 9 piercing To hit: 25 (Critical Hit), Damage: 18 piercing To hit: 18, Damage: 7 piercing
Manticore 2, against Jaya: To hit: 8, Damage: 9 piercing To hit: 24, Damage: 6 piercing To hit: 9, Damage: 6 piercing
Initiative Order: Canti and Rico < YOUR TURN Manticore 3, heavily wounded Pisgah, Nikk and Jaya Manticores 1 and 2
Rico starts with taking a couple more shots at #3.
Shot 1 attack 12 damage 16
Shot 2 attack 13 damage 15
If manticore #3 is still alive (which seems likely with those poor to hit rolls), then Ricoh will direct Steel to finish off #3, otherwise she'll send it after #1
Steel Force-Empowered Rend: Attack: 11 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. force
If fighting #1, Steel will use his reaction to impose disadvantage on the first attack #1 makes against Pisgah
DM: Since Pisgah was raging before Manticore 1 attacked, I would have used my reaction to flash my tail at the manticores face to distract it. Do I need to state the reaction or just assume I use it if there is a hit? It wouldn't have stopped the crit but just wanted to ask how you want me to handle it next round.
Canti pulls another two arrows from her quiver and lets them fly.
Attack 1: 13 Damage: 8
Attack 2: 28 Damage: 6
Both attacks are aimed at #3 so long as it is still alive. If it goes down with Rico's attack(s) or my first attack, any remaining attacks are aimed at #2 after moving up to the square in front of Nikk. But if no shots need to go to #2, I'll stay where I am.
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Jaya will move up and hide behind the southern statue, closest to the door, sword and shield ready to engage.
Stealth: 8 (w/disadvantage)
Jaya telepathically sends a message to everyone, one at a time, to not make a sound. “Perhaps we can offer it the giant spider corpses if they are hungry?”
You're heading towards the entrance, with Pisgah taking the first steps into the room. Nikk recalls having read that manticores are intelligent enough to understand common and are known to work together to take down prey. It's also known that they are sometimes employed by someone to fend off threats - which they usually do with enthusiasm. There have been tales of adventurers being spared by one when offering a substantial amount of food.
It's difficult to see in this dark room, so what happens next is predictable.
There are multiple loud roars to be heard. Above Pisgah, there is a clatter of stone and some debris rains down as something descends. Left and right of him, large creatures pounce towards him with feline grace. Except these are no cats, as evidenced by their wings and humanoid faces. Those faces are delirious with the joy of battle and feature multiple rows of sharp teeth. Three manticores!
Manticore image:
They were expecting you and you were expecting them, nobody is surprised (DM Note: holding attacks out of combat doesn't do anything, that's what the surprise round is for):
Initiative Order:
Canti and Rico < YOUR TURN
Manticore 3
Pisgah, Nikk and Jaya
Manticores 1 and 2
If anyone doesn't agree at all with this initial positioning, tell me before the manticores go.
DM, can you put Pigsah on the south side of the doorway, just in front of Nikkitch.
Adjusted positioning
Rico opens up the attacks with a couple of shots at the Manticore she can see (#3). She directs Steel to advance and protect Pisgah.
Shot 1: Hit 11 damage 15 piercing
Shot 2: Hit 16 damage 7 piercing
Steel will move up next to Pisgah and readies to attack whichever manticore comes close enough first.
Prepared attacK: Attack: 27 Damage: 9 force damage
Canti stifles a gasp as she sees the enormous creature descending into view. But as Rico moves into action, the flesh-and-blood gnome does the same. She moves forward 25 feet and reaches inside her quiver, drawing two arrows and firing them both at the nearest manticore. She attempts to pull one of Bwibble's special arrows, but she's not sure if she succeeded with her shaking fingers.
Attack 1: 20 Damage: 6
Attack 2: 29 Damage: 7
If one of those hit, the first that does, apply an arcane shot: grasping arrow (A creature hit by the arrow takes an extra 6 poison damage, its speed is reduced by 10 ft., and it takes 2d6 slashing damage the first time on each turn it moves 1 ft. or more. The brambles last for 1 minute, until you use this option again, or until any creature uses an action to remove them with an Athletics check (DC 14).)
Manticore 3 careens down in a rush as three of the projectiles hit, one from Rico and two from Canti. Because of the special arrow, it roars in pain as it continues to descend (takes 8 slashing damage). Instead of removing the bothersome obstruction, it whirls in the air, snapping the tail around in a blur three times in the direction of Pisgah and Steel. Some of the long spikes adorning its body come loose, whirring down upon you with deadly precision. After that, it lands a distance away on the rooms dirty floor, scratching at the restraints enveloping it.
It roars: "Food, Food! Fall to your knees and your death will be swift!"
To hit Pisgah: 10, Damage: 7
To hit Pisgah: 24, Damage: 6
To hit Steel: 15, Damage: 8
Initiative Order:
Canti and Rico
Manticore 3
Pisgah, Nikk and Jaya < YOUR TURN
Manticores 1 and 2
[OoC: How far away is #3?]
DM: Each square is 5 feet, so 50 ft. from Nikkitch
Nikk points at the beleaguered beast, casting a tolling bell to weather it's soul.
[Casts Toll the Dead; if hit, 11 damage]
OOC: DM, how big are the manticores? The token circles look like they would be huge. Does it look like more than 1 could fit through the door at a time?
Jaya will move SE on block from Pisgah, 30 movement should get me there. I will look at the Manticore to the south of me and send him a telepathic message saying.
“There are two big fat juicy dead spiders in the hall behind us. A veritable feast for you. Go eat them, no reason for you to die today.”
Persuasion just in case: 4
Then he will fire two crossbow bolts at #3.
Attack with Light Crossbow: 14 Damage: 8
Attack with Light Crossbow: 25 Damage: 7
They are large, one size category bigger than Jaya and Pisga, and two bigger than the rest. This means they would still be able to squeeze through a space that a medium creature fits through, like the doorway.
Pisgah will fire two longbow shots at manticore 3
Shot 1 to hit 13 dmg 5
Shot 2 to hit 22 dmg 3
I will then backup into the hall toward the north side so that I could get into a flanking position with Jaya. I will also rage.
Manticore 3 roards in pain, clearly heavily wounded by the amount of attacks being thrown its way. It manages to avoid one longbow attack and the necromantic spell from Nikkitch.
Manticores 1 and 2 pounce towards Jaya and Pisgah respectively. Throwing spikes and finally using their many-fanged mouths.
(If I got Pisgahs movement wrong, these go towards Steel instead)
Manticore 1, against Pisgah:
To hit: 7, Damage: 9 piercing
To hit: 25 (Critical Hit), Damage: 18 piercing
To hit: 18, Damage: 7 piercing
Manticore 2, against Jaya:
To hit: 8, Damage: 9 piercing
To hit: 24, Damage: 6 piercing
To hit: 9, Damage: 6 piercing
Initiative Order:
Canti and Rico < YOUR TURN
Manticore 3, heavily wounded
Pisgah, Nikk and Jaya
Manticores 1 and 2
Rico starts with taking a couple more shots at #3.
Shot 1 attack 12 damage 16
Shot 2 attack 13 damage 15
If manticore #3 is still alive (which seems likely with those poor to hit rolls), then Ricoh will direct Steel to finish off #3, otherwise she'll send it after #1
Steel Force-Empowered Rend: Attack: 11 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. force
If fighting #1, Steel will use his reaction to impose disadvantage on the first attack #1 makes against Pisgah
Rico will move up to take cover behind the closest of the statues.
DM: Since Pisgah was raging before Manticore 1 attacked, I would have used my reaction to flash my tail at the manticores face to distract it. Do I need to state the reaction or just assume I use it if there is a hit? It wouldn't have stopped the crit but just wanted to ask how you want me to handle it next round.
Canti pulls another two arrows from her quiver and lets them fly.
Attack 1: 13 Damage: 8
Attack 2: 28 Damage: 6
Both attacks are aimed at #3 so long as it is still alive. If it goes down with Rico's attack(s) or my first attack, any remaining attacks are aimed at #2 after moving up to the square in front of Nikk. But if no shots need to go to #2, I'll stay where I am.