Looking back, I would like feedback on an encounter I ran for a party of four level-8 adventurers.
First, a few harpies would begin singing their luring song to get any unfortunate party members to fall off a nearby ledge (a 20-ft. drop, so not instant-death, but a decent bit of fall damage). The kicker here, is that at the bottom of the ledge, any lured players will fall into an animal pen filled with cockatrices.
The cockatrices will peck at any players who fell in until they turn to stone, at which point, all harpies in combat will drop what they're doing and use their combined strength to pick up the player statue and fly really, really high until they can drop the statue from a high altitude and kill the player instantly.
I killed one player this way, everyone else made their saves. However, the players still had to run away after taking a beating from harpy clubs and talons.
Any feedback on making this combat more enjoyable/balanced or was it alright?
(EDIT: There were, I think, 4 harpies and 7 cockatrices)
How long did it take for the harpies to lift the statue up to the required height? Making sure that the other players have time to create and enact a plane (2-3 turns) would make the encounter more fun than if they flew up in one turn and dropped them in the next turn (whether by being hurt or intentionally). By the time they are at full height, the only thing that can help is feather fall.
Looking back, I would like feedback on an encounter I ran for a party of four level-8 adventurers.
First, a few harpies would begin singing their luring song to get any unfortunate party members to fall off a nearby ledge (a 20-ft. drop, so not instant-death, but a decent bit of fall damage). The kicker here, is that at the bottom of the ledge, any lured players will fall into an animal pen filled with cockatrices.
The cockatrices will peck at any players who fell in until they turn to stone, at which point, all harpies in combat will drop what they're doing and use their combined strength to pick up the player statue and fly really, really high until they can drop the statue from a high altitude and kill the player instantly.
I killed one player this way, everyone else made their saves. However, the players still had to run away after taking a beating from harpy clubs and talons.
Any feedback on making this combat more enjoyable/balanced or was it alright?
(EDIT: There were, I think, 4 harpies and 7 cockatrices)
How many cockatrices were in that pen?
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Very clever, I like it! Though it’s hard to speak to specific balance without knowing the numbers of the monsters.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
How long did it take for the harpies to lift the statue up to the required height? Making sure that the other players have time to create and enact a plane (2-3 turns) would make the encounter more fun than if they flew up in one turn and dropped them in the next turn (whether by being hurt or intentionally). By the time they are at full height, the only thing that can help is feather fall.
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