[Let's Play] Revenge of the Red Dragon: Raven Quickblade

[deaddmwalking]

I'm expecting that Gridelin will disappear sooner rather than later, though I suppose there's a possibility that he'll magically disappear only when I've used his last ability. For that reason I want to use them ASAP (and save the last, just in case that's what determines things). So using Illusionary Image: All enemies in your current battle will miss the next Combat Turn.

Knowing that my Dragon Shield will reduce the attack damage to 5, any hits from the Druid on Round 2 will apply to the Efreet and since the Nightmare has regeneration any hits from the Pixie.

The Efreet will use Fire Illusion in Round 1 (targeting the enemy with the highest hit point total as per the rules for this combat).

The Djinn will use Wind Blast in Round 1, targeting as above.

The Djinn will use Wind Gusts in Round 2 (targeting the Druid).

If any enemy has 10 or fewer hit points the Efreet will use Flame Spell in Round 2 (allowing me to target the lower hit point enemy in contravening the normal targeting rules. If no enemy has fewer than 10 hit points, he will instead use Wall of Fire.

Raven and Phantast will just attack with their normal weapons for the first two rounds.

Decisions for Round 3 will be dependent on the resolution of Rounds 1-2.

[Beroli]

Raven hits the Druid for 9 damage. Phantast misses. Scorch casts Fire Illusion and misses. Euras casts Wind Blast and misses. Gridelin casts Illusionary Image.
Raven misses. Phantast hits for 6 damage. Euras misses with Wind Gusts. Scorch casts Wall of Fire, hitting for 10 damage to the Druid. The Druid hits Scorch for 5 damage, and the Pixies hit Phantast for 5 damage.

Round Three. Druid Hit Points: 8/33. Pixies' Hit Points: 15/15. Phantast Hit Points: 15/20. Scorch Hit Points: 16/21.

[deaddmwalking]

Okay. Not quite what I was hoping for. In Round 3 we want to use Flame Spell targeting the druid. Otherwise we'll all attack normally.

If the druid hits we'll apply that to the Efreet unless it's double damage in which case Raven will take it. If the Pixies hit, we'll assign that to Raven.

[Beroli]

Raven hits the pixies for 9 damage. Phantast hits the druid for 6 damage. Scorch casts Flame Spell, finishing off the druid. Euras cuts down the pixies.

You take a drink from the druid's magical cauldron. In a vision, you see that Statue Bay is a trap. You go to the Lich's Way...

...when Flametongue's current turn ends.

Phantast Hit Points: 16/20. Scorch Hit Points: 16/21.

[deaddmwalking]

Right on. I think I would have chosen to avoid the Lich, so guess this worked out.

[Beroli]

You arrive at the Lich's Way as Flametongue arrives at the Dwarven Hills.

This doorway seems to be the only entrance. Riding Phantast inside, you look around curiously, remembering the stories Dad told you about Lich's Way. One particularly horrible one comes vividly to mind.

Once upon a time, a large group of clerics went into these caverns to try to destroy the evil inside. Two hundred holy men went in, but only one came out! He was white as a sheet, and never spoke another word for the remainder of his short life.

You gulp. Maybe coming this way wasn't such a hot idea! But you don't have time to turn back.

Curiously you peer into the entrance, and nearly fall over in amazement! There's your enemy--the Red Dragon! The Dragon appears to be mortally wounded. It doesn't even see you standing in the entrance.

Looking around the cavern, you notice it is filled with treasure--yours for the taking once the Red Dragon is dead. But finishing your opponent off might not be that easy! Even wounded, you know the Red Dragon is a formidable enemy.

Have an ally cast a spell on the wounded Dragon? (Specify.)
Rush in and attack the Dragon with your magical blade?
Cautiously send in an ally to check out the situation?
Take advantage of the fact that the Red Dragon doesn't see you and sneak through the cavern, not approaching him?

[deaddmwalking]

It's a trap.

I am reminded of the solo adventure 'Fighter's Challenge' - that adventure had a dragon that looked alive but was very much dead (and cut in half).

In any case, I suspect the Lich is using illusion magic and the most likely way to avoid bad things is to sneak through. I'm not entirely confident that's not also a trap so I'm sorely tempted to sacrifice a companion, but since I have to make a decision I'm going with sneaking.

[Beroli]

You sneak in very quietly, and suddenly discover the image of the Red Dragon is an illusion! It must be a trap! You see two passages leading out, plus one strange door. Cautiously you open the door. You are startled to see the face of a dreadful Lich staring straight at you!

"Little knight," the Lich says, "you have invaded my lair! Leave or die."

Go down a passage that smells like water?
Attack the Lich?

[deaddmwalking]

I'm pretty conflicted here. Let me know, can I initiate combat with the lich and immediately use the imp to retreat.

Not having seen the book I'm guessing that each combat has had a 'if you use the imp's power turn to page x'.

So, can you answer whether choosing fight and retreat at the same time is an option?

Edit - follow-up question. If I choose combat you would reveal the hit points/damage like other fights and I could use the imp's power with more info?

What I'm afraid of is an auto-eradicate just for making the fight choice, so maybe you can't tell me that I don't need to worry about it, so I'm trying to understand how quickly I can pull the parachute cord.

[Beroli]

There is, rather, a "the first time you use the imp's power turn to page X" in the introductory section of the book, and on the bookmark at the end.

You can initiate combat and immediately retreat. You can initiate combat, wait to hear the Lich's stats, and then say "retreat" for your strategy. You only cannot retreat if a fight says "you cannot retreat from this fight" of if you are in an area you get to by retreating (no one promised the imp was nice).

Though the fact that the Ebony Dust has a "does not work on liches" clause does suggest that it is possible to find yourself in actual battle with a lich during this adventure.

(Your father's stories were probably exaggerated anyway. You should compare notes with Flametongue. If you can convince him to do so rather than biting off your head.)

[deaddmwalking]

I'm still pretty conflicted. I'm a bad dude, he's a bad dude - I guess it would have been nice to let him monologue at me and see if our plans align.

With reluctance I'm going to choose Fight.

[Beroli]

"So, bold knight," the Lich hisses, "you have chosen to ignore my warning! Prepare to die!"

Gulp! You might have made the wrong choice!

The Lich has 47 Hit Points. He has the following spells:
Withering Spell: does 12 damage if it hits.
Energy Blast Spell: does 13 damage if it hits.
Paralyze Spell: stops one enemy for attacking for two Combat Turns.
Pain Spell: prevents all enemies from attacking the next Combat Turn.
Death Spell: subtracts half the hit points of whichever enemy has the most hit points currently.
If the Lich is still undead and fighting after casting all these spells, he will attack with his claws for 10 damage for the rest of the fight. If the Lich casts Withering Spell, Energy Blast Spell, and/or Paralyze Spell, you can choose who is hit, but he chooses which to cast each round, and it won't be for your benefit.

What strategy will you use?

[deaddmwalking]

Okay, he doesn't look that bad all things considered. Here's how we're going to do this.

Round 1)
Gridelin uses illusory image preventing the lich from attacking.
Raven attacks with his sword
Phantast attacks with his hooves.
Scorch casts Wall of fire for 10 damage if it hits
Euras casts Wind Blast for 4/9/12 damage

Round 2)
Euras casts Wind Gusts. If it hits the lich won't be able to attack for 2 rounds.
Scorch will cast Wall of Stone if Wind Gust misses. If Wind Gust hits, he'll instead cast Flame Spell.
Raven attacks with his sword.
Phantast attacks with his hooves.
Gridelin will use Magic Elf Shot.

I believe Phantast has healed 1 hit point from the last fight (17/20 instead of 16/20). I believe Scorch is still at 16/21. He still has his healing draught, so he'll take the first hit if I get a choice.

Actions for Round 3 will depend on how the first two rounds go. *crosses fingers*

[Beroli]

Phantast was at 15/20 in the Druid's Grove; he did heal 1 point on going to the Lich's Way, but I made that change in the turn-ending post.

Gridelin casts Illusionary Image. The lich will not attack this round.
Raven hits for 12 damage.
Phantast hits for 6 damage.
Scorch casts Wall of Fire and hits for 10 damage.
Euras casts Wind Blast and hits for 4 damage.

Lich: 15/47

Gridelin casts Magic Elf Shot for 5 damage.
Raven misses.
Phantast misses.
Euras casts Wind Gusts and misses.
Scorch casts Wall of Stone and misses.
The Lich casts Pain Spell and hits! Does he, though? Raven can use the Black Helm of Protection to negate the spell if he chooses.

[deaddmwalking]

We are willing to accept Pain. Everyone stunned for 1 round doesn't sound like a TPK. In fact, I'm not really sure how that spell even really does anything... Basically he can cast another spell before we act, but he could have done that by casting that spell instead of Pain.

There's nothing stopping me from using the Helm on another spell if I miss my next turn, is there? It just feels like a trap.

Anyway, since I believe the book says what it means and means what it says, we'll all lose a turn and see what the REAL spell the Lich wanted to cast is.

[Beroli]

The lich casts Death Spell and misses.

What will you do the next round you act?

[deaddmwalking]

Nice.

We'll all just do normal attacks except Scorch who will cast Flame Spell

[Beroli]

Raven hits for 12 damage. Phantast hits, finishing off the Lich.

You see magic items in this chamber, but you suspect they are trapped.

Take them anyway?
Leave them and take the passage to the north?

[deaddmwalking]

I want magic items. I think that items will potentially help me against Flametongue. In D&D we could pretty confidently come back - maybe these are more illusions.

I'm a little worried about what the traps are, but I'm more worried about missing a vital power up. Take them anyway!

[Beroli]

You were right. These magic items were trapped! You and you allies manage to disarm them, but you take a total of 9 points of damage (choose how to divide this damage).

It is worth it! You gain:

Sword of Striking: can be used instead of any other weapon by yourself, Scorch, Euras, or any other humanoid ally you gain. Does 11 damage. Healing Potions: three 6-hit-point healing potions. Lions of Power: three small lion figurines which come to life and fight for you when you throw them to the ground. Each has 7 Hit Points and does 4 damage on hit, and they will fight in any number of battles until they die, but they cannot be healed by any means. Ioun Stone: whoever you have wearing it (assuming that's not a lion as per the previous clause...) will heal 1 point of damage at the beginning of each of your movement turns. Magic Displacer Cloak: will cause all your enemies to miss all attacks on the first turn of every battle.

The only way out of this place is north.

The moment you enter this tunnel, you realize you've made a mistake! You are being attacked from all sides by shadows who you cannot affect! Suddenly, you realize that the crystals in the cave walls are giving the Shadow People their power! You're going to have to fight walls!

Crystal Cave Walls have 20 hit points. Each time the Shadow People get a "hit" or "double damage" result, they will steal one of your party's objects away and you will not get it back. If you run out of items before the crystals are broken, they will start actually attacking, doing 4 damage. How will you fight them?

[deaddmwalking]

Going in to the fight Scorch was down 5 hit points (16/21). He has a potion that heals 11 points of damage. I'm going to assign all 9 points of damage to him (7 out of 21) then have him drink his potion (putting him at 18 out of 21). I'll also give him the Ioun Stone to heal him the rest of the way. Ideally all of that before the Shadows attack.

It appears that I can activate all 3 lions in this battle and it does not appear that it requires an action. Assuming that is correct, I will. Also the Magic Displacer Cloak will ensure none of the enemies hit in the first round.

Scorch will use Flame Spell. Euras will use the Sword of Striking. Raven and Phantast will attack normally.

If it comes to it, Round 2 will be just like Round 1 with the exception that Scorch will use Wall of Stone and if he misses, Euras will use Wind Gusts. If Wall of Stone hits Euras will attack instead.

In the unlikely event that both spells fail and the walls have 1 or 2 hit points as we reach the end of Round 2, in that situation only will Gridelin use Fire

[Beroli]

Before you go down the tunnel and face the shadows, you encounter some unexpected setbacks! Scorch's healing ointment fails to have any effect for no clear reason, and a hostile Giant Snake suddenly appears before you. The Snake has 10 Hit Points and attacks before you can move, but auto-misses because of the Cloak of Displacement. If it survives to subsequent rounds, it will do 5 damage per hit. How will you fight the snake?

Scorch Hit Points: 7/21

[deaddmwalking]

In case this counts as the encounter we're already in, we'll only use our normal physical attacks, with Euras using the Sword of Striking.

Hope I'm not murdering my own companion wearing an illusory disguise.

[Beroli]

Raven Quickblade misses. Phantast misses. Scorch hits for 4 damage and misses once. Euras misses. Lion 1 misses. Lion 2 misses. Lion 3 misses.
The snake misses. Phantast hits for double damage, killing the snake.

You go down the tunnel with your wounded efreet and face the shadows. (Note, in case this was unclear: a movement turn is only when you actually change areas, so he won't be healed by the ioun stone until you leave the Lich's Way.)

Raven Quickblade hits for 12 damage. Phantast hits for 6 damage. Scorch's Flame Spell misses. Euras misses. Lion 1 hits for 4 damage, breaking the crystals.

Travel down the western tunnel?
Leave the Lich's Way and ride to the Cloud Giant's Castle?

[deaddmwalking]

Western Tunnel.

West is best