Battle Thread 3: The bound guardians of the stone

[Balgin Stondraeg]

I'll be heading out sometime in the next half an hour so I'll do a battlemap and initiative rolls when I get back but for now Sarian is up on top of the statue, the others are down on the ground and the two winged guardians are animating to attack.

[Bodhi]

Ellion casts "Summon monster III" calling forth a celestial bison (IT's the most powerful she's got I'm afraid and these seem like TOUGH adversaries)

[Custom_Hobby]

We are fighting animated stuffed Chokobos?

Dekion makes sure he is between Rhana and the animated birds. He prepares himself for an attack and raises his scimitar to attack.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

What's a chokobos? Seriously, they look like flamingos to me (giant dead stuffed flamingo's). Plus this chokobos thing's only been around since the 90's whereas Deathtrap Dungeon's been around since 1984 (ish).

[Custom_Hobby]

It was a joke Balgin :Doh!: Chocobos are from Final Fantasy, every version of the game had them in it. They look like this:

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Okay, initiative order's on the map so here's the initiative groups:

Group 1:
Sarian 24
Rhana 19

Group 2:
Bird 16
Dekion 11

Group 3:
Bird 1 (11)
Ellion 1 (10)

So group 1 can post now.

[eyeolas]

I quickly try and prie the gem from he statue, grasp it firmly, unwrap the rope from the statue, draw my short sword and jump off the statue onto the nearby bird sword pointing down at it (less than 20ft meens I can't take damage, right?)

That may be a bit much for one turn so stop me jumping if that'll take too long

[Custom_Hobby]

Dekion advances on the closest bird with a full attack (2 points)

[Keeper]

OK, quick re-work, then, but I've kept the original message below.

Rhana casts Melf's Acid Arrow (lvl 2 spell) at the bird on the right - the one to which she has LOS.

Rhana uses her want to cast Magic missile.

Target 2 missles on the nearest bird, 1 missile on the other bird.

She would have used a different spell if she had line-of-sight, but Dekion explicitly said he would step between her and the birds.  He is so gallant! :)

[eyeolas]

Dekion doesn't step between you untill his initiative order, so he isn't in your way.

[Keeper]

You are so right - I'll update my comment in the above message before Balgin reads it :)

[Balgin Stondraeg]

She would have used a different spell if she had line-of-sight, but Dekion explicitly said he would step between her and the birds.  He is so gallant! :)[/color]

Yeah but they're around 9' tall at the shoulder with those huge necks. They've got reach so we can assume they're tall enough to see :p.

So Group 1: Sarian tries to remove the gemstone. Does anyone know how long that'd take? Then Rhana blasts the birds with force darts (3 damage on bird 1, 7 damage on bird 2 as it's marginaly closer). Next the first bird tries to grab Sarian with it's beak, tear him from the statue and hurl him against the western cave wall. So that starts as  a grapple and he gets an attack of opportunity (19) which hits for 7 damage causing it to jerk away instead of peck at him. Because of his awkward position he needs to make a balance check to avoid bad stuff (like swaying badly and losing his dex bonus to ac or worse, a long drop).

Now as if a foiled peck attempt wasn't bad enough there's now a scimitar bearing fighter advancing to slash at it's knees. This move provokes an attack of opportunity from the other bird but it misses (15). Because he can make it a one square move Dekion takes two attacks (with the 2 point power attack). He hits twice (both 22's) for 16 and 16 damage (noted separately in case of damage reduction). The first attack causes it to fall over, the second destroys it.

So group 3, the remaining bird is going to do something, Bodhi, are you still sure you want Ellion to cast a big summoning spell now considering how easily the first one fell?

[Keeper]

I know, but Lightning Bolt isn't going to do other members of the party much good :D

[Custom_Hobby]

Alf can always atteck with his mase (the good thing about clerics). That is why I keep putting Dekion in front of Rhana (with a d4 you don't want the mage taking a big hit.

[Keeper]

If she had a d20 hit dice, I'd always rather someone else's character took the big hit.

But what you say makes sense.  Rhana can lead an attack when she has the most hit points available!

Rhana will advance and attack with her staff next round - if there is anything left to hit.