Campaign Log: The Death of Gellidus - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Campaign Log: The Death of Gellidus

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
ferratus
Dec 29, 2004 2:31:28 Well I finally did it, I got to run a Dragonlance Game. It was a one-shot, prepared on short notice to fill an evening during the holidays. To simulate this adventure, I used "Glacier Season" from Dungeon #87. 3.0 Rules, but close enough.

After fighting dragonspawn, giant ogres, ettins, mephits, ice golems and various humans in Gellidus' service, they finally reached the great dragon himself.

Gellidus mopped the floor with them. It was because of a bad balance issue. An adventure meant for 15th level adventurers wasn't actually, due to the fact that only the spellcasters could do any damage. The melee artists (Ranger and Monk) could only hit AC 41 on a natural 20, even with +5 weapons. Heck, the Ranger was carrying the Sword of Tears.

First what he did was he turned invisible, cast acid fog and cloudkill to block off the passage to the far corner of his lair. Then he climbed to the roof of his lair and waited. When the heroes came he simply dropped on top of them, crushing them under his bulk. The Ogre (based of a design similar to the Goliath) could not be crushed while under the effects of a righteous might (large size) while the wizard was crushed, but was not pinned due to a freedom of movement spell cast by the ranger. The cleric called down holy fire, the wizard summoned magics to try and smite the terrible beast. Gellidus was scorched, but very much healthy as he tore into those two spellcasters. The cleric was taken to half hit points, the wizard knocked unconcious, the Ranger and Monk left humiliated.

The dragon boomed "You slew my best servants, but you do not have the power to best me. Cower and worship me now, and I shall let you live and allow you to serve me." The cleric, defiant, used his domain power to boost his strength, throwing his large spiked chain around the dragon's ankle and pulled him to the floor. The dragon enraged, breathed on him with the full fury of his breath weapon. Thanks to energy immunity, the cleric simply shrugged it off. Then when the dragon tried to rise to its feet, the cleric wrapped the spiked chain around its neck, and struck it for 56 points of damage. Thanks to the variant death by massive damage roll (which is broken, but in this case saved me from a TPK during a one-shot) the dragon died. He rolled a 1 you see, on the roll to resist the shock.

So Gellidus died with his neck wrung like a chicken, and there was much rejoicing.
#2
Dragonhelm
Dec 29, 2004 8:50:13 You know, we have a campaign log section on the Nexus - something people don't take advantage of very often. You may want to submit this.
#3
rooks
Dec 30, 2004 12:07:08 ROFLMAO!

That's great, man! I can just see the look on their faces... lol.

Leave it to the cleric to clean things up, eh? And I like the tactics you employed for Gellidus; very clean and to the point. I can imagine the looks on everyone's faces when they walk into his lair, find nothing there, only to hear an incredible rush of air coming from above them a few seconds later. Rich...

My only question is: How could the cleric possibly have tripped the dragon?
#4
cam_banks
Dec 30, 2004 19:40:17
My only question is: How could the cleric possibly have tripped the dragon?

Probably luck. 15th level cleric using the Strength domain's granted power gets a +15 bonus to Strength for one round, so assuming the cleric already had something like 16 Strength and has the Improved Trip feat, that's a +10 bonus for Strength and +4 for the feat. Somewhere around +14. A great wyrm white dragon's bonus is +33 or thereabouts (which includes a +12 bonus for being gargantuan and +4 for not being bipedal).

Cleric rolls very high and dragon rolls low, or something? At any rate, that's still a fairly wimpy Gellidus.

Cheers,
Cam
#5
rooks
Dec 30, 2004 19:58:54
Probably luck. 15th level cleric using the Strength domain's granted power gets a +15 bonus to Strength for one round, so assuming the cleric already had something like 16 Strength and has the Improved Trip feat, that's a +10 bonus for Strength and +4 for the feat. Somewhere around +14. A great wyrm white dragon's bonus is +33 or thereabouts (which includes a +12 bonus for being gargantuan and +4 for not being bipedal).

Cleric rolls very high and dragon rolls low, or something? At any rate, that's still a fairly wimpy Gellidus.

Cheers,
Cam

There you go; you hit it on the head. I was thinking someone had thrown out some serious buffer spells (Bull's Strength, etc, etc). Hell, Stone Skin wouldn't hurt either. But damn, that seems too wimpy for ol' Gelly, you know? What gives, Ferratus?
#6
ferratus
Jan 05, 2005 12:06:53 Sorry, I was on vacation.

Yeah, it was a cleric of Sirrion, so he had the Fire and Strength Domains, and used it to great effect. I had a simple build for an ogre that granted Powerful build and +2 Str, which allowed him to use a large spiked chain with a 15 foot reach. He also had a 20 Strength for a base, of which a +6 belt of giant strength and righteous might were added. (They picked their own magical items for the adventure). So he was a brute through and through.

The Gellidus in question was a Great Wyrm White Dragon. So no expanded sizes, but I figured since he was a challenge rating of 5 above (extremely difficult but not impossible) I figured it was close enough to get that epic experience. Unforteanately, this is where the CR system breaks down a bit, because none of the non-spellcasters could go through the dragon's hide at 15th level.

For the trip, Gellidus rolled a 3. For the saving throw against massive damage, he rolled a 1 (automatic failure on saving throws and attacks). As said previously, the death from Massive Damage rule is broken.

So you could say that fate or higher powers were against Gellidus that day since he had such awful luck.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ferratus Dec 29, 2004 2:31:28	Well I finally did it, I got to run a Dragonlance Game. It was a one-shot, prepared on short notice to fill an evening during the holidays. To simulate this adventure, I used "Glacier Season" from Dungeon #87. 3.0 Rules, but close enough. After fighting dragonspawn, giant ogres, ettins, mephits, ice golems and various humans in Gellidus' service, they finally reached the great dragon himself. Gellidus mopped the floor with them. It was because of a bad balance issue. An adventure meant for 15th level adventurers wasn't actually, due to the fact that only the spellcasters could do any damage. The melee artists (Ranger and Monk) could only hit AC 41 on a natural 20, even with +5 weapons. Heck, the Ranger was carrying the Sword of Tears. First what he did was he turned invisible, cast acid fog and cloudkill to block off the passage to the far corner of his lair. Then he climbed to the roof of his lair and waited. When the heroes came he simply dropped on top of them, crushing them under his bulk. The Ogre (based of a design similar to the Goliath) could not be crushed while under the effects of a righteous might (large size) while the wizard was crushed, but was not pinned due to a freedom of movement spell cast by the ranger. The cleric called down holy fire, the wizard summoned magics to try and smite the terrible beast. Gellidus was scorched, but very much healthy as he tore into those two spellcasters. The cleric was taken to half hit points, the wizard knocked unconcious, the Ranger and Monk left humiliated. The dragon boomed "You slew my best servants, but you do not have the power to best me. Cower and worship me now, and I shall let you live and allow you to serve me." The cleric, defiant, used his domain power to boost his strength, throwing his large spiked chain around the dragon's ankle and pulled him to the floor. The dragon enraged, breathed on him with the full fury of his breath weapon. Thanks to energy immunity, the cleric simply shrugged it off. Then when the dragon tried to rise to its feet, the cleric wrapped the spiked chain around its neck, and struck it for 56 points of damage. Thanks to the variant death by massive damage roll (which is broken, but in this case saved me from a TPK during a one-shot) the dragon died. He rolled a 1 you see, on the roll to resist the shock. So Gellidus died with his neck wrung like a chicken, and there was much rejoicing.
#2 Dragonhelm Dec 29, 2004 8:50:13	You know, we have a campaign log section on the Nexus - something people don't take advantage of very often. You may want to submit this.
#3 rooks Dec 30, 2004 12:07:08	ROFLMAO! That's great, man! I can just see the look on their faces... lol. Leave it to the cleric to clean things up, eh? And I like the tactics you employed for Gellidus; very clean and to the point. I can imagine the looks on everyone's faces when they walk into his lair, find nothing there, only to hear an incredible rush of air coming from above them a few seconds later. Rich... My only question is: How could the cleric possibly have tripped the dragon?
#4 cam_banks Dec 30, 2004 19:40:17	My only question is: How could the cleric possibly have tripped the dragon? Probably luck. 15th level cleric using the Strength domain's granted power gets a +15 bonus to Strength for one round, so assuming the cleric already had something like 16 Strength and has the Improved Trip feat, that's a +10 bonus for Strength and +4 for the feat. Somewhere around +14. A great wyrm white dragon's bonus is +33 or thereabouts (which includes a +12 bonus for being gargantuan and +4 for not being bipedal). Cleric rolls very high and dragon rolls low, or something? At any rate, that's still a fairly wimpy Gellidus. Cheers, Cam
#5 rooks Dec 30, 2004 19:58:54	Probably luck. 15th level cleric using the Strength domain's granted power gets a +15 bonus to Strength for one round, so assuming the cleric already had something like 16 Strength and has the Improved Trip feat, that's a +10 bonus for Strength and +4 for the feat. Somewhere around +14. A great wyrm white dragon's bonus is +33 or thereabouts (which includes a +12 bonus for being gargantuan and +4 for not being bipedal). Cleric rolls very high and dragon rolls low, or something? At any rate, that's still a fairly wimpy Gellidus. Cheers, Cam There you go; you hit it on the head. I was thinking someone had thrown out some serious buffer spells (Bull's Strength, etc, etc). Hell, Stone Skin wouldn't hurt either. But damn, that seems too wimpy for ol' Gelly, you know? What gives, Ferratus?
#6 ferratus Jan 05, 2005 12:06:53	Sorry, I was on vacation. Yeah, it was a cleric of Sirrion, so he had the Fire and Strength Domains, and used it to great effect. I had a simple build for an ogre that granted Powerful build and +2 Str, which allowed him to use a large spiked chain with a 15 foot reach. He also had a 20 Strength for a base, of which a +6 belt of giant strength and righteous might were added. (They picked their own magical items for the adventure). So he was a brute through and through. The Gellidus in question was a Great Wyrm White Dragon. So no expanded sizes, but I figured since he was a challenge rating of 5 above (extremely difficult but not impossible) I figured it was close enough to get that epic experience. Unforteanately, this is where the CR system breaks down a bit, because none of the non-spellcasters could go through the dragon's hide at 15th level. For the trip, Gellidus rolled a 3. For the saving throw against massive damage, he rolled a 1 (automatic failure on saving throws and attacks). As said previously, the death from Massive Damage rule is broken. So you could say that fate or higher powers were against Gellidus that day since he had such awful luck.