IronMan...going for it!

Hey...that's very much appreciated. Then perhaps I'll try & keep you all up to date with my status.

Currently...I had a blow out. My new group (minus Elmo's heavy early influence!) was successful in taking out the Welwood Bog. All 4 of my PC's leveled to 2...and feeling spunky...I accepted a random encounter back to Hommlet with 4 giant spiders.

My group died. LoL. So I have to start over...and after doing all the FedEx that I could in the city...I'm now pushing into the Welkwood once again...lol.

Sure is a wonderful game and it's nice to play D&D, even if it's only in this limited format. I'm 44 now and I have been playing since 6th grade.

You guys are awesome for keeping ToEE alive.

 

Are you aware that spiders are very susceptible to lula byes?

 

^^ LOL ^^ I'll try & keep that in mind...(wink).

Yeah, all is going well...the 4 are about to "ding" lv5 as I just successfully (barely) took out The Moat House. I was tapped out of healing and really pushing for speed when I engaged Lareth and defeated him & his goons. I was successful mainly because of the charm person spells. I had a tripping bugbear & a barbarian gnoll under my sway when I engaged Lareth.

After the fight, my gnoll was dead but he had been replaced by the archer sergeant serving Lareth. All four of my PC's were mauled and under 10hp's each...but fortunately, I leveled to 4 due to the fight. So after the HP increase due to level up & with my two charmed minions...I stepped out the back entrance & engaged the Big Three Ambush.

It was hard.

Both the charmed Bugbear tripper & the archer sergeant made kills for me before falling under the onslaught. (My mage leader had to cast her stinking cloud scroll spell in order to detain a chunk of the enemies at the start - she had earlier missed the spellcraft roll to "learn" it. So I'll have to pick up another scroll sometime...lol. Hey...you do what you must to live!) Also, my healer actually had to make a "Heal" skill check in order to stabilize one of the other members since I couldn't muster the energy even for a Cure Minor Wound spell to stabilize...lol. I also wasn't sure if I would get the experience from my charmed minions if they died so I took the extra 2 rounds during battle to perform the "Coup de Gras" on them after they were knocked unconscious...I think that made sure I got the experience...but I could be wrong here...meh.

I'm looking forward to the upper levels without the threat of Elmo freaking out on me. We will see how clean this run continues to be...and once my crew are around Lv12 or so, I'll do a break down of their level choices...etc.

Thanks for reading and until next time...!

 

I tend to use the stinking cloud scroll on Lareth's crew to keep those darn crossbows silent for a while.

 

My toons just dinged lv5 and Zaxis found me. Perfect...

 

Current mission for IronMan run #2...my group of 5 lv5 toons are to find the exact where abouts of a rumored, Burnt Farmhouse. Which is supposed to have a secret entrance into the Temple of Elemental Evil.

The forces of Good would gain an incredible advantage into further explorations into the Enemy's equation.

Stay tuned for further information...but perhaps from a newer thread...

*giggles...fun*

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Final stats for IronMan #1's party group minus Elmo's stunted status due to the bug issues.

Party Leader/Archer/Arcane Caster/Crafter: Lv15 Hp106 AC:30 Female Elf Wiz12/Barb1/Rogue2. I added the Fighter Based class for flavor and the increased speed was handy along with keeping the AC up at all times, so it just seemed to work for me. She tended to be fighting while under the improved invisibility so her sneak attack often came into play. She leaned heavily on scrolls in the early game and wands in the late game. (Are high level scrolls better or wands to use in this game?) Her stat's were St16, Dex24, Con16, Int23, Wis10, Char11 with a +20 to hit using the following weapon: +3 masterwork longbow St14 of frost, shock and holy. Using the good archer feats up to many shot while still having the 3 crafting feats needed. She is a sweet one to play.

Party Healer/Crafter: Lv15 Hp130 AC:30 Male Human Cleric13./rogue2. I intended to add a Fighter level at the next level to pick up the precise shot feat but this group is done. Often under the affects of invisibility, this ranged armed healer is mobile and does not engage the attacks of opportunities around him. This prevents many unnecessary deactivations of the invisibility he often used when not under the party leaders improved invisibility wand affects. Used either a invisibility ring or the Robes of Midnight. His stat's were St19, Dex18, Con16, Int14, Wis20, Char13 with a +17 to hit using the following weapon: +3 Iolo's Joy of frost, shock, flaming burst and holy. Using the exotic weapon feat for the repeating crossbow, point blank, precise shot (next level as fighter) and the crafting feats needed made this character the lynchpin that kept the group up & functioning. In the early game he acted as a healer/tank, as well. He is equipped with some really good melee weapons all holy enchanted. Could easily have been party leader. Awesome toon.

Party Primary Tank: Lv17, Hp154, AC:32, Male Human Fighter12/Barb2/Rogue3. This guy...this guy is groomed for the artifact, Scather. All the wicked feats to go with it allowing him the use also a shield since he can wield Scather one handed. Of course his shield is the mithral tower shield, the +3 Hero's Shield. (When I really want his damage to increase a bit more, then I can drop the shield and go two-handed with Scather.) Also, do take note that the feat combat expertise is being ran at the full -5 to increase the AC. He could have even higher AC by taking the better magical items from within the group but since the healer is always near by, he sponge's when needed...lol. This helps the other characters and the group as a whole have better gear throughout. Also equipped with a periapt of wound closure allows heals to become double since most damage done is nonlethal. Often flanking, his sneak attack is an effective damage increase. Since he NEVER misses with his primary weapon...his power attack is at full blast (+16 here) and when combined with the great cleave feat...while enlarged for a 10' reach...yeah. killing machine. A joy to rip through the game with and his bonus to AC due to the Combat Expertise being ran at the full -5 is pretty neat. Scather is just the bomb. His stat's were St26, Dex20, Con18, Int14, Wis12, Char8 and his Use Magic Device skill was +19. He also had spring attack & whirlwind...making use of them and providing flanking all the time. Great tank and damage dealing toon.

Party Primary Rogue: Lv16, Hp170, AC:36, Male Human Rogue7/Fighter7/Barb2. Since he has such an incredibly high Use Magic Device skill (+21) he used many wands but especially the improved invisibility wand. There were times he used it on a fallen party member that made the attacker run off for someone it could see, thus saving his ally. Neat. Once fully evolved this character is a damage dealing machine and was also enlarged at times for the reach & great cleave action. His stat's were St18, Dex22, Con20, In14, Wis12, Char14 with a +17/+16 to hit with his DUAL +3 keen masterwork cleavers (D1-10, crit 17-20x3) of flaming, frost, shock and holy. <---Holy Cow...! With the improved dual wielding feat and constantly invisible...yeah, lots of damage combined with a constant sneak attack with an extra 4d6 more on each hit. Nasty dude you don't want coming for ya. His rogue skills were paramount to dealing with the games open locks requirements and with avoiding some nasty traps. Since all of the toons are required to have the evasion feat...that helps with any unexpected failed disarm trap attempts if any of the members happen to be to close to the explosion..lol. I really enjoyed the spring attack & whirlwind features that became options while this toon ran around combat, often running up to someone, killing them and then running off to give flanking for another member. Again...Neat.

I'm not going to mention Elmo's stunted Lv11 self other than to say he was a fighterX/Barb2/Rogue2 and used the +3 Radiant Ranseur often while being enlarged for the massive reach affect combined with great cleave. He remains my favorite NPC.

Zaxis: Lv14, Hp141, AC:32. I was really, really having fun with this guy. He was the original Bard5 but then I really tweaked him to what I wanted by adding 5 levels of fighter, 2 levels of Barbarian, and 2 levels of Rogue and a +17 on his Use Magic Devise skill. He had a +20 to hit while being specialized with using the +3 Radiant spiked chain of frost, shock and flaming burst! When combined with being enlarged he was an animal as well, great cleaving his way through the enemy...singing & inspiring courage the entire time. LoL...I just find that so fricken funny...! He also fought while under the improved invisibility at times. (I'm personally glad to have found him for Iron Man #2's attempt. Neat that the base Zaxis is lv5 and I just...just dinged lv5 for the 4 in the group. Poetic...)


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So I hope I helped entertain & enlighten you all to something while on this trip with me. This game remains one of my all time favorites and the fact that our boys here provide us this medium to exchange ideas and knowledge with one another is wonderful. We are truly blessed. Perhaps even something within the body of OUR information above can help these guys fix a problem or two.

Hey...one last thought guys... What about giving us the Augment Healing feat if you have that within your power. That is indeed a very useful feat to have...especially early game where most people play. (wink)

 

What are the benefits of the spring and whirlwind attacks? I've played a few monks and have tried to build towards them but have never really been able to pull it off...

 

Basically...you get to make a move and you may make an attack anywhere along the path. So you can move a bit...then make a attack...and then move some more to give flanking, get around a corner, etc... Since you have to have dodge and mobility then any attacks of opportunity are a little harder to hit ya. Nice...

Whirlwind allows you to make a single attack at your highest roll...against everyone within reach of you without taking 5' steps in between. I think ToEE allows you to cleave but the official rules does not allow this. Also Nice...