Gamesmeister Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Hi all, I'm currently running my reasonably high power characters through the Cradle scenario from classic Pavis, and they have reached the Final Battle at Corflu. One of the PC's, via the use of various magic items and bespoke spells he has, has managed to phase himself onto the head of the Watchdog, surrounded by Lunar troops but currently untouchable for the next few rounds, and he's looking for a way to disable the statue or do something to it that will help swing the battle their way. I really like the creative way he's used his abilities, so I want to give him something, especially as he's spent a point of permanent POW getting there, but I'm at a loss to come up with something that is meaningful enough to make him feel like he's achieved something, but isn't so powerful that it allows him to overcome the immense Lunar magics that must have been required to animate the statue in the first place. Any suggestions? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Desperate WindChild Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 your pc may "disturb" the watchdog (the spirit or the guy or the... i don't know what is behind the statue) making it not planned moves so the reward is the number of ennemies / or rounds to fight is reduced. You can explain it by "you see some soldiers falling" (less ennemies) or "you see some soldiers stumbling then catching up" (less rounds) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecake Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Yes, I'd have him temporarily through off the Lunars control - causing dozens of soldiers to fall, and several founds before the Lunars can re-establish control. If this is not the final and final wave of enemies, perhaps it ends that wave, so after any soldiers on the Cradle have been defeated the party can have a rest and recuperation. And then the next wave comes, the Lunars having this time magically defended the Watchdog vs whatever he did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godlearner Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Three is always a CRACK spell .... It would have to be boosted a lot to effect the Watchdog Could sever a leg for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 IIRC the head of the watchdog has a single cyclops's eye. It might be possible to blind or at least significantly irritate the construct by simple means, including Lightwall or Darkwall veils. While it may have other senses, too, this might cause a major debuff. The arms are somehow directly attached to the head. These connections might be the weakest points of the construct, or might be blocked by inserting something as a wedge or so. 2 Quote Telling how it is excessive verbis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soltakss Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Why not just whisper into its ear and try to take control of it? That would not negate the spells to animate it, but would just temporarily transfer control. 1 Quote Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. www.soltakss.com/index.html Jonstown Compendium author. Find my contributions here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumuzid Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 My own players used a multi-stage magical ceremony taught to them by the Cleansed One to erase the Lunars' 'programming' of the Watchdog, before the group's Pavis rock mostali performed some mid-battle engraving on the Watchdog's back and a high-stakes Worship (Flintnail) roll to overwrite its 'operating system' while the rest of the team covered them. If your player can disrupt the Lunars' control even temporarily, do they have something to substitute in its place? That could turn the machine into an asset, beyond just rendering it inert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamesmeister Posted February 5, 2021 Author Share Posted February 5, 2021 Some great ideas in here, thanks for all your suggestions. I'm not sure he'd be able to take control of it, but his character is a master at Orate and Charm, and I have hinted that he senses the presence of the original statue, so perhaps he can use suggestion just to get it to react a little. At the moment it's firmly in place at the bow of the cradle, but if it was to move just a little, it could release the cradle from its grip, while the rest are fighting and possibly dying from Lunar Coders on Wyverns. Garrath can arrive a bit later, rather than be the cavalry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soltakss Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 9 hours ago, Gamesmeister said: I'm not sure he'd be able to take control of it Here is how I would approach this kind of situation: Ok, so you have phased onto the statue, now what are you going to do? I am going to use my Communication and Mastery Runes to speak to the statue and try to persuade it to ignore the Lunars and obey me, at least for a while OK, make a Charm roll, but it would have to be a good one, just a normal success won't do Hah! I rolled a critical! Good, so it is listening to you, now you need to wrest control from the Lunars, make a CHA vs POW roll and tell me what you get Yes! My CHA is 20 and I roll 19, so I beat POW 25! That just about does it, roll 2D3 to see how long your control lasts. I rolled a 3 You can control it for 3 rounds, or at least take it out of action for 3 rounds while it is confused I'll ride it out of their range Make a Ride roll A special! Ok, you turn it around and ride it out of range, but it stops dead as it is no longer animated I never go into a situation thinking what the PCs can or can't do ahead of the situation. If I think "they can't take control of the statue" then I am blocking what they are trying to do. instead, I say "You can try, but it will be difficult" and se what they roll. If they don't roll very well then they have failed to do it. However, I am fully aware that my playstyle is not to everyone's taste and many people think that I am too generous in what I allow PCs to try and possibly succeed in. 2 Quote Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. www.soltakss.com/index.html Jonstown Compendium author. Find my contributions here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamesmeister Posted February 5, 2021 Author Share Posted February 5, 2021 3 hours ago, soltakss said: I never go into a situation thinking what the PCs can or can't do ahead of the situation. If I think "they can't take control of the statue" then I am blocking what they are trying to do. instead, I say "You can try, but it will be difficult" and se what they roll. If they don't roll very well then they have failed to do it. However, I am fully aware that my playstyle is not to everyone's taste and many people think that I am too generous in what I allow PCs to try and possibly succeed in. I agree, I'm with you on this, hence how he got where he is in the first place. Thanks for your thoughts, I'm going to see what he comes up with and roll with it from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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