Non-DM Party Tactics

If you want to discuss battle tactics (or what have you), please do it here. I'll not read or check this thread.

Fortune is (pretty obviously) not very happy about being in melee, so any tactic that includes her not getting toasted by enemy close-quarter fighters is a good plan.

A few notes on her powers:

• Dishearten You insert thoughts of defeat into your foes' minds, sapping the enemies' will to fight. At-will Augumentable, Implement, Psionic, Psychic Standard Action Area burst 1 within 10 squares Target: Each creature in burst Attack: Intelligence vs. Will Hit: 1d6 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls until the end of your next turn. Augment 1 Hit: As above, and the target cannot make opportunity attacks until the end of your next turn. Augment 2 Hit: 2d6 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage, and the target takes a penalty to attack rolls equal to your Charisma modifier until the end of your next turn.

  Dishearten: This is her default AoE attack. It has the (standard Controller) problem that it targets all creatures, not just enemies. If our tank is surrounded, would you prefer me using it on both tank and our enemies, or only use it when I won't hit an ally?
  
  I will use the 1-point augmentation to allow squishy allies to escape from melee. Who of you do not thrive in melee? Tarner only, apart from myself?

• Memory Hole You sift through your foe's mind for the mental representation of yourself within it and brutally rip it out. At-will Augumentable, Implement, Psionic, Psychic Standard Action Range 10 Target: One creature Attack: Intelligence vs. Will Hit: 1d6 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage, and you become invisible to the target until the start of your next turn. Augment 1 Hit: As above, and the invisibility lasts until the end of your next turn. Augment 2 Area burst 1 within 10 squares Target: Each creature in burst Hit: 2d6 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage, and you become invisible to the target until the start of your next turn.

  Memory Hole: This is the "safe" nuke that targets only one creature. I chose it for defensive purposes -- it's a pretty good reason to stop attacking someone when you can't see them.

• Telepathic Projection You force your own will into an enemy's mind, manipulating the foe like a puppet under your command. Daily Charm, Implement, Psionic, Psychic Standard Action Ranged 10 Primary Target: One creature Primary Attack: Intelligence vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage, and the target is subject to your telepathic projection (save ends). While the target is affected by your telepathic projection, when you start your turn, the target makes a melee basic attack as a free action against a target you choose. Miss: Half damage, and the target makes a melee basic attack against a random creature. If this attack targets one of your allies, the target takes a -2 penalty to the attack roll.

  Telepathic Projection: This is my risky daily. It deals decent damage. The main problem is that I might make things worse if I miss. I will try to use it when there are more enemies than allies surrounding a target for that reason.
  
  A hidden benefit of this power is using it to trigger the tank's mark. It will trigger also if the enemy targets one of his or her allies. Not sure it triggers if I make the enemy attack himself or herself.

Eduardo's battle plan is usually centered around using his concealed blade and shout of triumph and decent constitution score to position the group decently enough to deal good damage to our opponents.

He prefers to fight using implements from afar, but does have an at-will melee power, just in case. His OAs, at this moment, suck, since he has no strength to speak of.

Tarner doesn't fight exactly in melee, but he does get pretty close to the front lines, letting him make the most of his Prime Shot ability, plus if he gets hit Hellish Rebuke deals more damage. With a pretty good amount of hit points, Tarner can take a few hits for the sake of more damage, especially with his Warforged Resolve power and his giant source of temporary HP.

Melee guy here. He also is a part-time striker, but I likely won't go into "striker-mode" unless he uses he daily. Striker-mode = more damage, but worse AC and no marking. I will likely be joined at the hip to our assassin to soak up attacks. I've played lots of defenders and am familiar with the tactics. Having an aura of defense makes it a little tougher, but I'll manage.

He also has an at-will slow power. Once we hit level 4, that will allow to at-will slow and knock prone anyone. Should be a nice sticky combo.

Nurse is your typical glass cannon. I will be trying to flank, hide and strike from the shadows, etc. The whole point is to deal a ton of damage fast and get out.

One interesting thing of note: If I'm the only ally adjacent to a foe, I deal slightly more damage (get my Cha bonus to damage), and have a power that gives +1 damage per adjacent creature...so if you wanna wait to dishearten until after I wade into a thick of things, that could get fun.

I am curious if we could try some trickery instead of going straight out against these guys. Could Nurse disguise herself as one of the drow from the house, and basically talk her way into getting the kobolds to open the door?

Alternatively, we can try to sneak to the door. While the area is large and well-lit, the harp of deep slumber would give those near our position a -15 check on their perception. We could try to go to one side of the keep, distract the kobolds there while we hide, and then someone climb up and toss us a rope.

Actually, the area that the harp affects is 20 squares . . . sot that's pretty much all the kobolds.

Let's move to the edge of the shadow region, and then try to hide ourselves while Eduardo strums the harp. We should be able to make it to the wall without too many of the kobolds noticing in a turn. Then we can use one of the shields for cover while the rest work on the door.

I was thinking of a more straight forward approach. Tarner grabs a shield (Endurance check). Nurse moves up and gets a Thievery check. Gruunk move up and gets a Athletics check. Fortune and Eduardo support from afar.

Nurse has an amazing +11 and Gruunk has a +10. That should give them a good chance to get that gate open!

Edit: Nurse would need to offer her assistance because I don't think anyone could peg her as a thief.

Well, Tarner could hold the shield, but his aptitudes are in blasting things. Wouldn't it make more (in-character) sense for Gruunk to hold up the shield and try to protect his teammates? :P Plus, if Tarner held the shield, that would probably get rid of his AC bonus from Unarmored Agility, although I think Gruunk also has that feat.

With that many archers up on the wall, we can't simply rush it. We'll be pincushions before we reach it, and we'd get attacked non-stop even if we do.

Moving a ram to the door would take a while, though we could move the ram and the shield (3 PCs for one, 2 for the other) and slowly work on the gate. We also have no idea how much damage the gate will take before it goes down, so we should plan on being there for a while and simply taking the damage.

That's why I'd like us to move to the gate with the least amount of problem as possible, since we'll be sitting ducks for the majority of this engagement. We need the shields if we're going to fight. The only other option is to trick the kobolds.