@KbowlZee asked: Any idea how many spell slots the gang has left?

Rough estimate based on where we inferred each character’s level, but things could be a lot worse from the spell slots side of things. They’re not in a good way by any means (that HP, man), so, for many, many reasons, we can only hope that Ashley can join this week.

Grog can rage 4 more times, raging only in the battle against Anders. He has not used any Frenzied Rages, and therefore has no levels of exhaustion.

The real rough side of things is the items that were spent. A couple of potions are sad but necessary; the rest of the items have proven their worth in combat before, and will be sorely missed.

• Healing Potion (ep33p1, 1:30:00) Vax’ildan on Cassandra (noted as last in Vax’s inventory)
• Wand of Magic Missiles (33p1, 1:47:00) 6 of 7 charges spent
• Healing Potion (ep33p2, 0:48:30) Percy on Cassandra
• Scroll of Spirit Guardians (ep33p2, 1:23:40) Scanlan on Ghosts
• Boots of Haste (ep33p2, 1:48:00) Vax’ildan for three attacks and extra movement (not declared, just implemented)
• Blazing Bowstring (33p2, 1:52:30 and 1:53:32) Both uses, Vex’ahlia on ghosts

So, yeah, it should be interesting to see how few slots and remaining magic items they can use over the course of a full day before facing a couple that nearly killed two of them at full health. (Spells used below the break.)

Pike

• Holy Feast, 6th (ep32, 2:55:46)

Keyleth

• 2nd (ep32, 2:57:40) Skywrite
• 3rd (p1, 0:20:29) Dispel Magic
• 2nd (p1, 0:50:43) Enhance Ability on Percy
• 1st (ep33p1, 1:37:27) Healing Word on Cass
• 1st (ep33p1, 1:53:02) Healing Word on Vax
• 4th (ep33p1, 1:54:08) Grasping Vine on Cass
• 4th (ep33p2, 0:15:55) Cure Wounds on Vax

Scanlan

• 4th (33p1, 1:49:14) Counterspell vs. Anders
• 1st (33p1, 2:06:08) Thunderwave
• 5th (33p2, 0:54:23) Seeming
• 3rd (33p2, 1:50:03) Lightning Bolt
• 1st (33p2, 1:50:52) Healing Word on Vax’ildan

Vex’ahlia

• 2nd (ep32, 3:13:43) Pass Without Trace
• 3rd (ep33p1, 1:55:45) Cure Wounds on Vax
• 1st (ep33p2, 0:01:32) Hunter’s Mark on last Helmed Horror
• 2nd (ep33p2, 0:56:10) Pass Without Trace

Nat Crits of 33: Reunions

Special thanks to TheSingingBadger for assisting with these stats!

Critical Wins

• Percy (p1.1:04:34) Investigating Cassandra’s desk
• Percy (p1.1:27:33) Initiative vs. Professor Anders
• Percy (p1.2:00:15) Pepperbox vs. Professor Anders
• Vax’ildan (p2.0:28:30) Thieves’ Tools to untrap the lock
• Vex’ahlia (p2.0:56:20) Stealth check into catacombs (with advantage)
• Percy (p2.1:02:42) Perception check for slivers of glass
• Grog (p2.1:06:57) Survival check to find tracks in catacombs
• Percy (p2.1:09:43) Initiative vs. Ghosts
• Percy (p2.1:11:31) Normal bullet vs. Ghost 1
• Percy (p2.1:12:40) Fire bullet vs. Ghost 1
• Grog (p2.1:42:24) Attack of Opportunity vs. Vex’ahlia (negated by disadvantage)
• Grog (p2.1:56:03) Attack of Opportunity vs. Percy

Critical Fails

• Percy (p1.1:41:28) Misfire vs. Anders
• Keyleth (p2.1:10:00) Rolling Taliesin’s die to see if it rolls another 20. It didn’t.
• Grog (p2.1:17:54) Initiative vs. Ghosts (negated by advantage… for a 2.)
• Percy (p2.1:21:11) Misfire vs. Possessed Vax’ildan
• Percy (p2.1:35:20) Charisma save vs. possession by ghost

DM Rolls

• Helmed Horror (Nat20, p1.1:36:37) Second attack vs. Vax
• Helmed Horror (Nat20, p1.1:36:36) First attack vs. Vax

Monster Analysis: Ghosts, Round 2

• Encounter Appearance: 33 Reunions
  
• Armor Class 11
  
• Immune to nonmagical physical damage (custom), cold, necrotic, and poison damage
  
• Resistant to non-radiant magical damage
  
• Ghost 1: 62 damage taken, 13 killing blow by Vex’s blazing arrow
  
• Ghost 2: 38 damage taken, 21 killing blow by Scanlan’s Spirit Guardian 
• Ghost 3: 20 damage taken, 6 HDYWTDT Vicious Mockery by Scanlan
• First ghost analysis can be found here.

I hate ghosts. Hate ‘em. Hate hate hate. Loathe.

This encounter left many a critter on edge (along with a few elevated heart rates). Crafted with Ashley in mind, Pike’s absence turned the encounter (as designed) from extremely difficult to nigh unbeatable. However, this is where we get to see a master DM at work, looking for loopholes in his own game plan to make the whole ordeal bearable. Without changing anything from the last encounter with ethereal spirits, Matt improvised the effects of two very needed tools: Vax’s symbol of Sarenrae and Scanlan’s Scroll of Spirit Guardian.

Vax’s holy symbol, which has served as little more than a reminder of Pike until now, was just what the team needed to remind them of their missing cleric and expel the spirit from the heavy-damage-dealing rogue. Mechanically speaking, such an item would have little use in the hands of anyone who does not identify as a cleric of paladin of Sarenrae. However, Vax’s somewhat superstitious faith, ongoing demonstration of belief in the deity’s power, and Pike’s less-than-physical presence all allowed the story to deliver a believable source of radiant saving energy.

Likewise, the Spirit Guardian’s radiant attacks, while damaging to ghosts, should have still only dealt damage to the possessed, leaving the ghosts just as safe in their protective shell as any other attack. However, textbook be damned when the story was just as believable when radiant energy attacks ALL, including those attempting to hide from divine light. Ghost 1 took the majority of its damage from within Keyleth, while the total 38 radiant damage dealt to Ghost 2 killed it without it needing to leave Grog.

Even with these modifications, the fight still resulted in both Keyleth and Percy falling unconscious, with Percy failing two death saving throws by autocrit (implemented after Taliesin confirmed that Percy had already rolled a single saved roll). Considering that this is the second fight in this episode where Vox Machina fought each other and severely depleted their HP in the process, Scanlan had the right idea: “We should never fight ourselves.”

Special thanks to @thesingingbadger for logging episode 33 stats; makes it much easier to write these up!

Monster Analysis: Professor Anders + Helmed Horrors

Thanks to @HollyOakhill for this art piece!

We’ll start with the Helmed Horrors, since they actually have a MM entry:

• First Appearance: 33 Reunions

• Armor Class 20

• Speed 30 ft, Fly 30 ft

• Resistant to non-adamantine, nonmagical physical weapons

• Immune to force, necrotic, and poison damage

• Immune to blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, and stunned

• Blindsight 60 ft, Passive 14

• Average/Max HP: 66, 88

  • 88 damage received, 34 killing blow by Vex’ahlia’s arrow

  • 72 damage received, 18 killing blow by Vex’ahlia’s arrow

Helmed Horrors are magical constructs, walking suits of armor that are fiercely loyal to their creators with a natural resistance against magic. Unlike undead, which are equally loyal to their commanders, Helmed Horrors are a bit more intelligent, following the intent rather than the letter of their commands. Their magic resistance extends to complete immunity to three specific spells chosen by their creator (none of which came into play in this fight).

Even after the fall of their master, these guardians still proved to be a significant trap to the selfishly selfless rogue. While normally wise to focus their attacks on those of weaker constitution and spell casters, the strategic capabilities of these walking tanks seem to have suffered with the death of Anders.

Speaking of Professor Anders:

• First Appearance: 33 Reunions

• Armor Class 17

• Classes in Bard (Inspiration granted)

• 192 damage received, 20 HDYWTDT by Percy

Professor Anders was the instructor of the de Rolo children, a trusted authority figure who betrayed them to join the twisted cause of the Briarwoods. Anders demonstrated bardic abilities; these were made manifest by his knowledge of lore rather than his musical prowess. His assassination at the hands of Percy’s Pepperbox marched the crusade of vengeance forward, with his name disappearing from the barrel.

This battle also served the interesting purpose of allowing Dr. Ripley a chance to escape. It also allowed Cassandra to join the team, adding another rogue to the party, and no longer anyone’s bait. (Professor Anders may not un-die to see another day, thanks to the fireplace.)

Special thanks to @thesingingbadger for logging episode 33 stats; makes it much easier to write these up!