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[Rolan7]

Thanks for doing that math!  Tiny nitpick, when it says the save DC is Charisma-based, it means that the vampire's charisma modifier increases the saving throw.  The 14 DC is for the example vampire spawn, and includes the spawn's +2 CHA mod.
The character rolling to save still adds their WIS mod, since it's a will save.

I almost erroneously nitpicked the damage reduction, but you're correct.  It's just a little weird:  Full vampires have 10 DR silver AND magic, which means the weapon must be both silver and magic.  Vampire spawn have weaker DR which is overcome by mundane silver.

[Criptfeind]

Note that it's a Charisma-based save, so Elan and Haley should be good to resist

This means it's based off the vampires Charisma, it doesn't interact with the targets charisma (well, unless they have something like the paladin ability that adds your charisma to your saves) (Ninjaed by Rolan)

As I said before, winning this encounter will likely come from Roy's Great Cleave feat.

I disagree. Roy can contribute and very well, but winning the encounter comes from surviving a single round, followed by V killing them all with some spell.

I also think you're probably underselling various sundry magical buffs and such a level 16 fighter is likely to have, although we don't have complete information on that except he has a belt of giants strength of unspecified bonus so sorta fair enough. Although I bet the green fire is some sorta bane of undead, which is likely to add +to hit as well as plus damage.

[DAPARROT]

Spoiler: big quote (click to show/hide)

Biggest immediate threat from the spawnhorde is the domination gaze. Their NPC member has already shown vulnerability to it, and Roy has mentioned that half the party has crappy Will saves*. It's also an infinite-use, though it takes a standard action. Imagine if half of them tried it while the other half moves to grapple.

As I said before, winning this encounter will likely come from Roy's Great Cleave feat. Calculations as follows:

The average spawn has 29HP(formula is 4d12+3). Roy has a BAB of +16(assuming 16th-level Fighter), and we can assume(or not assume) that his Greatsword(2d6 base damage) is a +5 magic weapon even without the green fire effect. Here, Roy effortlessly held down a rope two people struggled with, suggesting a Strength score of at least 16(+3 modifier). His total attack bonus is therefore +24, without any further buffs like the green fire or Elan's singing. Almost none of the spawn appear to be wearing proper armor, so their natural AC of 15 is used. Roy has a 55% chance to hit on his first strike, without buffs.

Now, damage. The Greenhilt Sword, again without the greenfire, has a damage of 2d6+5. Add +5 from Strength(+3 times 1.5x, rounded up, because it's two-handed). Vampire spawns have damage reduction 5/silver, which applies since the sword is starmetal, not silver. Damage range is 7-17. Roy has Power Attack, so he can shunt some his attack roll bonus into damage if need be. Now, add buffs. Elan can sing to Inspire Courage, providing(at his level) a +3 to both attack and damage to everyone in the party, while also adding a +3 resistance to the domination gazes. I don't know if bard songs stack(probably not), but Inspire Greatness would give one person +2HD, and a +2 to attack rolls. Possible cheap buffs V could cast are Enlarge Person(bigger range, bigger weapon), Bull's Strength(+4 Strength), and Haste. Minrah might have access to Prayer. With just Elan alone(since his capabilities are known), Roy's first attack would be +27(70% to hit) and 10-20 damage.

As for the green fire, I'm going to guess that it's 3d8 fire damage, doubled for undead(6d8 for these spawn). Damage range is therefore 13-65, without Elan, 16-68 with Inspire Courage. That carries a very good chance of one-shot destroying a vampire spawn in a single hit - and this will trigger Great Cleave, allowing another attack on another spawn. If that destroys the next target, it triggers again, and so on. As far as I can tell, each attack roll in a full attack can be used for a Great Cleave(it falls under "poorly worded"), so even if Roy fails to destroy one with an attack, he can make four total attacks. The solution is to simply let him get surrounded. Even attacks of opportunity will cause casualties.

...I spent too much time researching this post.

I'm not sure how you're getting those hit chances, in both cases it would be either 95%(natural 1 on the die=auto miss with RAW) or 100%(if you ignore the natural 1=miss rule). other than that, thanks for doing the math on this.

[Akura]

The unmodified hit chance for Roy to hit a vampire spawn based on the presumed stats is 55% because Roy needs to roll a minimum of 9. Roy's total attack bonus, +24 minus the SRD-listed natural AC of vampire spawn(15AC) is 9. Since you always deal with 1/20ths(because you're using a 20-sided die), every increment is 5%. Since there are 11 possible rolls(20-9) that result in a success, the success chance is 55%, and every point of increase to Roy's attack roll bonus is another 5%. Inspire Courage adds +3, so that's +15% added(55+15=70).

[Egan_BW]

I think if I roll a 2, and then add 24, the result will still be higher than 15. You should be subtracting the attack bonus from the AC, not the other way around, right?

[Dorsidwarf]

The unmodified hit chance for Roy to hit a vampire spawn based on the presumed stats is 55% because Roy needs to roll a minimum of 9. Roy's total attack bonus, +24 minus the SRD-listed natural AC of vampire spawn(15AC) is 9. Since you always deal with 1/20ths(because you're using a 20-sided die), every increment is 5%. Since there are 11 possible rolls(20-9) that result in a success, the success chance is 55%, and every point of increase to Roy's attack roll bonus is another 5%. Inspire Courage adds +3, so that's +15% added(55+15=70).

what? Since when do you have to roll higher than (your attack bonus - target AC)?!

[Lord Shonus]

The unmodified hit chance for Roy to hit a vampire spawn based on the presumed stats is 55% because Roy needs to roll a minimum of 9. Roy's total attack bonus, +24 minus the SRD-listed natural AC of vampire spawn(15AC) is 9. Since you always deal with 1/20ths(because you're using a 20-sided die), every increment is 5%. Since there are 11 possible rolls(20-9) that result in a success, the success chance is 55%, and every point of increase to Roy's attack roll bonus is another 5%. Inspire Courage adds +3, so that's +15% added(55+15=70).

This is wrong. D&D 3.5 is a very simple system. If 1d20+Bonus > AC, the target hits. By your reckoning, Roy rolls 1d20+24 to hit.

If Roy has +24 to hit, and the spawn have 15 AC, then he would hit on a -9 or higher. If your numbers are accurate (Roy's to-hit seems a bit low, since we know he has a +5 weapon and probably has a BAB of around 16), he would only ever miss on a natural 1. This gives him a 95% chance to hit, which does not go down unless you give the vampire spawn +11 in stackable AC bonuses.

[Arcvasti]

Eh, a fighter with a two-handed weapon gets most of their damage from power attacks, so his accuracy is probably a fair bit less then what it could be.

[Akura]

Huh. Damn. I guess I was subtracting the wrong side . Been too long since I did basic math...

The point still stands though, that Roy is quite capable of wrecking any one of those vampire spawn in one hit, which because of his feats means he can wreck most of the whole group in one hit.

[Mathel]

I was reading up on V's spells and found out he could buff the party with mass Bull's strength and Bear's endurance. Alternatively they could hold vampires at bay if they have enough holy symbols and just walk away. Or, if the caster can choose what the stinking cloud stinks like, V could cast stinking cloud (garlic) and then dismiss the forcecage. Then they just walk through, as the vampires can not enter area with garlic odor. Of course, this would nauseate the party.

[scriver]

Also I'm pretty sure Lord Murderkitten can take any of them at any time.

Also, theory about ending: Kitty takes on Eldritch Evil Yarn Ball and wins the day.

[pikachu17]

Wait a second... Isn't the Snarl made of the tangled thread of the universe?
Lord Murderkitten for the win!

[Helgoland]

Theory: The Snarl is really just a doily.

[Eschar]

Belkar said that Haley's aphasia was "good new for fans of cryptograms." Is he just noting that her words are incomprehensible, or...has anyone tried running them through frequency analysis yet?

[Lord Shonus]

They've all been translated. Here's one rendition, which is probably easier than the forum threads on the subject (Rich does NOT like people editing his art, so those are just a "In panel 1 she says this, in panel 2 she says this" format).