Ixis Island spawns

[MadSeer]

So I decided to go check out this Ixis Island and see what it was all about. I wasn't expecting to be really fighting anything in the first few areas, as it was supposedly built to pose a challenge to a group of level 12. I then realized that the spawns are tougher than the Bloodmaim which is a CR 20 area, and I didn't go past the Great Falls which is the second area on the island. Before going on, I will ask if the spawns are meant to scale with your level. If so, then adjustments aren't as badly needed. If not ... well I don't know how any level 12 ever survived it.

To begin with, I've fought two group of enemies. A bunch of Bloodtooth kobolds and a group of Pygmies. Both had their ACs well over 30 and an attack bonus at around 25. The first thing I noticed is that, in order to hit them, Raman with an attack bonus of 24 needs to go Divine Power and Divine Favor, boosting his AB in the 30s. And even then it's rough, and that number isn't really achievable for a fully buffed level 12 fighter. Second of all, during that fight against about 6 enemies, Raman would've lost well over 500hp were it not for Stone Body because of the stacking Bleeding effect. To add to all of this, without Stone Body (again) he would've needed to make well over 50 saves against poison in a single encounter. It's not a problem for him thanks to Steadfast Determination, but that's not something everyone has and they would quickly have lost all their Strength, Dexterity and Constitution points. Both encounters were pretty similar in all aspects and it took Raman, which is more efficient than a fully buffed level 16 fighter, nearly 10 minutes to end each of them.

To sum it up:

• Need an AB well over 30 to hit at a steady pace
• Need permanent damage reduction not to die 10x over from Bleeding
• Need an AC near 40 to avoid being hit
• Good saves or immunity to poison

And that's literally in the second area of the Island. These spawns are suited for a balanced party of level 16s and over. They however don't give any XP or reward whatsoever.

All in all, a party of level 12s would've been wiped out by what Raman fought, in the first area of monsters. Again, if the spawns scale up in power with the level of characters in the area, then it's not that bad. But they would need to give XP or something. But if they don't and that's really just how the Kobolds are, then it's pretty insane.

[prismaticcrow]

My impressions from the few characters I play that have gone to the island.

1) Kobolds are entirely too difficult. Their AB's are too high, their AC seems too high, the poison darts are pretty raw, and the bleeding effect is retardly powerful. The stacking bleed alone can kill you swiftly if you don't have some manner of DR (and your stoneskin will vanish in a minute anyway). I think it would be better if only 1 or 2 bleeders spawn with the rest melee and non-bleed throwers. That way it isn't simply overwhelming.

2) The lizard's in the temple on the other hand are pretty spot on in terms of difficulty, except there is only like 12 in the entire place each time! You fight more Veritas on the initial mountain climb than you do in the entire temple. The temple is an empty dungeon with few spawns and no loot containers.

3) For a dinosaur island, there are a surprising lack of dinosaurs. Only three or four velociraptors spawn in the glade, and they do with kobolds who are just too much of a pain to bother tangling with, plus they block the way to the plateau so I don't even know if the raptors are spawning there or not (last time I actually made it that far, there was absolutely nothing there.).

Overall, the entire island gives the impression of a zone under construction: the areas are in place (and look beautiful), but the spawns are out of whack(some in difficulty, others in numbers), and there is no loot to be had.

Once again, these are just my impressions and opinions.

[grant]

I have to agree at level 20 9Monk/11Sorc, its time to runaway. The "Stab happy" Kobold has an AC greater than the Veritas corporals by at least 1. By the time I killed one of the spearmen, my Stone skin was about gone. Oh and the 5 Evards tentacles I had between me and them did not even slow them down.

The Lizard men were neutral, and by their description alone, are supposed to be tougher than the Slitherscale. The pygmies and raptors I did not even bother trying... would have had to run back to the kobolds, and yes the plateau was empty for me as well.

[AsuraKing]

Yeah I agree as well, I went there to test it out to see exactly how tough it was with Cruven before I brought Davlamin there and even Cruven was getting a beat down, I had to use every buff he had in order to fight there. There's no way I'd go there without a group of at least lvl 15s, and by then it'd be useless.

[Saulus]

It's not intended for level 12. We made it higher than that. There's also a few rare loot drops.

Most of the kobolds and the rest have had reductions in AB and AC already, as well as HP.

[MadSeer]

To access the Ixis Isles, a level 12+ party is recommended, as using the Seasword at Port Avanthyr to get to Ixis Isles requires a minimum of level 12.

A party of level 12 won't get you anywhere on Ixis Island. I'm pretty convinced you need a bunch of 16+ there or you're done. But you won't get any sort of XP. And well you can't hope for loot as because, as you said, they're rare.

[Saulus]

I never said the level range was 12, I said 12 or higher is recommended. If you're in a party with a few level 15s and a 12, it might be a different story. Depends on the party.

Also with the CR of the creatures I don't know why you wouldn't be getting XP...

[Sir Kharn]

Yeah I agree as well, I went there to test it out to see exactly how tough it was with Cruven before I brought Davlamin there and even Cruven was getting a beat down, I had to use every buff he had in order to fight there. There's no way I'd go there without a group of at least lvl 15s, and by then it'd be useless.

1. dont go there alone.
2. Kharn walks thru there (as long as the t-rex's arent there, takes him forever and a day to kill them)and he's broken.
3. a bandage fixes those annoying bleeding wounds. (obviously when your not in combat)
4. dont go there alone
5. see 1 and 4.

Overall, the entire island gives the impression of a zone under construction: the areas are in place (and look beautiful), but the spawns are out of whack(some in difficulty, others in numbers), and there is no loot to be had.

The loot is around, you cant expect everything to drop loot, after all you still get gold for killing them and you just have to be patient if your looking for rare drops... As for it looking like a zone under construction i have to disagree, the spawns seem ok to me *shrugs* and i personally love the island.

[MadSeer]

I never said the level range was 12, I said 12 or higher is recommended. If you're in a party with a few level 15s and a 12, it might be a different story. Depends on the party.

Also with the CR of the creatures I don't know why you wouldn't be getting XP...

The XP must've been lost in the chat window buried under the ludicrous amount of bleeding damage spamming it.

And bandages never fixed Bleeding for me. Can't use them in combat and it counts me in combat when taking damage from bleeding. Healing kits would take care of that but ... yeah.

[Sir Kharn]

And bandages never fixed Bleeding for me. Can't use them in combat and it counts me in combat when taking damage from bleeding. Healing kits would take care of that but ... yeah.

Doesn't work for you? odd it works like a charm for me every time.
Am going to have to test that, if a DM is on and has the time .

[Cornuto]

2) The lizard's in the temple on the other hand are pretty spot on in terms of difficulty, except there is only like 12 in the entire place each time! You fight more Veritas on the initial mountain climb than you do in the entire temple. The temple is an empty dungeon with few spawns and no loot containers.

I can re-do the encounters for the temple and add loot containers.

[Philosopher]

I think that would be a great idea, Cornuto.

[Saulus]

There's already loot containers in the temple, they just haven't been updated into the live mod yet.

Also the lizards do drop loot, people have already been finding it.

[grant]

When I walked in to the village and temple I found, neutral lizardmen in the village, and the temple completely empty.

[Redjack]

More is better from my view. More angry lizards in the temple. And still hoping to run into the tyrannosaur. My lvl 17 girl had to run for her life first night she met the dart throwing kobolds. Never seen the like on the server and I thought they were great.
The island should be dangerous.