This is the 13th encounter in my 4E conversion of The Sunless Citadel. Starting with this encounter, I’m going to incorporate some changes to the encounter format that I think will improve its usefulness.

Encounter 13: The Goblin Gate
Encounter Level 1 (350 XP)

Overview
The PCs must overcome a field of caltrops while being shot at by a pair of goblin sharpshooters. This encounter includes the following creatures:

  • 1 Caltrop Field
  • 2 Goblin Sharpshooters

Area Description
Read the following to the PCs after the come through the south door:

The wide hall is liberally strewn with sharp, metal objects. At the end of the hall, two small humanoids stand behind a crude, 3-foot-high wall complete with crenellations.

sunlesscitadel_enc13

  • Illumination: Dim.
  • Door Alarm: The southern door is rigged with a bell that clangs when the door is opened (Perception DC 21 to spot; Thievery DC 20 to disable).
  • Caltrops: The floor between the door and the barricade is strewn with small, iron balls with four spikes arranged so that three form a tripod on the ground while the fourth points upward.
  • Half-wall: The 3-foot high wall provides superior cover to small creatures, and cover to medium or large creatures. An Athletics check (DC 14) is required to climb or jump over the wall.
  • Treasure: The goblins carry a total of 22 sp.
Caltrops Level 1 Obstacle
Trap XP 100
Small, iron objects with four spikes–three on the ground and one pointing upward–cover the ground.
Trap:Eight squares are covered with caltrops.
Perception
  • No check is necessary to notice the caltrops.
Trigger
When a creature moves at normal speed through a trapped square.
Attack
Standard Action Melee
Target: The creature that triggered the trap
Attack: +0 vs. AC
Hit: Target loses a healing surge; target’s speed is reduced to one-half normal until after an extended rest or a power with the keyword Healing is used on them to regain hit points.
Special: Target cannot add their armor or shield bonus to their AC for the purposes of this attack. If the target is wearing any type of shoes other than cloth, they may add a +2 bonus to their AC.
Countermeasures
  • A character may spend a standard action to sweep a square clean of caltrops.
  • A character may treat each trapped square as though it is difficult terrain.

Tactics
The goblins will shoot at the PCs until they reach the wall. Then one of the goblins will run to the archery range for reinforcements.