See that line called 'Organization' under the Battlebriar, Lesser in the Monster Manual 3? Notice how it says solitary? Yes? And do you know why it says solitary? No?
Because it's not cool when a party of six tenth level adventurers dies to six of them without dropping a single one.
Regards,
Espher
Large PlantHit Dice: 12d8+72 (126 hp)
Initiative: -2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (-1 size, -2 Dex, +12 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+19
Attack: Slam +14 melee (1d8+6/19-20)
Full Attack: 2 slams +14 melee (1d8+6/19-20)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Impale, improved grab, thorn volley, trample 1d8+9
Special Qualities: Darkvision ft., low-light vision, plant traits, resistance to electricity 10 and fire 10, thorn field
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +2, Will +4
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 6, Con 22, Int 5, Wis 10, Cha 7
Skills: Hide +11*
Feats: Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Natural Attack (slam), Power Attack
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Impale (Ex): Whenever a battlebriar succeeds a grapple with a Medium or smaller creature, there is a chance that the creature will become impaled on one of the thorns. After the grapple has begun, a battlebriar attempts another grapple check as a free action to impale the creature on its thorns.
An impaled creature is helpless until it beats the battlebriar in an opposed grapple check. As long as the only creatures that is is grappling with are impaled, a battlebriar is not considered grappled. When making grapple checks against impaled creatures, a battlebriar takes a -20 on grapple checks.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a battle briar must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Thorn Volley (Ex): Battlebriars grow and shed their thorns at an incredible rate, and by rearing up on their hind legs and snapping their bodies forward, they can launch a deadly volley. As a standard action, a battlebriar can launching a volley of thorns, centering the volley anywhere within 30' The thorns deal 5d6 points of piercing damage to all creatures within a 10-foot radius (Reflex DC 22). The save DC is Strength-based.
Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 22. The save DC is strength-based.
Thorn Field (Ex): The thorns on a battlebriar protrude into the area surrounding the creature, causing several effects on creatures moving through a battlebriar's threatened area. A battlebriar can make up to four attacks of opportunity each round. (Unlike the Combat Reflexes feat, this ability does not allow a battlebriar to make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.) In addition, the DCs for Tumble checks to move through a battlebriar's threatened area or through the squares that it occupies increases by 10. Creatures three or more size categories smaller than the battlebriar cannot not move through the area that it threatens.
Skills: *Despite its size, a battlebriar blends well with its surroundings, and it gains a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in aboveground, natural environments.
jedifreeman - (no subject) [+7]
They've got this nifty ability called impale, that causes them to make another grapple check when they grab you. If they succeed, you're impaled (no additional damage, but you're treated as helpless).
So here's what happened to my bard (the party's damage output, eerily enough):
Surprise Round: Two creatures advance, one hits, you're impaled.
Round One: Second creature hits with a coup de grace.
The wizard died during the third round when one grabbed him and the another hit a coup de grace.
The barbarian got beat to holy hell (he had low AC and they have +14 to hit), the rogue couldn't tumble through their threatened spaces to get away and get some help (+10 to any tumble DCs = ouch), the priestess got the crap kicked out of her gradually (and wasn't doing any damage output to counter it) and eventually died when they landed a couple of crits on him, and the mystic had to leave but he got impaled anyway, so the DM just had that one leave afterwards with the mystic still stuck.
It was not a fun encounter.
~Ray
Side question, was your DM in a cranky mood or something? Most DMs try to make the adventure challenging, not outright overwhelm the characters and not allow them to flee.
One Last Thing(tm): It may also be that the DM in question does not understand the CR thing. The rules can seem a little vague regarding how to calculate it.
HOWEVER, assuming the information in the MM as gospel is wrong. Like the Pirate code, it's more like guidlines. Every bit of information in the MM, or any guide book for that matter should be taken with a grain of salt. Solitary creatures may band together under a leader with half a brain.
Stop being a rule hound in a game where there really are no rules. Look to yourselves to see what you may have done wrong. Was the DM dropping hints that you didn't pick up? Where you working as a team or a bunch of cowboys?
Then you can blame the DM for being un-fair.
"You leave the town and begin travelling southward *rolls dice* *rolls more dice* Guys, make spot checks."
*group rolls*
"Those of you who made fifteen (espher's note: I think there were two) notice something staring at you from below the tall grass. Before you have time to shout a warning, they spring to the attack. Roll for initiative."
*dice roll*
"One charges at May (espher's note: my bard) as the other slinks in behind it. Roll an opposed grapple."
*rolls, fails*
*two active PCs, the two healers, have to deal with two of their own, blah blah blah, rest of monster movement*
"The rest of you, roll initiative."
"May, roll a fort save."
*rolls, fails*
We were working as a team, there were no hints (it was a random encounter). Can I blame the DM yet?