Most memorable tactical encounters in 4e

[Matt James]

What has been your most memorable tactical combat encounters in 4e thus far? More importantly, what made them memorable for you? What did you like that made them feel awesome?

[Arcane Springboard]

I could be getting some details wrong but:

Keep on the Shadowfell early on with room with Balgor the Fat (or something along that line).

The PCs snuck in and rapidly dispatched the two goblins that were in the 'guard' room. Then the Warlock ran ahead and got himself trapped in front of the door, surrounded by goblins. The door opened revealing another pair of goblins in the next room. Balgor the Fat heard the fight, got up and opened the door to his room. Just after that, the Warlock teleported, Eldritch Blast'ed the goblin in front of the door and then Diabolic Grasped the goblin just inside the room, critically hit, killed him and blew him back 5 squares.

Balrot (or whatever his name was) saw this, second 'screw this, I'm leaving' and ran. The PCs never even saw him.

[Matt James]

Cool, I'll have to revisit that adventure to check it out

[Diffan]

I'm reminded by my group I DM about the "Best tactical battle ever!" we apparently had a few months ago. The setting was a dark, underground cavern full of Orcs. The PCs (and my DMPC) were investigating them because they were supplying troops to the battle of Neverwinter and we needed to stem that flow. So after I believe 2 quick skirmishes with Orc warriors and possible a giant or two the PCs entered a very large, dark room. Then *bam* torches flared to life and they found themselves in an arena-style bowl. This arena was lined with a wooden fence with an Orc audience on the other side jeering, cheering, and calling for their blood. Then out of the side emerged a large Fen Hydra (if I remember correctly, the party was about Lvl 12 or so).

So with pretty good Initiative rolls, the PCs went first and dropped their dailies on the poor hydra right off the bat. My wife, playing an Eladrin Mage (enchantment school) cast Grease* on the Hydra. My DMPC (a human Knight) kept the creature at bay with his Defending Aura and Tide of Iron (I took the extra at-will instead of the human racial power). Our war-priest cleric of Amaunator kept buffing us with his At-Will while applying a ready amount of Radiance Vulnerability to the Hydra. And all the while our Half-elf Assassin spammed the creature with poison, and constant Weapon Finesse damage.

The hydra focused it's attacks on me because it couldn't move anywhere, which left it open to everyone elses ranged attacks (except the Assassin). Then my wife cast Acid Mire on the creature, bathing it in caustic grease and acid. Each time it fell down it took more acid damage. And with my Tide of Iron, it fell when I pushed it x-amount of squares. At one point the creature took a Double move and an Action Point to get out of the Acid Mire and Grease but them *bampf* our Assassin uses a power to teleport the creature back INTO the zone of greasy-acid. I think it died in no more than 4 rounds, dealing sub-par damage. But it was more or less a great tactical encounter the PCs accomplished and how efficient they dealt with the problem.

Of course, all the Orcs ran, some attacking the PCs while others