Advice for Dealing with Improved Trip Feat

S

Samothdm

First Post

• Mar 29, 2005

• #1

In another thread I mentioned a player of mine who has taken the Improved Trip feat. He's a Pal2/Ftr4/Kensai 3 with a halberd.

Every combat tends to go this way: Kensai has Wizard player cast "Enlarge" on him to get the strength bonus and the size bonus for tripping. Then, the Kensai immediately goes after the BBEG and trips him.

I've used minions to try to protect my BBEG, and also had once BBEG with boots of levitation. They've also fought BBEGs of the four-or-more legs variety which negates tripping.

Other than those, any other suggestions for the best ways to keep my BBEGs alive a little longer? I don't want to totally nerf this player's choice of Improved Trip, and I especially don't want to cheese out and use a lot of levitating and flying opponents. I'm looking for some tactical advice to help spice up my combats a little so this Kensai player doesn't just completely dominate every combat.

 

log in or register to remove this ad

Mark

CreativeMountainGames.com

• Mar 29, 2005

• #2

If someone kept sticking their halberd down by my legs, I'd try and sunder it.

 

A

apegod

First Post

• Mar 29, 2005

• #3

Here are some ideas: Wall spells, terrain barriers, target the spellcaster first so that he goes on the defensive, have the bad guys use similar tactics.

BTW: What exactly is BBEG?

 

G

Gentlegamer

Adventurer

• Mar 29, 2005

• #4

Mark said:

If someone kept sticking their halberd down by my legs, I'd try and sunder it.

Click to expand...

And the winner of Most Unintentionally Suggestive Post goes to . . .

 

Mark

CreativeMountainGames.com

• Mar 29, 2005

• #5

apegod said:

BTW: What exactly is BBEG?

Click to expand...

Big Bad Evil Guy

Gentlegamer said:

And the winner of Most Unintentionally Suggestive Post goes to . . .

Click to expand...

And you call yourself "Gentle"...?

 

C

cignus_pfaccari

First Post

• Mar 29, 2005

• #6

Sundering is good, and will work if the BBEG is a melee type.

Trip the tripper. Improved Trip doesn't help you resist a trip.

Present greater threats than the BBEG. He'll not want to trip (much) when the spellcaster is being attacked by Big Tough Mindless Things.

At your level, it's hard to have a high Balance score, but a roguely/Fighter-Kensai NPC could, potentially; CV introduces a use for Balance to resist being tripped. At (normal check)-10, it kind of hurts, but gets a lot higher a lot faster than your Str or Dex does.

Brad

 

Crothian

First Post

• Mar 29, 2005

• #7

Illusions, the tripper goeas after an illusion and moves away from the protection of the rest pof the party right into the BBEG's trap. Heck, have the BBEG stand behind a pit trap if he knows the tripper is going to run up and attack him.

 

FireLance

Legend

• Mar 29, 2005

• #8

Other suggestions:

Give your BBEGs the Prone Attack feat so that being tripped doesn't inconvenience them so much.

Downsize the tripper with dispel magic or greater dispel magic.

Reduce the tripper's effectiveness with tanglefoot bags, ray of enfeeblement, ray of exhaustion, waves of fatigue and waves of exhaustion. These spells and effects either allow no saving throw or inflict a penalty even on a successful saving throw.

Have minions grapple or bull rush the tripper so he can't take an AOO on the BBEG when he stands up.

 

F

Felon

First Post

• Mar 29, 2005

• #9

Samothdm said:

Other than those, any other suggestions for the best ways to keep my BBEGs alive a little longer?

Click to expand...

Yes. Have him kill the character. Seriously. Nothing more irksome than a character who relies on the same tactic every fight

Of course, you could just have the BBEG fight from the ground.

 

Testament

First Post

• Mar 29, 2005

• #10

Beat his reach and lay the smackdown, since he only has 10ft reach even while enlarged.

For true evilness, give him the Steadfast Boots (AKA Boots of Brokeness) from the Arms and Equipment guide, they render you immune to tripping and bullrush.

Sundering is always an option too.

Ray of Enfeeblement or Languor (Complete Divine) can be painful for him.

Invisibility can also be fun, Mislead is even better though!

 

Last edited: Mar 29, 2005