Evard's black tentacles help

[Sparafucile]

One of my players is a sorcerer, level 9, who pciekd up evard's black tentacles. So far, it's been decimiating to small and medium sized creatures. Considering that, at level 9, the Sorcerer's average modified grapple check is 27 (+9, +8, average roll of "10"), there are few that even stand a chance of escaping. You can't hack your way out of them, so opposed rolls tend to be the only actions left, or the few spells with no somatic components.

Most recently, I had a Wizard NPC who was able to escape with a dimension door (no smoatic components), but he was quickly grappled again. For most other balanced CR creatures and NPCs, there seems to be no escape.

What am I missing about this spell? :\

 

[kerbarian]

One of my players is a sorcerer, level 9, who pciekd up evard's black tentacles. So far, it's been decimiating to small and medium sized creatures. Considering that, at level 9, the Sorcerer's average modified grapple check is 27 (+9, +8, average roll of "10"), there are few that even stand a chance of escaping. You can't hack your way out of them, so opposed rolls tend to be the only actions left, or the few spells with no somatic components.

Most recently, I had a Wizard NPC who was able to escape with a dimension door (no smoatic components), but he was quickly grappled again. For most other balanced CR creatures and NPCs, there seems to be no escape.

What am I missing about this spell? :\

If a creature in the area can't ever beat the grapple check, then it's pretty screwed. However, there are a couple non-obvious things about the spell that make it somewhat less nasty.

First, per the FAQ, the tentacles never try to re-grapple anyone. If you beat the grapple check initially or if you break free, the tentacles leave you alone unless you leave and re-enter the area.

Second, the tentacles may not deal any damage when they initially grapple a target. I'm actually not sure about this one -- if anyone (Hyp?) has firm reasoning either way, please chime in. Normally, when one creature grapples another, it deals damage immediately as part of the grapple. However, this is a spell rather than an actual grappling creature, so it doesn't necessarily follow the normal grappling rules. If you go just by what the spell text says, damage is only dealt "Once the tentacles grapple an opponent, ... each round on your turn". That would mean that if a creature fails its initial grapple check against the spell, it's grappled but takes no damage. If it fails to escape, then the tentacles start making grapple checks to damage it on the caster's next action.

 

[Sparafucile]

First, per the FAQ, the tentacles never try to re-grapple anyone. If you beat the grapple check initially or if you break free, the tentacles leave you alone unless you leave and re-enter the area.

Yes, that's good stuff. Thank you! That does take some of the bite out of the spell (though I still wish you could damage the tentacles). As far as applying the bludgeoning damage, we've been saying that you have to start the round already grappled.

Incidentally, my next caster will have this spell ready to go against the PCs. What goes around comes around.

 

[Felix]

Incidentally, my next caster will have this spell ready to go against the PCs. What goes around comes around.

Try something a bit different: Solid Fog and a few Walls of Fire. Makes for a nice little roasting session.

 

[Darklone]

Freedom of Movement. Grease on yourself.

 

[MarkB]

There are some nice utility-type lower-level teleportation spells in recent books that can be helpful in these situations. For instance, Dimension Hop (PHBII) is a 2nd-level touch-range spell that teleports the subject up to 5 feet per two caster levels - great for popping out of a constraining spell-effect. Dimension Step, at 3rd level, allows a similar effect, but for multiple allies within close range.

 

[Dei]

This spell is actually one of the nastiest ones available, especially when used by a sorcerer who can literally smother a battlefield with it. Spells like this are the reason I prefer low magic settings as in many cases it's a kind of "I win" button for encounters.

That being said a lot of the suggestions that have been made so far are quite good, freedom of movement especially is a must for NPCs who are likely to fall victim to this spell as it is essentially immunity to it. It's a heavy investment at around 40k gp but rings of FoM on your BBEG and LBBEGs could help the case but will likely cause the sorcerer's player to become very angry and frustrated. Grease is a nice, low level alternative and if you're using psionics a couple of psychic warrior NPCs with the short range teleportation powers available to them (I forget the actual power but it's something like second or third level) could cause him some grief when they slide out of his tentacles and suddenly show up in the square next to him.

 

[The Forsaken One]

I remember a couple of TPKs I did on my party involving a EBT in an Acid Fog.

Yarr

 

[moritheil]

It's a heavy investment at around 40k gp

It's actually been broken down numerous times on the boards and shown to be cheaper than it ought to be, per the suggested creation rules.

Back on topic, I'm confused by how the Wizard who dimension doored out got "immediately grappled again." Do you mean the sorc just cast it again? That does indeed sound pretty frustrating, but you have to consider that blanketing a field with tentacles usually costs a lot of spell slots. Are you throwing more than 4 encounters/day at the party? If not, start doing so. When the sorc has to sit out half the fights each day, he'll start rethinking his spell use strategy.

 

[satori01]

The Warlock Invocation Chilling Tentacles is even worse, it does cold damage to creatures in the area of effect of the spell.

Personally I would recommend against the fight fire with fire train of thought, your game will halt to a grapple fest.

Terrain obviously is the greatest limitation to this spell, most of the time the spell caster will not want to grapple its friends. Since EBT is a spread, just be cognizant of when the spread will form around corners.

Giants and other creatures will have a chance to defeat the grapple. Dispel Magic will always work to dispel it. Flying or levitating creatures can fly over it, large spaces will make the spell ineffectual as you can go around it, and burrowing creatures can go under it.

Also keep in mind, any creature can be effected by EBT. I have had thrown the Warlock in my campaign into his own Chilling Tentacles on occasion.