D&D 5E How Defeat this Coffelock Villain?

[Phazonfish]

But anyways, he has to sleep sometime.

I'm not sure that's true, it sounds like he has an invocation that makes him not need sleep.

 

[Hygor Haas]

So he's literally going to cut his own hand off if the players win the challenge? That sounds a bit odd.

But anyways, he has to sleep sometime. You guys can investigate where he lairs and either go gank him in his sleep or steal his spellbook/something else he values.

I'm not sure that's true, it sounds like he has an invocation that makes him not need sleep.

Yes, He doesn't need sleep or a spellbook... Aspect of The Moon Invocation.
I've never seens such an unbalanced character.

 

[Ganymede81]

Yes, He doesn't need sleep or a spellbook...
I've never seens such an unbalanced character.

See? This lack of creativity on your part is going to get your group killed.

I am saying you should either attack him when he is weak or disadvantaged, or use the opportunity to steal something of his he values to then barter/blackmail for the artifact. He doesn't need to sleep, but he might still sleep. Even if he doesn't, he still needs to take long rests filled with no more than light activity. Hell, he might simply enjoy having a drink at a local tavern on occasion. He doesn't need a spell book? Steal something else. He's not a sentient flying laser cannon, after all.

Has your group done any work on identifying this villain's Ideal, Bond, or Flaw? Maybe his bond is a friend, family member, or lover. If so, that person might be a much softer target. You might be able to either take advantage of his flaw in negotiations, and his ideal might telegraph a weakness in his strategy or an area in which he fails to prepare.


Above all, this defeatist attitude of yours isn't doing you any favors. When your DM says "A thousand tarrasques emerge from the earth around you," clearly you need to think outside of the "How do I out-tarrasque a tarrasque" box.

 

[5ekyu]

I say after thr thread so far - surrender. Take a pass on the win the artifact in combat thing and move on in the campaign.

Its likely the fight as presented is not winnable so stop beating yourself over it.

Either find non-comvat options or move on to other events.

If its not enjoyable find something that is.

Whether your gm is thinking himself clever or what with this set piece puzzle its better you realize he can always at anytime throw an unwinnable fight if he is so inclined. It requires no creativity. It shows no brilliance. Its easy to do even by accident. So, show him your characters are smart enough to step aside and get off the tracks whem the GM Express Unstoppable toots its whistle.

But, i would see it OOC as an "oh well, so what, boring" sort of thing, as of you walked up to a cliff that caused you to detour, not as a missed opportunity.



Sent from my VS995 using EN World mobile app

 

[Mistwell]

Hire a horde of hirelings. Have them assault the foe all day long. His spells are large in quantity, but not infinite. Once the hirelings have reduced his resources to manageable levels, assault!

 

[Eltab]

You need to talk to an NPC Divination Wizard who can train your Wizard how to prepare for a BBEG fight. You don't know enough to win, and aren't prepared.

- Can you Counterspell the Simulacrum (this cuts the challenge in half)?
- Ask the DM to explain the rules he is using to get the effects he describes - this might shut down the encounter if he has to admit that he is cheating or playing with something above his own 'DM-level'.
- Get out of the endless open sky environment because he is currently kiting you; for instance, challenge him to come get you and dive into a cave (talk the other players into coming along too).
- Illusion up an Ancient Red Dragon while acting like you are Summoning it; yell "Sic 'em, boy!" and point at the enemy; let him unload all his tricks on the illusion for a while.
- "Mr. DM, tell me a little bit about this guy we're fighting. What do the locals know about him?" Buy real time for your friends to get inspired.
- Do you have something he would want? Display it and offer to give it away. (The offer is a fake to draw him in closer.)

 

[Morrus]

But... We have 2 f.u.c.k.i.n.g WIZARDS (One dead),

Watch your language, please. I didn't put the profanity filter there as a fun challenge to overcome.

 

[Harzel]

Yeah, ok, so this appears to be the original discussion of the Coffeelock. It wasn't on ENWorld.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?542159-Hexblade-Coffeelock

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?542316-Let-s-break-Xanathar-s!

IMO, this is all quite 'silly'.* I don't have any patience for designers who put out this sort of stuff, and then put out tweets that imply** that it was intended. I don't have any patience for players who would try to bring this into a game. And I don't even know what to think of a DM who assails his players with it. For whomever finds it fun, great, go for it; to me, it seems like a severe waste of time.

* Would prefer a stronger term, but, you know, it is a matter of taste.
** Yeah, there are lots of possible combinations of having not thought about it, not caring, thinking it's cool, or not having the balls to admit it's a screw up. I really don't care which. I don't respect any of them.

 

[Hygor Haas]

See? This lack of creativity on your part is going to get your group killed.

I am saying you should either attack him when he is weak or disadvantaged, or use the opportunity to steal something of his he values to then barter/blackmail for the artifact. He doesn't need to sleep, but he might still sleep. Even if he doesn't, he still needs to take long rests filled with no more than light activity. Hell, he might simply enjoy having a drink at a local tavern on occasion. He doesn't need a spell book? Steal something else. He's not a sentient flying laser cannon, after all.

Has your group done any work on identifying this villain's Ideal, Bond, or Flaw? Maybe his bond is a friend, family member, or lover. If so, that person might be a much softer target. You might be able to either take advantage of his flaw in negotiations, and his ideal might telegraph a weakness in his strategy or an area in which he fails to prepare.


Above all, this defeatist attitude of yours isn't doing you any favors. When your DM says "A thousand tarrasques emerge from the earth around you," clearly you need to think outside of the "How do I out-tarrasque a tarrasque" box.

I understood your point. But let me explain better.
We were talking to an NPC (It was the Simulacrum), no wings or any hostile attitude, so the DM talks: "Barbarian rolls INT save", secretly. That was the Sutble Enemies Abound, impossible to detect. The Evocation Wizard was killed, causing desperation in the group.
From nowhere appears the villain with an "Alpha Attack" at long range.
This is strange, but the villain is just a single spellcaster with an ARTIFACT in his hand. This is 6x1
We thought it would be easy to defeat him, how could we guess he would give TPK ??


It's hard to accept that we can not beat him with 6 powerful players.

 

[Hygor Haas]

I say after thr thread so far - surrender. Take a pass on the win the artifact in combat thing and move on in the campaign.

Its likely the fight as presented is not winnable so stop beating yourself over it.

Either find non-comvat options or move on to other events.

If its not enjoyable find something that is.

Whether your gm is thinking himself clever or what with this set piece puzzle its better you realize he can always at anytime throw an unwinnable fight if he is so inclined. It requires no creativity. It shows no brilliance. Its easy to do even by accident. So, show him your characters are smart enough to step aside and get off the tracks whem the GM Express Unstoppable toots its whistle.

But, i would see it OOC as an "oh well, so what, boring" sort of thing, as of you walked up to a cliff that caused you to detour, not as a missed opportunity.

I will not blame the DM, he warned us that we were not prepared to meet this challenge, we needed more preparation and strategy. We simply ignore it.And also the DM interrupted the session when he realized it could be TPK. (Opportunity for players to use Brainstorming).
Honestly, The DM did not believe that Combo would be so effective ....