D&D 3E/3.5 Outsider V. Outsider (or, 3.5 DR)

[gfunk]

The Vorpal weapon looks like the only chance the Balor has of winning this fight, except that one of the Solar's spells is Death Ward, which probably blocks the vorpal weapon ability.

A dubious ruling, IMO. A Vorpal weapon is crafted using the Finger of Death spell, but there is no indication that Death Ward should block it. After all, vampires can be vorpal-ized even though they are immune to death effects.

On the other hand, the Solar's Dancing Weapon allows the Solar to also cast spells while fighting or to shoot at the Balor with the Solar's slaying arrows.

Well, the only problem here is the Dancing quality only allows attacks at the user's BAB. That means that you subtract the strength "to hit" and "damage" while the sword is dancing, making it far less likely to hit and even less likely to through the Balor's DR.

Also slaying arrows are a joke in 3.0 and 3.5. Since the Fort DC is 15 or so, the Balor will only fail on a natural 1. Assuming of course, the Solar hits and penetrates the demon's DR.

. . . should definitely end in a win for the Solar in 10 or so rounds.

Perhaps, if you assume they just go toe to toe and mindlessly slug at each other. Of course the Balor can summon an additional Balor to help, though the Solar can use Gate to do the same.

And, even if the Solar wins (likely, considering the CR difference) then he has to face a 100 hp blast as the Balor dies (Reflex DC 30 is hard even for a Solar to make).

My point is that this fight will be exceedingly complex considering the myriad powers of the opponents.

 

[FANGO]

I don't know if this is some new 3.5 rule, but in 3e, vampires certainly cannot be vorpal-ized. They may have heads, but they're also undead type, which means they're immune to crits. Vorpal weapons only work on a successful crit, so vampires would not be affected by a vorpal weapon (or at least, not the vorpal quality of the weapon).

 

[gfunk]

Vorpal weapons only work on a successful crit, so vampires would not be affected by a vorpal weapon (or at least, not the vorpal quality of the weapon).

3.5 DMG, p. 226, first column, under Vorpal

"Vorpal: This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes . . . Some creatures, such as many aberations and all oozes, have no heads. Ohters, such as golems, and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads."

The rule from 3.0 has remain unchanged.

 

[FANGO]

Well, that's certainly interesting. I guess I forgot to add the part in my post that I don't do 3.5, so I don't really care what the rules are in that version...but actually, that's quite interesting that they allow that in 3.5, and that's a good house rule, since cutting off a head is one of the ways to kill a vampire, so there's no reason that a vorpal weapon shouldn't be able to do that even if they're normally supposed to be uncrittable.

So thanks for the heads-up on that one.

 

[Gez]

Vorpal, as well as the energy burst weapons (flaming burst, etc.), are properties that are triggered by crits, but not critical damage in themselves.

If you crit an undead, the undead ignores the critical damage (so, you don't have to bother rolling the extra dice). However, the flaming burst vorpal longword you used will proceed to decapitate and inflicts its fire, and extra fire, damage on the undead.

 

[the Jester]

The fight was far from a simple, one-on-one balor v. solar battle.

Yeah, the solar was regenerating almost as fast as it took damage, even with the other combatants around- but don't forget, the balor can use greater teleport at will. And the solar had to deal with a 20th-level necromancer trying to banish it or slay it, so she wasn't exactly able to constantly fly and get a single attack off. She also knew her sword wouldn't have a dingo's kidney's chance of hitting while dancing, and spent several round bereft of the sword after the balor's quickened telekinesis succeeded in disarming her.

'Course, the balor hisself was busy fending off a nigh-epic party too, but they were busy with a mean trio of vampires (plus the necromancer), a few other high-level spellcasters and a crawling head, plus the nalfeshnee that the balor summoned for aid (though it lasted only a few rounds).

I'd say, based on my experience, that balor v. solar can go either way, but the odds are definitely on the angel. They both did a lot of instant-death kinda stuff in the hopes of a failed save (I think the solar tried to imprison the balor no less than thrice, f'rinstance).

 

[gfunk]

Jester,

I assume the angel won, right? If the balor died did he take a lot of people with him in the resulting explosion?

 

[the Jester]

gfunk- It was actually a pc who finally finished it off. Large size, superstrength, a BIG greatsword and a crit was the setup; the followup finished it off. Then, BOOM!!! But still, nobody died in the explosion- the pcs had just gotten off a Mass Heal a couple of rounds before.

 

[Voadam]

what's a crawling head?

 

[the Jester]

what's a crawling head?

A naaasty CR 20 undead from the Fiend Folio. It's a giant's head; it has neat powers like a vorpal bite, wail of the banshee 3/day, and much more. I give it two thumbs up for teh nasty.