D&D 5E [Spoilers] Out of the Abyss - Graz'zt tactics

[Delazar]

I'm DMing Out of the Abyss with a "little" twist. Basically the party TPKed outside of Manthol-Derith, and we decided to get our Tyranny of Dragons party out of retirement, and tackle the rest of OotA with them.

So, the party is lvl 16 (4 players = fighter, cleric, rogue, wizard, all dwarves), and I've decided to make them FIGHT THE DEMON LORDS, one by one. Last week Fraz'Urb-luu cleaned Gravenhollow's floor with them ("no concentration required" phantasmal killer FTW!).

This week is Graz'zt's turn. They will meet him in Vizeran's tower, and he will probably have a marilith with him. How do you think he should go about fighting them? I'm thinking Imp. Invisibility is a must, but then I can't do all the other concentration stuff he has (dominate, for example).

He doesn't have to play too smart, since he's in the throes of the "rage of demons", but I still want him to kick some hairy dwarven arses.

 

[CapnZapp]

I happen to be of the definite opinion that anyone calling themselves an "archmage" or "demon lord" or similar have managed to find a way around that pesky concentration limit

But consider thread subscribed - I will have my party face Graz'zt quite soon...

 

[Quickleaf]

I'm DMing Out of the Abyss with a "little" twist. Basically the party TPKed outside of Manthol-Derith, and we decided to get our Tyranny of Dragons party out of retirement, and tackle the rest of OotA with them.

So, the party is lvl 16 (4 players = fighter, cleric, rogue, wizard, all dwarves), and I've decided to make them FIGHT THE DEMON LORDS, one by one. Last week Fraz'Urb-luu cleaned Gravenhollow's floor with them ("no concentration required" phantasmal killer FTW!).

This week is Graz'zt's turn. They will meet him in Vizeran's tower, and he will probably have a marilith with him. How do you think he should go about fighting them? I'm thinking Imp. Invisibility is a must, but then I can't do all the other concentration stuff he has (dominate, for example).

He doesn't have to play too smart, since he's in the throes of the "rage of demons", but I still want him to kick some hairy dwarven arses.

Vizeran's Tower
The approach to Vizeran's Tower shows signs of broken spell wards, reflective surfaces showing vague glimpses of how Vizeran's Tower fell, Underdark beasts fighting gruesomely to the death for 'mating rights', and as the PCs ascend the stairs succubi/inccubi subserviently offer the PCs wine and gems as tribute to the "conquering heroes." What you're doing here is trying to frame a classic "heroes walk into the hall of the aristocratic and woefully underpowered BBEG, talk smack, and kick his ass" scenario...which is exactly what Graz'zt wants them to think. If you want to get really psychological you can even have some of the reflective surfaces reveal glimpses of the PCs themselves being the ones to conquer Vizeran's Tower – which might even prompt them to want to talk to Graz'zt even more.

Vizeran's Tower has turned into a bacchanal hall filled with drow afflicted by pleasure-madness, succubi/inccubi lounging on silk pillows and cambions smoking opium/dreambliss (most of whom are semi-oblivious to the PCs, like in the den of the lotus eaters). Many wear alabaster masks, some of which bear an uncanny resemblance to some of the PCs, albeit with distorted ecstatic expressions. Braziers filled with steaming acid lend an acrid sweet smell to the air. The hall is ringed by perforated lattice walls akin to Indian jalis (relevant for Graz'zt's Teleport action later). Outside the tower are steep drops down into a chasm.

Talking with Graz'zt
Graz'zt's first order of business should be talking with the PCs, trying to sow doubt/discord among them, perhaps falsely posturing that he allying with him could help them against a much more difficult demon lord (one of his rivals), or hinting that he has long had an agent in their midst since events from Tyranny of Dragons, or perhaps offering to help them get vengeance on a hated enemy from Tyranny of Dragons. What makes the dialogue tricky, is that much of what Graz'zt offers may be very real.

Anything to keep them talking. You know that trick where the PC Bard fast-talks the villain while the party gets into position and sets up their strategy. Well, Graz'zt is doing this right back to them. He's heard about Fraz's death and is taking extra precautions...

For each conversation topic he keeps them talking about (~1 minute or fraction thereof), Graz'zt's followers are able to implement one of the following countermeasures/defenses:

• Beneath their masks, several of the succubi take on the appearance of the PCs (or possibly NPCs allied with the party, if Graz'zt is aware of them). This is relevant later when Graz'zt uses his command lair action to command the party to "don a mask, little mortals, and join my bacchanal."
• Succubi whisper into the ears of the drow lounging on silk pillows, who covertly come out of their stupor, awaiting their moment to attack the PCs from their flanks as drow elite warriors. Up to DM discretion how many are "awakened."
• Succubi swap out the opium pipes for censers secretly packed with burnt othur fumes (see DMG p. 257) which will be lit as soon as it looks like combat is going to happen, blanketing the hall in poison incense (that the fiends are immune to).
• Cambions slip off from the bacchanal hall, making Stealth checks with advantage, to try to set up for a surprise attack on the PCs. Up to DM discretion how many try to surprise PCs.
• Graz'zt studies each PC during the conversation, learning the lowest saving throw of each of the PCs.

Lair Actions & Flow of the Fight
Before tactics, I'd suggest a few tweaks to his Lair Actions and the flow of the fight...

• His Lair Actions are underwhelming. I'd take a page from the d20 version of Graz'zt where he had quickened dispel magic, and let him use a Lair Action to cast dispel magic. Also, I'd add something else to his "reflective surfaces impose disadvantage to Stealth checks, such as creating an psychological opium-mirror maze that makes it hard for PCs to identify one another in the bacchanal hall (which feeds into the whole command thing below). You might play up the presence of his allied demon Verin/Ztefano within the mirrors.
• At an early point in the combat, Graz'zt commands the PCs (everyone in the hall) to "don a mask, and join my bacchanal." This should, for 1 round, make it hard or impossible for PCs to identify one another, as the succubi swiftly adorn masked individuals with the gaudy silks similar to what everyone else in the hall wears. Being unable to identify one another means a lot of buffing/healing spells and features won't work, or will require educated guesswork (which could be skill checks, 1d8 scatter rolls, or some kind of puzzle depending on your table's gaming style).
• Though Graz'zt uses his natural Large form for most of the encounter, he will polymorph to a medium humanoid and adorn a mask to blend in with any PCs who've been commanded to join the bacchanal. Then the players get to play Where in the World in Graz'zt -- think that scene from Batman Begins where Bruce has to figure out which of the ninjas is his enemy in a hall of ninjas. To make this work in 5e's action economy, I suggest letting Graz'zt change shape as a bonus action, instead of an action; this way he can still Ready his action to attack a PC getting close to him (with advantage if the PC doesn't realize which is Graz'zt). In fact, this might even be his main strategy. And if the PCs attack the wrong creature (not a fellow PC), then that drow elite warrior / succubi/inccubi / cambion joins the fight.
• What happened to the archmage Vizeran? He should make an appearance midway through the fight, even if the PCs think he's dead. This could be the real Vizeran suffering under Madness of Graz'zt (e.g. "Mine is the path of redemption. Anyone who says otherwise is misleading." & "Anyone who doesn't do exactly what I say doesn't deserve to live".). Alternately it could just be a succubi guised as Vizeran, pretending to be under Graz'zt's control, maybe begging a PC to break a gem to free him so he can aid their fight; of course, the gem is a trap of some kind...perhaps a diamond housing a delayed blast fireball or a sphere of annihilation (DMG p. 201).

Combat Tactics
Graz'zt is really meant to be encountered with minions. One his own, sure he's tough, but he lacks the sheer offensive capability needed to fend off a party of 16th level PCs who know what they're doing. A lot of my ideas so far were meant to help remedy that, but ultimately when it comes to the actual combat, he's going to need to be very careful and let his marilith companion do much of the heavy fighting for him.

• Beign with sanctuary, and use crown of madness on the tankiest PC. In addition to defending Graz'zt, this PC can be used to implement lair countermeasures/defenses that Graz'zt's succubi didn't have time for during the talking scene. In pursuing targets, this tanky PC should be sent after a spellcaster. Back this up with dominate person on the same or different PC.
• If the PCs conjure a beast or have an animal companion or any kind, Graz'zt should use dominate monster on it early in the fight.
• Cast counterspell every round, particularly against spells that would (a) prevent Graz'zt from teleporting/moving, (b) free PCs from his charm or grant immunity to charm, (c) purge his ongoing magic.
• Use telekinesis to send a PC out of the hall and drop them off the edge of the tower, probably later in the fight as Graz'zt seems to be losing ground.
• When reduced to ~50% HP, drop greater invisibility, and Teleport outside the perforated lattice jalis surrounding the bacchanal hall. This gives him 1/2 cover, line of sight to the PCs for his charm spells, and a barrier to soak any damage dealing spells the PCs deal (DM discretion how much it takes to destroy jalis). From here he can cast dissonant whispers and other spells, until the PCs figure out where he is. This is a good time to play up the battle against any minions / charmed PCs.
• When using Dance, My Puppet!, Graz'zt should send the charmed PC into one of the acid braziers (taking ~2d6 acid damage) and/or into a guard position where they'd be able to opportunity attack a PC moving away.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Out of curiosity, what did them in? My part barely survived the place when they were ambushed on the way to gnomes’ compound after the fight with the Zhentarim and drow.

As far as Grazz’t’s tactics go, I’d think he’d find a way to plant some allies in the group that would betray them, or even place some magic items that have curses that will activate on his command. He’s a clever plotter, and shouldn’t be caught without some scheme or double-cross. And he certainly wouldn’t venture into the Tower of Araj without a trick or several up his sleeve.

I'm DMing Out of the Abyss with a "little" twist. Basically the party TPKed outside of Manthol-Derith, and we decided to get our Tyranny of Dragons party out of retirement, and tackle the rest of OotA with them.

 

[Delazar]

Out of curiosity, what did them in?.

They followed Peebles to his master Xazax the beholder.

 

[Delazar]

*snip * awesome post

I wish I had posted this last week, so I could prepare all this awesomeness. As it was, we had the fight yesterday, and it was... interesting.

The party is talking with Vizeran on the top floor of the tower, when Graz'zt (in the shape of a male drow) floats up from the hole in the center of the floor, together with a female drow (marilith in disguise).

The rogue immediately notices that the male has six fingers on ech hand, and the wizard begin an expert demonologist informs the party that Graz'zt is in the house. Graz'zt (and the marilith) assume their true forms, and he tells the party to get out of his way while he kills Vizeran because reasons.

Vizeran escapes, throwing himslef from a window. The fighter starts talking crap at Graz'zt, and Graz'zt promises to kill him first. Initiative is rolled. Graz'zt and the Marilith go first!

Graz'zt goes Imp. Invisibility, and the Marilith charges at the cleric. From there, it was a massacre. The Marilith first restrained the cleric with her tail, then made 6 attacks with advantage.

Even though being invisible "only" gives them disadvantage to attack Graz'zt, they decide to focus on the Marilith to save the cleric. A few unfortunate rolls, and a counterspell from Graz'zt seal the fate of the Cleric.

In the next round, his body gets thrown down the shaft six floors down, unconscious. Rogue is missing like there's in no tomorrow, Wizard keeps getting counterspelled, and fighter can only stand two rounds of concentrated attacks from Marilith and Graz'zt. When both the Rogue and the wizard leave the room to find cover, Graz'zt only has an unconscious Fighter in front of him, and he kills him dead (as promised).

TPK is looming, when the rogue givs the Cleric a potion, and he uses Divine Intervention, rolling a 17. I rule that it is fine (they're level 16), and the goddess Sune comes to the rescue. I asked the players if they wish Sune to help them defensively or offensively, and they choose defense. Sune resurrects the fighter, and heals everyone else 50 hp.

Then the party decides to RUN. As they leave the Tower, they hear Vizeran's screams echoing in the cave...

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Ooof, that'll do it. My group just thought Peebles was a harmless weirdo and stayed focused on why they were there, thankfully.

They followed Peebles to his master Xazax the beholder.

 

[Quickleaf]

I wish I had posted this last week, so I could prepare all this awesomeness. As it was, we had the fight yesterday, and it was... interesting.

<snip>

Then the party decides to RUN. As they leave the Tower, they hear Vizeran's screams echoing in the cave...

Sounds brutal! Well, you can always use my ideas for when your party rallies to take on Graz'zt again (cause you know players don't take defeat kindly).

 

[Quickleaf]

Delete. Duplicate post.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Vizeran is an archmage with Teleport. I am assuming he simply teleported to another secret lair of his. He is a big too major and intelligent to simply be killed. (The guy created the elemental weapons in Princes of the Apocalypse and has a ton of magic stuff.)A way to explain his screams I would say he polymorphed his assistant into his form so that he would be killed in his place.