The groups I DM for always have someone with hypnotic pattern, as soon as they're high enough level to take the spell. This is because one particular player has learned how good it is and therefore always takes it. Always. No exceptions. And if that PC runs out of spell slots to cast it, they'll rest instead of fighting without it.
I've spread out the baddies so that they can't all be caught with one spell.
I've given the baddies magic resistance.
I've had the baddies use their turns to wake each other up.
None of them seem to prevent the fights from becoming predictable, at least where hypnotic pattern is concerned. I really hate that bit at the end when the whole party is whaling on the one poor leftover who was looking at the pretty lights while his buddies got slaughtered.
Does anyone have suggestions for any other way to deal with the spell?
I've spread out the baddies so that they can't all be caught with one spell.
I've given the baddies magic resistance.
I've had the baddies use their turns to wake each other up.
None of them seem to prevent the fights from becoming predictable, at least where hypnotic pattern is concerned. I really hate that bit at the end when the whole party is whaling on the one poor leftover who was looking at the pretty lights while his buddies got slaughtered.
Does anyone have suggestions for any other way to deal with the spell?