Achilles Heels?

[myradale]

Ok, I'm wondering if anyone has got any good ideas about PC Classes (or Monsters) achilles heels?

For example, we all know that the average wizard's fort and ref saves are comparable to the average 11 year old child, (yes, it's an exageration).
And if you use disarm to take away a cleric's holy symbol, their lack of divine focus reduces their number of spells to about 10% or so.

Any other tricks that would work well? What have GMs thrown you for a loop for in the past?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

You know, despite my years and years of playing D&D, *I* tend to be my characters' biggest Achilles's Heel.

 

[Sejs]

And if you use disarm to take away a cleric's holy symbol, their lack of divine focus reduces their number of spells to about 10% or so.

I have always said that any cleric that carries only one holy symbol deserves exactly what they get, once it gets taken away from them.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

And if you use disarm to take away a cleric's holy symbol, their lack of divine focus reduces their number of spells to about 10% or so.

Good luck using disarm to take away my cleric's holy symbol, since it's inscribed upon (or attached to, or imbedded in) his armor.


Jeff

 

[argo]

Good luck using disarm to take away my cleric's holy symbol, since it's inscribed upon (or attached to, or imbedded in) his armor.


Jeff

I don't know about that

To cast a spell, you must be able to speak (if the spell has a verbal component), gesture (if it has a somatic component), and manipulate the material components or focus (if any).

(emphasis mine)

You have to "manipulate" your focus while casting, hold it up or brandish it, that sort of thing. I don't think that I'd rule that you can "manipulate" a symbol inscribed on your chest plate for purposes of casting.

 

[Sejs]

But you sure can if it's, say, on the back of your gauntlet.

Quite easy to brandish then.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

You have to "manipulate" your focus while casting, hold it up or brandish it, that sort of thing. I don't think that I'd rule that you can "manipulate" a symbol inscribed on your chest plate for purposes of casting.

In that case you're the one choosing to make life harder for the cleric; it's not the rules.


Jeff

 

[CRGreathouse]

I don't think I've ever had my holy symbol disarmed as a cleric. Then again, it wouldn't be a good tactic -- I generally carry many holy symbols with me, for the purpose of making converts and so forth.

 

[Darklone]

It's still annoying to Quickdraw holy symbols all the time, except if you want to throw them with TWF and Rapid Shot around vampires ... too bad that doesn't work .

 

[iwatt]

The battleguard PrC IMC has the ability to use his bonded weapon as his holy symbol as the first level special ability. Never seemed to troubling for the melee cleric, who once he's in mele kind of forget's about casting.