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Balor vs Pit Fiend
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<blockquote data-quote="discosoc" data-source="post: 7006352" data-attributes="member: 6801554"><p>A run a simulation for both over 40 rounds. Not because either would survive 40 rounds, but to get a good average damage per round, including crits.</p><p></p><p>Assumptions:</p><p>Everything hits</p><p>Balor could reliably hit 4 targets per round with the fire aura (might be conservative)</p><p>Pit Fiend didn't bother with Fireball since it's a DPR loss compared to just wading in and attacking.</p><p>No advanced tactics or anything, like teleporting. This is just to measure expected damage potential.</p><p></p><p>Balor:</p><p>CR 19</p><p>HP 262</p><p>Average DPR for all attacks is 141 (**Edit** this number is too high. I misread it as having 2 longsword attacks, when it should only have 1)</p><p></p><p>Pit Fiend:</p><p>CR 20</p><p>HP 300</p><p>Average DPR for all attacks is 123</p><p></p><p>Observations:</p><p>Both have incredible defenses with magic resistance and damage reductions. Both also have great mobility, although the Balor is both larger (Huge compared to Large) and flies faster. The Balor also has the teleport action of 120 feet, although with the way its fire aura works it's probably better off triggering OA's as it moves around. So far the Pit Fiend is looking weaker, but then we move on to the utility...</p><p></p><p>There are two things that I think push the Pit Fiend into being a harder fight. First, being able to cast fireball, hold monster, and wall of fire, means the it can better control the battlefield. I mean, your average fighter isn't going to be able to reliably make that DC 21 WIS save for hold monster, and the Pit Fiend is intelligent enough to know exactly who to target with that thing, and even being able to lock a character down for just 1 or 2 rounds, or forcing another character to spend their action freeing the fighter instead of attacking the Pit Fiend would make for a pretty effective tactic.</p><p></p><p>The other thing the Pit Fiend has going, and possibly the better one, is their bite attack. Every time it hits with that, it's also doing a potential 6d6 poison damage plus another 6d6 at the start of the target's turns and prevents healing while active. It's a DC 21 CON save to resist or remove, and poison is one of the easier types to deal with, but a good bite attack on the wizard or cleric could begin the steamroll.</p><p></p><p>All in all, I definitely think the Pit Fiend is a tougher fight. It's only 14% lower in standard damage, but has 14% more health and a whole lot more control.</p><p></p><p>The one big downside to the Pit Fiend, however, is that because it's a Large creature, it could feasibly fall victim to Beefy McFighter's grapple and shove tactic, which pretty much means game over for the fiend. So if you're looking to actually use it, make sure to give the Pit Fiend some breathing room up front and remember that it's smart enough to know that it won't easily win a grapple contest against Beefy McFighter.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="discosoc, post: 7006352, member: 6801554"] A run a simulation for both over 40 rounds. Not because either would survive 40 rounds, but to get a good average damage per round, including crits. Assumptions: Everything hits Balor could reliably hit 4 targets per round with the fire aura (might be conservative) Pit Fiend didn't bother with Fireball since it's a DPR loss compared to just wading in and attacking. No advanced tactics or anything, like teleporting. This is just to measure expected damage potential. Balor: CR 19 HP 262 Average DPR for all attacks is 141 (**Edit** this number is too high. I misread it as having 2 longsword attacks, when it should only have 1) Pit Fiend: CR 20 HP 300 Average DPR for all attacks is 123 Observations: Both have incredible defenses with magic resistance and damage reductions. Both also have great mobility, although the Balor is both larger (Huge compared to Large) and flies faster. The Balor also has the teleport action of 120 feet, although with the way its fire aura works it's probably better off triggering OA's as it moves around. So far the Pit Fiend is looking weaker, but then we move on to the utility... There are two things that I think push the Pit Fiend into being a harder fight. First, being able to cast fireball, hold monster, and wall of fire, means the it can better control the battlefield. I mean, your average fighter isn't going to be able to reliably make that DC 21 WIS save for hold monster, and the Pit Fiend is intelligent enough to know exactly who to target with that thing, and even being able to lock a character down for just 1 or 2 rounds, or forcing another character to spend their action freeing the fighter instead of attacking the Pit Fiend would make for a pretty effective tactic. The other thing the Pit Fiend has going, and possibly the better one, is their bite attack. Every time it hits with that, it's also doing a potential 6d6 poison damage plus another 6d6 at the start of the target's turns and prevents healing while active. It's a DC 21 CON save to resist or remove, and poison is one of the easier types to deal with, but a good bite attack on the wizard or cleric could begin the steamroll. All in all, I definitely think the Pit Fiend is a tougher fight. It's only 14% lower in standard damage, but has 14% more health and a whole lot more control. The one big downside to the Pit Fiend, however, is that because it's a Large creature, it could feasibly fall victim to Beefy McFighter's grapple and shove tactic, which pretty much means game over for the fiend. So if you're looking to actually use it, make sure to give the Pit Fiend some breathing room up front and remember that it's smart enough to know that it won't easily win a grapple contest against Beefy McFighter. [/QUOTE]
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