Hi all,
I am running Dungeon of the Mad Mage for one of my groups. The PCs are pretty close to hitting level 13, and one of my players has found an annoyingly effective combination of class features and combat tactics that make his PC something of an unkillable one-trick pony who makes fights too easy more often than not. The other players all love how effective his PC is at making fights easier, of course, so I'm looking for some ways to shake things up so he can't always rely on the same tactic.
The PC in question is a dwarf forge cleric 7 / watcher paladin 4 / storm sorcerer 1. He has an AC of 23 thanks to his plate armor, shield, cloak of protection and class features, and what he likes to do is wade into melee next to the fighter and the barbarian, cast spirit guardians, then dodge to impose disadvantage on anyone trying to attack him to disrupt the spell. He also has the Protection fighting style, so once per round he can reduce incoming damage to one of the other PCs standing next to him. If he doesn't use that, he also has the option of casting either shield or absorb elements to further protect himself (and lessen the likelihood of losing spirit guardians).
One way I could deal with this is have the group face more enemies who can cast dispel magic. Another way might be to use the same tactics against the PCs and see how they like a taste of their own medicine. Has anyone got any other ideas?
Again, I'm not looking to punish my players or take away their cool toys. I'm just looking for ways to shake them out of their habits and get a little more variety into the way they approach combats in the dungeon.
In case it matters, the other PCs are a human evoker 12, a dwarf berserker 12, a half-orc samurai 12, and a half-elf swashbuckler 7 / hexblade 5 (who likes to use the other annoyingly effective darkness + Devil's Sight combo).
Your thoughts would be most appreciated.
I see nothing wrong with that build. SG damage is not that great if all he is doing is dodging IMO. I love builds that combine synergies like these and play against stereotypes. I went with a weaponless Dwarf Order Cleric10/Enchantment Wizard4 in plate with an 8 str and 8 dex (Dwarf so no movement penalty). It was a pretty awesome build, great AC, at will Hypnotic Gaze, Casting Enchantment spells as a bonus action due to order cleric.
A few comments and recommendations for countering:
1. He can't Dodge on the turn he casts spirit guardians, wail on him to break concentration THAT round. Take AOOs to run across the battlefield and make it happen.
2. Pay attention to the Rogues darkness and remember darkness will almost always cancel the disadvantage from dodge. If EITHER the Paladin or the guy attacking the Paladin are in darkness the attack must be straight up with no advantage and no disadvantage. If the Paladin is in darkness then he is blinded and this gives attacks against him advantage which cancels disadvantage from dodge. If his attacker is in darkness then that attacker has advantage against the Paladin because he is unseen and again this cancels the disadvantage from dodge. Also note that once you have a single case of advantage and disadvantage the roll is straight up, stacking more disadvantages does not turn it back to disadvantage. So a monster who is blinded (disadvantage), poisoned (disadvantage), frightened (disadvantage), attacking a dodging enemy (disadvantage) at long range (disadvantage), from inside darkness (unseen attacker-advantage), would still make the roll normal with no advantage or disadvantage.
3. Remember Spirit guardians hurts allies too. When he casts spirit guardians he can designate "a number of targets he can see" that it does not effect, but he needs to both SEE them and DESIGNATE them WHEN he casts the spell. Make him say who it is not affecting when he casts it. So if the Rogue is hiding, guess what he can't be seen and excluded, also anyone inside the Rogue's darkness also can't be seen and excluded. If he beat the Barbarian in initiative and the Barbarian is around the corner he can't see him to exclude him. If the Wizard summons some allies after the SG is cast, guess what they were not excluded when he cast it. If he just forgets to about the Wizard's familiar then it is dead as soon as it enters SG. God forbid the C/P/S himself is inside the Rogue's darkness when he casts it; then under a strict RAW it even effects him!
4. Don't forget concentration saves, make sure he rolls every one.
5. Grappling and shoving can be good at countering SG. The action economy favors the monsters because you can use an attack to grapple or shove but you need to use an entire action to break a grapple. Shove prone then grapple and he is in a world of hurt, he is prone and can't stand up. Being prone means disadvantage is canceled for enemies within 5 feet. He needs to use a whole action to try to break it and needs to use half move just to stand if successful at breaking the grapple. If he breaks the grapple he is not dodging that round .... so put him down again and now monsters within 5 feet have advantage. Finally you can drag him across the battlefield and put him where you want him so he is not affecting as many bad guys
Alternatively if there is someone he did not designate for one of the reasons above, grapple that person and drag them into it (possibly doing double damage since they would take damage moving in off turn and at the start of their turn).
5. Affect his movement with things like caltrops or difficult terrain.
6. He only has 3 3rd level slots, so if he is doing this every fight he is burning some high level spells.
7. Frightened condition. If your monsters can do this use it. It prevents him from moving towards you.
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