Defeating a Balor

[Krel]

What are some tips you would have for defeating a balor?
1. Items
2. Spells
3. Tactics
4. Etc.

The party consists of five 15th level characters: a wizard, a barbarian, a fighter, a cleric, and a rogue.

Thanks for your help!

-Krel

 

[Hammerhead]

First, I'm going to assume you mean Balor, not Balrog.


In most cases, casting Holy Word gets rid of them pretty easily.

 

[Victim]

Some kind of dimensional anchor/lockdown effect is important. Fortification and Fire Resistance should also come in handy.

 

[Simm]

Balrog: Try to trick it into following you on to a narrow stone bridge.

Balor: Anything holy and hope for the best.

Alternate Balor: Enlist the aid of a Pit Fiend and take out whoever comes out on top. (Pit Fiends have 18 HD and thus can be summoned through Greater Planar Binding)

 

[Krel]

Balrog: Try to trick it into following you on to a narrow stone bridge.

Balor: Anything holy and hope for the best.

Alternate Balor: Enlist the aid of a Pit Fiend and take out whoever comes out on top. (Pit Fiends have 18 HD and thus can be summoned through Greater Planar Binding)

Yeah, sorry, Balor. Hehe...too much LOTR lately.

 

[pawsplay]

The wizard casts energy resistance on the barbarian, while the cleric lays on spell immunity to several of the balor's abilities. Once the barbarian has the thing's attention, the fighter and rogue attack. You might want to polymorph the rogue into a hydra... a full attack while flanking would be pretty good.

 

[Cerowyn]

The wizard casts energy resistance on the barbarian, while the cleric lays on spell immunity to several of the balor's abilities. Once the barbarian has the thing's attention, the fighter and rogue attack. You might want to polymorph the rogue into a hydra... a full attack while flanking would be pretty good.

The Balor's Greater Dispel Magic power makes the energy resistence and spell immunities probably pretty short-lived (since their effects are pretty obvious), and therefore probably not a good use of resources. Better to provide instantaneous help, such as healing, and defensive magic, such as Protection From Evil to ward against the Dominate Monster power (and keep hoping that the Balor just assumes your save is very good so that it doesn't waste a Greater Dispel Magic). Enlarge (both for the extra damage and reach), Haste (for obvious reasons) and Wraith Strike* (since it halves the Balor's AC against attacks by that person) are all invaluable spells against the beastie. Unless your cleric has the Spell Penetration feat, spells like Holy Word are only going to be effective about 35% of the time.

Polymorphing the rogue into something like an advanced Pyro-hydra is probably a good idea. The fire immunity, multiple attacks and reach are all good counters to the Balor's similar advantages.

And of course that Greater Teleport at will ability is a killer. It's very hard to keep such a critter in one place long enough to off 'em. It's not a bad idea to try a Dimensional Lock or something like it, even if it doesn't have a great chance of succeeding.

* Caveat: I can't recall off the top of my head if SR applies to Wraith Strike. Ignore it if it does.

 

[Pinotage]

Some form of Silence spell or a way to counter the Blashpemy ability. Otherwise the party is going to hurt.

Pinotage

 

[Andras]

Don't roll a one on the charge attack that would kill it outright.

 

[Presto2112]

One useful tip... keep spellcasters as far away as possible. Once the killing blow lands, the Balor's death throes have a good chance of wiping your d4 and d6 HD PCs out.

Ranged attack, ranged attack, ranged attack.