Defeating a Balor

[Krel]

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.

The only problem I have with this is that the Balor can just simply teleport right up to the spellcasters, and they will be so far away that the other PCs won't be able to reach them for several rounds...

 

[pawsplay]

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.

Just provoking the balor into using a spell-like ability that doesn't kill anybody is a good use of resources.

I've had some more thoughts. The fighter should probably attack from a range, readying his action every turn to interrupt any attack or spell by the balor. You'll need some good damage, though. By the same token, the wizard could attempt to counterspell every single spell-like ability using greater dispel magic himself.

Another good tactic is the summoned monster dogpile... get enough creatures on the board, and the balor will have trouble using his whip or making effective use of area spells.

 

[Rystil Arden]

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

That only works against the 3.0 Balor, which can be defeated by a 4th-level Fighter who wins initiative and crits.

 

[pawsplay]

+1 holy bane vs. evil outsiders composite longbow (Str +5) using +1 axiomatic bane vs. chaotic outsiders arrows = 1d8 + 1 + 5 + 6 + 2d6 + 2d6 + 2d6 = 37.5 damage. Not big enough to interrupt a spell-like ability, but enough to kill a balor in seven hits without critting.

 

[Venator]

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

Pinotage

I was under the impretion that the 3.5 Blasphemy didnt need to be heard in order to take effect? Doesnt it just need to be said?

I guess if the Balor is actually inside a silenced area it would work.

 

[pawsplay]

I was under the impretion that the 3.5 Blasphemy didnt need to be heard in order to take effect? Doesnt it just need to be said?

I guess if the Balor is actually inside a silenced area it would work.

It's not mind affecting, so being deaf won't help, but it is sonic, so silence should.

 

[Infiniti2000]

+1 holy bane vs. evil outsiders composite longbow (Str +5) using +1 axiomatic bane vs. chaotic outsiders arrows = 1d8 + 1 + 5 + 6 + 2d6 + 2d6 + 2d6 = 37.5 damage. Not big enough to interrupt a spell-like ability, but enough to kill a balor in seven hits without critting.

I realize this is just an example, but here in the Rules forum, we like to pick things apart. In this example, I see the following issues:

1. Str +5. I allow it, but I know that some do not. Just keep that in mind.
2. I think you intended the +1 damage from the bow/arrow, right? It should be +3 due to one or the other bane effect.
3. What's the +6 damage? Did you mean to type 2d6, because there's a 2d6 missing.
4. You could add weapon specialization (and greater) and favored enemy for more. Maybe that's the +6?
5. You are forgetting a critical element: cold iron.

More on topic, I found out that the best way to kill a balor is to summon 3 very old radiant dragons to fight it for you. Right, Gansk?

 

[pawsplay]

I realize this is just an example, but here in the Rules forum, we like to pick things apart. In this example, I see the following issues:

1. Str +5. I allow it, but I know that some do not. Just keep that in mind.

Who doesn't allow composite bows? I'm not sure I understand.

2. I think you intended the +1 damage from the bow/arrow, right? It should be +3 due to one or the other bane effect.

I gave it a separate line, which is....

3. What's the +6 damage? Did you mean to type 2d6, because there's a 2d6 missing.

I forgot the axiomatic the first time around, should be +8 and one more 2d6.

4. You could add weapon specialization (and greater) and favored enemy for more. Maybe that's the +6?

You could, but I was assuming a pre-existing fighter build, not necessarily a specialized archer.

5. You are forgetting a critical element: cold iron.

I kind of thought it went without saying, but there you are.

 

[Hammerhead]

He means +5 composite bows. The PHB limits them to +4 for humans and the like. Of course, giants have more powerful bows, but theirs are a hell of a lot bigger too.

 

[pawsplay]

He means +5 composite bows. The PHB limits them to +4 for humans and the like. Of course, giants have more powerful bows, but theirs are a hell of a lot bigger too.

Is that a 3.0 thing? Because I don't see it.