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Message: <blockquote data-quote="StreamOfTheSky" data-source="post: 4981409" data-attributes="member: 35909">Casualoblivion: I tell my players right out, something to the effect of: "While monsters follow the same rules and mechanics as PCs (I won't give a dragon PC's breath weapon a 1/encounter limit and the dragon NPC a recharge time), I am absolutely not...EVER fully statting out classed NPCs.  You guys have 24/7 to build and optimize.  I have to create your next batch of corpses on a week's notice.  I am NOT wasting my time optimizing all of them to match what you do.  If I want to just give bonuses that sound about right to save time, I will do so."  Any DM that doesn't want nightmarish preparation times should do the same.  Now stop derailing the thread with your 3E bashing.Yes, i really do enjoy the occasional perfect foil.  Sometimes because it's a recurring enemy, sometimes it just happens to also be an optimal build/idea.I'd like to point out some legitimate items from sources for the OP, all good for countering and/or re-directing the PCs' own awesomeness back on themselves:Amulet of Retribution (MIC): Immediate action to inflict half the damage you just suffered back on the guy who hit you.Counter Charge (Tome of Battle): Maneuver, to keep things simple if you're not familiar...anyone can take it as a feat at level 2+.  Immediate action against a charger, choose to force an opposed dex or str check (your choice which one each of you roll).  You get a +2/4 (I forget) bonus on the dex check if smaller than the foe, and +2/4 on the str check if larger than the foe.  If you win, the charge is countered and you send the foe up to 10 ft in whatever direction you like.  if you lose, the foe gets +2 to hit you on the charge.Spell Reflection (C. Mage): Alt. class feature for Evasion, instead lets you redirect a missed touch spell / spell-like ability back at the caster automatically as an immediate action.  As written, this works for melee touch AND ranged touch abilities.  The caster then re-rolls to try and hit himself, and...takes an Empowered Enervation to the face!  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Elusive Target (C. Warrior): Tactical feat w/ 3 abilities.  One of them says if you're flanked by your Dodge target (as in, with the Dodge feat), his first attack each round automatically veers past you and hits the buddy he's flanking with.  If the charging PC tries to charge into a flank, this can get pretty darn mean.Cometary Collision (PH2): Feat, lets you ready against a charge, such that you can then charge into the idiot that charges within your movement range.  Note you CAN get "set vs. charge" x2 damage bonus with this, and you CAN use the Pounce ability (I see no reason why a trained Lion/Tiger couldn't learn this; Pounce is available to a level 1 Barbarian) to full attack on this counter-attack of pain.  The Steadfast boots (MIC) will let you set vs. charge with any weapon for 4000 gp if you want a more badass weapon than a longspear.  You can further add insult to injury with the same charge-line feats your PC uses.Delay Death (Spell Compendium); Level 4 Cleric spell, round/level.  Target can't die from hp damage.  That's a pretty big slap in the face after they did all that damage...Fortunate Fate (SpC?): Basically a contingent Heal spell for when the target takes enough damage to otherwise die.  Cleric 7.More obscure / less easily available:Fool's Strike (ToB): Counter maneuver, immediate action.  Enemy's attack, if it misse,s hits himself instead.  Only really available to a high level Swordsage.  Or an Epic level monster with lots of HD and feats to splurge, maybe...[forgot name] (Dungeonscape): Factotem eventually gets a class feature to be able to once/encounter completely ignore the damage from one attack he just suffered.Deathless Frenzy (C. Warrior): Frenzied Berserker PrC class feature.  Basically like Delay death, except during raging.......................................................................Basically, there's a lot of ways to turn strength against itself.  These are just some legit written examples, and please...other people feel free to add more!  I don't think it's awful for a DM to create new and fun feats / races / etc... with abilities of a similar power level.  Just as long as the majority of encounters aren't made to punish them for their offense too much, it shouldn't piss them off.  Hopefully it might even make them hold back a little.I think the use of illusions is fine on occasion, too.  It's just a smart thing for the bad guys to do.  if the players get angry their spell/action was wasted...serves 'em right for rushing in without restraint.  You cna give them some hordes to butcher once in a while so they have their badass moments, but don't be afraid to humble them from time to time, too.Oh, and there are a LOT of specific tricks to screw over a charging PC, if you'd like.</blockquote>

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