Elder Earth Elementals are BRUTAL!!!

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Huh? What's wrong with the DR rules? The party took on a critter and didn't use their brains.

That was just one problem they were facing. Obviously cutting through 15 points of damage at 10th-level is difficult.

Even with the new DR rules it will not change the fact that without thinking in combat the "swing-weapon/magic-missile-fireball/cure-wounds" tactic only goes so far ...

Agreed.

Not to say all about those wonderful spells designed against outsiders ...

Maybe they hadn't prepared them that day. The cleric IMC always prepares Protection from Evil, not because he fights outsiders every day, but because he hates it when the rogue gets Dominated, Frightened, etc.

 

[HellHound]

Also sweet for any of the Earth Elementals with reach is to attack THROUGH the walls in a dungeon.

We had some SERIOUS issues trying to get into the Temple of Elemental Evil because of the Earth Elemental near the entrance. Bloody thing would hang back 5 feet beyond the stone wall or stone floor, and use it's reach to strike at party members. It was a bloody disaster.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Huh? What's wrong with the DR rules? The party took on a critter and didn't use their brains. I'd hardly blame the system. In any case a 10th level party should have a caster with greater magic weapon memorized (or already cast). That will grant a +3 weapon. This should not have been a massacre.

buzzard

I've been telling them over and over that GMW is a spell that can really save thier butts. They never cast it. A few of us went to dinner last night and I kept telling them they could have beaten it. The Fighter/Wizard kept hitting with is two weapon attacks...did maybe 1 damage as they were +2 and +1. Maybe they will get the picture now. The wizard kept summoning Giant Dire Crocs & Fiendish Grillions only to see them brutally killed in no time. 2d10+16 can add up quick. The good thing is I don't even need to use Divine Intervention(great album btw ) to save them. The mechanism is built into the adventure I'm running and it will all come together next session. Should be interesting. The flying Wizard is the only survivor, this is the second time he's survived when everyone else died.

P.S. the party also got mad that I rolled a 69 on a 14d6 flame strike right afterwards....it's only an average of 4.9! But the cleric wouldn't have gotten there in time if they hadn't spent so many rounds fighting the EE.

 

[Fenes 2]

The wizard kept summoning creatures? What about just opening up with direct damage spells until the darn thing is dead? What spells did the wizard have prepared?

 

[MerakSpielman]

Well, it's the party's responsibility to make sure they are prepared to take on anything they meet, not yours to make sure your monsters are toned-down to their level of preparation.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

The wizard kept summoning creatures? What about just opening up with direct damage spells until the darn thing is dead? What spells did the wizard have prepared?

Well he loads up on Summon Monster spells. He also fired about 6 Magic Missles that did pretty good damage. He had a fireball, but he didn't roll that well. The fighter/wiz fired a fireball as well but rolled more crap damage. They were unbuffed and the Cleric kept having to convert his spells into heals to save the Paladin as well.

 

[Fenes 2]

Well, it's the party's responsibility to make sure they are prepared to take on anything they meet, not yours to make sure your monsters are toned-down to their level of preparation.

I could not disagree more. What counts is that the players and the DM have fun, not that each "side" is prepared for anything. For some having fun means they pit their PCs against the monsters of the MD and vice versa, neither side asking for or expecting quarter. Others have different ideas of fun.

Example: In my Shadowrun-Campaign the focus is not on overcoming obstacles through planning and preparation, but on dealing with all the mayhem and trouble the PCs' weaknesses and follies generate and having as much fun as possible while doing that. Planning is done by the NPC-leader, while the PCs often ruin the plan.
The PCs don't "level up" (=spend karma on skills and attributes), and as the GM I carefully tailor the opponents to the party - I don't tell the players to have their PCs shape up or die, or expect them to remove the various weaknesses.

 

[Nail]

A few of us went to dinner last night and I kept telling them they could have beaten it.

For the rest of you: This is not the way to keep friends and aquaintances.

"Boy, were you guys could have beaten it if you tried hard enough!"

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

For the rest of you: This is not the way to keep friends and aquaintances.

"Boy, were you guys could have beaten it if you tried hard enough!"

Yeah I'm sure my brother and one of my closest friends were going to tell me they don't like me anymore becuase I told them they should have put some thought into the fight.


Reach between your legs, grab your ears, and pull.

 

[Jive]

I love Killer DMs (not saying you are Flexor). We had just ran into one of these bad boys the other night.


Party is in the underdark hunting down a mad Drow Wizard. such fun! Anyways, this Drow got the jump on us in a well placed ambush with 2 Iron Golems

a Route ensues and the party flees with the Wizard and 2 golems hot on our tail. we come to a large chasm about 40 wide and drops down hundreads of feet into some dark stoney abyss. Spanning the width of the chasm is a arching stone bridge ( pathway is a better description). On the other side is a passage that leads to a large natrual cavern.

Party files across, where I ( an elven arcane archer ) come up with a brilliant idea! I happen to have a Ring of spell storeing with the spell ' Transmute Rock to Mud" cast at 17th level! Moments later the Golems catch up to us, and as they start crossing the bridge, I turn the section under their feet to mud! Huzzah!

Sadly, the Mad Wizard had some how summoned what I think was a Greater Earth Elemental and had placed it in the large cavern waiting for us.

Needless to say, the party died in a horrible fashion, pinned between a Giant like Earth Elemental who pounded most of fighters into dust and the Mad Wizard who pelted us with various magic missles.

Fun Fun Fun