Pathfinder 1E Fighting a Medusa with mirrors?

[zigmenthotep]

I'm planning an adventure that ends with a Medusa fight, and am understandable concerned about the campaign ending ability of such an encounter. As the PCs are going to be aware that they'll be fighting a Medusa, and have time to prepare, I can safely assume one of the players is going to think of mirrors. Which is good since I like to reward ingenuity and want to give them better than a 50% chance.

Best I could come up with so far is such: Mirror requires 1 hand, no shield bonus if used on the same arm as mirror (or using a mirrored shield), monster has concealment, 30% chance of loosing dexterity bonus against attacks.

I'd be more than happy to hear any suggestions, as I am less than 100% satisfied with this system. Mainly because it completely nullifies the petrifying gaze.

 

[GX.Sigma]

I am less than 100% satisfied with this system. Mainly because it completely nullifies the petrifying gaze.

The only way to completely nullify the petrifying gaze is to not look at all. Which you could do even without rules for mirrors.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I'm planning an adventure that ends with a Medusa fight, and am understandable concerned about the campaign ending ability of such an encounter. As the PCs are going to be aware that they'll be fighting a Medusa, and have time to prepare, I can safely assume one of the players is going to think of mirrors. Which is good since I like to reward ingenuity and want to give them better than a 50% chance.

Best I could come up with so far is such: Mirror requires 1 hand, no shield bonus if used on the same arm as mirror (or using a mirrored shield), monster has concealment, 30% chance of loosing dexterity bonus against attacks.

I'd be more than happy to hear any suggestions, as I am less than 100% satisfied with this system. Mainly because it completely nullifies the petrifying gaze.

I would go further than a 30% chance to lose DEX bonus - I would say that attempting to look through a mirror at a target requires enough concentration that you're considered flat-footed at all times, which means you not only lose your DEX bonus, but also any other Dodge bonuses, if I recall. If you play with miniatures, it may look like the medusa is completely static in her square, but most likely she is shifting back and forth within the 5 foot square, trying to get her gaze seen by somebody. If you haven't practiced a lot with a mirror, it's not exactly easy holding one if your off-hand and trying to target something or somebody that is moving using solely the mirror.

Look at how the medusa using the soldiers not looking at her to her advantage in this scene from the newer Clash of the Titans:
[video=youtube_share;xY8Rp4GOPag]http://youtu.be/xY8Rp4GOPag[/video]

 

[Sage Genesis]

I would go further than a 30% chance to lose DEX bonus - I would say that attempting to look through a mirror at a target requires enough concentration that you're considered flat-footed at all times, which means you not only lose your DEX bonus, but also any other Dodge bonuses, if I recall. If you play with miniatures, it may look like the medusa is completely static in her square, but most likely she is shifting back and forth within the 5 foot square, trying to get her gaze seen by somebody. If you haven't practiced a lot with a mirror, it's not exactly easy holding one if your off-hand and trying to target something or somebody that is moving using solely the mirror.

This is so punitive, it becomes better to just keep your eyes closed and accept the blindness penalty. At least then you can still carry a shield and don't run the risk of people sundering your fragile little sheet of glass.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

IIRC, in the legends Perseus used the mirror and it completely protected him from the medusa's gaze.

I think it should give significant penalties though (lose Dex bonus to AC, maybe -2 to hit the medusa and bigger penalties to hit anything else)... and the medusa's allies will be quite happy with this development.

The medusa is a "legendary monster" but has historically been handled poorly in D&D.

 

[NewJeffCT]

This is so punitive, it becomes better to just keep your eyes closed and accept the blindness penalty. At least then you can still carry a shield and don't run the risk of people sundering your fragile little sheet of glass.

In Pathfinder, when you're blind, you take a -2 to AC and lose any DEX bonus as well. And, since you've lost your DEX bonus, you also lose any Dodge bonuses as well. Any "to hit" roll is only 50-50 to even get a chance "to hit" as well. So, being blind is a significantly worse penalty. My penalty suggestion was only for defense.

 

[NewJeffCT]

IIRC, in the legends Perseus used the mirror and it completely protected him from the medusa's gaze.

I think it should give significant penalties though (lose Dex bonus to AC, maybe -2 to hit the medusa and bigger penalties to hit anything else)... and the medusa's allies will be quite happy with this development.

The medusa is a "legendary monster" but has historically been handled poorly in D&D.

Agree with your last line there - medusa should not be easy pickings.

 

[Marshall Gatten]

I once had a player say, "Mirrors negate gaze attacks? Okay, I hire a craftsman to create a pair of goggles that pass light through a series of mirrors and deliver it to the eyes from its original direction." He even drew up plans for the goggles, and I had to admit that they would work great. I ruled that wearers would lose peripheral vision and would therefore be considered flat-footed when attacked from any square not in front of them. Also, their range of vision was reduced since the mirrors would have a significant dimming effect.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

In my own games, I've found that, as long as the party knows that the creature they are facing is a medusa, it gets handily punked even without using special rules for mirrors. Aside from their gaze, medusae are not particularly powerful for their CR.

If you want to encourage the use of mirrors, use the following... creatures viewed in mirror have concealment (20& miss chance). Those using a mirror as their primary means of viewing their surroundings are not subject to gaze attacks, but suffer a -2 to AC, attack checks and all skill checks that are affected by armor check penalties.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I would also add that if the Medusa knows the party is coming after her, she will likely put herself in a place that is most advantageous to her. To be honest, I'm not sure what that would be - I'd have to puzzle that out for a bit. Maybe down a hallway and have her behind a barred entrance, so her gaze can still work, but she would not be subjected to immediate melee attacks? Maybe it takes the PCs a round or two to get through the gate? Medusa also has darkvision, so may want to take advantage of that?