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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 6094001" data-attributes="member: 4937">Ok, summoned creatures:1) The overwhelming drawback of a summoned creature is they are usually only around for a few rounds.  They are on a clock.  Any intelligent being in a universe containing summoned creatures should recognize when monsters start popping out of the ground in a blaze of smoke and burning brimstone, that they are only going to be around for a while and try to delay beginning the battle as long as possilbe.  Depending on the range you might try, 'Everyone take 10 steps back' or 'Everyone in contact goes full defensive', but depending on the terrain and your mobility an even smarter plan might be "'Everyone run away for 60 seconds, and then we'll come back and restart the battle in a few minutes when the enemies spell buffs go away.  If the enemy is caught off gaurd by our return, so much the better."  In particular, notice how an all archer or all skirmisher force on open ground handles a conjured monster with ease simply be doing thier normal delaying tactics.  They don't even necessarily have to shoot at it, just get away from it and deal with the more important long term threats (the PCs).   In general, this is good tactic for responding to spellcasters that have a tendency to go nova and cast a lot of short term buffs.  Fall back, regroup, try again.  Why try to get into a suicidal pitched battle?  Think about how an encounter with cavalry or archers plays out if the party tries to chase, and watch for oppurtunities to go after isolated or unprotected spellcasters.  It's the equivalent of trying to take out artillery or other crewed weapons on a modern battlefield (and by modern, I mean everything since about the 18th century).   And keep in mind, in the real world these kind of fade tactics were actually employed.  They aren't gamist cheese (well, they aren't only gamist cheese).  The Mongols were masters of it.   "Ok, so the enemy has taken up a strong defensive position and is well organized.  Let's pretend to retreat, and when they lose organization trying to chase us, then we'll turn on them and attack."  The same basic principle is at work.2) Enemy forces should make a point of interrupting spell casters - Tactically, this is often the most important thing you can do in a battle.  "If I see anyone that looks like a spellcaster dancing around, waving their hands, and muttering, I'm going to shoot them" is the default first order strategy of NPC archers.  It's often better for archers to not attack, than to risk missing oppurtunities to disrupt spell casters.  Force concentration checks.  Put the caster in jeapordy, or in continous areas of effect.   3) As I said, just having a first level caster who can cast 'Protection from X' is often good enough to twart summoned creatures.  Think about how different a fight with a Troll plays out if the Troll has two or three levels of cleric to cast 'Protection from Good' and 'Resist Energy'.  If you outnumber your foe, then you are ahead on the action economy and so plays like Counterspell or 'Dispel Magic' become much more effective.  As the PC's get up above 10th level, 'Dismissal' and 'Dispel Good' should become more common counters by enemy spellcaster leaders.   Think how a debuff like 'Slow' could potentially help a tactical team far more than a 5d6 fireball could.</blockquote>

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