How to counteract a Disintegrate-happy PC?

[interwyrm]

Yeah, don't stop it from working all the time. It's like taking away candy from a baby... or a kid's favorite toy.

I'd say the best solutions are for any intelligent bbeg to protect only himself from the spell, or to send mooks at the pcs until the caster is out of disintegrate, and then lead an attack himself.

 

[The Forsaken One]

4rth level spell --> Ray deflection.

Done deal ;p.

 

[Victim]

Personally, I've seen Disintegrate happy PCs do 5d6 most of the time. Disintegrate is hardly the worst thing that can happen at higher levels on a failed Fort save. If enemies can't stand up to it, then it's a wonder they aren't dropping to other things too. Even wizards and rogues will often pump Con at high levels to make up for their poor HD and Fort saves - so Fort is occasionally the wizard's best save.

 

[Egres]

The Spell Reflection class option described in the CMage could be an interesting countermove.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

One of my player's has a high-level wizard that loves to use disintegrate on NPCs. I need creative suggestions on how to counteract this tactic.

It's real simple: return the favour ad nauseum until the PC gets the picture (or doesn't and loses access to the spell due to level loss).

Two can play that game.

 

[Votan]

I think I am in the "so what?" camp here. High level wizards should hit enemies hard and often -- Disintegrate is a nice spell but hardly gamebreaking. It can actually fail agianst opponents with SR, high touch ACs and good Fortitude saves. One level higher is Finger of Death. One level lower is the extremely nasty Dominate.

Fighters are going to full attack -- that is not necessarily all that much less effective than Disintegrate at that level.


He is a wizard with a signature spell. That can actually be fun and part of the mythos of the party. Of course, some opponents will know this and take counter-measures.


The only time that it really matters if your encounters are repetitive. I think that some hordes of foes encounters will help as will challenges with Outsiders and monsterous critters (see Dinosaurs; Triceratops is a CR 9 critter with a +19 Fortitude Save).

If the wizard is level 11 (minimum to cast this spell) than a Barbed Devil has SR 23 (60% to block spell without the use of feats) and a FORT save of +14.

And even though he'll small each one easily, consider what sixteen medium Air Elementals could do. The Melee types will tear through them but a blind use of Distingrate will tend to be suboptimal.

Otherwise, I think that this will all work out well.

 

[Hammerhead]

I don't see the big deal.

 

[Banshee16]

Spell Turning?

Enforce the rule that if an NPC fails a save, all their items have to save. How long will he keep doing it when he can't strip the bodies afterwards, because that nice magic sword and armour is now a pile of dust?

Banshee

 

[Banshee16]

"Any creature reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by this spell is entirely disintegrated, leaving behind only a trace of fine dust. A disintegrated creature’s equipment is unaffected."

Wow.....I hadn't seen that line before....but all I have for 3.5 is the SRD....and that's an instantaneous Rule 0 for me.

Banshee

 

[nittanytbone]

Disintegrate destroys the treasure.

I'm surprised the wizard's peers haven't already gotten on his case for using it too much.