Rakshasa with Deflect Arrows

[MarauderX]

Is it too mean to the players? Imagine blessing your crossbow bolt in the middle of a tough fight to beat the BBE Rakshasa, and firing only to have it easily batted aside because the DM knew how to build the rules in his BBEG's favor...

Now hope isn't lost, just all of the sudden you need to two blessed crossbow bolts, and have both hit in the same round. But for a party that can't give it the beat down without ripping a few of them to shreds first, would it be a surprise that they couldn't handle?

 

[Mista Collins]

Makes sense to me. If blessed crossbow bolts were fatal to me, I would make sure I had every defense available against them.

 

[Olive]

Makes sense to me. If blessed crossbow bolts were fatal to me, I would make sure I had every defense available against them.

Exactly!!!

 

[demiurge1138]

Remember, rakshasas are incredibly intelligent. If they can beat the blessed bolt, they should try to. Wind walls and illusions (gotta love spellcasting) and deflect arrows are all things they should have access to.

Demiurge out.

 

[BSF]

Too mean? For a creature that is able to be killed in a single shot from a rather mundane item that just needs to have a low-level spell cast on it?

Umm - No!

Anything you can do to prevent that particular weakness being exploited easily is a good thing. I mean, a Rahshasa isn't just going to sit around _hoping_ no adventurers come around with that trick. It will actively try to twart it.

 

[WayneLigon]

No, it's not too mean. After all, they know about their weakness. They'll do anything to prevent that specific thing from happening.

 

[DMauricio]

I'll have to agree with the others on this one... Rakshasas are just too damn smart.

I had one as a major villian in a high (read epic) game I was running... Though the players didn't really get to meet him... His tactic was to outlaw crossbows (and in fact any piercing missile weapons) in his domain.

Not counting deflect arrows, or for that matter magical protections.
Another tactic used were simulacrums which looked like him. (basically clones which he had full control over)
He also employed anthromorphic tigers and were-tigers as his guards. (would have made it harder for the players to click on the idea they were up against a rakshasa, as they were more likely to think he was just a powerful were-tiger)

HTH

D.

 

[FireLance]

[3.5e update]Rakshasa now have DR 15/Good and Piercing, and no special vulnerability to blessed crossbow bolts[/3.5e update]

But, to get back to your original question, a party that has to rely on a specific weakness to overcome a foe (as opposed to using a specific weakness to overcome a foe more easily) is probably outclassed and shouldn't be forced to fight it. IMO, anyway.

 

[demiurge1138]

Personally, I'd say that DR 15/good and piercing sounds like a vulnerability to blessed crossbow bolts to me. but it's not a crippling, one-hit-KO vulnerablity anymore.

Demiurge out.

 

[coyote6]

Personally, I'd say that DR 15/good and piercing sounds like a vulnerability to blessed crossbow bolts to me.

It is. It's also a vulnerability to blessed daggers, shortswords, arrows, spears, picks, and armor spikes, among other things.

Hmm, greater magic weapon doesn't make a weapon blessed any more, does it? That's too bad.

Beware of clerics bearing morningstars, oh young rakshasas, for they will beat you like a tambourine. And the mounted paladins with lances? Can you say "lance, bless weapon, and Spirited Charge"?