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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 4717443" data-attributes="member: 3146">I agree with Frank that unless the marilith is hiding, she should have her unholy aura up. After that, there are a few questions:1. What is the limitation of the magic circle. The standard D&D fiction magic circle cannot be broken from the inside, but if broken from the outside (by, say, shooting an arrow or casting an attack spell across it), it's a free-for all. A more durable circle might trap her inside unless something physical crosses the circle but be fine with the PCs casting spells across it. I don't see any reason why the circle would inhibit her spell like abilities though, so it's hardly an autowin for the PCs even if they can sit back and cast spells/shoot arrows at her. She has good saves, decent SR, a high AC, and spell like abilities that are just as potent as what the PCs are tossing at her. If she does decide that she wants to get up close and personal with the PCs, she could always use telekinesis to throw an object or person across the circle and break it, allowing her to move.2. A general principle: Do not simply decide an order of abilities and repeat like WotC's trained monkeys suggested. Rather, keep in mind a few principles:A. Her full melee attack at this level is likely to be more effective than any of her spell like abilities. Use it when possible.A2. Grappling interferes with making a full melee attack. You have improved grab, so if you do get a line on the wizard, rogue, or cleric, take the -20 to grapple him without being considered grappled yourself. That way, you limit the PC's options without limiting your own. (You can even massacre the PC with swords afterward)B. Her spell like abilties are more effective than a single melee attack. Use them when she cannot make a full melee attack.But what about the spell like abilities? Consider a few non-obvious uses of telekinesis:1. Disarm PCs. The archer with the holy bow probably doesn't have a good will save. Use the violent thrust option and smash his bow into the wall, into another PC or just into the ground next to you. If PCs are flying, this can be particularly effective as you can disarm one PC, slam their weapon into another PC for damage and then it will fall out of reach of any PC--ideally next to you so that you can keep the PCs from picking it up.2. Move the PCs. What's better than slamming the archer into the ceiling 70 feet away and watching him fall to the floor and take more damage? Slamming the archer into the ceiling, and watching him fall to the floor take damage, and land prone right next to you. He didn't want to be in full attack range and now he is. You have reach and improved grab so he can't easily get out of improved grab range and he can't fire a bow while prone--so he can't make a full attack either. Wizards and non-battle clerics won't like that position much either. (If you can toss the PC through a blade barrier on the way to the ceiling, so much the better--and if he falls through the blade barrier again on the way down, it's just icing on the cake. (This is possible as follows: the character is thrown up, through the blade barrier and exits the top of the blade barrier before slamming into the ceiling, still above the blade barrier. When he falls, he will go through the blade barrier again)).You'll notice that there is some synergy with blade barrier as well as with her melee attacks there. If the marilith has a choice, it would probably drop a blade barrier in round 1 if it can get 1/2 to 2/3 of the group in it and follow it up in round 2 either with a full attack (if any PCs were foolish enough to close with it) or a telekinesis in round 2 (ideally pulling a non-melee character through the blade barrier as many times as possible on his way to bouncing off the ceiling and landing next to the marilith). Then round 3, the marilith massacres the unfortunate. If there is a party member that is particularly effective, however, the marilith is well advised to skip the strategically planned steps and eliminate that threat as quickly as possible by disarming that foe or by pulling the foe to her--even if there is no blade barrier.</blockquote>

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