D&D 5E Special Combat Setups you have found particularly effective

[el-remmen]

This is from my remix of N1 - Against the Cult of the Reptile God and a good example of the kinds of battles I set-up (this was not climatic battle, but potentially the penultimate one for this adventure).

The Troglodyte Egg Chamber

This cavern's floor is sunken about 12 feet below the narrow outer edge which varies from 3 feet to 7 feet wide and the center portion is a maze of stalagmites ranging from three feet to 12 feet away from each other and ranging in heights from 5' high to 18' high (and the taller ones have the tops smashed off creating uneven pedestals throughout the chamber. The ceiling is 15 feet from the surrounding lip. Near the center (marked with an "S" on the map) is a great stone bowl full of troglodyte eggs atop an 8' high stone pedestal and surrounded by tall braziers to keep it warm. At the center of the eggs is an oversized fertility symbol in the form of a platinum oversized egg (and incredibly valuable). There are other treasures piled around the pedestal between the four braziers.

The outer path above the main floor is patrolled by two troglodyte meatseekers, who remain camouflaged as long as possible. When attacking they try to use their "Feed the Tribe" ability to knock opponents into the lower level. There are also three normal trogs and two trog scouts in the upper area who help to distract the PCs for the meatseeker attacks (particularly the scouts using missile weapon attacks to draw the PCs in more).

The meatseekers are adept at climbing and jumping. Jumping from spire to spire requires an athletics check to make standing long jump (assuming it is within the jump distance allowed for individual character). A successful check means the jumper lands safely atop the flattened spire. The DC should be 8 + distance jumped. A failed check by less than 5 means they have jumped and grasped on to the top/side of the spire. Failure means falling to the lower floor below. If a character does not have at least one hand free when jumping (to grab the other spire) the check is made at disadvantage. Because the meatseekers are adept at climbing and jumping and have claws, they do not suffer this penalty while jumping. Anyone falling takes 1d6 points of damage is automatically prone. Assuming someone is jumping without the goal of landing atop of a flattened spire, they can add a few feet to the distance by aiming to grab the top of the spire, landing astride it and pulling themselves up. The DC is the same, but add 3 feet for medium creatures, 2 feet for small creatures, and 1 foot for tiny creatures.

In the lower area is the main guardian of the egg chamber, the Troglodyte Juggernaut, who will remain curled in a ball camouflaged until someone falls, jumps, or climbs into the lower area OR if an enemy makes it to the egg bowl.

Other Notes:

• The normal trogs and scouts are kind of afraid of the juggernaut and tend to stay away from it.
• The juggernaut is 12' tall and can attack foes up on the walkway with its claws, but at disadvantage.
• If the eggs are visibly harmed by the PCs all troglodytes (except the dim juggernaut) in the chamber gain advantage on all attacks.
• If the juggernaut goes berserk it might harm the eggs (which the other trogs take as a sign from their god)
• Assuming the juggernaut is dealt with (it cannot be called off unless it feeds), threatening to harm the eggs could put the PCs in a position to negotiate with the trogs
• When my PCs ran through this, the party druid wildshaped into an ape and had a delightful time leaping from spire to spire and distracting the juggernaut while the PCs dealt with the rest of the threats.

The map I am including below is not quite the version I used during actual play (which I drew to scale on 1" grid paper) since the version I used had every stalagmite marked with width at base and height.

 

[el-remmen]

Just bumping this thread for the sake of all the people who voted for "combat is mostly not fun" in this thread.

 

[Stalker0]

Had an interesting one for a recent boss fight.

Party of 6 5th level characters versus a 15th level Open Hand Monk. The monk had an item that party was questing for, and was guarding it for someone else for a brief time. The monk was on a platform (5 by 10 feet) in the middle of a pool of water. The water was 30 feet around the platform on each side, and about 15 foot deep. Near the bottom of the water had anti-magic properties that could dispel effects (which I had used in a previous room so the party was aware of it). the party had a number of potions and scrolls at their disposal (some haste potions, a fire giant strength one, and a potion of heroism, bless), and decided to really buff up for this fight.

Ultimately the party used the white dragon they had befriended in the previous room (long story) to release a blast that froze over some of the water to the platform, giving them some ice to step on for a time (but I rolled a d6 each round to see if the ice held, on a 1 it would break).

The monk used stuns and open hand techniques (and the great thing there is, a stunned target automatically fails its save against the open hand saves) to knock people into the water. The monk could also move across the water if he choose, giving him a lot of mobility.

So the fight turned into a series of icy moves (requiring a DC 10 acrobatics check), with a bunch of dunks as players came out the monk, only to get knocked back and stunned into the water.

The fight finished with the monk diving into the deep water to heal, and the party chasing after. Ultimately it turned into a grapple fight underwater, with the barbarian finally managing to hold him long enough for the party to beat on him and take him down.

A long and tough fight, one of my better showings for a solo monster with no minions or backup against 6 characters.

 

[ECMO3]

Another terrifying creature is the Shambling Mound. Fun fact, escaping the mound's grapple doesn't stop its engulf effect. It also isn't in full cover like a swallow attack, which could be good or bad depending.

This causes blindness which really nerfs the engulfed creature if she is a caster.

The best tactic I have seen used with this was on a bladesinger who was engulfed. The player remained calm no screaming for help or hand wringing. When it got to her turn .....

I use my action look through my familiars (about 50 feet away) eyes. I cast misty step with my bonus action and teleport to a spot I can "see" through my familiars eyes.

 

[ECMO3]

So while its fine to just have two balls of enemies knock out each other here and there, memorable combats are often about neat setups and special tactics. So tell us about some of the combat setups that you found creating really interesting combats, perhaps even very deadly ones!

My most recent one, that turned out to be very engaging for the party:

The party heads down a very narrow corridor that has a waterfall of antimagic water (strips the spell buffs off someone, it also serves to stop the undead, a barrier to prevent their exit). It leads into a 30 by 30 ft room. The corners of the room each have a wight (with chainmail so AC 16). In the middle of the room is a circle of dark skulls, and a coffin in the middle (containing a Vampire Spawn). On the far side is a locked door, above the door is a grate leading to a narrow (air vent like) tunnel, containing a Spirit Naga.

• The Anti-magic water stripped off one of the players Enhance Ability buffs, the rest of the group used blankets and other equipment to make it through without issue.
• The Dark Skulls act on Initiative 20. They release a pulse up to 40 feet away (aka just outside the room). People that fail a Str Save DC 13 are pulled in 10 feet. This yoinked the scout who had just opened the door into the room (I find its good to prevent the party from using doorways to funnel monsters). Further, the Dark Skull deal 1d8 necrotic damage to anyone in their area, and heals any undead the same amount. The skulls can be disabled like a trap using thieves tools, or religion to purify them.
• The spirit naga pops in its head on its initiative, casts a spell, and then pulls back up into the safety of the tunnel.

This turned into a hell of a fight for the party. The cleric managed to turn 3 of the wights who ran back into the antimagic water, which took them out. However, the vampire got a hold of the scout and started biting into them. Several of the party did not have magic weapons, and so the vampire resistance + normal healing + skull healing made it quite durable. The naga dominated the barbarian, who then started beating into the rogue. The bard managed to disable the skulls using religion, just as the naga came down a second time, casting a 5th level sleep spell, which dropped the bard (would have gotten the rogue as well if they were not an elf). The scout slipped out of the vampire's grasp and moves back to use arrows, but the vampire decides to move onto the unconscious bard and rip into them! The bard is nearly killed, but awakes, and gets the vampire with a Tasha's hideous laughter. The barbarian takes some damage and finally awakens from the dominate, and tries to get the naga through the grate, and the naga retreats with dimension door (to another section of the tunnel).

The party finishes the last wight, and beats on teh vampire. The barbarian than grapples the vamp and pulls her under the water. The vampire takes 20 acid damage from the "running water vulnerability", and is eventually killed.


The party then heads to another very narrow corridor, with another grate. As expected, the naga drops down. The barbarian races ahead to try and grab the naga, but the naga goes first and manages to get off a lightning bolt. In the narrow corridor, everyone has disadvantage on reflex saves and everyone takes the bolt, leaving them reeling. The barbarian does manage to grapple the naga, and they get some hits in, but the naga d doors once again, battered but alive. The party now heads into the final area of the dungeon, swearing vengeance on the naga (who is now enemy number 1)!

Here are a few:

1. Using a free action to place a vail of acid, alchemists fire or holy water on the ground so the wizard can Catapult it on her turn getting extra damage on the catapult

2. Using your familiar to "help" the Rogue, although this is a bit obvious I think.

3. 6+ level Human Rune Kinght with tavern brawler and a Rogue dip for athletics expertise - action: shove prone then with 2nd attack d8 unarmed strike then bonus action grapple. If you miss with any of those you can action surge to take another shot at it. The enemy is now prone and has a move of 0 and can not stand up until he breaks the grapple which he is doing against expertise. If you use the Rune Knight ability to turn large you can do this to Dragons and Giants and you have advantage on the athletic check. To add insult to injury, a Warlock or other caster can lay in Hex and make the enemy have disadvantage on str or dex checks.

4. Arcane Trickster - Bonus action mage hand legerdemain to take an enemy caster's focus or component pouch. Can do this with Thief using fast hands too, but it is harder to pull off.

5. Put silence on a Lich from beyond 60 feet and then use a use a Shield guardian to grapple her so she can't escape. I had a party defeat a Lich at 4th level doing this. She was supposed to be a major story item that we could not defeat.

6. Put silence on an enemy casters and then have another character levitate him.

7. Fighter uses disarm attack then the Rogue uses his mage hand to take the enemies weapon off the ground with a bonus action.

8. Hex plus grapple or shove. Hex wisdom to screw up insight checks.

9. Grapple an enemy then use him for cover.

10. Grapple a small or tiny enemy then throw him as an improvised weapon doing damage to both the thrown guy and the guy you throw him at.

11. Rogue covering an escape and playing rear guard by throwing caltrops, ball bearings or hunting traps or just taking the dodge action, while he cunning action dashes to keep up with the rest of the party

12. Bladesinger with all defenses up walking by every enemy on the battlefield just to draw their AOO so the rest of the party can move around that round at will.

13. Bladesinger/Undead Warlock - hitting one enemy with an attack and causing frightened, hit a second with booming blade so he takes movement damage then move away and draw AOOs (one at disadvantage) so your quasit can go in and try to poision the one you hit with booming blade and still escape without drawing an AOO. After this one enemy is frightened and can't move towards you, the other can move towards you but he takes BB damage and is poisioned.

14. Using sapping sting or ensnaring strike on anything that is flying.






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