Stun: a guide on how to avoid it ?

[jbear]

I don' t think he is the DM, so that probably is beyond his sphere of possibilities. I know if my players complained about Stun, I'd tell them to stop whining and suck it up.

Here is some stuff a rogue can do to make Stun more difficult to affect them. Obviously not an Optimised build, but you might see something useful you had otherwised looked over. More relevant is the Magic Items at the bottom of the build. All are your level or lower, so well within your reach. They are all focused on SThrows, several of which can be used as no actions. Perhaps the most interesting is the Will Potion which you can take proactively and interrupt a hit you take to will that is going to Stun you, boosting your will defense up to 25. 100gp.

I doubt you are a drow, however, obviously a CHA rogue is going to have higher will defense... so...anyway:

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 6
Drow, Rogue
Rogue Tactics: Artful Dodger
Rogue: Sharpshooter Talent
Sharpshooter Talent: Sharpshooter Talent (Crossbow)
Darkfire: Darkfire Charisma
Background: Arcane Student Who Saw Too Much (Arcane Student Who Saw Too Much Benefit)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 11, Con 13, Dex 19, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 19.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 11, Con 13, Dex 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 16.


AC: 20 Fort: 15 Reflex: 20 Will: 18
HP: 50 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 12

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +14, Thievery +12, Perception +8, Bluff +12, Intimidate +14, Athletics +8

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +7, Arcana +2, Diplomacy +7, Dungeoneering +3, Endurance +4, Heal +3, History +2, Insight +3, Nature +3, Religion +2, Streetwise +7

FEATS
Level 1: Courageous Example
Level 2: Courageous Heart
Level 4: Instinctive Darkness
Level 6: Ruthless Hunter

POWERS
Rogue at-will 1: Sly Flourish
Rogue at-will 1: Deft Strike
Rogue encounter 1: Shadow Strike
Rogue daily 1: Blinding Barrage
Rogue utility 2: Fleeting Ghost
Rogue encounter 3: Low Slash
Rogue daily 5: Go for the Eyes
Rogue utility 6: Slippery Mind

ITEMS
Amulet of Mental Resolve +1, Amulet of Resolution +1, Brooch of No Regrets +1, Cloak of Distortion +1, Delver's Leather Armor +1, Flowform Leather Armor +1, Gambler's Suit Leather Armor +2, Suppression Hand Crossbow +1, Songbow of Vanishment Hand Crossbow +1, Phylactery of Action (heroic tier), Elixir of Will (level 8) (3), Madstone (heroic tier)
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

 

[Joshua Randall]

Continuing the list of Get Out of Stun Free Cards:

Questing Knight (paladin paragon path), level 12 Utility power Quester's Discipline -- Daily, negate stun effect against you. Doesn't matter if the effect would allow a save or not.

Also works against blind, daze, dominate, and weaken.

Even better, it's a "No Action" so it doesn't use up your immediate action.

 

[DEFCON 1]

And of course the best way to avoid stuns, if you DM is stunning you all the time... tell him to start switching up his monster selection so that not every encounter has stun-capable enemies in it. It's boring, and you're not having fun with it.

Tell him you'd have the same complaint if every encounter was nothing but lurkers attacking from stealth, or entirely soldiers who have huge masses of HP and high ACs. Every once in a while is fine... but having the same type of encounter each and every time is tedious. If he's a good DM, he'll realize the folly of his choices and change accordingly.

 

[Gort]

I don't think I've ever used a monster that has a stun power. Not really through choice, either - I just haven't come across one from level 1-9 yet.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I generally keep my bag of dice full so when the DM starts pulling out the At-Will stuns, I can threaten to hit him over the head with it.

I've already told him if he brings out a dracolich, I'm keying his car.

Brad

 

[Joshua Randall]

I don't think I've ever used a monster that has a stun power. Not really through choice, either - I just haven't come across one from level 1-9 yet.

Stun is rare at those levels, so no surprise.

 

[Mengu]

Stun is rare at those levels, so no surprise.

Some pretty classic stuff like Ghouls, Carrion Crawlers, Owlbears, Ettins, and of course Dragons can stun, not to mention some less common things like Ettercaps and Grells. And this is only looking at MM. I think not running into any stunning monsters at heroic levels is conscious or subconscious DM choice, or luck.

 

[Gort]

Actually, I used a dragon, so I guess I must've blanked out the stunning from my mind. Carrion crawlers only stun after like three failed saves, and I used those too.

Edit: And I used an ettin! What the hell is wrong with me