It was the first meeting with the big bad. He is a Ghost/Sorcerer 10/Diabolist 8, and I am using the Possession rules from BoVD in lieu of the Malevolence ability. The guy is really hard to get to, being able to jump from body to body, incorporeal, and he has some pretty nasty enchantment spells.
Now, the intent was to reveal himself, after a big battle while the PC's (all 12th level) were depleted of spells, take the artifact that the PC's are carrying and go off to perform the dark ritual, giving the PC's a sense of urgency and tension as to how they are going to successfully fight this guy, and before he finishes the ritual.
Instead, the battle went something like this: The Bard (with Prot Evil up) readies an action to cast silence next to the ghost as soon as he tries to cast a spell. Everytime the big bad tries to cast, he gets silenced (the Bard has like five silence scrolls). Meanwhile, the big bad is getting whittled away with magic missiles, the only spell the PC's have left. He is not in real danger, but is generally losing his menace. I didn't give the big bad Silent Spell, and almost all his spells have verbal components. He has Spell Turning up, but this does not help against Silence. He ended up retreating and coming back with some pretty overpowered help, but the fact that this was necessary seriously disrespects the big bad. The aforementioned Bard is a loud mouthed braggart, and I will personally suffer some irritating role playing now besides.
My failure to anticipate this tactic notwithstanding, does anyone know a way to defeat it without me retroactively giving this guy Silent Spell or SR? The players know he didn't have either the first time around, and will certainly cry foul if he shows up with it in a later battle. It sounds like a pretty easy tactic to use in any battle - just sacrifice a low-level spellcaster's actions to perpetually stymie the high level caster until the party's fighters can wade through his protectors.
Thanks in advance,
-B-
Now, the intent was to reveal himself, after a big battle while the PC's (all 12th level) were depleted of spells, take the artifact that the PC's are carrying and go off to perform the dark ritual, giving the PC's a sense of urgency and tension as to how they are going to successfully fight this guy, and before he finishes the ritual.
Instead, the battle went something like this: The Bard (with Prot Evil up) readies an action to cast silence next to the ghost as soon as he tries to cast a spell. Everytime the big bad tries to cast, he gets silenced (the Bard has like five silence scrolls). Meanwhile, the big bad is getting whittled away with magic missiles, the only spell the PC's have left. He is not in real danger, but is generally losing his menace. I didn't give the big bad Silent Spell, and almost all his spells have verbal components. He has Spell Turning up, but this does not help against Silence. He ended up retreating and coming back with some pretty overpowered help, but the fact that this was necessary seriously disrespects the big bad. The aforementioned Bard is a loud mouthed braggart, and I will personally suffer some irritating role playing now besides.
My failure to anticipate this tactic notwithstanding, does anyone know a way to defeat it without me retroactively giving this guy Silent Spell or SR? The players know he didn't have either the first time around, and will certainly cry foul if he shows up with it in a later battle. It sounds like a pretty easy tactic to use in any battle - just sacrifice a low-level spellcaster's actions to perpetually stymie the high level caster until the party's fighters can wade through his protectors.
Thanks in advance,
-B-
