Nothing in the spell's description says the caster's allies are immune to hypnotic pattern... And if any of them are averting their eyes, they may give intelligent enemies the idea that they should look away, too....
One way to deal with cheese is to feed a dose back to the player(s). Let an enemy or two use it on them, in the same way it's being used. However, I've found the best way is to talk to the players as a group about whether anyone believes certain features of the game need to be nerfed (e.g. a gimmick spell or combo)....one particular player has learned how good it is and therefore always takes it. Always. No exceptions....
...I really hate that bit at the end when the whole party is whaling on the one poor leftover who was looking at the pretty lights while his buddies got slaughtered.
The groups I DM for always have someone with hypnotic pattern, as soon as they're high enough level to take the spell. This is because one particular player has learned how good it is and therefore always takes it. Always. No exceptions. And if that PC runs out of spell slots to cast it, they'll rest instead of fighting without it.
I was not clear: nothing in the spell's description says any of the caster's allies in the area of effect are immune. Re-reading the complaints, and looking at the range (120 feet), I see that is not a likely scenario.the defined area of affect...
at least you didn't say kill the player....Just kill the caster.
Not that many, I admit--partly because I hate running them.
Roll on wandering monster table. Oh look, a bunch of undead shamble along to disturb your rest.You're the DM. Why are you letting them do that?
I often find when GMs complain about players combat habits its because the habits are caused by how the GM runs combat. 5ft melee enemies are the worst. The are simple and uninteresting to run so the GM is just board waiting for the fight to end, but to the players there life is on the line so they are engaged and looking to find what works. If your able to make a different style more fun for you will be more likely to change things up and them in turn.
In a world where people cast Hypnotic Pattern people are going to be prepared to fight casters of Hypnotic Pattern.The flip side is many a DM gets tired having to specially tailor their fights all the time just because of one spell. For a special occasion, of course, but having to effectively toss a whole bunch of encounter possibilities out the window just for one spell... yes I can understand why it gets tiring. Maybe I would just like to make my encounters the way I want to, instead of 1 spell dictating how I have to make them.
I forgot about this one. Hm...by time the players are at the level to take Hypnotic Pattern, some monsters have multiattack or AoE's. I wonder if enemies could just deal damage to multiple allies in a turn.Also, once you take any damage, you snap out of it. Against a boss monster is only good to make him lose one round, and against groups of monsters it's not that easy to use, and they can help each other get out of it.
undead golems and constructs are your friendsThe groups I DM for always have someone with hypnotic pattern, as soon as they're high enough level to take the spell. This is because one particular player has learned how good it is and therefore always takes it. Always. No exceptions. And if that PC runs out of spell slots to cast it, they'll rest instead of fighting without it.
I've spread out the baddies so that they can't all be caught with one spell.
I've given the baddies magic resistance.
I've had the baddies use their turns to wake each other up.
None of them seem to prevent the fights from becoming predictable, at least where hypnotic pattern is concerned. I really hate that bit at the end when the whole party is whaling on the one poor leftover who was looking at the pretty lights while his buddies got slaughtered.
Does anyone have suggestions for any other way to deal with the spell?
That's my point thought. Its very likely not 1 spell dictating how I have to make them. Its one fomrula of combat dictating to them what spell will work well. Its very possible that your creating your own problem. If so getting ride the spell will not solve the problem because players will find another natrual counter for your "typical encounter" that works everytime and that will become your replacement problem spell or tactic. You will not cure players of tailoring to your play style by removing options that work over... and over ... and over again. If this is the case, It could also mean your making encounters on a formula because your bored of combat. Players will not pick the same solution every time when it doesn't work every time.The flip side is many a DM gets tired having to specially tailor their fights all the time just because of one spell. For a special occasion, of course, but having to effectively toss a whole bunch of encounter possibilities out the window just for one spell... yes I can understand why it gets tiring. Maybe I would just like to make my encounters the way I want to, instead of 1 spell dictating how I have to make them.
lol , just wanted to type the sameyep, archers are your best bet. If the pattern gets the melee guys have the archers pelt the caster to try and break it, thats probably your best bet
yep, maybe even have one enemy be a suicidal fireball caster. He first pretends to be affected, allow a deception vs perception roll for that, and then quickcasts fireball as soon as the pcs start to loot the bodiesThere are a lot of protections vs the charmed and/or frightened conditions.
As said in a different thread, if that is your trademark spell, expect enemies to come prepared.
Also it is concentration and has a very easy out. Damage! If you catch 3 enemies, a single cast of magic missile is the counter spell. Why waste an action to shake your friends free if you can just give them a little slap for 1d4+1 damage.
Hold person is actually a quite potent spell too. Paralyze is a much more potent disable, every attack from 5ft range is a critical hit. So well chained it does not help the enemy a lot if he gets another save.
That does not mean, hypnotic pattern is not a great spell, but it has hard counters.
And you should not act as if enemies don't know how to counter it.
On the other hand, I had a similar problem with fireball spamming. Actually usually even a faster way of obliterating foes that happen to stand in the hypnotic pattern area.
My solution was changing the rest cycle:
I used a modified version of gritty healing and healing surges:
- a good nights sleep is a short rest where you regain 1/4 of your healing surges.
- one day off is long rest. During that rest you may explore a small dungeon and even fight. But travelling for 12 hours rules it out.
- 1 hour rest is a standard short rest. (I actually thought about reducing it to 15 min, only allowing to spend max your half HD and only recharging a single short rest power).
That change actually made spending resources meaningful. The wizard started not using fireball quasi at will in overland travels where encounters are quite rare. In Dungeons you don't force players to retreat too much. My justification for such a change: I see the standard healing rules just as a suggestion for beginners. Once players figure out the power of spells those rules are too favourable and take away a lot of fun.