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<blockquote data-quote="Shadowdweller" data-source="post: 8085534" data-attributes="member: 14563">I've honestly never had problems with Hypnotic Pattern as DM.&nbsp; Sure, it's effective, but as others have stated so are a whole bunch of other level-appropriate spells such as Conjure Animals and Fireball.&nbsp; (I find Conjure Animals to be generally MUCH more problematic).&nbsp; Some tips for dealing with it:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Creatures have to see the pattern to be affected by it.&nbsp; So anything that provides heavy obscurement - like smoke or fog - negates it. Technically even keeping one's eyes closed should prevent the effect though it would be unfair metagaming to have the enemy abuse this without good reason.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">It's both a charm and illusion effect.&nbsp; Quite a lot of creatures are immune or resistant to charm; at higher levels Truesight allows a fair few enemies to simply bypass it.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Servants, familiars, some pets - event those who are mostly non-combatants (e.g. cowering goblin children) can still wake a creature affected by it up.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Consider creating situations where enemies attack the PC from multiple sides; or otherwise do not conveniently bunch up into a fireball-sized group.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Have the enemy arrive in waves.&nbsp; Maybe 2 rounds after sounds of fighting or dying break out in the room, that group from two doors down comes looking.</li>
</ul>EVEN if you're running premade adventures, you have narrative leeway as DM to change things up a bit.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Shadowdweller, post: 8085534, member: 14563"] I've honestly never had problems with Hypnotic Pattern as DM. Sure, it's effective, but as others have stated so are a whole bunch of other level-appropriate spells such as Conjure Animals and Fireball. (I find Conjure Animals to be generally MUCH more problematic). Some tips for dealing with it: [LIST] [*]Creatures have to see the pattern to be affected by it. So anything that provides heavy obscurement - like smoke or fog - negates it. Technically even keeping one's eyes closed should prevent the effect though it would be unfair metagaming to have the enemy abuse this without good reason. [*]It's both a charm and illusion effect. Quite a lot of creatures are immune or resistant to charm; at higher levels Truesight allows a fair few enemies to simply bypass it. [*]Servants, familiars, some pets - event those who are mostly non-combatants (e.g. cowering goblin children) can still wake a creature affected by it up. [*]Consider creating situations where enemies attack the PC from multiple sides; or otherwise do not conveniently bunch up into a fireball-sized group. [*]Have the enemy arrive in waves. Maybe 2 rounds after sounds of fighting or dying break out in the room, that group from two doors down comes looking. [/LIST] EVEN if you're running premade adventures, you have narrative leeway as DM to change things up a bit. [/QUOTE]

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