Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Baldurs_Underdark" data-source="post: 8564710" data-attributes="member: 6880355">Problem with Toll the Dead (and Sacred Flame) is that the players must make a save so the DC can't fudge the roll behind a DM-screen. That means that you have a combat where (practically) all rolls are made in the open. Any DM that does that in a deadly encounter risks a TPK, as the dice may just fall in the wrong direction.Practical solutions:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">An ally appears - perhaps someone the party recently encountered tracked them and comes to their aid. (Ideally a healer).</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">An ally of the lich flips to the side of the PCs - i.e. some near-dead prisoner crawled out of the lab where he was being experimented on, and stabs the lich in the back with his last bit of energy. He may only last one round, but it gives the PCs some opportunities for flanking, and draws some fire away from them.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">You review the player's character sheets, and make sure they really use everything they have. (I.e. the fighter did not forget the action surge or second wind, casters also depleted all magic items).</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Whenever the lich must make a saving throw, roll it behind a screen, and fail it.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">You make sure the lich makes attack rolls, which you make behind a DM-screen, and you make sure a number of those fail. If the lich normally has no spells that require an attack roll, you can always homebrew one. Or maybe the lich can also do Eldritch blast, and it thinks that the players are on their last legs and wants to spread the damage across multiple targets - except the dice don't cooperate.</li>
</ul></blockquote>

[QUOTE="Baldurs_Underdark, post: 8564710, member: 6880355"] Problem with Toll the Dead (and Sacred Flame) is that the players must make a save so the DC can't fudge the roll behind a DM-screen. That means that you have a combat where (practically) all rolls are made in the open. Any DM that does that in a deadly encounter risks a TPK, as the dice may just fall in the wrong direction. Practical solutions: [LIST] [*]An ally appears - perhaps someone the party recently encountered tracked them and comes to their aid. (Ideally a healer). [*]An ally of the lich flips to the side of the PCs - i.e. some near-dead prisoner crawled out of the lab where he was being experimented on, and stabs the lich in the back with his last bit of energy. He may only last one round, but it gives the PCs some opportunities for flanking, and draws some fire away from them. [*]You review the player's character sheets, and make sure they really use everything they have. (I.e. the fighter did not forget the action surge or second wind, casters also depleted all magic items). [*]Whenever the lich must make a saving throw, roll it behind a screen, and fail it. [*]You make sure the lich makes attack rolls, which you make behind a DM-screen, and you make sure a number of those fail. If the lich normally has no spells that require an attack roll, you can always homebrew one. Or maybe the lich can also do Eldritch blast, and it thinks that the players are on their last legs and wants to spread the damage across multiple targets - except the dice don't cooperate. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]

Verification