So in my campain the adventuring group has in it a warlock and two characters with high strength and proficiency in athletics. They are level 5 at the moment. Recently they have been going through a dungeon and have developped a new tactic. Whenever they come upon a door, after verifing it's not trapped or locked, the strong ones open and if the warlock sees anything hostile he will immidiatly cast Hunger of Hadar in the room, and then the others close the door and hold it shut. They have cleared 3 rooms without fighting with this method, and is now has a name in the group.
Not the best for a rescue mission but it sounds like a good tactic in a dungeon full of enemies. Now you have the fun of coming up with a way to defeat it - should you wish to.
It's a pretty handy tactic for many situations. It's a 3rd level spell, so I doubt they are going to abuse it too much. If you want to cut down on it, just put more closed doors in your dungeon and they will run out of slots quickly or change their tactics :)
It doesn't work really well, for this to work the warlock has to hold his spell meaning the spell slot is gone weather or not they actually use the spell, a warlock at level 5 only has two spell slots, so after two doors the warlock would be out of spells weither or not he actually casts it.
Something to consider about the rules, don't want your players to have too easy of a time!
Most DMs would probably allow a "planned action" (before combat starts) like this without needing to hold the spell but some may not.
Similarly the area of the sphere is not restricted by a closed door the warlock would have to position the spell so that the door is exactly on the boundary of the spell again some GMs may cause the result of this an enemy had avoid the spell by being in the corner or for the strength base character to be affected by the spell.
Enemies would try to get out of the sphere even if blinded (they would pretty much know their way round the room) therefore in 1 or at most two turns they would have escaped the sphere unless the room would entirely fit within a 20 foot sphere and has no other exits.
Can the warlock see the entire room? This might not be the case in an L shape or similarly type of room or if the partially open door blocks his sight.
Do the enemies have any way of dealing with it (e.g. dispel magic)
There might be better uses for his spells, if he uses both his spell slots two kill a few trash mobs and the party is then attacked by the boss, maybe while they are attempting to take a short rest.
I played in a group (in 2nd edition AD&D, so ages back) where we would do similar with my wizard casting Cloudkill into a room and usually the Fighter and Paladin would stand our side of the doorway to either hold the door shut or fight anything trying to flee the room.
I love that your players have come up with this tactic, I think it's brilliant!
As for trying to challenge them...if you want to start forcing them to adapt without throwing innocent lives into the mix all it takes is one enemy to manage to escape into the next room screaming about what happened, to alert the whole complex. Suddenly there are guards in hallways, or maybe all the doors are opened with enemies watching.
Yes I agree it is great that they came up with an imaginative tactic, certainly the first time a tactic like this is used it should be encouraged, but there are enough things that can prevent it working that if the PCs try to use it as an easy win for every battle the DM can make them disappointed.
The warlock can still regain his spell slots with a short rest, so saying its two room and that's all is nowhere close to the reality of it.
As per readying the spell, it's indeed a planned sequence, in wich he casts the spell only if he actually sees something.
In that situation, is was an "abandonned" necromancer lair, so they were pretty sure they would not find any live hostages. (and they were right)
All enemies did try to do something about it. Twice they tried to open/break down the door, but did not succeed. The third time it was lowly zombies that rolled shit for perception, so they wandered around until they were all dead.
I do plan on putting different situations to see how how they act =)
In my opinion players sould be rewarded for good tactics, they did make a hard encounter easy by retreating in a narrow passageway and placing Moonbeam in front of them, knowing the enemies lacked actual thought process and would not change their tactics to go around their chokepoint.
I'm a little more malicious in the thought processes. I'd have a trap spell of some sort in a room that (upon a successful enough roll by the DM) reflects any spells fired into the room back at the players. Watch all of their eyes widen as they try to bolt to avoid the spell lol
A magically darkened room - not total darkness - leading to a magically darkened room - not total darkness - through a closed door. Upon opening the door, there's a disadvantage to identifying the occupants...
... who turn out to be the players in the room where they currently are looking back onto themselves through another door in the same room.
Better break that concentration, quick!
If they don't do in themselves, they'll be more cautious about blindly throwing grenades into rooms.
Why, yes. I'm evil. Why do you ask?
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Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I been playing in ToA as a druid and one tatacic that has been working super well for our group is I cast conjure animals and pick 4 CR 1/2 and pick 4 Jaculi, they are fron ToA, they have 16 HP, 14 AC and one attack but two options: bite and spring, bite is 2d6+2 piercing and spring is crazy strong doing 4d6+2, on top of that it makes it move ("spring") up to 30 feet and if it springs at least 10 feet of gets advantage on the attack and 8d6+2 on a crit is real good, so if you put them at least 10 feet away away from your untended target you get 4 attacks with advantage that deal at least 4d6+2.
Anyways after my Jaculi boys are out I wild shape into something (I'm a moon durid) and start kicking the shit out of stuff while the rogue shoots and arrows or throws daggers into things and either our bard or forge cleric heats metal on said daggers and arrows.
Anyways ends up giving most things disadvantage on attacks and massive amounts of damage on it each round, like at least 10d6 and 4d8
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So in my campain the adventuring group has in it a warlock and two characters with high strength and proficiency in athletics. They are level 5 at the moment. Recently they have been going through a dungeon and have developped a new tactic. Whenever they come upon a door, after verifing it's not trapped or locked, the strong ones open and if the warlock sees anything hostile he will immidiatly cast Hunger of Hadar in the room, and then the others close the door and hold it shut. They have cleared 3 rooms without fighting with this method, and is now has a name in the group.
Friends, this tactic is called Hunger of Hodor.
Dungeon Master in the world of Greyhawk,
Rawilow
Not the best for a rescue mission but it sounds like a good tactic in a dungeon full of enemies. Now you have the fun of coming up with a way to defeat it - should you wish to.
Oh no the room is full on enemies, but they failed to spot a small group on captives or innocents in the room and kills them as well.............
It's a pretty handy tactic for many situations. It's a 3rd level spell, so I doubt they are going to abuse it too much. If you want to cut down on it, just put more closed doors in your dungeon and they will run out of slots quickly or change their tactics :)
"Not all those who wander are lost"
It doesn't work really well, for this to work the warlock has to hold his spell meaning the spell slot is gone weather or not they actually use the spell, a warlock at level 5 only has two spell slots, so after two doors the warlock would be out of spells weither or not he actually casts it.
Something to consider about the rules, don't want your players to have too easy of a time!
Everything has to be just right for this to work:
Most DMs would probably allow a "planned action" (before combat starts) like this without needing to hold the spell but some may not.
Similarly the area of the sphere is not restricted by a closed door the warlock would have to position the spell so that the door is exactly on the boundary of the spell again some GMs may cause the result of this an enemy had avoid the spell by being in the corner or for the strength base character to be affected by the spell.
Enemies would try to get out of the sphere even if blinded (they would pretty much know their way round the room) therefore in 1 or at most two turns they would have escaped the sphere unless the room would entirely fit within a 20 foot sphere and has no other exits.
Can the warlock see the entire room? This might not be the case in an L shape or similarly type of room or if the partially open door blocks his sight.
Do the enemies have any way of dealing with it (e.g. dispel magic)
There might be better uses for his spells, if he uses both his spell slots two kill a few trash mobs and the party is then attacked by the boss, maybe while they are attempting to take a short rest.
I played in a group (in 2nd edition AD&D, so ages back) where we would do similar with my wizard casting Cloudkill into a room and usually the Fighter and Paladin would stand our side of the doorway to either hold the door shut or fight anything trying to flee the room.
It helped that the Fighter had a Periapt of Proof against Poison
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I love that your players have come up with this tactic, I think it's brilliant!
As for trying to challenge them...if you want to start forcing them to adapt without throwing innocent lives into the mix all it takes is one enemy to manage to escape into the next room screaming about what happened, to alert the whole complex. Suddenly there are guards in hallways, or maybe all the doors are opened with enemies watching.
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Yes I agree it is great that they came up with an imaginative tactic, certainly the first time a tactic like this is used it should be encouraged, but there are enough things that can prevent it working that if the PCs try to use it as an easy win for every battle the DM can make them disappointed.
To answer some questions:
The warlock can still regain his spell slots with a short rest, so saying its two room and that's all is nowhere close to the reality of it.
As per readying the spell, it's indeed a planned sequence, in wich he casts the spell only if he actually sees something.
In that situation, is was an "abandonned" necromancer lair, so they were pretty sure they would not find any live hostages. (and they were right)
All enemies did try to do something about it. Twice they tried to open/break down the door, but did not succeed. The third time it was lowly zombies that rolled shit for perception, so they wandered around until they were all dead.
I do plan on putting different situations to see how how they act =)
In my opinion players sould be rewarded for good tactics, they did make a hard encounter easy by retreating in a narrow passageway and placing Moonbeam in front of them, knowing the enemies lacked actual thought process and would not change their tactics to go around their chokepoint.
Dungeon Master in the world of Greyhawk,
Rawilow
have a room with one enemy in it. put in some hostages in as well.
I'm a little more malicious in the thought processes. I'd have a trap spell of some sort in a room that (upon a successful enough roll by the DM) reflects any spells fired into the room back at the players. Watch all of their eyes widen as they try to bolt to avoid the spell lol
Full of rice, beans, and bad ideas.
A magically darkened room - not total darkness - leading to a magically darkened room - not total darkness - through a closed door. Upon opening the door, there's a disadvantage to identifying the occupants...
... who turn out to be the players in the room where they currently are looking back onto themselves through another door in the same room.
Better break that concentration, quick!
If they don't do in themselves, they'll be more cautious about blindly throwing grenades into rooms.
Why, yes. I'm evil. Why do you ask?
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I been playing in ToA as a druid and one tatacic that has been working super well for our group is I cast conjure animals and pick 4 CR 1/2 and pick 4 Jaculi, they are fron ToA, they have 16 HP, 14 AC and one attack but two options: bite and spring, bite is 2d6+2 piercing and spring is crazy strong doing 4d6+2, on top of that it makes it move ("spring") up to 30 feet and if it springs at least 10 feet of gets advantage on the attack and 8d6+2 on a crit is real good, so if you put them at least 10 feet away away from your untended target you get 4 attacks with advantage that deal at least 4d6+2.
Anyways after my Jaculi boys are out I wild shape into something (I'm a moon durid) and start kicking the shit out of stuff while the rogue shoots and arrows or throws daggers into things and either our bard or forge cleric heats metal on said daggers and arrows.
Anyways ends up giving most things disadvantage on attacks and massive amounts of damage on it each round, like at least 10d6 and 4d8