As a CR26, Zariel is pretty intense for a party of less than like, 10 players. Which is kind of bonkers to manage at a table. So you can just nerf her HP or the damage on her attacks, but that always seems just boring and cheap to me.
One way to make this encounter doable by a group of 5 is to take a technique from tyranny of dragons and have story goals for the party when met, hinder the fiend in some way. Lets play with the Devil portion of her. A Devil may have to be summoned to the material plane, So perhaps the party has to acquire certain reagents that, when used with the summoning spell to bring Zariel over, actually harm her, or inhibit her. Something like a rare salt that will negate some of her healing? Maybe the party has inspired others through their good deeds and infamy and can call on champions to aid in the fight, so you have more targets than just the party, because who wouldnt want to stop a Devil from entering the material plane?
Or, if the party confronts her in Avernus, they could potentially make a deal with a lesser devil that wants to usurp Avernus from Zariel and would be willing to give the party a Devilish boon? Something like resistance to Slashing and Immunity to Fire for a set amount of time, or even as a Rune that the player sets on the ground and has to stay near. Make it something that has some interaction that has benefits, but has an element of danger, if the player gets knocked away.
You could also lean on the Blood War. Have the party bridge some Demons to Avernus to cause chaos and take Zariels attention. Once Zariel is engaged with a few demons or has been wounded by them already, then the players strike.
Whatever the outcome is, you basically have to take her down a peg, but let the players have choice and agency in that reduction or it wont feel like they actually beat a CR26 monster.
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So, when should I put my party against Zariel (http://pro.bols.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Zariel-Mordenkainens-Stats.jpg)?
They are a party of 5 consisting of Cannonsmith (which can deal a lot of damage) (gmbinder.com/share/-LAEn6ZdC6lYUKhQ67Qk)
Tempest Knight (which can do a lot of damage at the cost of exaustion) (https://docs.google.com/document/d/17KAhgP6D8Xoo2B0stDjWfEc-32E7XGAhDOxHu1R8bD4/edit?usp=sharing)
Druid/cleric
Warlock
Bard
Its not a supper high magic but like. Rare by 8 very rare by 10 legendary by 15 ish.
thanks in advance
As a CR26, Zariel is pretty intense for a party of less than like, 10 players. Which is kind of bonkers to manage at a table. So you can just nerf her HP or the damage on her attacks, but that always seems just boring and cheap to me.
One way to make this encounter doable by a group of 5 is to take a technique from tyranny of dragons and have story goals for the party when met, hinder the fiend in some way. Lets play with the Devil portion of her. A Devil may have to be summoned to the material plane, So perhaps the party has to acquire certain reagents that, when used with the summoning spell to bring Zariel over, actually harm her, or inhibit her. Something like a rare salt that will negate some of her healing? Maybe the party has inspired others through their good deeds and infamy and can call on champions to aid in the fight, so you have more targets than just the party, because who wouldnt want to stop a Devil from entering the material plane?
Or, if the party confronts her in Avernus, they could potentially make a deal with a lesser devil that wants to usurp Avernus from Zariel and would be willing to give the party a Devilish boon? Something like resistance to Slashing and Immunity to Fire for a set amount of time, or even as a Rune that the player sets on the ground and has to stay near. Make it something that has some interaction that has benefits, but has an element of danger, if the player gets knocked away.
You could also lean on the Blood War. Have the party bridge some Demons to Avernus to cause chaos and take Zariels attention. Once Zariel is engaged with a few demons or has been wounded by them already, then the players strike.
Whatever the outcome is, you basically have to take her down a peg, but let the players have choice and agency in that reduction or it wont feel like they actually beat a CR26 monster.