I hate Hunger of Hadar! The warlock in my game shuts down almost every encounter with this damn spell. He throws it down and the rest of the party just lets the spell do it's job while the enemies just bungle around in it. Is Faerie Fire a decent counter? Like if the baddies drop Faerie Fire on the party, then get caught in Hunger of Hadar, can the baddies still see the party through the inky dark caused by Hunger of Hadar. I'm just tired of this happening every time a fight breaks out.
Find a reason to add a more intelligent creature to an encounter, a stealthy creature that will initially hold back. Wait for the Warlock to do his predictable thing, then have the stealthy character engage.
Use flying creatures, attacking from a distance. In general, flying or otherwise, keep your creatures more spread out.
Use creatures that would be unaffected by Blinded. Resistance to Cold or Acid damage, or the ability to ignore Difficult Terrain.
The reason they can't dash out is usually because they spell is cast in a place where the spell takes up almost all of the battle area, (thanks to the adventure i'm running for putting most the fights in small areas) and cause if the creature is blinded we kinda assume they can't just run out as they kinda lose their direction inside the spells area of effect. Does blinded not inhibit their ability to know what direction to move in order to escape the darkness?
Look around a room then close your eyes, you can make a pretty good attempt at navigating short distances so it seems fair to assume they would too. Even with difficult terrain most creatures should not spend more than 1 full turn in the area, let alone intelligent opponents that can work around the spell. If the party get upset about enemies holding their surroundings in short term memory then you just need to pull out an opponent that can also cast arms of Hadar and they will soon realise the issue of assuming blind essentially incapacitates the target.
Dispel magic exists as do anti magic effects, spells like lightning bolt and fireball can damage the party with nothing more than a general idea where they are (even better if the warlock fails the concentration check), immunities or even monsters that are healed by cold and/or acid damage. I can't remember the name of it but am sure there is a short range teleport that could bypass the area. Worst case they all hold back and when the black void clears combat starts with the warlock having wasted a tier 3 spell slot.
Thats what I do actually, the odd thing is they usually stumble around in the darkness. I think I've just been too leniant, and will just start having smart monsters run the F out of the spell. I'm still curious to know how the spell interacts with Faerie Fire though.
Faerie Fire would prevent the affected people from becoming invisible, but Hunger of Hadar would still prevent the people within the darkness from seeing the party members or anyone else for that matter.
They can still hear. The party probably made some noise (and casting Hunger has a verbal component!) so the monsters would at least know where the warlock is and go in that direction.
It’s still a very powerful spell, but requires support - in my campaign the Barbarian and Paladin often line up at the edge of the effect and shove monsters back in if they get out. that works, but the monsters still get to take swings at them.
If the party drops a nasty area of effect then have some foes grapple PCs and move them into the area.
Alternatively, have the foes retreat and simply wait for the effect to clear. If the PC's have blocked off the whole width of the combat then the area blocks the PCs just as much as it does their foes. For bonus effect, while the foes are waiting they can either defend or ready weapons for when someone is visible (imagine if the warlock drops concetration and all the foes fire their readied missile attacks at her, heh heh).
Of course, as a GM you should also provide plenty of times when the spell *is* effective. The warlock's player used a spell slot for it, so they should be getting a decent amount of utility. Remember that part of the GM's job is to be a champion of the players.
The reason they can't dash out is usually because they spell is cast in a place where the spell takes up almost all of the battle area, (thanks to the adventure i'm running for putting most the fights in small areas)
Perhaps you should change this, then. If you know your players have developed a tactic that exploits narrow, congested areas, have some combats take place in more open areas.
Roll a 12-sided die. Match the number to a number on a clock and have them walk in that direction.
Probably easier to use a d8 and use the compass directions, if you're going to go that route. And to the OP, yes, it makes sense, but it makes blinding way more powerful that is intended.
An intelligent enemy would just be blind, not amnesiac. The DM shouldn’t be making them move randomly in their own area unless the enemy is also unfamiliar with the area. I’d give them a 50% chance to retreat the way they came successfully. Now if the enemy has low WIS, INT or passive perception stat, that’s another story
Creatures with blindsight and truesight would also be unaffected by the darkness caused by the spell
Creatures with blindsight and truesight would also be unaffected by the darkness caused by the spell
Blindsight, maybe. The sphere of blackness of the hunger would not affect them, but there is also a loud noise element to the area of effect. If the blindsight for a particular creature was not affected by the blinded condition or the distracting sounds, then perhaps there is no problem. Truesight does not protect against the blinded condition, so I'm not so sure truesight would give any assistance inside the area of effect.
This is just the way I interpret the spell. I'm not an authority obviously.
The spell is described as creating an area of magical darkness, and the section on light levels says that a creature in darkness is essentially suffering from the blinded condition. So I would rule that the blinded reference in Hunger of Hadar comes from the magical darkness. Meaning truesight, which specifically states the creature can see through magical darkness would allow vision into, out of, or through the area of effect. And that blinding a creature with truesight would require a physical object blocking their vision, or flat out destroying their eyes (or other relevant organ).
The other thing you can do is force the Warlock to learn to conserve spell slots...stage combat in waves (I’m assuming a creature on the other side of the Spell area of effect will just wait it out), or limit short rests (by rolling for encounters when they try to rest). Warlocks have at most 4 slots (2 until level 10) without a short rest or a magic item and they will quickly learn to conserve them if you present scenarios that will exhaust their current strategy
The spell is described as creating an area of magical darkness, and the section on light levels says that a creature in darkness is essentially suffering from the blinded condition. So I would rule that the blinded reference in Hunger of Hadar comes from the magical darkness. Meaning truesight, which specifically states the creature can see through magical darkness would allow vision into, out of, or through the area of effect. And that blinding a creature with truesight would require a physical object blocking their vision, or flat out destroying their eyes (or other relevant organ).
The spell says: "a gateway to the dark between the stars", "A 20-foot-radius sphere of blackness and bitter cold appears...", and " No light, magical or otherwise, can illuminate the area, and creatures fully within the area are blinded." This is not the same as magical darkness, it is blackness and gives the Blinded condition.
Truesight does not work in this area as it is not a darkness spell, it is simply an absence of light.
I hate Hunger of Hadar! The warlock in my game shuts down almost every encounter with this damn spell. He throws it down and the rest of the party just lets the spell do it's job while the enemies just bungle around in it. Is Faerie Fire a decent counter? Like if the baddies drop Faerie Fire on the party, then get caught in Hunger of Hadar, can the baddies still see the party through the inky dark caused by Hunger of Hadar. I'm just tired of this happening every time a fight breaks out.
It’s only a 20’ radius right? Why can’t the enemies just dash out of it? Or avoid it altogether?
Find a reason to add a more intelligent creature to an encounter, a stealthy creature that will initially hold back. Wait for the Warlock to do his predictable thing, then have the stealthy character engage.
Use flying creatures, attacking from a distance. In general, flying or otherwise, keep your creatures more spread out.
Use creatures that would be unaffected by Blinded. Resistance to Cold or Acid damage, or the ability to ignore Difficult Terrain.
The reason they can't dash out is usually because they spell is cast in a place where the spell takes up almost all of the battle area, (thanks to the adventure i'm running for putting most the fights in small areas) and cause if the creature is blinded we kinda assume they can't just run out as they kinda lose their direction inside the spells area of effect. Does blinded not inhibit their ability to know what direction to move in order to escape the darkness?
Blinded says nothing about impairing their ability to know which way to go, so if they want out of the AoE, they can just walk there without issue.
Sure but wouldn't it make sense that if they are blind they wouldn't know?
Look around a room then close your eyes, you can make a pretty good attempt at navigating short distances so it seems fair to assume they would too. Even with difficult terrain most creatures should not spend more than 1 full turn in the area, let alone intelligent opponents that can work around the spell. If the party get upset about enemies holding their surroundings in short term memory then you just need to pull out an opponent that can also cast arms of Hadar and they will soon realise the issue of assuming blind essentially incapacitates the target.
Dispel magic exists as do anti magic effects, spells like lightning bolt and fireball can damage the party with nothing more than a general idea where they are (even better if the warlock fails the concentration check), immunities or even monsters that are healed by cold and/or acid damage. I can't remember the name of it but am sure there is a short range teleport that could bypass the area. Worst case they all hold back and when the black void clears combat starts with the warlock having wasted a tier 3 spell slot.
Roll a 12-sided die. Match the number to a number on a clock and have them walk in that direction.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Thats what I do actually, the odd thing is they usually stumble around in the darkness. I think I've just been too leniant, and will just start having smart monsters run the F out of the spell. I'm still curious to know how the spell interacts with Faerie Fire though.
Faerie Fire would prevent the affected people from becoming invisible, but Hunger of Hadar would still prevent the people within the darkness from seeing the party members or anyone else for that matter.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
They can still hear. The party probably made some noise (and casting Hunger has a verbal component!) so the monsters would at least know where the warlock is and go in that direction.
It’s still a very powerful spell, but requires support - in my campaign the Barbarian and Paladin often line up at the edge of the effect and shove monsters back in if they get out. that works, but the monsters still get to take swings at them.
If the party drops a nasty area of effect then have some foes grapple PCs and move them into the area.
Alternatively, have the foes retreat and simply wait for the effect to clear. If the PC's have blocked off the whole width of the combat then the area blocks the PCs just as much as it does their foes. For bonus effect, while the foes are waiting they can either defend or ready weapons for when someone is visible (imagine if the warlock drops concetration and all the foes fire their readied missile attacks at her, heh heh).
Of course, as a GM you should also provide plenty of times when the spell *is* effective. The warlock's player used a spell slot for it, so they should be getting a decent amount of utility. Remember that part of the GM's job is to be a champion of the players.
Perhaps you should change this, then. If you know your players have developed a tactic that exploits narrow, congested areas, have some combats take place in more open areas.
Probably easier to use a d8 and use the compass directions, if you're going to go that route. And to the OP, yes, it makes sense, but it makes blinding way more powerful that is intended.
An intelligent enemy would just be blind, not amnesiac. The DM shouldn’t be making them move randomly in their own area unless the enemy is also unfamiliar with the area. I’d give them a 50% chance to retreat the way they came successfully. Now if the enemy has low WIS, INT or passive perception stat, that’s another story
Creatures with blindsight and truesight would also be unaffected by the darkness caused by the spell
Blindsight, maybe. The sphere of blackness of the hunger would not affect them, but there is also a loud noise element to the area of effect. If the blindsight for a particular creature was not affected by the blinded condition or the distracting sounds, then perhaps there is no problem. Truesight does not protect against the blinded condition, so I'm not so sure truesight would give any assistance inside the area of effect.
This is just the way I interpret the spell. I'm not an authority obviously.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
The spell is described as creating an area of magical darkness, and the section on light levels says that a creature in darkness is essentially suffering from the blinded condition. So I would rule that the blinded reference in Hunger of Hadar comes from the magical darkness. Meaning truesight, which specifically states the creature can see through magical darkness would allow vision into, out of, or through the area of effect. And that blinding a creature with truesight would require a physical object blocking their vision, or flat out destroying their eyes (or other relevant organ).
The other thing you can do is force the Warlock to learn to conserve spell slots...stage combat in waves (I’m assuming a creature on the other side of the Spell area of effect will just wait it out), or limit short rests (by rolling for encounters when they try to rest). Warlocks have at most 4 slots (2 until level 10) without a short rest or a magic item and they will quickly learn to conserve them if you present scenarios that will exhaust their current strategy
An enemy with Counterspell or Dispel Magic as spell options might also be able to negate or end the effect early as well
The spell says: "a gateway to the dark between the stars", "A 20-foot-radius sphere of blackness and bitter cold appears...", and " No light, magical or otherwise, can illuminate the area, and creatures fully within the area are blinded." This is not the same as magical darkness, it is blackness and gives the Blinded condition.
Truesight does not work in this area as it is not a darkness spell, it is simply an absence of light.