A problem some DMs encounter is the concept of what I'll describe as an "Ace" for a player. I'm referring to something that isn't RAW, but logically should allow a party to defeat a foe in a single blow; along the lines of "I cast create water in the BBEG's lungs," or "I cast true polymorph to turn him to mud, then purify food and drink to try to turn him into water."
As a player, these moments are always funny to suggest to your DM, and either amazing when they say yes, or kinda disappointing but not unsurprising when they shut it down.
As a DM, my eyes glaze over at the suggestion as I realize, yes, the Balor does technically need to breathe. Mechanically, no, these things probably shouldn't work, but at the same time, it creates some great moments when it does.
So, I wanted to pose my personal method of both allowing these crazy ideas, while ensuring they don't become the dominant way of winning every fight: the "Aces Rule":
First, inform your players that these aces should not be used as a win button to every fight, only as a last ditch resort when all else has failed, or is unlikely to work. Inform them that you will keep track of each of these aces the party has used on the Aces List; and finally, that they may use each unique ace they come up with once for free, but if used afterwards, it gets added to a second list: the Enemy Aces. This second list is the one enemies are allowed to use on PCs. How hard you leverage that new ability is up to DM discretion, though simply giving random cultists the ability to water-lung the PCs is not just cruel, it's unfun. Not saying don't be vengeful with it, but save it for a big boss fight where it'll be impactful. Personally, I've never had an instance in which a group of players got something onto the Enemy Aces list, as the fear of being flash-frozen then shattered with extreme heat while petrified is usually more than enough to prevent abuse of that power.
This allows players to find creative solutions to what may otherwise be a TPK, rather then relying on DM intervention (which may still come if something goes horribly wrong, but we don't mention that).
Secondly, it ensures that PCs don't become too reliant on the same tactics to win every single fight, by allowing them to use different Aces each time they are needed, but punishing (while still allowing) the opportunity to re-use one in dire circumstances.
Third, if an Ace become an Enemy Ace, it gives a DM the opportunity to utilize potentially devastating tactics that ordinary wouldn't be explored. How does your party counter Olhydra's ability to flood their lungs? Idk, but it'll create some interesting opportunities for the players to get creative.
What do you guys think of this rule?
Example: My players once fought a Three-Headed Green Greatwyrm. It was 6 lvl 20 PCs vs this monster using a homebrew mechanic for solo bosses, and they were losing. The wizard wanted to use Ready to prepare for the dragon to use its Breath Weapon, and shoot a fireball into its mouth, in hopes that they could detonate the gas and kill the dragon. I informed them that it would count as an Ace, and after some deliberation, they determined that retreat was unlikely, victory even less so, and parely impossible, and decided to try it. They grouped up to bait the dragon into using its Breath, which it did as soon as it recharged. Wizard does the iconic, 'I CAST FIREBALL', and I had him make a Ranged Spell Attack with Disadvantage vs the dragon's AC to see if he could put the fireball in it's mouth, and he succeeded, I ruled the dragon auto-failed the save since the explosion was in its mouth. The wizard rolled damage dice, I rolled a ridiculous amount of dice behind the screen to give the illusion of explosive damage, then gave a description of the fireball setting off the gas, blowing up the creature from within. They got their heroic moment, I didn't need to rebalance an encounter, and they haven't made this move a recurring theme to kill anything that breathes a gas. Win for everyone in my book.
This is actually pretty good, though I feel it breaks plausibility a little to allow these tactics at all. I mean, what's to stop druids from taking over the world if they can kill all their enemies with create or destroy water?
Most of the spells you're mentioning have descriptions that specify what they do and don't do - and they can't do the things that you're talking about. I love the Rule of Cool and will occasionally roll with a zany idea to see how it plays out, but mostly "No" is a valid and complete sentence as a DM.
When I do go along with one of these ideas, I almost always have the caster roll a check adding their spellcasting ability modifier against a DC I determine based on how difficult the task is, and how different it is from what the spell is supposed to do.
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
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A problem some DMs encounter is the concept of what I'll describe as an "Ace" for a player. I'm referring to something that isn't RAW, but logically should allow a party to defeat a foe in a single blow; along the lines of "I cast create water in the BBEG's lungs," or "I cast true polymorph to turn him to mud, then purify food and drink to try to turn him into water."
As a player, these moments are always funny to suggest to your DM, and either amazing when they say yes, or kinda disappointing but not unsurprising when they shut it down.
As a DM, my eyes glaze over at the suggestion as I realize, yes, the Balor does technically need to breathe. Mechanically, no, these things probably shouldn't work, but at the same time, it creates some great moments when it does.
So, I wanted to pose my personal method of both allowing these crazy ideas, while ensuring they don't become the dominant way of winning every fight: the "Aces Rule":
First, inform your players that these aces should not be used as a win button to every fight, only as a last ditch resort when all else has failed, or is unlikely to work. Inform them that you will keep track of each of these aces the party has used on the Aces List; and finally, that they may use each unique ace they come up with once for free, but if used afterwards, it gets added to a second list: the Enemy Aces. This second list is the one enemies are allowed to use on PCs. How hard you leverage that new ability is up to DM discretion, though simply giving random cultists the ability to water-lung the PCs is not just cruel, it's unfun. Not saying don't be vengeful with it, but save it for a big boss fight where it'll be impactful. Personally, I've never had an instance in which a group of players got something onto the Enemy Aces list, as the fear of being flash-frozen then shattered with extreme heat while petrified is usually more than enough to prevent abuse of that power.
This allows players to find creative solutions to what may otherwise be a TPK, rather then relying on DM intervention (which may still come if something goes horribly wrong, but we don't mention that).
Secondly, it ensures that PCs don't become too reliant on the same tactics to win every single fight, by allowing them to use different Aces each time they are needed, but punishing (while still allowing) the opportunity to re-use one in dire circumstances.
Third, if an Ace become an Enemy Ace, it gives a DM the opportunity to utilize potentially devastating tactics that ordinary wouldn't be explored. How does your party counter Olhydra's ability to flood their lungs? Idk, but it'll create some interesting opportunities for the players to get creative.
What do you guys think of this rule?
Example: My players once fought a Three-Headed Green Greatwyrm. It was 6 lvl 20 PCs vs this monster using a homebrew mechanic for solo bosses, and they were losing. The wizard wanted to use Ready to prepare for the dragon to use its Breath Weapon, and shoot a fireball into its mouth, in hopes that they could detonate the gas and kill the dragon. I informed them that it would count as an Ace, and after some deliberation, they determined that retreat was unlikely, victory even less so, and parely impossible, and decided to try it. They grouped up to bait the dragon into using its Breath, which it did as soon as it recharged. Wizard does the iconic, 'I CAST FIREBALL', and I had him make a Ranged Spell Attack with Disadvantage vs the dragon's AC to see if he could put the fireball in it's mouth, and he succeeded, I ruled the dragon auto-failed the save since the explosion was in its mouth. The wizard rolled damage dice, I rolled a ridiculous amount of dice behind the screen to give the illusion of explosive damage, then gave a description of the fireball setting off the gas, blowing up the creature from within. They got their heroic moment, I didn't need to rebalance an encounter, and they haven't made this move a recurring theme to kill anything that breathes a gas. Win for everyone in my book.
This is actually pretty good, though I feel it breaks plausibility a little to allow these tactics at all. I mean, what's to stop druids from taking over the world if they can kill all their enemies with create or destroy water?
Most of the spells you're mentioning have descriptions that specify what they do and don't do - and they can't do the things that you're talking about. I love the Rule of Cool and will occasionally roll with a zany idea to see how it plays out, but mostly "No" is a valid and complete sentence as a DM.
When I do go along with one of these ideas, I almost always have the caster roll a check adding their spellcasting ability modifier against a DC I determine based on how difficult the task is, and how different it is from what the spell is supposed to do.
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?