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View Full Version : Favorite Debuffs [3.5]



Temotei
2009-12-12, 01:12 AM
What are your favorite debuffs?

What, in your opinion, are the best debuffs? Try and include low-level ones too.

Sources don't matter, as long as you cite them. Feats, spells, class features...anything that weakens enemies.

Milskidasith
2009-12-12, 01:15 AM
Enervation.

Claudius Maximus
2009-12-12, 01:19 AM
Yeah, Enervation.

Freezing Fog is also great.

Temotei
2009-12-12, 01:49 AM
Any others? I'd like to hear a bunch of your favorites.

Toliudar
2009-12-12, 01:57 AM
Entangle, Grease and Glitterdust are among my favourite low-level debuffs.

Radiun
2009-12-12, 02:03 AM
Grease: A rogue with balance will rejoice

Entangle: because it repeats each round and not many humans can make the DC 20 strength check consistently. Escape artist is more likely, but oft ignored.

Blinding Spittle: Spitting in people's eyes is always a good way to start a fight

Vine Mine: large area, counts as undergrowth, enables entangle even in deserts

Dispel Magic: Removing their buffs is the best debuff

Spike Stones: Woe be to chargers

Wall of Thorns: No save, no SR, you're just stuck until you make a DC 25 strength check.

Temotei
2009-12-12, 02:06 AM
Grease: A rogue with balance will rejoice

Entangle: because it repeats each round and not many humans can make the DC 20 strength check consistently. Escape artist is more likely, but oft ignored.

Blinding Spittle: Spitting in people's eyes is always a good way to start a fight

Vine Mine: large area, counts as undergrowth, enables entangle even in deserts

Dispel Magic: Removing their buffs is the best debuff

Spike Stones: Woe be to chargers

Wall of Thorns: No save, no SR, you're just stuck until you make a DC 25 strength check.

Where would those non-SRD effects be? It looks like vine mine might be from Sandstorm, if it's desert-based...

EDIT: Found blinding spittle. Found vine mine.

Draz74
2009-12-12, 02:08 AM
Curse of Impending Blades, from SpC. (It's not superpowerful, but boy does it sound cool.)

Slow.

PhoenixRivers
2009-12-12, 02:10 AM
Slow, Web, Grease, Obscuring Mist, Dispel Magic, Enervation, Feeblemind, Waves of Fatigue, Greater Dispel Magic, Waves of Exhaustion, Power word: Blind, Polymorph any Object, Dominate Monster.

In core.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-12-12, 02:11 AM
Streamers.

Okay, so it's not 'favorite' so much as 'deserving of a fiery death', but it's certainly powerful.

Tokiko Mima
2009-12-12, 02:17 AM
I got some low level ones:

Entangling Exhalation feat - Dragonfire Adepts
Summon Swarm invocation - Warlocks
Fell Draining Magic Missile spell - Wizard/Sorcerer

Magnor Criol
2009-12-12, 02:18 AM
Shaped Freezing Fog (SpC). Grease + Solid Fog + cold damage. Awesomeness ensues. Equip party members with cold resistance items for maximum effect.

Bands of Steel (SpC). Especially chained. Reflex save-or-lose that still entangles even on a save. My wizard almost wiped out a whole army with a few chained BoS's (and his minions-er, I means fellow party members to administer the killing blows).

Feeblemind (core). Reduce enemies to drooling lumps? Take out that annoying enemy caster? Yes plz kthx. Again, Chaining this one makes it oh-so-delicious. :3

And I've gotten very, very good mileage out of Color Spray, making it my favorite low-level buff. Again, my wizard almost took out an entire encounter - several times - with just a casting or two of this spell.

Zaydos
2009-12-12, 02:26 AM
Sleep: I've loved it since the Red Box.

Enervation: Got to second it.

Freezing Fog: Haven't tried it yet, but it looks fun.

Moonbolt (SpC): 1d4 Str damage/3 CL max 5d4. 2 targets, Fort halves. Maximized it's a 7th level spell for 20 Str damage Fort reduces to 10, use on a mage :).

For invokers:
Beshadowed Blast: Warlock that blinds, it's fun.

Binding Blast: Will or Fort versus Stun. The DC is relatively low (20 + Cha with 1 feat) but through in Eldritch Glaive and they have to make a series of saves.

Also of course: Entangling Exhalation on a Dragon Fire Adept.

Temotei
2009-12-12, 02:45 AM
Where could I find:

Spike stones?
Wall of thorns?
Streamers?

Radiun
2009-12-12, 02:50 AM
Where could I find:

Spike stones?
Wall of thorns?
Streamers?


http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/spikeStones.htm
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wallOfThorns.htm

Temotei
2009-12-12, 02:52 AM
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/spikeStones.htm
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wallOfThorns.htm

Oops. I must have missed them in my handbook. :smallredface:

Fizban
2009-12-12, 03:11 AM
Color Spray, Grease, Glitterdust, Freezing Fog, Ennervation, all good. I'd like Bands of Steel more if it wasn't so easy to escape, but for humanoids it's great. Ray of Sickness, Ray of Dizzyness, and Stun Ray (Spell Compendium) are all awesome no-save debuffs for the BBEG in your life. Oh, and Ray of Exhaustion. Of course, Ray Deflection (SpC) will ruin your day, but thats why you pack a Kaupaer's Quickblast (link (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20050112a)) to check first and follow up with Dispel Magic if neccesary.

I also like this combo: Wand of Launch Item (SpC)+ Metmagic Wand Grip [Quicken] (Magic Item Compendium)+ a flask of Atrumen Oil (Planar Handbook), for a -4 on fort saves as a free action, with no save. Follow up with a nice Ray of Sickness and next turn you can start using the real nasty stuff.

Edit: ha, google-fu'd the quickblast.

Draz74
2009-12-12, 03:12 AM
Dispel Psionics. Much nicer than Dispel Magic. :smallwink:

PhoenixRivers
2009-12-12, 03:20 AM
Dispel Psionics. Much nicer than Dispel Magic. :smallwink:

Well, unless you intend to counterspell. :)

Also, for the full +20 bonus, you need to be spending the equivalent of a level 5.5 spell's worth of points.

Zaydos
2009-12-12, 03:29 AM
Well, unless you intend to counterspell. :)

Also, for the full +20 bonus, you need to be spending the equivalent of a level 5.5 spell's worth of points.

As opposed to a level 6 Greater Dispel Magic, and you can do that at 10th level. Dispel Psionics is better than Dispel Magic as far as dispelling goes.

arguskos
2009-12-12, 03:33 AM
I personally liked Wave of Grief and Wrack, from the Spell Compendium. Wrack is just fun. Wave of Grief is a no-save cone of -3 attacks, checks, and saves. How can you NOT love it? Especially at level 2? As a cleric spell!

PhoenixRivers
2009-12-12, 03:48 AM
As opposed to a level 6 Greater Dispel Magic, and you can do that at 10th level. Dispel Psionics is better than Dispel Magic as far as dispelling goes.

Printed, yes, Dispel peaks faster, and allows for higher bonuses.

However, when, at level 10, I can build arcane dispellers with Dispel Magic that have 100% chance to dispel or counter level 20 caster level with a level 3 dispel magic, the power difference is academic, and the cost difference becomes more important.

In other words, considering the level of support for dispelling: Dispelling the spell with a 31 vs DC 31 and Dispelling a spell with a 41 vs DC 31 makes no difference. Either way it ends. Beyond a certain level (usually CL 20, or CR +6), the dispel DC becomes academic. Anything you're fighting above that level will tend to wipe the floor with you.

So, for any dispel oriented character (which doesn't take much in the way of resources... couple feats, couple spells, minimal gold investment), at all viable CR levels, the spells are functionally identical... Except for Dispel Magic is cheaper and can also counterspell.

Eldariel
2009-12-12, 05:53 AM
Where could I find:

Spike stones?
Wall of thorns?
Streamers?


Streamers is in Shining South. It's funny; whenever opponent takes an action, they attack. Better not enjoy your free actions too much...

Ernir
2009-12-12, 07:46 AM
Wave of Grief is a no-save cone of -3 attacks, checks, and saves. How can you NOT love it? Especially at level 2? As a cleric spell!

But, but...


Wave of Grief
Enchantment [Evil, Mind-Affecting]
...
Saving Throw: Will negates
:smallfrown:

EDIT: Right, some of my own suggestions.

This thread suffers from a disturbing lack of Stinking Cloud and Cloud of Bewilderment (SpC).

My real favourite debuffs aren't spells, though. Things like the Hexblade's curse, making the opponents shaken and sickened by mundane means, and all those nice "auras" some classes get at one point or another. :smallamused:

Vizzerdrix
2009-12-12, 07:59 AM
I'm a fan of marbles, tanglefoot bags, bestow curse and baleful polymorph

Gorbash
2009-12-12, 08:10 AM
Waves of Exhaustion. -6 to Str and Dex, can't run or charge, move at half speed... No save. :smallbiggrin:

Crushing Grip
Burning Blood

FinalJustice
2009-12-12, 09:01 AM
Slow/Chained Ray of Dizzines. The first, because it's a debuff that will hit pretty much anyone (not mind affecting, no need of a physiology or other nonsense). The second is a no save mind affecting Slow.

Sharkman1231
2009-12-12, 09:23 AM
Ray of Enfeeblement = Awesome
It gets better as you level (to a point)
Metamagic makes it really fun.
10th lvl Maximised- 11 penalty if it hits.

Mongoose87
2009-12-12, 10:03 AM
I loves me some casting Grease on the Big Stupid Fighter(s).

industrious
2009-12-12, 10:07 AM
Bestow Curse: 50% chance of him not doing anything. Or, you can get creative. WoTC has a list of approved alternate curses in BoVD.

Greater Bestow Curse. Reduce any ability score to 1.

Shivering Touch: 3d6 DEX damage, with no save, on a touch attack? There is a reason why they call it "the dragon-killer"

Lysander
2009-12-12, 10:07 AM
Flanking with an Anti-Magic Field, having your barbarian friend grapple them

The Gilded Duke
2009-12-12, 10:19 AM
Boomerang Daze from Races of Eberron
Imperious Command from Drow of the Underdark for stacking fear debuffs.

Optimystik
2009-12-12, 11:11 AM
No love for Ego Whip? Wizards get it with Mental Pinnacle too.

Gorbash
2009-12-12, 11:58 AM
Shivering Touch: 3d6 DEX damage, with no save, on a touch attack? There is a reason why they call it "the dragon-killer"

Unless you metamagic it, there's a chance you'll end up next to a very not paralyzed dragon, so be careful on that one. It happened to me first time I used it that I rolled 9 and promptly got shredded on dragon's turn. Needless to say, I never used it again.

9mm
2009-12-12, 12:07 PM
confusion

also in less serious games: dropping a fat guy on the target also works. (lol octane games)

Incorrect
2009-12-12, 12:52 PM
I second the "only act half the time" Bestow Curse option. That is nice-sauce.

Meek
2009-12-12, 01:13 PM
Back when I used to play 3.5, I always loved Waves of Fatigue and Waves of Exhaustion. I would always prepare at least one. Both are really handy against your standard living enemies.

Flickerdart
2009-12-12, 01:14 PM
Tenser's Transformation is the best debuff out there. Or at least the funniest one.

Zeta Kai
2009-12-12, 01:28 PM
The tanglefoot bag compares favorably with enervation, a 4th-level spell. That's why I love 'em, & that why I ban them in half my campaigns.

Eloel
2009-12-12, 01:30 PM
I'd say Dominate Monster, but it's actually a buff.

You're facing a caster capable of casting 9th level spells, and they make you be on their side, instead of killing you? Nice!

Temotei
2009-12-12, 02:02 PM
I've wondered about that tanglefoot bag. :smallbiggrin:

Zaq
2009-12-12, 04:03 PM
Just to further cement my reputation as That Guy Who Brings Up Obscure Truename Nonsense, I've gotten a fair bit of mileage out of Reversed Inertia Surge. Basically, the target can act, but cannot move from their spot for one round (two if Extended). No save. You can just five-foot away and prevent a full attack, or make sure they don't crawl out of the Black Tentacles your sorcerer buddy made until they're well and truly grappled, or get a head start as you GTFO, or whatever. And it's available from level 1. (Not that a level 1 Truenamer will ever reliably make the Truespeak DC, but it's a style thing, really.)

Oh, I also love Unluck. It's my absolute favorite Save-or-Suck, because it's hugely powerful, but not so powerful that it's an instant lose. For this reason, sure, it's weaker than (for example) Glitterdust or whatever, but to me that's a feature, not a bug. Also, it's a lot of fun.

Other than that, just go with the classics. Slow, Glitterdust, Enervation, Curse of Impending Blades, Fatigue/Exhaustion, Color Spray, the basics.

I like the Hexblade's Curse, but it's kind of terrible. (It'd be on par with the Barbarian or Paladin, neither of which is especially good, if the target didn't have a chance to just say no. You can't negate Rage with a simple will save, so why the hell can you negate Curse? But my grievances have been discussed at length by many others before me.)

FMArthur
2009-12-12, 07:57 PM
Stinking Cloud. They can't act, and if they save, they still can't see. Hilarious.

Optimystik
2009-12-12, 08:04 PM
Stinking Cloud. They can't act, and if they save, they still can't see. Hilarious.

Dungeon Crawlin' Fools adds to the hilarity of the spell in a bonus strip:

V casts the spell to take out some goblins guarding the entrance of Dorukan's Dungeon - naturally, a fart joke and a goblin TPK is the result.

Doc Roc
2009-12-12, 08:29 PM
Death by Thorns, BoVD.

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-12-12, 08:36 PM
Metamagick'd Orb of Fire.

Being dead counts as being debuffed, right?

Optimystik
2009-12-12, 08:47 PM
Being dead counts as being debuffed, right?

Since you ask - technically, no :smalltongue:

Temotei
2009-12-13, 03:12 AM
Metamagick'd Orb of Fire.

Being dead counts as being debuffed, right?

I'm going to have to say ye...no. :smallamused:

sofawall
2009-12-13, 03:14 AM
Great Thunderclap. Targets all three saves.

PhoenixRivers
2009-12-13, 03:46 AM
Evard's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion

Temotei
2009-12-13, 03:51 AM
Evard's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion

:smalleek:

Ryumaru
2009-12-13, 04:23 AM
Evard's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion

Itai! Itai, Wizard-chan!