Fight Night

[Luna_Mayflower]

So, in tonight's D&D session, there's a champion vs champion combat about to go on. The winner rules the fire cult, and the players need the stone that only the leader of the cult can access. Here's the thing: Pre-buffing is allowed, so I was wondering if you guys could give recommendations on buffs for both parties. I have the PHB and Spell Compendium.

Here are the sides:

PCs

Combatant: Lv 14 Half-Elf Barbarian / Beloved of Valarian (Wis is way too low for her to cast any spells herself.)

Support Casters: Lv 14 Spirit Shaman
Lv 12 Wizard
Lv 14 Psion
Lv 14 Sorceror

(The latter two, sadly, know no buffing spells. Wizards are fixed, so mainly Druidic Buffs.)


Opponents

Combatant: 14HD Fire Giant Barbarian

Support Casters: Lv 14 Spirit Shaman
Lv 14 Bard


Thanks for any help. I know Fire Giant vs Half Elf looks daunting at first, but with Enlarge Person and the right buffs, it should be a good fight.

[Segev]

Can we get some idea of what the Wizard, Psion, and Sorcerer have available to them? I know they're fixed and you said they lack buffs, but there might be something twisted the people on this board could come up with.

What is the barbarian/Valerianite's favored fighting style? How much is he invested in particular weapon choices? Either the wizard or the druid could possibly cast Polymorph, which, if the elf can get Large somehow, would allow them to do the ever-cheesy Hydra-form trick. A Hydra with barbarian levels could be terrifying.

I'm less sure it's useful for the Fire Giant to be changed into a hydra; he has the size requirement, but it might be a step down in stats (I don't have time to compare, myself, right now). Do recall a hydra's greatest advantage is its standard action full of many attacks.

[Diarmuid]

Is there any limit on how much prebuffing?

What spells did the 2 Spirit Shaman's pick for the day, like already said, what spells does the Wizard have prepared?

[Luna_Mayflower]

Can we get some idea of what the Wizard, Psion, and Sorcerer have available to them? I know they're fixed and you said they lack buffs, but there might be something twisted the people on this board could come up with.

What is the barbarian/Valerianite's favored fighting style? How much is he invested in particular weapon choices? Either the wizard or the druid could possibly cast Polymorph, which, if the elf can get Large somehow, would allow them to do the ever-cheesy Hydra-form trick. A Hydra with barbarian levels could be terrifying.

I'm less sure it's useful for the Fire Giant to be changed into a hydra; he has the size requirement, but it might be a step down in stats (I don't have time to compare, myself, right now). Do recall a hydra's greatest advantage is its standard action full of many attacks.

I don't have their spell lists here, but if I remember correctly, the Wizard has Greater Heroism, Haste, Bull's Strength, Enlarge Person as well as things like Enervation, Teleport, Cone of Cold, Chain Lightning. The Psion has mostly offensive powers, like Disintegrate, Baleful Teleport and Crystalise, but also has some non-offensive powers like Body Adjustment and Teleport. The Sorceror has mostly de-buffs, like Bestow Curse and Blindess/Deafness, but those aren't allowed before hand. She also has spells like Prismatic Spray and Disintegrate.

The Spirit Shamans have the night to rest and regain their spells, so it can be anything from the list.

The Barbarian/Beloved uses primarily a +1 Icy Burst Monk's Spade, and has Weapon Focus and Exotic Proficiency for it. She also has a Ghost Touch Longsword and a Crossbow.

The Fire Giant, if you're interested, is using a +4 Flaming Greatsword. The Barbarian/Beloved also has the Controlled Immolation feat from Unearthed Arcana, making her immune to damage from being set on fire, but not from other sources, eg the sword.

There is no buffing limit, but no spells can be cast in the fight, even buffs that let the target use spells/spell-like abilities.

I'm happy to answer any other questions.

[Socratov]

Level 12 wizard or lvl 12 sorcerer should have access to celerity (and if they don't I'm questioning their validity as arcane casters). Is there a way to give it to our barbarian so he acts first? If so, the barbarian first takes out the support casters.

Else: order of targets: Bard (you don't want a barbarian raging coming into contact with illusions), the the spirit shaman, Then the fire Giant Barbarian. Meanwhile the Spirit shaman entangles the fire giant, and the Sorc and Wizard throw Save-or-sucks around. Barbarian smashes and cleaves through all while completely flipping out.

Pre buffs: Cat's grace, Bark's skin, Bear's endurance, Bull's Strength, greater Vigor won't hurt, some way of resisting fire damage would help as well...

[Segev]

Hm. Off the top of my head, with Body Adjustment, the psion can self-heal, targeting only himself, which should be kosher...

Does he have Share Pain, or does somebody have access to the spell Shield Other?

Cast that between the Psion and the Elf, and the Elf takes half damage, at least, from everything.

I think Girallon's Blessing in Spell Compendium is on the druid list. Give him two extra arms after Enlarging him and turning him into a 9-headed Hydra, and he can wield his preferred weapons as a primary attack routine and his 9 heads as a secondary attack routine.

[Luna_Mayflower]

Level 12 wizard or lvl 12 sorcerer should have access to celerity (and if they don't I'm questioning their validity as arcane casters). Is there a way to give it to our barbarian so he acts first? If so, the barbarian first takes out the support casters.

Else: order of targets: Bard (you don't want a barbarian raging coming into contact with illusions), the the spirit shaman, Then the fire Giant Barbarian. Meanwhile the Spirit shaman entangles the fire giant, and the Sorc and Wizard throw Save-or-sucks around. Barbarian smashes and cleaves through all while completely flipping out.

Pre buffs: Cat's grace, Bark's skin, Bear's endurance, Bull's Strength, greater Vigor won't hurt, some way of resisting fire damage would help as well...

I may have not explained it well enough. The battle is between the two Barbarians, the casters don't have anything to do with the battle beyond buffing. Sorry, I should have made that clear.

[Diarmuid]

The 14th level SS can "retrieve" 3/3/3/3/2/2/1 spells. Here are some decent options at each level.

0th - Dont care

1st - Crabwalk. Endure Elements, Jump

2nd - +Stat Spells (ones not already covered by magic items), Resist Energy, Spider Climb, Burrow, Mountain Stance,

3rd - Daylight, Protection from Energy, Girallon's Blessing, Blindsight, Nature'd Balance, Neutralize Poison

4th - Sheltered Vitality, Mass Surefooted Stride, Air Walk, Freeding of Movement

5th - Death Ward, Stoneskin, Greater Vigor, Owl's Insight

6th - Tortoise Shell, Superior Resistance, Energy Immunity

7th - True Seeing, Aura of Vitality

[Metahuman1]

Don't suppose either Arcane Caster knows Contingency? That would open up a metric tone of options.

[Diarmuid]

Only if they also know magic jar. Contingency is Personal range only.

[Luna_Mayflower]

The 14th level SS can "retrieve" 3/3/3/3/2/2/1 spells. Here are some decent options at each level.

0th - Dont care

1st - Crabwalk. Endure Elements, Jump

2nd - +Stat Spells (ones not already covered by magic items), Resist Energy, Spider Climb, Burrow, Mountain Stance,

3rd - Daylight, Protection from Energy, Girallon's Blessing, Blindsight, Nature'd Balance, Neutralize Poison

4th - Sheltered Vitality, Mass Surefooted Stride, Air Walk, Freeding of Movement

5th - Death Ward, Stoneskin, Greater Vigor, Owl's Insight

6th - Tortoise Shell, Superior Resistance, Energy Immunity

7th - True Seeing, Aura of Vitality


This was pretty much how it went.

The battle was close, but the decider was that one SS could cast Stoneskin on the Giant, while the other had a Vow of Poverty, and so couldn't carry the diamond dust required. As such, the Half-Elf, despite tearing into the giant with four clawed hands, with some great buffs, just couldn't pull the damage down in time. That, coupled with the giant's Displacement, meant that, despite having superior damage output straight up, not enough damage got through. The Stoneskin was finally put down, but the Barbarian was only on about 20 hp, and a couple of strikes from the giant's blade made it game over.

The SS, however, seemed to have a backup plan. Flying down to where the stone was kept in Spirit Form, she found it, but also a big nastie. Lets just say things will get interesting.


Only if they also know magic jar. Contingency is Personal range only.

Can you possess an ally, then cast a personal range spell, then leave the body to have them with a personal range spell?