P.O. and Tactics for Asmodeus

[pwykersotz]

So, let's say the big 'A' has decided to throw down against a party of adventurers, just to show who's boss. For fun, let's say a Wizard, a Cleric, a Druid, and a Psion, all at level 20 and Practically Optimized and at standard WBL. While he would definitely have tons of leverage, assume each party member is willing and able to get into a knock-down drag-out with him, probably at the cost of everything they've ever loved as well as their own souls. One way or another, combat needs to happen. For unfathomable reasons, he's looking to display his own personal power, publicly humiliating some of the greatest heroes in the land.

Less is more, so the fewest minions, least gold, and fewest changes possible to the statblock as written in the Fiendish Codex page 155 is desired. Thoughts on how he would go about this?

Also note, that while it's PO, this is just for fun, not to actually set against real player characters.

[HunterOfJello]

First things first, remember to read the title of Asmodeus' stats. The stats you see there are for his Aspect, not for Asmodeus himself. Therefore, he can die in that form and not actually be harmed at all.

Next have him fully buffed up and start off by using his summoning power to summon the next 6 most powerful Archdevils around. Then have all of them attack the party at once with careful coordination and efficiency. Lots of spamming Greater Dispel Magic with CL20+ and use plenty of aura and gaze abilities to rip up the party. When things actually hit the second round of combat, have Asmodeus use Gate to open an actual portal to Hell and have at least 100 Pit Fiends run out of it in that round towards the group.

[Vaz]

Practical Optimization would see them flee the initial confrontation because they're so outmatched, to go to see the Angels and let them know what's afoot. Solar's beat Pit Fiends in combat, full stop, and many of them can gang up on Asmodeus' Avatar etc.

[LTwerewolf]

Solars beat Pit Fiends, they don't beat archdevils.

[pwykersotz]

HunterofJello: Naturally the outcome is 'Asmodeus wins', and I understand he's the aspect. But as I said, I'm curious how Asmodeus himself would fare. Summoning other archdevils and a hundred pit fiends doesn't do much to answer the question.

Vaz: The spirit of the challenge is to try to make this a 4 on 1 match and see how Asmodeus as statted would stack up, assuming the Playground is playing Asmodeus.

Like I mentioned, less is more, so Asmodeus unleashing all of hell or using his nigh infinite wealth is not the idea. What kind of optimization of his spells, feats, skills, and abilities would it take to allow him to take whatever 4 fully prepared and fully invested level 20 casters can dish out?

[Phelix-Mu]

I can think of no reason why in the Nine Hells Asmodeus would cede action economy in such a serious way as to fight 1v4 against even PO Tier 1s and 2s. That is moronic, and pretty much the opposite of what Hell stands for. He's basically asking for them to kick his keister at this point.

But, given this sketchy premise, he's one caster vs four. His chief need is to even the action economy. He should have probably psyreformed some lesser devil to have Craft Contingent Spell, and given himself contingent time stops, teleports, celerity, etc. His chief tools right off the bat are wish 1/day SLA and the ability to prepare miracle, both of which allow him some excellent flexibility once he has sized up the party. All his targets have good Will saves, and half have good Fort saves, and we can expect the party to be carrying heavy immunities. He needs to have one of the varieties of dispel or disjunction chained right off the bat, cause the optimized party will cause most of his oomph to fail, fail, fail. Can one dispel targets during a time stop?

During time stop he should wish/miracle/UMD a scroll to get owl's insight off the druid list, getting him a sorely needed +10 insight bonus to Wisdom, which will buff his DCs. We can also discuss whether the listed stats include him having used scrolls/tomes/his SLA to grant himself inherent bonuses to his stats; from a P.O. standpoint, it's not listed, and a character would definitely have dropped the money to do this before reaching Asmodeus' power level.

From a P.O. standpoint, greater mighty wallop should be perpetually in effect on his ruby rod. Just sayin'.

Note that he has planar binding and create greater undead, and gate. Using these, he should have access to virtually unlimited amounts of spellcasting during his downtime, so I'd assume that he has most day-long buffs up and running first thing in the morning (if there are mornings in Hell...oh, wait, what am I saying...OFC there are mornings in Hell). The party will hit him with dispels, so he should have contingent spell items to relaunch the most important buffs upon being successfully dispelled.

My favorite strategy atm is for him to prepare plane shift and gate. Once he has identified one of the party members by name (can you wish for that?), he plane shifts to the Astral or somewhere and gates in whichever party member has to die first, and then orders that party member to disrobe and fail saves versus [sadistic flavor of the week] series of badness. After using that guys brain as reconnaissance on the rest of the party, he returns to finish the job. Now it's 1v3.:smallsmile: Rinse and repeat as needed.

[Slipperychicken]

So, let's say the big 'A' has decided to throw down against a party of adventurers, just to show who's boss. For fun, let's say a Wizard, a Cleric, a Druid, and a Psion, all at level 20 and Practically Optimized and at standard WBL. While he would definitely have tons of leverage, assume each party member is willing and able to get into a knock-down drag-out with him, probably at the cost of everything they've ever loved as well as their own souls. One way or another, combat needs to happen. For unfathomable reasons, he's looking to display his own personal power, publicly humiliating some of the greatest heroes in the land.

Less is more, so the fewest minions, least gold, and fewest changes possible to the statblock as written in the Fiendish Codex page 155 is desired. Thoughts on how he would go about this?

Also note, that while it's PO, this is just for fun, not to actually set against real player characters.

The statblock I'm looking at says Int 28, Wis 32, that he always summons pit fiends, archdevils, and other minions, and that he teleports away if he takes damage.

So yeah, this already requires a lot of changes.

[pwykersotz]

The statblock I'm looking at says Int 28, Wis 32, that he always summons pit fiends, archdevils, and other minions, and that he teleports away if he takes damage.

So yeah, this already requires a lot of changes.

Yes, it requires some changes...but he didn't send an army of Pit Fiends against Zargon the Returner, he came and destroyed him and 'saved' the Prime Material Plane. There's at least some precedence for him making this kind of statement, even if it is rare. What I'm more looking for is to see if his personal power can be Playground optimized so that something like this is possible certain against the challenge I mentioned.

Phelix-mu, I'm loving the Gated'n'gibbed method. Very nice.