Advice for traveling through the 9 hells

[Jade_Skye]

Do to unforeseen circumstances and a tpk, my dread necromancer is going to be traveling through the nine hells attempting to escape. This just happened as we're leveling up to level 3. Anyone have suggestions for a feat that will be super helpful here? I was originally planning spell focus:necromancy, but wondering if there's something that might be better considering our campaign's new location.

[Kayblis]

If you have money or crafting feats, everyone should have a Protection from Evil on them at all times. The +2 to AC and saves is nice and all, but the two big things here are the protection from mental control and repelling summons.

The first is great because most habitants of the Nine Hells have variations of Charm Person, Dominate Person and Possession. Those abilities can turn an easy fight into a TPK, and this spell is a blanket "no" to any of those. It's that good.

The second is great because Demons and Devils alike have abilities to summon backup once per day, and they work as summoned creatures. Protection from Evil prevents them from touching you, and many fiends don't carry weapons. Unless they have high SR or are based around a weapon style, you can ignore any backup and go for the kill.

A continuous item of Protection from Evil is about 2000gp base cost. Can go down to 1000gp if someone has a crafting feat. I'd say it's a necessary investment if your DM is running the Nine Hells as they appear in the books.

[Vizzerdrix]

Bring ice water. :smallwink:

[Buufreak]

I just want to be absolutely sure I have the right of this. You are level 3, by yourself, and wanting to get out of hell. That correct?

[Jade_Skye]

I just want to be absolutely sure I have the right of this. You are level 3, by yourself, and wanting to get out of hell. That correct?

Not quite- Our whole party wiped and we will be attempting to escape hell together. It will likely take most the campaign by my guess.

[RatElemental]

You're kind of in the realm of DM fiat with this being possible at all. By all rights you should be petitioners (so no class abilities or feats or any of that at all) and unless all of you were either lawful evil or sold your souls to fiends/had your souls stolen by fiends you shouldn't all be in the nine hells.

Further, the lower planes are special in that you're not supposed to be able to escape from them unless summoned from them, as part of the explanation for why the material plane isn't overrun by fiends in the first place.

So long story short, if the DM is making this possible in the first place I'd kind of expect them to be putting thought into balancing encounters and such.

[Buufreak]

You're kind of in the realm of DM fiat with this being possible at all. By all rights you should be petitioners (so no class abilities or feats or any of that at all) and unless all of you were either lawful evil or sold your souls to fiends/had your souls stolen by fiends you shouldn't all be in the nine hells.

Further, the lower planes are special in that you're not supposed to be able to escape from them unless summoned from them, as part of the explanation for why the material plane isn't overrun by fiends in the first place.

So long story short, if the DM is making this possible in the first place I'd kind of expect them to be putting thought into balancing encounters and such.

Pretty much this. Hell is infinite and endless, even if subdivided into 9 separate psuedo demi planes. And as such, there is a nearly endless supply of things that exist to torture, and when they get bored of that, they simply eat souls. There is no reason other than "because the dm said so" that you should be anything greater than a 1hd outsider as the plane itself converts you into fuel, or eventually into devils themselves.

Plus, as pointed out, there is nearly no reason that your evil ass should have been able to condemn an entire party along with you. I'm also not entirely sure that by level 3 you have done anything to weigh so heavily that you yourself would be damned in such a manner, outside of specifically worshipping a Duke of hell or selling your soul in a faustian pact, at which point you would simply be the bitch and/or food of whoever you sold to.

[Elves]

The River Styx is a way out. There's probably a customs station at the edge of Hell though.

[Psyren]

Bring ice water. :smallwink:

Not much help in Cania or Stygia :smalltongue:

I agree with the others that there's not a lot you can do here but hope for plot. Protection from Evil isn't a bad idea but all they need is a dispel to ruin your day.

[Linearblade]

Do to unforeseen circumstances and a tpk, my dread necromancer is going to be traveling through the nine hells attempting to escape. This just happened as we're leveling up to level 3. Anyone have suggestions for a feat that will be super helpful here? I was originally planning spell focus:necromancy, but wondering if there's something that might be better considering our campaign's new location.

Its not really RAW if your tpk and end up there, but I’ve akways wanted to run a game like this.

You probably want some diplomancy. Simply because many devils will want to torture you first, and even the nine hells has cities second, and lastly, many encounters will simply be out of your control to defeat by force.

Since the hells are similar to “evil incorporated” , you can probably join the rat race towards degree, or at the very least offer your skills in trade to get out of situations by helping devil a screw over devil b to get ahead.

Devils will at the very least honor the letter of your agreement, if not it’s spirit .

I’d also suggest investing in spells that are defensive or don’t rely on saving throws or are vulnerable to spell resistance.

Outsiders have freak show saves, and many have spell resists.

Now, if you have some power gamer ability scores and some char ops going on, you can probably get away with this to some degree.

since resting may be an issue, you might want rings of sustenance etc.

Hats of disguise may also work (not quite sure on that)

Lastly, and this is probably the most important, is endure elements, since most of the 9 hells will be toxic to you, and endure elements items should solve most of the easy environmental hazards

[Bohandas]

In general, anything that would be useful at work, going through airport security, or living under a totalitarian dictatorship is going to be useful in Baator

Also spell penetration.

[Malphegor]

Pray.

Sometimes celestials take pity on souls that truly have atoned and they get to reincrnate as Hellbred, tainted by the touch of hell but given a tiny little second chance.

[Buufreak]

Pray.

Sometimes celestials take pity on souls that truly have atoned and they get to reincrnate as Hellbred, tainted by the touch of hell but given a tiny little second chance.

This only works if you began your repentance in life. Once you are in the pit, you don't stand a chance of this happening.