Can a 4th-level paladin solo Xanathar in surprise encounter?

[thorr-kan]

Nope. :smallbiggrin:

We're playing Dragon Heist. Xanathar observed one of our investigations. We gave pursuit, but only I caught up. We were both surprised by the contact, but I knew I wasn't fast enough to get away. I got initiative, two crits, and two smites. It wasn't enough, though I lasted 3 rounds.

That was enough for my party to catch up and for Xanathar to decided discretion was the better part of valor. The other 2 paladins were able to sew my sorry self back together.

It sure was a fun combat, though.

[nickl_2000]

No, no you can't. A level 4 Paladin dropping full damage on 2 crits will do 4d12 + 8d8 + str mod x 2.

This assumes a greatsword at 20 strength and all damage is maxed
48 + 64 + 10 = 122, which while very impressive still isn't close enough to take down beholder, much less a named one with some magical items.

Although, I agree with you that it is enough to make a powerful being pause, that is for sure!


Now a polearm with PAM and you crit and max everything, that would be enough to take one down. However I'm pretty sure at that point the DM will confiscate your dice and kick you out of the table for cheating. Or if you had GWM and those bonus actions attacks also critted, but still see the above DM issue.

[MaxWilson]

Nope. :smallbiggrin:

We're playing Dragon Heist. Xanathar observed one of our investigations. We gave pursuit, but only I caught up. We were both surprised by the contact, but I knew I wasn't fast enough to get away. I got initiative, two crits, and two smites. It wasn't enough, though I lasted 3 rounds.

That was enough for my party to catch up and for Xanathar to decided discretion was the better part of valor. The other 2 paladins were able to sew my sorry self back together.

It sure was a fun combat, though.

Yes, potentially, under the right circumstances. E.g. a Magic Initiate Paladin with Fog Cloud could potentially grapple Xanathar within the fog cloud and then beat him to death while being immune to everything but the weak bite attack.

-Max

[thorr-kan]

Well, since I'm an two-handed spear-wielding Oath of Devotion Paladin, and we're not playing with feats, I figure I did about as good as can be expected.

Two session later, we learned that 3 paladins, who are starting to understand how their smites and their spells work, can blow through a lot of opponents. I think we steamrolled a half-dozen kenku, 3-5 gazers, 20 skeletons, a halfling necromancer, a dozen goblins, and a bugbear without our rogue or our warlock as they got away with the McGuffin. This was all over the course of 3-5 melees without any rests between them.

I *like* this character.

[JNAProductions]

Yes, potentially, under the right circumstances. E.g. a Magic Initiate Paladin with Fog Cloud could potentially grapple Xanathar within the fog cloud and then beat him to death while being immune to everything but the weak bite attack.

-Max

That's THEORETICALLY possible...

But at +5 to-hit and 4d6 piercing damage from a regular Beholder, assuming said Paladin has Full Plate, HAM, and 16 Con, they'd expect to last...

About 9 rounds.

In that time, with a Longsword or Warhammer, they can do 9d8+36 (weapon attacks) plus 6d8 (smites) for a total of about 104 damage on average. Which is a decent chunk of the way to a dead Beholder, but not all the way. And that relies on a LOT going right that is by no means guaranteed.

Also, once the Fog Cloud goes down, the Paladin is toast.

[Democratus]

How is the fog cloud affecting the beholder? Wouldn't his big central eye just turn off the cloud wherever it is looking?

[JNAProductions]

How is the fog cloud affecting the beholder? Wouldn't his big central eye just turn off the cloud wherever it is looking?

But then he cannot fire his eye beams into that area.

[Democratus]

But then he cannot fire his eye beams into that area.

Clever girl. :smallcool:

[Eldariel]

Earlier edition Beholders could use the Telekinesis ray to throw rocks and such at things in their antimagic ray (or Disintegrate to drop boulders or such) but this edition has far less of such functionality by RAW so it's much harder.