How to Rend Fiends and Immolate People: A Guide to Sorcery

[MaxWilson]

Crown of Madness saved a party once in LMoP. Orcs heard the party coming, scrum started at the mouth of the cave, and the sorcerer dropped CoM on the ogre at the back of the pack. While the cleric and paladin fought the orcs at the front of the pack, the ogre smashed orcs at the back. After 3 or 4 rounds the ogre made his save, right about the time the paladin and cleric dropped from fighting two rows of orcs with the back ones flinging javelins.

Sorcerer reapplied CoM to the ogre. The remaining 2 orcs were engaged with the monk when the ogre got one of them from behind. The other one ran, and the orc and the ogre played tag while the monk poured potions into the front-line types and got them back on their feet. When the ogre made his save he was about 150' from the party, and took significant damage from ranged weapons before melee resumed.

No CoM, TPK.

Sounds like Web or Careful Web would have been even better.