Tactical Challenge #4

[MaxWilson]

SPOILER - this installment is based on an AL Mod DDAL04-14, although it will be a modified version to match what my party and DM did. There will be SPOILERS and also some significant changes to the mod as written.

As before, how would you approach this fight and WHY? What can we learn from this example? Can we win?

Scenario: You are approaching a BOSS fight in Barovia. If you don't take out the BBEG she will become even more powerful and evil merging her soul with that of a God. You have worked your way through her lair, and need to stop her ritual, and destroy her. The party has no idea HOW to stop the ritual. The party also has no idea what the BBEG's capabilities, resistances, immunities, etc are. (so no meta gaming - the only way to discover a capability or immunity is to observe it, if you attack w/ something the BBEG is immune to the DM will state "it appears to have less effect than you expected.")

Environment:
Your party has opened a secret door, past the door is a 5' wide passage 30' long with stairs up to a 10x10 landing. On the landing you see a witch, a suit of Plate, and a door. The witch tells the Plate to guard the door (it animates) and she moves through the door and closes it behind her.

Well, in that case I'm going for things that are always reliable or at least readily observed. Exploit movement speed, magical weapon or force attacks, Confusion or Slow or Tasha's instead of Hypnotic Pattern or Fear (but she'll probably have legendary resistance anyway). Good place for a Shepherd Druid and a Sharpshooter Fighter, and hopefully somebody with Chill Touch to shut down regen/heal. Cast Dispel Magic on her a couple times from other PCs just in case. Be ready to take out minions with AoEs. Cast Death Ward beforehand if possible on everybody in the party. Don't bring squishies in closer than necessary, and/or have them Hide. Send in a conjured Fire Elemental on point if possible, that's fairly reliable against undead.

But I'm really disappointed in myself for not gathering information beforehand (Augury, Divination, Scrying, taking to sages, listening to local legends, etc.) to have at least some idea what she's like. If we all die horribly it's our own dumb fault for going in blind. (At least that's what my PC will be thinking. Maybe in reality it's the player's fault for deliberately cranking up difficulty by choosing to be manipulated into rushing, because sometimes the smart way is also a boring way.)

Can't really say anything specific about tactics though without knowing more details like who is in the party, what level we are, etc.