Inane Last-Ditch Effort Combat Tactics

[Fax Celestis]

I've seen these at least once over my career in gaming, sometimes more:

1. Party faces mob of orcs/devils/evil dudes that are far too many in number. The rogue/wizard/bard of the party (usually while invisible) sneaks into their center and drops a portable hole. The ranger/scout/ranged fighter/mage handing wizard then deposits a bag of holding into the portable hole. Death ensues.

2. Party faces mob and is out of AoEs. Fighter throws flask of lantern oil/greek fire into the middle of the group. Wizard/ranger shoots flask with flaming arrow. Explosion.

3. Party faces mob of enemies in cave. Party causes cave-in from outside. Wins.

Anyone else have inventive/inane combat tactics?

[martyboy74]

Mr. Welch's ever popular, "Use thermodynamic science to asphyxiate the orcs' cave instead of exploring it first."

[Josh Inno]

Hehehe. I haven't seen that one Martyboy.

[DaMullet]

When I first say the title, I thought it said "Insane combat tactics." I wasn't far off, given your examples, though.

Lessee... As I'm sure you're aware, when a bag of holding is turned upside down, everything in it spills out. I like any scenario when you have a height advantage, as well as surprise. Usually this is off a balcony or if someone can fly.

Fill your BoH to the limit with Alchemist's Fire, fly up, and upend it. Use 50 or so at once.

[Telonius]

When in doubt, light stuff on fire.

I was in a party that was searching out a tomb. We were only mid levels at this point. In the course of exploring the ancient tomb, our rogue found some jars that were trapped with a "Wail of the Banshee" that was supposed to go off if the jar were opened. We found about four of these. Our Wizard, who was somehow able to get a griffon ("Buster") as a familiar/mount, strapped them onto Buster. In the next encounter, we all stayed back. Our bomber pilot took to the skies, and dropped the jar into a square near all of the enemies. The jar broke (having taken falling damage), and the Wail spell went off, killing all of the enemies.

[Tormsskull]

My regular groups last ditch effot upon seeing an especially powerful opponent is usually to yell "I disbelieve the illusion!"

[Telonius]

My regular groups last ditch effot upon seeing an especially powerful opponent is usually to yell "I disbelieve the illusion!"

Isn't there some kind of shadow spell combo where the summoned thing is actually stronger, if you successfully disbelieve it?

[ExHunterEmerald]

Okay...I'm playing a level two rogue and I'm in an illegal streetfighting ring.
And getting my ass kicked.
I tried to make an intimidate check (untrained, I think), to convince a gargoyle that I was empowered by a Celestial being. I knew Celestial from a religious background, and, well, I rolled an 11. It still worked, though.
Unfortunately, it decided to claw me in the face anyway. Down goes the not-so-sacred rogue.

[Dreyden]

Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of Men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand! Men of the West!

[martyboy74]

Isn't there some kind of shadow spell combo where the summoned thing is actually stronger, if you successfully disbelieve it?

Yeah, the shadow gnome. It makes Shadow Conjuration/Evocation 120% real if they disbeleive it. Makes you wonder what would happen to a Greater Shadow Evocation Contingent Teleport (Good lord, how are you supposed to italicize that?.

\/ Forgot that you had to go through Greater Shadow Evocation and Contingency.

[Xilehxt]

You can't cast Teleport with Shadow conjuration. It only allows the summoning and creation subschools, while teleport is in the teleportation subschool.

[Melrob]

My regular groups last ditch effot upon seeing an especially powerful opponent is usually to yell "I disbelieve the illusion!"

LOL, qft...I have to admit I've tried that myself in the past =D

[ExHunterEmerald]

Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of Men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand! Men of the West!

The only thing insane about that was the sheer number of kills racked up.

[KuReshtin]

2. Party faces mob and is out of AoEs. Fighter throws flask of lantern oil/greek fire into the middle of the group. Wizard/ranger shoots flask with flaming arrow. Explosion.

You don't even need to shoot the flask with that flaming arrow. Just make sure you've made some preparations first.

Take a strip of cloth, soak in the lantern oil, tie the strip of cloth around the neck of the flask.
When using it in battle, light the strip of cloth on fire, throw flask, preferrably aiming for the wall or ceiling just above the enemy so you get the full effect of burning rain.

[J_Muller]

You don't even need to shoot the flask with that flaming arrow. Just make sure you've made some preparations first.

Take a strip of cloth, soak in the lantern oil, tie the strip of cloth around the neck of the flask.
When using it in battle, light the strip of cloth on fire, throw flask, preferrably aiming for the wall or ceiling just above the enemy so you get the full effect of burning rain.

Molotov Cocktail=Win

[Maxymiuk]

My previous group used explosives.

...

Actually, it wasn't their last-ditch tactic. It was their only tactic.

[Ninja Chocobo]

As far as I know, burning oil only deals 1d3 damage a round for 2 rounds.

[KuReshtin]

Molotov Cocktail=Win

As long as you don't fail your throw.. Definitely.

As far as I know, burning oil only deals 1d3 damage a round for 2 rounds.

Against level 1 kobolds, I'd say it'll be pretty effective.

[Tor the Fallen]

I've got an evil fiendling (half fiend/ half halfling) whose last ditch effort involves emptying a bag of holding full of lantern oil onto himself, then immolating. My DM let me fill the whole bag up, or get 30 cubic feet in there, which is almost 250 gallons, or 1000 pints.

[Tola]

The only thing insane about that was the sheer number of kills racked up.

Not entirely.

The Men of Gondor are highly experienced(living next door to Mordor will do that)-you'd call them about Level 6-10, probably more from the siege, if not in general experience. The men of Rohan, maybe a little more or less-the Uruk-Hai probably gave them a massive boost. And led by Aragorn and Gandalf, who are somewhat higher, and most certainly PCs.

Just my vague thoughts.

[lumberofdabeast]

Step 1) Give halfling a ring of fire resistance and a feather fall spell.
Step 2) Give halfling lots and lots of exploding potions.
Step 3) Fashion catapult out of nearby sapling.

This really works, as the potions are each considered a separate source of damage, and resisted separately. He falls just fast enough to set off the potions without actually getting hurt himself.

[Lo-Alrikowki]

The party I was DMing recently got pinned down inside a castle tower while an ogre was bashing at the door. Their dubious solution was to reinforce the door with the weight of their fallen comrades, climb the tower, find the barrel of oil-soaked rags intended to be used with a nearby ballista, light said barrel on fire, and drop it 30 feet straight down onto the ogre's head. Falling damage from a large object and burning ensued.

[Beleriphon]

I feel necessary to share this. We were trapped in a tower surrounded by eighty or so kobolds and goblins. The DM had us run away from a dire bear, he specifically called it out as male, earlier. So our bard using ghost sound, and I should point out that there is no volume limit on that spell, produced the sound a female dire bear in heat smack dab in the middle of gobos and kobolds. Five rounds later we have a dire bear looking for some action show, only to be faced with a horde of tasty snacks.

[Everyman]

Step 1) Give halfling a ring of fire resistance and a feather fall spell.
Step 2) Give halfling lots and lots of exploding potions.
Step 3) Fashion catapult out of nearby sapling.

This really works, as the potions are each considered a separate source of damage, and resisted separately. He falls just fast enough to set off the potions without actually getting hurt himself.

If I remember correctly, resistance is the total amount of damage you can shrug off per round, not per attack/effect. Ergo, you'll probably fry a halfling with that tactic.

[Lord Nyax]

So our bard using ghost sound, and I should point out that there is no volume limit on that spell, produced the sound a female dire bear in heat smack dab in the middle of goblins and kobolds.

Was this a house rule? The SRD, as far as I can tell, says you can't make more than a certain amount of noise.

Here we go:

The volume of sound created depends on your level. You can produce as much noise as four normal humans per caster level (maximum twenty humans).

Granted, that's plenty loud for a dire bear in heat. I'm just confused.

[J_Muller]

So our bard using ghost sound, and I should point out that there is no volume limit on that spell, produced the sound a female dire bear in heat smack dab in the middle of gobos and kobolds.

How did he know what that sounds like? Or should I not ask to keep my sanity?

[Beleriphon]

Was this a house rule? The SRD, as far as I can tell, says you can't make more than a certain amount of noise.

Here we go:


Granted, that's plenty loud for a dire bear in heat. I'm just confused.

Yeah, but it was funny so it worked. As for how, its best not to ask perpetually drunk dwarven bards what they do in their off time.

[jlousivy]

Once we were up against a dragon (who was in the air) and our wizards.... didn't have any fly spells, and our fighters.. had no bows. I, the gnome rogue had a few throwing daggers.
(we had him in a cave so we didn't worry about it flying... then it broke the ceiling.)

so obvious choice? werewolf fighter uses the gnome as a projectile (with both daggers outstretched) with his ungodly 30+ str. Thank god for ring of feather fall.

DM ruled all +to hit was based on my stats, if i was thrown high enough, but the werewolf's str bonus since... he was providing the main thrust behind the daggers.

the battle lasted about 40 rounds

[Seffbasilisk]

As far as I know, burning oil only deals 1d3 damage a round for 2 rounds.

If you make a direct hit with the flask of oil and coat the enemy, then it catches fire, thats 10d6 fire damage.

For reference (even though it's Sake): http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0270.html

I don't think 1d3 would make her go "AAARHH!"

[CharPixie]

Couldn't you rocket jump with fire resistance and potions of explosion?