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When my gaming group's Druid left about a month ago, we arranged a little backstory for the occasion. Her ex-fiancé, a very high-level and dangerous Elven prince(think a cross between Prince Humperdinck and Count Rugen), had tracked her down and staying with the group was going to endanger them. The plan was for her to eventually return with a plan to defeat the prince, a plan that would require the group's help and that obviously we haven't worked out quite yet.
With an AC that borders on untouchable and fighting skill that would likely drop any member of the party in two rounds, how does the group defeat a much more dangerous foe?
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When my gaming group's Druid left about a month ago, we arranged a little backstory for the occasion. Her ex-fiancé, a very high-level and dangerous Elven prince(think a cross between Prince Humperdinck and Count Rugen), had tracked her down and staying with the group was going to endanger them. The plan was for her to eventually return with a plan to defeat the prince, a plan that would require the group's help and that obviously we haven't worked out quite yet.
With an AC that borders on untouchable and fighting skill that would likely drop any member of the party in two rounds, how does the group defeat a much more dangerous foe?
By luring the npc into a complex trap. For instance if one of the PC's has Craft (Trapmaking) you could use this to HUGE advantage. Also recruiting a swarm of low level commoners to help take them down works as well.
By not fighting him toe to toe.
Ranged Touch Attacks.
Sniping from long range.
Ambushes (with big heavy things falling on him).
Pits in his rose garden full of poison snakes and spikes.
Every dirty trick you can think of (poison dipped weapons, diseases dipped weapons).
Lots of Potions of Heal.
Lots of scrolls of expeditious retreat.
Hired Hands.
4-5 invisible ballistas aimed at the gate of his manor home and fired when he rides out on his horse.
Whatever you do, don't go up against him in a straight combat. That's a no-win.
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By luring the npc into a complex trap. For instance if one of the PC's has Craft (Trapmaking) you could use this to HUGE advantage. Also recruiting a swarm of low level commoners to help take them down works as well.When my gaming group's Druid left about a month ago, we arranged a little backstory for the occasion. Her ex-fiancé, a very high-level and dangerous Elven prince(think a cross between Prince Humperdinck and Count Rugen), had tracked her down and staying with the group was going to endanger them. The plan was for her to eventually return with a plan to defeat the prince, a plan that would require the group's help and that obviously we haven't worked out quite yet.
With an AC that borders on untouchable and fighting skill that would likely drop any member of the party in two rounds, how does the group defeat a much more dangerous foe?
They know lots of kobolds...that could be helpful.
When my gaming group's Druid left about a month ago, we arranged a little backstory for the occasion. Her ex-fiancé, a very high-level and dangerous Elven prince(think a cross between Prince Humperdinck and Count Rugen), had tracked her down and staying with the group was going to endanger them. The plan was for her to eventually return with a plan to defeat the prince, a plan that would require the group's help and that obviously we haven't worked out quite yet.
With an AC that borders on untouchable and fighting skill that would likely drop any member of the party in two rounds, how does the group defeat a much more dangerous foe?
Usually lotsa Tanglefoot bags, Summon Monsters, and save/die or save/lose spells plus ranged attacks. especially ranged touch attacks. But since it sounds like you're looking for a story reason we'd need more info. Maybe she's found a way to sneak him some poison. Maybe she's learned he's going to be somewhere alone and you can ambush him then use the above strategy.
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With an AC that borders on untouchable and fighting skill that would likely drop any member of the party in two rounds, how does the group defeat a much more dangerous foe?
I do not know the level of your party, so I am throwing out spells that are 3rd-5th level. If lower, attempt to replicate the effect with mundane alchemy etc. Remember, if you're preparing traps gold funds suddenly matter a whole lot!
First rule of High CR monsters. Don't attack them, attack around them. Use conjuration effects, falling rocks, traps, any anything EXCEPT your own attacks. Keep him far far away from you and don't allow him to close the distance.
If indoors, collapse a cave onto him. If outdoors? Abuse fly and win the game. If he can fly, don't fight outside. Summon walls of ice/thorns/stone/iron/force and box him in. Stone is preferable because you can then stone shape the wall and just throw murder holes into it. You can also aquire some extremely EXTREMELY scary inhaled/contact poisons to make the trap brutal. Even if you can't get crazy poisons remember that as you apply more doses the save DC goes up and up.
You can also set the inside of the trap to do all kinds of ridiculous effects like the various cloud o' doom effects: Acid fog, incendiary cloud, ice storm, and the nefarious cloudkill. Your noncasters can stand at the ready to collapse ceilings, drop boiling oil, etc.
If you MUST enter combat, Ray of enfeeblement and ray of Exhaustion (twice if necessary to get him to fully exhausted) will kill any single foe's ability to do much of anything. When your strength score is under 5 it's REALLY hard to do damage. Power attack turns off if your strength drops lower than 13, Deadly Aim turns off if your dex drops under 13. All of the high Dex feats like two weapon fighting and the archery trees? They turn off too.
There's always enervation to throw flat -1d4 and 1d4x5 HP drain all around.
Remember, when dealing with anything that can probably cut you up faster than a salad shooter DO NOT ENGAGE. If the plan fails, run. Running is OK, and it is extremely difficult to outrun any party who really wants to get away. There's a reason Teleport is a standard action (if you have access to it).
It sounds to me like this guy is a fighterish person. That means you have mainly two serious strategies:
First, you can try to whack him through assymetric methods, i.e. the ones that do not do harm in relation to the attacker's level. First and foremost among these is bull rushing him off a cliff. 20d6 does hurt. However, it's also possible to merely dump him in water through a trap and see him drown, since most fighters opt for heavy armour which gives them the swimming ability of a... guy in heavy armour. There are other similar options. For example, faerie fire him while something horrible is nearby.
The other option is to focus on what he doesn't do well, and exploiting it. Pushing enough will saves on him might do the trick. If not, invest heavily in scrolls of fireball and grind him down through him taking at least half damage even if he saves. While this happens, however, you'll have to have a way to slow him down, and tanglefoot bags aren't a bad option for that. However, rough terrain is generally murderous as well, and things like quicksand help massively.
In general, use the environment against him and find a method that works even if he manages to save against almost all the things you do.
Oh yeah... I forgot: Even if he's primarily a fighter, that doesn't mean he doesn't have magic advantage. Silence may stop him from using magic items, anti-magic shells and the like are often helpful against this kind of person, even if they aren't shut down like wizards are. And it's extremely unlikely he will have strategies for countering it. One more thing: Sundering his weapon might be useful. It's not certain that he can adapt if he loses it.
KEEP MOVING. Yes, taking an AO is no fun. But ask yourself, is taking a full attack better?
They know lots of kobolds...that could be helpful.By luring the npc into a complex trap. For instance if one of the PC's has Craft (Trapmaking) you could use this to HUGE advantage. Also recruiting a swarm of low level commoners to help take them down works as well.When my gaming group's Druid left about a month ago, we arranged a little backstory for the occasion. Her ex-fiancé, a very high-level and dangerous Elven prince(think a cross between Prince Humperdinck and Count Rugen), had tracked her down and staying with the group was going to endanger them. The plan was for her to eventually return with a plan to defeat the prince, a plan that would require the group's help and that obviously we haven't worked out quite yet.
With an AC that borders on untouchable and fighting skill that would likely drop any member of the party in two rounds, how does the group defeat a much more dangerous foe?
Hmm, this could be interesting. What resources could those kobolds give to help you out here?
For that matter, if your adventuring group has some kobold contacts, who/what else does the group know that might lend assistance against the elven prince?
Dust of Sneezing and Choking. Even if he makes his save, he's stunned for 5d4 rounds, leaving him defenseless. If you can't kill him in a 12-round window of his inaction, something has gone wrong. Bring any extra firepower you can get your hands on just in case.
There's some good stuff in this thread.
If you can funnel him down a narrow passage, have someone cast Spike Growth along his path. 1d4 damage per square plus halved land speed adds up.
Also, see if you can get someone/something to grapple and eventually pin him. His AC plummets when he's flatfooted plus an additional -4 to his regular AC.
It's all about debuffs. You should endeavor to make him shaken, sickened, nauseous, and exhausted. Entangled as well, for good measure.