Hey folks,
I have a high level witch in my game with slumber hex and VERY high Hex save DCs (well I think a DC 24 will save is high). Most of the time I can sprinkle in critters that are immune to sleep to give her a challenge, but my BBEG for the game coming up is a human Barbarian. To prevent him dropping the first round, are there any magic items that give immunity to sleep magic or abilities?
Stating him out, strong will, Improved Strong Will, and Superstition do not seem to be enough.
Suggestions?
Blessing of GM fiat?
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Well don't forget Slumber has a range of only 30'.
So far with Ksenia, my Winter Witch, I have three weaknesses.
1) Range EVERYTHING is close. This may improve in some levels (she's only third).
2) Multiple targets. Hex only hits one target.
3) Protecting the Familiar. I don't think it's 'fair' to have my familiar pop in and out as needed, so I make sure to keep a mini handy.
As to your current problem... Hex Nails and Beads of Newt Protection. Neither is absolute, but making something completely immune to a character is normally bad form.
Don't have one BBEG, have half a dozen of slightly lower level. Witch drops one, his buddy kicks him awake, the others hammer the witch into the dust.
Have the BBEG's sister be a witch with hex ward, and use it.
Have the barbarians favorite cleric cast spell resistance on him before the fight. I believe it apples to SLAs.
Have the BBEG be a elf disguised as a human.
I don't suppose your BBEG can be an elf or half-elf barbarian? That would nix the Slumber right in its tracks. Keep a helmet on him, and the witch wouldn't know the reason why it failed, until later.
The barbarian is going to have some help (unfortunately they will not be able to kick him awake (they will be undead)). And my intent is not to make him immune to a character, I fully expect him to be misfortuned etc... I just want the fight to be exciting and not have him drop in the first round. It is mainly slumber I need to counter.
I will look into hex nails (cant find em), the beads are only for Polymorph. I will probably give him a +3 cloak of resistance (that will help a bit). But was mainly interested if there was an item that prevented magical sleep.
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If every attack for the witch has to be within 30 feet, it seems like negative channeling would be very effective.
Channel negative energy affects the familiar, too, right?
Give him a wayfinder with any ioun stone you want, have it resonate with effect number 46 on this page: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/r-z/wayfi nder-standard.
Effect is: "Immune to magic sleep effects and a +2 saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects." Easy and simple.
Also gives your players a useful magic item if they beat him as well!
Hey folks,
I have a high level witch in my game with slumber hex and VERY high Hex save DCs (well I think a DC 24 will save is high). Most of the time I can sprinkle in critters that are immune to sleep to give her a challenge, but my BBEG for the game coming up is a human Barbarian. To prevent him dropping the first round, are there any magic items that give immunity to sleep magic or abilities?
Stating him out, strong will, Improved Strong Will, and Superstition do not seem to be enough.
Suggestions?
So what level is he?
He's got +2 Will saves from Iron Will, the ability to re-roll a Will save, at least another +2 flat bonus to saves from Superstition, and another +2 at least just from Raging. That's already not too shabby for a Barbarian.
If your problem is JUST with Sleep, people have already given you options for that.
But if it's a problem with something else as well we kinda need more details other than his class, 2 Feats, and a Rage Power.
How about giving your BBEG a litter of Pugwampis? Then the witch and PC's can roll all d20s twice.
That actually wouldn't work as well as you think. For one, the BBEG MUST get a luck bonus from something, or he will roll twice, take worse as well. Also, unless you get the witch to start making concentration checks, my witch hardly EVER rolls a d20 in combat (in my defense, she doesn't use spells that require a touch attack.) That only serves to annoy the rest of the party.
Spell resistance seems to be out because Slumber is a Supernatural ability and it isn't subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or dispel magic. An anti-magic field will stop it, but pretty much again, everyone loses.
The best thing is to scatter the party or use archers as they are dangerous to witches as well. Have them close together so they can standard action to wake their sleeping buddies.
Don't EVER specifically target the familiar specifically, however, that's generally mean and akin to attacking a wizard's spellbook or a commoner as all three are very harmless compared to the party doing damage... The only exception is if they are in a area of effect, then sure why not... That and if the familiar actually IS being a nuisance (actually having an effect on combat such as doing damage, or flanking), then sure: Attacking a nuisance is fair game (and it ought to teach them familiars are not combat buddies.)*
Hey folks,
I have a high level witch in my game with slumber hex and VERY high Hex save DCs (well I think a DC 24 will save is high). Most of the time I can sprinkle in critters that are immune to sleep to give her a challenge, but my BBEG for the game coming up is a human Barbarian. To prevent him dropping the first round, are there any magic items that give immunity to sleep magic or abilities?
Stating him out, strong will, Improved Strong Will, and Superstition do not seem to be enough.
Suggestions?
So "high level". Let's assume this is a level 13 party fighting a level 16 barbarian. If he's a human with the favored class bonus, his superstition bonus should be +11, then +5 base, +2 Iron Will is +18. If he even has a 12 Wisdom and a +3 Cloak of Resistance, he only fails on a natural 1 vs DC 24. Should be fine.
if he just has undead, have one of the undead under the effects of an invisibility ordered to wake him up if he falls asleep.
of course the BBEG would have to have foreknowledge of the witch's ability, but if he/she uses it every battle that shouldn't be hard to figure out. Most BBEG should have some sort of spy network or information gathering.
You could give him a cursed ring of regeneration that always deals the same amount of damage as it regenerates.
If he gets sleeped he wakes up when he is dealt damage.
Might explain why he is so ill tempered, as well. You'd be, too if you can't get any sleep because of some cursed item.
BBEG immune to mind effecting effects
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Don't have one BBEG, have half a dozen of slightly lower level. Witch drops one, his buddy kicks him awake, the others hammer the witch into the dust.
Have the BBEG's sister be a witch with hex ward, and use it.
Have the barbarians favorite cleric cast spell resistance on him before the fight. I believe it apples to SLAs.
Have the BBEG be a elf disguised as a human.
The barbarian's scarred witch doctor half-sister casts Mind Blank on him every morning.
+8 resistance bonus.
Best solution: friends. Don't throw single entity encounters at the party. It nearly always causes problems.
The barbarian is going to have some help (unfortunately they will not be able to kick him awake (they will be undead)). And my intent is not to make him immune to a character, I fully expect him to be misfortuned etc... I just want the fight to be exciting and not have him drop in the first round. It is mainly slumber I need to counter.
Can't a 1HD skeleton be ordered to "Kick me if I fall asleep." Seems like that would do the trick and make the Barbarian immune to Slumber for the rest of the day. Also seems like you could train an animal companion to do the same. Parrot on the shoulder, ferret in a back pack, whatever.
Also there's good old Iron Will for +2 to his saves as well as a few rage powers that give bonuses as well, like Superstition which does apply to Supernatural Abilities and scales with levels and stacks with Iron Will.