What can a 5th level party do to engage remote viewing?
After a series of encounters with a BBEG and his pet Babau, my 5th level party just got robbed by the same Babau many miles away from the site of our combats.
The demon was aware of when we had barely stepped away from our stuff for an underwater fight and popped in and started robbing us.
Due to a freak event in which a column of my water elementals whisked the party barbarian back out of the water, the demon only got his choice of 1 item, for which he selected my Handy Haversack full of loot, leaving the Paladin's sentient sword thankfully.
His pinpoint knowledge of our stepping away, coupled with some mysterious perception checks "where we feel like we're being watched" has led to our supposition that we are being remote viewed.
Unfortunately detect scrying is level 4 and nondetection is going to empty your coffers very quickly.
Scrying censors are invisible DC 20 perception checks to notice, so see invisible should reveal if one is hovering around then you can try to dispel it... Scrying does take an hour to cast so that'll give you a brief reprieve.
You also get will save vs scrying, so anything that boosts will saves will help, if you have any weak willed helpers it might be time to cut them loose until you get rid of the scryer.
Have you considered that you may being watched either invisibly or just from a distance with a spyglass? It would be pretty harsh for a DM to use something you can't defend against. But what you described could just be some carefully planning and opportunistic BBEG. I mean what is more likely at this level a scrying teleporting bad guy just ready to take your stuff instead of just plain killing you because he/she is at least 4 levels higher than you or a skilled and careful bad guy that isn't strong enough to just take you out so instead he is just sneaking around your party waiting for good opportunities?
Go somewhere very foggy.
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If he has a babau under his thumb, there's a good chance he also has a quasit. You know, the tiny demons that can fly and turn invisible at will?
Why cast scrying when you can just have a tiny minion follow the party around and report back?
Alternatively, he may have instructed the babau itself to shadow you and wait for an opportunity. The Bestiary does list them as being good at stealth and assassination. A single babau is a CR appropriate fight, and it's possible the thing was only stealing your stuff so that you would be easier to fight.
@ Rub: yeah, we're planning too, but the Babau will have to fail a will save round 1 or he's getting away scott-free. I do not think we can get to 73hp in 1 round without a crit.
@ Jiggy: Yes, it was too late to edit when I read that typo. Me fail english, that's unpossible!
@ TPK: It's possible we're being stealth tracked, but very unlikely. We all have darkvision with two superior, use no light sources, are exclusively underground in finished stone tunnels and have great perception.
@ Matt: That fog is an interesting idea.
@ TPK: It's possible we're being stealth tracked, but very unlikely. We all have darkvision with two superior, use no light sources, are exclusively underground in finished stone tunnels and have great perception.
Well, Darkvision and a good Perception will not see through invisibility. Running around Invisibly provides an additional +20 to the person's stealth check, so if they are halfway competent at 5th level in stealth so they have a +5 at stealth (no where near maxed out which at your level could easily reach +18) and are invisible they have a +25 to their roll +45 if they are standing still. Which means if they roll a 1 you need to roll a total of 27 to see them or 47 if they are standing still. At your level I doubt anyone has much higher than a +11 in Perception. So, unless you take the time to cast See Invisibility or another spell that penetrates their Invisibility it is highly doubtful you would see your invisible tracker. I strongly suggest changing tactics and without alerting the possible stalker you communicate with your party that you need to search for an invisible foe regularly. Make sure you don't tip your hand because then the stalker just hangs back out of visual range until your spell wears off.
I second the Stealth theory. Standard Babau Demons have +22 Stealth, and their bestiary entry says it has a penchant for stealth and surprise. I think it's more likely the BBEG gave his pet Babau a magic item for Invisibility (which would give him a +42 Stealth while moving) and the times you've felt like you were being watched were likely times that the Babau was particularly close, or if someone's Perception was exceptionally good.
Hmmmm....Our best passive perception is 23-25. We've been using our variant Aasimar to detect invisible on her watches for the last couple of rests.
Sounds like we need to set a demon trap.
How do you trap a teleporter who can see invisibility? Another "abandoning of the goods" scenario and hope for a channel daze off of the cleric or a dazing flaming sphere off of the druid on round 1?
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How do you trap a teleporter who can see invisibility? Another "abandoning of the goods" scenario and hope for a channel daze off of the cleric or a dazing flaming sphere off of the druid on round 1?
Just ready an action to attack him every time he attempts to use his teleport ability. Also, if you're adjacent to him, it forces a concentration check. If he's grappled that'll make it harder for him to get his spells off as well.
To avoid the babau from greater teleporting away, remember to surround it best you can, otherwise it'll just 5 foot step away and teleport. Force it into attacks of opportunity.
I forgot you could stuff an SLA with concentration checks.