Druid - Antilife Shell and Huge Elemental


Advice


Hi,

So one of my players is playing a 13 level Druid. Last session he came up with a new tactics. He turned into a huge air elemental with 15' reach and cast Antilife Shell on himself.
He claimed - and it seems he is correct - that
1. He can hit stuff with his 15' but they can't get to him.
2. They happened to fight a dragon that did have the reach, but since it's a natural weapon, technically he can't enter the shell.

While I see no obvious fault in his logic, it kind off renders every encounter with melee creatures pointless from now on - he'll do the same and kill everything that's not huge (and even some of those), while the other characters stand from afar cheering and shooting.
Of course I can dispel this, or have ranged enemies, casters etc, but I can't have EVERY fight like this, and this seems to be a fail proof invulnerable shield that makes 80% of melee creatures useless against in battle.

Any advice how to deal with his?


Antilife shell, while effective isn't a perfect defense.

*It doesn't affect constructs, elementals, outsiders, or undead. So, those types of enemies can still melee the druid normally.

*The shell is subject to spell resistance meaning that any creature that has SR has a chance of ignoring the spell.

*Burrowing creatures could get inside the shell by simply laying in wait until the druid passes over them. The reason is that the druid is unknowingly forcing the shell against these creatures thus breaking it's protection.

*Invisible creatures could use a similar tactic.

*A large creature with a reach weapon has 20' reach meaning they can stab the druid while still being out of reach of the druid.

*If you want to mess with the druid start giving creatures the feat Strike Back


what stopped the dragon from flying above the druid's reach hand using it's breath weapon on him?
or casting dispel magic on the antilife?

Grand Lodge

There's also the problem that melees should cover for those behind, and Antilife Shell goes against that. If an opponent knows that spell has been casted, well circling around would make sense without much problems and time wasted. It's a spell that suits perfectly a backline spellcaster, but a frontliner, way less.

I suspect the player only thought about the theory (not necessarily wrong), but not enough about the practical consequences.

Liberty's Edge

LordKailas wrote:
*Burrowing creatures could get inside the shell by simply laying in wait until the druid passes over them. The reason is that the druid is unknowingly forcing the shell against these creatures thus breaking it's protection.

Burrowing creatures don't need to 'lay in wait'. They can just go right under it on their own. The shell is hemispherical. It doesn't extend below ground.

Grand Lodge

More globally, opponents with high SR are likely to get through, given a physical-type druid unless that player specifically spent resources on it.

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