What are peoples thoughts on this Focus Spell? Is it a focus spell I could build my character around like Wyrmkin's Draconic Barrage. If you do have this Focus Spell, would the deity to go with be Tsukiyo or is there a better option? The favored weapon of a spear would be rather useless I guess for a cloistered? Or would the optimal play be to slap a returning rune on it for a ranged option?
Ephemeral Hazards, yes?
Seems like an interesting spell. I don't think any single spell is powerful enough to build an entire character around. No one tactic works in all combat scenarios.
As far as the spell goes, it reminds me a lot of Warped Terrain from Wizard. A 3-action version of Warped Terrain will put the effect in more squares than the always 3-action Ephemeral Hazards, but Warped Terrain has less control of exactly which terrain squares are affected. Which is important because Ephemeral Hazards causes damage while Warped Terrain doesn't.
But with the addition of doing damage, better control over the area, and a better effect on a successful enemy save, I think Ephemeral Hazards has an edge over Warped Terrain as far as a crowd control/difficult terrain spell.
Would you be able to provide some of the best uses for this spell, or even just a typical combat. It seems like affecting 4 separate 10 X 10 squares seems like a great aoe effect. Could be a good chunk of battle field in many situations.
Hmm.....
Would probably be best to use before the sides get too intermixed. Make them go through the area in order to get to you and your allies. Though it can also be placed on spaces occupied by enemies - it wouldn't take much for the enemies to move out of the space though.
One concrete example that I can think of where it would have been useful to have:
The party was attacking an encampment of enemies. They had one big enemy guard that was patrolling the perimeter and then a bunch of soldier level enemies that were in a barracks.
We ambushed the perimeter guard, but blitz attacking a higher level enemy still takes multiple rounds of combat in order to kill them. During that time, the soldiers from the barracks grabbed their weapons and were running over to join the fight.
A 40 foot long, 10 foot wide barrier of difficult and damaging terrain would have been very nice. Might have slowed them down by a round having them go around it. Or would have at least damaged them a bit as they ran through it.
interesting yes, I like that. Would the Hazard deal damage if the enemy attempting moving out of it? Or merely through it?
Also could anyone recommend some ways to take advantage of the difficult terrain the spell causes, ways to build on it, like Terrain Advantage https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=1062
Would the Hazard deal damage if the enemy attempting moving out of it?
Yes. Well, sort-of. They take the damage when they start their turn in the area - such as after you cast it on top of them. Or also if they stay in the area for some reason - such as being immobilized.
They only take the damage once per turn no matter how many spaces they end up being in during their turn or how many times.
Interesting, do you guys have any suggestions on ways to take advantage of the difficult terrain? Like ways to almost grab the enemy while they are in the hazard areas. Unfortunately Black Tentacles isn't on my list but something that could either hold them to that surface or even prone them onto the surface.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Well... almost grab isn't really a thing. Try actual grab. Probably with something like a Gill Hook.
Or other ways of applying immobilized.
Or trip. Some weapons even have Ranged Trip. Anything to make them waste actions still being in the area. It at least makes them have less actions left to attack with once they do finally leave.
Command has an option for 'stand in place' too. Though forcing an enemy to stay there for its entire turn is unlikely.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Also, as with most tactics in the game, it is drastically improved by synergizing with your team members.
You probably aren't very good at using a Gill Hook and don't have the strength or athletics training to hold people in place very well. An ally would do that part of the tactic a lot better than you would.
Similarly, having a bullying martial shove or whirling throw enemies back into the area when they leave would be nice.
Well... almost grab isn't really a thing. Try actual grab. Probably with something like a Gill Hook.
Or other ways of applying immobilized.
Or trip. Some weapons even have Ranged Trip. Anything to make them waste actions still being in the area. It at least makes them have less actions left to attack with once they do finally leave.
Command has an option for 'stand in place' too. Though forcing an enemy to stay there for its entire turn is unlikely.
Hehe I didn't mean almost grab, I mean grab them somehow. I don't know if I have any options for aoe grabs on the Divine list.
It's not AoE, but there is Vampiric Maiden that gives Immobilized for one round if they fail the save.
Hmm what do you think about a Wall of Flesh with arms? Could this synergize with the ephemeral hazards?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Probably. At least in the right circumstances.
I could see having a chokepoint where the wall would need to be hacked through by the enemies. It would be annoying to have Wall of Flesh there and could end up splitting up the enemies into two smaller battles.
With the addition of Ephemeral Hazards it would cause the enemies trying to hack through the wall to potentially be taking some damage while doing it.
Though that synergy described could be done with any physical barrier wall spell like Wall of Stone too.
It wouldn't work as well with nonphysical barriers that can just be charged through - like Wall of Fire or Wall of Air. Ephemeral Hazards would still be adding its damage as the enemies run through the area, but the wall wouldn't keep them in the area of damage for longer.
And this synergy isn't unique to Ephemeral Hazards either. Wall of Fire with Wall of Stone behind it would accomplish the same thing. The enemies would have to stand in the Wall of Fire while hacking through or climbing over the Wall of Stone.
My struggle is to keep them in the hazard, we have a front line fighter who has AOO so that helps, but are there other ways to keep them locked down in the hazard? I guess getting the fighter to trip them would be good, we also have a front like Champion to assist him.