Pit Fiend Ponderance

[Durack]

Hmmm why is his fear aura from the Pit Fiend in the shroud not working in our online game..was it over looked ?
Per the monster manual :
Look here :
fear aura (Su): A pit fiend can radiate a 20-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 27 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 18th). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same pit fiend’s aura for 24 hours. Other devils are immune to the aura. The save DC is Charisma-based

It is my thought's that adventurer's in part IV /V of the Shroud would need fear immunity,greater heroism, and remove fear spells cast upon them when entering the fight with the mighty general. However there seems to be no fear aura being emmitted from the fiend..
Does anyone remember having to make a save vs. fear when fighting our large red friend..? I don't recall EVER seeing any of my character's having to make a save so it leaves me to believe that his aura is missing... Even on elite difficulty...

[Strumpoo]

I think most people have greater heroism on them when entering the fight, so it is moot.

[Angelus_dead]

Hmmm why is his fear aura from the Pit Fiend in the shroud not working in our online game..was it over looked ?

It was probably ignored for being irrelevant, but also notice he's missing several other abilities. He can't summon devils to help him fight, but most importantly of all he's missing Blasphemy.

Blasphemy is by far the most dangerous thing about a pit fiend in the D&D rules. It stuns you for 1 round with no save, and he can do it every round, all day long. That means if the pit fiend has even one other monster with him, you will stay stunned and it will kill you.

[Strumpoo]

I always considered the Bearded Devils and Orthons to be the Pit Fiend's "Summons".

I know it isn't technically correct, but that's how I interpreted it.

[Durack]

moot point...or absent effect .. wasn't a post about a buff, it was to see if the monster is even emitting the aura..... and yes I agree his other abilities are missing.... **Cries** (probally at everyone's objection) make him summon mass baddies ... bring them on.. waves & waves.... of extraplanar vile creatures....who's with me... gimme his aura, gimme his minions...

[Davinna]

I always considered the Bearded Devils and Orthons to be the Pit Fiend's "Summons".

I know it isn't technically correct, but that's how I interpreted it.

Me too.

[Angelus_dead]

I always considered the Bearded Devils and Orthons to be the Pit Fiend's "Summons".

Yes, it's fine to look at them that way...

It's just that a generic D&D pit fiend has 26 intelligence. Arraetrikos probably has higher. For someone that smart to not summon something at the same time he's fighting just makes no sense. It's as if he wants the clerics to be totally safe while they pump heals into whoever's beating on him.

[gpk]

Well thats the thing, the fight could be made a lot more fun with some changes to make the fight more dynamic and still remain just as challenging even while reducing Harry's HP.; there have been a couple of threads on the subject.
Smarter summons, more ability usage etc, right now it's kind of a boring slug fest.
Oh well...

P.S. I'd love to see Harry bathed in a cool flame effect like in NWN2, like a fire shield.

[Durack]

It was probably ignored for being irrelevant, but also notice he's missing several other abilities. He can't summon devils to help him fight, but most importantly of all he's missing Blasphemy.

Blasphemy is by far the most dangerous thing about a pit fiend in the D&D rules. It stuns you for 1 round with no save, and he can do it every round, all day long. That means if the pit fiend has even one other monster with him, you will stay stunned and it will kill you.

Yes like Mentau in the Littany Pre-raid. Imagine if the Pit Fiend did this while 2 Orthon's beat on you .. Ahhhhh now that's D&D


Great reply bro... here it is:

Blasphemy
Evocation [Evil, Sonic]
Level: Clr 7, Evil 7
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 40 ft.
Area: Nonevil creatures in a 40-ft.-radius spread centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None or Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

Any nonevil creature within the area of a blasphemy spell suffers the following ill effects.

HD Effect
Equal to caster level Dazed
Up to caster level -1 Weakened, dazed
Up to caster level -5 Paralyzed, weakened, dazed
Up to caster level -10 Killed, paralyzed, weakened, dazed

The effects are cumulative and concurrent.

No saving throw is allowed against these effects.

Dazed
The creature can take no actions for 1 round, though it defends itself normally.

Weakened
The creature’s Strength score decreases by 2d6 points for 2d4 rounds.

Paralyzed
The creature is paralyzed and helpless for 1d10 minutes.

Killed
Living creatures die. Undead creatures are destroyed.

Furthermore, if you are on your home plane when you cast this spell, nonevil extraplanar creatures within the area are instantly banished back to their home planes. Creatures so banished cannot return for at least 24 hours. This effect takes place regardless of whether the creatures hear the blasphemy. The banishment effect allows a Will save (at a -4 penalty) to negate.

Creatures whose Hit Dice exceed your caster level are unaffected by blasphemy.

GIVE US THIS..... Wooot

[frugal_gourmet]

Blasphemy is by far the most dangerous thing about a pit fiend in the D&D rules. It stuns you for 1 round with no save, and he can do it every round, all day long. That means if the pit fiend has even one other monster with him, you will stay stunned and it will kill you.

That might be a slight exaggeration. The challenge rating of a pit fiend is 20 and the pit fiend is 18 hit dice. The average party who encounters a pit fiend should be immune to his blasphemy. Furthermore, spell resistance applies to blasphemy and the odds of no one in a party of neigh-epic level adventurers having some kind of spell resistance are slim. It's also a close range ability.

IMO, it'd be difficult to incorporate this ability in DDO as well.

[Angelus_dead]

That might be a slight exaggeration. The challenge rating of a pit fiend is 20 and the pit fiend is 18 hit dice. The average party who encounters a pit fiend should be immune to his blasphemy.

That only applies if the pit fiend is only one of your multiple encounters throughout the day.

But really, Pit Fiends are a boss monster that would be encountered as the climax of a series of missions. By the guidelines for designing D&D adventures, a fight like that can use a CR a few higher than normal.

Anyway, the Pit Fiend's Blashphemy ability is badly designed. An effect that is unstoppable win against level 18 characters but totally harmless against level 19 just doesn't make sense.

Furthermore, spell resistance applies to blasphemy and the odds of no one in a party of neigh-epic level adventurers having some kind of spell resistance are slim.

That brings up the Greater Dispel Magic ability which Arraetrikos is also missing. If you've fought the Black Abbot then you know how devastating that can be on a raid boss.

[Strumpoo]

If he had that ability no one would be able to beat him. You know he is AT LEAST 10 caster levels above us, we would all port into part 4, and instantly die when he cast it. Since he is probably 10-20 caster levels above us.
How many caster levels and HD does a monster with 1,000,000 hitpoints have?

[Aspenor]

That brings up the Greater Dispel Magic ability which Arraetrikos is also missing. If you've fought the Black Abbot then you know how devastating that can be on a raid boss.

I think adding this ability would make the last two parts of the Shroud more interesting. Same with a few summoned devils.

[Missing_Minds]

Yes, it's fine to look at them that way...

It's just that a generic D&D pit fiend has 26 intelligence. Arraetrikos probably has higher. For someone that smart to not summon something at the same time he's fighting just makes no sense. It's as if he wants the clerics to be totally safe while they pump heals into whoever's beating on him.

While true enough.. I say if we aren't allowed, then neither is he.

[Strumpoo]

While true enough.. I say if we aren't allowed, then neither is he.

Good point! Release the mummies of hell!

[Angelus_dead]

While true enough.. I say if we aren't allowed, then neither is he.

I would love to summon monsters to really fight Arraetrikos.

In fact I have a prediction: once the AI bugs are fixed so you can freely cast summons there without breaking anything, it will turn out that attacking him with a huge squad of Earth Elementals is overpowered, and the devs will try to find a way to nerf it.

[Scholar]

That brings up the Greater Dispel Magic ability which Arraetrikos is also missing. If you've fought the Black Abbot then you know how devastating that can be on a raid boss.

Ya know, it's great that you want to point out all this stuff that you think he should have. How about some things he shouldn't? Like tens of thousands of hit points too many. By the book entry, he should have under 300. Maybe he just turned in all those powers for hit points.

[Altarboy]

moot point...or absent effect .. wasn't a post about a buff, it was to see if the monster is even emitting the aura..... and yes I agree his other abilities are missing.... **Cries** (probally at everyone's objection) make him summon mass baddies ... bring them on.. waves & waves.... of extraplanar vile creatures....who's with me... gimme his aura, gimme his minions...

Ummmm..not to be a smart*** but, if he summoned stuff would he bug himself?????

P.S.
Sorry....I should read the whole thread before I post!

[Milolyen]

Another thing to take into account is the fact that we are fighting in the Shroud. I mean if you listen upon zoneing in he screams "WHAT!! I should be on Shavarath. blah blah blah ... You did this. You and those Pitifull Eladrin." The shroud stopped him from porting back to shavarath and could there for be blocking atleast some of his summons for help.

Milolyen

[Gadget2775]

If he had that ability no one would be able to beat him. You know he is AT LEAST 10 caster levels above us, we would all port into part 4, and instantly die when he cast it. Since he is probably 10-20 caster levels above us.
How many caster levels and HD does a monster with 1,000,000 hitpoints have?

Nah, he's a big softie. 2d5 + 999,990 . We should totaly be able to cast Circle of Death on him.