Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jaim May 19, 2008 14:14:26	So, this is the short of what happened: We're playing Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (minor spoiler ahead). The party enters the castle, gets a warm welcome by Count Strahd and during a nice little chat he manages to dominate all but the warpriest with his gaze. No immediate effect because we had a magic circle of protection going, but we notice and after being grappled, Strahd dim doors away. We decide to press on but the next encounter splits the party with an elevator trap, the sacred fist (me) has to cast another circle and after some very heavy fighting the party reunites but is mostly out of ressources. Party composition (about 1200 xp short of level 9): Fighter8 (will save +3!) Wizard7/Incantatrix1 (has rope trick prepared) Monk2/Cleric4/Sacred Fist2 (me, level 3 spells) Cleric7/Warpriest1 (caster level 7, level 4 spells) The way back to the village and some semblance of safety is 2 hours. Magic Circle has about 1 hour of duration left. Dispel Magic doesn't work against Dominating Gaze. Now the circles will run out and we face annihilation because of the mostly dominated party. What to do?
#2 myan May 19, 2008 14:30:25	So, this is the short of what happened: We're playing Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (minor spoiler ahead). The party enters the castle, gets a warm welcome by Count Strahd and during a nice little chat he manages to dominate all but the warpriest with his gaze. No immediate effect because we had a magic circle of protection going, but we notice and after being grappled, Strahd dim doors away. We decide to press on but the next encounter splits the party with an elevator trap, the sacred fist (me) has to cast another circle and after some very heavy fighting the party reunites but is mostly out of ressources. Party composition (about 1200 xp short of level 9): Fighter8 (will save +3!) Wizard8 (has rope trick prepared) Monk2/Cleric4/Sacred Fist2 (me, level 3 spells) Cleric/Warprist (caster level 7, level 4 spells) The way back to the village and some semblance of safety is 2 hours. Magic Circle has about 1 hour of duration left. Dispel Magic doesn't work against Dominating Gaze. Now the circles will run out and we face annihilation because of the mostly dominated party. What to do? Head back to town. Hopefully you have mounts, and can take away the dominated members weapons and tie them to their mounts. If you do it before they become dominated, they should be able to assist you in your use-rope check by telling you if the bond is too loose. This is all assuming that the party is aware of the impending domination.
#3 jaim May 19, 2008 14:38:45	The party is fully aware but has no horses. Also any combat encounter on the way with all but 1 party member tied up is going to go south. But getting back to the village and tieing them up for 2 weeks in some dark cellar is what sounds most promising to me too.
#4 myan May 19, 2008 14:46:10	The party is fully aware but has no horses. Also any combat encounter on the way with all but 1 party member tied up is going to go south. But getting back to the village and tieing them up for 2 weeks in some dark cellar is what sounds most promising to me too. I don't know what the terrain is like, but if you could spend the hour searching for a location that you could hide in, you might bury them up to their necks in the ground and stand guard until the domination wore off. They might try to bite you when you feed them though, so be carefull.
#5 justicesays May 19, 2008 17:20:47	Have the warpriest subdue the lot of you before the circle wears out, wait for prayer time, and memorize a bunch of "Resurgence (1st level, SpC)" and "Resurgence, Mass (3rd level , SpC)" as well as a bunch of saving throw boosters , like "conviction (1st level, SpC)" , owls wisdom , recitation and the like. These will allow your party to attempt saves over and over again until they eventually make it. I suggest working on the people with the highest will saves / able to cast divine spells first ofc.
#6 wheldrake May 21, 2008 6:00:09	I don't know what the terrain is like, but if you could spend the hour searching for a location that you could hide in, you might bury them up to their necks in the ground and stand guard until the domination wore off. They might try to bite you when you feed them though, so be carefull. Funnels are a must. Have you ever seen the trash horror flick, "Motel Hell"? Seriously, unless you can actually leave the region, you're probably screwed. Although the DM might decide to use the collective domination as a source for future adventures. Your group would no longer be fighting Vlad, but actually working for him. Some party members might even be infected with vampirism, which can be fun to play (except for the minor detail of LA...) Even if your cleric could try to dominate the other PCs in turn, he'd still have to win a CHA check against Vlad. Good luck. Cheers, --- Wheldrake
#7 Fireclave May 21, 2008 6:54:08	Does the wizard have a familiar, particulary of the flying variety? If you have any spellcasting friends in a nearby town that capable of breaking or warding off the domination effect or providing a magically warded safe-haven, you could send the familiar to go get help and return with a scrolls or perhaps even have friendly spellcasters teleport in to aid you.
#8 The_Stray May 21, 2008 11:02:42	You were playing Ravenloft and got hosed. Surprise, surprise.