We have 2 DMs that rotate...GREAT storytellers, both of them. Games are fun; HOWEVER...we keep hitting the same snag as party...Earth Elementals by Druids.
Campaign 1:
Races Allowed - Dwarf, Elf, Human
Classes Allowed - Wizard, Ranger, Fighter, Rogue
Party Consists of - (lv 15) Dwarf Fighter, 1 (lv 16) Human and 1 (lv 20) Elf Wizard, Elf (lv 16) Arcane Archer
Campaign 2:
Races Allowed - Dwarf
Classes Allowed - Fighter, Cleric, Rogue
Party Consists of - (lv 16) Dwarf Fighter, (Lv 16) Dwarf Cleric, (lv. 15) Dwarf Cleric, and a new person to the group was allowed to make an Elf Druid now @ level 10.
We fixxed the 1st problem, both DMs would just park a Druid in Earth Elemental form 50 feet below the surface and just keep casting Call Lightnings/etc on the party (since Earth Elementals can "see through the ground"...if they can't, then it's house ruled that they can). We changed it to that the Druid needs to come to the surface to cast a targeted or Line of Site spell. But it also sucks that each time Earth Elementals go into the ground, they are restored back to full HPs....I never seen this in the book so I'm going to guess yet another houserule...Fire Elementals gain life from taking fire damage damage/being in fire, so EE's gain life from taking "earth" damage or being in the ground...even if didn't gain life in this way, teh Druid still has all day to heal themself while in the ground.
But one problem we just can't seem to get past is Druids just turning into EE's, going into the ground and remaining untouchable. Perfect example, yesterday, I charged a Druid in EE form with 2H Bastard Sword, full power attacked, scored a crit but DM says EEs can't be crit (though I just read that when in Elemental Form, the Druid retains his or her creature type, so I don't know which is right), still managed to do like 39 points of damage to the Druid.....next round he did his "5-foot step" down into the ground.
I'm the Dwarf FIghter in both campeigns (no one else wanted the job and I just had a hard time seeing a group of 3 wizards (at the start) or a group of 2 Clerics not having a tank or any melee damage. and with a level 15 and 16 Fighters, I've gotten only 1 Magical item so far across the 2 campaings. However the DMs are open to items being crafted.
So...having said all that, does anyone have any ideas on what we as a party should/could do to prevent this or at least be able to fight it? Thanks in advance.
Second, at your level, there are plenty of spells that can deal with this. If he's just taking a 5-ft step in to the ground, a simple move earth or many a transmute spell should ruin his day (I'd love to see his face when you drop a rock to lava on him).
Heck, even some greater dispelling or AMF will ruin his day (after all, wild shape is a supernatural ability).
Also, if he's reoccurring, then just have some contingency waiting on him.
These are just off the top of my head, and I don't even play casters. You just gotta be inventive with it.
If you're playing 3.5 I'd suggest reading up on the Spell Compendium book, lots of fun stuff in there.
1) Move Earth or Contingency are 10 minute recasts so won't be optimal for combat.
2) Earthquake is a possibility but: 1) Almost all of our encounters so far haev been in cave-type settings, DM might not allow a spell like EQ without making the place cave in and 2) they both may just chalk up the EE being immune to EQ since it's an "Earth" attack even though my books don't show the EE being immune to earth attacks.
3) Dispel Magic would be decent but they both view Wild Shape as a Supernatural ability, therefore Dispel Magic won't work. However as I read, Wild Shape appears to be a Spell-Like Ability, not a Supernatural Ability.
4) Rock to Lava and Earth Reaver should do a little damage, just not sure if the Druid as an EE will get to ignore the earth-part of the damage for reasons as stated in #2.
...Reading over this and thinking about it more...I wonder if Druids and EEs are so powerful/annoying because they've been Homebrewed to the point.
More ideas are welcome and thanks again...
You are facing enemies that hides in an area where it cannot be attacked, but can attack from it.
Also the area heals them just incase they somehow take a bit of damage.
Any counter tactic you come up with may be nixed immediatly.
Add to this that the DM's tend to use these enemies fairly often
....
I'd just tuck tail and run next time I see a druid.
Doesnt matter if he's friendly or not I'd just run far far away.
And if I cannot run, I'd curl up in a corner and go catatonic.
I dont want to bash your DM's, I'm sure they are fun and all. But I'd personally get bored constantly fighting these druids of awesomness.
Sorry I cant be of more help.
if you HAVE to fight it, explain that tremorsense and earth walk do not amount to being able to "see" thru rock. take a step up into the air with a flight power so he has to come to the surface to target you. and then demand that the DM's never pull that BS again.
Umm... if the DM is hiding a druid under ground... leave the area, treat it as a stationary trap, avoid.
if you HAVE to fight it, explain that tremorsense and earth walk do not amount to being able to "see" thru rock. take a step up into the air with a flight power so he has to come to the surface to target you. and then demand that the DM's never pull that BS again.
Another good combo to use in such circumstances is forcecage+cloudkill. then sit back and watch him die.
And when you are in the process of exterminating this guy, make sure that you play-up being really bored and annoyed with it; and be as sarcastic as possible about it. And whatever you do, make sure to also meta-game the entire thing. This way, he feels all bad about it, and is discouraged from doing it again.
1) Is the Druid Wild Shape a Supernatural ability or a Spell-like Ability?
2) If a Druid is in the form of an EE, is he still subject to critical hits? (only ask because: "She also gains the elemental’s feats for as long as she maintains the wild shape, but she retains her own creature type.")
3) mentioning the Reverse Gravity above; would that do anything? I only as cuz EE's hang in the ceiling and punch down at us, so I'd just assume reversing the gravity would be no different.
4) Cloudkill....Aren't all elementals immune to poison? so wouldn't the Druid be immune as well if was an EE?
Big thanks again you guys for helping me hammer out these details
Thanks for the feedback...it HAS gotten overly annoying cause we keep fighting Druids and they all keep doing the SAME THING. Both of our Clerics in Campaign 2 are Earth Domain, so about 2-3 more levels and they will be able to cast Elemental Swarm. Our Druid is still a ways from being able to do all this himself.
1) Is the Druid Wild Shape a Supernatural ability or a Spell-like Ability?
2) If a Druid is in the form of an EE, is he still subject to critical hits? (only ask because: "She also gains the elemental’s feats for as long as she maintains the wild shape, but she retains her own creature type.")
3) mentioning the Reverse Gravity above; would that do anything? I only as cuz EE's hang in the ceiling and punch down at us, so I'd just assume reversing the gravity would be no different.
4) Cloudkill....Aren't all elementals immune to poison? so wouldn't the Druid be immune as well if was an EE?
Big thanks again you guys for helping me hammer out these details
1) Wild shape is a supernatural ability.
2) Yes, she is still a humaniod so still subject to critical hits. She does not gain elemental traits.
3) Depends. Reverse gravity is shapeable so you can leave the ceiling out of the area of the spell. If the room is large enough you can suspend him in mid-air
4) Yes elementals are immune to poison, no the Druid would not gain it from turning elemental, however druids gain it by themselves at 9th level.
Hope this helps
So the aftermath of such a tactic could well leave them with the remainder of the dungeon blocked from exploration.
And, depending on how the GM wants to rule their ability you could treat it as Meld into Stone spell, which would make it suseptable to Transmute rock to mud, Stone Shape and Passwall. But that would be a house rule and not necessairly what their ability supports.
I really shouldnt open my mouth in any pre 4e discussions...It allready smells like feet
So...having said all that, does anyone have any ideas on what we as a party should/could do to prevent this or at least be able to fight it? Thanks in advance.
"Hey, DMs, we're tired of fighting stupid house ruled druids that wild shape into stupid house ruled earth elementals. Knock it off."