So I cast Evard's Black Tentacles for the first time...

danzibr · 10-07-2012, 06:42 PM

In a party of 4 I'm a Bard 9/Sublime Chord 1 (DM allows qualifying for PrC as entering). I picked up Solid Fog, Vortex of Teeth and Daltim's Fiery Tentacles (so not actually Evard's).

We got to the final floor of the dungeon (we're trying to get above ground, started out several floors beneath), at least I think. There were two hallways leading to a room with 2 Minotaurs and 2 Drow (picture 2 rooms connected by 2 hallways). Combat immediately starts, I go first, run back and tell my party to pull back, they do as I suggest.

1 Drow and 1 Minotaur go down one of the hallways. I cast Daltim's Fiery Tentacles and get both of them. They fail the grapple checks (so to speak) once and are grappled, then again and get bludgeoned and take some fire damage. Next round similar results. Then after that the second Minotaur casts Dispel Magic and rolls high enough to remove my spell.

Anyway, I gotta say I love this spell. This is my first time playing a caster and I really like it. I was going to do my Solid Fog + Vortex of Teeth + Daltim's Fiery Tentacles combo but it seemed a bit much.

We ended the session mid-combat. I go first, so time to decide whether to cast another Daltim's Fiery Tentacles or not...

BowStreetRunner · 10-07-2012, 06:52 PM

Yeah, I have a healthy amount of respect for that particular battle-field control spell. In one instance, we had a minor side encounter with our entire party fighting a single warlock that was supposed to take up maybe half of a session. He used Chilling Tentacles, which is the warlock invocation version of that spell, and that pretty much bogged the entire party down. Took the better part of two sessions to finish that one battle.

Madara · 10-07-2012, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danzibr

In a party of 4 I'm a Bard 9/Sublime Chord 1 (DM allows qualifying for PrC as entering). I picked up Solid Fog, Vortex of Teeth and Daltim's Fiery Tentacles (so not actually Evard's).

We got to the final floor of the dungeon (we're trying to get above ground, started out several floors beneath), at least I think. There were two hallways leading to a room with 2 Minotaurs and 2 Drow (picture 2 rooms connected by 2 hallways). Combat immediately starts, I go first, run back and tell my party to pull back, they do as I suggest.

1 Drow and 1 Minotaur go down one of the hallways. I cast Daltim's Fiery Tentacles and get both of them. They fail the grapple checks (so to speak) once and are grappled, then again and get bludgeoned and take some fire damage. Next round similar results. Then after that the second Minotaur casts Dispel Magic and rolls high enough to remove my spell.

Anyway, I gotta say I love this spell. This is my first time playing a caster and I really like it. I was going to do my Solid Fog + Vortex of Teeth + Daltim's Fiery Tentacles combo but it seemed a bit much.

We ended the session mid-combat. I go first, so time to decide whether to cast another Daltim's Fiery Tentacles or not...

What's the source on the Fiery Tentacles?

BowStreetRunner · 10-07-2012, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madara

What's the source on the Fiery Tentacles?

Shining South

The Random NPC · 10-07-2012, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danzibr

In a party of 4 I'm a Bard 9/Sublime Chord 1 (DM allows qualifying for PrC as entering). I picked up Solid Fog, Vortex of Teeth and Daltim's Fiery Tentacles (so not actually Evard's).

We got to the final floor of the dungeon (we're trying to get above ground, started out several floors beneath), at least I think. There were two hallways leading to a room with 2 Minotaurs and 2 Drow (picture 2 rooms connected by 2 hallways). Combat immediately starts, I go first, run back and tell my party to pull back, they do as I suggest.

1 Drow and 1 Minotaur go down one of the hallways. I cast Daltim's Fiery Tentacles and get both of them. They fail the grapple checks (so to speak) once and are grappled, then again and get bludgeoned and take some fire damage. Next round similar results. Then after that the second Minotaur casts Dispel Magic and rolls high enough to remove my spell.

Anyway, I gotta say I love this spell. This is my first time playing a caster and I really like it. I was going to do my Solid Fog + Vortex of Teeth + Daltim's Fiery Tentacles combo but it seemed a bit much.

We ended the session mid-combat. I go first, so time to decide whether to cast another Daltim's Fiery Tentacles or not...

I would like to know how the Minotaur cast Dispel Magic while grappled.

danzibr · 10-07-2012, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Random NPC

I would like to know how the Minotaur cast Dispel Magic while grappled.

To clarify, the *other* Minotaur cast Dispel Magic. I wonder how he cast it at all, to be honest.

Arbane · 10-07-2012, 08:17 PM

In a Pathfinder game I'm in, we used the combination of Black Tentacles and a cleric domain power that made all allies immune to being grappled to make what should've been a fairly tough fight (an entire Orc village) into a cakewalk. Fun times.

TypoNinja · 10-07-2012, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arbane

In a Pathfinder game I'm in, we used the combination of Black Tentacles and a cleric domain power that made all allies immune to being grappled to make what should've been a fairly tough fight (an entire Orc village) into a cakewalk. Fun times.

Oh my god.

There's just no way that ends well.

Slipperychicken · 10-07-2012, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TypoNinja

Oh my god.

There's just no way that ends well.

Orc Survivor: "One of 'em cast a spell 'an summoned giant flaming demon fingers!! They wrapped 'round my wife 'an choked er to death! Ya gotta do sumthin!"

NPC Paladin: SMITE TIME

Psyren · 10-08-2012, 01:41 AM

I used it in my first full-length Pathfinder game (I was a Witch and the party's controller.) It's indeed a fantastic spell, even after PF nerfed it silly, so I guess it did need to be weakened a bit.

LordBlades · 10-08-2012, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psyren

I used it in my first full-length Pathfinder game (I was a Witch and the party's controller.) It's indeed a fantastic spell, even after PF nerfed it silly, so I guess it did need to be weakened a bit.

It all depends on your game's power level. In a mid-to-high power game it's not that amazing.

3.5 Evard's Black Tentacles grapples at CL (often equal to your HD)+8. Monsters resist at BAB+size+str. For many bruisers their BAB>your CL, and their str+size often equals a lot more than 8.

Now of course not every monster in a game is a melee powerhouse. There are ranged attackers, casters and skirmisher types (among other things).

Most casters however have adequate tools to either escape a grapple or not be grappled in the first place, ranging from spells (Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement, Heart of Water etc.) to the various magic items that grant teleportation effects (Anklet of Translocation, Bolt Shirt etc.).

My experience with Black Tentacles in a high OP game is that the only thing you can reliably disable with it is not-so-big monsters without teleport or freedom of movement abilities. And not many of those are a real threat.

Killer Angel · 10-08-2012, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arbane

In a Pathfinder game I'm in, we used the combination of Black Tentacles and a cleric domain power that made all allies immune to being grappled

That's impressive.
Luckily, the domain's spells, seem less good than 3.5 travel domain.

Keld Denar · 10-08-2012, 11:07 AM

Its really scary on a Shadowcraft Mage. Earth Spell from a 0th level spell to a 5th level slot is +5 CL. That means that you are more like CL +13, rather that CL +8. The nicest thing is that EBT doesn't have a CL cap.

jaybird · 10-08-2012, 01:08 PM

Evard's is one of the standard control spells for good reason. It's big, it's reasonably powerful, and it scales...decently. It's better against crowds of weaker enemies then against a single BBEG, but hey, that's what you've got rays for, amirite?

Eldariel · 10-09-2012, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psyren

I used it in my first full-length Pathfinder game (I was a Witch and the party's controller.) It's indeed a fantastic spell, even after PF nerfed it silly, so I guess it did need to be weakened a bit.

Size got nerfed tho so in that sense it got an indirect buff.

Khedrac · 10-09-2012, 02:31 AM

The thing to watch with Evard's (which is great) the the errata (which on close reading merely states clearly what the PHB already said). Once you break free the tentacles will not attempt to re-grapple - they only grapple when cast and when a create tries to enter the area. If you cast it on an opponent who makes their grapple check they can choose to stay in it - using it defensively against your melee allies.
Despite that I too love this spell.

Rejakor · 10-09-2012, 03:13 AM

Evard's is a great spell vs NPCs or hordes, but it doesn't work so good against single monsters or non-derp-played spellcasters (Heart of Water, freedom of movement, dimension door/jump/slide, etc). Solid Fog is arguably better, but I like Evard's for the fluff and name.

panaikhan · 10-09-2012, 07:59 AM

I prefer V's version

Arbane · 10-09-2012, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khedrac

The thing to watch with Evard's (which is great) the the errata (which on close reading merely states clearly what the PHB already said). Once you break free the tentacles will not attempt to re-grapple - they only grapple when cast and when a create tries to enter the area.

In PF it now explicitly tries to grapple at the start of every turn.