D&D 5E 5e Maze spell
- Thread starter Balfore
- Start date
FormerlyHemlock
Hero
It's Magic Resistance that is broken in 5E. It doesn't work against all kinds of things that it ought to work against.
Suggested fix: http://bluishcertainty.blogspot.com/2016/03/5e-magic-resistance-variant-rule.html
Suggested fix: http://bluishcertainty.blogspot.com/2016/03/5e-magic-resistance-variant-rule.html
Warmaster Horus
Explorer
Specifically says that Goristros, which have Magic Resistance, are automatically exempt, as are Minotaurs. Other creatures get a Int Check per round to escape, so there's a way out for those who can manage it. Given that I'd say that it works as advertised, especially as an 8th level spell. Great way to trap a creature into a Magic Circle...
L
lowkey13
Guest
*Deleted by user*
Gardens & Goblins
First Post
It's certainly amazing!
MechaTarrasque
Hero
I don't see much, if any, problem.
1) It is an 8th level spell, so it takes a long time to show up, and 8th level spell slots aren't overflowing for any class.
2) It doesn't do any damage and it isn't permanent.
3) When the spell ends, the target isn't dazed, stunned, or anything else. Not even surprised or suffering disadvantage. Basically all you can do is cast forbiddance and hope the DM doesn't decide that forbiddance and maze doesn't interact by just having the mazed target show up outside the forbidden space after it gets out of maze, someone else in your party can cast some buff spells (because "I turned the corner and was surprised to find Orcus" happens so often in D&D), run away (maybe 10 minute head start), or get healed up because the mazed critter has been pounding on your party. [Don't get me wrong, if the scenario is "we need to steal something and a golem is guarding it" maze is a pretty sweet solution.]
At least with Hold Monster, the rest of the party can drop pain on the held critter while you are holding it.
Now if a lich zaps the party's barbarian with maze, and hangs back while his buddies the death knight and the dracolich go to work on the party, then I agree, it is totally broken......
1) It is an 8th level spell, so it takes a long time to show up, and 8th level spell slots aren't overflowing for any class.
2) It doesn't do any damage and it isn't permanent.
3) When the spell ends, the target isn't dazed, stunned, or anything else. Not even surprised or suffering disadvantage. Basically all you can do is cast forbiddance and hope the DM doesn't decide that forbiddance and maze doesn't interact by just having the mazed target show up outside the forbidden space after it gets out of maze, someone else in your party can cast some buff spells (because "I turned the corner and was surprised to find Orcus" happens so often in D&D), run away (maybe 10 minute head start), or get healed up because the mazed critter has been pounding on your party. [Don't get me wrong, if the scenario is "we need to steal something and a golem is guarding it" maze is a pretty sweet solution.]
At least with Hold Monster, the rest of the party can drop pain on the held critter while you are holding it.
Now if a lich zaps the party's barbarian with maze, and hangs back while his buddies the death knight and the dracolich go to work on the party, then I agree, it is totally broken......
CapnZapp
Legend
If you care about the rules as written, the way it works for these guys is:
They are affected just like anyone else, it's just that when they spend their action to escape, they succeed automatically on the Int 20 check.
That's close to being exempt (as in "immune to the spell") but not the same - by raw they would still be sucked in, and they wouldn't come back until they use an action to do so. Thus the Maze spell isn't exactly useless against a Goristro - it still takes it out of the fight for a full round.
FormerlyHemlock
Hero
Other things that you can do, in rough order of decreasing obviousness:
(1) Cast party buffs like Haste, Circle of Power and Protection From Evil to maximize your action economy.
(2) Ready actions (like Eldritch Blast) for the instant the creature returns.
(3) Summon creatures like Elementals to attack the creature the instant it shows up (e.g. Conjure Elemental has a one-minute casting time, not usable in combat normally)
(4) Fill the creature's space with nasty damaging combos such as Wall of Force + Cloudkill
(5) Scatter caltrops in the creature's space and all around
(6) Create partial cover for yourself against the creature when it returns
(7) Use Mold Earth cantrip to wall the creature in with thousands of pounds of dirt berms
(8) Lure other monsters into the area to fight with the creature when it returns
(9) Fill the monster's space with water and use Wall of Force to drown it.
Think of Maze as a whole-party Timestop with a longer duration and fewer restrictions on environmental interactions.
MechaTarrasque
Hero
Almost all of which can be done with Hold Monster, so I was trying to think of something that took longer than a minute.
