Help my party take out a Pit Fiend

[maggot]

I'm preparing the climatic battle of my campaign, and the party must face theire nemesis: a pit fiend. The problem is that the party is only 15th level at this point and the pit fiend is CR 20. So I want to level the playing field a bit. What would help the party succeed at this goal?

I want the pit fiend (who was gated in, not summoned) to be killed not just banished back to Baator. So the pit fiend will be wearing a special amulet of dimensional anchoring that will also prevent him from teleporting. The amulet makes sense so the fiend can accomplish his mission on the prime without being wisked away by the first holy word that penatrates his SR.

The pit fiend's blasphemy attack would be a problem if it weren't for the fact that half the party is evil. The pit fiend's fireballs and meteor storms are pretty easy to guard against as well, and the fear aura and poison can be done in by a simple prep spells as well. But the thing's AC, DR, SR, and attacks are quite scary to a 15th level party.

 

[Crothian]

I'd let them get the drop on the Pit Fiend. Have them know the battle is coming, let them prepare, and see what plans they can come up with. It will be a tough battle but allowing them to face the Pit fiend with full spells, and full everything will help a lot.

 

[Jdvn1]

But the thing's AC, DR, SR, and attacks are quite scary to a 15th level party.

There's a spell in the Draconomicon to lower a creature's SR. And another one for natural amor. How about a scroll of each? For the DR, there's a feat, but your party can't easily take it right away. Maybe give them a spell weapon?

 

[Endur]

Think Novel and not Game.

In Fantasy Novels, the protagonists defeat the horrible opponent through a special quest or vulnerability.

So give the Pit Fiend a Weakness. Perhaps a bucket of water will cause the Pit Fiend to melt.

Or maybe there is a special sword that will slay the Pit Fiend in one strike.

etc., etc.

 

[LostSoul]

Going with the above poster's idea, have some kind of thing enchant everyone's weapon with the Holy (or Lawful if it's already Holy) enhancement. And give the wizard something that allows him to penetrate more easily the SR of a fiend.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I would seriously consider providing some kind of defense against blasphemy for the non evil party members... D10 minutes paralysis is no fun in a climatic combat.

I'm with Crothian, IME it's scary to see what a fully prepared party can do in situations like this. The AC and DR should be surmountable with buffing. Figure the easiest answer to the SR is to use non-SR spells?

Providing them with accurate information about the pit fiends abilities could be a good way to go... Armed with that and possibly access to some extra resources they should suceed. If they have spellcasters or clerics, access to a few higher level spell scrolls could really make the difference.

If there aren't any PC casters, then the fight might be very tough indeed. Perhaps an non combatant NPC could neutralise some of the fiends nastier abilities... it might even add to the encounter. The PCs would need to keep the NPC from being shredded by the fiend or its allies...

 

[maggot]

I would seriously consider providing some kind of defense against blasphemy for the non evil party members... D10 minutes paralysis is no fun in a climatic combat.

Well, I was hoping Greater Spell Immunity would help out the others.

 

[arscott]

what about removing hit dice or size categories, just as you'd add them to make a monster stronger?

 

[dagger]

Assay Resistance (spell) in Complete Arcane adds 10 to overcome Spell Resistance checks.....and I think its 1/rnd level.

 

[Jdvn1]

Assay Resistance (spell) in Complete Arcane adds 10 to overcome Spell Resistance checks.....and I think its 1/rnd level.

Yes it is. The one in the Draconomicon takes longer to cast, but it helps the whole party.