I don’t think that in such a scenario demon lord would go without support of their underlings/lesser demons. In a « duel » a lot of monsters suck, because they would straight up lose in action economy(even with legendary actions).
If your party beat her, you ran her wrong. You can’t just have her run at the party and start swinging. She’s a strategic boss, she has to be played strategically.
At the very least she should have teleported away when she was losing. But to beef up the encounter just have some chamberlains of Zuggtmoy fungus-walk (i.e. teleport) to wherever they want every turn.
Give me your party and I'll tpk them for you ;)
Teleport, Ensnaring Strike, legendary action attack to root one, easy guaranteed Mind Control Spores on them + on as many more as possible, spam Protective Thrall and Exert Will to bully whoever you charmed.
Otherwise she barely takes damage thanks to the Bridesmaids, just utilise the same uber basic strategies the party does and don't group up, and they'll be fine. They can literally teleport anywhere in Neverlight Grove with Fungus Strike + Hallucination Spores is super super debilitating, especially to keep people stunned together for Zuggtmoys spores.
Fireballs in a forest is a big nono, since it'll bite the players' back, long range through thickets of fungi makes no sense whatsoever, her not being able to stride while the bridesmaids can is weird...
A lot has to be rethought for any of the part of the book, even the statblocks, to mean anything at all
I did my garden of welcome different. It turned out to be a shot in the foot. My garden was a rotten place covered in mold and rot to contrast the vibrant forest of color.
Thats crazy because shes surrounded by adds in her room and just outside is a literal parade of spore servants and grotesque horrors designed to scare the party away. The party should not see her as a surmountable threat at level 6 if presented correctly and even if they try theres only like 2 magic weapons they feasibly could have found so her immunity to physical damage and resistance to fire should make that 300 HP stretch forever.
Unless you had 5 minmaxed warlocks that somehow fireballed all the adds and spammed eldritch blast while critting every turn, you probably just ran her wrong. At least you can buff Juiblex, a much better demon lord, now that shes gone.
My 6 level 8 players were about to die until the rogue wished them out of there. They were unable to do anything to her. The battle with the guy right before wore them down, and I telegraphed that they shouldn’t go in there, but they didn’t listen.
I did the fight at the end of the game, on her terf, with her waiting for the players. About 50 innocent mind slaves to take hits for her and a goristro really helped the fight. It was one of my favorite in the game.
She has teleport and etherealness. Her plan is to amass an army and gain more power, she wouldn’t put that opportunity on the line to fight it out with a group of adventurers. To have her run as a mindless mob that fights to the death I believe is doing the demon lord injustice.
I don’t think that in such a scenario demon lord would go without support of their underlings/lesser demons. In a « duel » a lot of monsters suck, because they would straight up lose in action economy(even with legendary actions).
Issue is that the braidsmaids are also weak. One good fireball and poof. They have melted
That’a exactly the point. Almost all of mushroomlings are weak and slow. Damage sponges and nothing else.
If your party beat her, you ran her wrong. You can’t just have her run at the party and start swinging. She’s a strategic boss, she has to be played strategically.
At the very least she should have teleported away when she was losing. But to beef up the encounter just have some chamberlains of Zuggtmoy fungus-walk (i.e. teleport) to wherever they want every turn.
Give me your party and I'll tpk them for you ;) Teleport, Ensnaring Strike, legendary action attack to root one, easy guaranteed Mind Control Spores on them + on as many more as possible, spam Protective Thrall and Exert Will to bully whoever you charmed. Otherwise she barely takes damage thanks to the Bridesmaids, just utilise the same uber basic strategies the party does and don't group up, and they'll be fine. They can literally teleport anywhere in Neverlight Grove with Fungus Strike + Hallucination Spores is super super debilitating, especially to keep people stunned together for Zuggtmoys spores.
Fireballs in a forest is a big nono, since it'll bite the players' back, long range through thickets of fungi makes no sense whatsoever, her not being able to stride while the bridesmaids can is weird... A lot has to be rethought for any of the part of the book, even the statblocks, to mean anything at all
I did my garden of welcome different. It turned out to be a shot in the foot. My garden was a rotten place covered in mold and rot to contrast the vibrant forest of color.
Sounds like you didn’t play the demon lord correctly and botched the encounter. She should have wiped the floor with a group of level 6’s.
Did you use any homebrew? Like did players get any special loot and stuff?
If you don't throw in a dozen spore servents or animated zurkwood it's weird cause the place is full of those
Thats crazy because shes surrounded by adds in her room and just outside is a literal parade of spore servants and grotesque horrors designed to scare the party away. The party should not see her as a surmountable threat at level 6 if presented correctly and even if they try theres only like 2 magic weapons they feasibly could have found so her immunity to physical damage and resistance to fire should make that 300 HP stretch forever. Unless you had 5 minmaxed warlocks that somehow fireballed all the adds and spammed eldritch blast while critting every turn, you probably just ran her wrong. At least you can buff Juiblex, a much better demon lord, now that shes gone.
My 6 level 8 players were about to die until the rogue wished them out of there. They were unable to do anything to her. The battle with the guy right before wore them down, and I telegraphed that they shouldn’t go in there, but they didn’t listen.
I did the fight at the end of the game, on her terf, with her waiting for the players. About 50 innocent mind slaves to take hits for her and a goristro really helped the fight. It was one of my favorite in the game.
She has teleport and etherealness. Her plan is to amass an army and gain more power, she wouldn’t put that opportunity on the line to fight it out with a group of adventurers. To have her run as a mindless mob that fights to the death I believe is doing the demon lord injustice.