Nysera hasn't used Spike Growth in this cave yet. That changes now. This option builds the fight around a zone-denial opening rather than the Fog Cloud, forcing enemies to choose between staying in their positions (where the party controls the tempo) or moving through a killing floor to close the gap.
The Concept
Spike Growth (2nd level, concentration) fills a 20-foot radius with razor-sharp spikes that erupt from the ground. Any creature moving through the area takes 2d4 piercing damage for every 5 feet of movement through the zone. A creature that moves 15 feet through the zone takes 6d4 piercing damage — that's an average of 15 damage just from walking.
Critically: the goblins and ogres do not know the terrain is hazardous until they've already entered it. The spikes are disguised as natural undergrowth. By the time they realize the floor is killing them, they've already paid the cost.
Place Spike Growth at the cave entrance to the new chamber — the chokepoint through which every enemy must pass to reach the party. The party stays on the safe side of the line.
Setup — Before Initiative
Elaris hands out Bardic Inspiration — Do this before entering. Kaltor, Theren, and Selena. Non-negotiable.
Nysera casts Spike Growth — Before entering the chamber, she casts it through the opening on the floor just inside the entrance. The zone covers the approach corridor and the first section of the new room. She does not Wild Shape yet — concentration is on Spike Growth.
Barzer repositions the bat — Send it into the room to maintain visual. Barzer can see through the bat's eyes as a bonus action. This gives the party live intelligence on enemy positioning without anyone crossing the Spike Growth line.
Selena casts Aid — Pre-combat HP buffer on Kaltor, Theren, and Nysera. Do it before initiative.
Marching order: Kaltor stays at the near edge of the Spike Growth zone. Theren behind him with bow ready. Barzer far back, using the bat to direct fire. Selena mid, healing range. Elaris mid-rear.
Round One
Nysera: Spike Growth is already active. She maintains concentration and uses her action to cast Moonbeam — centered on the nearest enemy cluster at ground level. Moonbeam requires a CON save (DC depends on Nysera's spell DC). On a failed save, 2d10 radiant damage. She can move it 60 feet as a bonus action each turn. Two concentration spells cannot be active simultaneously — which means this is the choice: Spike Growth or Moonbeam, not both. Decide before round one.
Recommendation: Keep Spike Growth. Moonbeam requires enemies to be in your zone or you to move it to them. Spike Growth punishes all movement. Against a mix of goblins and ogres with different speed profiles, the floor damage is more consistently applied.
Kaltor: Hold at the threshold. Do not cross the Spike Growth line. His job this round is to be visible and threatening — goblins will see a heavily armored paladin in the doorway and some of them will move toward him, walking through the spikes. Let them come. Divine Smite is available the moment one of them gets within 5 feet.
Theren: Hunter's Mark (bonus action) on the nearest visible enemy. Fire from behind Kaltor. He has 35-foot movement and doesn't need to enter the room — he can fire through the doorway.
Barzer: See through the bat. Report enemy positions. Cast Magic Missile at any high-priority target that's bunched up with others. Fire Bolt as a cantrip if nothing warrants a spell slot. Do not enter the room.
Elaris: Vicious Mockery cantrip if a goblin is in range — the WIS save is low for goblins, and the disadvantage on their next attack keeps Kaltor's AC working for him. Healing Word is on standby. She should not be within the ogres' movement range at any point in this round.
Selena: Sacred Flame on the nearest goblin. She has enough Healing Word slots to sustain the front line through multiple rounds — don't spend them in round one unless Kaltor drops below half HP.
How Enemies Respond to Spike Growth
The hazard zone forces a decision on every enemy that wants to engage the party in melee:
| Enemy | Move Through Zone? | Damage at 40ft ogre movement | Tactical Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblin (30ft move) | Takes 2d4 per 5ft | 12d4 avg ~30 damage | Dead before reaching Kaltor if zone is wide enough |
| Ogre (40ft move) | Takes 2d4 per 5ft | 16d4 avg ~40 damage | Arrives hurt and likely below half HP |
| Ledge goblin (won't descend into zone) | Stays elevated | N/A | Forced to continue using ranged attacks |
An ogre that walks through a full 20-foot Spike Growth zone arrives at Kaltor having already taken 8d4 piercing damage (~20 average). That's a third of its HP before it swings once. If Theren has put arrows into it and Barzer has fired Magic Missile, it's likely already bloodied when it reaches melee range.
The ledge goblins' dilemma: They can climb down and walk through the spikes to engage, or stay on the ledge and fire ranged attacks into the fight. If they stay elevated and shoot, Barzer can eventually pick them off with ranged spells. If they descend through the spikes, they take damage doing it.
Spike Growth and the Fog Cloud
These plans are not mutually exclusive. If the party decides to run both:
- Nysera holds concentration on Spike Growth
- Barzer holds concentration on Fog Cloud (centered on bat at ledge height)
- Both are active simultaneously with no interference
The combination is the most powerful opening the party can run. Ledge goblins are blinded. Ground enemies take spike damage advancing. The front line holds the threshold. The only cost is that Nysera cannot Wild Shape while concentrating on Spike Growth.
If resource conservation matters, pick one. If the party wants to hit hard on the opening, run both and let the dungeon solve itself.
When Spike Growth Ends
Concentration. If Nysera takes damage, she rolls to maintain (DC 10 or half damage taken, whichever is higher). Keep Nysera out of ogre reach. If she breaks concentration, the zone drops immediately. This is the plan's vulnerability: Nysera must not be the ogre's first target.
Position her behind the Kaltor/Selena line. She is not a frontline combatant in this scenario.
Pros
- 2d4 per 5 feet is devastating to enemies that need to close distance
- Enemies can't tell the ground is dangerous until they've entered — no saving throw to avoid the zone, just a choice to move through it or not
- Punishes ogre movement especially hard — their high HP becomes their weakness as they burn through it just walking
- Forces enemies to choose between staying at range (where the party's ranged attacks apply) or advancing through a hazard
Cons
- Nysera cannot Wild Shape while concentrating — she stays in her own form and loses the Pack Tactics wolf HP buffer
- If Nysera loses concentration, the hazard disappears and the floor is safe again
- The zone covers the party's path too — if the party needs to advance into the room, they also take spike damage
- Goblins on the ledge are unaffected unless they descend
Best If
The party wants to control the battlefield geometry and win through attrition rather than aggression, letting enemies walk into damage while the party holds the threshold.