Cydra 4e Rogues' Gallery- MY PLAYERS STAY OUT PLEASE!!

Hey folks!

For those of you familiar with my 3e rogues' gallery, this one will serve a similar purpose for my 4e game: a combination "look what I did!" and "Hey, anyone got an idea for me?" My players, obviously, should stay outta here, since I'll often be discussing things they shouldn't know about until the moment comes.

For now, this first post will just be a placeholder, but I'll be posting a few things I've already used in this thread before long. In addition, I may be looking for some ideas to steal for a couple of urban/political 'scenes' I have in mind...

Most of the monster conversions that I'm using will be found in the Monster Project threads. Other, more unique things I'll post here, along with plot ideas and requests for help with brainstorming for ideas.

First thing is the orcish murderer that the party fought in the burned-out village; I wanted to use a 1st level solo, since I hadn't seen one yet, and orcs seemed like a good choice for a base creature to use.

ORCISH MURDERER--- Level 1 Solo Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid--- XP 500
---
Initiative +2; Senses Perception +2, low-light vision
HP 124; Bloodied 62
AC 17; Fortitude 15; Reflex 16; Will 15
Saving Throws +5
Speed 7
Action Points 2
---
[Melee basic] Greataxe (standard; at will) Weapon: +6 vs. AC; 1d12+3 damage (crit 1d12+15).

[Ranged basic] Throwing Axe (standard; at will) Weapon: Range 5/10; +6 vs. AC; 1d6+3 damage.

Murderous Flurry (standard; at will) Weapon: The orcish murderer makes two basic attacks.

[Melee] Murderous Blow (standard; recharges when first bloodied) Weapon: +6 vs. AC; 2d10+3 damage plus ongoing 5 damage (save ends).

[Melee] Warrior’s Surge (standard; usable only while bloodied; encounter) Healing, Weapon: The orcish murderer makes a melee basic attack and regains 31 hp.

[Ranged] Mark Victim (minor; at will): Range 6; the target is marked. Any time the orcish murderer hits the marked victim, it deals an extra 5 points of damage to it. The orcish murderer can only have one victim marked at a time.
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Alignment chaotic evil; Languages Common, Giant
Skills Endurance, Intimidate
Str 17; Dex 15; Wis 14
Con 15; Int 8; Cha 9
---
Equipment leather darkleaf armor (level 4; +2 AC against first attack each encounter), greataxe, 4 throwing axes

Wow, glad I spotted this. Subscribed!

That looks like a nasty beast, and I'm glad it worked out well for you. How did the party find it - did you get some feedback afterwards?

Tallarn said:

Wow, glad I spotted this. Subscribed!

That looks like a nasty beast, and I'm glad it worked out well for you. How did the party find it - did you get some feedback afterwards?

Click to expand...

They were astounded by its hit points, basically.

I was slightly worried that it might be one of those things where it was kind of a boring slugfest at the end, but it stayed tense, in part because the murderer kept up a pretty steady stream of damage. Also, due to the number of pcs present, I threw in a couple of guard drakes with him.

Wow, I haven't used this thread much- I guess because the vast majority of the new stuff that I've used has been posted in the Monster Project threads. (Which I have sadly neglected of late, but I really need to catch my primary story hour up a little.)

So let's talk about solo monsters a little bit...

I've used a couple of solo monsters in the campaign so far- a young black dragon, the orcish murderer, another dragon (that fled when bloodied, in order to get rid of a growing grind in the combat) and a cave tiger.

Then, last session, I used another one- a sword saint. This guy actually has a lot to do with the campaign's backstory, as well as the old epic 3e game- although the pcs don't know the details yet. When I designed this guy, I halved the normal hit points for a solo of his level and doubled his damage dice.

The fight against him totally rocked! No sense of grind, a real sense of danger- he was much more dangerous-feeling than most monsters of his level- and it didn't turn into a tpk, even though he was a 15th-level solo vs. a party of 12th-13th level pcs. He could deal out enough damage to worry the party quickly, and with his followup strike, he could shut down one pc per round- switching back and forth to keep any one of them from getting too sassy.

After the second dragon solo fight that I ran, I was very dissatisfied. I turned the second part of that encounter into a cool roleplaying encounter- but I had originally wanted it to be a bitchin' knock-down drag-out fight that left the party shaken and feeling like they had been threatened. Instead it turned into a long protracted slugfest without the level of dynamism that I had wanted to achieve. So I really started thinking about solo design, grind, etc- issues that we hadn't encountered much of, but as the party advanced, I kept seeing hints of. The dragon fight was the worst offender of the bunch; so I decided to try this approach, figuring that the enemies would deal almost twice the damage per round but would last half as long, making it a wash overall.

I'm going to try an easy encounter with "standard" monsters set up the same way in the next couple of games sometime and see how it goes.

Anyway, here's the Sword Saint, from my Cult of Thrush file:


SWORD SAINT--- Level 15 Solo Soldier
A sword saint resembles a tall armored man that wields a massive greatsword. It never raises its visor; if another creature manages to do so, they find that the armor is full of swords. While it fights, another face- that of the Sword Emperor- seems to flicker over its own head.

Design Notes: Sword saints are designed with a “more deadliness with less grind” approach in mind. Thus, they have half the normal hit points of a creature of their level and role, and do roughly double the normal damage.

Medium immortal humanoid--- XP 6,000
---
Initiative +14; Senses Perception +10
Rain of Steel (weapon) aura 1; any enemy starting its turn in the aura suffers 1d10 points of damage.
HP 372; Bloodied 186
AC 33; Fortitude 30; Reflex 26; Will 24
Saving Throws +5
Speed 5
Action Points 2
---
[Melee basic] Great Sword (standard; at will) Weapon: +22 vs. AC; 1d10+7 damage, and the target is marked until the end of its next turn.

[Melee] Powerful Blow (standard; at will) Weapon: +22 vs. AC; 2d10+7 damage, and the target is marked until the end of its next turn.

[Melee] Devastating Strike (standard; recharge 5 6) Weapon: +22 vs. AC; 8d8+7 damage.

[Melee] Flawless Kata (standard; at will) Weapon: The sword saint makes up to four powerful blow attacks against different targets.

[Melee] Followup Strike (minor; at will) Weapon: Only against a target that the sword saint has hit this turn. +20 vs. Fortitude; 4d8+7 damage and target is stunned until the end of its next turn.

[Melee] Counterstrike (immediate interrupt; when targeted by a melee attack; at will) Weapon: The sword saint makes an attack on the triggering creature: +20 vs. Reflex; 2d10+7 damage, plus the target is either knocked prone or takes a -4 penalty on the triggering attack (sword saint’s choice).
---
Alignment unaligned; Languages Common
Skills Athletics +19, History +14
Str 25; Dex 20; Wis 17
Con 21; Int 15; Cha 17
---
Equipment plate armor, great sword

Hyswell the Bitter

Here's an earlier bad guy, who you'll be meeting in the next SH update (prolly in the next couple of hours). He was a really fun bad guy to run, with very cool powers and a good interrupt that helped him fend off the players for a while. He was accompanied by his cooshee, Shamrock, and two evistro demons.

HYSWELL--- Level 9 Elite Controller
Medium fey humanoid (elf)--- XP 800
---
Initiative +7; Senses Perception +11, low-light vision
HP 186; Bloodied 93
AC 23; Fortitude 19; Reflex 23; Will 23
Saving Throws +2
Speed 7
Action Points 1
---
[Melee basic] Longsword (standard; at will) Weapon: +11 vs. AC; 1d8+2 damage.

[Melee] Architect’s Mastery (standard; at will): The surrounding architecture attacks two targets within 3 of Hyswell: +14 vs. AC; 1d12+5 damage and the target slides 1.

[Close] Shifting Geometries (minor; recharge 5 6): Close burst 4; Hyswell slides each creature in the burst 2, even if it is restrained (automatic hit).

[Area] Abyssal Fumes (standard; at will) Poison: Area burst 1 within 10; +11 vs. Fortitude; 2d6+5 poison damage plus target is dazed until the end of its next turn.

[Area] Grasping Floor (standard; recharge 6): Area burst 2 within 8; +12 vs. Reflex; Hit: target is immobilized (save ends); Miss: target is slowed (save ends).

Fey Step (move; recharge 6) Teleportation: Hyswell teleports 10.

Eagerness (free during his turn only; encounter): Hyswell takes an extra move action.

Ripple of Distortion (immediate interrupt; when an adjacent enemy makes an attack; at will): Hyswell makes an attack on the triggering enemy: +13 vs. Will; Hit: target is knocked prone and slides 2; Miss: target suffers a -2 penalty on the triggering attack.
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Alignment evil; Languages Common, Elven
Skills Arcana +14, Perception +11
Str 14; Dex 17; Wis 15
Con 13; Int 21; Cha 11
---
Equipment padded armor, longsword, boots of eagerness

If anyone is checking this thread out, I would love some feedback on this guy.

I've been doing various kinds of experiments with solo design... stuff to reduce grind. For instance, I've really liked how "half normal hp and double normal damage dice" has felt- those monsters have been threatening. My players seem to really like 'em, too.

Anyhow, this is a step in a different direction: lower defenses, but somewhat higher damage.

DEEP SLUG--- Level 13 Solo Brute
This huge, deep brown slug dwells in the caverns of the Underdark, where it preys on everything it encounters, especially fungi, insects and rothe. Deep slugs are also quite fond of eating oozes.
Huge natural beast--- XP 4000
---
Initiative +5; Senses Perception +11, blindsight 10
HP 578; Bloodied 294
AC 25; Fortitude 28; Reflex 20; Will 23
Resist acid 20
Saving Throws +5
Speed 4
Action Points 2
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[Melee basic] Bite (standard; at will) Acid: Reach 3; +16 vs. AC; 3d6+7 damage, plus ongoing 5 acid.

[Melee] Implacable Advance (standard; at will): The deep slug moves its speed. It can move into squares occupied by enemies during this movement, and it gains resist 10 all against opportunity attacks triggered by this move. It makes an attack on each creature whose space it enters: +14 vs. Fortitude; Hit: 4d6+7 damage, and the target is knocked prone and immobilized (save ends).

[Melee] Slugfest (standard; recharges when bloodied and when the deep slug spends its last action point) Acid: The deep slug makes a bite attack on each opponent within reach.

[Close or Ranged] Spit Acid (standard; recharge 5 6) Acid: Close blast 4 or range 10; +12 vs. Reflex; Hit: 3d10+6 acid damage, plus ongoing 10 acid and the target is slowed (save ends both).

Sticky Trail (move; at will) Zone: The deep slug moves its speed and creates a zone of sticky mucus in each square that it leaves. Any creature entering a sticky mucus square is attacked: +14 vs. AC; the target is immobilized (save or escape, DC 25, ends). The sticky trail lasts until the end of the encounter.

Slow but Steady: A deep slug may make saving throws against being immobilized, restrained or slowed at the start of its turn as well as the end of its turn.
---
Alignment unaligned; Languages -
Str 25; Dex 8; Wis 20
Con 20; Int 1; Cha 1

the Jester said:

If anyone is checking this thread out, I would love some feedback on this guy.

[Melee] Implacable Advance (standard; at will): The deep slug moves its speed. It can move into squares occupied by enemies during this movement, and it gains resist 10 all against opportunity attacks triggered by this move. It makes an attack on each creature whose space it enters: +14 vs. Fortitude; Hit: 4d6+7 damage, and the target is knocked prone and immobilized (save ends).

Click to expand...

I'd add push 1 to this power, so that anyone that it attacks can be shunted clear of it. Otherwise, the slug might end up occupying the same space as some characters at the end of this action.

Mathew_Freeman said:

I'd add push 1 to this power, so that anyone that it attacks can be shunted clear of it. Otherwise, the slug might end up occupying the same space as some characters at the end of this action.

Click to expand...

My intent is that they might be caught beneath the slug, or else stuck in its sticky trail.

If anyone is interested, here are the stats for the Six-Fingered Hand leadership during the siege of Fandelose.


HESHWAT THE EVISCERATOR--- Level 12 Elite Soldier
Medium natural humanoid, hobgoblin--- XP 1400
---
Initiative +13; Senses Perception +8; low-light vision
HP 246; Bloodied 123
AC 30; Fortitude 28; Reflex 23; Will 27
Saving Throws +2
Speed 5
Action Points 1
---
[Melee basic] Throat-Ripper (standard; at will) Weapon: +20 vs. AC; 2d4+8/19-20; crit 16 damage plus ongoing 10 (save ends).

[Melee] Eviscerating Assault (standard; recharge 5 6) Weapon: +20 vs. AC; 4d4+8/19-20; plus target is slowed (save ends); crit 24 damage plus ongoing 10 damage and target is slowed (save ends both).

[Melee] Go for the Throat (standard; encounter) Weapon: +20 vs. AC; 8d4+8/19-20, plus target is stunned (save ends); crit 40 damage plus ongoing 10 and target is stunned (save ends both).

[Melee] Riposte (immediate reaction; when Heshwat is hit by a melee or close attack; at will): Heshwat makes an attack against his attacker: +20 vs. AC; 2d4+8/19-20 and the target is pushed 1; crit 16 damage plus ongoing 10 (save ends).

Heshwat’s Resilience (immediate reaction, when Heshwat first suffers an effect that a save can end; at will): Heshwat the Eviscerator rolls a saving throw against the effect.

Phalanx Soldier: Heshwat the Eviscerator gains a +2 bonus to AC while at least one hobgoblin ally is adjacent to it.
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Alignment evil; Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Goblin
Skills Athletics +17, Diplomacy +16, Endurance +15, History +15, Insight +13, Intimidate +16
Str 23; Dex 16; Wis 14
Con 19; Int 18; Cha 21
---
Equipment ornate, resplendent gold-chased full plate armor (worth 9,000 gp), Throat-Ripper (jagged glaive +3), 2 potions of vitality, black iron gauntlet chased with jet with six fingers (250 gp value)



MORL THE GOBLIN KING--- Level 9 Lurker
Small natural humanoid, goblin--- XP 400
---
Initiative +13; Senses Perception +4; low-light vision
HP 75; Bloodied 37
AC 23; Fortitude 20; Reflex 23; Will 21
Speed 5
---
[Melee basic] Shortsword (standard; at will) Weapon: +14 vs. AC; 1d6+1 damage.

[Melee] Cruel Cut (standard; only with combat advantage; at will) Weapon: +14 vs. AC; 1d6+5 damage and the target has a -1 attack penalty (save ends).

[Ranged] Underhanded Throw (standard; at will) Weapon: Requires dagger; range 5/10; +15 vs. AC; 1d4+5 damage and Morl shifts 3 and gains concealment against the target until the end of his next turn.

Morl’s Tactics (immediate reaction; when missed by an attack; at will): Morl shifts 2 squares and gains concealment until the end of his next turn.

Combat Advantage: When he hits a target against whom he has combat advantage, Morl deals an extra 1d6 damage and can shift 2.
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Alignment evil; Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin
Skills Diplomacy +13, Stealth +14
Str 13; Dex 21; Wis 11
Con 15; Int 14; Cha 18
---
Equipment leather armor, cruelly-serrated shortsword, 5 daggers, 3 gold rings (25 gp each), ruby-studded chalice (700 gp), winter wolf fur cloak (150 gp), 3 peridots (10 gp each), 2 diamonds (100 gp each)



VYPP, DIRECTOR OF KOBOLDS--- Level 10 Controller (Leader)
Small natural humanoid, kobold--- XP 500
---
Initiative +9; Senses Perception +13; low-light vision
Voice of Arawn aura 3; allies in the aura at the start of their turn gain 5 temporary hit points
HP 101; Bloodied 50
AC 24; Fortitude 20; Reflex 23; Will 25
Speed 6
---
[Melee basic] Spear (standard; at will) Weapon: +15 vs. AC; 1d8+4 damage.

[Ranged] Point at the Target (standard; at will): Range 10; +14 vs. Will; the target is marked by an ally of Vypp’s choice within 10 squares of it until the end of the Vypp’s next turn.

[Ranged] Lightning Spit (standard; recharge 5 6) Lightning: Range 10; +14 vs. Reflex; Hit: 2d8+5 lightning damage and target is stunned until the end of Vypp’s next turn; Effect: make a secondary attack on an enemy within 4 of the primary target: +12 vs. Reflex; 1d8+5 lightning damage.

[Area] The Hand Thrusts Forward (standard; encounter): Burst 3 within 6; each ally in the burst slides 2 squares and makes a basic attack.

[Area] Name of the Hand (standard; encounter) Fear: Burst 2 within 5; targets enemies; +12 vs. Will; Hit: 1d8+5 psychic damage and target is pushed 4 squares; Miss: target is pushed 1 square.

Extra Shifty (minor; at will): Vypp shifts 2 squares.
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Alignment evil; Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin
Skills Bluff +15, Diplomacy +15, Insight +13, Perception +13
Str 10; Dex 18; Wis 16
Con 13; Int 16; Cha 22
---
Equipment cloth armor +3, spear, potion of regeneration (9th level)



TURSH, ORCISH WARLORD--- Level 10 Brute (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid, orc --- XP 500
---
Initiative +7; Senses Perception +6; low-light vision
HP 130; Bloodied 65
AC 20; Fortitude 25; Reflex 19; Will 20
Speed 6
---
[Melee basic] Rending Greataxe (standard; at will) Weapon: +14 vs. AC; 1d12+6 damage (crit: 1d12+1d6+18 and make a rending greataxe attack against the same target).

[Melee] Howling Blow (standard; encounter) Fear, Weapon: +14 vs. AC; 2d12+6 damage (crit: 1d12+1d6+30 and make a rending greataxe attack against the same target); Effect: make a secondary attack on the same target: +12 vs. Will; Hit: the target is pushed 1.

[Melee] Berserk Blow (immediate reaction; when first bloodied; encounter): Tursh makes a melee basic attack with a +4 bonus.

[Melee] Warrior’s Surge (standard; usable only while bloodied; encounter) Healing, Weapon: Tursh makes a melee basic attack and regains 32 hit points.

Inspirational Blow: When Tursh drops an enemy, an ally within line of sight may make a basic attack as a free action.
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Alignment evil; Languages Abyssal, Goblin
Skills Athletics, Endurance, Intimidate
Str 25; Dex 15; Wis 12
Con 20; Int 11; Cha 17
---
Equipment plate armor, rending greataxe +2 (AV 76), 130 gp, 259 sp



THE MOUTH OF YEENOGHU--- Level 10 Artillery (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid, gnoll (demon)--- XP 500
---
Initiative +7; Senses Perception +10; low-light vision
Brimstone Miasma (poison) aura 1; all living creatures in the aura are weakened; the Mouth of Yeenoghu can suppress or resume this ability as a minor action.
HP 82; Bloodied 41
AC 22; Fortitude 21; Reflex 20; Will 24
Speed 6
---
[Melee basic] Triple Flail (standard; at will) Weapon: +15 vs. AC; 1d10+5 damage.

[Ranged] Demonic Blast (standard; at will) Fire: Range 10; +14 vs. Reflex; 1d8+5 fire damage, plus ongoing 5 fire damage; enemies adjacent to the target take 5 fire damage.

[Ranged] Yeenoghu’s Malice (standard; recharge 6) Psychic: Range 10; +14 vs. Will; 1d6+5 damage and target is dazed (save ends).

Pack Attack: The Mouth of Yeenoghu deals an extra 5 damage on melee attacks against an enemy that has two or more of the Mouth of Yeenoghu’s allies adjacent to it. It counts as two adjacent allies for purposes of allied gnolls’ pack attack ability.
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Alignment Chaotic Evil; Languages Abyssal, Common, Deep Speech
Skills Insight, Intimidate, Religion
Str 16; Dex 14; Wis 20
Con 16; Int 13; Cha 15
---
Equipment hide armor, heavy flail (with three heads), rod tipped by a hyena skull, human jerky