Mesh Hongs Monster Request / Discussion Thread

Old_school_overlord said:

So long, and thanks for all the fish!

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Its looking pretty vicious, its always a little tricky trying to assess creatures that act more than once a round. In this case its even trickier as you say you have 7 PCs, and thats a frightening amount of punishment they can dish out.

With 7 PCs I would be very tempted to use the old HP expression and give it 740 HPs, this might buy it one more round. I might also be prepared to give it another 250 HPs depending on how the encounter goes (giving it a total of 1000 HPs). Related to that is the minion summoning the Hydra does, 2 lots of 5 level 12 minions probably wont make that much of an impact, and you seem to have them appearing next to the Hydra.

I think I would probably want the minions appearing on or near the PCs back rank because that is where the Hydra has problems focusing attack power, while it has plenty of options within burst 3 or 4.

I might change New Arrivals to something like:

MINOR ACTIONS
New Arrivals (recharge ; also recharges when first bloodied or if
Astral Hydra is subject to a critical hit)
Attack: Area burst 2 within 15, does not provoke opportunity attacks
(enemies in burst); +18 vs Fortitude
Hit: 10 damage and the target cannot teleport until the end of its next
turn
Effect: 5 Sahuagin Legionnaires appear in any free square within the burst
(see separate stat block) and act <INSERT INITIATIVE EXPRESSION
HERE>

On the Triggered Action front I might want to add something like:

TRIGGERED ACTION
Location Redirection (recharge )
Trigger: A creature within 15 squares teleports
Attack (Immediate Interrupt): does not provoke opportunity attacks
(triggering creature); +18 vs Will
Hit: 2d6+10 damage and the Astral Hydra chooses the location that the
triggering creatures teleports to

Continuing the teleportation theme I might want an encounter power that would drag enemies into attack range

STANDARD ACTIONS
Mass Transit (encounter)
Attack: Burst 15 (enemies in burst); +18 vs Will
Hit: 2d8+9 damage and the target is teleported to any square within 3
squares of the Hydra
Miss: The target is pulled 2 squares and slowed until the end of their next
turn

Going back to the design of the creature I am a bit uncertain of the 2 action points, the Hydra has lots of options and a couple of multi attacks. Also with its powers having 3 chances of recharging on a 56 they should be available at some point each round. Personally I would hold onto the action points to use if the encounter was too easy for your PCs.

Actually looking at your Many Heads trait I can’t really see the need to have it make bonus saves against the dazed condition, action wise as it cannot move (and has no move actions) it really isn’t loosing that much by being dazed and the small advantage of it not being able to use minor actions or reactions is one I wouldn’t take away from your players. After all they are probably going to be knee deep in trouble so it seems a little cruel to take the dazed away from them.

Well those are my chaotic thoughts on your creature. It’s nice and dangerous, but I think against 7 PCs it needs a little more staying power or the encounter will be over very very quickly.

wcpfish said:

Oddly enough, if you would like to do some additional hydra work....I need a major BBEG in the form of a "mechanical hydra" I'm thinking Level 11 solo. It had gold-plated scales and is worshiped as a god by a misled cult. Anything you can come up with Mesh, I would definitely appreciate! (No time constraints at all as my party is just beginning the campaign!) Thanks in advance!

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You havn’t given me a lot to go on, especially as this is meant to be an end of arc boss.

Anyway this is my very quick initial design for a tough Gold Plated Hydra. A liberty I have taken is to imagine that when it is bloodied a series of vicious metal spikes emerge all over its body that are used for both defence and attack.

Gold Plated Hydra Level 11 Solo Brute
Huge Natural Animate (living construct, 5 Heads) XP 3,000

Initiative +7 Senses Perception +12, darkvision
HP 570; Bloodied 285
AC 23; Fortitude 24, Reflex 22, Will 23
Immune disease, poison
Saving Throws +5
Speed 6
Action Points 2

TRAITS
5 Heads are Better Than One
Each time the Hydra is dazed or stunned it instead loses one attack from
its Snapping Jaws attack for the appropriate duration

All Round Vision
Creatures do not gain the usual +2 bonus to attack rolls for flanking the
Hydra

Threatening Reach
The Hydra has threatening reach (3) with its Quick Bite attack

STANDARD ACTIONS
Quick Bite ♦ at-will
Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +16 vs AC
Hit: 2d8+10 damage

Snapping Jaws ♦ at-will
Effect: The Hydra makes 5 of the following attacks
Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +16 vs AC
Hit: 1d6+10 damage

Combined Breath (fire) ♦ recharge
Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +14 vs Reflex
Hit: 3d6+10 fire damage and 10 ongoing fire damage (save ends)

Poisonous Bellow (thunder, poison, zone) ♦ encounter
Attack: Close burst 5 (creatures in burst); +14 vs Fortitude
Hit: 3d10+10 thunder damage and the target is deafened and dazed (save
ends)
Miss: Half damage Effect: This attack creates a zone that lasts until the
start of the Hydra next turn, all creatures entering or starting their turn
inside the zone take 5 poison damage
Sustain (move action): The zone persists until the start of Hydras next
turn

MOVE ACTIONS
Armoured Advance♦ recharge
Effect: The Hydra gains a +4 bonus to its AC defence until the end of this
action, it moves its speed and may move through enemy squares but it
must end its move in free space, entering enemy squares provokes
opportunity attacks as usual

MINOR ACTIONS
Head Nudge ♦ at-will
Attack: Melee 3 (one creature), +14 vs Fortitude
Hit: The Hydra slides the target 1 square

Launch Spike (poison) ♦ recharge
Requirement: The Hydra is bloodied
Attack: Ranged 15, does not provoke opportunity attacks (one creature);
+16 vs AC
Hit: 2d8+10 damage and the target is slowed and weakened (save ends
both)

TRIGGERED ACTIONS
Glorious Rampage
Trigger: The Hydra is subject to a critical hit
Effect (Immediate Reaction): The Hydra makes a Snapping Jaws attack

Spike Defence
Requirement: The Hydra is bloodied
Trigger: The Hydra is hit by an attack by an adjacent enemy
Effect (No Action): The triggering target takes 10 damage

Alignment Evil Languages common
Skills Athletics +16, Intimidate +13
Str 22 (+11) Dex 15 (+7) Wis 14 (+7)
Con 18 (+9) Int 10 (+5) Cha 16 (+8)

Well there it is, I hope it's OK or it gives you some ideas.

Here is a natural terror for a low level party, a Diseased Giant Weasel. I would expect that this lithe hunter would be found in or near its den, which would be a twisting series of tunnels and small chambers. It would want to fight on its own terms and has enough guile to have weakened the ceiling of at least one of its tunnels to use as a falling ceiling trap in an emergency.

In combat it would fight near this tunnel perhaps trying to drag a victim towards it with its Lockjaw Bite and Drain Blood attacks. When Bloodied it would use Weasel Away to retreat past its trap and hope to catch at least one enemy inside its collapsing tunnel.

Diseased Giant Weasel Level 3 Solo Skirmisher
Large Natural Beast XP 750

Initiative +6 Senses Perception +7, darkvision
HP 160; Bloodied 80
AC 17; Fortitude 15, Reflex 16, Will 15
Saving Throws +5
Speed 6, climb 5
Action Points 2

TRAITS
Burrow Fighting
When Squeezing the Giant Weasel does not take the usual penalties to
speed or attack roll and does not grant combat advantage

Lightning Reactions
The Giant Weasel gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls when making
opportunity attacks

The Smell of Fear
The Giant Weasel gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls against bloodied
enemies

STANDARD ACTIONS
Nasty Bite ♦ at-will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +8 vs AC
Hit: 1d6+6 damage and the target contracts Rabid Rage disease (see
notes)

Weasel Rampage ♦ recharge
Effect: The Giant Weasel shifts its speed and may make a Claw Scratch
attack after each square of this movement

Lockjaw Bite ♦ at-will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +8 vs AC
Hit: 1d10+5 and the target is grabbed (escape ends), and the target
contracts Rabid Rage disease (see notes)
Aftereffect: The escaping creature takes 5 damage

Drain Blood (healing) ♦ recharge
Attack: Melee 2 (creature grabbed with Lockjaw Bite); +6 vs Fortitude
Hit: 2d6+5 damage and the target loses a healing surge and the Giant
Weasel regains 15 HPs
Miss: Half damage
Effect: The Giant Weasel shifts half its speed, maintaining the grab and
pulling the grabbed creature with it as it moves

MINOR ACTIONS
Claw Scratch ♦ at-will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs Reflex
Hit: 1d4+2 damage

MOVE ACTIONS
Weasel Away ♦ encounter
Effect: The Giant Weasel gains a +2 bonus to all its defences until the
start of its next turn and shifts twice its speed but must end this
movement at least 4 squares away from any enemy it can see

TRIGGERED ACTIONS
Feral Instincts ♦ at-will
Trigger: The Giant Weasel takes damage from an attack
Attack (Immediate Reaction): The Giant Weasel either makes a Lockjaw
Bite attack against the triggering target or shifts 2 squares

Warning Hiss ♦ encounter
Trigger: The Giant Weasel is bloodied for the first time
Attack (free action): Close burst 3 (creatures in burst); +6 vs Will
Hit: The target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends)
Effect: The Giant Weasel regains 1 action point and its Weasel Rampage
and Drain Blood powers recharge

Alignment Unaligned
Skills Nature +7, Stealth +9
Str 14 (+3) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 12 (+2)
Con 12 (+2) Int 6 (-1) Cha 14 (+3)

Rabid Rage Disease (fast acting disease; level 3)
A creature that contracts Rabid Rage is immediately subject to its initial effect and must make an endurance check at the end of each turn and apply the results.

Any adjacent creature may take a move action to perform a DC 13 heal check, on success the target gains a cumulative +2 bonus to the next Endurance check they make during the encounter.

Endurance check:
10 or less = worsen
11 to 14 = maintain
15 or more = improve

-2 = Cured: You shake of the effects of the disease and cannot contract Rabid Rage disease for the remained of the encounter.

-1 = Improving: Your body’s reaction to the disease calms returning you to normality

0 = Initial: You feel a rush of adrenaline, you gain +1 speed but cannot shift

+1 = Angry: You start to lose control of your emotions as a wave of anger grips you, in addition to the effects from the Initial stage you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls but take a -1 penalty to all your defences

+2 = Berserk: You start to foam at the mouth as violent urges overwhelm your mind and actions, in addition to the effects from the Initial stage you gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls and take a -2 penalty to all defences, additionally at the start of each turn make a saving throw, on failure you must make a melee basic attack the closest creature, charging if possible (if two or more creatures are equally distant then determine randomly), on success you maintain enough mental control to choose your actions this turn.

Collapsing Tunnel Trap (single activation)
An area of tunnel whose ceiling has been dangerously loosened.
Spot: Nature check DC 20 or Dungeoneering check DC 18
Disarm: Impossible without shoring equipment, but once spotted a PC is aware of the trigger.
Trigger: Any creature in the effect zone moving 2 squares without shifting or making a DC 12 stealth check.
Effect Zone: An appropriate zone of the tunnel, probably 5ft wide by 20ft long
Attack/Effect: The ceiling collapses; attack +6 vs Reflex; 1d10+4 damage and the target is restrained (athletics, endurance or Dungeoneering check DC 15 to escape); the area is considered difficult terrain until the end of the encounter.

It’s a bit rough, but it might give you some ideas.

For anyone who is interested in more monsters I have a column in Emerald Press’s Combat Advantage free web magazine. You can download it at www.emeraldpresspdf.com


Have fun, and if anyone has any questions, requests or criticism I would love to hear from you.

Tried out Shargin and the Silverbarb Jellyfish/Blue Razor Fin in my last session in a huge fight along with some critters of my own design.

Shargin generally worked very well, I'm not too happy with how Juggernaught of death worked out as he hit a bloodied defender when the count was up to 3 and killed him (or would have, had Shargin not been attempting to take them prisoner).

On reflection, I'd just make it so all his melle misses deal 2d8 damage instead.

The jellyfish got focused down very quickly, and my rolling for the singleton Bluefin was attrocious with the result they started calling it the bluefin razor tuna.... poor little guy

Something I note about the Blood in the Water power is that it is very frenetic in a big encounter, especially on with some minions in. I can envision it making a group of Blue Razors an easy encounter, as it causes them to be easily grouped together for burst and blast powers, while not even providing any real benefit for the Blue Razors since they're incredibly mobile to begin with.

Very exciting fight though

Hope people don't mind the thread necromancy, but I have a couple more monsters to share and would love some feedback.

The are both internal parasites residing within a behemoth creature they have entered inside of to slay:


Pitching lurker Level 13 Lurker
Medium Natural Beast (Blind) XP 800
Initiative +16 Senses Perception +8, Tremorsense 20
HP 1; Bloodied 0
AC 27; Fortitude 25, Reflex 27, Will 23
Speed 4, climb 4
M Enveloping Maw (Standard; at-will)
Targets Grabbed creatures only, Melle 1 One creature; +18 vs AC, 3d6+12 damage and creature is blinded for as long as it is Grabbed.

R Pitcher Lash (Standard; at-will)
Use only if Pitching Lurker does not have a creature grabbed. Ranged 10, One creature; +18 vs AC, hit: 3d6+12 damage. Effect: Secondry attack +16 vs Fortitude Hit: Target is grabbed and pulled 2 squares.

Drag prey (Minor, 1/turn; at-will)
The Lurking Pitcher sustains it's grab and makes the following attack against the grabbed creature: +16 vs Fortitude hit: 2d6+5 damage and creature is pulled 2 squares.

c Putrid Erruption (Immediate Reaction when bloodied; encounter)
Close burst 3 (enemies in burst); +16 vs Reflex. Hit The target takes ongoing 20 poison damage and is weakened (save ends both)

Alignment Unaligned Languages -
Skills stealth +17
Str 19 (+10) Dex 21 (+11) Wis 17 (+9)
Con 15 (+8) Int 3 (+2) Cha 3 (+2)




Giant Gutworms Level 12 Brute
Medium Natural Beast (blind) XP 700
Initiative +15
Senses Perception +12, Tremorsense 20
HP 140; Bloodied 70
AC 24; Fortitude 26, Reflex 24, Will 24
Immune Gaze; Resist Acid 10, Poison 10
Saving Throws +5 vs Poison or Disease
Speed 4, Swim 4

M Bite (Standard; at-will)
Melle 1(one creature), +17 vs AC Hit: 4d6+11 damage

m Spring (Standard; at-will)
Gutworm shifts 2 squares then makes the following attack: Melle 1(one creature), +15 vs Fortitude hit: 4d6+10 Damage and target is knocked prone

r Putrid Gob (Standard; recharge 56) ♦ Poison, Acid
Burst 1 within Range 5, +15 Vs Reflex, Hit: 2d8+6 Acid and poison damage and target takes -2 penalty to attack rolls until end of next turn unless it is blind.

m Devour (Standard; encounter)
Melle 1(one creature), +15 vs Fortitude, Hit: 5d8+14 Damage. The Target loses a healing surge and the Gutworm regains 12 hit points.
Alignment Unaligned Languages -
Skills Stealth +18
Str 20 (+11) Dex 20 (+11) Wis 18 (+10)
Con 20 (+11) Int 3 (+2) Cha 10 (+6)

Thanks

Hello. My name is Allen and I'm new to this thread. I need some creatures created for my campaign. Do you do D&D 3.5?

Thanks,
Allen

WizardofOwls said:

Hello. My name is Allen and I'm new to this thread. I need some creatures created for my campaign. Do you do D&D 3.5?

Thanks,
Allen

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Try the Creature Catalogue pages which are actually for 3.xE (this thread is for 4E): http://creaturecatalog.enworld.org/cc/index.php

WizardofOwls said:

Hello. My name is Allen and I'm new to this thread. I need some creatures created for my campaign. Do you do D&D 3.5?

Scrivener of Doom said:

Try the Creature Catalogue pages which are actually for 3.xE (this thread is for 4E): http://creaturecatalog.enworld.org/cc/index.php

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If you're wanting help creating new monsters for your campaign you could start a thread in the Monster Homebrews or General Monster Talk forums.

The Creature Catalog Scrivener refers to is a collection of 3E conversions of monsters that have been published in earlier editions of D&D but have had no official 3E version. It uses General Monster Talk for its conversions.

Things are pretty slow in both those fora at the moment, however.