New Monsters - Need Critique

Roguedeus said:

Thanks! These details... Ugh. I will get it eventually!

Click to expand...

It helps that I've been running 4e since the release of KotS, and that I've done metric buttloads of monster conversions. (If you're interested, check out the link to the Monster Project in my sig. I just finished the last batch the other day! Now I plant to go back and update many of the ones I did early on to MM3 standards...)

the Jester said:

Statis push- your “Special” note makes me think you missed the rule about entering hazardous terrain. You get a save to fall prone instead. I'd drop the special line you have entirely.

Click to expand...

Can you point me to this rule? The only one I can find is the catch yourself before falling rule for being pushed over a ledge...

Now I see what you're trying to do with the Leech! Leap then hold still digesting.

Which means that the leech isn't a skirmisher, it's a lurker. Pounce then very little as a standard pattern. But as written hydrostatic mitosis simply isn't going to trigger; no one uses save end effects on minions.

Which raises the damage it does on the leap to 8 (making one scary minion on the alpha strike).

Hydrostatic Mitosis: Free Action.
Trigger: The Leech would be reduced to 0hp by an enemy in its aura.
Effect. The Leech makes a saving throw. If it fails it dies. If it succeeds it splits into two Leeches, both on 1hp.

No need for extra damage; that's a big and fluffy enough effect to be memorable. And don't make a silt-farm to give extra XP; the chance of splitting is included in the XP budget anyway. Also no need for the clunky "Special" line - making the trigger a free action means that it triggers even on the leech's turn.

And if you want to get really evil with the leeches, add the following line to a Silt:

Avatar of Silt Aura 10: All Silt creatures in this aura increase their dehydrating body to Aura 2.

Roguedeus said:

Can you point me to this rule? The only one I can find is the catch yourself before falling rule for being pushed over a ledge...

Click to expand...

Rules Compendium said:

Catching Oneself: If a target is forced over a precipice or into hindering terrain, such as lava or a pit, the target can immediately make a saving throw to avoid going over the edge or entering that terrain.

Click to expand...

DMG pg 44 said:

Hindering Terrain: Forced movement can force targets into hindering terrain (page 61). Targets forced into hindering terrain receive a saving throw immediately before entering the unsafe square they are forced into. Success leaves the target prone at the edge of the square before entering the unsafe square.

Click to expand...

DMG pg 61 said:

Hindering terrain prevents movement (or severely punishes it) or damages creatures that enter it, but allows line of sight.

Click to expand...

The popular conception of the rule is "save before you fall off something", because this is the consistent example used in the books, but the rule makes clear that it applies equally to falling in a pit, getting pushed into a bonfire or getting sild into a patch of caltrops.

Now for the other two:

The Brooder is overcomplicated. You just need to know it has a brood inside it as fluff - don't bother to track things like how many leeches it contains unless it is directly relevant. Until then you just say "It's a brooder. It contains a brood." The PCs aren't going to let it throw more than half a dozen leeches anyway. (Bump static overload to 4d10+5 damage instead - it's an elite and going up it's gonna hurt).

It needs a melee basic attack. Don't know what or how. But some sort of body slam.

Static Stun is just annoying. Stun effects should generally not be used unless there's a real need.

All in all it's a good basic pattern - throws leeches, incubates leeches, and is generally obnoxious. You're just overcomplicating a little.

On the other hand the Slug is ... poor. What does it do other than line up silts?

Controller, sure. But other than the ridiculously large lightning burst (seriously, 9 squares by 9 squares?) what does it do? That push is completely pointless (d4 damage is nothing) and it has no melee attack. You can almost ignore the thing entirely.

Were it me I've a simple solution. I'd make it explode the leeches. Messily - it causes a burst the size of the leech's aura (which is 2 if they are in 3 squares of the slug, rather than the boost it currently gives). And when they explode, that triggers the Meitosis roll (or it just eliminates the competition). And it needs a melee attack in case the enemy catch it in melee.

Neonchameleon said:

Now I see what you're trying to do with the Leech! Leap then hold still digesting.

Which means that the leech isn't a skirmisher, it's a lurker. Pounce then very little as a standard pattern. But as written hydrostatic mitosis simply isn't going to trigger; no one uses save end effects on minions.

Which raises the damage it does on the leap to 8 (making one scary minion on the alpha strike).

Hydrostatic Mitosis: Free Action.
Trigger: The Leech would be reduced to 0hp by an enemy in its aura.
Effect. The Leech makes a saving throw. If it fails it dies. If it succeeds it splits into two Leeches, both on 1hp.

No need for extra damage; that's a big and fluffy enough effect to be memorable. And don't make a silt-farm to give extra XP; the chance of splitting is included in the XP budget anyway. Also no need for the clunky "Special" line - making the trigger a free action means that it triggers even on the leech's turn.

And if you want to get really evil with the leeches, add the following line to a Silt:

Avatar of Silt Aura 10: All Silt creatures in this aura increase their dehydrating body to Aura 2.

Click to expand...

I intended the Static Leap as a means of giving the Leech a move action that is also an attack action. The fact that it is stunned after is a means of 'balancing' the effect for a minion. Your suggestion that this change in mechanic makes it a Lurker is a good one... Hmmm.

You are correct, the idea is that these things should be attacked from range. Melee attacks against silt creatures is dangerous. The fact that a melee attack can cause 8 damage (without resists) is part of that danger IMO.

As for the Hydrostatic Mitosis, the idea is that any contact with the Leech creates a conduit for the drainage of body fluids from the enemy. Its the fluids that are used to trigger the division. Thus, no damage needs to be dealt to the Leech. At least, that is the idea. Maybe the mechanics make that difficult for a minion.

Gonna think about that.

Next Up: Silt Slug

Explanation:



- Fixed HP
- I removed stacking from Static Boost, and reduced its range (Balance)
- I am changing the name of Static Flash to Static Wave and reworked it to something more in character. Also, it’s a Close Burst (corrected).
- I reworked Static Arc to be less complex.
- Fixed Static Push's special comment. (Thanks 'the Jester')


- Clarification, Static Push is mostly a tool for positioning enemies to trigger Static Arc. But also to manipulate the battlefield in general. Because it’s a minor action, a single target can be pushed up to 3 times a round.

Next up: Silt Slug Brooder

Explanation:
- I replaced Dehydrating Brood with Dehydrating Body… Simpler.
- I Reduced Static Sling attack bonus.
- I changed Static Vacuum to Area Burst 5 within 10
- I made Static Stun an encounter power via good advice. (the Jester)
- I LOL'd at my own mistake on the Static Overload… Fixed it to be +1 lightening damage, rather than d10+1!
- Corrected Static Overload, it’s a Close Burst…

- I clarified Static Vacuum Brood collection.
- I clarified Static Sling Brood requirement.
- I clarified the Broods inclusion in encounter XP.

Let me know if there is anything else you all suggest. Thanks!

At a glance your silt slug now does too much damage.

In one round, against one target that hits it, it can conceivably deal 2d4+2 plus 2d4 plus 2d6+2 damage plus another 2d6+2 (average of 30). That is WAY too high for a level 2 controller. Keep in mind that the average total damage this guy inflicts per round should be about 10 (8 + level).

The “3 minors for control” seems fine; all three used on the same target deals an average of 7 damage (a touch low). Add in 7 for aura effects and you're a bit high, but not too bad since they only trigger if you hit the slug. Add in the triggered static arc (which needs an action type- free 1/round looks right for what you're going for) and the damage jumps up far too high IMHO, especially since the aura and arc both do damage to multiple targets per round..

I'd change the Static Arc into a standard action, change its trigger to a requirement and drop the bonus against metal armor. (Again, the assumed damage goes WAY up with a +5 bonus to accuracy.)

Maybe drop the aura damage, some, too- change it to a flat “5 necrotic and lightning damage”.

At a glance, the only major comment I have for the revised brooder is- man, that stun power is ruthless. I'd drop the aftereffect and miss; stun (save ends) already chuds one pc enough IMHO. (At paragon or epic, I'd prolly write it like you did, though- pcs can throw off effects much more easily as they advance.)