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General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
[4e] Monster Design - a flying monster built to fight on the wing.
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<blockquote data-quote="catastrophic" data-source="post: 5679877" data-attributes="member: 81381"><p>Thanks for your feedback. The swoop is indeed a blast, apologies for the error, I'll fix it tomorrow if I remember to.</p><p></p><p>The soar/defense combo is at the heart of the monster's lurker mechanic, but it can be overcome. I was attempting to create a lurker with a strong mechanic, while also not resorting to stealth/invisibility like many lurkers. </p><p></p><p>The soar bonus is powerful, but it's based on a d6 roll, which makes it swingy in a way comparable to power recharge rolls. Players might feel frustrated by suffering an auto-miss, but a smart player will time their attacks with their allies, or even hold their action until the monster's turn. </p><p></p><p>To me, this kind of timing is what sets lurkers apart from other monster types like skirmishers. An invisible, hidden lurker won't reveal itself until it attacks, and finding it before then takes some work. Likewise, this foe soars above the battlefield, and your best bet is to time your attacks to take it down, rather than treating it like a conventional threat.</p><p></p><p>Of all the 4e monster roles, I feel lurkers, and to a lesser extent soldiers, live and die by a solid core role mechanic. Weaker designs for these roles will just use stealth or high defenses + mark, but stronger ones will actually have an articulated 'lurk' or 'punishent' mechanic that is distinctive, characterful, and puts fights into a diferent context.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="catastrophic, post: 5679877, member: 81381"] Thanks for your feedback. The swoop is indeed a blast, apologies for the error, I'll fix it tomorrow if I remember to. The soar/defense combo is at the heart of the monster's lurker mechanic, but it can be overcome. I was attempting to create a lurker with a strong mechanic, while also not resorting to stealth/invisibility like many lurkers. The soar bonus is powerful, but it's based on a d6 roll, which makes it swingy in a way comparable to power recharge rolls. Players might feel frustrated by suffering an auto-miss, but a smart player will time their attacks with their allies, or even hold their action until the monster's turn. To me, this kind of timing is what sets lurkers apart from other monster types like skirmishers. An invisible, hidden lurker won't reveal itself until it attacks, and finding it before then takes some work. Likewise, this foe soars above the battlefield, and your best bet is to time your attacks to take it down, rather than treating it like a conventional threat. Of all the 4e monster roles, I feel lurkers, and to a lesser extent soldiers, live and die by a solid core role mechanic. Weaker designs for these roles will just use stealth or high defenses + mark, but stronger ones will actually have an articulated 'lurk' or 'punishent' mechanic that is distinctive, characterful, and puts fights into a diferent context. [/QUOTE]
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[4e] Monster Design - a flying monster built to fight on the wing.
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