4th Level Monster Conversions

[Rechan]

Bloodworm: so it loses 5 hp but can gain 10? I think a better mechanic would be that if it drains blood, then 1) it does not lose 5 hp that round, and 2) it gains 5 HP. That way the HP values are not bouncing up and down too much independent of PC actions. But honestly I think the monster should have some other power - an encounter, a recharge, something. Since it's aquatic, perhaps something that lets it pull people under water. Otherwise it just stands in one place and everyone hacks at it and it does nothing unique after round 1 (just more damage).

After the tunnel worm bites-and-releases its target, the pcs have three options: 1. Stand around its tunnel and let it keep using its best abilities; 2. Move out of its reach and try to lure it out; or 3. Try to send some small pcs into the tunnel after it.

Or, well, crouch 4 squares away from the burrow and shoot into the hole.

Anyways, I just wonder what you're pairing the tunnel worm with in an encounter.

I do have one nitpick with the statblock: you say if the target PC is adjacent to the worm after the pull, the worm grabs it - the only instance this would not be the case is a dwarf, so why not just say 'pull 3 and grab'?

 

[the Jester]

Bloodworm: so it loses 5 hp but can gain 10? I think a better mechanic would be that if it drains blood, then 1) it does not lose 5 hp that round, and 2) it gains 5 HP. That way the HP values are not bouncing up and down too much independent of PC actions.

Nice, I'll adopt this.

But honestly I think the monster should have some other power - an encounter, a recharge, something. Since it's aquatic, perhaps something that lets it pull people under water. Otherwise it just stands in one place and everyone hacks at it and it does nothing unique after round 1 (just more damage).

Yes, you're right.

Or, well, crouch 4 squares away from the burrow and shoot into the hole.

This only works if the hole is straight all the way back. If the tunnel worm can retreat around a corner- or better yet, if it has a network of tunnels so that it can retreat around a corner and then come out from an unexpected direction in a couple of rounds- this becomes a less viable candidate.

Anyways, I just wonder what you're pairing the tunnel worm with in an encounter.

I see the tunnel worm as a classic opportunist. When the pcs engage their foes, SUDDENLY!! a tunnel worm attacks from the walls kind of thing.

I do have one nitpick with the statblock: you say if the target PC is adjacent to the worm after the pull, the worm grabs it - the only instance this would not be the case is a dwarf, so why not just say 'pull 3 and grab'?[/QUOTE]

Ahh, that was my original wording until I realized the problem with it. It's the downside of the tunnel worm's ability to squeeze. Let's say it's 2 squares back in a tiny-sized tunnel and it hits a Medium creature. The target can't fit into the tunnel, so it can get pulled up to the mouth of the tunnel but no further. (The tunnel worms lunges out of its hole and grabs the human fighter, then retreats, but the bulky man slams the entrance to the hole and is knocked out of its grasp.)

 

[Rechan]

I see the tunnel worm as a classic opportunist. When the pcs engage their foes, SUDDENLY!! a tunnel worm attacks from the walls kind of thing.

Yeah. That was the only situation I was thinking that would work. Same with the bloodworm. I like opportunist monsters like that.

Or that the inhabitants in whatever area know about the tunnelworm(s) and try to engineer the terrain so they can fight near it but not cross its path. Or you have creatures that can climb on walls and ceilings, so they are above the worm.

Ahh, that was my original wording until I realized the problem with it. It's the downside of the tunnel worm's ability to squeeze. Let's say it's 2 squares back in a tiny-sized tunnel and it hits a Medium creature. The target can't fit into the tunnel, so it can get pulled up to the mouth of the tunnel but no further. (The tunnel worms lunges out of its hole and grabs the human fighter, then retreats, but the bulky man slams the entrance to the hole and is knocked out of its grasp.)

That makes sense. On the other hand, that would be unwise for yon worm, no?

Damnit, Jester. Now I want to use this thing and I have no group to use it on. But then, I love lurkers.

Btw, I like your maggot. I had created one years ago, to go along with a giant fly, that was an artillery - it spat acid. But, I think the pop power is so... accurate. shudder. IIRC, I also created a maggot swarm. If I weren't visiting folks, I could post them.

 

[the Jester]

Btw, I like your maggot. I had created one years ago, to go along with a giant fly, that was an artillery - it spat acid. But, I think the pop power is so... accurate. shudder. IIRC, I also created a maggot swarm. If I weren't visiting folks, I could post them.

Thanks! For the record, I used to have a friend that worked on a maggot farm (they raised maggots that turned into insects that ate flies). The pop power comes directly from one of his stories, about a coworker who gleefully described eating some of the maggots and how they popped and tasted like butter.

 

[Dragon Sin-Camealot]

Ueww. I was wondering if we could post our own monsters here.

 

[the Jester]

Ueww. I was wondering if we could post our own monsters here.

Sure, and if I like them enough and think they are mechanically sound enough I'll even link to them in the first post.

Please be aware that my standards for mechanical soundness are fairly high.

I hope to get the bloodworm revisions done today (or so)...

 

[the Jester]

[MENTION=54846]Rechan[/MENTION]- for the bloodworm, what d'you think of this?

(close) Bloody Spray * Recharge when first bloodied
Trigger: The bloodworm is hit by a melee attack.
Attack (Immediate Reaction): Close blast 2 (the triggering attacker); +11 vs. Reflex.
Hit: The target is blinded (save ends).

 

[Rechan]

@Rechan - for the bloodworm, what d'you think of this?

(close) Bloody Spray * Recharge when first bloodied
Trigger: The bloodworm is hit by a melee attack.
Attack (Immediate Reaction): Close blast 2 (the triggering attacker); +11 vs. Reflex.
Hit: The target is blinded (save ends).

I don't care for the blinded condition at all, but I suppose that will do, sure.

 

[the Jester]

I don't care for the blinded condition at all, but I suppose that will do, sure.

LOL, mind if I ask why not?

 

[the Jester]

Okay, minor revisions to the giant bloodworm are up- specifically to leeching bite and bloody surge, plus the addition of the bloody spray ability.