[FRCG] Sharn - Overpowered?

[im_robertb]

Reference: Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, P. 266.

The Sharn is a Level 12 Solo Artillery. It seems to me that it is tougher than its level indicates. Let us compare it to another level 12 solo monster.

Adult Gray Dragon, Level 12 Solo Soldier, Draconomicon, p.174
The sharn has more hit points, and has regeneration and second wind. The sharn's AC is 1 point lower, but its other defenses are higher than the dragon's, and the dragon is supposed to be a soldier. The sharn's attacks are roughly the same as the dragon's in terms of attack rolls and damage output, but the sharn acts twice per round.

I think something went wrong in the Sharn's design. One major tipoff is that its AC is equal to its Fortitude and Reflex, and its Will is higher. Has anyone used this monster? I don't want to TPK my group during the first session.

 

[keterys]

The immobilize and ongoing damage on the dragon, especially with its aura penalty to save, can seriously hamper a party. Especially a smaller one.

The Sharn is certainly a tough customer. Looks like an overall very slow/grindy fight...

P.S. Compendium shows them both as having identical hp, though the sharn has higher con. Dunno what's up with that. Also, soldiers aren't supposed to have higher defenses - just AC. The sharn's defenses at Lvl + 16 are still probably a bit higher than necessary...

 

[Mr. Teapot]

I wonder how much of the difference there is because they changed the rules for solo creatures in the MM2. You might compare the Sharn to the DMG guidelines and to MM1 solo monsters.

 

[Khur]

The sharn is an example of earlier design.

I designed it before the 4e rules were even finalized, hence an update to its alignment recently. (Early in 4e design, Chaotic was an alignment that was the same as chaotic neutral, and the sharn was chaotic. In 4e final, it should have been changed to Unaligned, not chaotic evil.)

All this said, if I were to use it in my game, I'd lower all its defenses to level + 12, except Will at +13. (It's an unusual challenge in that its Will is high.) I'd also eliminate second wind, which wasn't part of the original design and doesn't add any fun to the fight. (Alternatively, keep the option, but use it only if it seems like it'll add to the fun.) Its hp are high enough, and regeneration is fine. The original design had a bite, but such an extra attack is not necessary.

As an aside, its hp are where they are, because regeneration that can't be "turned off" almost always means lower hp for a creature.

 

[im_robertb]

I think I read about the alignment change somewhere. It fits better with what I intend to use it for too; it's replacing the final monster in the level 11 delve from Dungeon Delve, which I'm bringing down to level 9 for level 9 PCs.

I really appreciate the advice, Chris, and I'll be making use of it in my game. I feel a lot better about it having heard from the designer. It's awesome that you read and post on the forums.

Just one thing: The comment I made about its HP was about them being higher than I'd expect rather than lower. Relative to the other Level 12 Solos in the Compendium, it has equal or 5 less HP than most of them, Sarshan, a Controller, has 650, and the Animated Carriage, a Brute, has 765. None of them have regeneration, though the Carriage hast resist 5 all (now there's a slog).

I'd expect a Brute to have more HP, so that's standard. Sarshan may be a special case. Per the DMG guidelines, the Sharn would have 635 hp, so it has been toned down. There's also the issue of the regeneration kicking in twice each round - once at the start of each of the Sharn's actions. I do really like the acting twice in each round.

What I think I will do is implement your adjustments to defenses and take out the second wind - maybe switch it with one of the options from that one Dragon article on the Sharn. The encounter will also include an Obsidian in-combat skill challenge to close the portal its guarding; 3 successes, I think, will deprive it of its regeneration by closing its connection to its home plane, as well as closing all of its hex portals (though it can subsequently create new ones). If it's bloodied and the portal is closed, it will likely retreat - Sharn do have a strong sense of self preservation.

 

[Khur]

I think I was answering keterys's comments about the hp.

Regeneration on each of the sharn's turns is a valid interpretation of the regeneration rules. I'd still limit the regeneration to once per round, or reduce it to 5 on each of the sharn's turns.

I like the sound of your encounter. Let us know how it goes.

 

[im_robertb]

I will. Unfortunately, the encounter probably won't be until the first week of September.

 

[CapnZapp]

Ah, that's why Independent Action references a Bite power.

Okay, so here's the designer-recommended changes to this monster:
1) lower all its defenses by 4 each (!)
2) halve its regeneration (so it ends up recovering 10 hp each round)

I'd say that is enough to make the critter a candidate for an update (lowering its defenses by 4 makes a much bigger impact on an encounter than correcting its alignment after all)

---

As for myself, I'm inclined to not bring it closer to the baseline, instead emphasising its extremes. It is an extreme monster, after all!

So I'd keep the regen at 10 (effectively 20/round) and instead halving its hit point total. That also lets me keep the Second Wind, although under a new name (because 153 hp now represents half its hp and so would doesn't do what SW does, i.e. returning hp equal to your healing surge value). I'd call it Arcane Recuperation or something. This would then be used only when the Sharn is (very) bloodied, and provides a point where either it or the party could consider retreating.

The portals are interesting, but I would make its Leaping Plaguefire secondary attacks target people adjacent to a portal. This strengthens the dynamic quality of these portals i.e. how they encourage PCs to continously move away from them. (Because the Sharn can move portals twice in between any PC's turn, it should be rare there are no secondary targets).

More like a nitpick (if Khur is still around): a monster having both Independent Action and Double Action is a bit confusing. Moreover, "independent" action suggests one half can act normally even when the other half is unable to take action (not that this monster can be stunned or dazed).

I'd keep Double Action only, and make its Adaptive Blue Bolt a minor action. That would accomplish the same thing in a clearer way (see below).

I'm also inclined to allow the Sharn to create or move a Hex Portal as a free action. Making this ability a minor (and a sustain power!) only puts mental strain on the DM. It really should be able to do this freely, without its DM having to calculate pros and cons every single round.

Splitting the Claw and Bolt also makes it easier for the DM to remember to use one of each (instead of two Claws or two Bolts) because of the Dazed bonus condition.

In fact, I'd move the Dazed bonus. You seldom need to encourage a monster to focus its fire - that brings its own reward. In fact, for a Solo, I believe it is best if it is encouraged to split its attacks (a rule that can have great exceptions: Hero-Slaying Hydra being one example)

Instead, I'd say "if the target of the Blue Bolt is adjacent to a Hex Portal, it is additionally Dazed (ends on the same save as the ongoing damage)". Same reason as above; strengthen PC's reasons to keep moving.

If this makes Hex Portals similar to the spirit companions of Shamans; great - anything that aids the DM's understanding of how to run a complex monster is great!

In summary:
* AC 24; Fortitude 24, Reflex 24, Will 25
* Hit Points 307 Bloodied 153; see also Arcane Recuperation
* Regeneration 10 (per each of its turns)
* Saving Throws +5; Immune petrification, polymorph, fear, charm effects; dazed, stunned conditions (keeping things simple)
* Arcane Recuperation (Daily): The sharn heals 153 hit points. The sharn is enveloped in a cloud of blue electricity that gives it a +2 bonus to all defenses until the start of its next turn.
* Adaptive Blue Bolt: Minor action (1/turn). If a target hit by Adaptive Blue Bolt is adjacent to a Hex Portal, it is additionally Dazed (ends on the same save as the ongoing damage)
* Hex Portal (free action 1/turn to create or move one portal) - no sustain needed
* Leaping Bluefire: each enemy adjacent to a Hex Portal is targeted by the secondary attack.
* Double action: two init counts and two full sets of actions (as usual)
* Remove "independent action" and "independent consciousness"

Don't forget to be open to your players - the more they know about the special abilities of such a strange monster, the more fun the encounter will be. (For a red dragon, it can be fun to learn by doing, so you'll have that experience the next time you fight a dragon. With a Sharn, this one is likely the only one your players (not characters) will ever meet.)

So I'm lowering the monster knowledge checks by at least 10 across the board; adding info on its special powers (health and portals in particular).

I'll let you know how my custom Sharn went down

 

[CapnZapp]

Oh, and one more thing: I'd give the Sharn the Hex Step power (from the Ecology... article) but without having to give up the threatening reach (because anything that makes the portals less threatening also makes them less relevant). Instead I'd halve its Fly speed (making it the same as its ground speed, and making the portals the fastest way to move around a battlefield) as "payment" for this cool ability.

 

[Anand]

I recently used the Sharn against my 10th level players and it was our most difficult (although very funny and challenging) fight. I swapped the Second Wind for a Teleport 10 that creates a burst 1 of Spellplague fire (10 damage entering or starting the turn there) in the point of origin, used once per encounter.

I just swapped because it looked very grindly as the way it looks (regeneration 20 with tons of hps), and the basic strategy of my players is to immobilize and gang up the solos. Worked very nicely.

Cheers!