Help Me With My Spectre

[Scorponox]

Hi ENworlders, I am going to be running an encounter for 4-5 people on Friday, and the main monster they will be fighting is a Spectre. But I've cusom designed this to give it more unique powers. I am calling it a Pseudospectre because it is different from the one found in the 3.5 monster manual. Anyways, here are the stats for it:

HP: 5d12 +10 (15HP to 82HP)
AC: 14
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Initiative: +4
Attacks:

Debilitating Shriek: lowers AC by 3, lasts 10 rounds, Range: 5 sq. 45degree cone (can only do this once per day)

Draining Touch: 1d4 +1 [Attk +3] & HP Gain

Poison Scratch:1d4 +3 [Attk +3] & Poison (DC:14; 1HP per round (save ends))
Thunderstorm: 1d4; range: 6 sq. AoE 5 sq. (Can be done 3 times each day.)

Dispel: Dispels all negative status effects by turning incorporeal.

Enraging Onslaught: When down to half HP, travels incorporealy 5 sq., does Poison Scratch (x5) hitting a different character each time. Completely avoids opportunity attacks.

Anyways, because people join, then drop out, then rejoin, we have a few different levels of characters. Most will be in the level 3 range, with one level 4 and one level 2.

Ideally, this will be a CR4-5 encounter. The treasure it drops will be pretty good, and worth fighting for. After this encounter, I imagine they will have a full rest because this should be a tough fight. They are rolling with a Sorcerer/Rogue, Cleric, Fighter, Wizard, and Monk.

Also, Enraging Onslaught means it scratches one guy, turns incorporeal, appears in front of #2, attempts a poison scratch, turns incorporeal, appears in front of #3, etc. Each person makes a reflex save to try to dodge the attack, then if they fail that, a fortitude save of 15 to fight off the poison.

The Debilitating Shriek, I think should have a pretty high DC. It is sound, and unless the characters are covering their ears, should affect them.

Anyways, am I doing this monster right? This is the first "ghost" type of monster I am attempting to make. I took the template from the Spectre in 3.5, but I really didn't think it was challenging enough.

 

[Ogrehatescomputers]

I like some of things it does. what are the levels of the fighter and the wizard? what weapon and what armor does the fighter use? he's prob going to hit that 14 ac pretty easy. unless the wizard is 4th level he shouldnt be too challenging for the party. i almost think the spectre needs a higher AB than 3. the multiple attacks wont mean much if he misses everyone. still this will be a toughy for small level group. i feel it is pretty appropriate as a boss fight. and there is always the whole, if they are beating it too easy tack on a few hit points and make em sweat for it. have fun.

 

[Scorponox]

The Fighter is gonna be a lvl 3. The Wizard is the lowest, at level 2. The Cleric is the highest, since he's the guy who has not yet missed a d&d night.

The problem is the Rogue/Sorcerer (planning to multiclass into arcane trickster) has a measly 7HP. He's got an AC of 16, so he does seem to avoid a lot of attacks, but it's kind of hard to create encounters that won't easily kill him. This is why I didn't make the AB higher than 3.

 

[Persiflage]

The Fighter is gonna be a lvl 3. The Wizard is the lowest, at level 2. The Cleric is the highest, since he's the guy who has not yet missed a d&d night.

The problem is the Rogue/Sorcerer (planning to multiclass into arcane trickster) has a measly 7HP. He's got an AC of 16, so he does seem to avoid a lot of attacks, but it's kind of hard to create encounters that won't easily kill him. This is why I didn't make the AB higher than 3.

A Spectre isn't challenging enough? For a THIRD-LEVEL party? A creature that bestows 2 negative levels per touch attack? Really?! And if you believe it isn't tough enough, why have you made a creature that's significantly weaker than a Spectre? Or are you saying that all this is in addition to the standard Spectre abilities?

Regardless, this thing is seriously likely to produce a TPK unless the party is loaded up with force effects like Magic Missile and Spiritual Weapon... and probably even then. It's freakin' incorporeal: it's actually immune to the Monk and the Fighter unless you've been dishing out magic items really early. If it's anything like a Spectre it's making incorporeal touch attacks so the party's armor bonuses aren't having any effect at all. I don't know what you mean by "turning incorporeal": are you saying that this isn't an incorporeal undead?

The Cleric can't even turn it worth a damn, even if he does get lucky on his turning check. If the creature can remove negative status effects by "turning incorporeal" (whatever the hell that means), it's going to do that when it flees, which means it'll remove the effect "turned" and be right back a round later, popping out of the walls or floor to drain more hit points. It will have, on average, 48 hit points: that's a lot of 3rd-level Magic Missiles, particularly when the thing is regaining hit points with impunity.

To be honest, it's not really possible to critique this properly because it's just not following DnD 3.5 rules. There's no such thing as a "45-degree cone", not in 3.5e anyway. You haven't provided a type for the creature, or types for its abilities: are they extraordinary, supernatural, spell-like or what? That actually matters, you know. You've arbitrarily given it the ability to fly about hitting everyone without provoking attacks of opportunity when it gets to half hit-points but haven't provided a mechanism other than "it just does, and you just can't", and it's going to drop treasure for no obvious reason despite being an incorporeal creature...

Were you by chance on the 4E design team?

Anyway, to answer your final question: no, you're not doing it right. There might be some interesting "flavour" in some of these abilities, but I get the overwhelming impression that you don't actually know the 3.5 rules. What's the "save ends" thing with the poison saving throw? That's a 4E rule: as are your descriptions for ranges and area effects. I assume this is a 3.5 game, right? 'Cos if not, you're in the wrong place!

 

[Scorponox]

I am new to DnD and need help.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

I like some of the custom abilities you've made here. This could make a nifty encounter!

A few things to remember: against a 4th level party, an incorporeal creature is going to be really tough, because i's so hard to hit. Make sure the PCs have a way to scratch it, avoid it, flee from it, or drive it away: magic weapons/armor, [force] spells, sunlight (for spectres), high Dex (because nimbleness is worth more against incorps than heavy armor-- which incorps completely ignore), etc.

However, I understand from your description that the pseudospectre isn't incorporeal all the time? If so, then I think that will be a good balancing point.

A few things to help you finish building the pseudospectre: instead of starting with a spectre and powering it down, it might be easier to start with a shadow and power it up. Give it a couple extra HD, then change out its abilities for the ones you have. I think the DCs and all will work out better. Last big thing to note is that level drain is going to be really, really painful against low level PCs (it's also a headache for players and DM to track!); you might want to make it (for ex) ability damage (eg, Str or Dex or both), instead.

I'm saying all this just because in my experience it's usually easier to start with an underpowered monster and add to it, rather than start from an overpowered monster and decrease its powers.

Useful resources:

A lot of tables with useful info on making monsters is on the Improving Monsters section of the SRD. And imho, the Pathfinder stuff on monster creation is even more useful to gauge appropriate BAB, saves, DCs and so on. It's for Pathfinder, but it's close enough to "normal" 3.5e that it doesn't matter much-- and the instructions explicit and clear.

Also, to make stat blocks for monsters, there are a couple really useful online generators that will do the math for you. The one I use most is Dingles Games. So if (for ex) you wanted to use the powered-up shadow suggestion, you could select "shadow" and click generate, then change the HD up to 5 and recalculate, then get the text version (button at bottom of the generator page) of the statblock and change out the shadow attacks for your pseudospectre attacks.

It's all fairly straightforward once you know about some resources that help with the bookkeeping. When you have a more complete stat block, feel free to post it for some more specific suggestions.

 

[Persiflage]

I am new to DnD and need help.

Well, fair enough: in which case the strongest piece of advice I can give you is don't start creating new stuff until you've tried playing by the book!

I'm not trying to be persnicketty here, but I'm telling you straight: it's a big system to learn - well worth it, but still - and you're going to have enough on your hands without resorting to homebrew monsters. Go with the CR that's listed to start with. As people here will be only too happy to tell you, there are some real gotchas, but stick with the CR guidelines (and stay away from That Damn Crab) until you've got some experience under your belt (no pun intended) and at least the mistakes won't be yours!

The_orc_within has given you some really good advice and pointers there, for sure, but I honestly believe that just about the best thing you can do for yourself and your players is to learn the rules before you break 'em!

Speaking of said individual's post: I'm sorry man because that was truly good stuff, but I can't resist...

Last big thing to note is that level drain is going to be really, really painful against low level PCs (it's also a headache for players and DM to track!); you might want to make it (for ex) ability damage (eg, Str or Dex or both), instead.

No, in this case ability damage is MUCH harder to keep track of... The party is 2nd-4th level: the spectre hits each of them twice at most and they're DEAD. I can't think of anything easier to keep track of than that

 

[Scorponox]

Hey all, thanks for the help. I am new to DnD. Long story short, they had too many players, and said the only way I could play is to be a DM. I reluctantly agreed.

Anyways, the group seems to be having fun in my campaign right now. I make all my own monsters, just taking the stats of similar creatures. This is because I just like creating the monsters, and from level 1 to 3, they've worked out alright. This is the first time I've attempted to make a ghost type of creature.

I also wanted to make a type like this because I wanted it to drop a Spectre Cloth. This cloth is highly sought after among the super rich folk, because with a bit of enchantment, it can be made into a ghostly looking dress that glows, making the wearer look like an angel. Many girls want to walk down the hall on their wedding day in a dress made at least partially of Spectre Cloth. One of the side quests the players would be able to do is to try and find a buyer for it. This could take them to meet several influential people in the kingdom, each offering a different price, or favors for it.

 

[Scorponox]

Also, I thought I should mention I went and joined an official Wizards sanctioned DnD Encounters night on Wednesdays. I went in trying to get a grip on the battle system and understand a bit more about DnD for my own campaign. The problem is, they use 4e rules for the Wednesday one, and we use 3.5 for my Friday campaign. So it is also why I am getting certain things mixed up.

I only started playing DnD about 2 month ago, and so far, it has been overwhelming. I met this other guy that DMs for a different Friday group, and he's been playing this longer than I've been alive! Knowledge about this game people just take for granted is all new to me, and very difficult to keep track of and remember. One of the players also said the 3.5 and 4e stuff do not mix.

Overall, I am having fun, and I'll play as long as the other players enjoy it.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Hehe, sounds like you have a lot on your gaming plate! Yeah, 3.5e and 4e aren't very compatible, so keeping the rules straight will be tough. But, as long as you and your players are satisfied with the game you're running, it's all good. You'll figure out the technically "correct" way to run both versions with practice, especially if you keep things simple at first, and maybe focus your attention on just one or two rules each session so they slowly accumulate in your head over time.

Imho, though, the most important advice, goes beyond the rules:
- Be communicative with your players. Ask advice if you need it, make sure they're getting the kind of game they expect, and all that other common sense social stuff.
- Don't let yourself burn out. Hopefully that won't happen for a while, but when it does, DMing will stop being fun for you, and then it'll stop being fun for the players. If you find yourself getting too stressed out about it, it's better to take off the DM hat for a while and take a break so you don't start hating the game!

Anyway, good luck...