How do I emulate this monster power?

[Rechan]

I'm not sure how I can represent this power with a succinct rules statblock.

Maleficent in Disney's Sleeping Beauty turned herself into a giant briar maze. Vampires and other monsters can take mist form. One of the Wonder Twins could become anything water-related, often a wave or ice wall.

What I want to do is have a monster that can become a dangerous area. It does not just create the hazard, but becomes the hazard. Sort've like how a monster might turn itself into a swarm, this is more like a "Roving wall of fire", a gaseous form with a cloudkill effect, or tentacles sprouting from the ground/fists thrusting from the earth. The spellcaster disappears, and in its place is a sustained, moving zone.

I could just describe the caster's bursts and blasts as that, but what I'd like to do is be able to take the monster's mini off the table, and the PCs contend with this moving damage area for a round or two.

Aside from "how do I do this mechanically? How do I compartmentalize a Hazard in a monster?", I also wonder "How can the PCs beat the monster, if it's suddenly a mobile area affect?

 

[WhatGravitas]

I'd say you could take a clue from swarms and leave the creature where it is (as a marker of the centre of the area), i.e. making the effect an aura around the creature, while you treat the creature as "swarming", same as insubstantial with the exception that you can enter the creature's square.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Rechan]

I'd say you could take a clue from swarms and leave the creature where it is (as a marker of the centre of the area), i.e. making the effect an aura around the creature, while you treat the creature as "swarming", same as insubstantial with the exception that you can enter the creature's square.

Cheers, LT.

Hmm. My first response is "Well, how oculd you attack a wall of fire with a sword", but then I could ask the same about a swarm.

I guess my question should then become, how to limit the ability. How to give it a duration, or a way for the PCs to 'cancel/shunt the monster back into its real form'.

Or if it should be. I definitely want it to be a dynamic sort of interesting monster, instead of a one-trick pony, but that may be how it has to be.

 

[WhatGravitas]

I guess my question should then become, how to limit the ability. How to give it a duration, or a way for the PCs to 'cancel/shunt the monster back into its real form'.

I think this should really depend on the monster in question. Some ideas:

a) The ability grants temp HP - when they're used up, the ability ends.
b) Makes saves to remain in the form (obv. this is good for elites and solos).
c) Stops working after being bloodied.
d) Only works while bloodied and the form somehow allows healing.
e) Vulnerability - certain keywords (like cold for the wall of fire) end the ability.
f) Hit point loss - using the ability costs hit points, so the monster will make a conscious decision to revert.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Rechan]

Those are some really nice suggestions.

I'm left to wonder two things.

1) Should the monster be able to make some sort of attacks while it is in the "Area Hazard Form", or should it just be a swarm with the aura/auto-attack?

2) When not in said form, should it have any other abilities?

I really like the idea from a thematic point, and I can see different effects I could pull off (and different counter-measures). Actually, your suggestions make me want to use different ones for different monsters, but if they're all fairly similar (It's a common ability among the themed monsters), then I can't help but think the mechanics should be similar. Which is a drag.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

Another way to pull it off is to have the ability penalize the monster's available actions while providing it an advanced defensive form.
So the Wizard turns himself into a cloud of fire. He cannot move as easily now (slowed movement). He cannot effectively cast spells (Dm's call in 4E if not called out by rules, but used as an example). Nor can he manipulate objects very well.
However, he is now a flaming gas, granting him potential resistance to physical attacks (swords cut gas how?) and likely fire (or, if you feel particularly evil, the wizard is powered up by fire), but may be vulnerable to cold. He may also be able to fly (although slowly) and may cover a large area. Plus theres always the damage the cloud deals itself plus the stuff around it that catches on fire.
Seems like a fair trade off. (Depending on the monster/foe's other options)
As to how/when it should attack: Whenever, but be consistent. Either make it attack on it's turn, or, harm those who start their turn in it or enter it. Either way it should probably only attack once per round/foe. (and probably shouldn't have the potential to hit the same foe more than once per round, unless by intention and design)

 

[the Jester]

1) Should the monster be able to make some sort of attacks while it is in the "Area Hazard Form", or should it just be a swarm with the aura/auto-attack?

Maybe have the alternate form ability require "sustain standard" or something similar, thereby limiting its other available actions. At least that way it can move and take minor actions.

 

[Rechan]

Maybe have the alternate form ability require "sustain standard" or something similar, thereby limiting its other available actions. At least that way it can move and take minor actions.

True. I wonder then if all the attacks the cloud makes are thereby basic attacks (similar to a swarm; anyone adjacent/inside get attacked), and maybe a 'minor attack: foe inside me'.

But I was trying to get at 'should it have attacks when in hazard form' in the sense that swarms have more powers than just their aura attack + their resistances.

I do like the idea of making it behave like a swarm (right down to the vulnerability to area attacks). However, if the monster is going to have attacks outside of its hazard power, then the statblock might get too fat if it has powers outside of and inside of its hazardform.

I could see the potential that the aura attacks could grant status effects, depending on the thematic link. Grab (Mass of tentacles), Immobilize or Slow (hands sticking out of the ground) knock prone (earthquake), ongoing damage (whirlwind of razorblades), etc.

 

[Storminator]

Rechan,

I think this is an extremely cool idea. I fiddled about with a version, just to see how it might work. I shamelessly stole powers from various monsters, and I admit it isn't artful, but I think it's a solid basis to start from. It's also a reasonably compact statblock (forgive my formatting...):

Transforming Wizard Level 18 Artillery
Medium natural humanoid XP 2,000
Initiative +13 Senses Perception +16;
Fiery Form (Fire) aura 1; a creature that enters
or begins its turn in the aura takes 10 fire damage;
any creature in the aura taking ongoing fire
damage takes 5 extra ongoing fire damage.
This aura is not active unless the transforming
wizard is in Inferno Form or using Fiery Escape.
HP 136; Bloodied 68
AC 28; Fortitude 30, Reflex 34, Will 28
Speed 6
m Dagger (standard; at-will)
+23 vs. AC; 1d10 + 7 damage
r Firebolt (standard; at-will)
+21 vs. Reflex; 2d8+7 and 5 ongoing fire
damage (save ends)
a Flame Burst (standard; recharge 6 ) ✦ Fire
Area burst 2 within 10; +21 vs. Reflex;
2d8 + 3 fire damage, and ongoing 10 fire damage
(save ends).
Inferno Form (standard; sustain standard; encounter)
The transforming wizard becomes a pillar of fire
and gains insubstantial, resist 20 fire, and activates
its Fiery Form aura. Inferno form cannot be entered
or maintained while bloodied.
Melt the Earth (move, only while in Inferno Form)
The transforming wizard can move its speed. Each
square the transforming wizard moves through
becomes difficult terrain. In addition, anyone that
enters the square or starts their turn in it takes 10
fire damage. The squares are melted until the end
of the transforming wizard’s next turn.
Fiery Escape (immediate reaction, when the
transforming wizard is hit with a melee attack
while bloodied, encounter)
The transforming wizard transforms into fire and
gains insubstantial, resist 20 fire, activates its Fiery
Form aura, and shifts 5 squares. The squares
shifted thru are Melted (see Melt the Earth). The
Fiery Escape and the melted squares last until the
start of the transforming wizard’s next turn.

Alignment Evil Languages Common, Primordial
Skills Intimidate +16
Str 13 (+10) Dex 18 (+13) Wis 14 (+11)
Con 15 (+11) Int 20 (+14) Cha 14 (+11)

PS

 

[Burne]

Depending on how many times you want your monster to transform, you could simply stat the 'monster' up as several monsters.

For example,
Phase 1 Monster, Level 11 Elite Controller
On death, spawns a Phase 2 Trap

Phase 2 Trap, Level 11 Trap, Basket weaving Skill challenge, lever-fest, or just survive for x round, once Trap is defeated, Spawn a Phase 3 Monster

Phase 3 Monster, Level 11 Elite Artillery

Same Idea can be easily used for Tentacles (spawn minions), Earthen Fists (use multiple rolling boulder traps so the party has to run around), or whatever. I've used this method a few times, and I feel its a much more interesting way to build cinematic encounters, and it gives you an easier way to get a feel for the challenge of the fight.

Note that my hypothetical level 11 encounter above wouldn't be much of a challenge for a level 11 party, but should be a good boss for a level 9 party. If you added enough standard monsters or minions to each of the phases to make them each level 11 encounters, I would be confortable throwing that at a level 11 party as a boss fight.