Mesh Hongs Monster Request / Discussion Thread

[Mesh Hong]

...and wakens a MASSIVE four headed hydra that lives in the volcano. It quickly eats her and then goes after the party.

My basic concept is to make each head (since each head is large enough to take a chunk out of a Huge fire titan) an elite monster. One of the heads will be an artillery, and one of the heads will be a lurker, pouncing out of the lava every other round to harry the party. For the other two heads, I am leaning towards brute and either soldier or controller.

Any thoughts on general abilities? I've started to work on a couple of the heads, but I'd be fascinated to see how you might approach this design.

Sounds cool.

When you say each head is an elite monster, are they still attached to the hydra body by a neck with a definite length or are we talking primordial hydra whose body is made of living fire able to move its heads around with impunity?

The environment is probably going to be a big factor in this encounter, I take it there will be a large area of larva, but is there going to be anything else that might be note worthy?

Is this forge going to be in the same encounter?, if it is then you could have some sort of skill challenge for it to have an effect on the hydra.

This sounds similar to a creature I used a long time ago that had 3 independent heads connected to a body by ethereal chords. I used elites for that and it worked very well, so the concept is sound.

I will see what I can come up with.

 

[noodle fish mice]

The environment is probably going to be a big factor in this encounter, I take it there will be a large area of larva, but is there going to be anything else that might be note worthy?

Don't be silly; hydra lay eggs.

 

[Mentat55]

Sounds cool.

When you say each head is an elite monster, are they still attached to the hydra body by a neck with a definite length or are we talking primordial hydra whose body is made of living fire able to move its heads around with impunity?

The heads are connected by necks to a body; the body is completely submerged in the lava, so is a non-player, and the necks are sufficiently long to control most of the battlefield.

The environment is probably going to be a big factor in this encounter, I take it there will be a large area of larva, but is there going to be anything else that might be note worthy?

The PCs will be standing on a large ledge jutting out into the caldera; there will be tremors resulting from awakening the hydra. I might have portions of the ledge crack and fall into the lava, forcing the PCs to backpedal constantly, I am still working on that. Probably also the occasional fireball shooting out of the volcano.

Is this forge going to be in the same encounter?, if it is then you could have some sort of skill challenge for it to have an effect on the hydra.

The "forge" is really just a ritual site that the titan uses to harness the power of the volcano, but yeah, a skill challenge could be put into place. I hadn't really considered that, honestly.

 

[Mesh Hong]

Well here you go, I made the assumption that these would be level 19 elites from the size of your group. I think these are pretty interesting, I was a bit worried about the alpha strike possibilities which slowed me down a bit and I am still trying to adapt my style to the new monster damage and terminology so bear with me on that!

Anyway here are four different heads as part of an ancient whole.


Soldier Head Level 19 Elite Soldier
Large Elemental Beast XP 4,800

Initiative +17 Senses Perception +14, darkvision
Molten Haze aura 2; All enemies inside the zone have any fire resistance
reduced by 5 and take a -2 penalty to saving throws vs. Fire effects;
when bloodied this aura reduces fire resistance by 15 instead of 5 and
other effect remains unchanged
HP 368; Bloodied 184; see Molten Haze
AC 35; Fortitude 32, Reflex 31, Will 30
Immune larva environmental effects
Saving Throws +2, +0 vs. cold effects
Speed 6
Action Points 1

Bite (Standard; at-will)
Attack +24 vs. AC; 3d6+14 damage; on hit target grants combat
advantage to all enemies (save ends)

Snapping Jaws (Standard; at-will)
Soldier head makes 2 Bite attacks and may shift 1 square between attacks

Burning Bite (Standard; recharge ) ♦ fire
Attack +24 vs. AC; 4d8+20 damage; on hit target takes a -2 penalty to all
defences and 10 ongoing fire damage (save ends all)

Volcanic Lure (Standard; encounter) ♦ fire
Burst 5; all enemies inside burst are pulled 4 squares and Soldier Head
makes the following secondary attack; burst 1; attack +24 vs. Reflex;
3d8+10 fire damage

Fan the Flames (Free) ♦ triggered action
Whenever Soldier Head takes fire damage all enemies within 5 squares of it
taking ongoing fire damage immediately take that ongoing damage; all
enemies within 5 squares not taking ongoing fire damage take 10 ongoing
fire damage (save ends)

Alignment Unaligned Languages primordial
Skills Athletics +21, Endurance +21, Intimidate +16
Str 25 (+16) Dex 22 (+15) Wis 20 (+14)
Con 24 (+16) Int 16 (+12) Cha 14 (+11)

----

Brute Head Level 19 Elite Brute
Large Elemental Beast XP 4,800

Initiative +15 Senses Perception +11, darkvision
HP 444; Bloodied 222
AC 31; Fortitude 34, Reflex 31, Will 28
Immune larva environmental effects;
Resist 15 acid;
Vulnerable cold, see Hot Head, Cold Skin
Saving Throws +2, +0 vs. cold effects
Speed 5
Action Points 1

Massive Jaws (Standard; at-will)
Attack +24 vs. AC; 3d10+18 damage; critical 4d6+48 damage and the
target is dazed (save ends)

Head Slam (Standard; at-will)
Attack +24 vs. AC; 4d6+20 damage; on hit target takes the following
secondary attack +22 vs. Fortitude or Reflex (whichever higher); on hit
target is pushed 3 squares and knocked prone

Snap and Butt (Standard; at-will)
Brute Head makes a Massive Jaws and a Head Slam attack in any order, if
both of these target the same creature the Brute Heads second of these
attacks takes a -4 penalty to hit

Acidic Snort (Minor; recharge ) ♦ acid
Burst 1; attack +22 vs. Fortitude; 1d10+8 acid damage; on hit target
takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends)

Blast of Acid (Standard; encounter) ♦ acid, only while bloodied
Only while bloodied; close blast 5; attack +22 vs. Fortitude or Reflex
(whichever higher); 3d8+18 Acid damage; on hit target takes 10 ongoing
acid damage (save ends); on miss target takes half damage and 5 ongoing
acid damage (save ends)

Acidic Exhalation (Free) ♦ triggered action
Whenever Brute Head is hit by an opportunity attack the triggering enemy
takes 10 acid damage

Hot Head, Cold Skin ♦ trait
Whenever Brute Head is hit by a cold attack it is slowed until the end of
its next turn

Thick Skull, Small Brain ♦ trait
Any effect that would stun Brute Head instead dazes it for the appropriate
duration

Alignment Unaligned Languages primordial
Skills Athletics +24, Endurance +20
Str 30 (+19) Dex 22 (+15) Wis 14 (+11)
Con 22 (+15) Int 8 (+8) Cha 10 (+9)

----

Artillery Head Level 19 Elite Artillery
Large Elemental Beast XP 4,800

Initiative +16 Senses Perception +19, darkvision
HP 284; Bloodied 142; see Primordial Fires
AC 31; Fortitude 30, Reflex 32, Will 32
Immune larva environmental effects
Saving Throws +2, +0 vs. cold effects
Speed 7
Action Points 1

Quick Snap (Standard; at-will)
Attack +24 vs. AC; 3d6+12 damage

Fire Blast (Standard; at-will) ♦ fire
Range 10/20; attack +26 vs. AC; 3d8+14 fire damage

Blinding Blast (Standard; at-will) ♦ radiant
Range 10/20; attack +24 vs. Will; 2d8+14 radiant damage; on hit target is
blinded (save ends)

Twin Blast (Standard; at-will)
Artillery Head makes a Fire Blast and a Blinding blast in any order

Larval Breath (Standard; encounter) ♦ fire
Close Blast 5; attack +23 vs. Reflex; 3d6+24 fire damage (targets gain
only half benefit from any fire resistance); on hit target loses all fire
resistance and takes 10 ongoing fire damage (save ends both) aftereffect
target is immobilised (save ends); on miss target takes half damage and 5
ongoing fire damage (save ends) aftereffect target is slowed (save ends)

Living Fire (Standard; encounter) ♦ fire, zone
Area Burst 1 within 15; attack +24 vs. Reflex; 4d6+18 fire damage; hit or
miss this attack creates a zone of roaring fire; all enemies entering or
starting their turn inside the zone take 15 fire damage; the zone lasts until
the end of Artillery Heads next turn when the flames gain a life of their
own and a Living Flame forms in each free square (see separate stat
block, these creatures act on initiative 10)

Radiant Retaliation (Immediate Reaction; at-will) ♦ triggered action
When Artillery Head is damaged by a radiant attack it make a Blinding Blast
against the triggering enemy as an immediate reaction

Primordial Fires (Free) ♦ triggered action
When Artillery Head becomes bloodied its Living Fire attack Recharges

Alignment Unaligned Languages primordial
Skills Acrobatics +21, Diplomacy +20, History +18
Str 18 (+13) Dex 25 (+16) Wis 20 (+14)
Con 22 (+15) Int 18 (+13) Cha 22 (+15)


Living Flame Level 17 Minion
Small Elemental Beast (fire) XP 400

Initiative +15 Senses Perception +6, blindsight
Secondary Ignition (fire) aura 1; All enemies inside the aura taking
ongoing fire damage also take the appropriate damage at the start of
Living Flames turn (note an enemy only takes the damage generate from
this aura once a turn)
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 31; Fortitude 28, Reflex 30, Will 29
Immune larva environmental effects;
Resist 30 fire
Speed 5

Burning Slam (Standard; at-will) ♦ fire
Attack +20 vs. Reflex; 12 fire damage

Spreading Flames (Free) ♦ triggered action
When Living Flame is reduced to 0 HPs by an adjacent enemy the
triggering enemy takes 10 ongoing fire damage (save ends)

Alignment Unaligned Languages primordial
Str 16 (+11) Dex 24 (+15) Wis 6 (+6)
Con 10 (+8) Int 3 (+4) Cha 12 (+9)

----

Lurker Head Level 19 Elite Lurker
Large Elemental Beast XP 4,800

Initiative +20 Senses Perception +11
Smell of Fear (fear) aura 1; All enemies inside aura take a -2 penalty to
Will defence
HP 280; Bloodied 140
AC 33; Fortitude 32, Reflex 32, Will 30
Immune larva environmental effects
Saving Throws +2, +0 vs. cold effects
Speed 7
Action Points 1

Head Slam (Standard; at-will)
Attack +24 vs. AC; 2d8+14 damage; on hit slide target 1 square

Vice Bite (Standard; at-will)
This attack may also be used when charging; attack +24 vs. AC; 3d10+10
damage; on hit the target is grabbed (escape ends); on miss the target
may shift 1 square as an immediate free action

Drag to Doom (Standard; at-will) ♦ grabbed target only
Grabbed target only; attack +22 vs. Fortitude or Reflex (whichever
higher); 4d6+14 damage; on hit Lurker Head shifts 3 squares moving the
grabbed target with it; on miss Lurker Head shifts 1 square moving the
grabbed target with it; if this movement would take the target into a
square containing hazardous terrain it may make an immediate escape
check to be released from the grab

Primordial Fear (Minor; recharge ) ♦ psychic, fear
Burst 3; enemies and none grabbed targets only; attack +22 vs. Will;
2d8+10 psychic damage; on hit target cannot make any attack that would
include the Lurker Head until the end of Lurker Heads next turn

Withdraw (Immediate Reaction; at-will) ♦ triggered action
When Lurker Head is hit by any attack it may shift 7 squares as an
immediate reaction, if it has a target grabbed it must release it to use this
action

Sudden Terror (Immediate Interrupt; encounter) ♦ psychic, fear,
triggered action
When hit by an adjacent none grabbed enemy Lurker Head may make the
following attack as an immediate interrupt; does not provoke opportunity
attacks; attack +22 vs. Will; 2d6+10 psychic damage; on hit the target is
stunned until the start of its next turn; on miss this power recharges

Primordial Reactions ♦ trait
Lurker Head is not subject to the usual restriction of 1 immediate action
per round, but may not use the same reaction twice in a single creatures
turn

Alignment Unaligned Languages primordial
Str 24 (+16) Dex 24 (+16) Wis 14 (+11)
Con 20 (+14) Int 10 (+9) Cha 12 (+10)

I tried to make them as interesting as possible without making them too fiddly to run or too outrageous.

I hope you find them entertaining or at least give you some ideas.

 

[Mentat55]

You have once again delivered the goods, Mesh. My XP award was thwarted because apparently I've been giving you too much XP

I haven't fullly processed everything that is going on here, but my first read of each monster is that they definitely fit a lot of what I had in mind. I am going to throw these into the Monster Builder, tweak a few things to fit my houserules, and then I'll let you know how it goes with the party.

Thanks!

 

[Old_school_overlord]

You have once again delivered the goods, Mesh. My XP award was thwarted because apparently I've been giving you too much XP

I haven't fullly processed everything that is going on here, but my first read of each monster is that they definitely fit a lot of what I had in mind. I am going to throw these into the Monster Builder, tweak a few things to fit my houserules, and then I'll let you know how it goes with the party.

Thanks!

If your working on the environment, here are some helpful house rules to inspire you

http://www.lavarules.com/

 

[Mesh Hong]

I haven't fullly processed everything that is going on here, but my first read of each monster is that they definitely fit a lot of what I had in mind. I am going to throw these into the Monster Builder, tweak a few things to fit my houserules, and then I'll let you know how it goes with the party.

I certainly recommend that anyone using any of my creatures checks that they are suitable for their PCs. My PCs are brutal and efficient so that obviously influences my expectations of a "reasonable threat".

I would be very interested in seeing the final creatures you end up using.

On a related note I did briefly consider adding a couple of other effects built around the enviroment and the creature as a whole but thought they might be too cumbersome.

One idea I had is that the first three heads on death could make a basic attack or charge as a free action. When the last head was defeated the massive body of the beast rises up and either:

1. All four heads make an attack probably a charge before the beast slips back beneath the larva.

or

2. The beasts body crashes back into the larva sending out a wave (burst) of the nasty red stuff that engulfs the party for big damage (and maybe a little petrification on a couple of failed saves ).

But sometimes I am too enthusiastic for my own good so I thought I would drop them.

 

[the Jester]

Just curious- are you going to switch to the new stat block format?

 

[Mesh Hong]

Just curious- are you going to switch to the new stat block format?

Well I use asmors monster maker (which he is no longer updating) so it isn't that easy to switch things around. But I am trying to change the terminology for the powers mainly by using mechanics such as traits and triggered actions.

I suppose I should try and put the traits at the top of the powers section and the triggered actions at the bottom.

 

[MortalPlague]

I have a monster request!

In the next session of my campaign, the PCs are going to kick down the door of the manor of Count il'Sook, who happens to be a succubus. She works closely with Glasya, the Archdevil in charge of the sixth layer of hell. I want to give the PCs a tough fight taking the manor house, but the succubus was sorely wounded in the earlier battle, and will be hiding for most of the fight.

I have two shocktroop devils (slightly modified to be a bit tougher) as brutes in the encounter, and I want to put in an Angel of Torment. However, I like the idea of some sort of Evil Angel on loan from Glasya more than the actual Angel of Torment stat block. Also, I have a cool fiery angel mini I'd like to use.

So... the monster I'd like to see would be a 19 elite skirmisher who can really spice up the encounter. Maybe throw the leader title in there somewhere? My party is 17th level, and fairly well built. We have:

Dragonborn Battlemind
Human Archer Ranger
Human Rogue
Human Healy Warlord
and we'll probably have our Tiefling Avenger there too.