Slithering Tracker

[Firebird]

Here is my take on the Slithering Tracker. Constructive comments are welcome.

Slithering Tracker Level 4 Elite Lurker
Medium Natural Beast (blind, ooze) XP 350
Initiative +3 Senses Perception +2
HP 94; Bloodied 47
AC 18; Fortitude 19, Reflex 13, Will 15
Immune Gaze; Resist 10 acid
Saving Throws +2
Speed 4
Action Points 1
M Slam (Standard; at-will)
+9 vs. AC; 2d6+3 damage and ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends).
M Paralyzing Slam (Standard; at-will) ♦ Acid
+7 vs. Fortitude; 1d10+3 damage and immobilized (save ends).
M Engulf (Standard; at-will) ♦ Acid
+7 vs. Reflex (automatically hits an immobilized target). On a hit, the target is grabbed and takes 10 ongoing acid damage until it escapes the grab. A creature that escapes the grab shifts to a square of its choosing adjacent to the tracker.
Flowing Form (Move; at-will)
The slithering tracker shifts 4 squares.
Translucent
A slithering tracker is invisible until seen (Perception DC 23) or until it attacks.
Alignment Unaligned Languages None
Str 14 (+4) Dex 9 (+1) Wis 9 (+1)
Con 17 (+5) Int 1 (-3) Cha 1 (-3)

Underpowered? Overpowered? Just right?

 

[Sigurd13]

In all honesty it seems more like a brute or a soldier than a lurker, considering the 1) low movement speed, 2) high at-will damage, 3) the at-will ability to immobilize and engulf and the 4) lack of 'hiding' ability appropriate for a lurker.

Sure s/he's invisible until seen... but most lurkers have some ongoing power that lets them escape harm throughout combat...that's their shtick. Once the party has seen this guy (or, alternatively, once it's gotten the jump on someone) it seems like all s/he's good for is locking someone down and beating the snot out of them.

That sounds more like a soldier or a brute to me. Especially considering it has the damage expression of a monster between 7-9th level (DMG pg 185). Elite or not, that seems like a lot of damage.

Consider lowering the damage to something more appropriate, then giving it a "Bonus +1d6" ability under certain circumstances (such as when a foe is immobilized). Also, if you imagine the thing as a lurker, think about some lurker appropriate powers that will make it seem like a lurker. Remember, lurkers dart into and out of combat to deal large amounts of damage by exploiting weaknesses... locking down a monster/making the players 'stick' to the monster is more of a soldier role. While just blindly wailing on players with a high damage basic attack is more of a brute role.

If you're interested, the DMG has some great descriptions of monster roles on page 54 and some good advice for building monsters on page 174-185. FYI.

Hope this helped!

 

[Rechan]

Looks identical to the Gelatinous Cube except it has a Shift 4, and its basic attack does ongoing acid.

 

[Firebird]

Thanks for the feedback.

I struggled with the role of the slithering tracker becuase the fluff of the creature in the various editions of the game set it up as an invisible assassin who strikes from hiding to lethal effect.

While it lacks typical lurker get away fast abilities, the ability to deal ongoing acid damage and then shift away from harm seemed to fit a lurker or skirmisher role and I didn't want another slide up to the target and bash ooze. We already have a few ooze brutes and I was trying something different.

I envisioned the slithering tracker to be slithering along minding its own business when it detects a nearby battle and joins in, pouncing on one unlucky foe and oozing off with him for digestion.

 

[Mesh Hong]

Here is my take on your Slithering Tracker.

I think the Lurker role fits the creatures concept very well, it lurks until it spots a likely target then strikes and tries to pull them away. Not all lurkers need to be razer fast hit and run experts.

Anyway I have made some changes to it to enable it to act as as you suggested.

I envisioned the slithering tracker to be slithering along minding its own business when it detects a nearby battle and joins in, pouncing on one unlucky foe and oozing off with him for digestion.

Slithering Tracker Level 4 Elite Lurker
Medium Natural Beast (ooze) XP 350

Initiative +5 Senses Perception +6, Blindsight 10
HP 94; Bloodied 47
AC 20; Fortitude 19, Reflex 13 (18), Will 15
Immune gaze;
Resist 10 acid; Vulnerable 5 cold
Saving Throws +2
Speed 4
Action Points 1

Slam (Standard; at-will) ♦ acid
Attack +9 vs. AC; 1d8+2 acid damage; on hit target takes 5 ongoing acid damage (save ends)

Paralyzing Slam (Standard; at-will) ♦ acid
Attack +7 vs. Reflex; 1d10+2 acid damage; on hit target is immobilised (save ends)

Grab and Pull (Standard; at-will) ♦ acid, immobilised target only
Target must be immobilised; attack +7 vs. Fortitude; 1d6+2 acid damage; on hit target is grabbed and Slithering Tracker may move up to 4 squares pulling the target with them and maintaining the grab (this provokes opportunity attacks from creatures other than the target as normal)

Feeding Retreat (Standard; at-will) ♦ acid, grabbed target only
Target must be grabbed; attack +7 vs. Fortitude; on hit target takes 10 acid damage and Slithering Tracker may move 4 squares pulling the target with him and maintaining the grab; on miss target takes 5 acid damage and Slithering Tracker may shift 1 square and pull the target with him maintaining the grab

Natural Cunning
Slithering Tracker deals an additional 1d6 acid damage when it has combat advantage

Tenacious Grappler
Slithering tracker gain a +5 bonus to it Reflex defence when resisting a grapple escape

Translucent
Slithering Tracker gains a +5 bonus to stealth checks in dim light or darkness, and is invisible until seen. PCs gain a +2 bonus to perception checks for each ally that has spotted it

Alignment Unaligned
Skills Stealth +10, Perception +6
Str 14 (+4) Dex 9 (+1) Wis 9 (+1)
Con 17 (+5) Int 1 (-3) Cha 1 (-3)


I am not really 100% happy with my effort but I thought I would post it just so you could see another approach. While the effects are simple the text is a bit long winded. Also this is an elite that doesn't have a recharge or and encounter power.

Maybe it should have some sort of recharge ; close burst 3; attack +7 vs. Reflex; 1d6+2 acid damage; on hit target is immobilised (saves ends)?

 

[Grazzt]

Tenacious Grappler
Slithering tracker gain a +5 bonus to it Reflex defence when resisting a grapple escape

You can probably delete this and roll the text in with "Grab and Pull". Ive seen a few WotC monsters that simply say "Checks made to escape the [monster name]'s grab take a -xxx penalty". (I think the Zombies in the MM have something along these lines.)