FireLance
Legend
Heh. In my over 20 years of DMing D&D, I think I've only ever used a rust monster once, in 4e, in a fear-themed dungeon that was a deliberate homage to old school style play.I want the rust monster's attacks to be capable of destroying weapons and armor. Just not instantly and not with leftover residuum. Watching your weapon slowly rot away at each touch of the foul beast you are trying to dispatch and hoping you can kill it before it finishes its meal sounds more exciting to me. If you suceed, then the party crafter can help repair your item.
I want a medusa to be able to turn you to stone. Just not instantly. Feeling your joints start to stiffen, feeling your weapon arm getting heavy, the crackling of stone slowly tracing its way across your skin. That's exciting to me.
That dungeon also featured a medusa with a slowly petrifying gaze - slowed and 10 ongoing damage (save ends); first failed save: immobilized and 10 ongoing damage (save ends); second failed save: restrained and 10 ongoing damage (save ends); third failed save: stunned and 10 ongoing damage (save ends). If a creature under the petrification effect was reduced to 0 hit points, it became permanently petrified.