Seastars with high AC - 5e idea?

[Casimir Liber]

Wow I hadn't noticed about the odd/even split in stats...option B...

 

[Cleon]

Wow I hadn't noticed about the odd/even split in stats...option B...

Well it's not all of them that have three each, some are 4/2 or higher in the odds & evens.

Updating the Basket Star with STR 22.

Included a +6 Constitution saving throw since presumably we're keeping the proficiency of the Giant Brittle Star.

So let's see, I'm inclined to drop the Stealth and remove Skills entirely. They're hardly equipped for hiding.

I'm thinking we'd better bump them up to Challenge 3 or 4. CR 2 is definitely too low for the AC/HP combination unless we has an incredibly weak damage output.

 

[Cleon]

So let's see, I'm inclined to drop the Stealth and remove Skills entirely. They're hardly equipped for hiding.

If you want them to surprise victims more easily, I'd suggest rather they disguise themselves as a mass of vegetation or a "seaweed tree" and clutch at meals that wander within Reach.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Ok - using the CR calculater and current stats, they come out at CR 3 with average damage/rd of 12, and CR 4 with average damage/rd of 24.

actually, adding STR bonus and an extra d4 gives 11 (3d4 + 6) bludgeoning damage - total 33/rd, or CR 5

 

[Cleon]

Ok - using the CR calculater and current stats, they come out at CR 3 with average damage/rd of 12, and CR 4 with average damage/rd of 24.

That's easily achievable. Do you prefer Challenge 3 or 4 for them?

I was thinking that their arms wouldn't do any damage but just grapple creatures and drag them to its mouth to be bitten. If it only has one attack that does damage it's a lot easier to moderate the output.

Also, I'd prefer even average output for both types of damage: so a 12 point attack would do 6 slashing and 6 bludgeoning.

For example, if its bite did 10 (1d8+6) slashing plus 10 (3d6) bludgeoning that's an average of 21 damage which I reckon makes it CR 4.

No, scrub that. Let's apply the STR modifier to both halves so it could do, let's say 1d6+6 plus 1d6+6 for 25 average damage, or possibly 18 (2d4+4 plus 2d4+4) or 20 (2d4+5 plus 2d4+5) with STR reduced to 18 or 20.

If you prefer CR 3, I'd be inclined to drop the Strength back down to the original STR 18 (+4) and have the bite do 1d6+4 slashing plus 1d6+4 bludgeoning for an average of 15, which ought still be within Challenge 3's bailiwick.

 

[Cleon]

actually, adding STR bonus and an extra d4 gives 11 (3d4 + 6) bludgeoning damage - total 33/rd, or CR 5

That seems rather weak for the bite of a Gargantuan STR 22 creature.

I'm starting to wonder whether we should have kept them at Huge.

We could make them Huge with Hit Points 126 (12d12+48). That's as many as a Mammoth plus they have a better AC and a Save proficiency.

I'd keep the stats the same, a Strength score between 18 to 22 is still relatively modest for a Huge creature.

 

[Cleon]

Before we continue much further, remember basket stars have arms that fork into hundreds of branches which can each grasp multiple scraps of food

I don't think a giant version should have a Disposable Arms trait. I'd say grappled victims can cut or muscle their way out by breaking free of the few branches holding them but if they linger within the Gorgonocephalid's Reach it can just grab them again with the scores of branches it has left.

I'd also favor there being no limit to how many creatures it can grapple simultaneously. It can hold onto as many creatures as can fit within its arm radius.

Another idea I had is to give it two arm actions: an attack against an individual creature (which it can use up to, say, five times with Multiattack) or a "Net of Arms" when it tries to grab everything within the radius of its arms that feels edible (which target creatures can avoid with a Reflex saves). The latter would effectively be an Area of Effect attack, so rogues and the like may get Advantage to wriggle through it.

 

[Casimir Liber]

I like them as gargantuan, as this makes them more different to the brittle stars. Agree about ditching the disposable arms and divding the damage - I like it with more hit points and more damage to a higher corresponding CR (in this case 5). "net of arms" AoE action sounds really good given the structure of their arms.

 

[Cleon]

I like them as gargantuan, as this makes them more different to the brittle stars. Agree about ditching the disposable arms and divding the damage - I like it with more hit points and more damage to a higher corresponding CR (in this case 5). "net of arms" AoE action sounds really good given the structure of their arms.

As you like. I'll update my Basket Star with that target CR and a pencilled-in Net of Arms.

If it's Challenge 5 and we only give it one damaging attack, we'll need the bite to do something like 30 odd damage right? So, say 15 (2d8+6) slashing plus 15 (2d8+6) bludgeoning.

…yes, that comes out to CR 5 according to the 5e.tools calculator:

Challenge Rating: 5
Offensive CR: 6
Defensive CR: 4
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Effective HP: 145 (10d20+40)
Effective AC: 13
Average Damage Per Round: 30
Effective Attack Bonus: +9
Experience Points: 1,800​

What did you think of the following?

So let's see, I'm inclined to drop the Stealth and remove Skills entirely. They're hardly equipped for hiding.

and

If you want them to surprise victims more easily, I'd suggest rather they disguise themselves as a mass of vegetation or a "seaweed tree" and clutch at meals that wander within Reach.

Am I right in presuming its Condition Immunities, Senses and Languages will be the same as the Giant Brittle Star (Ophiuroid) not those in your current Basket Star draft, since those stats match an early version of the Brittlestar that has since received multiple amendments.

 

[Casimir Liber]

all of the above.