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Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition (A5E)
A Leveled Up Bestiary
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<blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8773187" data-attributes="member: 6915329"><p>Ed Greenwood strikes again! Here he’s producing a bunch of “Forgotten Realms only” monsters. You know, when I first got into D&D as a kid and was buying up every loose-leaf Monstrous Compendium Appendix they put out, it never once occurred to me that you were supposed to <em>only</em> use a setting’s monster in <em>that</em> setting. I always figured they could be used anywhere they felt right in.</p><p></p><p>The first monster is one of those “gotcha” creatures, designed specifically to mess with adventurers: the <strong>lock lurker</strong>. Clearly this is a monster created by mad wizard, even if the text doesn’t say, as they clearly couldn’t evolve and the only D&D god of locks I know of is in Greyhawk. And this is a Realms-only monster, so <em>that’s </em>out. But it’s a great assassin’s tool and is can be more interesting than merely using poison in the wine in your intrigue-based games.</p><p></p><p>The original article mentions how the lock lurker can use its sting 40+ times per day (which is reiterated in their 2e appearance in MCA#1), which once again makes me wonder how long Ed thought combats would last. Or maybe he had a player at his table who said, “<em>ackchully, a scorpion can only produce up to two milligrams of venom at a time, so there’s no way that a lock lurker could sting everyone in the entire party; it shouldn’t be able to paralyze me at all coz it already stung the thief and the fighter,</em>” and Ed had to say they could sting 40 times a day, and they stored that extra venom on the Ethereal Plane (no, seriously), or else throw a tarrasque at the player (not the PC; the player).</p><p></p><p>(Fun fact: scorpion venom costs $39 <em>million dollars </em>per gallon.)</p><p></p><p>As a warning, lock lurkers guys hit way above their CR—not in terms of damage but in terms of long-lasting effects. I actually wonder if they might work better as a trap done in Encounter Challenge style than as a monster.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]261602[/ATTACH]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px">Art by Tony DiTerlizzi, from Monstrous Compendium Annual #1</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong><span style="color: rgb(65, 168, 95)">Lock Lurker</span></strong></span></p><p>The Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine #138</p><p>Created by Ed Greenwood</p><p></p><p>Most of the time, a lock lurker resembles a small copper, brass, or gold coin, complete with “engravings” on them. These magical creatures actually have a dozen pairs of multi-jointed legs that end in clinging setae, a tiny mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth, and a very long, scorpion-like tail. But for most of the time, these body parts are kept in the Ethereal Plane, hidden from nearly everyone’s eyes.</p><p></p><p><strong><em>Assassin’s Tools.</em></strong> Lock lurkers are very sedentary creatures; they rarely need to eat and feel little need to explore, and only move to catch prey (large insects and small rodents, for the most part). But they are also easily riled up and will attack if disturbed. As a result, they are often used both by trap-makers and assassins. A lock lurker can be placed in a lock, in a desk drawer, next to an inkwell, or any other commonly accessed place, and the target will usually ignore it (or possibly be intrigued by it), since it’s nothing more than a coin. And when the target reaches too closely, the lock lurker strikes, bringing its tail back from the Ethereal in a lightning-fast burst of movement. While the lock lurker’s stinger is rarely enough to kill the target, the paralyzing venom it carries is usually more than enough to make them easy prey for someone else.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Legends and Lore</span></strong></p><p>With an Arcana or Nature check, the characters can learn the following:</p><p></p><p><strong>DC 10.</strong> Lock lurkers are strange creatures that look like coins. They are surprisingly intelligent and are often trained to be living traps.</p><p></p><p><strong>DC 15.</strong> Existing partially out-of-phase, lock lurkers usually keep their legs and long, barbed tail in the Ethereal Plane, only bringing them to the Material when they attack. Their venom causes long-term paralysis.</p><p></p><p><strong>DC 20.</strong> Although lock lurkers care nothing for treasure, they are often used to guard treasure, and thus will be frequently found near piles of gold and gems. They are in high demand by alchemists, as they can be used in the making of items that confer slowness and etherealness.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Lock Lurker Encounters</span></strong></p><p><strong><em>CR 0</em></strong> Lock lurker</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Signs</span></strong></p><p>1-2. A paralyzed victim.</p><p>3. With a DC 15 Investigation or Perception check, a lock lurker stuffed into a keyhole or other crevice.</p><p>4. An unusual coin. A creature with a passive Investigation of 15 or higher will realize that the markings on the coin are not proper engravings.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: rgb(65, 168, 95)"><span style="font-size: 26px">Lock Lurker</span></span></strong></p><p><strong>Tiny aberration</strong></p><p>Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)</p><p><strong>AC</strong> 15 (natural armor)</p><p><strong>HP</strong> 5 (1d4+3; bloodied 2)</p><p><strong>Speed</strong> 20 ft., climb 20 ft.</p><p></p><p><strong>STR</strong> 1 (-5) <strong>DEX</strong> 15 (+2) <strong>CON</strong> 16 (+3)</p><p><strong>INT</strong> 2 (-4) <strong>WIS</strong> 12 (+1) <strong>CHA</strong> 6 (-2)</p><p></p><p><strong>Proficiency</strong> +2</p><p><strong>Maneuver DC</strong> 12</p><p><strong>Skills</strong> Perception +3, Stealth +5</p><p><strong>Senses</strong> tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 13</p><p><strong>Languages</strong> —</p><p><strong><em>Ethereal Sight.</em></strong> The lock lurker can see into both the Material Plane and Ethereal Plane.</p><p><strong><em>False Appearance.</em></strong> When the lock lurker isn’t moving, it is indistinguishable from a normal coin.</p><p><strong><em>Lightning Speed.</em></strong> The lock lurker has advantage on initiative checks.</p><p><strong><em>Silent.</em></strong> The lock lurker makes no noise when it moves or attacks.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Actions</u></strong></p><p><strong><em>Sting. </em></strong><em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. <em>Hit: </em>1 piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage, and the target is poisoned and slowed until the end of its next turn. At that point, it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw against poison. On a success, it is poisoned and slowed for 1 minute, and may make a new save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. On a failure, it is poisoned for 1d6 hours, and paralyzed while it is poisoned.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Combat</span></strong></p><p>Lock lurkers strike, then scuttle away to safety.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Faolyn, post: 8773187, member: 6915329"] Ed Greenwood strikes again! Here he’s producing a bunch of “Forgotten Realms only” monsters. You know, when I first got into D&D as a kid and was buying up every loose-leaf Monstrous Compendium Appendix they put out, it never once occurred to me that you were supposed to [I]only[/I] use a setting’s monster in [I]that[/I] setting. I always figured they could be used anywhere they felt right in. The first monster is one of those “gotcha” creatures, designed specifically to mess with adventurers: the [B]lock lurker[/B]. Clearly this is a monster created by mad wizard, even if the text doesn’t say, as they clearly couldn’t evolve and the only D&D god of locks I know of is in Greyhawk. And this is a Realms-only monster, so [I]that’s [/I]out. But it’s a great assassin’s tool and is can be more interesting than merely using poison in the wine in your intrigue-based games. The original article mentions how the lock lurker can use its sting 40+ times per day (which is reiterated in their 2e appearance in MCA#1), which once again makes me wonder how long Ed thought combats would last. Or maybe he had a player at his table who said, “[I]ackchully, a scorpion can only produce up to two milligrams of venom at a time, so there’s no way that a lock lurker could sting everyone in the entire party; it shouldn’t be able to paralyze me at all coz it already stung the thief and the fighter,[/I]” and Ed had to say they could sting 40 times a day, and they stored that extra venom on the Ethereal Plane (no, seriously), or else throw a tarrasque at the player (not the PC; the player). (Fun fact: scorpion venom costs $39 [I]million dollars [/I]per gallon.) As a warning, lock lurkers guys hit way above their CR—not in terms of damage but in terms of long-lasting effects. I actually wonder if they might work better as a trap done in Encounter Challenge style than as a monster. [ATTACH type="full"]261602[/ATTACH] [SIZE=4]Art by Tony DiTerlizzi, from Monstrous Compendium Annual #1[/SIZE] [SIZE=6][B][COLOR=rgb(65, 168, 95)]Lock Lurker[/COLOR][/B][/SIZE] The Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine #138 Created by Ed Greenwood Most of the time, a lock lurker resembles a small copper, brass, or gold coin, complete with “engravings” on them. These magical creatures actually have a dozen pairs of multi-jointed legs that end in clinging setae, a tiny mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth, and a very long, scorpion-like tail. But for most of the time, these body parts are kept in the Ethereal Plane, hidden from nearly everyone’s eyes. [B][I]Assassin’s Tools.[/I][/B] Lock lurkers are very sedentary creatures; they rarely need to eat and feel little need to explore, and only move to catch prey (large insects and small rodents, for the most part). But they are also easily riled up and will attack if disturbed. As a result, they are often used both by trap-makers and assassins. A lock lurker can be placed in a lock, in a desk drawer, next to an inkwell, or any other commonly accessed place, and the target will usually ignore it (or possibly be intrigued by it), since it’s nothing more than a coin. And when the target reaches too closely, the lock lurker strikes, bringing its tail back from the Ethereal in a lightning-fast burst of movement. While the lock lurker’s stinger is rarely enough to kill the target, the paralyzing venom it carries is usually more than enough to make them easy prey for someone else. [B][SIZE=5]Legends and Lore[/SIZE][/B] With an Arcana or Nature check, the characters can learn the following: [B]DC 10.[/B] Lock lurkers are strange creatures that look like coins. They are surprisingly intelligent and are often trained to be living traps. [B]DC 15.[/B] Existing partially out-of-phase, lock lurkers usually keep their legs and long, barbed tail in the Ethereal Plane, only bringing them to the Material when they attack. Their venom causes long-term paralysis. [B]DC 20.[/B] Although lock lurkers care nothing for treasure, they are often used to guard treasure, and thus will be frequently found near piles of gold and gems. They are in high demand by alchemists, as they can be used in the making of items that confer slowness and etherealness. [B][SIZE=5]Lock Lurker Encounters[/SIZE] [I]CR 0[/I][/B] Lock lurker [B][SIZE=5]Signs[/SIZE][/B] 1-2. A paralyzed victim. 3. With a DC 15 Investigation or Perception check, a lock lurker stuffed into a keyhole or other crevice. 4. An unusual coin. A creature with a passive Investigation of 15 or higher will realize that the markings on the coin are not proper engravings. [B][COLOR=rgb(65, 168, 95)][SIZE=7]Lock Lurker[/SIZE][/COLOR] Tiny aberration[/B] Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) [B]AC[/B] 15 (natural armor) [B]HP[/B] 5 (1d4+3; bloodied 2) [B]Speed[/B] 20 ft., climb 20 ft. [B]STR[/B] 1 (-5) [B]DEX[/B] 15 (+2) [B]CON[/B] 16 (+3) [B]INT[/B] 2 (-4) [B]WIS[/B] 12 (+1) [B]CHA[/B] 6 (-2) [B]Proficiency[/B] +2 [B]Maneuver DC[/B] 12 [B]Skills[/B] Perception +3, Stealth +5 [B]Senses[/B] tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 13 [B]Languages[/B] — [B][I]Ethereal Sight.[/I][/B] The lock lurker can see into both the Material Plane and Ethereal Plane. [B][I]False Appearance.[/I][/B] When the lock lurker isn’t moving, it is indistinguishable from a normal coin. [B][I]Lightning Speed.[/I][/B] The lock lurker has advantage on initiative checks. [B][I]Silent.[/I][/B] The lock lurker makes no noise when it moves or attacks. [B][U]Actions[/U] [I]Sting. [/I][/B][I]Melee Weapon Attack:[/I] +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. [I]Hit: [/I]1 piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage, and the target is poisoned and slowed until the end of its next turn. At that point, it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw against poison. On a success, it is poisoned and slowed for 1 minute, and may make a new save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. On a failure, it is poisoned for 1d6 hours, and paralyzed while it is poisoned. [B][SIZE=5]Combat[/SIZE][/B] Lock lurkers strike, then scuttle away to safety. [/QUOTE]
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