Bestiary: Demonweb monsters up

[Rechan]

DDM Stat Card Downloads

Try this spot. The RPG stats for the deathcap are 3rd level.

Thanks for that. I wouldn't have known about that otherwise.

Though I find it really interesting that the cards are different than the monster writeups in the article. For instance, the Demonbound Drow is a controller (instead of a skirmisher). Powers are different, too, for some.

Also, holy broken monster, batman: Crazed Kuo-Toa, 5th level skirmisher with an attack that does 4d6+2 dmg, and recharges when it's missed by an attack?! Someone did some incorrect calculations there.

 

[Zaukrie]

Most of these RPG cards were written before the 4E rules were finalized, hence they are a little off in terms of power.

 

[spinmd]

The article was pretty cool. Two of the monsters have some pretty odd abilities though.

Explosive Scythejaw

Clockwork Timer (when first bloodied; encounter)
While bloodied, at the end of each creature’s turn the explosive scythejaw takes damage equal to its healing surge value. Once it hits zero, it explodes.

The tactics text says: To make this monster fun, the PCs need to know that they’re facing a countdown.

I don't see how they would figure out that there is a countdown, as mechanically the countdown would be:

PC1 bloodies scythejaw, countdown begins (gems glow brightly on scythejaw)
PC2 takes turn, scythejaw loses 1/4 of hps, one gem goes out
PC3 takes turn, scythejaw loses 1/4 of hps and blows up.

I just dont think there are enough "OMG, the scythejaw is counting down to something clues" to have the PCs figure out it is going to blow up. Maybe if it lost 10 hps a creatures turn instead of a healing surge.

Phaseweb Trap

After a hit, on a failed saving throw, the target is weakened as long as it is restrained. But then the target immediately gets teleported, takes damage, and is no longer restrained. So, the weakened condition never comes into play, unless I am missing something.

Good article, though.

 

[RodneyThompson]

I just dont think there are enough "OMG, the scythejaw is counting down to something clues" to have the PCs figure out it is going to blow up. Maybe if it lost 10 hps a creatures turn instead of a healing surge.

That's...odd. I was the developer on this month's Dragon, and I distinctly remember passing this along as having the scythejaw take damage at the end of each of its turns, not each creature's...but perhaps it got changed in editing, or something like that. You might consider trying to run it that way, as it allows a bit more time to pass.

 

[spinmd]

having the scythejaw take damage at the end of each of its turns, not each creature's.

Yeah, that would be better and I will try it that way, thanks for the quick response.

 

[Logan_Bonner]

Phaseweb Trap

After a hit, on a failed saving throw, the target is weakened as long as it is restrained. But then the target immediately gets teleported, takes damage, and is no longer restrained. So, the weakened condition never comes into play, unless I am missing something.

I don't have the original in front of me, so I'm guessing about the original intent. I think the idea was that you get teleported and take damage, get released from the web (no longer restrained), but are weakened (save ends).

 

[GAAAHHH]

I don't have the original in front of me, so I'm guessing about the original intent. I think the idea was that you get teleported and take damage, get released from the web (no longer restrained), but are weakened (save ends).

It would be cooler if the web teleported with you. That way you are restrained AND weakened.