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<blockquote data-quote="Derulbaskul" data-source="post: 5266371" data-attributes="member: 1581"><p>OK, maybe if I asked: what allies would this NPC be fighting alongside? That's actually why I asked about marking: I was thinking he might be playing a defender-like role for the group that he will be encountered with.</p><p></p><p>Check out Aegeri's re-crafting of the purple worm feel more like a purple worm:</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/5265708-post13.html" target="_blank">http://www.enworld.org/forum/5265708-post13.html</a></p><p></p><p>I realise that your NPC is a completely different monster to that but Aegeri's design shows how he takes what a purple worm <em>should</em> be like and then he creates the powers accordingly.</p><p></p><p>Similarly, my skirmisher version of Jared Silverhawk was an attempt to create something that felt like a nimble, mobile, slashing monster that bounced around the battlefield. </p><p></p><p>Going back to your greatsword-wielder, you have designed him as a PC to be able to get temporary hit points, right? That's not much fun for a DM when running a monster plus it can increase the sense of grind. If you change him to a brute, you get effectively get the extra hit points.</p><p></p><p>I think the damage vulnerability might be a good start, although vulnerable 5 all might be too high. Another option is to reduce AC instead by, say, two points (which I know is rather high). Perhaps all it <em>shieldbreaking blow</em> instead? And make sure you use the high damage expression.</p><p></p><p>Also, why not give him a minor attack 1/round that targets fortitude, does low damage and slows until the end of his next turn. Call it <em>dead leg</em>.</p><p></p><p>What about an immediate interrupt when flanked called <em>pommel smash</em> that does low damage but dazes the opponent.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, with these three powers you start to picture a strong combatant, perhaps more disciplined than a barbarian, but one who sets himself in the middle of a group of foes and then unleashes a storm of powerful blows.</p><p></p><p>And there's the idea for his next attack: what about a close burst 1 that duplicates his at will and is a recharge 5? Call it <em>shieldbreaking storm</em>.</p><p></p><p>I would give him one more encounter power with very high damage. Perhaps it requires combat advantage to make up for the fact that he already has a few choices. Call it overhead smash and have it do very high damage and possibly stun an opponent. If you were feeling nasty, maybe if it reduces an opponent to 0 hit points the opponent dies from being beheaded, but that is probably too strong for a low-level NPC (although I would certainly think about doing it!).</p><p></p><p>I'm not sure if that helps but I hope it does. Mesh Hong is the "go to" guy on this sort of stuff. He has a much better grasp of the rules and flavour than I do. If my suggestions don't work for you, definitely go and ask him as he is much, much better at this.</p><p></p><p>Edit: Here's a draft version for you to look at.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Derulbaskul, post: 5266371, member: 1581"] OK, maybe if I asked: what allies would this NPC be fighting alongside? That's actually why I asked about marking: I was thinking he might be playing a defender-like role for the group that he will be encountered with. Check out Aegeri's re-crafting of the purple worm feel more like a purple worm: [url]http://www.enworld.org/forum/5265708-post13.html[/url] I realise that your NPC is a completely different monster to that but Aegeri's design shows how he takes what a purple worm [I]should[/I] be like and then he creates the powers accordingly. Similarly, my skirmisher version of Jared Silverhawk was an attempt to create something that felt like a nimble, mobile, slashing monster that bounced around the battlefield. Going back to your greatsword-wielder, you have designed him as a PC to be able to get temporary hit points, right? That's not much fun for a DM when running a monster plus it can increase the sense of grind. If you change him to a brute, you get effectively get the extra hit points. I think the damage vulnerability might be a good start, although vulnerable 5 all might be too high. Another option is to reduce AC instead by, say, two points (which I know is rather high). Perhaps all it [I]shieldbreaking blow[/I] instead? And make sure you use the high damage expression. Also, why not give him a minor attack 1/round that targets fortitude, does low damage and slows until the end of his next turn. Call it [I]dead leg[/I]. What about an immediate interrupt when flanked called [I]pommel smash[/I] that does low damage but dazes the opponent. Anyway, with these three powers you start to picture a strong combatant, perhaps more disciplined than a barbarian, but one who sets himself in the middle of a group of foes and then unleashes a storm of powerful blows. And there's the idea for his next attack: what about a close burst 1 that duplicates his at will and is a recharge 5? Call it [I]shieldbreaking storm[/I]. I would give him one more encounter power with very high damage. Perhaps it requires combat advantage to make up for the fact that he already has a few choices. Call it overhead smash and have it do very high damage and possibly stun an opponent. If you were feeling nasty, maybe if it reduces an opponent to 0 hit points the opponent dies from being beheaded, but that is probably too strong for a low-level NPC (although I would certainly think about doing it!). I'm not sure if that helps but I hope it does. Mesh Hong is the "go to" guy on this sort of stuff. He has a much better grasp of the rules and flavour than I do. If my suggestions don't work for you, definitely go and ask him as he is much, much better at this. Edit: Here's a draft version for you to look at. [/QUOTE]
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