Counter-intuitive monsters

[Keeper of Secrets]

I know modrons have kind of a cult following but I always hated those things as they seemed kind of silly. I can't imagine throwing out something that looked as silly as they do inspiring anything that even resembled respect.

 

[Tonguez]

I know modrons have kind of a cult following but I always hated those things as they seemed kind of silly. I can't imagine throwing out something that looked as silly as they do inspiring anything that even resembled respect.

They always remind me of the Mr Men personally

as to OP what is the purpose of the Xorn?

 

[amethal]

nilbog

that one always made me chuckle.

I could never remember how to spell it.

It was one of the many puns, anagrams etc. that went straight over my head when I was a kid.

Although I will always think Tenser is a cool name for a wizard, whatever anyone says.

 

[Umbran]

If that human was supremely strong? Sure. While I detest the high-lvl-characters-as-superheroes analogy, I can't see Superman losing a grapple to an elephant.

This thread is for complaining about things that are counter-intuitive. I think a guy who can travel in time merely by flying against the spin of the Earth isn't much of a defense, here.

Your typical male elephant comes in at 6 tons or more. If I have my math right, that means a character has to have a Strength score around 40 before he could lift and stagger with the thing. Compare that to the elephant, for whom a medium-sized PC doesn't even qualify as a light load.

Yeah, I'm sorry, but the rule makes sense, given the base assumptions of the system.

 

[Fishbone]

as to OP what is the purpose of the Xorn?

The purpose of the Xorn is to work as mercenaries to mining races for food and trade with them, and in times of desperation conduct raids in which you get to make the PCs all angsty because they're killing starving True Neutrals.
They are a perfectly cromulent creature and their inclusion in the core Monster Manual embiggens us all.

 

[nute]

Your typical male elephant comes in at 6 tons or more. If I have my math right, that means a character has to have a Strength score around 40 before he could lift and stagger with the thing. Compare that to the elephant, for whom a medium-sized PC doesn't even qualify as a light load.

Yeah, I'm sorry, but the rule makes sense, given the base assumptions of the system.

Ah, but Grapple does not have to mean "lift". A character in a grapple is simply restricted from taking complex actions either due to physical restraint (the big guy has his arms around me in a bearhug/the kraken has me wrapped in a tentacle) or some form of immobilization (No, I can't concentrate enough to use my two-handed weapon, the halfling has me in an ankle lock). I'd say Grapple offers a lot of options based on flavor.

Regarding a human grappling an elephant - tie their trunk in a knot. Sure, you're suffering some MASSIVE penalties because they have at least 20 more STR than you, plus all the bonuses for size differential. But I wouldn't call it impossible.

 

[KrazyHades]

This thread is for complaining about things that are counter-intuitive. I think a guy who can travel in time merely by flying against the spin of the Earth isn't much of a defense, here.

Your typical male elephant comes in at 6 tons or more. If I have my math right, that means a character has to have a Strength score around 40 before he could lift and stagger with the thing. Compare that to the elephant, for whom a medium-sized PC doesn't even qualify as a light load.

Yeah, I'm sorry, but the rule makes sense, given the base assumptions of the system.

His point though, which I agree with, is that if you had a character supremely buffed up on strength, or perhaps with ALL his skill points in grappling for many levels, he might win. If he's super strong, he could have a slight chance, after all. And if he's extremely skilled at grappling, the character might know the best way to hold an opponent's limbs or whatever to prevent movement (like knowing lots of holds), giving him an advantage. It's FANTASY, and it's for FUN. If I can possibly rationalize it, and the player puts effort into being able to do something, I'm NOT going to say "Sorry, but that's not allowed." Even if they can't get it on a 20, I allow any attempt!

 

[Voadam]

I could never remember how to spell it.

It was one of the many puns, anagrams etc. that went straight over my head when I was a kid.

Although I will always think Tenser is a cool name for a wizard, whatever anyone says.

Same on both. As a Kid I never thought to read Nilbog backwards and I only recently learned Tenser was an anagram for Ernest (E in EGG).

 

[Victim]

It's especially not impossible since I've seen PCs with the STR needed to lift an elephant. Granted, they needed to be raging. Even if Grappling an elephant isn't particularly likely, it still seems at least possible. The size and STR mods for big creatures are generally going to prevent all but the most exceptional medium creatures from grappling anyway; I'm not sure there needs to be an specific ruling against off size grapples.

The purpose of Xorn is to eat treasure.

The barbed devil has fear to keep other characters away from the grapple. A grappling character is very vulnerable to other melee attacks - especially from rogues - so you don't want anyone close enough to interfere.

I never considered the Abyss to be mostly fiery, so Tanari having electrical immunity instead of fire didn't seem like a problem.

 

[el-remmen]

Most monsters stretch believability - but it is all about the context in which they are introduced. . . Hell, I used a flail snail with the fire template in my last campaign! It was one of several interdimensional twisted abberations that were coming through the torn veils between the planes.