For all the complaining I do about the magazines, at least this is a good article.
The fluff is really nice and the Wood Bride template - though it can also be a wood groom - is pretty solid. It gives some good ideas about the Bramble Queen and also has a stat block for her. This is definitely a solo made by the author of Tomb of Horrors, because I can see it is another solo with a standard action that lets it make 3-4 attacks. Unfortunately, for a level 27 solo she lacks an effective mechanism for dealing with stun and dominate (though her saves against charm are a whopping +10! This sadly relies on any of these conditions being save ends, which they won't be by this level). This is very simple to solve by making her minor action teleport with another plant creature power simply take no action - ideally this would be a triggered action when she has a condition on her at the start of her turn - and maybe change it to a 4+ recharge or so. This would give her good resistance to all conditions in fact and be very appropriate for a level 27 solo. Plus it enforcers her fluff of her "using" her allies for her own means. The transferring of all conditions to the new monsters means they aren't entirely wasted either, so would be a solid mechanic for an epic solo.
This means the battle becomes less about the PCs trying to alpha strike her down ASAP and instead having to engage her allies more. As it is, the PCs can trivially stun/dominate her then just whack her to death with the absurd damage they do by this point. I honestly think authors should not be afraid to make solos difficult to effect with powers at this level, even if the assumption is they will have allies of their own. Overall though it's a good solid article and very very pleasing to finally see something with some good fluff and crunch in Dungeon.
So tempted to resubscribe if the Bark at the Moon adventure proves to be good, but I am so afraid that next month will be a return to garbage dungeon tile delves and more heroic chaos scar side adventures I have three billion of already. So conflicted.
Edit: In fact it could be kept at 6+ and the recharge roll made automatic when stunned or dominated. This would have the exact same effect and enable her to get her turns only when her allies are around. Patient PCs that exploit how this works and take out the allies first are rewarded. This seems completely appropriate that with her allies up she's hard as a rock to do anything to, but once her allies fall she is exposed and immensely vulnerable. Most importantly it gives her 3-4 rounds to actually do something in the combat and make a tense finish!
Edit2: Can't believe I didn't catch this first up, but she's missing a power from her stat block called retreating vine (it's referenced just next to her movement modes in the stat block, but isn't anywhere in the power list).
The fluff is really nice and the Wood Bride template - though it can also be a wood groom - is pretty solid. It gives some good ideas about the Bramble Queen and also has a stat block for her. This is definitely a solo made by the author of Tomb of Horrors, because I can see it is another solo with a standard action that lets it make 3-4 attacks. Unfortunately, for a level 27 solo she lacks an effective mechanism for dealing with stun and dominate (though her saves against charm are a whopping +10! This sadly relies on any of these conditions being save ends, which they won't be by this level). This is very simple to solve by making her minor action teleport with another plant creature power simply take no action - ideally this would be a triggered action when she has a condition on her at the start of her turn - and maybe change it to a 4+ recharge or so. This would give her good resistance to all conditions in fact and be very appropriate for a level 27 solo. Plus it enforcers her fluff of her "using" her allies for her own means. The transferring of all conditions to the new monsters means they aren't entirely wasted either, so would be a solid mechanic for an epic solo.
This means the battle becomes less about the PCs trying to alpha strike her down ASAP and instead having to engage her allies more. As it is, the PCs can trivially stun/dominate her then just whack her to death with the absurd damage they do by this point. I honestly think authors should not be afraid to make solos difficult to effect with powers at this level, even if the assumption is they will have allies of their own. Overall though it's a good solid article and very very pleasing to finally see something with some good fluff and crunch in Dungeon.
So tempted to resubscribe if the Bark at the Moon adventure proves to be good, but I am so afraid that next month will be a return to garbage dungeon tile delves and more heroic chaos scar side adventures I have three billion of already. So conflicted.
Edit: In fact it could be kept at 6+ and the recharge roll made automatic when stunned or dominated. This would have the exact same effect and enable her to get her turns only when her allies are around. Patient PCs that exploit how this works and take out the allies first are rewarded. This seems completely appropriate that with her allies up she's hard as a rock to do anything to, but once her allies fall she is exposed and immensely vulnerable. Most importantly it gives her 3-4 rounds to actually do something in the combat and make a tense finish!
Edit2: Can't believe I didn't catch this first up, but she's missing a power from her stat block called retreating vine (it's referenced just next to her movement modes in the stat block, but isn't anywhere in the power list).
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