Creature ability: Bladestorm Aura

[Urizen]

So, I'm working on some clock work creatures, and I'm really interested in the concept of auras and how to apply them to a construct as features built into the creature.

In the case of this monster, called the Clockwork behemoth, I've created something called a Bladestorm Aura. The idea is that, once activated, the behemoth has a "defense system" consisting of 8 blades which revolve around the automaton at very high speeds, sort of like a chain saw. Anyone caught in it takes damage.

This is what it looks like so far. Feedback is appreciated:

Bladestorm Aura (weapon) aura 5; The clock work behemoth has a defense system consisting of eight jagged blades which revolve around the creature at high speeds. Anyone caught in the bladestorm aura at the start of their turn takes 10 weapon damage.

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What do you think?

 

[chronoplasm]

That aura is waaay too big. Try toning it down to aura 2. Also, instead of dealing a flat 10 damage with no save, maybe it deals d8 damage?

 

[Urizen]

That aura is waaay too big. Try toning it down to aura 2. Also, instead of dealing a flat 10 damage with no save, maybe it deals d8 damage?

Oh crap. That wasn't supposed to be a 5. I don't know what I was thinking.

Sorry about that.

Hmm.. d8? I was simply using great sword weapon damage. I don't mind toning it down though.

thanks for the feedback.

 

[chronoplasm]

d10 would work depending on what level this thing is.

 

[Urizen]

Level 14.

I don't mind the d8 though.

 

[Alex319]

This reminds me a little of Rain of Steel...

 

[Urizen]

Yeah I can see some similarities.

I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing, though.

 

[Mesh Hong]

Level 14 creature with a 10 damage aura for creatures starting their turn inside aura (not the usual starting their turn inside or entering aura?). I don't see a problem with that, especially if its a solo.

What you could do to make it more interesting is, as this is a clockwork creature, with an appropriate skill check the PCs could spot a vital part of the creature that controls the whirling blade defence, if they can hit that then it will reduce or stop the auras power.

Perception DC: 25; Arcana DC: 25; Thievery DC: 28
success: You spot an important looking nodule in the middle of the creatures back nestled amongst armoured plates. Its going to be tricky but if you could hit that spot you might stop those spinning blades.

Any attack may target the "control node"; targeting the nodes gives a -5 penalty to the attack; the attacks deals damage as normal but adds; on hit the Clockwork Beasts BladeStorm Aura is supressed for 1d3 rounds. (actually maybe 1d2 rounds)

alternatively you could have it doing 10 damage, when hit on the "control node" it reduces the damage permanently as follows:-
standard aura: 10 damage (on entering or starting inside)
1st hit: 8 damage
2nd hit: 6 damage
3rd hit: 3 damage
4th hit: 0 damage (blades destoryed)

Personally I think that using d8 or d10 instead of flat damage is unnecessary and is slightly adding to unneeded dice rolling. At level 14 the occasional 10 damage aura is fine, as long as the aura isn't so big that PCs can't get away from it by double moving D)

 

[Urizen]

Those are some pretty sweet ideas!

Thanks for the feedback.

This is what the clockwork creature looks like so far, without your suggestions added in. I'm not sure about the Vulnerabilities. I wanted it to be vulnerable to all blunt weapon groups though.

Clockwork Behemoth Level 14 Artillery
Huge Natural Animate (Construct) XP 1000
Initiative +13 Senses Perception +24
Bladestorm Aura (weapon) aura 1; Anyone caught in the bladestorm aura at the start of his or her turn takes 10-weapon damage.
HP 107; Bloodied 53
AC 26; Fortitude 26, Reflex 27, Will 26;
Immune disease, poison, Resist 5 psychic, Vulnerable 5 Hammer or 5 Mace or 5 Flail
Speed 6

m Maul (standard; at-will) • Weapon
+21 vs. AC; 2d6 + 6 damage.

R Crossbow (standard; at will) • Weapon
Ranged 10/20; +21 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 damage.

R Doom Net (standard; recharge 456)
Ranged 20; +19 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 6 damage
Targets hit by the doom net are pulled 2 squares and Restrained until the end of the clock work behemoth’s next turn (save ends).

C Self Destruct (standard; encounter)
Close blast 2; +17 vs. Reflex; 2d10 + 6 damage
When the Clockwork behemoth reaches 0 HP, it explodes in a fiery blast of gears, blades and metal. Miss: Half Damage. The clockwork behemoth is destroyed.

Slip Cog
If a clockwork behemoth rolls a natural 1 2 or 3 on any d20 roll, the bladestorm aura drops and it is dazed until the end of its next turn.

Alignment Unaligned Languages -
Str 20 (+8) Dex 15 (+6) Wis 8 (+3)
Con 19 (+7) Int 4 (+1) Cha 1 (–1)

Clockwork Behemoth Tactics
The clockwork behemoth uses it's crossbows to attack ranged opponents. It uses doom net whenever possible, catching and dragging creatures into range of it's maul and the bladestorm aura.

 

[Mesh Hong]

Ok I didn't realise this was a standard monster you were designing. I would only bother with my last suggestion on an elite or more likely a boss. A standard creature with 107 HPs isn't going to last that long anyway.

As a standard artillery creature I would reduce its melee attack by 2 to +19 from +21. This is to reflect that it is a ranged specialist not a close quarters fighter. If it was an elite or a solo I would keep the attack value as it is.

I also don't see why it has a 'Maul' surely it should be attacking with a 'Blade'?

I also don't think it needs the clumsy vulnerability 5 Hammer/Mace/Flail.... actually the more I think about it the more I like its concept. It's got to count as one of those things thats going to be easy to forget in the heat of the moment though.

I really like Slip Cog, it balances out the other powers quite nicely, and your PCs will love it when it dazes itself....they go rushing in to finish it off...then it self destructs.

With on death explosions you are going to have be careful how many of these you throw at them at once. Also watch out for chain reactions if two near each other are badly damaged.

Good stuff.