Dungeon 160 - Den of the Destroyer

[Shroomy]

I didn't see a thread about last night's release of the new Scales of War adventure, "Den of the Destroyer" by Rodney Thompson. I didn't get a chance to read the adventure yet (my future in-laws and nephew were visiting this week and didn't leave until today), but paging through it, I noticed the tons of new content including:

-Several new skill challenges
-A new ritual (Seal Portal)
-Lots of new monsters (counting only Appendix 1 you get Abyssal Wretch, Disciple of Yeenoghu, Mindscrambler, Githzerai Psionic Echo, Stonewalker Spirit, Wicked Fang Scout, Wicked Fang Sentry, Wicked Fang Mauler, Wicked Fang Lasher, Wicked Fang Keeper, Wicked Fang Guard, Wicked Fang Recruit, and Wicked Fang Warmaster. FYI, the Wicked Fang creatures are types of gnolls).
-Two new figurines of wondrous power, the edgewood falcon and ironwood hound, and a new type of magical sword.

Dungeon Adventure: Den of the Destroyer

 

[Rechan]

I thought this one was pretty good. I mean, just looking at the various statblocks and stuff. The Mind Trap in the Gith fortress is interesting, albeit a little confusing. Especially how the best way to use the damn thing (if the PCs all stay in the same room...)

I noticed that several monsters used items (or at least, the powers implied that) from the Gladiator article. We had nets, bolas and whips.

One thing I don't understand is the Stonewalker spirit. It can petrify a PC, turning them into a statue that it can then possess. But the article doesn't mention what happens when a PC-statue is possessed, and then subsequently destroyed. Does the PC die? Does the PC fall out of the statue? What?

I really dug the monsters. There's also a new hyena in the adventure (they didn't put it in the appendix) that allows a rider, and they both get bonuses to their pack attack.

 

[greyscale1]

Im asking for a subscription for Christmas. Everything looks so damn good!

Semi-related. Do new subscribers get the back issues too?

 

[Shroomy]

Im asking for a subscription for Christmas. Everything looks so damn good!

Semi-related. Do new subscribers get the back issues too?

Nope, but depending on when you subscribe, you can still get the previous issue (sorry, can't remember the exact details). Also, all of the rules content is available on the Compendium by the end of the next month.

 

[RodneyThompson]

One thing I don't understand is the Stonewalker spirit. It can petrify a PC, turning them into a statue that it can then possess. But the article doesn't mention what happens when a PC-statue is possessed, and then subsequently destroyed. Does the PC die? Does the PC fall out of the statue? What?

I left it a little ambiguous on purpose. What happens when someone turned to stone by a Basilisk gets smashed up? I'd say that Remove Affliction would work just fine, and that reducing the statue form doesn't destroy the body.

I really dug the monsters. There's also a new hyena in the adventure (they didn't put it in the appendix) that allows a rider, and they both get bonuses to their pack attack.

Thanks! That hyena is the crocotta, and is actually from Robert Schwalb's Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Yeenoghu article, which I drew upon heavily for this adventure.

 

[Rechan]

I left it a little ambiguous on purpose. What happens when someone turned to stone by a Basilisk gets smashed up? I'd say that Remove Affliction would work just fine, and that reducing the statue form doesn't destroy the body.

True being MADE into the statue doesn't kill, but smashing it up, I'm pretty sure, does. But that's just how sadistic you want to be as a DM.

I personally want to congratulate you on the Stonewalker design. I really do like that it's bouncing around into the statues (which have limited HP for their level) and that shunting it from a statue does damage to it (so that it doesn't take forever). I think that a Stonewalker-designed lurker would make a very interesting solo boss, too (albeit a very long-fought one).

Thanks! That hyena is the crocotta, and is actually from Robert Schwalb's Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Yeenoghu article, which I drew upon heavily for this adventure.

The Slaughterfang hyena are the ones I was referring to.

 

[RodneyThompson]

The Slaughterfang hyena are the ones I was referring to.

Ah. Those I'd also love to lay claim to, but I didn't invent them either. Those are the creation of Ari Marmell. You should be seeing them in a different article soon...

 

[Eccles]

It's an interesting looking one (though yet another dungeon crawl in a series of dungeon crawls thus far), with a couple of properly interesting villains in it.

Though I spent about 20 minutes going through it and correcting all the page numbers in the PDF last night, which was annoying!

 

[Jack99]

Ah. Those I'd also love to lay claim to, but I didn't invent them either. Those are the creation of Ari Marmell. You should be seeing them in a different article soon...

- maybe we are getting more love for the gnolls and friends? That would be sweet! Maybe someone can shed some light on this?

 

[Rechan]

- maybe we are getting more love for the gnolls and friends? That would be sweet! Maybe someone can shed some light on this?

Monday's "Creature Incarnations" is gnoll-focused.