Dungeon 197 - Creature Incarnations - Hordelings

[Spatula]

Would you ever use it in a game?

If I had one, definitely. What I love about this sort of thing is that I wasn't thinking that I'd end up with an aquatic beastie at all, but having done so, I love it and can imagine all sorts of uses for it. And it turned out to be a solid monster, IMO, as an ranged attacker that has a nice up-close defense measure.

I did fudge a bit on one of the rolls, deciding that by the time I got to the Legs table that it didn't have any.

 

[Shroomy]

If I had one, definitely. What I love about this sort of thing is that I wasn't thinking that I'd end up with an aquatic beastie at all, but having done so, I love it and can imagine all sorts of uses for it. And it turned out to be a solid monster, IMO, as an ranged attacker that has a nice up-close defense measure.

I did fudge a bit on one of the rolls, deciding that by the time I got to the Legs table that it didn't have any.

It's my hope that no one will ever roll up the same hordeling (I didn't do the math, but I'm pretty sure that's a ridiculously remote chance), but that all of them will be equally viable.

And that's one unique artillery monster!

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

It's my hope that no one will ever roll up the same hordeling (I didn't do the math, but I'm pretty sure that's a ridiculously remote chance), but that all of them will be equally viable.

And that's one unique artillery monster!

That kind of thing is great fun - it can keep players on their toes, instead of the whole, "oh, it's one of those."

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I don´t like that Artillery melee damage is so high. Call me stubborn, but IMHO Artillery monsters should be really disadvantaged if someone comes too close to them...

 

[Shroomy]

I don´t like that Artillery melee damage is so high. Call me stubborn, but IMHO Artillery monsters should be really disadvantaged if someone comes too close to them...

I went with average damage whenever possible since I couldn't predict variation, plus the artillery hordeling doesn't have any ways of evading or fighting off a melee attacker like most creatures with that role do. Its still disadvantaged by its low hit points, so it definitely doesn't want to stay in melee.

 

[Shroomy]

Being it a Friday before the holidays, work has been very slow today so I went ahead and created my own hordeling; I call it the Burrowing Horror Hordeling:

It prefers to live underground, particulary in swampy or marshy regions, and it can burrow through the earth faster than a human can walk. Although blind, the hordeling has acute senses because of its three huge, pointed ears and the three, trunk-like hanging snouts that hang from its lumpy, ovoid head. Despite its blindness, it possesses a pair of silvery eyes that sit atop small stalks; anyone who meets the hordeling's gaze is quickly mesmerized. Four short, thick arms sprout from its wide torso, which sits atop a serpentine lower body; elemental hoarfrost coats each of its claws and when it strikes with them, patches of ice appear under its enemy's feet, allowing the hordeling to slide its foe around. In addition, the hordeling has a pair of huge tusks jutting from its mouth; lightning arcs between them and when it gets angry, it gores its opponents, which delivers a painful electric shock. The hordeling has an overall rotting, tattered look and its skin is covered in tiny spikes, which grow into long spines on its back. Despite the hordeling's bestial appearance, it is quite insightful and intelligent and can actually communicate in both Abyssal and Common.