Excerpt: Archons (merged)

[Stalker0]

However... can you actually take a double move while Slowed? I had assumed that you couldn't, but on second thought I don't see why not. Still, I don't think you'd ever get away from these guys that way.

Yeah, double move is just fine, the question is can you run (making it 4 square move?). I don't think so, because the slow condition drops your speed to 2 regardless of how fast you were before, so I don't think running would help.

I'm starting to respect the ice aura. With one ice archon it doesn't seem to do much, but after all this is 4e, got to get used to groups of monsters. With a couple of these guys around, that aura starts to spread, and suddenly becomes a lot stronger.

 

[Stalker0]

I cannot help but notice that the ice archons do not appear to be vulnerable to fire. Not even vulnerable 1. I do not think that I like that.

I could go either way. If someone said they are vulnerable to fire because their cold elemental energy is highly affected by its elemental opposite, then I would buy that.

If someone told me they aren't vulnerable because they are chunks of super cold, and wouldn't be affected anymore than my nice and easily burnable skin, I would buy that.

Heck, if they said they were resistant to fire because they are chunks of super cold, and wouldn't be affected nearly as much as my nice and easily burnable skin, I would buy that.

 

[Drammattex]

So are we still getting an undead preview or what?

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

I'm most interested to see how archons and demons differ, since both seem to be creations of the elemental chaos.

 

[Voss]

This preview seems to be at odds with the Fire Archon preview.

The Fire Archon preview had a quite long paragraph about their society, about their military structure, the importance of the number 5 and that they keep slaves to preform work.

That doesn't sound like "they have no culture or society of their own"

Yeah, that was weird and annoying. The idea of intelligent creatures with no culture or society is pretty... wacky... to begin with, especially since they've been independent beings since roughly the dawn of time (back when the gods and primordials fought, and the primies lost).

Its even more strange when they note in the article itself that they are intentionally more intelligent than elementals so that there can be social confrontations! If they're supposed to be more than 'Yar, me Ice guardian, you intruder, me kill', than a complete lack of society and culture doesn't make any sense.

 

[Voss]

I'm most interested to see how archons and demons differ, since both seem to be creations of the elemental chaos.

I want to see what the point of angels, archons, elementals and demons are, since they're all (apparently) essentially the same thing: servitor-class elemental beings.

 

[Storminator]

The Maul is a basic attack. It has the circle round its sword icon, which means it is the creature's basic attack.

What makes this tactic more terrifying is the fact that you spend your entire turn (barring minor actions and action points) getting out from between them, take 2 OAs in the process, then on their turn, they move back up to flank you and get attacks. You're dying very quickly unless you have a good deal of help (or a teleport. Presumably they aren't effected by difficult terrain and slowing, or are they?)

I think you should stop running and kill one of 'em.

Tide of Iron looks like it'll still be great, even at higher levels.

PS

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

I want to see what the point of angels, archons, elementals and demons are, since they're all (apparently) essentially the same thing: servitor-class elemental beings.

I have to admit given what we know they all seem a little redundant. I'm not a huge fan of "opposite sides of the coin" monsters. That was my problem with devils and demons before. Now archons/angels may have that same problem. Possibly elementals as well.

 

[Wolv0rine]

This is all just too much for me. Angels AND Archons are now nothing more than glorified elementals. Someone was on too much valium to be imaginative about arch-typical creatures one day at work or something, I don't know. They're friggin' celestial beings, not uber-elementals, dammit. This is just... just... I'm too fresh from sleep to come up with any word but... stupid. This approach to the might celestial beings of glory is stupid. Would have worked really nicely for advanced elementals, though.

 

[Rechan]

I don't think Angels have anything to do with the elements. They might have an energy attack, but that could be the equivalent of having a flaming sword - a flametongue does not make you an elemental.