Frost Worms, Yeow!

[maggot]

If you kill a frost worm it explodes into a 100' radius of 20d6 damage, some of which is piercing and basically unavoidable. Doesn't that strike anyone as a bit excessive for a CR12 creature. Two frost worms are supposed to be a match for a 14th level party, but when the worms die they could take out a small city.

Maybe they should be changed to fire creatures and renamed tactical-nuke worms.

 

[Camarath]

If you kill a frost worm it explodes into a 100' radius of 20d6 damage, some of which is piercing and basically unavoidable.

DR could reduce the piercing damage and you get a save for half.

Doesn't that strike anyone as a bit excessive for a CR12 creature.

42 cold damage and 28 piercing on a failed save (21 and 14 and a succesful save) is a good bit but not outrageous for 12th level IMO.

Two frost worms are supposed to be a match for a 14th level party, but when the worms die they could take out a small city.

Even if they did not die there is not very much a bunch of first level commoners could do about them (or the party for that matter) anyway.

 

[maggot]

DR could reduce the piercing damage and you get a save for half.

I don't think DR reduces the effect of piercing damage from special abilities.

42 cold damage and 28 piercing on a failed save (21 and 14 and a succesful save) is a good bit but not outrageous for 12th level IMO.

Let's see 70 points of damage wouldn't be too outrageous if you were a fighter, but what if you got bit by the thing, or if it used its breath weapon (15d6) before it died. Frost worms are killer.

But what if you are a wizard, it is unlikely you even have 70 hit points. 20d6 is ludicrous damage at 12th level.

Even if they did not die there is not very much a bunch of first level commoners could do about them (or the party for that matter) anyway.

The thing only has an AC 18. The frost worm could breathe and kill a bunch of militia, then eat a villager each turn, but eventually the frost worm would die, and then explode and blow away the entire city.

 

[jgsugden]

Considering that most PCs won't know to get out of the way of the blast, it is a rather gross amount. If you decide to use one as a DM, make sure the PCs can either survive the blast or know that it might be coming ...

 

[Camarath]

I don't think DR reduces the effect of piercing damage from special abilities.

DR does not reduce that damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities but Death Throes is Extraordinary which IMO makes its piercing damage subject to DR. I could be wrong about that but I think that is how it works.

 

[Gort]

DR does not reduce that damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities but Death Throes is Extraordinary which IMO makes its piercing damage subject to DR. I could be wrong about that but I think that is how it works.

DR at 12th level is pretty irrelevant though, surely? DR 3/- isn't making a dent in 70 damage.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Frost Worms are those kind of creatures that if you know what your dealing with ahead of time might make for extremely easy prey. Caught unawares means death though. Especially if you kill the Worm !

Even with Mass Resist on everyone the Frost Worm will deal quite some damage before it gets killed and blasts the group. 12th lvl barbarians can take the damage only if they are fresh and undamaged.

A lone sorceror with fly and some fire spells would finish the Frost Worm easily.