Heart of Craven Unique Trap (Help Plz)

[BlackLotus]

The Heart of Craven Level 10 Warder
Hazard XP 500
Any character that opens this box and looks upon the heart of Craven will begin transform into a humanoid rat creature; otherwise, known as a ratling. Once the character has been completely changed into a ratling, he or she will only follow the commands of Craven, the rat king.

Trap: Once the silver box is open, the heart of Craven will attack any creature standing adjacent to it. Any creature hit by the initial attack is stunned. Craven’s heart can attack any creature with the transformation wave on its initiative. When the creature has been hit 5 times by the transformation wave, it will have fully transformed into a ratling. Wererats and ratlings are immune from the attacks by the heart of Craven.

Perception
DC 15 Listen: You hear a heartbeat emanating from inside the box.
DC 24: The character recognizes the heart’s nature.
Initiative +8

Trigger 1
When a character opens the box, The Heart of Craven attacks all creatures standing adjacent to the box.

Attack 1
Immediate Triggered reaction
Stunning Pulse: Target all creatures that are standing adjacent to the heart.
Attack: +10 vs. Fortitude, all creatures hit by this attack are stunned. (Save Ends)

Trigger 2
The heart of Craven rolls initiative when one or more characters move or begin their turn within 2 squares of it.

Attack 2
Standard Action Close burst 2
Targets: Creatures in burst
Transformation Wave: Attack: +8 vs. Fortitude, all creatures hit by the transformation wave begin to transform into ratlings. (See Stages of Transformation)

Stages of Transformation

Stage 1: Character begins to take on the attributes of a rat. The eyes turn black and whiskers start to grow around the mouth and nose area.

Stage 2: Character is now immobilized. The character grows rat ears and a long pink tail.

Stage 3: Character falls to the ground prone. The character’s head becomes elongated as fur covers most of his or her body.

Stage 4: Character is stunned. Rat fur covers all of the character’s body, hands and feet now appear as claw-like appendages.

Stage 5: The character’s will is longer its own, once it has completely transformed into a ratling. The character now only obeys Craven the rat king’s commands.

I could really use some help in the creation of this rather unique trap for 4th edition. When the players trigger this trap they slowly transform into humanoid rat-like creatures, ratlings. Please let me know what you think about this trap so far and if any changes should be made to it.
Your help would be much appreciated...

Note- I haven't placed any of the countermeasures in it yet.

 

[the Jester]

I'd say that quite a lot of the balance comes in the countermeasures- how many actions it takes to stop the heart vs. the number of actions the pcs might be able to muster.

Worst case for the pcs: they're all hit by the initial attack and stunned for a couple of rounds, during which time they are all hit by the transformation wave a couple of times. So do they have a chance? Are they in the right place to use the countermeasures (they're immobilized now)? Do they have enough actions? (Not if they need to get 8 successes with something!) Etc.

I really like the idea. This trap is pretty cool for one that deals no damage; depending on how easy it is to counter, you might even consider it elite.

One thing, mechanically- shouldn't your attack bonuses be a touch higher? Right now they're set at level and level -2. That seems a little low.

 

[BlackLotus]

By the time the players reach this trap they should be about 4th level. As far as countermeasures are concerned, the players must convince Jenna (an NPC) to open up the box and look upon the heart of Craven. Furthermore, the Players must get Jenna upset enough to cry on the heart to destroy it, along with Craven the Immortal Wererat. This will take a some what lengthy skill challenge to accomplish the task at hand.

 

[the Jester]

In that case, I'd add a special thingie to the transformation, where- until they reach the final stage- each pc receives a saving throw each round to go back one stage. Otherwise, dumb luck might wipe them out before they have time to finish their skill challenge.

I totally like this idea- I'm going to have to steal at least the framework of it some time. I dig on effects that are dangerous and potentially character-ending but don't necessarily work through damage- I miss stuff like ability damage in 3e!

 

[BlackLotus]

Trap Update:

The Heart of Craven Level 10 Warder
Hazard XP 500
Any character that opens this box and looks upon the heart of Craven will begin transform into a humanoid rat creature; otherwise, known as a ratling. Once the character has been completely changed into a ratling, he or she will only follow the commands of Craven, the rat king.

Trap: Once the silver box is open, the heart of Craven will attack any creature standing adjacent to it. Any creature hit by the initial attack is stunned. Craven’s heart can attack any creature with the transformation wave on its initiative. When the creature has been hit 5 times by the transformation wave, it will have fully transformed into a ratling. Wererats and ratlings are immune from the attacks by the heart of Craven.

Perception
DC 15 Listen: You hear a heartbeat emanating from inside the box.
DC 24: The character recognizes the heart’s nature.
Initiative +8

Trigger 1
When a character opens the box, The Heart of Craven attacks all creatures standing adjacent to the box.

Attack 1
Immediate Triggered reaction
Stunning Pulse: Target all creatures that are standing adjacent to the heart.
Attack: +10 vs. Fortitude, all creatures hit by this attack are stunned. (Save Ends)

Trigger 2
The heart of Craven rolls initiative when one or more characters move or begin their turn within 2 squares of it.

Attack 2
Standard Action Close burst 2
Targets: Creatures in burst
Transformation Wave: Attack: +10 vs. Fortitude, all creatures hit by the transformation wave begin to transform into ratlings. (See Stages of Transformation)

Stages of Transformation

Stage 1: Character begins to take on the attributes of a rat. The eyes turn black and whiskers start to grow around the mouth and nose area.

Stage 2: Character is now immobilized. The character grows rat ears and a long pink tail.

Stage 3: Character falls to the ground prone. The character’s head becomes elongated as fur covers most of his or her body.

Stage 4: Character is stunned. Rat fur covers all of the character’s body, hands and feet now appear as claw-like appendages.

Stage 5: The character’s will is longer its own, once it has completely transformed into a ratling. The character now only obeys Craven the rat king’s commands.
(An Endurance check vs. DC 21 character will resist the effects of the transformation wave during the final stage of transformation; the character retains his or her sense of freewill. Furthermore, that individual will never progress to the final stage of transformation into a fully fledged ratling.)

Counter Measures:
1. The Party must convince Jenna to open the silver box to look upon Craven’s beating heart. When Jenna looks upon the heart of Craven she will begin her transformation into a humanoid rat-like creature. The Playing Characters must make Jenna cry upon the heart of Craven to destroy it along with the infernal wererat forever. This counter measure will require the PCs to successfully complete a skill challenge, before the heart can be destroyed along with the wererat, Craven.
2. Any character may pour the tears of a child on to the heart to destroy it along with the infernal wererat, Craven. The PCs are given a mysterious vial containing the tears of the child at the beginning of the adventure.
3. A character may use a magical weapon to attack the heart directly to destroy it along with the infernal wererat, Craven. However, an invisible barrier surrounds the heart protecting it completely from normal weapons and preventing some of the damage inflicted by magical weapons, spells, and effects.
Heart of Craven HP 18; Bloodied 9; AC 18;
Immunity: Non-magical weapons (Counts as an automatic miss)
Resist: Magical weapons, spells, and effects only deal half damage.

The trap has been updated, please let me know what you think about the changes that I have made to it.

 

[Keenberg]

Looks pretty good, Lotus! I was worried about the final stage of the transformation being too easy to succumb to, and thought it was very sudden and harsh, but the countermeasure you added seems to address this quite well. The Endurance DC there is moderately difficult for a party at level 4, but that is good: as long as the players are well informed of the danger of this item (as I am sure they will be) it will cause tension and be exciting.

My one question: Does anyone in the party automatically have the afflicting transformation removed after the heart is destroyed? If not, will they be able to shake it with a "Cure Disease" or "Remove Affliction" ritual?

 

[BlackLotus]

Looks pretty good, Lotus! I was worried about the final stage of the transformation being too easy to succumb to, and thought it was very sudden and harsh, but the countermeasure you added seems to address this quite well. The Endurance DC there is moderately difficult for a party at level 4, but that is good: as long as the players are well informed of the danger of this item (as I am sure they will be) it will cause tension and be exciting.

My one question: Does anyone in the party automatically have the afflicting transformation removed after the heart is destroyed? If not, will they be able to shake it with a "Cure Disease" or "Remove Affliction" ritual?

Yes, The transformation needs at least 24 hours before it becomes permanent. It will written in the subtext that still needs to be written.

 

[BlackLotus]

Destroying the Heart of Craven:
Once the heart has been finally destroyed, Craven will begin to gag, his claw-like hands grasps at his throat as the infernal wererat starts to choke. Suddenly Craven coughs up water as if the rat were drowning in a sea of water. The wererat continues to cough up water until the creature falls to its knees, now all the adventurers may attack Craven freely until he is finally killed. Craven is able to move; however, he cannot respond to the party’s constant assault with an attack of his own, while the wererat drowns in the tears of all the children that he had brought to ruin.

After the Heart of Craven has been destroyed anyone who has been turned into a ratling within the first 24 hours will slowly revert back to their natural state. All the other children that were transformed prior to the 24 window will require the divine intervention of the True God, before they can revert back to normal.

Here is the following text that I wrote, which is the final resolve for the trap.

 

[the Jester]

I think you should post the "make Jenna cry" skill challenge, as it's integral to the trap.

Given its low hit points mixed with its defenses, I think the "destroy the heart" option is about right in difficulty.

 

[BlackLotus]

I think you should post the "make Jenna cry" skill challenge, as it's integral to the trap.

Given its low hit points mixed with its defenses, I think the "destroy the heart" option is about right in difficulty.

Making Jennessa cry upon the Heart of Craven:
The PCs must convince Jennessa (Jenna) to open the silver box containing Craven’s beating heart and intimidate the young girl to make her cry. To accomplish this task the adventurers take on a simple skill challenge. The first part of the challenge the PCs are encouraged to use diplomacy and attempt to convince the young girl to open the silver box. Anytime a PC mentions the death of her brother, Alec, during this challenge they be given a +2 power bonus to their diplomacy skill roll.
In the second part of the challenge the adventurer must force Jenna to cry. To accomplish this task the PCs must intimidate the young girl to make her cry. The PCs may use several methods to force Jenna to cry, they may threaten her with a spanking, they may tell Jenna that her parents wished that she had never been born or they might just be downright mean and nasty towards Jenna. If any of the party members threatens Jenna with physical harm, (other than a spanking), it will count as an automatic failure towards the party in this skill challenge. If any of the PCs describes how her brother, Alec, had been killed by the ratling, then that PC will be given a +2 power bonus to their intimidate skill roll. Anytime a failure occurs within this challenge Jenna will advance one stage in transforming into a humanoid rat-like creature. When Jenna reaches the 5th stage of transformation, she will become a fully fledged ratling, that is willing to obey whatever, Craven, commands her to do.

Diplomacy Check Challenge DC 20: (2 failures allowed)
Success: You convince Jenna to open the silver box and look upon the Craven’s immortal heart. Jenna begins to transform into a ratling. (Stage 1 of transformation)

Failure: Jenna says,” I’m scared to open the box, I don’t wanna be a rat person!”

Intimidate Check Challenge DC 22: (4 failures allowed)
Success: Jenna wails in sadness as a torrent of tears roll from her eyes. You smell the scent of burning flesh as the divine innocent child’s tears falls upon Craven’s dying heart. You hear someone gagging and choking close by, then you wonder if this is the sound of the wererat’s death cry, before the beast is finally slain by your own hand.

Failure: Jenna’s body spasms as she becomes more rat-like and less human. (Jenna advances to the next stage of transformation.)

I was already planning to add that in already. But I really like the story telling aspect of D&D and I really need to inform the players of what happens to Craven, once his heart has been destroyed. Anyhow, this is all the writing that I plan to do this week and next week I'll be writing the rest of the rooms, before I submit my work to the editor for corrections. This will be easy compared to the stuff I wrote this week.