Help needed with "monster" design

[RichGreen]

Hi,

In my first 4e adventure, for first level PCs and based on an adventure hook in Pirate's Guide to Freeport, the PCs must deal with a statue possessed with a demonic spirit - more details here

The climactic encounter of the adventure takes place in a bloodstained room off a sewer tunnel. The idol is guarded by 2 zombie brutes, 3 zombie rotters and 2 wererats. The wererats have fallen under its influence; the zombies have been animated by the evil aura the statue resonates with. I want the PCs to be able to attack the idol to destroy it while fighting off its evil influence.

I didn't think I needed full monster stats as it's a bit of a one-trick pony, but came up with the following stats. The idol is 3' high and looks like a six-armed Indian demon with huge tusks and vicious claws.

Hidimba, Daeva Statue
Level 4 Controller, 175xp
Initiative +0, Perception +12
AC 20
HP 60 Bloodied 30
Immune disease, petrification, poison
Speed 0
Enslave (standard, recharge ) Charm
Ranged 5; +6 vs Will; the target is dominated (save ends). Hidimba can only enslave one creature at a time.
Alignment Chaotic Evil

Any suggestions? The Enslave power is based on a mind-flayer's. I think it should actually be +8 as Hidimba is 4th level but I was worried this might be too much for 1st-level PCs.

Thanks!


Richard

 

[RefinedBean]

I don't know the layout of the party who's going to be running this, but here's what I'm seeing right off the bat:

1. No matter how hard they try, it's unlikely (not impossible) they're going to destroy the statue in the first round. Which means...

2. The statue has a pretty good chance (a bit more than 50%) of overcoming any starting character's will defense, and could therefore dominate someone within the first round.

Do the players know to target nothing but the statue the first two turns? If so, then it probably won't be too bad (the domination will end once the statue's destroyed.) Otherwise...this could rapidly deteriorate into something nasty, which is maybe what you're going for!

 

[RichGreen]

Do the players know to target nothing but the statue the first two turns? If so, then it probably won't be too bad (the domination will end once the statue's destroyed.) Otherwise...this could rapidly deteriorate into something nasty, which is maybe what you're going for!

The statue will be giving off an aura of palpable evil so I'm hoping they'll take the hint. It's meant to be a tough, climactic encounter but maybe I need to have a weaker bunch of guardians? I don't want a TPK.

Cheers


Richard

 

[Shroomy]

It can't move, so if the PCs figure out the range of the enslave ability, all they need to do is stand 6 squares away and launch ranged and area of attack spells at it until its destroyed. I actually think you may want to beef up the statue in some way, or at least make it mobile.

 

[RichGreen]

It can't move, so if the PCs figure out the range of the enslave ability, all they need to do is stand 6 squares away and launch ranged and area of attack spells at it until its destroyed. I actually think you may want to beef up the statue in some way, or at least make it mobile.

I'd like to give whatever the 4e equivalent of DR or Hardness is really. I envisage it being quite hard to damage it . However the 6 square range does allow to get anyone in the room.

Cheers


Richard

 

[Shroomy]

I'd like to give whatever the 4e equivalent of DR or Hardness is really. I envisage it being quite hard to damage it . However the 6 square range does allow to get anyone in the room.

Cheers


Richard

Objects don't have hardness anymore, but you could give it resistance 5 or 10 (which is what you normally see in the heroic tier) to some types of damage including "weapon."

You could also increase its hit points by making the statue an elite opponent.

 

[keterys]

Or treat it like a trap, possibly even allowing a skill challenge to overcome it (similar to the one on WotC's site for KoS, but not nearly as crazy hard and retributive)

 

[Mort_Q]

Resist All X is the equivalent of Hardness or DR in 4e.

I agree with making it a trap (or at least looking at the traps for ideas).

Since the idol is immobile, give it an interrupt for negating ranged attacks, like shield that recharges on or some such... so you make getting into melee range more tempting.

 

[keterys]

Or place it such that you don't have LoS/LoE to it unless you're close enough. Not that hard.