Help with this creature...

[tennyson]

Hi Everyone,

I can't wait to use this creature in our next session, but I have some questions for you rules gurus:

1. 3 ticklers successfully strike a target. Does that target have make one will save at 12 (10+1 per additional ticker), or one save at 12 for EACH tickler?

2. Once a tickler makes a person laugh, do they continue laughing until the tickler is killed or removed? Or do they have attempt to "tickle" the target every round (with an attack roll and will save).

Thanks for your help!

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TICKLER
Fine Aberration
Hit Dice: 1/4d8 (1 hp)
Initiative: +8 (Dex)
Speed: Fly 40 ft (perfect)
AC: 26 (+8 size, +8 Dex)
Attacks: Tickle +4 melee touch
Damage: None (see text)
Face/Reach: 0 ft by 0 ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: Tickle
Special Qualities: Vulnerabilities, immunities
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +8, Will +0
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 26, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 6, Cha 2
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Flock (3-12)
Challenge Rating: 1/10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None

This bizarre creature appears as a tiny ball of gray flesh from which projects a pair of featherlike white wings. A tickler is about 2 inches long. It can be found anywhere except in the very hottest and coldest regions.

Combat
A tickler “attacks” by flying under a victim’s armor or clothing and tickling its opponent. It is theorized that these creatures feed off the laughter generated by their attacks. They will depart a dead or unconscious victim or any victim otherwise silenced (such as by a silence spell).

Tickle (Ex): A tickler attacks by slipping under an opponent’s armor and tickling its foe by making a melee touch attack. If successful, an opponent must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 +1 per additional tickler) or break into uncontrollable laughter until the tickler is removed. A creature that laughs for more than 6 rounds, must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1 per additional tickler) or take 1 point of damage per round thereafter.

Affected creatures can take no action while laughing and must remove their armor in order to kill the ticklers, though the ticklers can be attacked through normal clothing. (An affected creature must have his armor removed as he cannot remove it himself while laughing.) Stripping off clothing or armor causes the tickers to find a new opponent.

Creatures with at least +1 natural armor are immune to the effects of a tickler.

Immunities (Ex): Ticklers are immune to all mind-influencing spells and effects, and ignore all illusions.

Vulnerabilities (Ex): Water renders a tickler helpless and immobile for 1d4+1 rounds.

 

[Alzrius]

1. 3 ticklers successfully strike a target. Does that target have make one will save at 12 (10+1 per additional ticker), or one save at 13 for EACH tickler?

Being hit by multiple special attacks by multiple creatures means you'd have to make a separate saving throw for each attack. That's true here; the only change is that, in the case of multiple ticklers trying to tickle at once, the DC goes up. Note that because three ticklers are attacking, and each gains +1 from the other two, the character will have to make three saves at DC 12.

Make sure to note which ticklers succeed and which fail; the caveat of "laughing until the ticklers are killed or removed" only goes for the ticklers against whom the character's saving throw fails. Of course, ticklers that fail to tickle can try again next round, and would gain the bonus for the other ticklers there, as usual.

2. Once a tickler makes a person laugh, do they continue laughing until the tickler is killed or removed? Or do they have attempt to "tickle" the target every round (with an attack roll and will save).

The text here seems pretty clear, "an opponent must succeed at a Will save [...] or break into uncontrollable laughter until the tickler is removed". Once the saving throw fails, the character will continue laughing until the tickler that succeeded in tickling him is killed or removed. No further attacks by the tickler are necessary, nor does the victim get further saves (special abilities of some sort notwithstanding).

I must admit, this is quite an insidious monster, but what makes me fear is the greater version...the French Tickler!