Heroic Tier Petrification

[Darwin's Goat]

I want to make a petrification trap for an 8th/9th level party that works like a basilisk's petrifying gaze.

What should the power look like?

I'm imagining a +14(?) vs Fortitude attack that cascades from slowed to immobilized to petrified?

 

[FireLance]

The Plane Below has an 8th-level hazard Gorgon Mud which is similar (but not identical) to what you have proposed. You can also find it in the DDI Rules Compendium.

The key question I would ask is whether you are prepared to have the petrification become permanent with the second failed save. At 8th/9th level, the PCs should theoretically be able to use the Remove Affliction ritual (or obtain a scroll of it) to remove petrification, but whether they actually have access to it, or whether it would be practical for them to do so in the middle of the adventure, is something that you will have to judge for yourself.

If you do not want to make the petrification permanent with the second failed save, then the PCs should not encounter your petrification trap by itself. It ought to be combined with other traps or monsters who are able to take advantage of the characters' temporary petrification.

You might want to consider the following attack which could result in permanent petrification, but is slightly more forgiving of heroic-tier characters:

+11 vs. Fortitude (for an 8th-level trap); the target is slowed (save ends). First failed save: the target is immobilized instead of slowed (save ends). Second failed save: The target is stunned and takes ongoing 10 damage (save ends both). If the target is reduced to 0 hit points or less while he is stunned and takes ongoing damage from this attack, he is petrified (no save).

 

[Starfox]

A mechanism that I have used is a power where you get no automatic save to end it, but where granted saves still work. This kind of petrification is like a stun that only another player can break. It lets the party leaders (and anyone with First Aid) shine. If you do it like this, it doesn't need to have the staged effect on failed saves; your monster can petrify right away, but the players have a chance to break the effect.

It should still be quite a rare encounter power, and your player should get knowledge rolls to realize how it works (or just plain out tell them).

 

[Mesh Hong]

One mechanic I sometimes use is multiple saves ends, this gives ongoing effects a little more bite but allows for leaders to use their grant saving throw powers to greater effect.

For a petrification trap I might make it a little more complex because if you are going to go to the trouble of placing a trap you want to see it work at least once.

quick example:-

Level 9 trap - trigger: unknown

when triggered creature takes an attack +13 vs. Fortitude; on hit target is immobilised (2 saves ends); first failed save target is instead petrified (2 saves ends); aftereffect target is slowed until the end of their next turn

The above is a pretty serious trap (well depending on the area it covers and the type of trigger), but it won't permanently remove a PC from the encounter, or even longer.

I would probably also try to include a way of disarming the trap with a 2 or 3 step skill challange based on thievery, arcana or religion. But again this would depend on the area the trap covered and if it was a single trap or if their were multiples of it in the encounter.

 

[Benlo]

Possibly tossing in a curative potion to combat it wouldn't be a bad idea, if they put the effort into finding it. It'd be a good scare, but a failsafe in case they do fall to the trap, and your intention isn't to make them into lawn ornaments.

 

[Darwin's Goat]

Adding a 4th stage of saves is nice. I like the idea of only getting saves if someone else gives them to you, but I might save that for later. Also there is a curative in another room within the same encounter, though they won't realize it till things start going wrong.

 

[Starfox]

Adding a 4th stage of saves is nice. I like the idea of only getting saves if someone else gives them to you, but I might save that for later. Also there is a curative in another room within the same encounter, though they won't realize it till things start going wrong.

Of course, having had a team member petrified, they might decide to pull back and get him fixed up - only to return next session and be very annoyed the solution was in the next room. Unless they have a clue there is a solution further ahead, pulling back makes perfect sense - but extremely poor drama.

I'd avoid this setup, at least if you're not offering a clue about it beforehand.

 

[Badapple]

If a character gets permanently petrified and there is no immediate cure available, one option would be to let them still play - they are just severely hampered... Assume that they get petrified for short bursts of time, then they can slowly drudge along, or reverse the effects for a very short time through sheer heroic will, then they get hit by the effects harder than ever afterwards... All the while their body is slowly, inevitably calcifying. Can they find a cure in time?

Example:

Combat starts - "petrified" character begins slowed.
First failed save - immobilized
Second failed save - petrified
Each successful save restores them one spot better than before. If they make a save when slowed, they are fine. But at the end of every round they must save again, and if they fail they start to get worse all over again.

Next combat, regardless of where they were on this progression, they begin the combat slowed again.

Would be interesting, for a few encounters at least. Much better than the character having to sit out the game until the party goes back to town to buy a ritual or conveniently finds the cure potion in the next room.

 

[Darwin's Goat]

Of course, having had a team member petrified, they might decide to pull back and get him fixed up.

Thankfully(?), they've locked themselves into the place and are racing against the clock to catch the key before it leaves from the other side of the dungeon. Retreating is an option they gave up when they chased the guy into the place.

The encounter has the 5 members spread between 5 different rooms when things start off and they will each be facing off against a hinted at problem (fear, fire, necrotic, poison, and petrification) individually until they can regroup. Each of the rooms also has a font in it that cures/negates/grants a resistance to the effects of one of the other rooms, and each font is rife with hints that, after the fact, will clue them in to the contents.

 

[Darwin's Goat]

If a character gets permanently petrified and there is no immediate cure available, one option would be to let them still play - they are just severely hampered...

If one of them manages to get petrified for the encounter (and I'm planning on stacking the numbers heavily against that happening) my plan is to give them control of the monster the rest of the group is going to be fighting whilst dealing with all the traps.