Kuo-Toa and Lightning Bolt

[wocky]

I'm having trouble understanding how the "Lightning Bolt" ability of the Kuo-Toa actually works. (Kuo-Toas are not OGL, so I can't quote it)

The simplest way to understand it is that two or more Kuo-Toas come whithin range of each other (so they join hands) and a Lightning Bolt shoots as a standard action. They can't use this ability again until 1d4 rounds.

Yet, I have trouble with the following:

- Do they all use a standard action? I'd say so, but that means that they all have to delay until they have the same initiative.

- The description states that they only need to be whithin 30 feet while the lightning bolt "builds"... that leads me to understand something completely different: they choose to shoot it (standard action? for all of them?), wait for 1d4 rounds while it "builds", then shoot it (standard action again? free?). What if one of the Whips falls during the "build-up"? Is the lightning bolt lost?

The Monster Manual doesn't make this any clearer, so I'd appreciate any insights... perhaps from someone that saw how Kuo-Toa behave in any PC games (which might be a bad interpretation of the rules anyway...)

 

[jgsugden]

Being that they are not OGL, I can't look them up on the SRD and I do not have my book with me, but without looking at it ...

There are a few times in D&D when creatures are supposed to act simultaneously, yet each creature technically has its own initiative. In those instances, it is just best to run them at the same time, especially if they share an initiative modifier.

If you'd rather do it a different way, just have the creature acting first ready to activate the ability and the second creature act to activate the ability. That should be good enough for horse shoes, hand grenades and D&D.

 

[wocky]

The initiative thing is actually the least of my concerns.

What bothers me is the line that says that the Kuo-Toa have to be within 30' of each other while the lightning bolt "builds". It somewhat imples that the 1d4 rounds of "rest time" the ability requires are actually spent building up the bolt... if so, can the Kuo-Toa take any actions meanwhile? Can they shoot in the first round of combat?

 

[Epametheus]

It's a lot like a breath weapon, really. So sure, they can do other things while the bolt is recharging.

The opening shot bit is interesting, though. A Whip that is expecting a combat situation (or that is just cautious/paranoid) might keep some fellow kou-toa around at all times, just to make sure that the bolt is ready and on standby.