MM2 Preview Starspawn

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The stars are living creatures on D&D?

Living might be saying too much...

So far, the fluff related to Star Pacts suggests stars have a kind of sentience. If not that, at least they do have a sinister influence. Whether all do is another matter (and maybe some are nice?). Not all stars are actually stars, it appears. Acamar apparently is a black hole (possibly only visible because of the heating gas that it eats? Or because it's fantasy. )

Twist might be if this is also true for the sun of the material world, and Pelor is keeping its "stable"?

 

[Drkfathr1]

I prefer to visualize the concept as some Stars aren't actually stars at all, but portals to the Far Realm, and the entities these "stars" are named for are the true entities that give star pact warlocks their power.

I also like the idea that some stars and star clusters might actually warp space/time enough to create portals into the Far Realm that those same entities take advantage of.

Thus those who draw their power from the "stars" are actually drawing power from those horrible alien things...

Foolish mortals, if only they knew.

 

[Zaukrie]

Wow, very cool monster and concept.

 

[Nymrohd]

I'm developing the opinion that 4e actually has the strongest default setting ever, because so much crunch is associated with the default setting... it might not have a name, but in every other respect...

Cheers!

So very true. Just look through the MP PPs, the PoL default fluff is all over the place. To be honest 4E remind me somewhat of Monte's Arcane Unearthed in this respect. The crunch and the fluff mix constantly.

As for the starspawn, I like it. I don't know if I'd ever want to see a star as a monster though primarily because I cannot see how any power a player can get in 4E could ever affect something as massive as a star. They would make great Far Realm like dungeons though.

 

[chaotix42]

I like this dude a lot! He has some really unique powers - slowly degrading ongoing damage is nice & startling for those PCs already used to the save mechanics. The xorn, adamantine dragon, and now this starspawn - it seems like the designers & developers are getting really creative with their system. Great work guys!

One of the best parts is my PCs are 14th lvl now, so I can use some of the monsters they've previewed so far!

 

[Klaus]

Cool and all, but saying "starspawn" without immediately adding "of Cthulhu" will take some time...

 

[Kobold Avenger]

It's about time that they detailed some of these things that the stars brought in. I'd be curious to see what the spawn of Caiphon and Thuban are.

 

[hong]

Isn't Starspawn a Decepticon?

Also, the 4E assumed setting may be very strong, but I like how it's also very modular. I'm not a big fan of Mythos stuff, so it's easy to just ignore all of that (and ban warlocks).

 

[Mallus]

I like 'em... I think I'll use them as the angels of the Sphere of Annihilation that's worshiped as a god in our setting.

 

[NexH]

I do not like the humanoid form of the Maw of Acamar; I was hoping for a more otherworldly shape, specially since they seem focused on destruction and not on interaction with mortals.

However, I like the concept of the star spawn, and I found the stats for the Maw of Acamar very evocative.