MM4's Bluespawn Godslayer

[Kunimatyu]

Alright, now I've got a bone to pick with MM4, vis-a-vis the Bluespawn Godslayer, aka "Blue Barney."

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060704a&page=4

Here are the problems.

One, the art. We've got a hulking creature wielding a shield with horns longer than any metallic dragon ever had and using a double-bladed sword in one hand. If this thing actually tried to fight, it would stick itself in the back with the "shield's" horns and probably gash itself really badly with that doublebladed sword(a sword, I might add, that's a bastard sword in the description, not the impossibly huge doublecleaver in the pic)

EDIT: Oh, and the creature uses a bastard sword, but doesn't have Exotic Weapon Prof for it. Weapon Focus yes, but no exotic.

Two, the mechanics. They're...really bland, and not that appropriate versus PCs. The thing gets +2d6 damage versus outsiders and +2d6 damage versus dragons, traits not precisely common among PCs. In addition, the flavor indicates that they were created by Tiamat to kill aspects of deities and good dragons -- generally, these aren't PCs either. So, basically, we have a Huge creature with an electricity sword that hurts outsiders and dragons a lot. Great.

Three, this got made into a miniature. Of all the dragonspawn(some of the other bluespawn rock!) and all the Huge monster choices, this was the one chosen, a bland dragontank with ridiculous weapons. The other 11 huge choices are great, but this one's a stinker.

I may still consider buying MM4, and I like the War of the Dragon Queen set, and I like WotC cross-marketing, but this guy was a lousy blight on otherwise awesome stuff.

Whew. All done. Thoughts?

 

[Alzrius]

Two, the mechanics. They're...really bland, and not that appropriate versus PCs. The thing gets +2d6 damage versus outsiders and +2d6 damage versus dragons, traits not precisely common among PCs. In addition, the flavor indicates that they were created by Tiamat to kill aspects of deities and good dragons -- generally, these aren't PCs either. So, basically, we have a Huge creature with an electricity sword that hurts outsiders and dragons a lot. Great.

Not every monster should be geared towards fighting good-aligned humanoids. If that were the monster-making credo at WotC, we'd never see any celestials made.

 

[Cith]

I like the creature. As Alzrius said, not every creature should be geared as foils to a typical PC. This one has an interesting backstory, fills a niche I could definitely exploit. My players have aligned themselves with good celestials AND dragons, and something that is a menace to such creatures very definitely could be used for sinister GM plots.

 

[Kunimatyu]

There's also the slight issue that the godslayer is not in fact scary enough to pose a threat to your average celestial or metallic dragon. Especially not when they can fly and the 'slayer can't. Minor I know, but perhaps significant.

 

[MerricB]

Two, the mechanics. They're...really bland, and not that appropriate versus PCs. The thing gets +2d6 damage versus outsiders and +2d6 damage versus dragons, traits not precisely common among PCs. In addition, the flavor indicates that they were created by Tiamat to kill aspects of deities and good dragons -- generally, these aren't PCs either. So, basically, we have a Huge creature with an electricity sword that hurts outsiders and dragons a lot. Great.

Actually, there are quite a few outsider-type and dragon-type PC races these days (tiefling, aasimar, dragonborn, etc.)

Cheers!

 

[jgbrowning]

Why on earth did they call it Godslayer? It doesn't slay gods. That's a cardinal rule when naming monsters: use words that fit.

They should have just thought of something else that was cool and appropriate.

joe b.

 

[Kunimatyu]

Why on earth did they call it Godslayer? It doesn't slay gods. That's a cardinal rule when naming monsters: use words that fit.

They should have just thought of something else that was cool and appropriate.

joe b.

How about Bluespawn Owthatshieldhurts?

 

[Kunimatyu]

Actually, there are quite a few outsider-type and dragon-type PC races these days (tiefling, aasimar, dragonborn, etc.)

Cheers!

Sure, they exist, dragonwrought kobolds too, but I'd be hard-pressed to call them common, even so.

 

[Dark Psion]

I don't understand the reasoning behind these Dragonspawn, I would be more afraid of a real Dragon then a want-a-be dragon with a sword. It isn't a dragon is it, its creature type is monsterous humanoid (dragonblood).

Also, as I am reading the example above, I am wondering why this creatures gets not special abilities, then I notice that they are all burried in the stats.

Is this the way all of the Monster entries are in this book? All of the special abilities burried in the text where it is hard to see them?

It say "Bluespawn godslayers possess little skill with ranged weapons, and their melee attacks explode with electricity, ", but nowhere does it say to add +XdX Electrical damage to all melee attacks, except under melee attacks and then only in parenthesis.

That is very easy to miss.

 

[MerricB]

Sure, they exist, dragonwrought kobolds too, but I'd be hard-pressed to call them common, even so.

Does every race need to be common? Seriously, it's a fair monster to begin with, and it is especially appropriate in a draconic-themed campaign.

Cheers!