Monster Design--from a designer's standpoint

[Lizard]

I think I remember seeing an "insta-kill" power on some 4e monster, which was basically just reduces hp to zero. Which, given healing surges and whatnot, isn't as big a deal as it might be otherwise.

ah here it is, and its an encounter power:

Bodak Reaver
Medium shadow humanoid (undead)
Level 18 Soldier XP 2,000
Greataxe (standard; at-will) * Necrotic, Weapon
+23 vs. AC; 1d12 + 6 damage (crit 2d12 + 18) plus 1d8 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed and weakened (save ends both).
Death Gaze (standard; encounter) * Necrotic
Range 10; targets a living creature; +20 vs. Fortitude; If the target is weakened, it is reduced to 0 hit points; otherwise, the target takes 1d6 + 6 necrotic damage and loses 1 healing surge.

It's worth keeping in mind that as a standard monster, a typical encounter will have five of these babies; that can suck down healing surges pretty fast. Placed at the beginning of an encounter chain, it can make the subsequent encounters much nastier.

 

[AZRogue]

Why would a gaze be an encounter ability? How does that make any sense? And isn't a 1 in 8 chance of death (assuming the attack "hits" in the first place) really trivial? A party of 4 1st level characters would each know that they face less than a 3% chance of dying due to gaze.

(And yes I do realize this is just a quick self made example, not a WotC or Necromancer thing)

I agree that a Gaze is a bit difficult to think of as an Encounter ability, but since it is powerful (if it's like the Bodak gaze ability, which is also per Encounter) then it should be an Encounter power. The balance of power comes first, from now on, I think. The explanation is left to us, which is really how a lot of things were for other un-simulation rules in the older editions. As the designers have said, the game is leaning further away from simulation. Not completely away, but about as far a bend towards gamist elements as 3E was bent towards simulationist elements.

 

[Saishu_Heiki]

This is where I think the real ability of the PC classes to intermesh will shine.

The bodak weakens a PC and sets up Death Gaze. The PC can't make a save until the end of his next turn. The party does not want to see him die, so the cleric uses his ability to grant an immediate save, or the rogue uses his ability to move the creature and isolate it, or any number of other abilities that let the tactics overcome a bad situation.

The PCs no longer operate in a vacuum, powerwise. I am thrilled about this, personally.

 

[Campbell]

It's worth keeping in mind that as a standard monster, a typical encounter will have five of these babies; that can suck down healing surges pretty fast. Placed at the beginning of an encounter chain, it can make the subsequent encounters much nastier.

Bodaks have a lot of tactical potential

• Their death gaze ability is only dependent on a creature being weakened. A bodak can easily work in concert with his fellows (or other creatures who weaken enemies) to deliver a one two punch.
• Any bodak who takes radiant damage can not weaken a foe. This could possibly lead to interesting decisions on a party's part as clerics and paladins might be forced to step out of their comfort zones in order to stop a bodak from weakening their allies.

 

[AZRogue]

Oh, I wanted to add, Clark, consider your book purchased. That much enthusiasm deserves compensation. If it colors your work at all, that book will be full of win.

 

[Jack99]

Dang I love 4E monsters! You should see what I am doing with the old school catoblepas.

That monster has a special place in my heart. First time I met one, my DM (now one of my players) described it this way.

As the trees part and make way for a small clearing, you see what appears to be a very reasonable horse with a long neck.....

Ever since, a catoblepas has always been called a very reasonable horse in our gaming group.

Ah the memories...

 

[Orcus]

R Deadly Gaze
Encounter * Gaze
Standard Action Ranged 5
Target: 1 Creature
Attack: [Critter Attack Bonus] vs. Will
Hit: Target is weakened (save ends). First failed save: Target loses 1 healing surge. Second failed save: Target is slowed (save ends). Third failed save: Target is reduced to 0 hit points.

That is nice. But I added a little twist. I gave it recharge 5, 6. AND --here is why I love 4E-- I invented a new mechanic: the power starts UNCHARGED, in other words, he has to successfully recharge to use it. Why? The description of the catoblepas has always included that he has a long neck and has a hard time bringing his head up. Now, there is no real 3E way mechanically to reflect that, other than the non-3E-ish 25% chance mechanic from the original description. So I am using this recharge mechanic to simulate that. (I'm kinda proud of myself for that one).

So, try something like this on for size:

R Deadly Gaze (standard; recharge 5, 6) * Gaze
Range 10; power begins not charged and must be successfully recharged before it can be used.
Target: 1 Creature
Attack: [Critter Attack Bonus] vs. Will
Hit: Target is weakened (save ends). First failed save: Target loses 1 healing surge. Second failed save: Target is slowed (save ends). Third failed save: Target is reduced to 0 hit points.

Or something like that. Cool, huh?

By the way, its tail and clubbed tip will have huge reach, perhaps Reach 5 (consistent with the description).
Its head and neck will have Reach maybe 3 or 4, for a bite (though this is not much of an attack and mostly just lets the creature snake its head around for gaze attacks). It is LONG!

Here is the text that I took the recharge idea from:

"Otherwise, the very weak neck of the catoblepas has only a 25% chance of raising the head high enought use its eyes. ..."

[those arent the exact ways we stated up the gaze attack, I was just modifying the prior post; ours is a bit different, but it is a standard action with a recharge. Yes, I agree that is nasty; and ours is based in part on the bodak gaze]

 

[Orcus]

I also dont think there should be herds of these things. So Scott and I statted it up as a Solo Brute!!! He he he. Its nasty.

 

[Spatula]

The idea of an "unready" power is a clever one. Assuming the players know what they're up against, they'll know that they have a window of opportunity to take the monster out before it can unleash destruction upon them. Although you're probably not taking out a solo creature all that quickly...

The 1-2 punch of the bodak also seems simpler than a power that has 3 different effects on 3 different rounds. It's probably a better model for what insta-kill type effects will look likein 4e.

 

[Sammael]

I also dont think there should be herds of these things. So Scott and I statted it up as a Solo Brute!!! He he he. Its nasty.

Except in FR, there are herds of catoblepases (catoblepi?) living in the Farsea Marshes.

Why not stat up the regular catoblepas as a normal brute, and have a Bull Catoblepas (separated from the herd, similar to bull elephants) as a solo brute?

EDIT: I like the new monster design, as long as the designers do not eschew all non-combat abilities in favor of combat-only design. I cannot stress enough how important it is to me to have creature stats that make sense outside of combat.

EDIT2: To clarify the above point, I think the new kobolds are fine, but the new pit fiend fails spectacularly at his traditional role as the lower-tier nobility of the Nine Hells. He is also far too divorced from traditional pit fiend abilities.