Monster Makeover: The Demilich

[Mentat55]

I didn't see a thread about this, so I thought I would post a link to the new Monster Makeover article (it's free):

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Monster Makeover)

It acts on two initiative counts, can treat stun and dominate as daze instead so it has a way of mitigating but not completely ignoring those debilitating conditions, and its curse power combined with its necrotic attacks and aura can allow it to do a lot of damage.

I think I probably would have given it an area or close attack, and added some sort of benefit for the demilich when soul drain drains a healing surge.

 

[Zaukrie]

I'm a fan of the article. It has some interesting mechanics, and I really like the insight / commentary on the design process.

 

[hectorse]

I really liked the creature! It seems like a tough nut to crack and easy to use

 

[Upper_Krust]

Another brilliantly designed monster from Mike. Kudos, great stuff.

 

[Herschel]

Huh, I hate it. The flavor is cool and all but it's another "Screw you melee characters" monster. I'd like to see it have a way of really punishing ranged characters, especially boring, cowardly bow rangers. Maybe let it shoot one eye ray at a non-adjacent enemy without provoking opportunity attacks as a minor or some such.

 

[Ferghis]

I'd like to see it have a way of really punishing ranged characters, especially boring, cowardly bow rangers.

Say it's just this guy against a 4 person party with one of each role (the striker being your bow-ranger). All it has to do is shift to disengage from the defender after the defender goes (and do it's regular standard attacks), and then move-charge on its next turn. I'm guessing the ranger is within 16 to be able to get a clear shot in, and if the charge hits, the bow-ranger is immobilized. Then drop an AP. That should put the fear of the gods into your bow-ranger.

 

[Herschel]

That would be sweet, so long as Demi doesn't get imobilized and stuck adjacent to the Defender and any other melee character, which is a distinct possibility.

 

[Ferghis]

Or slowed, or dazed, or petrified or removed from play. It's epic tier: anything and its sister is possible. But my point is that the thing isn't intrinsically gimped against ranged strikers.

 

[Colmarr]

Huh, I hate it. The flavor is cool and all but it's another "Screw you melee characters" monster. I'd like to see it have a way of really punishing ranged characters, especially boring, cowardly bow rangers. Maybe let it shoot one eye ray at a non-adjacent enemy without provoking opportunity attacks as a minor or some such.

This is an interesting point. There are an awful lot of monsters that punish melee characters but very few that punish ranged characters. I suspect it's a combination of verisimilitude and sacred cows.

The easiest way would be an effect like the Cloak of Distortion; an attack penalty for attacks made from beyond a certain distance. An alternative might be a power like the old 3e Wind Wall, that hampers or (god forbid) completely blocks ranged attacks. The final option I can think of is terrain: if the cavern floor is molten lava (or necrotic runes etc) except for an 'island' at the centre where the boss starts, that's a pretty strong punishment for ranged attackers.

It's a matter of tailoring it to the boss in question. A melee boss should have effects that force the PCs in close (thus 'punishing' ranged PCs). A ranged boss should have effects that force the PCs to keep their distance (thus 'punishing' melee characters).

And then you need to make sure you give something for those characters to do, because if you don't then those players don't enjoy the encounter (particularly if the encounter goes for 2+ hours).

 

[Aegeri]

This is an interesting point. There are an awful lot of monsters that punish melee characters but very few that punish ranged characters. I suspect it's a combination of verisimilitude and sacred cows.

The irony being there is a creature published now, just recently in the creature incarnations that can reflect a missed ranged or area attack back at you. The hilarity of a wizard watching his own fireball heading back in his direction is too much.

In general though melee characters are disproportionally hammered by anti-nova effects and reaction attacks.