Monster Update: Wights and Ghosts

[jeffh]

I've been hoping for this for a while, and am surprised they didn't trumpet it more loudly. One of the two entries they started with was exactly the one I most wanted to see an updated version of, too (Wight).

 

[Dice4Hire]

I am also looking forward to more of this kind of stuff. There are lots of really scary and cool monsters in MMI, but are so close to unusable due to damage problems, and just plain being made first.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Yeah, it is handy. In a sense though what I would MOST like would be for WotC to just update all the monsters in DDI to the new stats. Not that I at all mind having the articles and some even more refined versions of monsters, but from a standpoint of 'bang for buck' I'd think just running through the Compendium/MB database with a simple script, rearranging the stat blocks to the new format and applying the adjustments to a few basic items would be quite helpful. It would be nice if there was a flag added to monsters in there to tell us A) it hasn't been updated at all, B) it has had basic numerical adjustments done automatically, or C) it is a post-MM2 monster that doesn't need updating.

 

[Klaus]

Y'know, I'd love to see a D&D monster book containing just the background, kinda like the Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were. Since MMIII and Monster Vault we've had some very cool backgrounds listed.

 

[john112364]

Y'know, I'd love to see a D&D monster book containing just the background, kinda like the Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were. Since MMIII and Monster Vault we've had some very cool backgrounds listed.

Great idea. I'd buy that book! It would make for some interesting (and perhaps inspiring) reading.

 

[keterys]

Sure, but there are plenty of critters that can rip you to shreds. There's (almost) only one that can suck the surges right out of you.

Personally I like this kind of mechanic. It works a LOT like the old level drain. "Wights! Runnnnnnnnnn!"

Eh, that mostly isn't my experience... it's "Err, it hit me for what? Oh, plus a surge. Eh, that's annoying." Not scary. Annoying.

Hey, we can't possibly die... but guess we're taking an extended rest soon. Or had so many surges we weren't worried about them anyways. Surges are a finicky mechanic in general.

 

[Primal]

Personally I like this kind of mechanic. It works a LOT like the old level drain. "Wights! Runnnnnnnnnn!"

I don't mean to be snarky, but IMO it's nothing like the "old" energy drain; surges are a daily resource and you won't lose them permanently. However, negative levels in 3E literally meant losing experience levels; you had to recalculate your stats, and there was a risk that you lost these levels permanently (unless you had access to Restoration). Even the best case scenario was that it was a pain to redo the stats, and each hit potentially dropped your HPs, saves and attack bonuses. Often it was a downward spiral for the whole group, unless you had a cleric. It was fear mixed in with frustration, and I don't think temporarily losing surges even compares to it.

In AD&D it was even worse, because there was no saves; if a wight hit you, you automatically and permanently lost a level. Restoration helped, but back then you didn't always have access to it. As leveling up took forever, it felt cruel if the DM used level-draining creatures a lot; back then it was part of the game, but I still remember how unfair it was when all the XP you earned last year just went down the drain, for good.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Eh, that mostly isn't my experience... it's "Err, it hit me for what? Oh, plus a surge. Eh, that's annoying." Not scary. Annoying.

You know that is what my roommate says all the time. However I do think it is as close to level drain as we will see

 

[keterys]

Maybe, but a healthy amount of damage and _inability to spend healing surges_, the stated alternative, will cause a spike of anxiety during the actual encounter... which is more interesting I think.

I don't miss level drain. It was never a good mechanic.

 

[Jack99]

Eh, that mostly isn't my experience... it's "Err, it hit me for what? Oh, plus a surge. Eh, that's annoying." Not scary. Annoying.

Hey, we can't possibly die... but guess we're taking an extended rest soon. Or had so many surges we weren't worried about them anyways. Surges are a finicky mechanic in general.

Just use them when people are low on surges, that might change things, since you add extra damage when people are out of surges. At my table its surge value, because the 1 hp/lvl official rule makes no sense.