Monster Vault: Roper and stirge

[UngeheuerLich]

Hi, I have some questions regarding some monsters.

I. The lower level roper has the ability to grab a target. It has a minor action attack to pull those targets towards him.

Question 1: Do monsters need to sustain grabs? The grab power does say it ends on the next turn. The ropers power does not state any duration.

Question 2: The highest level roper has no ability to grab a target... need for errata or am I blind?

II. Stirges grab targets. But they are so small that I would expect a stirge to be carried around rather than able to immobilize a target.

Question: Is there such a rule?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Hi, I have some questions regarding some monsters.

I. The lower level roper has the ability to grab a target. It has a minor action attack to pull those targets towards him.

Question 1: Do monsters need to sustain grabs? The grab power does say it ends on the next turn. The ropers power does not state any duration.

4e is exception-based, so follow the rules in the PH unless an exception is listed. (Of course, if you think it doesn't make sense or it makes combat less fun, use house rules.)

Question 2: The highest level roper has no ability to grab a target... need for errata or am I blind?

Errata. The bite attack only works on grabbed opponents.

II. Stirges grab targets. But they are so small that I would expect a stirge to be carried around rather than able to immobilize a target.

Question: Is there such a rule?

Not in the PH. There's a creature in the Dark Sun Creature Catalog that actually gets carried around by whatever it bites, taking up a different adjacent square (and not drawing OAs for that uncontrolled movement, of course). I suggest the same thing for a stirge, except it's small enough it can probably share the same square.

 

[Rune]

Not in the PH. There's a creature in the Dark Sun Creature Catalog that actually gets carried around by whatever it bites, taking up a different adjacent square (and not drawing OAs for that uncontrolled movement, of course). I suggest the same thing for a stirge, except it's small enough it can probably share the same square.

Unless it weakens the target to such a point that it just can't move (of course, I would think it should also be weakened in such a case).

 

[OnlineDM]

I just ran a session with stirges yesterday, and I ruled that a stirge that's grabbing a target simply gets moved along with it when the target moves. I didn't see that written anywhere, but it just made sense to me as the DM, so that's how I ran it.

 

[Squire James]

I think the game would be well served to have some standardized attack forms such as "attached" and "swallowed", so then the monsters can simply have the additional text to describe what happens while the state persists.

For instance:

Attached: A creature that is attached to a target is in a state similar to a grab, but it does not immobilize the target. The attached creature moves with the target when the target moves or shifts (including forced movement). Generally, a creature can only attach itself to one target.

(stirge attack description): X damage, and the stirge is attached to the target (until escape). While it is attached, the target takes X ongoing damage.

 

[Jhaelen]

I think the game would be well served to have some standardized attack forms such as "attached" and "swallowed", so then the monsters can simply have the additional text to describe what happens while the state persists.

Actually that's precisely the kind of thing 4e has been moving away from. The designers tried to avoid the 'status effect bloat' we had in 3e and even if two monsters have a similar special ability they will be fully described in the stat block because even if they share the same name, the mechanics can be totally different.

 

[fba827]

Question 2: The highest level roper has no ability to grab a target... need for errata or am I blind?

Errata. The bite attack only works on grabbed opponents.

I agree with what PsiSeveredhead said, but also wanted to point out that the roper could still use the basic grab action even though he(or she ) does not have a power that has grab as a rider/secondary effect.

Though, yes, grab is the type of thing a roper should have as a rider/secondary effect on one of its base attack powers (or as a minor action or something). hence, this does seem an appropriate candidate for errata.

I just wanted to point out it isn't entirely impossible as written, just a basic grab attack.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yes, i know that it could use a basic grab, but it woulb be quite pointless...

When we are at it, can someone explain the human goon to me... especially compared to the dwarf warrior?

Thanks in advance...