Monter Manual II CR issues (was MM 2 errata in progress?)

[Femerus the Gnecro]

Is there an up to date source for MM 2 errata?

Primarily I'm looking for information on the Asperi, who is listed as a Large Magical beast, but in its entry, under advancement, it says:

"5-6 HD, Medium size."

Huh? Am I totally ignorant, or does that make it get smaller as it gains HD? It seems obvious that there's a typo somewhere, but I can't be sure what it is.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-F

Edit: After studying the problem in more depth, I've come to the conclusion that the Asperi's CR is simply too high. At the very highest, it should rate a CR 3, but from a combat standpoint it's almost worthy of a CR 2 IMO.

Thoughts, opinions?

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Its only been out for a month so I would not expect official errata anytime soon.

It's essentially a horse, so it is Large (long). The advancement line is an obvious error. It should be 5-6 HD, Large (long).

 

[Crothian]

I wouldn't hold your breathe on this errata. There are a few books that have ben out for about a year with no errata yet.

 

[Staffan]

As I understand it, WOTC compile errata for a book when they're about to reprint it. Before that, changes/corrections will hopefully be included in the D&D FAQ.

 

[Derulbaskul]

Actually, the WOTC guys are still tied up trying to finalise the errata for Sword & Fist....

 

[Kae'Yoss]

The best thing I saw is the climb speed for Dire Elephants (in MM2 and MotW both)

 

[Leopold]

Actually, the WOTC guys are still tied up trying to finalise the errata for Sword & Fist....

so hell has finnally frozen over???

 

[Staffan]

so hell has finnally frozen over???

I AM NOT ALLOWED TO ENLIGHTEN YOU, EVEN BY DEFAULT, ABOUT CURRENT TEMPERATURES IN THE NEXT WORLD.
-Death, in Sourcery by Terry Pratchett

 

[Femerus the Gnecro]

bump to draw attention to new content

 

[clark411]

Using Wizard's CR calc (avg hp divided by 4.5 + SQ's and SA's all over 3) we get:

(30 / 4.5 + 8) / 3... which comes to 4.8, which they opted to round downwards to CR 4 rather than up to CR 5 (given some of the indirect benefits of some of the abilities). Or perhaps even playtested.

I'd argue that an Asperi is worthy of its CR. Perhaps not as say, a paladin's mount, but rather as described in the MM2. Firstly, the MM's present the weakest of the race, and the most weakminded Asperi is more intelligent than your average PC race is. This allows the use of tactics. While a Purple Worm may just shoot out of the ground and attempt to swallow people while they stab them to death, an Asperi or four.. or twenty, will not be as idiotic.

The CR accounts for its territory (mountains) and the combination of its intelligence, it's telepathy, and it's feats. Unlike a Pegasus or Griffon, Asperi have flyby attack- meaning unlike the first two, the former will not experience "Land, bite, get ganked" issues from your average party. Instead, it can do as suggested in the flavor text- use it's mobility to choose where to fight, it's brains to choose when to fight and it's feats to choose how to fight. It can use it's natural environment against it's opponents as suggested by it's preference of attacking opponents by crevasses and cliffs. Furthermore, it's totally immune to it's own environment and suffers no weaknesses due to it's mobility. While a griffon will plummet from the sky (where it's completely ineffectual during combat) and drop to it's death, an Asperi will not.

I'd argue that an Asperi is as difficult an encounter as it's CR suggests. Is it easy to drop? Yes, if it does not fight to it's fullest potential. Will it drain 20% of a 4th level party's resources? I don't know- perhaps we should ask the party cleric, who as the fight ends is plummeting down the side of a 6,000 ft rockface following hit-and-run bull rush maneuvers by a lone Asperi who knows you're poaching for it's young.


However, just looking at it's stats, yeah. It is pretty weak for it's CR, but the same can be said for a good number of creatures in the MM and MM 2 when you don't take into account other variables. Your average Purple Worm, coming at you overland, is not nearly as much of a threat as when it appears under you- preferably biting a player in the suprise round. Your average devil isn't quite as tough when not encountered in Baator. On the other hand, your average Purple Worm is Much Much harder when it's using inappropriate combat tactics, given it's Int of 1.