(My Players Stay Out) Feedback on Solo Monster

[the Jester]

So I'm working on some stuff for my 4e campaign that I'm thinking the pcs might go poke around to "nextish" (by which I mean after they finish the module they're currently in)- although I could be wrong!

Anyhow, I'm working on a solo monster for part of this dungeon they may go to and wanted some feedback, specifically on the topic of how well he looks like he'll do against action denial.


Lurpask, Vexing Bugbear Level 16 Solo Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid (goblinoid), bugbear XP 7,000
HP 600; Bloodied 300 Initiative +17
AC 30; Fortitude 27; Reflex 38; Will 28 Perception +16
Speed 8 Darkvision
Saving Throws +5; Action Points 2

TRAITS
Combat Advantage
When Lurpask hits a creature he has combat advantage against, he deals an extra 3d6 points of damage.

STANDARD ACTIONS

(mbasic) Longsword (weapon) * At Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC.
Hit: 2d8+8 damage.

(rbasic) Shuriken (weapon) * At Will
Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +21 vs. AC.
Hit: 2d8+8 damage.

(melee) Acrobatic Strike (weapon) * Recharges when first bloodied
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC.
Hit: 4d8+11 damage, and the target grants combat advantage until the end of Lurpask's next turn.
Effect: Lurpask moves up to 4 squares and gains a +4 bonus to defenses against opportunity attacks triggered by this movement.

MINOR ACTIONS

Take Advantage * At Will
Effect: Lurpask makes a basic attack against a creature granting combat advantage to him.

(melee) Vexing Feint * At Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. Will.
Hit: Lurpask gains combat advantage against the target until the end of Lurpask's next turn.

Vexing Recovery * Recharge 5 6
Effect: Lurpask makes a saving throw against each effect or condition on him, even if that effect or condition does not normally allow a saving throw.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS

Vexing Movement * At Will
Trigger: An enemy ends its turn adjacent to Lurpask.
Effect (Free Action): Lurpask moves up to 3 squares. Enemies that decline opportunity attacks triggered by this move grant combat advantage to Lupask until the end of Lurpask's next turn.

Vexing Target * At Well
Trigger: An enemy makes an opportunity attack against Lurpask.
Effect (Free Action 1/turn): Lurpask takes a standard action, even if subject to an effect that normally prevents him from taking actions (such as dazed, dominated, stunned, etc), other than unconscious.

Delver's Armor * Daily
Trigger: Lurpask rolls a saving throw and dislikes the result.
Effect (Free Action): Lurpask gains a +2 bonus to the triggering saving throw.
---
Skills Acrobatics +20, Stealth +20
Str 20 Dex 24 Wis 17
Con 14 Int 16 Cha 20
Alignment evil Languages Common, Goblin
Equipment +4 delver's feyleather armor (PH 214, 229), longsword, 18 shuriken, bag of 6 rubies worth 200 gp each.

 

[Radiating Gnome]

Looks like fun, but I'd look for ways to add some variety to the fight. All the vexing target stuff is pretty cool, but I'd bet that with him evading hits a lot, and having a ton of HP, by the time he's at 25% hp the PCs will have gotten the flavor of this guy.

To make him a good, credible solo threat, I think he needs either big area attacks or ways to attack each PC on their own turns. He might also really be easy to neutralize by dazing or stunning -- that vexing recovery should be an at-will, rather than a recharge.

How about an aura? He might backhand anyone that starts their turn adjacent to him.

I'd really look at ways that he might change his tactics and raise the stakes once he gets bloodied. Does he have a potion he'll drink that powers him up in some cool way? Does he fly into a rage?

Anyway, solos are problematic because they help the PCs out a lot -- the allow the PCs to concentrate their damage on one target, they don't lose excess damage as they overkill opponents, and they're super easy to manage with conditions. I use them very sparingly. You might be a lot happier with this guy as an Elite with some cronies if you don't want to give him auras, etc.

-rg

 

[Pour]

This bugbear looks mean (does he have that bit of blue in the face like the old school bugbears, by chance?). Regarding the condition heaping and singular targeting, I have one or two ideas.

Firstly, the terrain could perhaps be used... vexingly. Maybe give him some sort of immediate interrupt, utilizing some part of the encounter area (heavy drapes, marble pillars, stalactites, whatever) to absorb a hit for him. So those drapes take the ongoing fire damage, or, even more fun, extend that notion of Vexing Target and transfer those lingering conditions onto adjacent enemies who deliver the OA or who he hits with the attack. If he's a solo roguish type taking on a party, he's wheeling and darting and counter-attacking in their midst.

Alternatively, and I've done this with solos with frankly little regard for added damage output with nothing but fun, if scary, results, give him more than one turn per round- say two, even three.

 

[Kynn]

His damage per round looks pretty low since he doesn't multiattack, even with his combat advantage benefits.

Give him a burst 1 attack, also, as otherwise he's really really easy for a defender to lock down.

The whole "he can respond to opportunity attacks even when stunned" cheat is a bit too much of a cheat, and may not be well received by your players. I'd look for a way around that.

It just seems like this would be an easy guy to pin down (especially with a fighter) and polish off. Solos need to be somewhat more dynamic in a fight. (They're hard to design BTW.)

 

[Quickleaf]

I like how the Vexing Movement and Vexing Target present players a damned if you do type choice about opportunity attacking this villain.

He really seems like a vicious elite not a solo though. From his low damage output/multiattacking to his limited ability to shake off effects he looks like and elite.

I think this might be one which needs a bit of a design adjustment. Maybe some story background about him to start with? How did a bugbear become worthy of solo status? For comparison, do you run other solo humanoid monster and NPCs?

 

[Neonchameleon]

Just looking at the obvious:

Damage average is meant to be 24 @ L16, +- 25%. Damage without combat advantage: 17 average, and 27 with. This feels low to me.

But it's the number of attacks that concern me. How many times is Lurpask meant to be able to use Take Advantage? 1/turn? Because he's looking awfully static to me - Vexing Feint and Take Advantage spam.

Suggestion: Drop Take Advantage for something that happens as part of a move action involving him shifting.

Vexing Target: Is that 1/turn, 1/round, or an Opportunity Action? For that matter is Vexing Movement 1/turn, 1/round, or Opportunity. And what speed?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

So I'm working on some stuff for my 4e campaign that I'm thinking the pcs might go poke around to "nextish" (by which I mean after they finish the module they're currently in)- although I could be wrong!

Anyhow, I'm working on a solo monster for part of this dungeon they may go to and wanted some feedback, specifically on the topic of how well he looks like he'll do against action denial.

I will take special note about action denial, as it's probably the most important part of designing a solo.

Lurpask, Vexing Bugbear Level 16 Solo Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid (goblinoid), bugbear XP 7,000
HP 600; Bloodied 300 Initiative +17
AC 30; Fortitude 27; Reflex 38; Will 28 Perception +16
Speed 8 Darkvision
Saving Throws +5; Action Points 2

His Reflex defense seems very high.

TRAITS
Combat Advantage
When Lurpask hits a creature he has combat advantage against, he deals an extra 3d6 points of damage.

IMO, for a skirmisher, combat advantage should give +25% damage. A paragon monster would probably deal +2d6 damage. This monster doesn't have many reliable attacks; if you change that, he'll be potentially dishing out +2d6 3 times per turn.

STANDARD ACTIONS

(mbasic) Longsword (weapon) * At Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC.
Hit: 2d8+8 damage.

The damage is too low. Normally a monster would deal 8 + level in damage, so average 24 damage. This is only 17. In addition, it has no skirmisher mechanics, although that can covered by utility powers instead.

(rbasic) Shuriken (weapon) * At Will
Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +21 vs. AC.
Hit: 2d8+8 damage.

Same. (A minor pet peeve of mine, but the base damage dice of a weapon attack should match that of a weapon. I think that would be d4s for shuriken, but that's too annoying, and could be d6s if this guy is effectively a rogue.)

Generally a solo has one encounter/recharge ability "upgraded" to become an at-will attack. For instance, if you look at a dragon, the bite attack is usually doing +50% damage, as if it were an encounter/recharge power, but it's being at-will.

(melee) Acrobatic Strike (weapon) * Recharges when first bloodied
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC.
Hit: 4d8+11 damage, and the target grants combat advantage until the end of Lurpask's next turn.
Effect: Lurpask moves up to 4 squares and gains a +4 bonus to defenses against opportunity attacks triggered by this movement.

IMO, this is not potent enough to be an encounter power. (I know it says recharge when first bloodied, but such a power would be "upgraded" anyway for a solo.) Lurpask is missing such an ability. This is a big deal if he gets dazed; with one attack he can still inflict considerable damage.

IMO, this attack should deal ongoing 10 damage as well (save ends). Not only would that bring the damage to an appropriate amount, but I happen to like the flavor of hitting someone and then leaving them with a bleeding wound. The enemy might not be able to retaliate depending on the terrain or Lurpask's allies hitting them with control effects.

In addition, IMO it should target something other than AC. Lurpask is a solo and so likely has little support. His attacks would bounce off whoever has the highest AC score. If he could target Fortitude or Reflex with this attack, it would help a lot.

MINOR ACTIONS

Take Advantage * At Will
Effect: Lurpask makes a basic attack against a creature granting combat advantage to him.

This is pretty similar to a babau's special attack. It's not very compatible with combat advantage as a trait IMO. Lurpask is very weak against an opponent who is not granting CA but very very strong against someone who is granting CA.

It should be a mobile attack, preferably targeting Reflex rather than AC. (One of the Gravelstokes in Threats to the Nentir Vale is a skirmisher. He has an off-hand swipe ability that lets him shift 2 squares, and the whole thing is a minor action. This contrasts with his different standard at-will, which is a bit of a set-up ability.)

This would beef up the action economy as well, as Lurpask doesn't seem to be making his requisite 3 attacks per round.

(melee) Vexing Feint * At Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. Will.
Hit: Lurpask gains combat advantage against the target until the end of Lurpask's next turn.

As Lurpask is a skirmisher, IMO, this should also let him move or shift a bit, especially if he's using up minor actions to attack and not move. Furthermore, IMO, this should be Bluff versus Insight. I know that's not standard practice, but it's good to make PC skills useful in the middle of combat.

Vexing Recovery * Recharge 5 6
Effect: Lurpask makes a saving throw against each effect or condition on him, even if that effect or condition does not normally allow a saving throw.

Will cover this at the end of the post.

TRIGGERED ACTIONS

Vexing Movement * At Will
Trigger: An enemy ends its turn adjacent to Lurpask.
Effect (Free Action): Lurpask moves up to 3 squares. Enemies that decline opportunity attacks triggered by this move grant combat advantage to Lupask until the end of Lurpask's next turn.

This one works pretty well, IMO, although I notice the enemy has no reason not to make an opportunity attack. There's no punishment for doing so, and furthermore they'll grant CA if they don't use it.

Vexing Target * At Well
Trigger: An enemy makes an opportunity attack against Lurpask.
Effect (Free Action 1/turn): Lurpask takes a standard action, even if subject to an effect that normally prevents him from taking actions (such as dazed, dominated, stunned, etc), other than unconscious.

As has been stated by other posters, this is confusing. If he's stunned, no one is going to be making opportunity attacks against him, as he can't do anything to provoke them. I think it's supposed to work with Vexing Movement, so why not combine them into one power?

In addition, letting him "take a standard action" could let him use an encounter or recharge ability rather than an at-will attack. It can get confusing.

Delver's Armor * Daily
Trigger: Lurpask rolls a saving throw and dislikes the result.
Effect (Free Action): Lurpask gains a +2 bonus to the triggering saving throw.

I approve of putting item abilities into the stat block.

---

Skills Acrobatics +20, Stealth +20
Str 20 Dex 24 Wis 17
Con 14 Int 16 Cha 20
Alignment evil Languages Common, Goblin
Equipment +4 delver's feyleather armor (PH 214, 229), longsword, 18 shuriken, bag of 6 rubies worth 200 gp each.

So onto the big issue, avoiding action denial.

The dragons in Monster Vault have been praised for their almost over the top ability to resist action denial. I particularly like the Instinctive Attack abilities.

Since Lurpask is a skirmisher, anything that prevents him from moving is going to cause him great pain, so IMO, his Action Recovery should protect him from effects like slowed, immobilized and restrained.

Traits
Need for Speed: Whenever Lurpask ends his turn, any slowed, immobilized, dazed, or restrained effect on him ends.

An instinctive attack ability would let him resist being dazed, dominated or stunned.

Traits
Instinctive Dash: On an initiative of 10 + his initiative check, Lurpask can use a free action to use a basic attack. If Lurpask cannot use a free action to make this attack due to a dominating or stunning effect, then that effect ends instead of Lurpask making the attack.

Unfortunately, none of Lurpask's basic attacks allow him to move, and IMO, something like Instinctive Dash, for a skirmisher, should let him move and attack. (This is a big deal, as it would let him flank with an ally, and possibly trick a PC into attacking him, triggering some of his abilities.)

Also, action economy. As I've mentioned earlier, Lurpask is dishing out few attacks per round. IMO, these changes are helpful:

1) Give him three at-will attacks. One would be a melee basic with a little movement, one would be a ranged basic with a 1 square shift (his shuriken ability), and one would be Acrobatic Strike.

2) He needs one more recharge or encounter ability. It would need to be stronger than Acrobatic Strike in some way and either recharge when bloodied (if it's an encounter ability) or he would have an additional triggered ability to cause this power to immediately recharge and then be used when he's bloodied.

3) He needs a reliable minor action attack. It should be different than his standard action at-wills and target a different defense. This gives him 2 attacks/round.

4) Vexing Movement/Target needs a bit of changing. IMO, it's okay if the movement provokes an opportunity attack, and the penalty might be the target granting combat advantage to him if they take it. He should be able to make an opportunity attack anyway, regardless if the enemy is attacking him. Chances are a PC will attack him in melee every round, giving him a third reliable attack per round, and if they're attacking him, he gets CA, so +2 to hit and +2d6 damage.

5) Instinctive Dash can possibly give him an extra attack. It's also a counter for controllers; if a wizard dominates him, they can still feel good (since they stole an attack) but he won't be dominated for long.

 

[the Jester]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

So a few notes on my intentions and how I designed him:

1. On the Number of Attacks he Makes- Vexing Target lets him take any standard action when someone uses an OA against him (not just a basic attack). This is his multiple turn mechanism, which the pcs can avoid... but whenever they don't take an OA against him, they grant CA, which means he can make an attack as a minor action. (The "standard action even if stunned etc." clause also helps him deal with action denial.)

2. On Damage- My assumption is that he will almost always have CA, which is why his damage is tuned to be slightly low without, slightly high with.

3. On Context- He is not going to have any allies nearby per se, but is in an area with a bunch of minion traps that he will be able to spring on the pcs ("...and as a minor action he opens this door and a spear flies out at you...").

I'm a little concerned about a possible "Daze him and don't provoke!" strategy.

Anyway, I'll continue to absorb feedback and then make some mods to Lurpask. Thanks, all!

 

[the Jester]

OHH!! Reflex is a typo. Should be 28, not 38.

 

[Infiniti2000]

3. On Context- He is not going to have any allies nearby per se, but is in an area with a bunch of minion traps that he will be able to spring on the pcs ("...and as a minor action he opens this door and a spear flies out at you...").

But he will never have that minor action to spare. He'll always be better off using a minor to gain CA and then another to attack. He'll never actually use any other actions except to shrug off effects. This, of course, will mean that he can then never gain CA.

You need to make the Vexing Recovery a free action usable only at the beginning of his turn and then combine Feint/Take Advantage.