(My Players Stay Out) Feedback on Solo Monster

[Infiniti2000]

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.

I agree with this. It's okay to remove the condition, but if the condition is not removed, then he cannot bypass it like this. If you dislike stun-locks, then look into other ways to avoid that. Maybe an additional power that as a free action on the beginning of his turn (or perhaps a triggered response), he automatically shakes of stunning (or turns it into a daze) OR shakes off a mark. If your group likes a little bit of humor, maybe he could shake a mark off himself and put it on an inanimate object within 5 squares. The PCs will have a laugh when the defender keeps marking the nearby commode.

 

[OnlineDM]

While I see that this guy has some ways of getting combat advantage via his powers, I really think a foe like this will appreciate having buddies to flank with. Thus, I agree with the earlier suggestion of just making him an elite with a pack of pals. He doesn't feel "solo-y" to me.

If you want him to feel like a solo, I echo the suggestion of using something like the Monster Vault dragons' action recovery (Instinctive Action). I also think this guy needs something like a recharge power that lets him dance around the battlefield, attacking, say, three different characters with a single standard action. He should perhaps have ways of knocking people prone (and thus getting combat advantage). A standard action at-will double attack at least would be helpful.

More attacks! More damage! Rahr!

 

[Quickleaf]

Heh. I second that. You could add another layer to this possible encounter by having a puzzle trap where certain squares in his lair are trapped, and all the traps cause the victims to grant combat advantage (in addition to their other effects). Hard to justify him as a solo, but if you're intending the PCs to face him alone this trap puzzle could take the place of minions.

 

[Kynn]

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.)

Part of the problem with this kind of mechanic is that it gets very meta-gamey and forces players to act in ways which aren't easy to rationalize. Probably you'd get them all falling back and just pelting him with range while the defender keeps him permanently locked in place, since he's burning his move action to get CA against the defender.

It'll make a pretty dull and grindy fight.

(Also, give him some cool ability that he can use once he's bloodied, or maybe when he's bloodied. Those are fun and make fights more exciting.)

 

[Unwise]

Like others, my first thought is that he does not put out enough attacks and is too easily locked down.

Simply making him duel-wield would be a good start. Make his attack "1 or 2 targets in range" rather than "uses basic attack twice", this way he can hit a defender and his friend without triggering the mark punishment.

I always like the rampage abilities that golems get, you know "the move your speed and attack everyone you move past" ability. What if he had a minor action that gave him +4AC vs OAs, or something similar. He could use that, then rampage through the PCs battleline. For extra oomph, you can make this a move action, rather than a standard.

 

[the Jester]

All right, I finally got to use this guy the other night!

I did make a few last minute tweaks to his stats before inserting him into the adventure, changing the "extra standard action even if stunned" to "if denied actions, instead make a save".

The party was 15th - 16th level; present were a mage, a resilient battlemind, a cosmic sorcerer and a brutal scoundrel rogue.

They took Lurpask out, but it was a tough fight that ate up many of their daily resources. They rapidly discovered the damned if you do, damned if you don't nature of him. It was a very fun, enjoyable fight! They were scared of him, but I don't think any of the pcs ever dropped unconscious (they had a few potions of vitality and the rogue is multiclassed warlord; he had stand tough, which is a mass heal 15 hp without spending a surge power).

All in all, success! Thanks again to everyone who helped fine-tune his design.