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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(Psi)SeveredHead" data-source="post: 5840870" data-attributes="member: 1165">I will take special note about action denial, as it's probably the most important part of designing a solo.His Reflex defense seems very high.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.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.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.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.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.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.Will cover this at the end of the post.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.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.I approve of putting item abilities into the stat block.---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.TraitsNeed 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.TraitsInstinctive 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.</blockquote>

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