D&D General Need conceptual abilities/spells/powers that reflect balance

[fba827]

While important questions, don’t worry about level or edition etc. I know my players well enough to work out scaling.

that said, narratively I’ve written myself in to a corner: 12 villains, pseudo representing the 12 western zodiac (Aries, cancer, Gemini, etc.) each each expressing a trait stereotypical of that zodiac sign and then taken to an exaggerated level such that they are at odds with the PCs. Likewise their combat style reflects that symbology in some way.

for Libra ( scales of balance) I need help coming up with a signature move / ability.

does anyone have any concepts for abilities that reflect ‘balance’?

Perhaps a ‘you hit me so we both take damage?’ Or ‘if you succeed on a save so do I?’
Maybe ( though a bit meta) he does not make attack rolls but can use a d20 result that was used against him, then add his own modifier?
I don’t know just spit balling. Any ideas out there in the brain trust?

thanks in advance

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hmmm…I like the reflective damage thing. Other might include:

Ambidexterity
Uncanny balance
Decisiveness
An pathological commitment to fair play

 

[Kurotowa]

I'd probably crib heavily from DC comic's Amazo. Libra's default state is a puny weakling, but they can "bring themselves into balance" with their foes. If you want to do it the easy way, they just copy stats and abilities. Up against a party they're as strong as the Barbarian, as agile as the Rogue, and as smart as the Wizard.

The complex way is they leech stats from their foes until their numbers equalize. So Libra doesn't get as powered up but the Barbarian gets weaker, the Rogue gets clumsier, the Wizard gets dumber.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'd probably crib heavily from DC comic's Amazo. Libra's default state is a puny weakling, but they can "bring themselves into balance" with their foes. If you want to do it the easy way, they just copy stats and abilities. Up against a party they're as strong as the Barbarian, as agile as the Rogue, and as smart as the Wizard.

The complex way is they leech stats from their foes until their numbers equalize. So Libra doesn't get as powered up but the Barbarian gets weaker, the Rogue gets clumsier, the Wizard gets dumber.

Another take on something like that was The Taskmaster, who could perfectly mimic any fighting style he could perceive.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

While important questions, don’t worry about level or edition etc. I know my players well enough to work out scaling.

that said, narratively I’ve written myself in to a corner: 12 villains, pseudo representing the 12 western zodiac (Aries, cancer, Gemini, etc.) each each expressing a trait stereotypical of that zodiac sign and then taken to an exaggerated level such that they are at odds with the PCs. Likewise their combat style reflects that symbology in some way.

for Libra ( scales of balance) I need help coming up with a signature move / ability.

does anyone have any concepts for abilities that reflect ‘balance’?

Perhaps a ‘you hit me so we both take damage?’ Or ‘if you succeed on a save so do I?’
Maybe ( though a bit meta) he does not make attack rolls but can use a d20 result that was used against him, then add his own modifier?
I don’t know just spit balling. Any ideas out there in the brain trust?

thanks in advance

Some ideas

• Equalizing advantage and disadvantage.
• Turning crits into normal hits
• Mimicking what PCs can do like a final fantasy Blue Mage
• Minions that are basically the same build as each PC

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Maybe whenever this guy takes damage, it's split between them and the player dealing the damage. That alone may encourage strategy to deal indirect damage or focus on alternative ways of taking them down without attacking.

Or maybe the bad guy just chooses one of the PCs and creates a link. Whatever happens to Libra also happens to them, and vice versa. Would make for a kind of Mexican standoff. If the players kill Libra, then they kill one of their own. But likewise, it makes Libra vulnerable if he chooses the guy that the party doesn't like or the one willing to sacrifice themselves just to take Libra out.

Or it doesn't even have to be a party member. Maybe Libra is linked to someone important and the party can't risk hurting Libra without hurting that important person.

 

[bedir than]

Every d20 result is either a 9 or an 11

 

[aco175]

The bad guy splits into 2 monsters. One is more of a fighting force and the other more of a healer-type. The healer can heal the amount of damage dealt to either of its bodies to another of its allies, but not itself. When one half of it is killed, the other half is now out of balance and doubles some aspect of itself, not sure what that is though. Maybe crits on each hit or something.

 

[jgsugden]

Mechanics around d20 rolling that move things towards the average result, such as:

• Cancel opponent's advantage.
• Cancel their own disadvantage.
• Force opponents to reroll after a good roll.
• Reroll after their own bad roll.

Mechanics around redistributing damage.

• They can shift damage to their allies.
• They can force enemies to take some of their damage.

Mechanics around physical balance that cause:

• Prone
• Vertigo (Poisoned condition)

Mechanics evocative of the scale imagery:

* Summon a pair of platforms that lift their spellcasters/archers into the air. If you want to go all in on this idea, allow the platforms to be damaged and when they are, they shift in height based upon the relative remaining hps. If you damage the one on the right for 25 hps, it drops by a certain amount while the other rises, but if you damage the other one by the same amount they return to balance (until one or both are destroyed).

 

[TheSword]

A number of times per day you can replace a d20 roll with a 10