Ongoing aura's and saving throws

[Kzach]

I want to use a solo monster in an upcoming game but I'm confused as to how the aura works. An aura is continuous and yet it says 'save ends'. Does that mean they can no longer be affected by the aura from that point on or does that mean they are automatically affected by it when they start their turn inside the aura?

The monster in question is the Spirit of Winter for those who have access to the Compendium. Also, don't bother searching for 'spirit of winter' as that doesn't return a result, try winter instead

EDIT: On another matter, part of my concern over the aura was that anyone affected by it cops an extra 1d6 damage. With the creature's at-will ability, that's 6d6+8 damage per round he's dishing out. For a 3rd-level solo, that sounds grossly overpowered. Am I wrong?

 

[Neubert]

Without having looked at it, I would guess from your description that players in the aura are affected, but if they move out of the aura, the effect persists until they make a save?

 

[Dire Human]

Choke Frost Aura (Cold) aura 2 (not active while bloodied)
Creatures that start their turns or enter the area of the aura are slowed (save ends).

Have you ever played a computer game with status effects that had a countdown timer? It's similar; for every turn you're in the aura, the Slowed condition is applied to you, with a save to end. If you don't save against it while in the aura, it doesn't "stack" (i.e., you can't gain the same condition from the same effect more than once at the same time). If you save against slowed at the end of your turn, you're technically free of the effect, but the moment your turn comes back around it's re-applied (or, if a movement effect not on your turn like a Warlord's Knight's Move causes you to move into a different space in the aura, it's re-applied). If you leave the aura, however, then the save against slowed "works", and you can move normally again.

My explanation's a a little confusing, but I hope it helped!

 

[Markn]

Have you ever played a computer game with status effects that had a countdown timer? It's similar; for every turn you're in the aura, the Slowed condition is applied to you, with a save to end. If you don't save against it while in the aura, it doesn't "stack" (i.e., you can't gain the same condition from the same effect more than once at the same time). If you save against slowed at the end of your turn, you're technically free of the effect, but the moment your turn comes back around it's re-applied (or, if a movement effect not on your turn like a Warlord's Knight's Move causes you to move into a different space in the aura, it's re-applied). If you leave the aura, however, then the save against slowed "works", and you can move normally again.

I agree with this!

 

[Kzach]

That seems like an incredibly complex way of dealing with a simple issue. Why not just say, "While in the aura you are slowed." Done.

 

[Kordeth]

That seems like an incredibly complex way of dealing with a simple issue. Why not just say, "While in the aura you are slowed." Done.

Because then you don't have creatures staying slowed when they leave the aura, which is the design goal of the power. It's really not that complicated. If you enter the aura, you're slowed (save ends). If you start your turn in the aura, you're slowed (save ends). If you save at the end of your turn and you're still in the aura, you'd better hope an ally has a power that grants you movement, or else you're slowed (save ends) again as soon as your turn starts.

It's really no different than if the monster had an attack, say "+13 vs. AC; 2d6+6 damage and the target is slowed (save ends)," that it hits you with, you save against it at the end of your turn, and then it hits you again before your next turn starts.

 

[Kzach]

The important part of the power is that whoever is affected by it takes an extra 1d6 damage. In combination with the solo's at-will multi-attack, that's a potential 6d6+8 damage per round.

And that's not even adding in it's area attack on a minor action.

Just seems extremely high for a 3rd-level solo. But if a save against the power made you immune to it for that combat, then it'd seem much more balanced for the level.

 

[UltimaGabe]

Because then you don't have creatures staying slowed when they leave the aura, which is the design goal of the power. It's really not that complicated. If you enter the aura, you're slowed (save ends). If you start your turn in the aura, you're slowed (save ends). If you save at the end of your turn and you're still in the aura, you'd better hope an ally has a power that grants you movement, or else you're slowed (save ends) again as soon as your turn starts.

It would have been much simpler, in my opinion, to say, "While in the aura, you are slowed. After leaving the aura, you are slowed (save ends)." Is that any different than what you've said?

Edit: Actually, there IS a difference. It would be incredibly rare, but theoretically, if someone made their save while at the very edge of the aura, and was then granted a move action on someone else's turn, they could then move out of the aura without becoming slowed again. Right?

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

The same thing would occur (and would happen more often, IMHO) if the PC in the aura makes their saves and then a party member uses forced movement to move the monster away before the first PCs turn, or if the monster simply moves away on its own.

 

[keterys]

Advantages of the save ends method over just being slowed in the aura
1) It prevents someone from moving a square out of the aura and regaining the rest of their movement by no longer being slowed and moving as they wish.
2) It gives them a save at the end of their turn, or given by allies, to avoid the creature's extra damage vs. slowed

You can address 1 by having some 'if you leave the aura you are slowed (save ends)' but that not only feels more complicated than the default, but also removes the ability to rescue someone from the slow with forced movement or giving shifts.