Ooze Paraelementals (Weapons & Armour Killers)

[Olaf the Stout]

I am currently running "The Stink" adventure from Dungeon #105. In the adventure the party comes across Ooze Paraelementals (pg 182-184 of the Manual of the Planes). These creatures are only CR 3 each. For the most part they aren't too difficult. The one thing that I have an issue with is their acid.

On a successful hit a medium sized CR 3 Ooze Paraelemental deals 40 points of acid damage per round to metal or wooden objects. Armour & clothing useless unless it makes a DC 13 Reflex save. In addition to this if the PC's successfully hit the Ooze Paraelementals with metal or wooden weapons they also take 40 points of acid damage and may dissolve immediately unless they make a Reflex save (DC 13).

Does this seem a little bit difficult for a CR 3 challenge? I know that you could simply attack it from range with spells or with missile weapons. However in the 1 combat that I have used them in so far they got the jump on the party and 3 party members were within melee range. One character lost a +1 dagger after successfully hitting one of the Ooze Paraelementals while another character luckily passed both his saves for his greatsword. The 2 characters to get hit by them were luckily (?) not wearing any armour (they had mage armour) otherwise it could have been much worse.

Even if it is not too difficult as a CR3 challenge, I still feel that they are a little on the mean side. Sort of like rust monsters mean except that wooden weapons are also in danger against these guys. The guy who lost the +1 dagger took it pretty well but I still felt a little bad about it.

What are your thoughts on these creatures?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Al'Kelhar]

I ran a 12th-level party through a modified "The Stink" with Large and Huge ooze paraelementals and plenty of metal-eating oozes, commanded by an alkilith demon.

At higher levels, they weren't too much of a problem, principally because higher level characters don't need to rely upon hand-to-hand fighting to win a combat (the party also had an uber-archer). Unfortunately, at low levels, it's the most common form of combat. And "The Stink" is a very cramped environment, meaning it's difficult to withdraw and fight at a distance.

So I'd concur with your analysis that metal-eating creatures in close confines are bad news for low level characters, and should be used sparingly by DMs who don't want to annoy their players.

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I thought that I must have misread their description in the MotP or I must be missing something in the rules because it seems almost guaranteed that 1 or 2 players will lose a weapon (possibly even a magical weapon) when fighting these guys. It was a strange situation where some of the players were sort of half hoping that they didn't hit because they didn't want to lose their weapon.

At least after the fight a couple of PC's went and bought some extra "throw away" weapons to use in case they came up against the ooze paraelementals again.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Scharlata]

I am currently running "The Stink" adventure from Dungeon #105. In the adventure the party comes across Ooze Paraelementals [...]

Hi, Olaf!
We beat those thingies up with our bare hands ...... (They got nothing to harm bare flesh.)
Enjoy!

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Hi, Olaf!
We beat those thingies up with our bare hands ...... (They got nothing to harm bare flesh.)
Enjoy!

I think that the party were debating doing this, although "disposable weapons" (i.e. cheap weapons or even improvised weapons from the garbage laying around the Stink) were also talked about.

I do think that it is strange that they do 40 points of acid damage to armour and clothing, can dissolve your weapons instantly, but you can hit them with your bare hands and not even get damaged by the acid! Very weird.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Scharlata]

Very weird.

You can imagine the expression of surprise on the face of our DM, can't you?

 

[MarkB]

The tricky part, at low levels, is being able to make the Knowledge check to figure that out. It's not like any sane character will do so by experimentation.

 

[Bront]

It isn't nice to talk that way about Crothain's relitives

It sounds like it's ok, particularly nasty but easy to avoid if you know to.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

At least after fighting them once and losing a weapon to them the party know what they are capable of doing. Unfortunately no-one in the party had any ranks in the relevant Knowledge skill to know that they can destroy your weapons, armour and clothing.

Personally I think ranged weapons and magic are the best way of taking on the Ooze Paraelementals. Who cares if they destroy your arrows. It's better that than your Greatsword.

Olaf the Stout