ORCUS! EXCLUSIVE! ESCAPIST!

The Escapist has an awesome preview of Orcus himself! And by preview, I mean the stats -- along with some background features for Out of the Abyss. He's a CR 26 monster, wielding his famous wand. Also interesting his the quote from Chris Perkins, who clarified that the PCs would not fight him directly, but that "Fortunately, Out of the Abyss gives characters the chance to amass a small army and also turn the demon lords against one another, thus weakening them. There are also a couple other ways to banish the demon lords back to the Abyss, which is the party's ultimate goal."

For more, click on either of the images below! For tons more Out of the Abyss coverage, click here! It comes out September 15th (or the 4th in preferred stores - that's next Friday!)

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[Scorpio616]

[MENTION=6778121]chibi graz'zt[/MENTION] Maybe if they stopped trying to make Graz'zt look Bishounen he'd get more respect. Hs 1E illo might not be classically handsome, but it could have been taken in this direction rather than fumbles WOTC had in 3E and after.

After seeing how much a creampuff a Balor is on another thread, i'm not impressed with the AC nor the damage he does. I have a feeling this guy is going to need some uplift (like an uparmored humvee going thru MSR Charlie in Fallujah) else get cake walked by a party of 12 level PCs. I mean, looks tough, but so did the Balor on first glance.

If we are talking armor, he could sure use a locked gauntlet. Though the Lair Actions can make a notable difference*. The 500 HP of undead will make a pretty big difference, though technically, those are worth their own XP.

*And looks like the Lair actions need Errata as Power Word Kill doesn't grant a save.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

*And looks like the Lair actions need Errata as Power Word Kill doesn't grant a save.

Normally yes. But this is a lair action Power Word Kill that can be used every 2nd turn instead of once a day. It is a special version of Power Word Kill that grants a Player a saving throw instead of just death. It's a very powerful lair action and it's modified to make it somewhat fair.

After all the Spell is not actully being used on you. It just says you take the effects of a Power Word Kill, but you get a save against it.

 

[Scorpio616]

Normally yes. But this is a lair action Power Word Kill that can be used every 2nd turn instead of once a day. It is a special version of Power Word Kill that grants a Player a saving throw instead of just death. It's a very powerful lair action and it's modified to make it somewhat fair.

After all the Spell is not actually being used on you. It just says you take the effects of a Power Word Kill, but you get a save against it.

Well, then it is still a nearly impossible save as it is a save not keyed to an Ability. With no ability keyed to it, it's pretty much a Death save.

If this was the care you posit, the writer would have keyed it to an ability, as PWK does not HAVE a save keyed to any ability. I say this is merely a case of an editor of placing a computed DC next to a spell when it was redundant.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

It's a con save.

 

[Mirtek]

Well, he should have teleport (and Tiamat should have it too for that matter). I guess the other demon lords will also have inexplicably lost the teleport ability that the higher non-lord demons have

 

[Henry]

On Juiblex: it's been "Juiblex" since 1977 - half of us old codgers have been mispronouncing it since we were teenagers. besides, "Jubilex" sounds like the name of an antidepressant:

"...side effects may include nausea, dry mouth, hives, human sacrifice, and amorous thoughts toward oozes or puddings."

 

[Ranes]

"...side effects may include nausea, dry mouth, hives, human sacrifice, and amorous thoughts toward oozes or puddings."

I knew it. Someone's been spiking my drinks. For years.

 

[Psikerlord#]

Ithink the art and text is all great. Very impressed. I think I'm going to get this adventure, even though I loathe Drizzt, and drop bits into another world.

 

[graves3141]

The art is so, so at best. More bloated and disgusting would have been better. Also, less is more.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

[MENTION=6778121]chibi graz'zt[/MENTION] Maybe if they stopped trying to make Graz'zt look Bishounen he'd get more respect. Hs 1E illo might not be classically handsome, but it could have been taken in this direction rather than fumbles WOTC had in 3E and after.

Wow, good idea. Consider that picture stolen.