Paragon Monster: Dimensional Horror

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

The dimensional horror was a nasty monster in the Alternity: Star Drive setting and in d20 Modern's Menace Manual.

It had the ability to go into the ethereal (a plane that didn't actually exist in those game settings), essentially abducting a PC and taking them along for the ride. Now the PC had to face the horror on their own. Of course, this meant each version had its own strange rules. (In the case of the Modern version, it essentially replicated the 3.0 ethereal plane rules in its stat block.)

The Alternity version was extremely nasty; its attacks had Good (rather than Ordinary) "firepower" which meant unless you were wearing a mecha, you were going to take mortal damage on every hit. I decided not to replicate that, but made the horror a fairly high level creature.

Dimensional Horror; Large aberrant magical beast
Level 13 Solo Lurker; XP 4000
HP 416 (bloodied 208)
AC 25; Fortitude 23, Reflex 25, Will 21.
Initiative +17.
Perception +15, truesight 10.
Speed 8.
Action Points: 2. Saving Throws: +5.

Traits
Action Recovery: Whenever the dimensional horror ends its turn, any dazing, stunning, or dominating effect on it ends.
Dimensional Marauder: The dimensional horror deals full damage (instead of half damage) against insubstantial creatures, and its attacks deal an additional 2d6 damage against insubstantial creatures.

Standard Actions
(b) Claw * At-Will. Attack: Melee 2; +18 vs AC. Hit: 2d10+11 damage.
Dimensional Grab (psionic) * At-Will. Effect: The dimensional horror uses claw twice. If both attacks hit the same creature, the dimensional horror grabs it (escape DC 20) if the dimensional horror has no creatures grabbed. The dimensional horror makes a secondary attack. Attack: +16 vs Will. Hit: The dimensional horror uses shift dimensions as a free action. The target is discorporated (save ends). While discorporated, the target is insubstanstial, invisible, and can see invisible dimensional horrors. The target gains a fly speed of 6 (perfect) and phasing. The target deals half damage on attacks but does full damage against insubstantial creatures. It regains only half the normal hit points from healing effects unless the source is insubstantial. Dimensional horrors know the creature's location as long as the creature is discorporated.
Shift Dimensions (psionic) * At-Will. Effect: The dimensional horror becomes insubstantial and invisible. It gains a fly speed of 10 (perfect) and phasing. The effect ends if the dimensional horror attacks a creature that is not insubstantial or is struck by a force effect.

Minor Actions
Bite * At-Will (1/round). Attack: Melee 1; +18 vs AC. If the dimensional horror is bloodied, it can make this attack twice. Hit: 2d10+11 damage.

Triggered
Insufferable Menace * At-Will. Trigger: The dimensional horror is affected by a slowed or immobilized effect. Effect (Free Action): The dimensional horror makes a saving throw to end the triggering effect, even if the effect would not normally end on a save.

Skills: Athletics +17, Endurance +16, Insight +15, Stealth +18

Strength 22 (+12) Dexterity 25 (+13) Wisdom 19 (+10)
Constitution 20 (+11) Intelligence 12 (+7) Charisma 16 (+9)

The creature would normally travel outside the normal dimension in order to ambush victims. (With its decent Stealth check, it might be able to ambush a party this way.)

It would attempt to grab a PC and discorporate them. The victim is essentially at full power against the horror, and can use Second Wind and healing potions at full effect (since those sources are now insubstantial). However, the PC's allies have much less effect. Most of their attacks will do only half damage to the horror, and their healing will have much less of a supportive effect.

I have two questions.
1) Is this over the top? A wizard hit by dimensional grab is likely to be killed very quickly, as they can get hit by up to four attacks a round, each of which is dealing bonus damage. The victim can fly and phase, but the horror will always be able to find them and can move faster. (Being invisible in this situation is more of a disadvantage than an advantage; a number of buffing effects only affect an ally you can see, and the horror has true sight.)

It is still nicer than the previous versions, as seeing the invisible was nearly impossible in Alternity and only available for d20 Modern PCs with FX abilities (which was not guaranteed).

2) Am I forgetting anything? I keep thinking that the victim will do half damage to the horror because I forgot a line of text, or something along those lines.

 

[bganon]

It's nasty, but I think the only thing I'd add is a way for PCs to end the Shift Dimensions ability. I'd probably just add that it ends if the Horror takes force damage (maybe specifically from a non-discorporated source?).

I mean, sure, when bloodied it can easily chew through one non-defender's HP in a single round. But that's about the only thing it can do - it's kind of a one-trick pony. So I think it's OK that it's a pretty good trick.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

It's nasty, but I think the only thing I'd add is a way for PCs to end the Shift Dimensions ability. I'd probably just add that it ends if the Horror takes force damage (maybe specifically from a non-discorporated source?).

I've noticed a lot of insubstantial undead have a similar condition - if they take radiant damage, they are rendered not insubstantial for a round. Is that standard for insubstantial creatures? I'll have to hunt some examples down.

 

[bganon]

It's not entirely standard. Ghost beholders and shadows don't have that condition, but they do have reduced hit points instead. The main point in those cases is to reduce the grindiness from half damage due to the insubstantial trait.

I think with the dimensional horror it's not just about reducing grind, it's that when I inflict nasty things on my players I like to give them at least some active way of doing something about it. If a horror pops out of nowhere, grabs the wizard, and drags her off to the ethereal plane, what can the rest of the party do about it? In the original version, exactly nothing other than attack blindly until the wizard makes her saving throw.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Changed. Shift Dimensions ends if the horror is hit by a force effect. The victim can do so too (so a wizard could maybe use Magic Missile, then enjoy the benefits for a round). I'm wondering if that's enough.

 

[Ryujin]

The Dimensional Horror was a seriously deadly opponent, only to be used very sparingly. To bring it in-line with 4e mechanics and design goals I think that I would make the ethereal condition more lie other 'removed from play' conditions that already exist by making it 'save ends', but perhaps with a penalty of -2. Tying it to a single attack type is far too limiting.

 

[Unwise]

So this guy when bloodied can abduct and beat on the parties wizard (or whoever the only guy that can do force damage is) and put out: 8d6 + 8d10 + 44 damage in one turn. With an action point, which he would naturally use in this situation, he can hit you for: 12d6 + 12d10 + 66 which averages at 175 damage in one turn.

The question is, will your players find that to be an interesting and challenging monster? Or will they feel that it was simply death by GM fiat?

Oh, I almost forgot, that it can do all that damage before anyone can act during the almost inevitable surprise round. Guys that can phase, turn invisible, fly and have +18 stealth can normally get the drop on people. The monster should barely have to roll with those special abilities.

 

[Quickleaf]

Changed. Shift Dimensions ends if the horror is hit by a force effect. The victim can do so too (so a wizard could maybe use Magic Missile, then enjoy the benefits for a round). I'm wondering if that's enough.

Actually, I'm confused why discorporate is (save ends)? It seems like the grab initiates the discorporation...so it's the grab that needs to be escaped to become corporeal again.

Even if there's a specific reason you set it up as (save ends), I would have escaping the grab provide a secondary benefit...maybe an instant save vs. discorporation or a save bonus?

And it does look pretty nasty, if a bit simple for a solo.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Actually, I'm confused why discorporate is (save ends)? It seems like the grab initiates the discorporation...so it's the grab that needs to be escaped to become corporeal again.

The original allowed for the target to escape, but still be incorporeal... really more of a disadvantage than an advantage against the dimensional horror.

(The original made the horror completely untouchable to anyone but the victim, but I didn't want to make it a "murder monster", which is why the allies get to assist them "half-way".)