Rot Grubs: Need Fire

[Roger]

The rot grub has reappeared in 4e, and I like it a lot. But I feel like it's missing that iconic image of the guy covered in rot grubs and his friends poking him with torches. So here's my take on that:

While you're taking ongoing damage from rot grubs, if you take fire damage, you can make an immediate saving throw with a bonus equal to the damage taken.​

I think that captures what I'm trying to express, but I'm happy to hear comments on it.



Cheers,
Roger

 

[the Jester]

The rot grub has reappeared in 4e, and I like it a lot. But I feel like it's missing that iconic image of the guy covered in rot grubs and his friends poking him with torches. So here's my take on that:

While you're taking ongoing damage from rot grubs, if you take fire damage, you can make an immediate saving throw with a bonus equal to the damage taken.​

I think that captures what I'm trying to express, but I'm happy to hear comments on it.



Cheers,
Roger

Too much bonus imho. All it takes is 9 points to make the save autosucceed. I'd say rather that one can apply flame to oneself or an ally as a minor action to gain a save at +2 or as a standard action to gain a save at +5.

 

[Roger]

Hmmm. Some of my thinking on the bonus:

You're still taking randomized damage. Sure, you might only need 9 points for an automatic save. But if you're getting hit for 2d6+2, you might take only 4, or you might take 14.

To get up to 9 points, you might be asking your EL4 chums to burn an encounter, which they're probably not happy about.

If you fail the throw, now you're worse off and taking increased ongoing damage, unless you were already maxed out (in which case things are looking pretty grim for you in any case.)


And, finally, I sorta want it to be a little too good -- I want to encourage the players to try stuff like this. So I think I'd be okay with it.



Thanks,
Roger

 

[the Jester]

It's one of those "matter of taste" things.

 

[Mesh Hong]

So you want to introduce the concept of the players attacking each other (or at least dealing fire damage to their allies) in order to grant a bonus save, Instead of making a skill check (or just allowing if you hold a fire source) to grant a bonus save with a modifier?

Seems strange to me but as you and jester say it must be "a matter of taste".

 

[Roger]

So you want to introduce the concept of the players attacking each other (or at least dealing fire damage to their allies) in order to grant a bonus save, Instead of making a skill check (or just allowing if you hold a fire source) to grant a bonus save with a modifier?

Well, re-introduce, yeah. It's a nostalgia thing. Between rot grubs and green slime, characters were always flaming each other.



Cheers,
Roger

 

[TerraDave]

Some of this is already built in. The swarm can enter the same space as the charecter, and area and close bursts are the best way to damage it. So hitting an ally with scorching burst is there. Especially if a save is failed and things get desperate.

 

[Roger]

Some of this is already built in. The swarm can enter the same space as the charecter, and area and close bursts are the best way to damage it. So hitting an ally with scorching burst is there. Especially if a save is failed and things get desperate.

Well, sort of. The rot grubs can move in, hit the character, give him ongoing damage, and then move along to the next target. That first character is still taking ongoing damage as long as he's failing his saves.

I'm not sure that's how I'd run rot grubs myself, but it seems legal.



Cheers,
Roger