Sa'Relka: thri-kreen NPC, overly complicated

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Sa'Relka was a character in the 2e Dark Sun book, Thri-Kreen of Athas. She was a 5th-level earth cleric, multiclassed as a 5th-level fighter.

The end of the book contained an adventure, and suggested either using her (and two other thri-kreen characters) as pre-generated PCs, or using them as NPCs. (The authors assumed the PCs would all be thri-kreen, which would have been kind of odd given the race/class restrictions.)

Anyway, I statted her up, using some rules for the Animist Shaman and the Elemental Priest theme. Unfortunately, she doesn't fit onto a 4 x 6 inch card. I also wonder if she has too many abilities for a heroic tier monster. This is in part because I wanted to make her "true" to being a thri-kreen.

She's 6th-level because:
1) When converting a 2e multiclassed character, you take the highest level (in this case 5th) and add 1/3rd of each additional class' levels, rounding down (so +1, adding up to 6).
2) The typical thri-kreen IMC is a 6th-level skirmisher, and I wanted her to be as powerful.

Sa'Relka, thri-kreen earth shaman
Level 6 controller (leader), 250 XP
HP 69 (bloodied 34)
AC 20; Fort 18, Ref 17, Will 19
Initiative +5
Perception +7, low-light vision
Immune sleep
Speed 7

Traits
Deft Dodger: Sa'Relka gains a +2 bonus to AC against ranged attacks.

Standard Actions
Gythka Attack: +10 vs AC. Hit: 1d8+4 damage. (basic attack)
Bite Attack: +10 vs AC. Hit: 1d6+2 damage.
Mantis Attack * At-Will.
Sa'Relka makes one gythka and one bite attack.
Haunting Spirits (fear, primal, psychic) * At-Will.
Attack: Ranged 5. +8 vs Will. Hit: 2d6+7 psychic damage, and the target grants combat advantage until the end of Sa'Relka's turn.
Spirit of Athas (primal, spirit) * Recharge 5.
Sa'Relka dismisses her elemental spirit and makes the following melee 1 attack from the spirit's square:
Attack: +8 vs Reflex. Hit: 2d6+10 damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls and all defenses until the end of Sa'Relka's next turn.

Move Actions
Mantis Jump * Recharge 4.
Sa'Relka jumps 10 squares. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Minor Actions
Call Elemental Spirit (primal, spirit) * At-Will.
Sa'Relka conjures an elemental spirit in an unoccupied square within 20. The spirit lasts until Sa'Relka falls unconscious or is dismissed. The spirit occupies 1 square. Eneemies cannot move through the space, but allies can. When Sa'Relka takes a move action, it can also move an equal number of squares. Allies gain a +2 bonus to saving throws while adjacent to the elemental spirit.
Special: Sa'Relka can only have one elemental spirit at a time. Summoning a new spirit automatically dismisses the previous one.
Healing Spirit (healing, primal, spirit) * Encounter (x2)
Sa'Relka dismisses her elemental spirit. An ally adjacent to the spirit may spend a healing surge.

Triggered Actions
Spirit's Wrath (primal) * At-Will.
Trigger: An enemy leaves a square adjacent to the elemental spirit without shifting.
Attack: +8 vs Reflex.
Hit: 2d6+10 damage and the target grants combat advantage until the end of Sa'Relka's turn.
Venomous Bite (poison) * Encounter
Trigger: Sa'Relka hits an enemy with mantis attack.
Attack (free action): Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +8 vs Fortitude.
Hit: The target falls prone and is stunned (save ends both).

Skills: Nature +12.
Str 17 Dex 14 Wis 19
Con 13 Int 10 Cha 11

Alignment Good
Languages Thri-Kreen
Equipment Totem, leather harness with backpack, gythka.

 

[AngryMojo]

I'm a little confused. Are you using her as a pregenerated PC, or as an NPC?

 

[DracoSuave]

If she's an NPC, she doesn't need any of that crap.

If she's a monster, she doesn't need half that crap.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I'm a little confused. Are you using her as a pregenerated PC, or as an NPC?

NPC (a named monster; if she used the NPC rules, that list would be longer).

 

[AngryMojo]

NPC (a named monster; if she used the NPC rules, that list would be longer).

It should be far shorter. NPC's don't use the same rules for powers that PC's do, they usually only have a few options that make sense for the individual NPC to have. It's also extremely rare for an NPC to ever have an ability that calls for healing surges to be spent.

I'd remove almost everything beneath the move actions and make her an elite. You'll wind up with the feel you're going for, but a much simpler monster.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

It should be far shorter. NPC's don't use the same rules for powers that PC's do, they usually only have a few options that make sense for the individual NPC to have. It's also extremely rare for an NPC to ever have an ability that calls for healing surges to be spent.

I'd remove almost everything beneath the move actions and make her an elite. You'll wind up with the feel you're going for, but a much simpler monster.

Seeing how she's a multi-classed character, that may the best solution.

 

[jbear]

If you want her to have a spirit companion, you could just give it an aura effect that is constant. That would probably easier to keep track of.

Allies in the aura have resist 2 to all damage
Enemies in the aura have Vulnerablity 2 to all damage.

All those triggerd actions will be hard to remember when your running a battle.

If you give her powers that allow healing, take into account that this will extend the length of combat considerably. It's something to consider if you don't want the encounter to necessarily end in full scale slaughter. But you should probably include several ways the PCs can successfully end the encounter via non-combat actions.

So, is she a friend or a foe ... or a foe that if handled correctly could potentially become a friend?