Shocker lizards - standard actions?

[Noumenon]

Must shocker lizards choose to use their standard action to use their stunning shock, or is it in addition to biting? What about the lethal shock -- is that an area effect, does it take a standard action to activate, and can each lizard activate it again if it wants to? I see in Pathfinder that the lethal shock can only happen once every 1d4 rounds, but how to activate it isn't addressed.

 

[frankthedm]

I'd say "work together", "each lizard contributing to it" and the creature's low CR are more than enough evidence that all the shocker lizards are contributing a standard action to fire off a single lethal shock. Three CR2s should not deal out 6d6 damage each!

If dealing with folks who get testy about enemy groups acting simultaneously in the initiative cycle, each contributing lizard takes a ready action to add to the lethal shock.

Lethal Shock (Su)
Whenever two or more shocker lizards are within 20 feet of each other, they can work together to create a lethal shock. This effect has a radius of 20 feet, centered on any one contributing lizard. The shock deals 2d8 points of electricity damage for each lizard contributing to it, to a maximum of 12d8. A Reflex save (DC 10 + number of lizards contributing) reduces the damage by half.

 

[the Jester]

IIRC, unless otherwise noted, supernatural abilities require a standard action to use.

 

[irdeggman]

Rules Compendium pg 8

Under Actions in Combat
Standard Actions

Use a Supernatural ability note 9

Note 9 - A special ability take the indicated action to perform unless the abilitiy's description says otherwise.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Oh.. I forgot about this creature. I'm going to look into how one might use the Handle Animal skill to train a few of these guys!

 

[Nebten]

Oh.. I forgot about this creature. I'm going to look into how one might use the Handle Animal skill to train a few of these guys!

Train you say . . .

 

[Noumenon]

If dealing with folks who get testy about enemy groups acting simultaneously in the initiative cycle, each contributing lizard takes a ready action to add to the lethal shock.

I like that a lot, because it solves all the initiative issues and allows me to narrate each successive lizard as "charging up" the lethal shock -- building drama.

 

[Noumenon]

Oh, and I forgot to ask:

Lethal Shock (Su)
Whenever two or more shocker lizards are within 20 feet of each other, they can work together to create a lethal shock. This effect has a radius of 20 feet, centered on any one contributing lizard. The shock deals 2d8 points of electricity damage for each lizard contributing to it, to a maximum of 12d8. A Reflex save (DC 10 + number of lizards contributing) reduces the damage by half.

That affects all creatures within the 20-foot radius, right?

 

[irdeggman]

Oh, and I forgot to ask:



That affects all creatures within the 20-foot radius, right?

As I read it yes.

You pick a single creature of the group to be the center of the radius.