Skodi the Heartless

[Kzach]

I just re-skinned and rejigged another monster that I felt was a very close fit to what I wanted in a game I'm running. But I'm unsure if I've made it too powerful or if it's too weak, especially in comparison to the MM2 changes.

Any help balancing it would be appreciated.

The background story to the monster can be read here: http://www.enworld.org/forum/plots-places/258457-heart-winter-would-appreciate-feedback.html

The monster itself can be seen here: http://kzach.wikidot.com/local--files/super-sunday-saviours/skodi.pdf

EDIT: Edited the monster.

 

[Mesh Hong]

I'm sorry Kzach, I really don't think that is a good solo creature.

Brief analysis:

1: The HPs and AC look right but I would expect:

Fortitude: 24; Reflex: 20; Will: 23

2: The Aura 2 for 10 fire damage is high for a level 9 creature, this might not be a problem depending on your group, the amount of healing they have and the amount of fire resistance items they have. So its hard to give advice specific to you.

3: Flaming Fullblade is using the high end damage expression, I would usually expect a soldier type creature to use a lower expression.

EDIT: I just realise you used the standard expression and not the high expression.

4: This Solo creature dosn't have a double attack, a solo that can only make one attack a turn is in a lot of trouble. I would expect a minimum of a double attack power, and in this case I would probably try a tripple attack power (this would tie in to using a lower damage expression on the Flaming Fullblade attack)

The damage aura also counts as an attack but remember that a solo needs to be an equivalent challange of 5 creatures (sorry I am not trying to be patronising) so a solo creature really needs to be able to let loose with attacks.

5: Merciless Fury is a real chin scratcher for me. I don't understand a power that only triggers when an enemy is reduced to 0 HPs as a reasonable design decision. BUT having it trigger an additional attack against the creature that has just gone to 0 HPs seems like utter madness. Even if you get to use this power (the chances are probably slim) are your players really going to consider this bizarre power either fun or reasonable?

6: Filth Fire, I would probably change this power to an actual attack with its own damage and effect.

7: Explosive Retribution, I like this power, it is a bit odd that it does 2d6 fire then 2d6 necrotic seperately but I can understand the reason for doing this so I think its fine.


Again, I am very sorry for being so negative but I really think this creature needs a lot of work. I would highly recommend giving it a lot more powers so that is presents a more varied and interesting Solo challange.

I would also ask you to consider making it change or lose/gain powers when it becomes bloodied. This will help define the combat and keep things interesting.

I would also consider giving it a movement power that it could use to escape being locked down for the whole fight and maybe give some thought to how it is going to deal with any ongoing status effects.

I hope this helps

 

[Mesh Hong]

This might be a little over the top for you but here is my first draft for the kind of threat that you describe with your backstory and original creature block:

Skodi the Heartless Level 9 Solo Soldier
Large Natural Humanoid (undead) XP 2,000

Initiative +8 Senses Perception +10, darkvision
Flame of the Primordials (fire) aura 1; enemies that enter or start their
turn inside aura take 10 fire damage; note this increases to aura 2 when
Skodi is bloodied
HP 392; Bloodied 196; see No Rest for the Wicked and Explosive Retribution
AC 27; Fortitude 24, Reflex 20, Will 23
Immune disease, poison;
Resist 10 fire, 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant
Saving Throws +5
Speed 5
Action Points 2

Flaming Fullblade (Standard; at-will) ♦ fire
Reach 2; attack +16 vs. AC; 1d10+5 damage; on hit target takes 5
ongoing fire damage (save ends)

Double Strike (Standard; at-will)
Skodi makes 2 Flaming Fullblade attacks; Skodi may shift one square
between the first and second attack

Mighty Cleave (Standard; recharge )
Burst 2; enemies only; attack +15 vs. AC; 2d6+5 damage; on hit target is
knocked prone and takes 5 ongoing fire damage (save ends)

Mighty Strike (Standard; recharge ) ♦ only while bloodied
Only while bloodied; attack +14 vs. Fortitude; 3d6+5 damage; on hit
target is pushed 6 squares, knocked prone and dazed (save ends)

Merciless Fury (Standard; recharge ) ♦ only while bloodied
Skodi makes 3 Flaming Fullblade attacks; Skodi may shift 1 square after
making the first and second attacks

Breath of the Fallen (Standard; encounter) ♦ necrotic
Close blast 5; attack +14 vs. Fortitude; 2d8+5 necrotic damage; on hit
target gains only half benefit from healing effects (2 saves ends)

Necrotic Step (Move; encounter) ♦ necrotic
Burst 1; attack +12 vs. Reflex; 1d10+4 necrotic damage; hit or miss Skodi
may teleport 5 squares

Explosive Retribution (Immediate Reaction) ♦ when first bloodied
and when reduced to zero HPs
Burst 3; attack +14 vs. Reflex; 2d6 fire and 2d6 necrotic damage; on miss
target takes half damage

No Rest for the Wicked (Immediate Reaction) ♦ when first bloodied
When bloodied Skodi's Flame of the Primordials aura increases to 2 squares
and he gains the use of Mighty Strike and Merciless Fury powers

Unstoppable Evil
Whenever Skodi is affected by an effect that would stun him he is instead
dazed and takes a -2 penalty to all attacks for the appropriate duration

Rejuvenation
Skodi rises at full HPs one day after he has been destroyed. Performing
the Gentle Repose ritual on Skodi's remains destroys him completely
preventing him from using this power

Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages common
Skills Athletics +14, Endurance +13, History +10
Str 20 (+9) Dex 15 (+6) Wis 12 (+5)
Con 18 (+8) Int 13 (+5) Cha 17 (+7)
Equipment flaming fullblade

 

[Kzach]

I'm sorry Kzach, I really don't think that is a good solo creature.

Don't be sorry, it's what I asked for

As I said, I re-skinned and re-jigged another creature from the Compendium as I'm not overly familiar with monsters beyond about 6th-level. It was based on the the Charnel Cinderhouse.

Thanks for the feedback and writeup.

 

[Kzach]

Ok, just posted a new version.

 

[Mesh Hong]

Ok, just posted a new version.

It's better than the original, and I am going to assume that it is perfect for your game as it is your second version.

You haven't given a value for the Radiant vulnerability, I would assume its 5 though.

Personally I would have Explosive Retribution make an attack vs. Reflex and have it clearly state that it is fire & necrotic.

Sacrificial flame is slightly unclear, do both Skodi and his ally take 2d8+5 damage, then the ally takes the attack? Also 10 squares is a long way but then I suppose it is a recharge 6 so it shouldn't happen many times at all, my guess is that he will get to use it twice.

I like the change to his comming back from the dead PLOT ability, you can safely use him now both before and after the PCs retrieve and and destroy the heart.

An encounter where Skodi bursts in just as the PCs are approaching the heart could be great. You could have an in combat skill challange to actually get past whatever is holding the heart while Skodi and his men try and fight the PCs back to do it themselves.

 

[Kzach]

It's better than the original, and I am going to assume that it is perfect for your game as it is your second version.

Yes and no. I'm going for a particular vibe with him but I don't, and never will, customise a monster for a group in terms of its abilities. It's up to the players to deal with the threat, not for me to cater to their abilities

So ultimately I'm still not sure about it's balance which is why I'm posting.

You haven't given a value for the Radiant vulnerability, I would assume its 5 though.

I thought radiant vulnerability was just standard. I looked up a monster in the compendium and it didn't list a number. I'll check it out again.

Personally I would have Explosive Retribution make an attack vs. Reflex and have it clearly state that it is fire & necrotic.

Yah, missed that. Will put it in.

Sacrificial flame is slightly unclear, do both Skodi and his ally take 2d8+5 damage, then the ally takes the attack? Also 10 squares is a long way but then I suppose it is a recharge 6 so it shouldn't happen many times at all, my guess is that he will get to use it twice.

Skodi is immune to fire damage. Some of his minions (azer, not to be confused with the minion level monster) are as well, whilst some are not (undead fire/necrotic dwarves that I haven't statted up yet). So he can potentially swap and not cause his target damage, but he can potentially have to swap with a target that is vulnerable.

And it should be 3 squares, I forgot to change that. 3 squares is long enough that it'll get him out of being surrounded, but short enough that he may be forced to sacrifice one of his undead instead of an azer.

I like the change to his comming back from the dead PLOT ability, you can safely use him now both before and after the PCs retrieve and and destroy the heart.

Yeup, that was the idea

Thanks again.

 

[Mesh Hong]

So ultimately I'm still not sure about it's balance which is why I'm posting.

My philosophy with important solos is that an encounter with them should change as the battle progresses. One way of achieving this is to make the solo physically change or to have it gain access to other powers, another way is to change the enviroment, either moving it to a different location (room) or radically altering the terrain (e.g. sections of the ceiling collapse forming large areas of difficult or dangerous terrain).

If you look at my version of Skodi he starts out as a powerful threat, then when bloodied he turns it up a notch as he becomes more desperate, and gains additional powers. This type of thing stops your players from becomming complacent which helps an encounter stay interesting.

Your version of Skodi is static, that is to say by the time the PCs have him bloodied they have probably seen everything he can do and have a full assessment of his threat level. By this point they will probably have fallen into a standard routine and in essense just be slogging their way through until he is destroyed. This is one of the reasons why people accuse solos of promoting grind, and something you don't see with standard or elite creatures because of their lower HPs and shorter life spans.

NOTE: of course I am not taking into account the presence of any other creatures (which you have stated will be with him or else his Sacrificial Flame power would be useless). I also do not know what enviroment or terrain you have in mind for the encounter with him.

My creature is probably a better balance for a true solo threat (PCs vs. him), yours might be much more suitable for a mixed encounter (PCs vs. him and lots of support).

 

[Kzach]

Ok, here is the latest update: http://kzach.wdfiles.com/local--files/miscellaneous/Skodi.pdf

Thanks heaps Mesh for providing me with lots of ideas and help. Even if it's not balanced for a 9th-level solo leader (still not sure if it is or isn't), it's a lot more interesting a challenge now

 

[Mesh Hong]

Yeah, good stuff. He looks a lot more interesting now.