Some Primordial Themed Monsters

[Mesh Hong]

Here are a few creatures I recently used for your perusal. These were part of a side quest where my 6 level 18 PCs were cleaning out a research facility (the research facility had acquired some primordial matter and was experimenting with it).

1: Lash Hound – Level 20 elite skirmisher
2: Chimera Lizard – Level 20 solo brute
3: Primordial Remnant – Level 20 solo controller

1: Lash Hounds
The encounter was 2x Lash Hound and 20 level 16 mutated researcher minions.

Lash Hound (two headed) Level 20 Elite Skirmisher
Large Natural Magical Beast (subject 3) XP 5,600

Initiative +20 Senses Perception +20, darkvision
HP 376; Bloodied 188; see Bloodied Kidnap
AC 36; Fortitude 34, Reflex 35, Will 31
Resist 10 fire, 10 acid; Vulnerable 10 psychic
Saving Throws +2
Speed 8
Action Points 1

Bite (Standard; at-will)
Attack +25 vs. AC; 3d6+7 damage

Tongue Lash (Standard; at-will) ♦ acid
Reach 3; attack +23 vs. Reflex; 2d8+8 acid damage; on hit secondary
attack +23 vs. Fortitude; on hit target is immobilised (save ends)

Double Headed Attack (Standard; at-will)
Lash Hound may make a Bite or Tongue Lash attack against 2 different
targets

Jaws of Terror (Standard; recharge ) ♦ immobilised target only
Immobilised target only; Lash Hound makes 2 Bite attacks against the
same target with a +2 attack bonus; if both attacks hit the target takes
an additional 2d6 damage and 10 ongoing bleeding damage (save ends)

Bloodied Kidnap (Immediate Reaction; encounter) ♦ when first bloodied
When first bloodied Lash Hound makes an attack against the creature that
bloodied it as an immediate reaction; reach 3; attack +23 vs. Reflex; on
hit Lash Hound and its target teleport 8 squares

Howl of Ancient Doom (Standard; encounter) ♦ psychic, fear
Close blast 5; enemies only; attack +23 vs. Will; 2d6+7 psychic damage;
on hit target is stunned until the end of its next turn, aftereffect target
takes a -4 penalty to saving throws (save ends)

Alignment Unaligned
Skills Acrobatics +23, Athletics +22, Stealth +23
Str 24 (+17) Dex 26 (+18) Wis 20 (+15)
Con 20 (+15) Int 6 (+8) Cha 3 (+6)

Overall the Lash Hounds worked quite well, they only managed to use their Jaws of Terror ability once each, this might have been due to the way that they were separated and couldn’t synergise with each other.


2: Chimera Lizard
This was a solo creature, by itself.

Chimera Lizard (red & blue dragon, basilisk) Level 20 Solo Brute
Large Natural Magical Beast (subject 12) XP 14,000

Initiative +15 Senses Perception +20, darkvision
HP 940; Bloodied 470; see Bloodied Breath, Chimeric Fury
AC 34; Fortitude 35, Reflex 31, Will 33
Resist 15 fire, 15 lightning
Saving Throws +5, see Triple Redundancy
Speed 6, fly 8 (clumsy)
Action Points 2

Random Bite (Standard; at-will)
Chimera Lizard makes a random bite attack, d6 (1-2 Red, 3-4 Blue, 5-6
Basilisk)

Red Dragon Bite (Standard; at-will)
Attack +23 vs. AC; 3d6+8 damage

Blue Dragon Bite (Standard; at-will) ♦ lightning
Attack +23 vs. AC; 2d6+5 damage; on hit if target has no resistance to
lightning damage it takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends)

Basilisk Bite (Standard; at-will)
Attack +21 vs. Fortitude; 2d8+8 damage; on hit target is slowed (save
ends)

Triple Threat (Standard; at-will)
Chimera Lizard makes a Red Dragon Bite, Blue Dragon Bite and a Basilisk
Bite attack, each against a different target

Chimeric Fury (Standard; recharge ) ♦ while bloodied only
While bloodied only; Chimera Lizard makes a Red Dragon Bite, Blue Dragon
Bite and Basilisk Bite against the same target

Blue Dragon Lightning Blast (Standard; at-will) ♦ lightning
3 attacks, different targets; range 20; attack +21 vs. Reflex; 3d8+7
lightning damage

Basilisk Stare (Minor; recharge ) ♦ gaze
Close blast 3; attack +21 vs. Fortitude; on hit target is slowed (save
ends), first failed save target is immobilised (save ends), second failed
save target is petrified (no save)

Combined Breath (Standard; recharge ) ♦ fire, lightning
Close blast 5; attack +21 vs. Reflex; 4d10+7 fire & lightning damage; on
miss half damage

Bloodied Breath (Immediate Reaction; encounter) ♦ when first bloodied
When first bloodied Chimera Lizards Combined Breath recharges and is
activated as an immediate reaction

Triple Redundancy
If Chimera Lizard is hit with a single target effect that either stuns, blinds,
or knocks it unconscious the attacker may choose which head it affects,
apply the effect to that head as appropriate for the usual duration, all
other effects (e.g. dazed or weakened) apply as usual

Alignment Chaotic Evil
Skills Athletics +23, Endurance +20
Str 26 (+18) Dex 20 (+15) Wis 20 (+15)
Con 20 (+15) Int 6 (+8) Cha 16 (+13)

My poor old Chimera Lizard got pummelled, but worked pretty much as intended and dished out a reasonable amount of damage while attracting its share of my PCs daily powers. The Triple Redundancy power was useful twice (against a stun and a blind effect) and seemed reasonable to my players.


3: Primordial Remnant
This encounter comprised of the Remnant, a level 18 artillery fragment, and 12 level 16 mutated researcher minions.

Primordial Remnant Level 20 Solo Controller
Huge Elemental Magical Beast (subject Aa) XP 14,000

Initiative +17 Senses Perception +23, truesight 20
HP 950; considered bloodied
AC 36; Fortitude 32, Reflex 34, Will 35
Saving Throws +5
Speed 6, climb 6 (spiderclimb)
Action Points 2, see Spark of Life

Snapping Maw (Standard; at-will)
Reach 3; attack +25 vs. AC; 2d6+7 damage; on hit target gains 1
Primordial Influence Point

Triple Snap (Standard; at-will)
3 attacks; reach 3; attack +25 vs. AC; 1d10+7 damage; on hit target
gains 1 Primordial Influence Point

Brain Warp (Standard; recharge ) ♦ psychic
Range 10; attack +24 vs. Will; 3d8+8 psychic damage; on hit target is
stunned until the end of Primordial Remnants’ next turn and target rolls a
d6, on a result of 1-2 target permanently loses a point of intelligence or
wisdom, on a 5-6 target permanently gains a point of intelligence or
wisdom

Body Warp (Standard; recharge )
Range 10; attack +24 vs. Fortitude; 3d8+8 damage; on hit target is dazed
(save ends) and target rolls a d6, on a result of 1-2 target permanently
loses a point of strength or dexterity, on a 5-6 target permanently gains a
point of strength or dexterity

Wave of Change (Standard; encounter)
Burst 8; enemies only; attack +24 vs. Fortitude; 4d10+8 damage; on hit
target gains 1 Primordial Influence Point and 1 Primordial Influence Point at
the start of their turn (save ends)

Whipping Tendrils (Standard; at-will)
Burst 3; attack +25 vs. AC; 2d8+7 damage; on hit target is pushed 3
squares and slowed (save ends)

Primordial Fear (Standard; encounter) ♦ fear, psychic
Burst 8; attack +24 vs. Will; 1d10+8 psychic damage; on hit target is
immobilised and takes 15 ongoing psychic damage (save ends both)

Primordial Echo (Standard; encounter) ♦ psychic, zone
Area burst 2 within 15; enemies only; attack +24 vs. Will; 4d8+8 psychic
damage; creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter; all
creatures starting their turn inside the zone are slowed until the start of
their next turn and gain 1 Primordial Influence Point

Spark of Life
Whenever any creature within 20 squares of Primordial Remnant scores a
critical hit Primordial Remnant gains an action point, this may take its
current total greater than 2

Threatening Reach
Primordial Remnant has threatening reach 3 with its Snapping Maw attack

Alignment Unaligned Languages primordial
Skills Athletics +20, Endurance +21, Intimidate +14
Str 20 (+15) Dex 24 (+17) Wis 26 (+18)
Con 22 (+16) Int 20 (+15) Cha 8 (+9)

Primordial Influence
Whenever a PC gains 3 Primordial Influence Points they receive an attack
+24 vs. Fortitude; on hit they gain a Primordial Mutation Point. At the end
of the encounter roll a d6 twice for each Primordial Mutation Point, the
first lowers a stat by 1 point the second raises a stat by 1 point.


Personally I thought this creature worked pretty well, it was nasty without being a damage dealing powerhouse. Between being marked and taking an additional -2 to all its attacks (from splintering shot) its attacks missed as often as they hit, though if I was to run it again I would probably reduce its AC by 2 points (this would bring it more in line with MMII guidelines).

At the end of the day I think any “Primordial Threat” should involve at least a taste of the raw power that the ancient Primordials once commanded. In this case my interpretation of this was the Spark of Life ability and the Primordial Influence system, which could lead to Primordial Mutation.

A: The Spark of Life power (to my surprise) proved to be incredibly useful, the creature spent an action point nearly every turn and at one point had 5 action points, in fact it died still having 3 action points left. My prediction was that it might gain 2 action points with this power, in the end having an action point to spend every round did not overpower the creature (for my group).

B: The Primordial Influence and Mutation system is a matter of taste and play style. At the end of the encounter out of 6 PCs I had 2 PCs with 1 mutation point each and a third PC with 2 mutation points (a fourth had withstood the attack +24 vs. Fortitude to shrug a mutation point off). As I have said my own opinion is that battling Primordials (or in this case primordial matter) should be dangerous and carry potential long term consequences, but I can totally understand anyones opinion of not wanting to mess with a PCs stats…. I would like to here other peoples opinion regarding this.

Anyway that’s my basic report, I would be happy to discuss or explain anything anyone is interested in.

 

[DanmarLOK]

These come off well to me. The only issue I'd have with my group is the taking away of stats. This has the potential to impart imbalance to a character and with some players really cause friction. To use these as is I'd have to add a high level (aka costly) ritual or something to that effect that could do a "de-warp" a character.

 

[Mesh Hong]

The only issue I'd have with my group is the taking away of stats. This has the potential to impart imbalance to a character and with some players really cause friction.

Yes it might seem like a major imposition to some people, it is certainly an unusual and unpredictable mechanic.

To use these as is I'd have to add a high level (aka costly) ritual or something to that effect that could do a "de-warp" a character.

The way I look at it is that it is a great plot hook for any characters alterred by the creature who want to return to their unaltered state. This gives the DM a solid basis for additional side quests to track down a cure or ritual.

In my case (without giving too much away to my players), the facility had been abandoned in a chaotic state, it is not unreasonable that the people conducting the Primordial Matter Research have relocated to one or more other safer facilities to continue their research. The researchers probably have the greatest understanding of the processes involved and also probably have another sample of Primordial Matter (or a stable piece taken from the original source). This provides a possible route of investigation and adventure. Of course there is also the fact that any meddling with primordial matter must be stopped as it is far too dangerous, if mortals gained the primordial power of creation and destruction it would change the world forever.