The Pseudonatural Grell - A Monstrous Smackdown
- Thread starter Sparrowhawk
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Sparrowhawk
First Post
Actually, I think that the most broken thing about this particular application of the (Epic) Pseudonatural template is that a creature that has a large number of natural weapons really gets the most out of the template. All those tentacle rakes with Con drain are scary.
It doesn't drain con until the round after it grapples giving anyone a chance to escape. The creature has to take -20 to grapple checks unless it wants to consider itself grappled. Grell tentacles have 10 hp and AC 19 (+35?) so you can either sever a tentacle, have someone else sever it or make an escape artist check. I guess this is one time its good to have a +30 escape artist item or the close quarters fighting feat. I think if I were 20th level I'd try to get that feat in a item somehow.
Sparrowhawk
First Post
Close-Quarters Fighting won't help because the grapple is an Improved Grab attack, meaning no AoO. Creatures with Improved Grab also don't have to take -20 to their grapple checks to keep from getting grappled themselves. Besides, this thing has a Str bonus of +16 and is Large (or was it Huge?) size, plus Grells have a racial bonus to grapple checks (was it +10 or +15?) It isn't very likely that those tentacles are going to be severed either, since they benifit from the (Epic) Pseudonatural template's AC bonus (I think their AC becomes 45, since the Pseudonatural template's natural AC bonus replaces any existing bonuses) and DR.
DarkJester
First Post
Close-quarters-fighting specfically says that you get an AOO against creatures with improved grab. 
Things that can't fly are just meat after a party is 11th level. Characters are moving 60-90' with fly or boots or being a monk etc.
One thing I've noticed about epic stuff is blowing your wad in a matter of moments with multiple quickened spells, blazing through all your limited use powers and such and pre-encounter buffing. You don't get more stuff, you just can just use it faster. Quicken all your 1st-9th level spells by level 26 and you can use 4 quickened spells per round at level 29. Monsters resist your spells 60% of the time more or less.
Clerics cast quickened mass heal, greater restoration etc so if you don't die in a single round then you are completely healed by the next.
How is a scorpion with the pseudonatural template not a joke? An 11th level party could never kill it but it could never kill them. Eventually a super archer will crit enough times to obliterate it.
What is crazy are monsters that do permanent damage that can't be restored by a wish or a miracle, not even epic magic.
One thing I've noticed about epic stuff is blowing your wad in a matter of moments with multiple quickened spells, blazing through all your limited use powers and such and pre-encounter buffing. You don't get more stuff, you just can just use it faster. Quicken all your 1st-9th level spells by level 26 and you can use 4 quickened spells per round at level 29. Monsters resist your spells 60% of the time more or less.
Clerics cast quickened mass heal, greater restoration etc so if you don't die in a single round then you are completely healed by the next.
How is a scorpion with the pseudonatural template not a joke? An 11th level party could never kill it but it could never kill them. Eventually a super archer will crit enough times to obliterate it.
What is crazy are monsters that do permanent damage that can't be restored by a wish or a miracle, not even epic magic.
Well Archer, I should mention that this Scorpion is 1 CR higher than the Tarrasque and is clearly much, much more powerful than the Tarrasque (except the whole Wish thing).
What level party would it take to survive melee combat against this thing? Ridiculously high. In that sense, this thing shouldn't even have a challenge rating- if used in melee (from ambush), it is a TPK for almost all 30th level characters. If used in any other situation, it demands that the players avoid even getting anywhere near it and can be killed only by endless firing of arrows. I can't remember any Pseudonatural spell-like abilities- if someone has the ELH on them, maybe they could point out any of importance.
Imagine a primal air elemental advanced to 288 HD with this template...
What level party would it take to survive melee combat against this thing? Ridiculously high. In that sense, this thing shouldn't even have a challenge rating- if used in melee (from ambush), it is a TPK for almost all 30th level characters. If used in any other situation, it demands that the players avoid even getting anywhere near it and can be killed only by endless firing of arrows. I can't remember any Pseudonatural spell-like abilities- if someone has the ELH on them, maybe they could point out any of importance.
Imagine a primal air elemental advanced to 288 HD with this template...
Sparrowhawk
First Post
Archer, the Grell can fly. This one flies at a speed of 60' (with Perfect maneuverability.) As for your assessment that an 11th level party would kick its ass,
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!
Wow, you are really funny. That's the best joke I've read on an internet message board in a long time. 'C'mon, this thing has AC 50, DR 35/+8, and really high SR! Those poor 11th level characters won't be able to hit it at all, much less do damage to it! As for grappling, even if Close-Quarters Fighting does allow for AoO on creatures with improved grab, it won't really make a difference. The Pseudogrell has a really ridiculous bonus to grapple checks, helped tremendously by its size, strength, and racial bonus to grapple. A 20th level party I could believe. An 11th level party, not a chance in hell.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!
Wow, you are really funny. That's the best joke I've read on an internet message board in a long time. 'C'mon, this thing has AC 50, DR 35/+8, and really high SR! Those poor 11th level characters won't be able to hit it at all, much less do damage to it! As for grappling, even if Close-Quarters Fighting does allow for AoO on creatures with improved grab, it won't really make a difference. The Pseudogrell has a really ridiculous bonus to grapple checks, helped tremendously by its size, strength, and racial bonus to grapple. A 20th level party I could believe. An 11th level party, not a chance in hell.
I was talking about the scorpion although psuedonaturals can't really be taken out by a party lower than their CR simply because their SR is their CR + 12. Unless you can do 25 pts of damage before a x3 critical you won't be able to damage a pseunatural. A 20th level character probably has +30 to hit and +20 to damage over an 11th level character.
Of course a super Grell is tough and a 20th level party can take it. If you are mass hasted and move at 90' you can out maneuver it. The problem is having +8 weapons. How anyone gets +8 weapons without some improved version of GMW is beyond me though. It is only 55% resistant to spells against casters equal to its CR. At 24d6 a couple meteor swarms should cook it with a little luck.
Of course a super Grell is tough and a 20th level party can take it. If you are mass hasted and move at 90' you can out maneuver it. The problem is having +8 weapons. How anyone gets +8 weapons without some improved version of GMW is beyond me though. It is only 55% resistant to spells against casters equal to its CR. At 24d6 a couple meteor swarms should cook it with a little luck.
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