Updated Monsters- Fan Project

[Aegeri]

Cancel what I said, after opening up the monster builder, just like a can of pringles once you pop you can't stop! I'm working on the hydra and will have a WIP in a couple of hours or so.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Shouldn't Subdue the Living be some kind of action? Otherwise, when does it happen in the round? At some totally random time?

Also, recharges are missing.


Nice work

 

[Aegeri]

As promised, here is the WIP Guardian Hydra

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So this hydra had the design goal of "do something odd with marks", which I'm not sure if I exactly succeeded in initially - but this is a start. He patrols an area, guards a precious item or is bound to his creator. This is reflected within his two main traits Guardian Instinct and Devoted Guardian. Guardian instinct means those that defy the area it protects are marked by the hydra, making its main attacks more lethal. Devoted Guardian basically prevents anyone from marking the hydra unless they are within its area of interest. This presents more of an interesting dynamic, because defenders can't mark or draw the creatures attention if the rogue is trying to run off with the item the hydra is guarding.

The kind of encounter I envisage with his creature would involve a sacred object or item, when the PCs grab it the hydra unfurls or appears (say it is a mural on a wall, becoming unpetrified and attacking the PC with the item relentlessly). This means the PCs can play "pass the macguffin around", drawing the hydras attention to different characters and playing a deadly game of "keep away". It should technically be roleplayed as very singled minded and it attempts to rend marked characters to bits first whenever possible (its powers are designed so marking it if someone has its attention is impossible - if anyone can see any loopholes I would appreciate it so I can shut them down ).

It's actual powers are a little boring though in all honesty. Here I feel I stuck too much to the original hydra formulae, so I might have to think about spicing it up somehow. For the initial WIP I think this is a decent - if somewhat bland start. I'll be keen for feedback on the general concept.

Edit: The monster builder has REALLY messed up the entire dracolich stat block. It's completely correct when editing it, but the actual output screen it's completely wrong. What the heck?

Edit2: Fixed. My apologies for those mistakes. You may have to refresh the page/clear cookies to see the updated version (I just replaced the older one).

Edit3: It's done it with the hydra as well. God that is frustrating.

Shouldn't Subdue the Living be some kind of action? Otherwise, when does it happen in the round? At some totally random time?

Also, recharges are missing.

Fixed both. Subdue the Living naturally is its bloodied attack.

Nice work

Thank you. I was a little concerned earlier because nobody commented on the dracolich. I'm pleased at least someone liked it

 

[keterys]

Did you intend for the hydra's average damage on a marked target drop someone every round? 86 average damage on the five attacks at a 50% chance to hit, plus 20 autodamage from the aura, while avg hp are probably pretty close to that 106 damage at 18th... And that's without Deadly Jaws which should probably have a 1/round limiter.

 

[Jhaelen]

Wow, your hydra is really nasty!

I think it may be a bit too much - maybe Hydra Fury should have a requirement that it cannot be used against a single target more than twiche or something?

Also: Is this still a brute? It reads more like a soldier, really.

 

[keterys]

Fwiw, I think this is a great idea, but I'm totally waiting for Monster Vault before I do anything.

After that, I'd happily help out on figuring stuff out, but I'm just worried that anything done here will be invalidated in, oh, two months.

 

[keterys]

Edit: The monster builder has REALLY messed up the entire dracolich stat block. It's completely correct when editing it, but the actual output screen it's completely wrong. What the heck?

I was hitting that when doing some stuff of my own - it's pretty easy to fix if you copy it as rich text and paste it into Word, then you can modify the columns and what not all by moving things around. Annoying, but eh, gets the job done if you need.

 

[Aegeri]

Wow, your hydra is really nasty!

I think it may be a bit too much - maybe Hydra Fury should have a requirement that it cannot be used against a single target more than twiche or something?

Also: Is this still a brute? It reads more like a soldier, really.

Actually it should be a soldier now I think about it. I forgot that soldiers no longer get +7 vs. AC, which is why I threw Brute on there. It is worth noting that he is actually following what the original brute hydras already do. Also, unlike other solos I specifically designed the hydra to be "close" to the originals in the MM. He is fully allowed to tear someone a horrible horrible hole in a sensitive place. If you examine the powers, daze/stun/dominate conditions can be stacked up to vastly reduce the threat of its main hydra fury power. This is basically the intention of the creature, you need to focus a lot of these effects on him otherwise the attacks get out of control rapidly.

I will however have an updated version shortly, but I don't intend to limit the horrible fury of Hydra Fury (see the Heroslayer Hydra for another example of a brutal Hydra). Also, Deadly Jaws is supposed to be limited to 1/round. Formatting ate it for some reason. Probably to spite me.

After that, I'd happily help out on figuring stuff out, but I'm just worried that anything done here will be invalidated in, oh, two months.

I just enjoy making monsters and I suspect what I make will be different than what Wizards makes. So long as my mechanics and interpretations are different, I don't think there is any problem with making some more variety in monsters.

Edit: Updated version. This is still a WIP and I have a lot more work to do on it. Particularly on the actual powers the creature has.

Edit: Now I've mentioned it, comparing this and the heroslayer hydra is a good idea. The heroslayer hydra punishes creatures that mark it, this creature punishes enemies that are marked by it. Similar concept.

Also I totally thought of more interesting powers to give it as well and a way of making Hydra Fury less boring.
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[keterys]

Heroslayer Hydra actually has less damage output than yours. Even in the very very best-case scenario of final round of the fight, it has 8 heads, is attacking someone marking it... 40% chance to hit, only ends up with 83.168 average damage. And that's assuming that the '10 extra damage' applies to each and every head that hits after the first.

 

[Aegeri]

Heroslayer Hydra actually has less damage output than yours. Even in the very very best-case scenario of final round of the fight, it has 8 heads, is attacking someone marking it... 40% chance to hit, only ends up with 83.168 average damage. And that's assuming that the '10 extra damage' applies to each and every head that hits after the first.

Have you updated the Heroslayer hydra to MM3 maths, remembering it was published in MM2? It should be doing 3d6+11 damage basic (I use the multiple target expressions for powers like Hydra Fury), so against a Marked target 3d6+21+10 (only once on the +10 though). He should also have a +27 attack bonus against a target that has marked him, not +25.

When you add +25% damage to his attacks, it should come out to be 4d6+12+10+10 (once on the +10 though) or so. Depending on how you handle the math. Either way, he would do far more damage post-MM3.