Which is the nastier monkey?

[Hypersmurf]

I have a big gorilla-creature as the 'pet' of an orcish captain. A party of 6 5thish level characters is going to be taking on a bunch of orcs, plus the captain, plus the 'monkey'. It will be a tough fight.

Since it's taking place in a completely dark building (unless the PCs bring light sources with them), I want the monkey to have darkvision.

I was originally planning on Fiendish Dire Ape, but then I got a copy of MMII, and I like the look of the Gambol as well.

I'm wondering if it might be a bit too tough, though.

The FDA is CR4, with Fire Resistance 10 and DR 5/+1 (the party sorcerer is fond of Flaming Sphere, so the FR is a big deal).

The Gambol is CR5, has better attacks, and a natural Haste effect.

So... if you were a PC, which would you rather fight? DR and Elemental Resistance, or Haste?

-Hyp.

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

The Gambol, being CR5 represents an adequate challenge for 5th level characters. Thats what the party's going to be, if I understand correctly. Sure, they'll be 6 of them, but still. Its a pretty powerful creature from what I can read...

9' tall, weighs half a ton. Has reach. Will attack 4 times in the round if it doesnt move (lowest BAB is +11). Masterful dodge... and the list goes on and on! My god! unless the players start throwing will-saved spells at it, the Gambol will tear the party a new rectal cavity... If you want the baboon to be the big boss, by all means, use a Gambol... but if the creature is supposed to be allied to the orcs, somewhat of a pet, i don't think the gambol is a good idea... Doesnt look friendly... unless its already charmed?

This second rate analysis brought to you by

Maitre D

 

[Victim]

How about a Girallon? That's a CR 5 monkey like creature.

Of course, I've seen them chew up characters much high level than 5th very quickly, so they may not be the best choice. Unless you want to kill the PCs, and then say "What?! It was only CR 5."

 

[Pax]

How about a Girallon? That's a CR 5 monkey like creature.

Of course, I've seen them chew up characters much high level than 5th very quickly, so they may not be the best choice. Unless you want to kill the PCs, and then say "What?! It was only CR 5."

Girallons?

I LOATHED GIRALLONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Girallon is responsible for my first-ever 3E character death (a 6th level Sorceror). Bastards won initiative, rushed our camp, and caught my poor sorceror hitching the horses to the wagon for the day's travel.

Hit with all four attacks, then did the rend-asunder thing. I went form twenty-some hitpoints POSITIVE, to nearly thirty hitpoints NEGATIVE ... almost instantaneously!

ARGH.

Girallons SUCK!!!!

(heh)

 

[hammymchamham]

if the monkey is the center of the conflict, go with the CR 5, but if its a support monster, go with the CR 4. Yeah they're 5th level, but they'll be fighting orcs and the monkey, so unless all the orcs are 1st level warriors, a fight with them all may overwhelm your troops.

Even if the sorceror is found of flamming sphere, I hope he has some non fire spells.

 

[Gunslinger]

Do any of the PCs have magic weapons? If so they should be able to defeat the FDA fairly easily. The gambol sounds quite nasty to me, unless your party has plenty of fighters.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Do any of the PCs have magic weapons?

A couple; by no means all.

A +1 greatsword, a +1 ghost touch hand axe, and anything the cleric can magic weapon.

The rogue used to have a +1 shortsword. She wanted a trained war pony, and was negotiating with the scouts of a mercenary company to purchase on of theirs. None of them were interested in selling.

Then she produced this +1 shortsword, and offered it - plus a hundred gp! Now, the scout she was talking to didn't even know it was magical, but a masterwork shortsword and 100gp for a pony sounded pretty good, so she took the deal. (When she finds out she scored a magic sword - over 2k market value - she'll be stoked!)

I couldn't fathom what the rogue was thinking. "Are you sure?" I asked her. "That's a +1 sword. For a pony." But she was happy that that was what she wanted to do.

Some three or four hours later real time, when the party had already left town, had a couple of fights, etc, etc, one of the other players asked her why she'd done it. "Well, I didn't need two of them," she explained.

My DM-antennae pricked up. "What? I've only given out one +1 shortsword."

"Well, I've got two written down on my character sheet!" she claimed. "Look - there's one here under 'Combat modifiers', and there's one here under 'Magical Equipment'..."

Unfortunately for the player, the rest of the group unanimously voted that if you play in your sleep, you take the consequences.

Poor rogue can't figure out where her second shortsword went...

-Hyp.