Why is the Grell an elite, not a solo monster?

[M.L. Martin]

That's what I'm saying. The 4e text for the grell says its a solitary creature.

But apparently that means....until there's a combat, then it has buddies.

Well, it does say that they typically don't associate with others of their own kind, save in special circumstances. The sample encounter has one grell with gnoll and troglodyte minions.

 

[Hella_Tellah]

That's what I'm saying. The 4e text for the grell says its a solitary creature.

But apparently that means....until there's a combat, then it has buddies.

That doesn't seem all that outlandish to me. I'm a solitary creature, but you'd best believe if someone were trying to murder me for my treasure that I'd enlist a few minions.

 

[Kunimatyu]

I'd prefer to see a Grell Patriarch as a solo. In fact, I'm somewhat surprised one didn't make it in, given that we have a Philosopher statted up.

 

[Wiman]

That doesn't seem all that outlandish to me. I'm a solitary creature, but you'd best believe if someone were trying to murder me for my treasure that I'd enlist a few minions.

Cheers, you and me both....I guess I would have to have treasure for them to take it but thats immaterial.

 

[Nymrohd]

Also, maybe grell are designed as ambush encounters? So they are likely not to have your entire party around but rather appear after they have split?

 

[Deverash]

Cheers, you and me both....I guess I would have to have treasure for them to take it but thats immaterial.

Nah, whether or not you have treasure is what's immaterial. It's whether or not the Adventurers think you have treasure that matters.

 

[Voss]

That doesn't seem all that outlandish to me. I'm a solitary creature, but you'd best believe if someone were trying to murder me for my treasure that I'd enlist a few minions.

So upon learning about the existence of adventurers, the grell immediately becomes... something other than a solitary monster. Thats the problem- the text and the the encounters are flatly contradictory unless they are only ever encountered with traps.

 

[Kunimatyu]

The best way to use ambushers in 4e is to have them attack the party while they're fighting something else. Maybe you're fighting troglodytes in a cave when the wizard gets surprised by a horrible aberration floating down from the cave ceiling.

They're probably Elites and not Solo just because of the possibility of encounters with multiple grell.

 

[AllisterH]

So upon learning about the existence of adventurers, the grell immediately becomes... something other than a solitary monster. Thats the problem- the text and the the encounters are flatly contradictory unless they are only ever encountered with traps.

That's not what the text says though

Grell writeup

Reading that, it doesn't say Grell ALWAYS hunt alone. In fact, all of its say is that most grell dislike the company of their fellow grell but some can actually form small groups.

It actually states that the most commonly encounter grell is a single feral grell but that you may run into a group of grell on a mission.

Are people actually reading what the text says?

 

[Incenjucar]

:\

A Solo Monster is not just a Monster who goes Solo.

A Solo Monster is a monster that has the ability to challenge as if it were four monsters of equal level.

A Grell is not a Solo monster even if it's often going Solo.