I was designing encounters for a high level oneshot, and I came across the Zeitgeist, on p 138 of Cityscape.
I'm looking at this creature, and I cannot figure it out.
Is this thing really CR 23?
It's got decent hp and fast healing, and is incorporeal by default, but it's AC means that it will be autohit by anyone.
Offensively, it has piles of spell-like abilities, but almost none actually help it win a fight.
- Animate objects can be good, but the best it can do (gargantuan, if something appropriate is around) is only CR 7, which a 20+ level PC won't even notice.
- Confusion and Fear are OK, but PCs at this level will likely save.
- Call Lightning Storm can do some damage, as can well placed Spike Stones.
- Swarm Sphere doesn't exist. It might mean Summon Pest Swarm, in which case why bother introducing a CR 5 creature into an EL23 encounter, or it may mean something else. Anyone know?
Nothing else seems terribly useful. Sure some of it is annoying (repel wood, metal, stone), but this doesn't help it win a fight.)
It's physical attacks, if it chooses to manifest, are a joke. +14 can't even hit the DMG NPC frontline types at 20th level. Manifestation sacrifices its best defense (incorporeality) and picks up a few special abilities which are at best OK.
Looking at the creature, I'd eyeball it at CR 16, maybe.
Anyone wish to comment? Anything I missed?
--
gnfnrf
I'm looking at this creature, and I cannot figure it out.
Is this thing really CR 23?
It's got decent hp and fast healing, and is incorporeal by default, but it's AC means that it will be autohit by anyone.
Offensively, it has piles of spell-like abilities, but almost none actually help it win a fight.
- Animate objects can be good, but the best it can do (gargantuan, if something appropriate is around) is only CR 7, which a 20+ level PC won't even notice.
- Confusion and Fear are OK, but PCs at this level will likely save.
- Call Lightning Storm can do some damage, as can well placed Spike Stones.
- Swarm Sphere doesn't exist. It might mean Summon Pest Swarm, in which case why bother introducing a CR 5 creature into an EL23 encounter, or it may mean something else. Anyone know?
Nothing else seems terribly useful. Sure some of it is annoying (repel wood, metal, stone), but this doesn't help it win a fight.)
It's physical attacks, if it chooses to manifest, are a joke. +14 can't even hit the DMG NPC frontline types at 20th level. Manifestation sacrifices its best defense (incorporeality) and picks up a few special abilities which are at best OK.
Looking at the creature, I'd eyeball it at CR 16, maybe.
Anyone wish to comment? Anything I missed?
--
gnfnrf
