Posts

• Mar 1, 2025

  Let's Read the Dark Sun Creature Catalog: Cactus

  

  This post is part of a series! Click here to see the rest.

  Cacti are an important part of the Athasian ecosystem, and their natural water collection mechanisms are often vital to allow people to survive in its deserts. But in Dark Sun, sometimes the cactus drinks you.

  This entry presents two D&D Plant Monsters with that Darker and Sunnier edge to them.

  Zombie Cactus

  One of the most prized cactus species in Athas is the Flowering Oasis Cactus, a beautiful plant whose sweet fruit can instantly satisfy someone’s hunger or thirst. Finding one of those out in the desert can be a real lifesaver.

  The Zombie Cactus takes advantage of this by looking exactly like a Flowering Oasis Cactus to draw its victims in. Its fruit is just as sweet, but it’s filled with mind-affecting poison nectar that dominates those who eat it. If the victim is too wary to eat, the cactus can release a cloud of spores that has the same effect before uncoiling its tendrils to deal with anyone still free. People killed while under the cactus’ influence immediately raise as zombie cactus thralls.

  All of this is way too evil to be a coincidence. Sages believe zombie cacti are an engineered bioweapon, the work of slavers employing psychic powers and defiling magic. The creatures proved too uncontrollable to be used as tools, and enough escaped their creators to take root in the wild.

  The Numbers

  Zombie Cacti are Large Natural Magical Beasts with the Plant tag. Yes, they’re intelligent. They’re also Level 11 Elite Lurkers with 182 HP, Tremorsense 10, and a ground speed of 2 with Earth Walk. Yes, they’re ambulatory.

  You’ll usually find the cactus in its Innocuous Form, which is nearly identical to a flowering oasis cactus (Nature DC 27 to notice the difference). It can do nothing in this state except assume its true form as a minor action. While disguised, the cactus has Resist 15 all and Regeneration 5. Wearing the disguise again takes a standard action.

  A disguised cactus is still dangerous because of its Poison Fruit, described as a passive trait. It will have between four and eight of these, which can be eaten by another character as a minor action. Anyone who eats them is dominated by the cactus (save ends). A dominated victim who is reduced to 0 HP can no longer save against this. Note there’s no attack roll here - eat the fruit, get dominated, period.

  Once the jig is up, the cactus uncoils and releases a cloud of Dominating Spores (close burst 3 vs. will), which has the same effect as the fruit on a hit. The burst also creates a spore-filled zone that inflicts -5 to saves against zombie cactus domination for a turn. This power recharges when the cactus uses Innocuous Form, giving us our “lurker loop” (breathe out, breathe in).

  Once enough people are dominated, the cactus will use its Tendrils, which do standard damage and an additional ongoing 10 necrotic (save ends) if the target is dominated by the cactus. Lashing Tendrils lets it attack two different targets with this attack.

  When someone dominated by the cactus dies, they become a Zombie Cactus Thrall at the start of their next turn. This zombie is a Level 11 Minion Brute. It can Slam and Grab for the same amount of damage, but it prefers the later because it can pull grabbed targets along with itself when it moves (probably closer to the cactus). When it drops to 0 HP, it releases a Spore Burst in a Close Burst 1 that has the same attack bonus and effects as the cactus’ cloud!

  If the PCs want to resurrect a victim of the cactus, they must destroy the corresponding thrall first. After that, the usual rituals can be applied.

  Hunter Cactus

  These aren’t engineered bioweapons. They’re “merely” fast, aggressive predators that pose as innocent plants and use their venomous spines to drain the blood of their prey.

  A Hunter Cactus is a Large Natural Magical Beast with the Plant tag, and a Level 12 Lurker with 82 HP. It has Tremorsense 20 and a ground speed of six.

  When the hunter cactus stands still, it takes a DC28 Nature check to realize it’s not a mundane plant. It will probably begin its attack with a Spine Burst (close burst 3 vs. Reflex, recharge 5+). It deals no damage right away, but inflicts 20 ongoing poison damage and blindness (save ends both)! From then on it will use its Feeding Spine on any blinded creatures, damaging and grabbing them on a hit. It can grab up to two creatures this way. A minor action lets it sustain all grabs and auto-damage the grabbed creatures.

  Fortunately, the cactus cannot run away with grabbed creatures, so it will stand its ground and fight any remaining foes with Slams that deal standard damage and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). If the cactus is hit while it has a creature grabbed, the Psychic Feedback reaction deals psychic damage to the victim equal to the damage the cactus just took.

  Encounters and Final Impressions

  Zombie cacti are found in the wild alone or in pairs, surrounded by thralls who rise up to fight when the cactus reveals itself. Note they are magical beasts, and therefore capable of forming alliances with other creatures. Commonly, that will be a wild predator who they train to draw victims to the cactus so they can share the spoils. Sometimes other people will coerce a zombie cactus into service, a fate it will always try to escape.

  Hunter cacti are more amenable to cooperation with humanoids, who can easily train them to attack only designated targets in exchange for a regular supply of food. In these cases they will be found alongside other guardians.

  These are neat, and very nasty. Cactus drinks you indeed.

• Feb 27, 2025

  Let's Read the Dark Sun Creature Catalog: Brohg

  

  This post is part of a series! Click here to see the rest.

  The Lore

  This entry goes on and on about how stupid brohgs are, but I think that’s terribly unfair to them. They’re some of the nicest people we’ve met in this reading so far.

  These four-armed giant-kin wander the wastes in small nomadic bands that occasionally cross paths to trade gossip and partners. They’re extremely skilled at surviving the environment in Athas, taking only what they need and leaving little trace of their passage. Their strong primal magic tradition helps them with this.

  Of course, being both big and relatively peaceful makes them frequent targets for the many odious slaver organizations in this setting, so they often end up captured and put to work as heavy laborers, muscle, or gladiators. Enslaved brohg who manage to break free often seek employment as mercenaries.

  Brohgs have both an innate ability to sense arcane magic, and an intense cultural distrust of it, as they associate all arcane magic with defiling and believe it to be cursed. Very rarely, a brohg will be born with innate arcane potential (like a PC sorcerer). These individuals end up exiled from their communities, as they’re believed to be hosts to “evil spirits” and destined to bring disaster. Left to fend for themselves with no support, they often end up creating a self-fulfilling prophecy scenario and becoming cruel defilers.

  The Numbers

  Brohgs are Large Natural Humanoids with the Giant tag. They move at a relatively slow speed of 6, and have low-light vision. They have four arms and are ambidexterous, but that doesn’t translate into a specific trait in their stat blocks - each one has different abilities related to training.

  Brohg Hurler

  Hurlers are civilians without a lot of combat training, but they get by just fine by throwing stuff really far away, be that stuff boulders or enemies. They’re Level 10 Artillery with 82 HP.

  Their basic Reach 2 Slam attack lets them grab the target on a hit, which is hilarious because they can then use Hurl Away to throw them 10 squares at another creature, further damaging the “ammunition” as an effect and making a ranged attack against the second target. For rules purposes, this counts as a push that leaves the hurled creature adjacent to the second target.

  If no one’s stupid enough to get within arm’s reach of a hurler, they can hurl a rock instead, which does similar damage, pushes the target 2 squares, and knocks it prone.

  Brohg Warrior

  This is what a trained brohg combatant looks like. When a brohg community is under attack, warriors step up to cover their retreat. This could also represent an enslaved or mercenary brohg working for someone else. Warriors are armed with 2 spears, a shield, and a hand kept free to throw rocks. They’re Level 10 Elite Soldiers with 212 HP.

  They can attack with a spear that marks for a turn or a thrown rock that knocks prone, and Double Attack lets them do that twice in an action in any combination.

  Their Brohg Taunt ability is a minor action that lets them mark everyone in a Close Burst 2, and recharges when they’re bloodied. If a marked enemy within 2 squares moves, the brohg can use Battle Alacrity to get a free attack on them that does light damage and lets then shift 1 square.

  Brohg Renegade

  One of those banished sorcerers who went all in on defiling magic, and now wanders alone or at the head of a villainous band, plotting to increase his power. The Renegade is a Level 13 Solo Controller with 512 HP.

  This defiler knows an Arcane Secret that lets them roll saves against daze or stun effects both at the start and end of its turn, even if that effect doesn’t allow a save (i.e., by having a fixed duration instead). Its dagger basic attack is a minor action that does normal damage, and a little bit of extra force damage if the target doesn’t end their next turn at least two squares away from the renegade.

  Its standard actions are all spells.

  • Entropy Belt (ranged 10 vs. will) targets one to three creatures, dealing psychic damage and pushing 3 squares on a hit.

  • Defiling Vortex (close burst 3 vs. Fort, recharges when bloodied) deals no damage on a hit, but instead knocks targets prone and weakens then (save ends). Missed enemies take necrotic damage. At the end of all this, the renegade gains 5 temp HP for every target it hit with the power.

  • Defiling Blast (close blast 5 vs. Ref, recharge 5+) does necrotic damage and dazes (save ends). The renegade gains a +4 to all damage while any target remains dazed by this power.

  And as it suits a solo, we also get a ton of triggered actions. The renegade has the same Variable Resistance as a demon, usable 2 times per encounter. To refresh our memories: the value of this resistance is 10, and when the renegade takes elemental damage it can switch the resistance to resist that damage type as a free action, up to the encounter limit, when the resistance retains its final type.

  If an enemy hits the renegade while granting combat advantage to it, the renegade can cast a Wrath Sphere (close burst 1 vs. Fort) against that enemy, dealing force damage and pushing it 2 squares on a hit. And when the renegade is first bloodied, Bloodied Defiling triggers to let it immediately recharge and use Defiling Blast again.

  That’s a lot of stuff, but that’s a solo for you. Almost dragon-like, this one.

  Encounters and Final Impressions

  Free broghs have no reason to quarrel with PCs unless provoked, and if that happens the warriors will cover the retreat of the rest of the group while hurlers help from further away. They might also keep several of the hardy beasts described in this book, and they might help in a fight too.

  Enslaved or mercenary individuals might be found in mixed sapient encounter groups. Renegade defilers will often be leading such a villain group. A single renegade is a nice “welcome to paragon tier” boss fight. One plus some lieutenants makes for a nice set piece battle for mid-paragon heroes.

  I like their mechanics and I like parts of their lore, but as I already mentioned I don’t like the way the book keeps saying how brohgs are stupid and simple-minded, and how it manages to make them superstitious despite living in a D&D world and having their own working magical tradition. Distrusting arcane magic in Dark Sun is sensible, but having the brohgs do it because they falsely believe it’s a curse from evil spirits is a step too far in my opinion.

• Feb 25, 2025

  Let's Read the Dark Sun Creature Catalog: Braxat

  

  This post is part of a series! Click here to see the rest.

  The Lore

  Braxats used to be natural beasts long ago, but according to the book were uplifted by a “grim magical influence” over centuries of exposure to become the huge and extremely antisocial insectile/reptilian humanoids they are today.

  Braxats view all relationships, including those with other braxats, in terms of dominance and coercion. They treat anyone weaker than them with contempt at best, viciously hate anyone they see as equals, and only grudginly submit to those they perceive as stronger. Each group is smaller than the one before, of course. They have a particularly hate for half-giants for some reason.

  Sometimes one of Athas’ many shady organizations manages to convince young braxats to work for them as muscle through either bribery or intimidation. This never lasts long, as the creatures are incapable of forming true loyalties and either leave or betray their bosses if they survive and grow strong enough.

  That same emphasis on coercion also applies to braxat reproduction (yikes!). Braxats reproduce when there’s enough surplus food to go around, and lay their eggs in secluded caves and other similar shelters.

  The Numbers

  Braxats are Natural Humanoids, with young specimens starting at Large and adults reaching Huge size. They have Speed 8, acid resistance that increases with tier, low-light vision, and the Threatening Reach trait, which means they can make opportunity attacks against anyone inside their full melee reach, not just adjacent enemies. They rely on their carapace for protection and use their fists or heavy clubs as weapons. They can also spit acid and use psychic powers, though the exact mechanics vary on each stat block.

  Braxat Juvenile

  A still-young individual that’s nevertheless old and large enough to strike out on its own. As mentioned above, some juveniles are conditioned from an early age to view another creature as its superior, but that only lasts until the braxat grows large and smart enough to see it’s stronger. Mercenary arrangements tend to last a bit more. Many juveniles never grow to see adulthood, dying during their work as muscle for Athas’ various villainous organizations.

  Juveniles are Level 9 Soldiers with 96 HP. They’re “merely” size Large, and have Acid Resistance 10. Their melee attacks are reach 2 and consist of either a basic Slam that marks for a turn on a hit, or a Thrash ability that does the same damage and knocks prone on a hit.

  At range, they can use their Caustic Spit (ranged 5 vs. Reflex) to deal immediate and ongoing acid damage, also slowing the target (save ends both). When a marked enemy within 3 squares tries to move away from the juvenile, they can use a Telekinetic Barrier as an interrupt to slide the enemy back towards a square adjacent to the braxat.

  Braxat Raider

  A typical adult specimen, now grown to Huge size. It wanders the wastes alone or with a small band of followers, setting up camp near caravan routes or villages that they periodically raid for livestock and people to eat.

  Raiders are Level 14 Elite Soldiers with 280 HP. Their melee reach is 3, and their acid resistance is 15. They fight with greatclubs whose basic attacks damage and slide 1 square on a hit, and mark for a turn as an effect. They can also be used for Greatclub Sweeps (recharge 5+) that target a Close Burst 2 and knock prone on a hit.

  The raider’s acid spit is a Scathing Spray (Close Blast 5 vs. Reflex, recharges when first bloodied) that has similar effects to the juvenile’s spit on anyone it hits, and does half damage on a miss. Its TK barrier evolves to Telekinetic Harness (immediate reaction), letting it pull marked enemies that end their turns not adjacen to the raider up to 6 squares.

  They also get an entirely new psychic power: Agonize (ranged 10 vs. will) deals psychic damage and slows for a turn, and doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when used.

  Braxat Lord

  Braxats who live to reach the peak of their power are strong enough to set themselves up as regional despots, as only the most powerful creatures in Athas can hope to win against them. They view pretty much anyone else as either potential slaves, or potential meals.

  The Braxat Lord is a Level 23 Elite Soldier with 428 HP and 20 acid resistance. Like the Raider, it’s Huge and its melee reach is 3. It fights with a Maul that damages and slides 2 squares on a hit, and marks for a turn as an effect. It can attack at range with the Crushing Pain (ranged 10 vs. Fort) psychic power, which deals psychic damage, immobilizes for a turn, and slows for another turn as an aftereffect. The Attack Flurry power lets it use the maul twice and Crushing Pain once in the same standard action, against 2 or 3 targets.

  Its acid spit power is Vitriolic Spew, a Close Blast 5 vs. Reflex that deals immediate and ongoing acid damage. It also turns the blast area into lightly obscured difficult terrain that deals acid damage to anyone ending their turn inside, and lasts until the end of the lord’s next turn.

  The psychic powers don’t end there either! Overawe (recharge 5+) is a minor action Close Burst 10 that targets all creatures marked by the lord, deals psychic damage, makes them grant combat advantage, and forbids them from using opportunity or immediate actions (save ends both). And its Telekinetic Harness works like the raider’s but also restrains those pulled by it and deals ongoing psychic damage (save ends both).

  Encounters and Final Impressions

  I think the encounter examples are pretty well described above. As for my impressions, braxats seem to be some of the worst people in Athas, and that’s saying something. They feel like Darker and Sunnier evil ogres or giants. The three variants slot neatly into the ogre/giant/titan role, respectively.

• Feb 23, 2025

  Let's Read the Dark Sun Creature Catalog: Belgoi

  

  This post is part of a series! Click here to see the rest.

  What do fey look like in a world whose environment as deeply fucked up as Athas’? Let’s check it out.

  The Lore

  The Belgoi (singular and plural are the same) lived in the Feywild before it was destroyed in ancient Athasian history, and they weren’t the most pleasant of fey back them. They took refuge in the world, but eventually came to hate it and all its residents. Now they live to despoil everything they touch.

  Belgoi organize into small nomadic tribes led by the strongest member. They’ll stop at a location and live there for a while, moving on when everything around them is ruined, consumed, or polluted. They often go out hunting, and will eat anything and anyone they can catch. They prefer sapient victims because they think meat tastes better when seasoned with terror, and that eating someone lets them absorb the victim’s power. That’s why they also eat their own dead.

  Eladrin are their preferred victims, since the belgoi blame them for the destruction of their homelands.

  Belgoi wear leather or hide armor, which I guess is true of most fighters on Athas. They fight with claw or spear, and wield small bells which they use to channel their magic. Ringing the bell allows them to lure targets closer for the kill, isolating them from their peers and breaking their formations.

  This makes me think their name is a horrible pun (belgoi == “bell guy”).

  Some of them have the ability to drain a victim’s life force through the wounds they inflict. You can see it seeping out and flowing into the creature.

  The Numbers

  Belgois are Medium Fey Humanoids with Speed 6 and Low-Light Vision. They speak Common, and all of the stat blocks here are Chaotic Evil. Their signature trait is that they’re Hungry For Blood, which makes all their attacks deal extra damage against bloodied targets. All of them also have a bell-related power, which is a little different for each variant.

  Belgoi Craven

  The weakest and most cowardly of their number, hiding behind more powerful warriors and waiting for the chance to pounce upon weak or isolated enemies.

  These are Level 7 Minion Skirmishers, whose Craven Slink gives them a +2 bonus to all defenses when adjacent to an ally (even another craven). Their claw is a standard minion basic attack, and their Compelling Ring (ranged 10 vs. Will, Encounter) can slide the target 5 squares to a square adjacent to the craven or one of their allies. Dangerous when the more powerful variants are around!

  Belgoi Stalker

  Not every belgoi belongs to a tribe. Stalkers usually travel alone, but can sometimes join up with mixed humanoid bands that have similar inclinations. They will also opportunistically insert themselves into ongoing fights, trying to lure a victim out while they’re busy with other enemies. And you can also just say a given stalker is with a tribe too, of course. They’re Level 7 Lurkers with 63 HP.

  Stalkers will star the fight at a distance, and use the Enticing Ring (Ranged 10 vs. Will) of their bells to lure a target. On a hit the target is pulled 5 squares and dazed for a turn. The stalker then moves up and uses its basic Claw attack, which deals light physical damage and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). If the target is dazed, like they would be in this scenario, the ongoing damage is increased to 15 and the Stalker takes a -5 penalty to its defenses until the start of its next turn, giving it an incentive to stay away.

  Belgoi Hunter

  Hunters are the main frontline units of a Belgoi attack, engaging enemies directly with their spears and trying to make them vulnerable to the attacks of their sneakier fellows. They’re Level 8 Soldiers with 89 HP.

  Hunters fight with their spears, but instead of charging into the fray they’ll try to draw enemies to them with the Ringing Attraction of their bells. This minor action power attacks the Will of all enemies in a Close Burst 5. On a hit, the hunter pulls the target 3 squares and marks it.

  The hunter can then use its Stakeout attack against an enemy it has marked, which deals the same damage as the basic spear strike and immobilizes the target for a turn.

  This set of powers is perfect for a tactic where hunters get the party’s defenders out of position so a large horde of cravens or a stalker can slip through.

  Belgoi Caller

  Callers usually lead belgoi tribes and hunting bands. They’re visibly more powerful than their followers, and have access to stronger magic and psychic powers that help their allies and hinder their foes. Not every hunting band will have a caller in it, but when they show up they’re bad news. Callers are Level 8 Elite Controllers with the Leader tag and 178 HP.

  They can fight with Claws that damage and inflict ongoing 5 damage (save ends), but their actions are better spent on their Ennui Lash power (minor action, melee 3 vs. Will), which does equivalent psychic damage and inflicts a -2 penalty to Will for a turn. That opens the enemy up to their bigger powers, and to the psychic attacks of their buddies.

  The first big power is Command of the Bell (Ranged 10 vs. Will, recharge 4+), which deals psychic damage, slides the target 3 squares, and forces them to make an at-will attack against an ally of the caller’s choice. Not a basic attack, an at-will attack.

  The other big power is Distant Ringing (area burst 3 within 10 vs. Will, recharge when first bloodied), which deals psychic damage to enemies caught inside and pulls them towards the center of the burst. Allies caught inside can shift 1 square and roll a save.

  Encounters and Final Impressions

  Encounters with groups of belgoi are pretty similar to the ones described for the lone stalker above. They creep around the party trying to stay undetected until their targets are vulnerable or engaged in another fight, try to lure and kill as many victims as they can.

  They’ll use clever ambush tactics and take advantage of terrain as much as possible, but don’t seem to like surrendering or talking. They always begin with the ambush, and run away if things don’t go their way, possibly to return later for revenge.

  I like their mechanics, but I’ll admit I can’t get over the pun. Bell guys. Sigh.

• Feb 21, 2025

  Let's Read the Dark Sun Creature Catalog: Baazrag

  

  This post is part of a series! Click here to see the rest.

  Athas has no mundane Earth animals. Instead of wolves or dogs, you get these things.

  The Lore

  Baazrags are beetle-lizard things the size of large dogs. In their natural environment, they’re desert predators organized in large but loose packs. Pack members stick close to each other but most fend for themselves, feeding on weeds and small animals and accumulating water in a sac under their shell. When one of them detects large prey it alerts the others, and the entire pack works together for the big meal ticket.

  All baazrags are born female, but only a few manage to reach the right size, age, and biochemical triggers to become egg-laying breeders. When a breeder is present, some of the other baazrags will become male, and will help fertilize and defend the eggs. Breeders and other powerful baazrags have some innate psychic sensitivity - proximity to psychic characters irritates them, making them more hostile.

  The Numbers

  Bazraags are Natural Beasts with the Reptile tag. Like most monster tags, it does nothing by itself but some effects may key off it. Most specimens are Medium, but Whelps are Small and breeders are Large. Their signature trait is Pack Harrier, a passive trait which gives them combat advantage against any target surrounded by two or more of their allies. They have a ground speed of 8, so good lock outrunning them when they find you.

  Baazrag Whelp

  Baazrags are capable of fighting from the moment they hatch, but they’re still too vulnerable to strike out on their own and so stick close to their mother. When they grow up a little more, they join the other members of the pack in their semi-independent activities.

  Whelps are Level 1 Minion Skirmishers with the signature traits mentioned above, plus the Scrambler trait that lets them ignore difficult terrain when they shift. Their bite does the kind of damage you’d expect from a Level 1 Minion, which isn’t anything spectacular.

  Baazrag Gnawer

  A particularly tenacious hunter that strays a bit further from the pack to act as a scout. It’s usually the first to spot large prey and warn its companions, and when it bites down it doesn’t let go.

  Gnawers are Level 1 Skirmishers with 29 HP and all the standard traits. It also has the Latcher trait, which gives it +2 AC when it’s latched onto a victim (see below).

  The gnawer’s Bite does a lot of work here. It deals standard damage on a hit and lets the creature latch onto the target, which works like a custom status effect. While the gnawer is latched on a target, it moves when the target moves, without provoking opportunity attacks, and can stop at any unoccupied square adjacent to the target at the destination. It can obviously only latch onto one creature at a time.

  While the gnawer is latched, it can use the Gnaw attack, which on a hit deals heavy physical damage, ongoing 5 poison (save ends) and lets the creature detach and shift 2 squares.

  The main difference between having a gnawer attached and being grabbed is that the target is not immobilized. Therefore, even though the stat block doesn’t say it, I’d let PCs treat it like a grab for purposes of escaping it early. On the other hand, while a gnawer can only grab one target, multiple gnawers can attach to the same target. Don’t let it happen!

  Finally, as a move action, the gnawer can use Bounder to jump 4 squares without provoking opportunity attacks. This is at-will, so it’s a very slippery creature if you don’t have a fighter with you.

  Baazrag Swarm

  One whelp is nearly harmless, but the whole litter at once is bad news. This is a Medium swarm, counting as a Level 3 Soldier with 46 HP. They have the usual swarm resistances: half damage from melee and ranged attacks, vulnerable 5 against close and area attacks.

  Like all Swarms, this one can occupy the same space as its enemies, and its area counts as difficult terrain. It cannot be pushed, pulled or slid by melee or ranged attacks, and can squeeze past any opening big enough for an individual member without penalty. In this case, the members are probably Small. It also has Pack Harrier, and a Hinder aura (1) that slows enemies who start their turns inside. Being inside the swarm also counts as being inside the aura, obviously.

  Their basic melee attack is Bloodthirsty Swarm, which deals extra damage against prone targets. Their other attack is of course Pull Down, which damages and knocks prone on a hit.

  These things are slightly less dangerous needlefang drake swarms. They’re higher level and do more base damage, but their aura doesn’t give them additional free attacks against prone targets. This means they will probably leave incapacitated PCs alone while other enemies remain in the map, though those would still be fair game if nothing else is in reach.

  Baazrag Breeder

  A typical baazrag who managed to grow and develop the ability to lay eggs. It’s Large in size, and a Level 5 Brute with 77 HP. I’m guessing not every old-enough baazrag will reach this state - it might be something related to hormones, like in an insect hive.

  The breeder upgrades her Pack Harrier trait to Pack Master, and only needs one other adjacent ally to gain Combat Advantage against a target. She can attack with a basic Claw attack or with a Bite that deals bonus damage against prone targets and inflicts ongoing 5 poison (save ends) on a hit.

  She also has psychic powers! Psychic Lure is a minor action Close Burst 5 vs. Will that targets one enemy and pulls them 3 squares on a hit. And that irritability when near other psychic sources translates into the Psychic Provocation reaction, which lets the breeder immediately charge anyone who deals psychic damage to her once per turn.

  Encounters and Final Impressions

  Baazrags look like typical random encounters during wilderness travel, but depending on how the PCs are doing in their trek they could also seek the creatures out to harvest their water sacs and meat.

  The first sign of a baazrag pack is the lone scout that will make an effort to call its buddies when it finds the party. Then they’ll swarm the prey and try to pull it down for the kill, but will give up if they think the prey is too tough and the fight is going against them.

  Breeders, if present, stay a bit further away and try to lure a lone victim with Psychic Lure. If they manage it, they’ll attack the isolated PC with the help of any nearby young.

  Individual adult Baazrags could all be represented by gnawers, though you could also reskin Gray Wolves from the Monster Vault as other baazrag adults. Any and all of these might be found as members of humanoid encounter groups as guard and war animals, just like the beasts they replace.

subscribe via RSS