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• Jun 3, 2021

  Let's Read the 4e Monster Manual 2: Colossus

  

  This article is part of a series! Click here to see the other entries.

  The Lore

  As we saw back in the Colossus entry for the Monster Manual, colossi are at the top of the tech tree for traditional constructs, and only gods and near-divine spellcasters have the power to create them. They’re the kind of thing that was used as a weapon in the Dawn War. Well, here we learn that the gods weren’t the only side of that war that could make colossi.

  In the post linked above, I made a reference to the giant monsters from the Shadow of the Colossus game. The primordial colossus we’re looking at here fits them much better than the godforged variant from the first Manual.

  Most primordial colossi were created at the time of the Dawn War, and being as ageless as their creators they still exist today. Some roam the planes seeking to fulfill the orders of their long-gone masters, but others lie dormant looking for all the world like shattered ruins or broken parts of the landscape. When someone approaches them, they rise and smash the intruder.

  The magic that goes into a primordial colossus is a little wilder and less controlled than the one that goes into the god-forged variant. The principles behind it are such that a primordial colossus might be created by accident in any event that causes the release of a massive amount of elemental energy. This includes the awakening or destruction of a mighty elemental being. It’s also possible for an epic spellcaster to acquire and perform the ritual to create one of these constructs.

  The Numbers

  Once again we get a single stat block here, so let’s get right to it.

  Primordial Colossus

  This baby is a Huge Elemental Animate with the Construct keyword, and a Level 29 Elite Brute with 640 HP. It’s immune to disease, fear, poison and sleep, and has a Variable Elemental Resistance 15 switchable 3 times per encounter. Its ground speed is 10.

  Primordial colossi really lean into that mechanic for composite energy damage. They have an Elemental Presence aura (5) that deals 15 damage of the “acid, cold, fire, lightning, and thunder” type to anyone caught inside. You need resistance to all five types in order to not take full damage from it.

  Their basic slams do physical damage, but they likely prefer to use a Colossal Slam maneuver (close blast 3 vs. AC), which does the same damage over an area and triggers a secondary attack vs. Fortitude that does a bit of extra five-type elemental damage.

  When an enemy moves adjacent to the colossus, it can use a Reactive Kick as a reaction, targetting Fortitude, doing a good bit of five-type damage, pushing the target 4 squares and knocking it prone. This recharges once the colossus is first bloodied.

  Staying away does you no good, since it can throw Primordial Stones (Ranged 20 vs. Reflex) that do only a bit less damage than the slam and have a secondary area attack (Close Burst 5 vs. Fortitude) which does that sweet five-type damage.

  Sample Encounters and Final Impressions

  The two sample encounters have primordial colossi guarding ancient ruins alongside other similarly powerful apotropaics:

  • Level 26: 1 primordial colossus, 2 great flameskulls, 1 slaughterstone hammerer.

  • Level 27: 1 primordial colossus, 1 primordial naga.

  Maybe an epic adventure centered on Far Realm opposition could have some horrible aberrant secret guarded by both godforged and primordial colossi - something so terrible the gods and primordials actually joined forces to protect.

  Mechanically, I find those Big Balls of Elemental Damage in the colossus’ stat block to be a lot of fun. It’s so hard to resist you’d get the same result by just using straight physical damage, but describing it this way reinforces the elemental nature of the creature… and you get to see the look on your players’ faces as you announce they took acid, cold, fire lightning and thunder damage.

• Jun 3, 2021

  Let's Read the 4e Monster Manual 2: Cockatrice

  

  This article is part of a series! Click here to see the other entries.

  As far as I know both cockatrices and basilisks are based on the same vague lump of medieval folklore about an animal that can turn you to stone. The exact name, description and proportion of snake/lizard/chicken traits this animal has varies in each specific story. D&D, of course, turned each possible name for the same thing into a totally different monster. They’ve been in the game since at least the days of BECMI.

  The Lore

  Cockatrices are bird-like monsters whose bite can turn a victim to stone. Unlike a lot of other deadly creatures, though, they don’t actually seem to be predators. Their petrification powers are a defense mechanism, which they will use while trying to run away from whatever enemy threatens them. So yeah, you could say cockatrices are a bit chicken.

  Still, cockatrice lairs tend to have the little statue gardens common to petrifying monsters, all likely made from predators who thought they could handle it or from innocent creatures who had no idea whose lawn they were stepping on. I imagine careful adventurers can just avoid the area entirely if they see the statues, though there are reasons they would seek it out instead: the freshly plucked feathers of a cockatrice can be used to brew a potion that undoes petrification if applied within 24 hours. A single dose requires a whole cockatrice’s worth of feathers, which in turn likely requires killing the beast.

  Cockatrices are themselves immune to petrification, which makes them good pets for medusas. The book also says other reptilians, like lizardfolk and yuan-ti, also make use of them. They’re definitely easier to handle than a basilisk.

  The Numbers

  We only get a single stat block here, so let’s get right to it.

  Cockatrice

  This is a Small Natural Beast and a Level 5 Skirmisher with 63 HP and low-light vision. It’s immune to petrification as discussed earlier, and has a ground speed of 4 and a flight speed of 6 (clumsy). As a reminder, the Clumsy keyword means the creature has a -4 to attacks when using that movement mode.

  The cockatrice’s basic attack is its bite, which is kinda weak but triggers a secondary attack vs. Fortitude. A hit there does no damage and slows the victim (save ends). This worsens to Immobilized on the first failed save, and to “permanent until cured” petrification on the second.

  If an enemy moves adjacent to the cockatrice it can use Buffeting Wings (recharge 4-6) as an interrupt, which allows it to bite the triggering enemy and shift 3 squares.

  Sample Encounters and Final Impressions

  Given their low level, cockatrices are likely to be the first petrifying monsters a party encounters. They’re simple, but their main attack is scary enough to make up for that. They could be made into higher-level threats if, in addition to leveling them up, you made them more mobile and gave them an extra special attack.

  The sample encounter is Level 5: 2 cockatrices and a trio of lizardfolk using them as attack animals.

• Jun 1, 2021

  Let's Read the 4e Monster Manual 2: Chaos Shard

  

  This article is part of a series! Click here to see the other entries.

  The Lore

  In any edition of D&D it’s easy to get obsessed with its fiend taxonomy, but there are always some creatures that end up slipping through its cracks. Take chaos shards, for example. They form spontaneously at the edges of the terrible maelstrom that exists at the border between the Elemental Chaos and the Abyss, when the energies of those two planes clash in a particular way.

  These crystalline entities are sapient, violent, and cruel. Since they don’t have any biological needs to distract them, they’re quite content with roaming around and blasting everything they see with elemental energies. I imagine they give preference to targets that can scream and suffer.

  Despite having themes tied to the Abyss, being Chaotic Evil, and even having variable elemental resistance, these things are not demons. They do have some sort of metaphysical connection to the Shard of Pure Evil at the bottom of the Abyss, though. Legend has it that the most powerful chaos shards are splinters of that legendary blight upon the universe.

  Some wizards trap chaos shards for use as power sources, which I bet is not at all dangerous or likely to result in death and suffering.

  The Numbers

  We get a handful of stat blocks for shards covering from the mid-Heroic to the mid-Paragon tiers. All are Medium Elemental Magical Beasts. They have Darkvision, immunities to disease and poison, and a variable elemental resistance similar to that of demons.

  They’re all Artillery monsters, and their movement is fairly slow, though they do fly. Most are strongly aspected towards a specific element, and have damaging auras that get a bit stronger if their enemies are suffering from some condition.

  Storm Shard

  This Level 4 Artillery shard has 44 HP and aspected towards lightning and thunder. Its ground and fly speeds are 3, and it projects a Static Storm aura (2) that deals 3 lightning and thunder damage to those enemies caught inside. This rises to 5 if the enemy is immobilized. They have the standard senses and immunities, and their variable resistance is 5 and can be switched once per encounter.

  They fire Shock Bolts (vs. Fortitude) that do some lightning damage and “strongly incentivize” the target to move: if they don’t end their next turn at least 4 squares away from their current position, they take lightning damage roughly equal to triple that of the initial attack.

  If forced into melee, the shard attacks with Thunder Strikes (vs. Fortitude) which deal thunder damage and knock the target prone if it’s bloodied.

  When killed, storm shards explode! This Storm Shatter (Close Burst 3 vs. Fortitude) attack deals lightning and thunder damage, pushes the targets 3 squares, and deafens them (save ends).

  A note on damage types: the expression “lightning and thunder damage” above denotes an attack with a single damage roll that is of both types at once. Targets use the smallest of their relevant elemental resistances against this damage. In this specific example, someone with Lightning Resistance 10 and Thunder Resistance 5 would subtract only 5 from the rolled damage. Someone that resists only one of the component types takes full damage.

  Death Shard

  Aspected towards necrotic energies, Death Shards are Level 8 Artillery with 71 HP. It has all the standard traits including Variable Resistance 5 (1/encounter), and also Necrotic Resistance 10. Its speed is 3.

  This thing projects a Death Shadow aura (2) that deals necrotic damage to enemies caught inside, which increases if the enemies are slowed. It fires Death Bolts (ranged 10 vs. Fortitude) that deal necrotic damage and slow (save ends). In melee, it cuts you with a Razor Shard, a regular basic attack dealing physical damage.

  It’s a bit less volatile than the Storm Shard, but still dangerous: when hit by a critical, it reacts with a Critical Fracture (close burst 2 vs. Fortitude), which deals necrotic damage and weakens.

  If the death shard resists damage (i.e, if it’s hit with something covered by its resistances), all of its attacks deal extra damage until the end of its next turn. This trait is named Life to Death.

  Flame Shard

  These Level 12 Artillery monsters have an even 100 HP and are a bit more literal about this whole artillery business than most of their compatriots. Their speed is 4 and their variable resistance 10 (switchable twice per encounter).

  The flame shard’s main ranged attack is Flame Burst (area burst 2 within 10 vs. Reflex) which is basically like an at-will fireball, though its damage is rather low. In melee it stabs people with a Burning Shard that does fire damage, and it projects a Heat Wave aura (2) that deals fire damage and inflicts a -2 penalty against ongoing fire damage.

  When killed they explode in a final attack that’s much like a Flame Burst centered on themselves, and which also does ongoing fire damage (save ends).

  Prismatic Shard

  Living proof that “Radiant” doesn’t always mean “Good”… it can also mean “evil disco ball”! These are Level 16 Artillery monsters with 123 HP. To the standard list of shard immunities they add an immunity to radiant damage, making the party’s divine characters very sad. Their variable resistance is 10 and can be switched four times per encounter.

  Their aura (2) is named Prismatic Corona. It does radiant damage and inflicts a -2 penalty to all saving throws during made during the affected enemy’s turn.

  All of the Prismatic Shard’s attacks do radiant damage. The melee Prism Flare (vs. Reflex) has nothing else going on for it. The Iridescent Bolt (ranged 20 vs. Will) also blinds for a turn. Its Flashing Colors (close burst 3 vs. Will; minor action) do no damage but daze (save ends). And the Prismatic Shatter (close burst 3 vs. Will) attack it uses when it dies also blinds (save ends).

  Sample Encounters and Final Impressions

  As I said before, chaos shards don’t have frail organic bodies to worry about, so they can live solely for the fun of seeing people explode from their elemental blasts. They hang out with creatures who are equally appreciative of this highly refined form of entertainment, including slaads, demons, and certain types of Internet troll.

  They can also be summoned and controlled through elemental magic, which makes them popular with certain spellcasters.

  The sample encounters are:

  • Level 7: 2 death shards, a bloodseep demon, and 2 evistros.

  • Level 17: 1 prismatic shard, 3 blue slaads, and 1 green slaad.

  Chaos shards fulfill the important mechanical niche of providing artillery support for demons and slaads, since these monster types are all about melee and tend to lack ranged firepower. They also further confuse the taxonomy of “things from the Abyss”, something which I’m finding more and more interesting as I progress through these monster books.

• May 30, 2021

  Let's Read the 4e Monster Vault 2: Centipede

  

  This article is part of a series! Click here to see the other entries.

  Monstrous centipedes have been in the game since the beginning, and are based on real-world animals. Let’s see what 4e makes of them.

  The Lore

  I only recently realized D&D centipedes aren’t as fantastical as I always thought. There are thousands of real-world centipede species, and the ones I was familiar with were pretty small and generally not dangerous to people. However, some species can reach up to 30cm (a foot!) in length, and have a poisonous bite that might cause fever and chills in people. It’s possible for someone to be allergic to centipede venom, and in that case their bite can cause anaphylatic shock.

  So the only fantastical thing about the D&D centipede in early editions of the game was the fact that its venom was always save-or-die. Its size was realistic, and so was its venom in later editions when it became less deadly. Of course, the game also had truly giant centipedes which were entirely fantastical, and this remains true here.

  Centipedes can be found in woodlands, caves, and lots of other environments. They’re ferocious predators and aggressive enough to attack much larger creatures if they feel threatened. The larger specimens are of a scale large enough to see humanoids as potential prey, too.

  Despite all this aggressiveness, it seems lots of sapient creatures are able to keep them as pets and guard animals. I suspect magic might be involved. Centipedes are particularly popular pets for Torog worshippers, who consider them sacred.

  The Numbers

  Centipedes are Natural Beasts of varying size. The game gives them Darkvision, though it might be more accurate to give them blindsight instead. The authors didn’t consider a single foot-long centipede to be a worthy threat, so we get stats for a swarm of them and for a giant specimen.

  Centipede Swarm

  This Medium swarm is a Level 2 Brute with 44 HP. It has ground and climb speeds of 6, with Spider Climb (which allows them to cling to ceilings). It has all standard swarm traits, taking half damage from melee and ranged attacks, and 10 extra damage from close and area attacks.

  Its Swarm Attack aura (1) deals 3 automatic damage to each enemy caught inside, +2 per centipede swarm adjacent to the enemy. This is deceptively dangerous, particularly if you assume multiple swarm auras stack! An enemy adjacent to a single swarm will take 5 damage at the start of their turn. An enemy adjacent to 2 of them would take 14, or 7 if the auras don’t stack.

  The swarm’s basic attack is a Swarm of Mandibles (vs. Reflex), which deals a little bit of physical damage, which increases by 1 with each adjacent centipede swarm. A hit also deals ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). If the enemy is already taking ongoing poison damage, they’re weakened (save ends).

  If the swarm is hit by an area or close attack, their Survival Instinct causes them to shift 3 squares as a reaction.

  An interesting monster: despite being a brute, its attack is kinda weak. Most of the damage comes from the swarm aura, particularly if you assume multiple centipede swarm auras stack. You’ll never encounter just one swarm either - there should be at least two in the group to enjoy those cool exponential bonuses. More than two might be pushing a bit, though.

  Centipede Scuttler

  A proper giant, this is a single Medium individual. It’s a Level 4 Skirmisher with 51 HP and both ground and climb speeds of 8. Can’t run away from it.

  Its bite targets AC and does a little more damage than the swarm’s, but has the same riders. Against a weakened creature (which likely got that way from its venom) it can Feed, dealing roughly triple the damage of a basic bite.

  As an at-will move action, the Scuttler can, well, Scuttle, which allows it to shift 4 squares. When it shifts into an ally’s space while scuttling, that space doesn’t count as one of the 4 squares. Be sure to give it lots of buddies when building the encounter.

  Sample Encounters and Final Impressions

  We get two encounters:

  • Level 4: 1 ankheg, 2 bloodthorn vines, and 2 centipede swarms. What rotten luck that all of them would be hanging out next to each other.

  • Level 5: 2 scuttlers, 1 gnoll huntmaster, 2 gnoll marauders. So they keep more than hyenas as pets.

  I liked the old save-or-die centipedes and these feel properly scary as well, while also being distinct from all the other giant creepy crawlies.

• May 29, 2021

  Let's Read the 4e Monster Manual 2: Centaur

  

  This article is part of a series! Click here to see the other entries.

  Centaurs are inspired by Greek myth, in which they were The Worst (with rare exceptions). They’ve been in D&D since at least the days of BECMI, which even had a supplement that made them playable.

  The Lore

  Fourth Edition centaurs are a good deal nicer than their mythological counterparts. Their culture venerates nature in its wilder aspects, and they have an extensive martial tradition. In other words: they’re quite rowdy and love a good fight. Kord and Melora are a lot more popular with them than Corellon, who is otherwise the go-to fey deity. I don’t know if the lore of the primal spirits had been finalized at this point, but centaurs also work great as primal spirit worshippers.

  Centaurs like to live in areas that contain vast plains or steppes, but they like to build their settlements on hills or inside caves. The combination gives them a defensible position surrounded by clear sight lines all around, and also gives them the large space they need to run around and to grow their food.

  Centaurs are not typically evil, but they’re territorial, mistrustful of strangers, and hate people who despoil nature. Dealing with them peacefully requires careful diplomacy that begins beyond arrow range. The prospective ambassador should spend great effort making their approach both obvious and obviously non-threatening. Once the centaurs recognize you for a friend, though, they can become steadfast allies.

  Most centaur settlements are located in the Feywild, though there are some in the world bordering elven forests. Centaur law is simple, and most crimes carry banishment and exile as their punishment. Exiled centaur criminals could easily end up working with other villains.

  The Numbers

  Centaurs are Large Fey Humanoids, with low-light vision and a ground speed of 8. They have two signature abilities. The first is that their basic attacks do an extra die of damage when used in a charge. The other is a reaction called Quick Kick, which allows them to make a free kick attack against an enemy who moves into a position that flanks the centaur.

  Centaur Hunter

  If this was a PC, it would be a Twin Strike-spamming ranger. Hunters are Level 12 Artillery with 96 HP and all standard centaur traits.

  They fight with classic horse archer tactics, using their superior mobility to keep away and fire on the move. Their main ranged attack is Lightning-Fast Arrows (range 25/50 vs. AC), a standard action that allows them to shoot twice. Though each individual arrow has low damage, the two combined almost line up with MM3 math.

  Alternatively, they can use a Charge Arrow (ranged 25/50 vs. Fortitude) to do a bit more single-arrow damage, push the target 3 squares, and knock it prone. I’d say it’s not worth it unless the target is near a cliff or the hunter has melee buddies that would benefit from a prone enemy.

  Once per encounter the hunter can speed up even more and deliver a Triple Shot (ranged 25/50 vs. AC), making three attacks whose individual damage is a bit higher.

  If someone does manage to engage the hunter in melee, it can defend itself with a bastard sword… but it doesn’t really need to, since the Close-Combat Archer trait makes it not provoke opportunity attacks from the targets of its shots.

  Centaur Ravager

  The most likely melee buddy for the hunter, this is a barbarian-type. Ravagers are Level 12 Brutes with 150 HP and all standard centaur traits. They fight in melee with their bastard swords, and they can use a Berserk Rush (melee 1 vs. Fortitude; recharges when first bloodied) to do even more damage on a charge, push the target 2 squares, and knock them prone. When first bloodied, they also use Brash Retaliation, a free action attack that does high damage and pushes the targets 2 squares.

  All of this suggests shock cavalry tactics: charge, fight in place for a bit, then move away and charge again. Though I guess ravagers have no problem staying in the thick of it either.

  Centaur Mystic

  A wise primal or divine spellcaster, the mystic takes a priestly role in centaur culture and advises the community on its duties towards nature and the spirits. In combat they use plant- and earth-themed magic.

  Mystics are Level 13 Controllers with 132 HP and all standard centaur traits. They wield Reach 2 quarterstaffs which also acts as implements for their magic. The mainstay here is Rootwhip Staff, a melee spell that targets Reflex and does the same damage as a basic staff attack, but also slides the target 3 squares and slows it (save ends).

  The mystic’s ranged options are big guns with limited ammo:

  Ancestral Chargers is a Close Blast 5 that presumably summons ancestors spirits and has funky mechanics. It targets both Fortitude and Will: you make a single attack roll against both defenses. If the attack beats the target’s Will, they take high psychic damage; if it beats the target’s Fortitude they’re knocked prone and pushed 2 squares. This spell recharges when a friendly centaur within 10 squares drops to 0 hit points, which implies the recharge comes from summoning their recently departed spirit for one last strike.

  Biting Earth (Area Burst 2 within 10; recharges when first bloodied) creates a zone that lasts for a turn and can be sustained with standard actions. The biting earth zone immobilizes all enemies within. These enemies can choose to take 3d8 damage to save against the effect as a free action. There’s no regular save, so if the enemy doesn’t want to take damage they’re stuck in place while the zone lasts. When the zone is sustained, the mystic can choose to move it up to 3 squares.

  Once per encounter they can also use Mystic Resonance (minor action), which affects all allies within 10 squares. It heals them for 10 HP and allows them to roll a save.

  Looks like you want to open with Ancestral Chargers here, and then use Biting Earth to try and hold the PCs in place for the ravagers and hunters to do their stuff.

  Centaur Fey Charger

  Fey chargers are significantly more powerful than the other centaurs we saw up until now, being better fighters and having a host of storm-themed powers. This would fit a warden or a paladin of Kord.

  They’re level 18 Soldiers with 172 HP and all standard centaur traits. They wear mail and carry a shield in addition to the traditional centaur bastard sword, none of which slows them down.

  They can fire Stabs of Lightning (ranged 10 vs. Reflex) do to lighthning damage at range while closing in, but the main event is the melee. Once an opening presents itself they close in with a Thunder Charge, a strong attack that does a mix of physical and lightning damage and carries a secondary Close Burst 2 attack that targets Fortitude, does thunder damage, knocks prone and marks for a turn.

  Once engaged, their sword attacks mark for a turn, and they can use Thunder Hooves (melee 1 vs. Fortitude) as a reaction to attack anyone who ignores the mark and do thunder damage to them.

  Centaur Campaigner

  A legendary commander and champion of the centaur people with decades of military experience. The campaigner is a Level 25 Soldier (Leader) with all standard centaur traits and a good deal of supernatural wind- and storm-themed abilities. It wears plate, and carries a shield and a longsword.

  The bonus charge damage of the longsword attack is thunder, and the Campaigner is all about that glorious impossible charge. Its Light Hoof trait allows it to ignore all difficult terrain, and Sky Bound (at-will free action) allows it to fly for the duration of its next move, though it must land at the end. If that isn’t possible the centaur will gently float down to the floor, so it doesn’t take fall damage but you might say its momentum gets kinda ruined.

  When the campaigner’s charge hits it can use Three Thunder Assault to allow two allies within 10 squares of itself to charge as a free action. These charges deal a bit of bonus thunder damage as well. Combine this with other centaurs (maybe even other campaigners), and you have an instant massive cavalry charge!

  Once engaged, Shock Trooper gives the campaigner a small bonus to damage while it’s adjacent to more than one foe. It can also use a maneuver called Hoofed Tornado to perform strong attacks on all enemies in a Close Burst 1, knocking them prone on a hit and marking them for a turn as an effect. This recharges when it’s first bloodied.

  Sample Encounters and Final Impressions

  Centaurs might be found as members of most fey-themed encounter groups, working alongside elves, eladrin, satyrs, and so on. I imagine the nastier sort of centaur might also work alongside shady customers such as banshrae, hags, or fomorians. For some of those you might want to do some level adjustment either of the centaurs themselves or their associates.

  If you want your party to meet centaurs early, knocking 10 levels from the centaur hunter, ravager and mystic would be a good start, making them early-heroic NPCs/enemies.

  The sample encounter we get is Level 23: a centaur campaigner plus two eladrin ghaeles of winter mounted on fell wyverns.

  I like these centaurs! They can be either friend or foe depending on how they’re treated, and in any case the PCs might find a way to talk to them instead of fighting right away. They’re exactly what I look for in a NPC humanoid species. Their stat blocks also work well at giving the impression of a people for whom infantry tactics and cavalry tactics are the same thing.

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