However my group is now 12th level and faced many solo monsters over the past year and each solo monster have let me down. My expectations for them could have been set to high but the point of a solo monster is that its supposed to take up the same resources as 5 regular monsters and i don't think that's the case.
Solo Creatures lack turns, lets face it they go once you roll badly well too bad. Solo creatures need more turns, drop two action points to have a second initiative and watch as the new creature gives your players a run for their money.
One monster comes to mind that I've seen to be as solid as a solo and that's the Ettin, the Ettin has a double actions power that lets its have and go on two separate initiatives. The party (being old school gamers we are) were expecting this, but were still un-prepare for the devastation it brought.
Solo creatures need to have a multiple turn setup in order to keep up with the
party in its attacks or have attacks that attack the entire party at once. Keep this in mind when looking at solo monsters or looking to build them for your game.
First lets take probably one of the shittiest solo monsters in 4th edition to date, yes the Fen Hydra. The fen hydra is crappy because of its hit points, sure it can attack up to four people at the same time, but its stuck with still one move and can easily be handled by a group of adventures.
With a little mutation from the Ettin we have a devastating monster with 100 less hit points. This creature will be more fun for the players because it will be more challenging, and now it continues to have its four attacks and four initiatives, some might say this is too tough but i think by this level the party has way too many utilities to deal with just 1 creature and lock it down for ranged attacks
Keep the following in mind when designing or using a solo
- Can it do something unexpected
- Can it deal with healing surges
- Does it have multiple actions
- Consider giving it a 3rd action point, this will throw the players off
Blogs have been slow due to work and pregnant wife, they should pickup a bit more in the next few weeks, so until next time keep your dice on the table.
The Fen Hydra is of course copyright by WotC
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Are you saying that it can make 16 attacks in one round? That seems a bit much.
ReplyDeleteThe Dungeon Master's Guide already gives the advice to let a Solo creature act more than once each initiative. Your new Hydra looks completely insane. I would suggest giving it only a standard and minor action each turn to avoid the 16 attack round.
ReplyDelete@JesterOC & Wyatt: You're right. 16 attacks/round is insane. My guess is that he just forgot to delete Hydra Fury...
ReplyDeleteAm I right?
I wouldn't say remove Hydra Fury, because then the Hydra is just back to being a candy ass. I would cut the Hydra Fury to three attacks, and give it only Standard and Minor Actions. This means that to move, it has to spend one of its turns (basically). It adds some strategic depth to the encounter on the part of the PCs while keeping the Hydra tough, but doesn't let the hydra run up to players every round and Hydra Fury with impunity.
ReplyDeleteyeah garbed the wrong version. Hydra fury should just be a extra 2d8 recharge 6.
ReplyDeleteThe party i play with tends to lock down the monsters pretty good, and the solo isn't a challenge for them. I tested the multiple turns tonight and it was a fun memorable encounter. (in my opinion, what all solo's should be)
Yeah my crew just did the last battle of the current story arc and (given similar experiences with other solo monsters) I just went ahead and threw in some more monsters for them to fight.
ReplyDeleteI basically set them up against an Adult Purple Dragon (solo monster) and gave the dragon a few Dragonborn helpers (couple of skirmishers and soldiers).
It was a better fight than other solo fights I'd run them through in the past.