I Can't Be Reading This Right-Formian Taskmaster

[USS Sorceror]

Hey Playground.

So my players have encountered a formian taskmaster. This particular type of formian has the ability to cast dominate monster on any type of creature of large size or smaller as a 10th level caster. The thing is I don't see a limit on the number of times per day it can use this ability written anywhere in the Monster Manual (may have missed it, but I double-checked and still didn't see anything). The only limit I've seen is that it can only dominate four creatures at a time.

I'm wanting to know if this thing can use the ability at will. I won't make it use it at will (that would be totally unfair to the party), but it's something that's been bugging me and I'd like to know.

[The Glyphstone]

Hey Playground.

So my players have encountered a formian taskmaster. This particular type of formian has the ability to cast dominate monster on any type of creature of large size or smaller as a 10th level caster. The thing is I don't see a limit on the number of times per day it can use this ability written anywhere in the Monster Manual (may have missed it, but I double-checked and still didn't see anything). The only limit I've seen is that it can only dominate four creatures at a time.

I'm wanting to know if this thing can use the ability at will. I won't make it use it at will (that would be totally unfair to the party), but it's something that's been bugging me and I'd like to know.

It is usable at will, but anyone who saves is immune for 24 hours. That stops it from just spamming the ability until a person fails.

[Diarmuid]

Dominate Monster (Su): A taskmaster can use a dominate monster ability as the spell from a 10th-level caster (Will DC 17 negates), although the subject may be of any kind and may be up to Large size. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same taskmaster's dominate monster ability for 24 hours. A single taskmaster can dominate up to four subjects at a time. The save DC is Charisma-based.

It is At-Will, but can only have up to 4 creatures dominated at a time so this also keeps the spam in check.

[USS Sorceror]

Oh yeah. Somehow I completely forgot about the twenty-four hour immunity thing. But I still wasn't planning on using it more than once per encounter anyway.

[Vladislav]

Don't forget the Taskmaster comes with one Dominated victim/meatshield already in tow. Makes it a little harder to kill.

[The Glyphstone]

Oh yeah. Somehow I completely forgot about the twenty-four hour immunity thing. But I still wasn't planning on using it more than once per encounter anyway.

That would lower its CR significantly, though, if it's only one use/day.

[Snowbluff]

Ugh. Formians.

Taskmasters are annoying 8y themselves, but every DM I've had (Read all of them) interpreted their hivemind and calling for help thing as "This fight should last 2 hours and involve lots of little ants healing the taskmasters so they can go back to dominating you". :smallannoyed:

[The Glyphstone]

Ugh. Formians.

Taskmasters are annoying 8y themselves, but every DM I've had (Read all of them) interpreted their hivemind and calling for help thing as "This fight should last 2 hours and involve lots of little ants healing the taskmasters so they can go back to dominating you". :smallannoyed:

That's what AoE damage is for. It takes 8 Workers to cast their Cure Serious SLA, which means every square adjacent to the target has a Worker in it, and Workers have 5HP each. A 5-ft burst spell wipes all of them out and scrags a good chunk of the Taskmaster's HP.

[eggs]

At will SR-free Dominate Monster from a level 5 slot is one of my favorite reasons Lesser Planar Binding is broken as hell.

Also, Dominated Monster is an (Ex) ability, which makes it all sorts of bizarre.

[Snowbluff]

That's what AoE damage is for. It takes 8 Workers to cast their Cure Serious SLA, which means every square adjacent to the target has a Worker in it, and Workers have 5HP each. A 5-ft burst spell wipes all of them out and scrags a good chunk of the Taskmaster's HP.

IIRC last time I did this I was a Cleric and they were immune to my AoE spell. And I was wading knee deep in those things. The other time I was a Dread Necro and I had to use my undead wolves to make a wall between me and the ants while I fum8led rolls to use the wands o CLW to get the Crusader conscious again.

Ants. Why did it have to be Ants?

[Malroth]

Fell Drain Kelegor's Grave Mist=no more ant problem

[USS Sorceror]

Ugh. Formians.

Taskmasters are annoying 8y themselves, but every DM I've had (Read all of them) interpreted their hivemind and calling for help thing as "This fight should last 2 hours and involve lots of little ants healing the taskmasters so they can go back to dominating you". :smallannoyed:

Indeed, as my party is finding out. However, this particular taskmaster will not receive any back up as the other formians in the area are being distracted by a mercenary the PC's hired.

@Glyphstone: It's not that I'll only use it once a day, it's that I'll only use it to dominate one person. That is, it may end up trying to dominate everyone in the party, but the first time someone fails a save, it won't try and dominate any more.

[Feralventas]

Ugh. Formians.

Taskmasters are annoying 8y themselves, but every DM I've had (Read all of them) interpreted their hivemind and calling for help thing as "This fight should last 2 hours and involve lots of little ants healing the taskmasters so they can go back to dominating you". :smallannoyed:

I'll have to remember to avoid this :3. My party has encountered Formian foes before, but I played them more to the effect of a less virulant Zerg Swarm. The workers actually healed the party before conflict started since it was their job to fix things and keep the hive active and healthy, including the "servants" aquired from the surrounding realm, but once the fight started their purpose was to minimize avenues of escape while the Warriors or Taskmasters did their work.

Then again, I also play up the Hive Mind aspect to the point that the Queen can cast through any of her minions :3, so I may not be any more kind in the long run.

[Righteous Doggy]

I've had a DM with an awful idea of when and how a creature calls for help, hivemind isn't that bad when every other encounter is already willing to call the whole dungeon/castle/township/city to their side becuase 3 guys walked into a room.

As a side note, even if it can fail only once every 24 hours. What can really make it awful is if he already has say, 3 powerful npcs already dominated just waiting around the nearest corner. Oh, and he has 2 buddies in the lenght of hivemind also with several people dominated.