[3.5] Monsters that "break" action economy

[Thurbane]

One of the biggest advantages that PCs have over monsters is action economy, especially when it's a solo monster.

I'm looking to compile a list of monsters that "break" action economy, by getting more than one standard action per turn, or otherwise being able to perform more actions in a turn than normal.

For example, the Beholder can fire each of it's small eye rays as a free action (limited by it's targeting arc).

The easy answer to this is "throw casting levels on any monster, and give it some swift/immediate spells", but that's not really what I'm looking for - generally speaking, I'm looking for "out of the box" monsters...

Any help and suggestions are appreciated, and I'm going to compile the results into a table for reference.

Cheers - T

[Thurbane]

Reserved for table...

[Menteith]

Going to go down the line off the SRD here. I'm listing only the abilities that I think meet your criteria, and may miss something, but here goes;

- Assassin Vine (MM1, SRD)
"Entangle (Su)

An assassin vine can animate plants within 30 feet of itself as a free action (Ref DC 13 partial).

The effect lasts until the vine dies or decides to end it (also a free action). The save DC is Wisdom-based. The ability is otherwise similar to entangle (caster level 4th). "

- Blink Dog
"Dimension Door (Su)

A blink dog can teleport, as dimension door (caster level 8th), once per round as a free action. The ability affects only the blink dog, which never appears within a solid object and can act immediately after teleporting. "

- Choker (MM1, SRD)

"Quickness (Su)

Although not particularly dexterous, a choker is supernaturally quick. It can take an extra standard action or move action during its turn each round. "

- Demon, Retriever (MM1, SRD)
"Eye Rays (Su)

A retriever’s eyes can produce four different magical rays with a range of 100 feet. Each round, it can fire one ray as a free action. A particular ray is usable only once every 4 rounds. A retriever can fire an eye ray in the same round that it makes physical attacks. The save DC for all rays is 18. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

The four eye effects are:
Fire

Deals 12d6 points of fire damage to the target (Reflex half).
Cold

Deals 12d6 points of cold damage to the target (Reflex half).
Electricity

Deals 12d6 points of electricity damage to the target (Reflex half).
Petrification

The target must succeed on a Fortitude save or turn to stone permanently."

- Demon, Vrock (MM1, SRD)
"Spores (Ex)

A vrock can release masses of spores from its body once every 3 rounds as a free action. The spores automatically deal 1d8 points of damage to all creatures adjacent to the vrock. They then penetrate the skin and grow, dealing an additional 1d4 points of damage each round for 10 rounds. At the end of this time, the victim is covered with a tangle of viny growths. (The vines are harmless and wither away in 1d4 days.) A delay poison spell stops the spores’ growth for its duration. Bless, neutralize poison, or remove disease kills the spores, as does sprinkling the victim with a vial of holy water. "

- Devil, Chain aka Kyton (MM1, SRD)
"Dancing Chains (Su)

A chain devil’s most awesome attack is its ability to control up to four chains within 20 feet as a standard action, making the chains dance or move as it wishes. In addition, a chain devil can increase these chains’ length by up to 15 feet and cause them to sprout razor-edged barbs. These chains attack as effectively as the devil itself."

- Devil, Pit Fiend (MM1, SRD)
"Fear Aura (Su)

A pit fiend can radiate a 20-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 27 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 18th). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same pit fiend’s aura for 24 hours. Other devils are immune to the aura. The save DC is Charisma-based. "

- Gibbering Mouther (MM1, SRD)
"Spittle (Ex)

As a free action every round, a gibbering mouther fires a stream of spittle at one opponent within 30 feet. The mouther makes a ranged touch attack; if it hits, it deals 1d4 points of acid damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. Eyeless creatures are immune to the blinding effect, but are still subject to the acid damage. The save DC is Constitution-based. "

- Clay Golem (MM1, SRD)
"Haste (Su)

After it has engaged in at least 1 round of combat, a clay golem can haste itself once per day as a free action. The effect lasts 3 rounds and is otherwise the same as the spell. "

- Iron Golem (MM1, SRD)
"Breath Weapon (Su)

10-foot cube, cloud of poisonous gas lasting 1 round, free action once every 1d4+1 rounds; initial damage 1d4 Con, secondary damage 3d4 Con, Fortitude DC 19 negates. The save DC is Constitution-based. "

- Stone Golem (MM1, SRD)
"Slow (Su)

A stone golem can use a slow effect, as the spell, as a free action once every 2 rounds. The effect has a range of 10 feet and a duration of 7 rounds, requiring a DC 17 Will save to negate. The save DC is Constitution-based. "

- Hydra (MM1, SRD)
"Hydras can attack with all their heads at no penalty, even if they move or charge during the round. "

- Kracken (MM1, SRD)
"Ink Cloud (Ex)

A kraken can emit a cloud of jet-black ink in an 80-foot spread once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the kraken normally uses to escape a fight that is going badly. Creatures within the cloud are considered to be in darkness. "

- Nightmare (MM1, SRD)
"Smoke (Su)

During the excitement of battle, a nightmare snorts and neighs with rage. This snorting fills a 15-foot cone with a hot, sulfurous smoke that chokes and blinds opponents. Anyone in the cone must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or take a -2 penalty on all attack and damage rolls until 1d6 minutes after leaving the cone. The cone lasts 1 round, and the nightmare uses it once as a free action during its turn each round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Because of the smoke it gives off, a nightmare has concealment against creatures 5 feet away and total concealment against creatures 10 feet or farther away. The smoke does not obscure the nightmare’s vision at all. "

- Ooze, Black Pudding & Ooze, Ochre Jelly (MM1, SRD)
"Split (Ex)

Slashing and piercing weapons deal no damage to a black pudding. Instead the creature splits into two identical puddings, each with half of the original’s current hit points (round down). A pudding with 10 hit points or less cannot be further split and dies if reduced to 0 hit points. "

This might not exactly be what you mean, but it'll quickly start breaking the action economy in the right situation, especially if it's had its HD advanced.

- Ravid (MM1, SRD)
"Animate Objects (Su)

Once per round, a random object within 20 feet of a ravid animates as though by the spell animate objects (caster level 20th). These objects defend the ravid to the best of their ability, but the ravid isn’t intelligent enough to employ elaborate tactics with them. "

- Shield Guardian (MM1, SRD)
"Spell Storing (Sp)

A shield guardian can store one spell of 4th level or lower that is cast into it by another creature. It "casts" this spell when commanded to do so or when a predefined situation arises. Once this spell is used, the shield guardian can store another spell (or the same spell again). "

This ability requires a well worded release condition, but allows the Shield Guardian to effectively have a Contingency on them."

- Tojanida (MM1, SRD)
"Ink Cloud (Ex)

A tojanida can emit a spherical cloud of jet-black ink with a radius of 30 feet once per minute as a free action. The effect is otherwise similar to fog cloud cast by an individual of a level equal to the tojanida’s Hit Dice. Out of water, the ink emerges in a stream up to 30 feet long, which a tojanida can squirt into an opponent’s eyes. The affected creature must succeed on a Reflex save or be blinded for 1 round. The save DC is 13 against a juvenile, 15 against an adult, and 21 against an elder. The save DCs are Constitution based. "

That looks like all of them. I didn't list the Titan (the only creature that by RAW has Quicken Spell-Like ability), as many creatures can pick up the feat, and it's not a monster specific ability. Also, the various "Ethereal" creatures who can Plane Shift as a Free Action, and the various creatures with Fly as a Free Action aren't included. I hope that this helps!

[VGLordR2]

Chronotyryn and Sharn.

[Grimsage Matt]

Theres this Troll Improved Monster Class; http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=p0n18crer5ttieug73h53sled4&topic=2632.msg30489#msg30489.

Now sure, it's a melee bruiser (Witn some really nice ranged controls), but heres the thing. Give it a homebrewed feat, so it can use Shrug it Off as a swift action. Combined with giving 18 base Con, it can get some massive heals off.

Add this troll for even more fun; http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=p0n18crer5ttieug73h53sled4&topic=2542.msg29173#msg29173

[Kazyan]

Mithral Golems have Alacrity (Su), granting an extra standard action.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Chronotyry, Fiend Folio p33, CR 19
Dual Actions (Su): "It can take 2 rounds' worth of actions in any given round, as if it were two creatures."
It acts twice on its initiative, pretty simple.

Spell Weaver, MM2 p187, CR 10
Spell Weaving (Ex): "Casting a spell occupies a number of the spell weaver's arms equal to the spell's level (maximum 6th). A spell weaver can cast more than one spell simultaneously, as long as the sum of the spell levels is six or less."
It casts six levels worth of spells as a standard action, and then six levels worth of swift/quickened spells. Pretty strong.

Immoth, MM2 p127, CR 9
Ice Runes (Sp): "Any spell an immoth has prepared can be inscribed on an ice nugget. The creature can trigger the spell contained in such an ice rune as a free action. An ice rune remains magical until triggered by the immoth. Each immoth has at least 3d4+12 ice runes embedded on its body."
Immoths have a racial spellcasting ability of a Sorcerer 12 (on an extremely resilient CR 9 chassis), but we'll ignore that the above ability specifies that it only works with prepared spells. A given immoth can toss out about twenty free-action spells on the first round of combat, in addition to whatever it casts normally. Twenty.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Theres this Troll Improved Monster Class; http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=p0n18crer5ttieug73h53sled4&topic=2632.msg30489#msg30489.

Now sure, it's a melee bruiser (Witn some really nice ranged controls), but heres the thing. Give it a homebrewed feat, so it can use Shrug it Off as a swift action. Combined with giving 18 base Con, it can get some massive heals off.

Add this troll for even more fun; http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=p0n18crer5ttieug73h53sled4&topic=2542.msg29173#msg29173

I'm nearly positive that Thurbane only wants official material included here.

Do Dvati NPC(s?) count?

There's also the Spellweaver, MM2. Can cast an equivalent amount of spell levels to 6 (a single first level, 6 1st level, etc...).

EDIT: Damned swordsages...

[Kazyan]

Spell Weaver, MM2 p187, CR 10
Spell Weaving (Ex): "Casting a spell occupies a number of the spell weaver's arms equal to the spell's level (maximum 6th). A spell weaver can cast more than one spell simultaneously, as long as the sum of the spell levels is six or less."
It casts six levels worth of spells as a standard action, and then six levels worth of swift/quickened spells. Pretty strong.

The potential for 100 cantrips instantly happening at the same time amuses me.

[Kelb_Panthera]

The potential for 100 cantrips instantly happening at the same time amuses me.

I'm betting that this is one of those places where cantrips count as 1/2 of a level each.

[Salanmander]

This isn't so much a monster, as something that can be slapped on any monster easily to make a solo fight more interesting.

Just have it act twice every round, once on its initiative, once on its initiative-10. It probably increases the CR of the monster by 1, and makes the fights WAY more interesting.

I've even used it to represent exceptionally SLOW monsters in a more interesting way (for a shadow of the colossus style encounter), having them move twice a round, but their actions be like "move a foot forward" instead of "run 30 feet".

[Thomasinx]

The potential for 100 cantrips instantly happening at the same time amuses me.

It says in the monster description that cantrips take 1 hand, so this probably wont work.

[nedz]

Do monsters which use things like Dominate to get the PCs to act for them count ?

[Runestar]

Nagahydra (Serpent Kingdoms) - 7 heads, each of which can cast a spell each round, for up to 7 spells per round. Sorc15 innate spellcasting, cr18. :smalleek:

Demogorgon also gets 2 rounds worth of actions each turn; you have the cr23 fiendish codex version, and the cr9 aspect (web download from wotc).

The beholder can theoretically be cheesed by having it levitate directly above the party and aiming straight down - this would let you catch each PC in a 45-degree arc, letting it use all its eye rays every round.

Nilshai (unapproachable east) gets an extra standard action each round as well.

While not technically extra actions, some monsters have attacks which potentially let them target multiple or even all players in the same round, thereby working around the issue of having fewer attacks. Examples include the Dalmosh's (mm5) feeding frenzy / spawn maw attacks, garngrath's (mm5) prismatic spray / swallowing charge / devastating roar attacks, storm elemental's (mm3) lightning stroke / thunderclap abilities.

The xorvintaal template (mm5) lets a dragon trade out its innate spellcasting for various combat-related abilities, some of which are swift/immediate action abilities. Probably a power-down though.

[AmberVael]

It isn't quite a monster, but it is a template so I feel like it is worth noting.

DMG II, page 160. The Unique NPC ability "Vestigial twin." Essentially gives you an extra standard action every turn with limitations similar to Schism.

[Allanimal]

It isn't huge, but arrow demons can fire two bows simultaneously, so two standard actions, though they are both the same action.

[Thurbane]

Guys, sorry I've been slow to reply - thanks for all the suggestions, and I will get to work on compiling the table in the next day or so...

[killianh]

elder thoon brains are pretty good too. two initiatives: one for the mind, one for the body.

If you include multi attack as multiple actions then a multi headed creature gets so many more attacks, if added to say a roper it can take a while to finish it's turn :smallamused:

[awa]

i think its called a dark tentacles from mm2 they can basicaly attack every one in a party at the same time the number of attacks is based on their size.

storm elementals i belive get free actiions sometimes

[Randomguy]

Beholder mage can cast a bunch of spells each round, which is better than eye rays.

[Eonir]

The Dire Tortoise from Sandstorm always gets a surprise round.