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View Full Version : How does the manticore work?



Kaeso
2013-03-23, 08:48 AM
Hey guys,

In a campaign I'm running, I'm planning to give my players a bit of a challenge so I want them to fight off a manticore. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/manticore.htm) There is, however, an issue. The wording on its spike attack is ambiguous. It says that a volley of spikes can contain 6 spikes at a time up to a maximum of 24 spikes per day. The damage listed is 1d8+2. I was wondering if this damage means that each individual spike does 1d8+2 damage, or if 6 spikes do 1d8+2 damage. The former seems more logical since it's implied that the spikes can be fired at multiple targets at a time, but the text itself is still quite ambiguous. I hope somebody could clear this up.

Daftendirekt
2013-03-23, 09:25 AM
That damage is per spike.

Kaeso
2013-03-23, 10:00 AM
I see, thanks! Wouldn't that make the manticore too strong for its CR though? Not only can it fly, it can oneshot a level 5 character with a single lucky volley.

The Glyphstone
2013-03-23, 10:02 AM
It has to roll a separate attack for each of those spikes, but yes, Manticores can be very nasty. The one in the RHoD game I ran killed one party member and knocked another into negatives before retreating.