Rust Monster preview

[Keko]

Here is the rust monster preview as nobody posted it yet :smallamused:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/2014/09/16/the-rust-monster-a-history-and-preview-from-the-dungeons-dragons-monster-manual/

Thanks to rlc for the image

http://i.imgur.com/8pv487b.jpg (http://imgur.com/8pv487b)

[MadBear]

Ouch! Hit it with a sword, and watch it rust and become useless. Get hit, and permanently lose some AC. Seems like a good monster to weaken some PC up before the big fight.

[Occasional Sage]

Bounded accuracy and a lack of magic items, though, means that weapons can be easily replaced even if you're not carrying a spare. Having 27 HP and no damage resistance makes this not too bad at all.

The specific callout of distracting it with a meal opens up lots of possibilities, most obviously "drop snack and move to range."

All in all, scary but not a big threat if you're savvy.

[EvilAnagram]

As a player, I hate rust monsters. Every single time one shows up we have to drop everything and prep for a fight we'll hate while trying not to lose the awesome things we love. And we inevitably will because DMs are jerks.

As a DM, I love rust monsters. The players immediately drop everything and come up with a ridiculous plan that will inevitably fall apart while I laugh maniacally.

[MadBear]

Bounded accuracy and a lack of magic items, though, means that weapons can be easily replaced even if you're not carrying a spare. Having 27 HP and not damage resistance makes this not too bad at all.

The specific callout of distracting it with a meal opens up lots of possibilities, most obviously "drop snack and move to range."

All in all, scary but not a big threat if you're savvy.

keep in mind it's CR is only 1/2. 27 HP at level 1 will take at least a couple of rounds (more if there's 2 of them).

Baiting them is probably a great idea though.

[rlc]

it can even be used as a puzzle fight if you're creative enough

[Occasional Sage]

keep in mind it's CR is only 1/2. 27 HP at level 1 will take at least a couple of rounds (more if there's 2 of them).

Baiting them is probably a great idea though.

If your equipment is replaceable, who cares? Rogue with disposable daggers and leather armor holds its/their attention while everybody else backs up and fires.

[Glarnog]

"It's all ball bearings"
:)

[CyberThread]

Look at all those at will canitrips.

[MadBear]

If your equipment is replaceable, who cares? Rogue with disposable daggers and leather armor holds its/their attention while everybody else backs up and fires.

Yes, it's replaceable, but generally not during whatever dungeon crawl your doing. It's a good monster, because it has a permanent effect of lowering your effectiveness during a dungeon, but its effects quickly go away once you go to town and replace your gear.

[Cambrian]

"It's all ball bearings"
:)I like that plan. A bag of ball bearings works in a pinch, and can be used to trip creatures if you never encounter the RM.

Reminds me of a cat I once had that was bad for finishing off his treats quickly and trying to steal some from the other cat. The solution was to scatter his treats around and force him to hunt for them while the other cat could enjoy theirs in peace.

Overall the creature seems really well designed-- a threat to the non-magical equipment of low level characters, but it can be dealt with as a puzzle, in combat, etc... but it won't be destroying magic items which really adds to the special feeling they wanted them to have in this edition.

[CyberThread]

Can someone throw the image up on imaguram getting no pictures on the site from my phone

[rlc]

Can someone throw the image up on imaguram getting no pictures on the site from my phone

http://i.imgur.com/8pv487b.jpg (http://imgur.com/8pv487b)

[Keko]

http://i.imgur.com/8pv487b.jpg (http://imgur.com/8pv487b)

Can I quote you in my firt post so everyone can see it without the link?

However yes, the rust monster is mean not because it is a much a challenge per se but because can make following encounters harder.

Try to tell the fighter that his armor, his most expensive gear, is forever spoiled (and his chance of survival are consequently diminished).

Fortunately the DC is low enough to be pretty easy to pass :smallsmile:.

[rlc]

Yeah, go for it

[Occasional Sage]

I like that plan. A bag of ball bearings works in a pinch, and can be used to trip creatures if you never encounter the RM.

Reminds me of a cat I once had that was bad for finishing off his treats quickly and trying to steal some from the other cat. The solution was to scatter his treats around and force him to hunt for them while the other cat could enjoy theirs in peace.

Overall the creature seems really well designed-- a threat to the non-magical equipment of low level characters, but it can be dealt with as a puzzle, in combat, etc... but it won't be destroying magic items which really adds to the special feeling they wanted them to have in this edition.

When presented with food and then shot while eating it, I think most critters will go for the shooter. When the food is ALSO trying to hurt it, the critter will default back to fighting with their food.

tl;dr Ball bearings alone are likely to be insufficient.

[Telwar]

Yes, it's replaceable, but generally not during whatever dungeon crawl your doing. It's a good monster, because it has a permanent effect of lowering your effectiveness during a dungeon, but its effects quickly go away once you go to town and replace your gear.

They can likely grab gear from the humanoids they kill in said dungeon. While suboptimal, it's not like you can sell them, and they work perfectly fine when trying to kill the PCs.

Also, that's what backup weaponry is for.

[Glarnog]

Well ball bearings are cheap, very cheap. I seriously doubt given the tech of a mediveal fantasy world they could even really make them. Let alone that quanty and price point. I have not looked in to it. Regardless of using the bearings as food, or diversion or even to trip it up, I'm disapointed by the seemingly lack of Fletch fans on this board. :)

[Sir_Leorik]

Also, that's what backup weaponry is for.

Yeah, like a wooden club! Can you believe these kids today kvetching about a Rust Monster? In my day, we had to worry about monsters that couldn't be hit with non-magical weaponry! And we had to take our shoes off to calculate THAC0!

Speaking of Rust Monsters...

http://rustyandco.com/comics/2009-12-30-rusty2_4-9ffa58ba.jpg

[MadBear]

They can likely grab gear from the humanoids they kill in said dungeon. While suboptimal, it's not like you can sell them, and they work perfectly fine when trying to kill the PCs.

Also, that's what backup weaponry is for.

Agreed. My only point was that it allows the PC's to feel like they've gone through adversity. It also forces them to use the weapons at hand and not necessarily what they prefer.

It also means the final boss won't be faced necessarily at full power.

[thereaper]

You know, now that I think about it, between rust monsters and heat metal, there really isn't any reason to use a metal shield over a wooden one at all, is there?

[Cambrian]

When presented with food and then shot while eating it, I think most critters will go for the shooter. When the food is ALSO trying to hurt it, the critter will default back to fighting with their food.

tl;dr Ball bearings alone are likely to be insufficient.The idea isn't to distract it while you kill it. It was to distract it to either attempt to slip past it or get set up for the unique encounter (possibly having the armor wearers run away). For that the ballbearings should work reasonably well (assuming they haven't yet jumped a metal armor clad character.)

[koscum]

The idea isn't to distract it while you kill it. It was to distract it to either attempt to slip past it or get set up for the unique encounter (possibly having the armor wearers run away). For that the ballbearings should work reasonably well (assuming they haven't yet jumped a metal armor clad character.)
Or lure it to a group of tougher enemies with metal armour/weapons >:3

[Kurald Galain]

Well, I'm glad to see that the destroyed weapons no longer magically grow back minutes later, as happened in certain previous incarnations of ol' rusty.

[rlc]

Or lead it to an iron support beam and then get out of dodge

[Talakeal]

Its pretty good. It is neither completely BS destroys your precious gear instantly, but it also doesn't magically restore weapons somehow, a nice compromise.

The inability to work on magic items, on the other hand, makes it kind of a binary monster that stops being interesting at a certain point. I personally would have allowed it to effect magic items, but said that they could be repaired afterward by a skilled blacksmith.

[thereaper]

I would like that too, with the additional caveat that they should be able to fix nonmagical stuff, too.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Bounded accuracy and a lack of magic items, though, means that weapons can be easily replaced even if you're not carrying a spare. Having 27 HP and no damage resistance makes this not too bad at all.

The specific callout of distracting it with a meal opens up lots of possibilities, most obviously "drop snack and move to range."

All in all, scary but not a big threat if you're savvy.

Well easily replaced... when you go back to town and have the dungeon's loot to buy new weapons you mean?
Not a terribly practical option if this isn't the last encounter, yes? And that CR 1/2 would suggest this is always a mook never a boss plus its pegging towards Level 1 territory where you aren't yet Tywin Lannister and crapping gold you're so rich.

I feel for the martial types that have to go and face the bandit chief or whatever keeping this thing as a pet.

[Composer99]

I don't believe any thread about the rust monster is complete without this image from 1st-edition AD&D (the DMG, as I recall):

http://dungeonsmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/rust-monster.jpg

[cobaltstarfire]

When presented with food and then shot while eating it, I think most critters will go for the shooter. When the food is ALSO trying to hurt it, the critter will default back to fighting with their food.

tl;dr Ball bearings alone are likely to be insufficient.

Most animals would run away, unless we're talking about particularly violent ones like wild boars or moose.

So it may really depend on how surely a creature rust monsters typically are. Will it get pissed and charge you blindly, or will it get spooked and run for the hills?

I like the idea of luring it into another group of enemies myself, sounds like a good chance for some mayhem to happen just trying to lure it.

[CyberThread]

rust monsters to me have always been the metal rabbit. They eat and eat and eat, and act lie rabbits.

[Sir_Leorik]

I don't believe any thread about the rust monster is complete without this image from 1st-edition AD&D (the DMG, as I recall):

http://dungeonsmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/rust-monster.jpg

Here's a look at the toys that inspired the Rust Monster and the Bullette (and possibly the Owlbear)
http://diterlizzi.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/PrehistoricAnimalsS.jpg

Rusty!

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRc2Y5ePIMOUPwzM_4CN_19Ee4khBWYw Qe3c1PEQ-iUmM1dnyNrDg

[Vowtz]

40ft movement! I was considering running away, but this thing is pretty fast! Please my monk friend, save me!

That's a cool monster!

[Draken]

Here's a look at the toys that inspired the Rust Monster and the Bullette (and possibly the Owlbear)
http://diterlizzi.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/PrehistoricAnimalsS.jpg


...

Wow, trip down memory lane. I had those when I was a kid. The two red ones in the sidelines and the three in the center (Rust Monster, Bulette and the winged one). Years before I ever knew of D&D.

[Janus]

rust monsters to me have always been the metal rabbit. They eat and eat and eat, and act lie rabbits.
...so, they reproduce a lot? :smalleek:

[toapat]

...so, they reproduce a lot? :smalleek:

considering that their offspring came in Swarms exclusively whenever published, and not in the "this is a rare occurrence of population" sort of swarm

[Sir_Leorik]

...so, they reproduce a lot? :smalleek:

Hey, I don't know about other Rust Monsters, but Rusty has himself a harem! :smalltongue: