Optimizing a Vril's Shriek

[Kevingway]

Hey Playgrounders,

For those who don't know, Vril are goblinoids from Drow of the Underdark, page 123. This book didn't publish an actual statblock for the creature, so the official errata (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20070504a) made sure to include the missing information. This statblock turns the Vril's signature ability, their shriek, into a 1/day use.

What I want to know is whether this ability can be optimized to allow multiple uses per day. There are feats included in Drow of the Underdark that buff it up, but none of those allow it to become more reliable. What other uses could there be for this ability?

Also, what would the ruling be on which sort of save a creature is allowed vs. the shriek? While the errata specifies reflex, the feats from the book state that it's a fortitude save for the effects that those feats add to the shriek ability.

[Darrin]

What I want to know is whether this ability can be optimized to allow multiple uses per day.


I'm not seeing anything. If it was an SLA, I think there's something that will increase it to 3/day, but since it's an (Ex), I don't think there's anything to increase that.



Also, what would the ruling be on which sort of save a creature is allowed vs. the shriek? While the errata specifies reflex, the feats from the book state that it's a fortitude save for the effects that those feats add to the shriek ability.

According to RAW, the initial save is Ref as stated in the errata. The feats that augment the shriek look like a separate effect, so there'd be an additional Fort save if you're using Dazing/Great Shriek.

I thought looking at the [sonic] spells in the PHB would help, as shout uses Fort, but the rest of the [sonic] spells in the Spell Compendium are a hodge-podge when it comes to saves. Given that Shriek is an area effect, Ref makes just as much sense as Fort.

[Kevingway]

Huh. That's unfortunate.

Seems like a fun race to give a whirl, but I just can't feel out wasting so many resources for their key ability only for it to be useful in the most clutch of situations.