Devious trap: several monsters as one

[j_spencer93]

So I have a tower ran by a wizard that is heavily trapped, in one room I had planned for a "champion" to challenge the party. A knight wearing a tall pointed hat and a black cloak.
However, after the first hit against it, it would then break apart into a cloaker, a dark mantle, animated armor, and a flying sword. Had even tinkered with the idea of a shadow demon or an invisible stalker being inside the armor but think that would be a little cheesy.

However, I am not sure if making it reveal the truth that fast if the right idea....would half health be better?
Also, would it allow each creature that made it up (besides the armor) use one of their actions per turn be a good trick or just be ridiculous and without merit?

[TurboGhast]

I'd break it at half health, and have only the animated armor act before then, to make this encounter a surprise boss-like battle. Letting the other creatures act before the creatures splits would feel off to me, I'd just have one of them attack. The others would stay still to perpetuate the disguise.

[Afrodactyl]

You could always use the animated armour for the health stats prior to breaking (as it's the 'body') but use the flying swords attacks (the sword is clutched in the armour's fist, but the sword swings itself).

[j_spencer93]

I agree, half health would keep it more of a surprise. Also i love that idea. The swords is the attacks but health and AC are the armor. However i may allow him to use one ability of the cloaker or dark mantle as an action, thinking it would make my players think he is a caster when it isn't. This idea is coming together awesomely.

[Telesto]

Use aspects of all of them. Treat it as one creature, so it can't use multiple actions in a turn, but any actions of the components can be used. Consider other options for the hit points, though, such as:

Sum all the HPs up.
Use the highest saves and AC
Things that work against multiple targets (AoEs) should be multiplied in damage accordingly.
Once the composite hits half hp, have it break into each creature, each with half health.

If something happens which would cause it to break appart (say a cannon ball to the head, someone disarming it, etc) treat any associated damage as being done to the individual creature at roughly the correct fraction of health. Then subtract that fraction of HP before the attack from the composite

If something happens like a really lucky high damage AoE when it's at almost half hp, use the current/maximum hp × creature max hp to determine their HP at the time it breaks appart. The end result should hopefully be a tankier composite creature with less actions, then a group of less resistant creatures with more actions between them

[Sjappo]

I taught my players to expect Angry GM type boss monsters:
http://theangrygm.com/return-of-the-son-of-the-dd-boss-fight-now-in-5e/

This is basically a way to cram together multiple monsters in one skin. I found that this article (and some related articles by Angry) gave me a lot of inspiration to make new monsters.

It gave me a modular zombie swarm which acted as one creature and lost power (and size and abilities and zombies) as it's HP pool depleted.
It gave me a melee ghost who transformed into a ranged ghost who transformed into a, slightly confused but still dangerous, mortal wizard.

[DragonSorcererX]

I taught my players to expect Angry GM type boss monsters:
http://theangrygm.com/return-of-the-son-of-the-dd-boss-fight-now-in-5e/

This is basically a way to cram together multiple monsters in one skin. I found that this article (and some related articles by Angry) gave me a lot of inspiration to make new monsters.

It gave me a modular zombie swarm which acted as one creature and lost power (and size and abilities and zombies) as it's HP pool depleted.
It gave me a melee ghost who transformed into a ranged ghost who transformed into a, slightly confused but still dangerous, mortal wizard.

Sjappo, you damn ninja!

[j_spencer93]

Good idea about the health. That should work greatly. This is going to make them flip.