Illusion Puppeteer monster

[Hudsonian]

I've got an eerie little pond on one of my maps, and when the party walks near a beautiful feminine figure rises slowly from the lake and beckons the party to join her. She seems congenial enough until the party tries to leave (then she attacks).

My thought is that I want the "naiad/faerie" is an illusion being controlled by some sort of magical entity or creature that is actually quite weak, but hidden. How have you run an encounter like this? How did you describe the "hidden enemy" once found? What did you do to indicate that the illusion was insubstantial but not make it completely obvious?

What abilities do you think would be awesome for this type of creature to have? (I'm expecting for this to be homebrew monster completely so just describe it if it isn't already created)

The party will be 3-4th level most likely. If they hit 5th before then I'll simply add mooks.

[Maxilian]

The creature move under the water, always near the party but it always makes sure that it isn't in direct Line of Sight (the creature need to be at X distance to make his attacks), for the players, when they get attacked by the illusion, they have to make an INT save everytime they get hit, to realize that actually, even though the "Monster is hitting them", the hit actually takes a couple of sec more to land (and they may even realize that the wound of the hit does not match the form they were hitted), making them weary of a possible another unseen enemy.

[Vogonjeltz]

I've got an eerie little pond on one of my maps, and when the party walks near a beautiful feminine figure rises slowly from the lake and beckons the party to join her. She seems congenial enough until the party tries to leave (then she attacks).

My thought is that I want the "naiad/faerie" is an illusion being controlled by some sort of magical entity or creature that is actually quite weak, but hidden. How have you run an encounter like this? How did you describe the "hidden enemy" once found? What did you do to indicate that the illusion was insubstantial but not make it completely obvious?

What abilities do you think would be awesome for this type of creature to have? (I'm expecting for this to be homebrew monster completely so just describe it if it isn't already created)

The party will be 3-4th level most likely. If they hit 5th before then I'll simply add mooks.

Where is the real enemy hidden?
Illusions look real, that's sort of the point.
Major Image would be appropriate here, the Naead could rise from the water without so much as causing a ripple in the lake. (there's your clue, lack of physical interaction with the real world).

I would avoid making the controlling entity truly weak, otherwise why would it try to engage with an entire group of people?

Instead, have it be a tentacle monster that lurks under the water. If the party enters the water and approaches the Naead it waits until they arrive. On getting close the party may recognize the lack of interaction with the Nymphs surroundings, whereupon the tentacle monster grapples and drags them under water.

Maybe base it on a Giant Octopus, but in general I'd start with these features:
Multiple attacks (maybe 4, where it has a chance to pull a character prone when it successfully grapples them.) So in one round it would make opposed Athletics checks with each character to grapple, then they would have to make Strength saving throws (Athletics might apply) to avoid being knocked prone and under water. Even if the monster deals only limited damage (1d6+strength squeeze damage to any grappled target at the end of its turn) it presents a serious threat of drowning/suffocation to the entire party.

Check your characters average modifier for the grapple and average save to avoid being pulled under and set the number such that the best character has a 50-50 shot of avoiding it entirely. That'll provide drama for the group in the moment (holy smokes, 2-3 characters just got pulled under!) but not be so hard to get out of that the characters can't try to escape.

Plus this lets you break out the underwater combat rules in the PHB!

[Arcangel4774]

You could have the water be still or describe the creature in ways that make it clear it's not dripping. Or maybe it is dripping but the drops don't make the water ripple. "The droplets fall off her form, and into the still water" you could have something else cause ripples and be sure to mention them so they realize that they weren't included, without you actually having to mention that they were missing.

[Hudsonian]

what would combat look like BEFORE they realized that the mirage is an illusion? What kind of room effects would be used to keep the party from simply walking away? Maybe wall of stone made with the Substantial Illusion feature of the illusionist Wizard?

[MrStabby]

Where is the real enemy hidden?
Illusions look real, that's sort of the point.
Major Image would be appropriate here, the Naead could rise from the water without so much as causing a ripple in the lake. (there's your clue, lack of physical interaction with the real world).

I would avoid making the controlling entity truly weak, otherwise why would it try to engage with an entire group of people?

Instead, have it be a tentacle monster that lurks under the water. If the party enters the water and approaches the Naead it waits until they arrive. On getting close the party may recognize the lack of interaction with the Nymphs surroundings, whereupon the tentacle monster grapples and drags them under water.

Maybe base it on a Giant Octopus, but in general I'd start with these features:
Multiple attacks (maybe 4, where it has a chance to pull a character prone when it successfully grapples them.) So in one round it would make opposed Athletics checks with each character to grapple, then they would have to make Strength saving throws (Athletics might apply) to avoid being knocked prone and under water. Even if the monster deals only limited damage (1d6+strength squeeze damage to any grappled target at the end of its turn) it presents a serious threat of drowning/suffocation to the entire party.

Check your characters average modifier for the grapple and average save to avoid being pulled under and set the number such that the best character has a 50-50 shot of avoiding it entirely. That'll provide drama for the group in the moment (holy smokes, 2-3 characters just got pulled under!) but not be so hard to get out of that the characters can't try to escape.

Plus this lets you break out the underwater combat rules in the PHB!


Sounds like a roper...



For illusionary attacks make the PCs make an Int save/check or take damage like phantasmal force?

[tieren]

You could make the enemy be a Bullywug warlock (and hunting party), using castings of Silent image through the misty visions invocation (with sounds from the minor illusion cantrip) to create the woman, then the attack could come from a group of underwater bullywugs near the edge of the pond. Maybe have some attack with nets to drag party members under.

You could make it fey pact and try to charm a party member closer to the waters edge with fey presence.

[lordarkness]

I'd start with the story. Where does this encounter fit in the overall story line and what does it offer the characters? Does it have pertinent information? Was it sent by an arch nemesis? Is there some particular loot (map, spell, magic item, etc.) that it offers?

This might make the encounter more meaningful and more memorable but it could also help you to answer what is doing this, why and how.

For example, this could be a unique construct by a nearby witch that that is designed to test adventurers as she seeks a "champion" that she wants to trick into helping her acquire some evil item. Or it could be an undead creature that died here and was corrupted by an evil extraplanar power that has recently moved into the region.

[Hudsonian]

An unknown force has magically shunted the party into this dungeon which (Unknown to the party) is a pocket dimension created by the minor diety dragon Baht born from the blood of Tiamat and Bahumut. There are many exotic lands and scenarios plucked from across the prime material plane as a gauntlet. There need not be a logical connection between them.

This room is toward the end of the 2nd level. There will be treasure in the next room. The room after the encounter is going to have some sort of treasure, but my goal is for the memory of this strange encounter to be memorable on it's own. I do voices, accents, and mannerisms for several of the NPCs or Monsters that are interacted with throughout my sessions. And I really want this encounter to be more of a puzzle than a battle (i.e. a battle that seems impossible till you find its' secret). So the mirage needs to last at least one round before they begin to notice that it is not the true enemy, and there needs to be a reason that the party can't simply walk away w/o some sort of ingenuity.

I think the best idea I've come up with personally is that there is an angler fish or KauTau where the Lure is (what appears to be) a drift globe. And when it comes to the battle the angler fish is behind the mirage using it as a shield/Cover and shooting water/ice shards spit from its mouth through the mirage or casting spells that are area control. Then the loot would be the cursed driftglobe, but the curse is not immediate but rather a little more like the one ring in the lord of the rings. Eventually it begins to offer illusory spells and powers, but you devolve into a monster. I don't know how long that would take to play in, but at least 2 levels preferably 4-5. Then it becomes more (Do I simply ask the Druid to remove the curse or become super awesome with my magical powers?)

I really like the idea that Maxilian had about the time delay.

[lordarkness]

One of most reliable ways that I have trapped players in my game is with the promise of treasure. Like moths to a flame those greedy adventurers just can't walk away.

Figuring out how to get past the monster to get the treasure is secondary to the need to get it.

I had fun once doing little damage over time to a party while they tried to figure out how to solve a puzzle. Nothing like slowly freezing to death while you try to work something out.

A weak monster doing weak damage that dangerously adds up over time while their time is running to solve the challenge (cross the freezing water, defeat the illusion, slay the monster, rescue their enthralled companions from the illusions they are convinced is real, etc.) might make the experience unique and memorable.