Colbymunro
2018-03-11, 05:45 AM
so this is my first stab at a 5e monster. It's based on the "cutlass spider" pathfinder creature (sorry can't post links yet) but I sort of upped the power level a little bit. It's difficult because the intention isn't really for them to defeat the monster, at least not on their first shot against it. I'm running a west marches style campaign and I really like the idea of a guardian construct that the players either have to sneak past or come back to when they are more powerful. Basically I just want to scare the crap out of them to make them realize theyre going to have to be smart. I know that doesn't always go so great, but I can't shake this vision of a big seemingly indestructible robot stalking the corrodors of a long forgotten wizard tower.
It's worth knowing that this guy's behavior is extremely predictable, walking the same loop through the dungeon over and over and the players can hear his big clanky legs coming and can duck into rooms that he is incapable of fitting in. He only ever ditches the "railed" search pattern if someone uses a gem key to open specific magically locked iron doors and will then take the fastest route to get to that location. There are a few clever ways of defeating it without fighting it, such as throwing a sentient weapon for it to absorb (there is one in the dungeon), capturing a rust monster from another dungeon and bringing it to this one, or answering a riddle it asks as to confirm you are it's user although the riddle is pretty obtuse and is really more there for flavor (think of it as a security question for a password)
Name: Sword Spider
Creature Type: N Large Construct
Proficiency Bonus: +3
AC: 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 85 ( 10d10 + 30)
Speed: 40 ft
STR 19 (+4) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3) INT 7 (-2) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 3 (-4)
Senses: Blindsight 10. Darkvision 60. Passive Perception 11
Damage Resistances: Piercing, Slashing and Bludgeoning
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Longsword Weapon Arm Attack: Reach 5ft. +7 to hit, (1d8 + 4 slashing damage)
Pike Weapon Arm Attack: Reach 10ft. +7 to hit (1d10 + 4 piercing damage)
Maul Weapon Arm Attack: Reach 5ft. +7 to hit (2d6 + 4 bludgeoning damage)
Actions:
Multiattack: The Sword Spider makes x (start at 3, maximum 5) attacks with it’s weapon arms.
Absorb Weapon:
The sword spider can replace any of it’s multiattack attacks against a creature within 5 feet of it with a special disarm maneuver, forcing it to drop one item of the sword spider’s choice that it’s holding. The target must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object the sword spider chooses. The weapon can not be retrieved until the Sword Spider is destroyed. If it absorbs a weapon it forms a new leg and gains another weapon arm attack at the end of it’s next turn.
Reactions:
Siphon Magic Attack: As a reaction to when the Sword Spider is the target of a ranged spell attack that deals damage, it can grant itself and any allies within the area of effect resistance to the damage. The sword spider is stunned until the beginning of it’s next turn. On its next turn the only action it can take is to cast the spell. It is proficient with spells cast through this ability and uses it’s dexterity modifier to cast with it (DC 13). It has advantage on ranged spell attacks cast with this ability and creatures have disadvantage on saves against spells cast with this ability. If no creatures are in range, the sword spider discharges the spell at an unoccupied space.
Lair Actions: On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Sword Spider takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects;
Call 1d4 Automatons from nearest chute
Close Gem Activated Door (locks the door for 1d4 rounds)
Anyways, like I said, this is my first monster in this system and it's really hard to tell what mistakes i've done as far as power balance. Some places i've erred on the side of caution but it's abilities... not so much. I'm really not sure if the absorb weapon ability should be something it can do on top of it's multiattack or not, but I really want to showcase it's main feature.
I'd appreciate that it didn't outright murder the party but I do really want to scare them away from seriously fighting it till like 5th level (and they won't encounter it until theyre at least 3rd). I also wouldn't be hugely upset if they somehow did kill the thing at an early level, it should just be a hard fought battle. I also have no frickin clue what challenge rating this guy is considering his abilities but I was operating under the assumption that it was like 7-ish.
Critiques would be great, thanks.
It's worth knowing that this guy's behavior is extremely predictable, walking the same loop through the dungeon over and over and the players can hear his big clanky legs coming and can duck into rooms that he is incapable of fitting in. He only ever ditches the "railed" search pattern if someone uses a gem key to open specific magically locked iron doors and will then take the fastest route to get to that location. There are a few clever ways of defeating it without fighting it, such as throwing a sentient weapon for it to absorb (there is one in the dungeon), capturing a rust monster from another dungeon and bringing it to this one, or answering a riddle it asks as to confirm you are it's user although the riddle is pretty obtuse and is really more there for flavor (think of it as a security question for a password)
Name: Sword Spider
Creature Type: N Large Construct
Proficiency Bonus: +3
AC: 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 85 ( 10d10 + 30)
Speed: 40 ft
STR 19 (+4) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3) INT 7 (-2) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 3 (-4)
Senses: Blindsight 10. Darkvision 60. Passive Perception 11
Damage Resistances: Piercing, Slashing and Bludgeoning
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Longsword Weapon Arm Attack: Reach 5ft. +7 to hit, (1d8 + 4 slashing damage)
Pike Weapon Arm Attack: Reach 10ft. +7 to hit (1d10 + 4 piercing damage)
Maul Weapon Arm Attack: Reach 5ft. +7 to hit (2d6 + 4 bludgeoning damage)
Actions:
Multiattack: The Sword Spider makes x (start at 3, maximum 5) attacks with it’s weapon arms.
Absorb Weapon:
The sword spider can replace any of it’s multiattack attacks against a creature within 5 feet of it with a special disarm maneuver, forcing it to drop one item of the sword spider’s choice that it’s holding. The target must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object the sword spider chooses. The weapon can not be retrieved until the Sword Spider is destroyed. If it absorbs a weapon it forms a new leg and gains another weapon arm attack at the end of it’s next turn.
Reactions:
Siphon Magic Attack: As a reaction to when the Sword Spider is the target of a ranged spell attack that deals damage, it can grant itself and any allies within the area of effect resistance to the damage. The sword spider is stunned until the beginning of it’s next turn. On its next turn the only action it can take is to cast the spell. It is proficient with spells cast through this ability and uses it’s dexterity modifier to cast with it (DC 13). It has advantage on ranged spell attacks cast with this ability and creatures have disadvantage on saves against spells cast with this ability. If no creatures are in range, the sword spider discharges the spell at an unoccupied space.
Lair Actions: On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Sword Spider takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects;
Call 1d4 Automatons from nearest chute
Close Gem Activated Door (locks the door for 1d4 rounds)
Anyways, like I said, this is my first monster in this system and it's really hard to tell what mistakes i've done as far as power balance. Some places i've erred on the side of caution but it's abilities... not so much. I'm really not sure if the absorb weapon ability should be something it can do on top of it's multiattack or not, but I really want to showcase it's main feature.
I'd appreciate that it didn't outright murder the party but I do really want to scare them away from seriously fighting it till like 5th level (and they won't encounter it until theyre at least 3rd). I also wouldn't be hugely upset if they somehow did kill the thing at an early level, it should just be a hard fought battle. I also have no frickin clue what challenge rating this guy is considering his abilities but I was operating under the assumption that it was like 7-ish.
Critiques would be great, thanks.