Comments on: Monster Optimization: Foulspawn Mangler + Foulspawn Seer http://slyflourish.com/monster-optimization-foulspawn-mangler-foulspawn-seer/ The blog for building the better dungeons and dragons 4th Edition Dungeon Master Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:46:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Healing Stirge http://slyflourish.com/monster-optimization-foulspawn-mangler-foulspawn-seer/comment-page-1/#comment-763 Healing Stirge Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:27:17 +0000 http://slyflourish.com/?p=795#comment-763 I just listened to the Tome Show and see you addressed the melee whirlwind of doom that is the Mangler. I had stopped listening to the Tome Show a while back (not for any real reason, just found it tough to find the time) but now I find myself adding it to my iTunes subscription list again, haha. :) I just listened to the Tome Show and see you addressed the melee whirlwind of doom that is the Mangler. I had stopped listening to the Tome Show a while back (not for any real reason, just found it tough to find the time) but now I find myself adding it to my iTunes subscription list again, haha. :)

]]> By: Healing Stirge http://slyflourish.com/monster-optimization-foulspawn-mangler-foulspawn-seer/comment-page-1/#comment-761 Healing Stirge Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:34:13 +0000 http://slyflourish.com/?p=795#comment-761 Hehe, this evil combo, I love it. However, what about the Mangler's Dagger Dance ability, Mike? (The foulspawn mangler makes 4 bone dagger attacks and shifts 1 square after each attack.) If the Mangler is adjacent to a dazed target, it can attack, shift to another square adjacent to the same target, attack, shift back to its original square, etc. This is the real PC-killer in my experience...you're looking at a potential 4d4+12 +8d6 damage. When I used this combo on my party, this little guy quickly, quickly became Kill Priority #1. Hehe, this evil combo, I love it. However, what about the Mangler’s Dagger Dance ability, Mike? (The foulspawn mangler makes 4 bone dagger attacks and shifts 1 square after each attack.) If the Mangler is adjacent to a dazed target, it can attack, shift to another square adjacent to the same target, attack, shift back to its original square, etc. This is the real PC-killer in my experience…you’re looking at a potential 4d4+12 +8d6 damage. When I used this combo on my party, this little guy quickly, quickly became Kill Priority #1.

]]> By: Sc8rpi8n http://slyflourish.com/monster-optimization-foulspawn-mangler-foulspawn-seer/comment-page-1/#comment-742 Sc8rpi8n Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:38:57 +0000 http://slyflourish.com/?p=795#comment-742 The encounter looks good, but I try to be careful when using monsters with at-will daze attacks. They are better when used sparingly to not annoy your players. Until now, I haven't looked at the foulspawn in depth. The hulks in particular seem pretty good: a strong - easy to use brute. By upping the encounter level you could substitute some foulspawn for a balhannoth. With combat advantage, they are pretty nasty and hard to pin due to the teleport. The daze effect they create also helps the manglers get those tasty d6's Mike, do you accept proposals for these monster optimization articles? The encounter looks good, but I try to be careful when using monsters with at-will daze attacks. They are better when used sparingly to not annoy your players.
Until now, I haven’t looked at the foulspawn in depth. The hulks in particular seem pretty good: a strong – easy to use brute.

By upping the encounter level you could substitute some foulspawn for a balhannoth. With combat advantage, they are pretty nasty and hard to pin due to the teleport. The daze effect they create also helps the manglers get those tasty d6′s

Mike, do you accept proposals for these monster optimization articles?

]]> By: Paul W. http://slyflourish.com/monster-optimization-foulspawn-mangler-foulspawn-seer/comment-page-1/#comment-741 Paul W. Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:31:28 +0000 http://slyflourish.com/?p=795#comment-741 We faced a very similar encounter in a campaign I played in a while back. I have to warn you, this one can be very, very frustrating for the players. With their daze and slow attacks, the Foulspawn can be a one-way ticket to lockdown land. They do pretty good damage, too. I'd be very wary about using this encounter against certain groups. We faced a very similar encounter in a campaign I played in a while back. I have to warn you, this one can be very, very frustrating for the players. With their daze and slow attacks, the Foulspawn can be a one-way ticket to lockdown land. They do pretty good damage, too. I’d be very wary about using this encounter against certain groups.

]]> By: Dean http://slyflourish.com/monster-optimization-foulspawn-mangler-foulspawn-seer/comment-page-1/#comment-740 Dean Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:31:13 +0000 http://slyflourish.com/?p=795#comment-740 Another option to give the Seer some staying power is to Elite-ify it (though when I do so, I usually add a standard action power that allows the use of a basic attack plus any other standard action). Another option to give the Seer some staying power is to Elite-ify it (though when I do so, I usually add a standard action power that allows the use of a basic attack plus any other standard action).

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