Wilderness Spawns

[MrGrendel]

I'd like it if the wilderness spawns that use stealth and paralyzation attacks that last for minutes, ie goblin assassins and assassin vines, were changed. Namely to goblin rogues or rangers, and vines with a debilitating but not paralyzing poison, perhaps -str or con.
 
Tough spawns are fine - the things with stealth were usually defeatable, or if too fugly big to fight alone, most of those you could see at a distance anyway, or take a bit of knockdown beating and invis/whatnot. So you'd still have to heal or make a getaway, but that's the price you pay.
 
Now, though, it's just a matter of (bad) luck until you fail a save, followed by practically guaranteed death (even for nature types I suppose, failing a stealth check.)
 
Tougher spawns are fine and good. If you foolishly take on a ton of critters, or go into the wilds unprepared, I don't expect anything other than death. The wilds should be dangerous, yes. Creatures that you can't react to whatsoever until it's too late are another matter.
 
Previously, I enjoyed being able to spend a fair deal of time in the wilds as a barbarian, with a friend or often alone. Even though it took some resources and was still risky, foresight and toughness made it reasonably doable without eventual guaranteed death. With the addition of these particular critters, players options have been limited. That's not a good thing, and a change to both of them would be great.

[The Crimson Magician]

I believe that the Mr. Grendel has come up with various good reasons, not previously mentioned, and as of such, I second that notion/motion/whatever.

[TheImpossibleDream]

I think this monsters just hit too hard for their effects, they paralyze constantly yet hit for around what 16 damage? Sure you can be immune to it with a +15 fort save but meh.

Today I was out exploring and three of these utterly destroyed me in a single round, as a barbarian with 96 hp, nothing is more horrid than dying to these things. Theres no escape other than avoiding zones where they spawn.

Personally I think these things should either, only spawn in singles, OR do 1d4 damage instead of the insane damage they currently do. The fact that they paralyze DC 16 on every successful hit makes them deadly enough I think. Spamming a HEAL potion, something very few pc's have, proved worthless against these critters, that for me speaks volumes, there should be at least some small chance to escape before paralysis begins.

Not to mention how fast these darn things move!

[Winston Martin]

So its a dangerous place to travel alone LOL

[MrGrendel]

So its a dangerous place to travel alone LOL

Astute. But noone said it shouldn't be dangerous.

[Egon the Monkey]

I've said something along these lines before. It pretty much boiled down to:
Stealthy, good spot, or hella deadly. Pick one per ememy. And then stick multiple types of threat about. For example, Goblin squads can be irritating alone as they have Hold Person and Sneak Attacks on different enemies. Oozes aren't mostly that dangerous but they do have True Seeing so they'll lock on to you and if you retaliate, everything else gets to see you.



I agree, Death Attack and poison are no fun, and with stealthed stuff you don't *know* if they spotted you. Now, if Assassin vines were never stealthed, and slower they would be fine, as you could spot them and run or invis. But those things are worse than Assassins as they can pop up and consistently make you make saves vs paralysis.

[Mort]

That's kinda of the point of these monsters? To scare you into going into these areas?

[Drakill Tannan]

Not sure you, but wherever i know assasin vines might spawn i somply don't enter, even if i just suspect they can. twice they killed me in less than three rounds (a single one) with no posible chance for escape.

If that is what the damn things are meant to do, then they do it well.

EDIT: Actually only once i've survived an enocunter with them, and it was pure luck, i was knocked down and stabilized and the vines didn't attack further.. an invis party member healed my and i drank an invis potion ASAP. I managed to escape.. that one time.

[Skrillix]

It is not that hard to avoid the areas in which they roam, and if you can't avoid the areas, travel with people you trust to have your back.

[Anonymous Bosch]

IMO the wilds should be dangerous for everybody, regardless of the build.
If you have bad spot and can't hide well, you're going to get surprised.  It's reasonable for a few of these surprise attacks to actually be capable of killing you while wandering alone.
 
I'm not sure about assassin vines, but death attacks only paralyse if your char is out of combat.
So if there's a group of the assassin blighters, spotting and attacking just one means you only have to worry about damage.

[scribjellydonut]

EDIT: Actually only once i've survived an enocunter with them, and it was pure luck, i was knocked down and stabilized and the vines didn't attack further.. an invis party member healed my and i drank an invis potion ASAP. I managed to escape.. that one time.

 
Ya, and you can guess what cave we'll never ever ever go in again.  I'm all about dangerous enemies, really I am, but these things are stupid powerful.
 
Stupid Powerful - A power that is beyond what most anyone could handle, which makes the game much less fun and much more stupid  Example: An army of Balor Lords attacking the ziggurat instead of an army of spiders
 
And his suggestion isn't too far-fetched.  Really the power of these things is that they paralyze, and do it well.  This power would remain intact.  It's the fact that vines - althoughbeit magical vines they are still just VINES - do insane amounts of damage.  At least if they paralyzed you for something like 1d3 rounds per hit and did less damage, then once you were paralyzed if you were lucky enough to make a few saves, you could get unparalyzed and flee for your life.  As it stands now, once these things hit you and you fail the save, you're dead.  Period.  End of story.  May as well start throwing some bodaks with ridiculously high saves into the server, because that's what these vines serve as if you're travelling in small groups.  
 
I vote yes for downsizing the damage.

[Winston Martin]

also chosen of gaathmar once one shot two of my questing buddies and they didnt even have a chance as their hp were not high enough so please lower the damamge of them or give them short swords

[TheImpossibleDream]

Chosen of gathermar don't run at increased speed, they don't appear out of nowhere and they don't on hit paralyze you. I died to three of these while traveling with a companion, literally in one round, level 7 barbarian downed, my friend did try to run to me but sadly he got paralyzed as he got to me. I also had more hp than any other person on the server at the time I'd wager.

In fact, give me one or two of these things in the DM client and I'll kill a party of eight.

edit again: At least have them spawn in 1-2's rather than 3's

[Letsplayforfun]

That's kinda of the point of these monsters? To scare you into going into these areas?

[Skrillix]

I'd be very surprised if a prepared group of at least four people got overpowered by assassin vines.