|
Stirges
Nov 3, 2013 14:38:30 GMT -5
Post by Scott on Nov 3, 2013 14:38:30 GMT -5
How do your players attack stirges that are attached. Attack as normal, pull them off, something else? How do you judge these encounters?
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 3, 2013 19:34:24 GMT -5
Post by GRWelsh on Nov 3, 2013 19:34:24 GMT -5
How do your players attack stirges that are attached. Attack as normal, pull them off, something else? How do you judge these encounters? The way I have always done it has been very straightforward just as you describe. The attached stirge cannot be removed until slain. You would think there might be some possible complications, like having a chance to hit the character when trying to hit the stirge attached to him, or modifying factors like having a bonus to hit a "prone" stirge since it obviously isn't trying to avoid attacks. However I have always just done it simply to make a normal hit, since the stirge AC 8 is so poor anyway. I think it would be valid to give PC's a +2 to hit a stirge attached to someone else, since it is prone, but also to have something like a 10% chance to hit the someone it is attached to if the attack on the stirge misses. That would be with a melee weapon. If someone used a missile weapon to try to hit a stirge attached to somebody else, I would DEFINITELY give it a chance to damage the character with the stirge attached to him, same as firing into melee.
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 3, 2013 19:41:18 GMT -5
Post by geneweigel on Nov 3, 2013 19:41:18 GMT -5
Kill it and it comes off.
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 3, 2013 19:48:44 GMT -5
Post by geneweigel on Nov 3, 2013 19:48:44 GMT -5
The victim can attack the attached stirge that is unless its a "BONE HILL ghoulstirge"...
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 4, 2013 12:35:19 GMT -5
Post by geneweigel on Nov 4, 2013 12:35:19 GMT -5
I thought of this some more and, beside my quacked theories I have on plastic dinosaurs (which went missing; I still have the bulletes) regarding the stirge, I've had some variant stirge-like monsters.
Remember the "greater stirges" of the "Battle of Skulldon" those are greater versions of a variant stirge from the campaign. Of course, no one involved in the campaign knows that is what they were because then they'd want one of their own for their own "lairs".
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 4, 2013 12:44:44 GMT -5
Post by Scott on Nov 4, 2013 12:44:44 GMT -5
If you have a stirge attached to you, would something like, 'I grab it and pull it out. Then I pull its head off' be a valid action? If so, how would you handle it.
I would allow the character to be accidenilly struck if the attack on the stirge missed, but I might throw in some conditional modifiers. 'I swing my two-handed sword at the stirge stuck in the magic-users neck'.
As far as the stirges AC, I've been considering using the AC 8 as the attached AC, and giving them a better AC while flying.
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 4, 2013 13:11:48 GMT -5
Post by GRWelsh on Nov 4, 2013 13:11:48 GMT -5
If you have a stirge attached to you, would something like, 'I grab it and pull it out. Then I pull its head off' be a valid action? If so, how would you handle it. It's a valid action to declare, but might not be that easy. Stirges are tough little buggers. At 1+1 HD they are twice as tough as giant rats. I'd allow someone who declared this action to make an automatic hit and do 1-3 points modified by strength bonuses if they have any. But it wouldn't be an automatic kill.
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 4, 2013 17:02:01 GMT -5
Post by geneweigel on Nov 4, 2013 17:02:01 GMT -5
If you have a stirge attached to you, would something like, 'I grab it and pull it out. Then I pull its head off' be a valid action? If so, how would you handle it. Okay, I'd say no on account it needs to be killed to be removed. I would allow the character to be accidenilly struck if the attack on the stirge missed, but I might throw in some conditional modifiers. 'I swing my two-handed sword at the stirge stuck in the magic-users neck'. As stirge attacks come in volume overwhelming them with "slippery fingers" versus attached stirges might not be a good idea. Unless its a non-magic missile firing at the stirge on a victim. As far as the stirges AC, I've been considering using the AC 8 as the attached AC, and giving them a better AC while flying. I don't know if that would make a mess if they're so frequent. Considering 5-15 may appear at random in a standard dungeon 1st level 15%, 2nd-3rd level 20%, 4th level 25%, 5th level 15%, 6th-7th level 10%, 8th level and down 5%. Adjusted "trick" or "greater" stirges with less frequency perhaps and additional problems.
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 5, 2013 14:48:12 GMT -5
Post by GRWelsh on Nov 5, 2013 14:48:12 GMT -5
One of the scary things about the stirge is their attacks being better than their HD, which makes them more dangerous than the typical low level monsters. If several attack a single character at the same time, things can go bad very quickly. How many stirges would be able to attack a man-sized figure at once? What about a smaller than man-sized figure?
Do you have stats for the greater stirge?
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 5, 2013 17:17:11 GMT -5
Post by geneweigel on Nov 5, 2013 17:17:11 GMT -5
One of the scary things about the stirge is their attacks being better than their HD, which makes them more dangerous than the typical low level monsters. If several attack a single character at the same time, things can go bad very quickly. How many stirges would be able to attack a man-sized figure at once? What about a smaller than man-sized figure? Do you have stats for the greater stirge? GREATER STIRGE FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. APPEARING: 1-4 ARMOR CLASS: 5/7 MOVE: 24" (MC: D) HIT DICE: 6+1 %IN LAIR: 50% TREASURE TYPE: C NO. OF ATTACKS: 6 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Blood drain, paralysis SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard INTELLIGENCE: Low ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil SIZE: L PSlONlC ABILITY: Nil Attack/Defense Modes: Nil LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VI (numbers 1-2)/700 +8/hp This cousin to the common stirge appear as multi-tentacled and headless giant bees with bat-like wings. It is assumed that they have unknown internal senses regardless of severed tentacles. With a successful hit, of the sticky tips of their six tentacles, the victim must save versus paralysis or be paralyzed for 2d6 turns. They then begin to suck all vital fluids out of the victim automatically until victim is dead. These tentacles can stretch and attack up to 5 other nearby victims at 5" range. Their tentacles have a lesser armor class than the rest of their body (7) and if lost they will retreat. Their tentacles grow back at a rate of two per month. Note: In the campaign, these were part of the defenders of Castle Skulldon in the Battle of Skulldon along with other stirges. In the world of the city of Bravesword, the stirge family are called strigae and have a wide range of shapes, sizes, intelligence and abilities. This is the northern variety and are minions of a growing evil who sometimes use them as mounts. COPYRIGHT GENE WEIGEL 2013 Heres a link to my crappy blog with a quick sketch for size comparison: justkeeponrollin.blogspot.com/2013/11/greater-stirge-frequency-very-rare-no.html
|
|
|
Post by GRWelsh on Nov 6, 2013 8:48:26 GMT -5
I like it. It reminds me a little of some monster from RETURN TO THE TOMB OF HORRORS, which was bat-winged, tentacled and apparently headless. The 'strigae' name immediately made me think of 'stregoica' being a term for witch which was cited in the Bram Stoker's novel DRACULA.
I guess this thing is functionally like a flying carrion crawler.
|
|
|
Post by geneweigel on Nov 6, 2013 9:23:26 GMT -5
Yes, a flying carrion crawler and strigae for the root of stirge and considering all the considering that I did to its origins regarding the plastic pseudo-dino... In regards to the 2E monster, I didn't recall at first but I remember it was an odd golem with a tentacle-faced winged snake that was part of a late era DRAGON (# 209 SEP 94 nine issues after they mentioned my name in the Sage Advice!) which was reprinted in a MONSTER BOOK (MONSTROUS ANNUAL VOLUME 2 1995) then in the adventure (RETURN TO THE TOMB OF HORRORS 1998). Which I've seen all however this beastie predates all of those as this was part of an invasion in the 80's but under a different banner. If you want to cut it down to the source of musing then it has a simple inspiration: a Cthulhoid and a Mi-Go with some splashes of ghoul and stirge of course, a big dash of Gary Gygax in there!
|
|
|
Post by geneweigel on Nov 6, 2013 9:27:12 GMT -5
The other stirge in the silhouette is one of the "trick" stirges that I mentioned. It doesn't come off until death looks different (stirge with a lamprey-like head same stats.).
|
|
|
Post by geneweigel on Nov 6, 2013 9:37:02 GMT -5
The 'strigae' name immediately made me think of 'stregoica' being a term for witch which was cited in the Bram Stoker's novel DRACULA. I differentiated a separate set that are found in the lands outside of the regular campaign area that call to mind witch, vampires, owls, etc. in that vein, so to speak. They are also found in the "dungeons of Skulldon" not the "castle" or the "town" where the battle was (mentioned above) which was a war thing with northern invaders taking the area by force with many monster units.
|
|
|
Post by GRWelsh on Nov 6, 2013 9:46:11 GMT -5
Yeah, I love the idea of monster variations, especially for the old standards. I think it is almost a must when dealing with veteran know-it-all players (like me, ha ha). How about a large, flightless stirge based on the original plastic Dino model based on what you posted earlier? doomsdaygames.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1068&page=1STIRGES: Large, bird-like monsters with long, dangling proboscuses, the Stirges might call to mind evil-looking, feathered ant eaters.
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 6, 2013 12:50:53 GMT -5
Post by geneweigel on Nov 6, 2013 12:50:53 GMT -5
I can't find that fucking figure anywhere. I went through all the toys and, this is really fucked, I had a box of dinosaur and insect toys that got accidentally integrated into Halloween decorations for a kid function at school and they were lost or taken. I think the "stirges" were in there. That burns because I had a a small and a large.
The thing that really hurts was the loss of years of variety though!
GREATER STIRGE II
FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. APPEARING: 2-4 ARMOR CLASS: 0 MOVE: 9" HIT DICE: 6+1 % IN LAIR: 40% TREASURE TYPE: C NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Blood Drain, Hugs (2-16 dmg) SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE : Standard INTELLIGENCE: Low ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil SIZE: L (8' tall) PSIONlC ABILITY: Nil Attack/Defense Modes: Nil LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VII (Numbers 1-2)/925 + 8/hp
These strigae are wingless resembling a bipedal quasi-humanoid pangolin anteater but retain the same carnivorous blood diet like their small cousins the stirge.
They have two-feather-like antennae which they can detect detect blood in a 2 mile radius. They usually go for one victim until dead. However, they are very aggressive when they go without a medium-sized victim blood meal for a day and will desire two or three victims before being sated. The creature needs an 18 or better to latch on to drain blood and also gives the victim massive hug damage. After feasting on 2 or 3 victims their torso balloons and AC worsens (1 or 2 respectively; note: not changing xp value).
These creatures are nocturnal although some wicked forces use them as night hunters and rumor has it that they've even bred a flying version (18" MC:C).
COPYRIGHT Gene Weigel 2013
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 6, 2013 13:15:59 GMT -5
Post by geneweigel on Nov 6, 2013 13:15:59 GMT -5
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 6, 2013 14:34:01 GMT -5
Post by GRWelsh on Nov 6, 2013 14:34:01 GMT -5
It deserves a better name than "Greater Stirge II."
Demistirge? Neo-stirge? Orange Pecker Guy?
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 6, 2013 14:55:26 GMT -5
Post by geneweigel on Nov 6, 2013 14:55:26 GMT -5
Heh, stirge man?
|
|
|
Stirges
Nov 6, 2013 17:49:37 GMT -5
Post by Scott on Nov 6, 2013 17:49:37 GMT -5
Stirgus Weigelus? Willie Stirgell? Venti Stirge? TPK Stirge?
|
|