Creature [spoiler for upcoming game]

Discussion on game mastering Earthdawn. May contain spoilers; caution is recommended!
Post Reply
Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm
Creature [spoiler for upcoming game]

Post by Slimcreeper » Thu Mar 19, 2020 12:27 am

If you're interested in playing the little short-shot I've got coming up, please don't read!

I mean, this isn't a massive spoiler, but still.

I'm looking for a very low-powered swarming opponent. Not really a physical threat, but more of an atmospheric element. I'm thinking 6 per 3rd Circle adept, but there will be conditions where up to 12 will swarm a single target. The rats won't flee from fear for Reasons, but might stop and leave as if possessed of one mind if conditions warrant it.

Rats
Challenge: Novice (1st)


DEX: 5 Initiative: 9 Unconsciousness: 8
STR: 3 Physical Defense: 6 Death Rating: 11
TOU: 3 Mystic Defense: 4 Wound Threshold: 4
PER: 5 Social Defense: 4 Knockdown: 7
WIL: 3 Physical Armor: 0 Recovery Tests: 1
CHA: 3 Mystic Armor:0
Movement: 8
Actions: 1; Bite 7(4)
Special Powers: Climb (8), Enhanced Sense (3), Small (2 can attack from each space)
Special Maneuvers:
Mindless swarm: Attacker can spend extra successes to cause damage that exceeds the rat’s Death rating to spill over and damage an adjacent rat.
Bite and Hold: Rat can spend an extra attack to bite and hold. In this case, the rat automatically does bite damage in each subsequent round. The TN for removing the rat is 3 (the rat’s strength step), and the Rat is considered grappled. Grappled rats can be thrown as Improvised Throwing Weapons.

Sharkforce
Posts:527
Joined:Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:39 am

Re: Creature [spoiler for upcoming game]

Post by Sharkforce » Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:39 am

well, looking at the red ants in travar, which occupy a fairly similar niche, you could probably even make them a little bit nastier for 1st circle critters ;)

you should probably give a size and damage step for the rats when thrown... i don't know how big you intend them to be, but i'm guessing probably too big (or at least too heavy) for a windling to throw as a weapon, for example :P

Lursi
Posts:207
Joined:Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:09 pm
Location:Münster

Re: Creature [spoiler for upcoming game]

Post by Lursi » Thu Mar 19, 2020 5:44 am

Will dead rats be preferably eaten by their brethren?

I wonder whether it would be easier to define packs of rats that loose an attack if you wound (kill an individual) them.

No wound no damage, as you never hit the same rat twice. (Swarm effect)

It would maybe save a bit of book keeping with initiative.
Of all things I lost, sanity I held dearest.

Sharkforce
Posts:527
Joined:Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:39 am

Re: Creature [spoiler for upcoming game]

Post by Sharkforce » Thu Mar 19, 2020 8:38 am

i was kinda assuming he'd be using group initiative, or at least partial group initiative (put them into groups of X that will generally act similarly and use the same initiative), given the plan is 3 for each person in the group.

Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm

Re: Creature [spoiler for upcoming game]

Post by Slimcreeper » Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:29 pm

REALLY don't read this if you are interested in playing this adventure!

So the scenario is that the party is going to be rappelling down to recover crates of food and the rats are going to swarm out onto the party. Not ROUSes, just ordinary rats. Whichever party member is carrying the most food is going to be the preferred target, and they are going to be climbing all over that industrious fool. Up to 12. They are not intended to be dangerous, but Earthdawn dice explode so you can't ignore them. The Horror is going to suggest kicking the crate of food into a crevasse, which will get rid of the rats but also result in the party starving later in the adventure. The Horror is also going to suggest loading food into a companion's pack so that they become the preferred target. The Horror is also going to suggest not being last up the rope and that the rope is going to be cut to keep the rats off the boat. If the anyone is really about to get killed the Horror will call them off, because what's the fun in that?

I'll probably just say that no rat ever survives 2 hits, no matter the damage rolled.

Post Reply