Elric - Demon of Combat Arrow Demon

[DamonJynx]

I've created an Arrow Demon for use in my Elric game. These were one of my favourite demons from D&D3.5. Very nasty fellows in the right situations.

• Lean and wiry, this four armed creature holds two powerful longbows in its left arms and draws the strings back in parallel with its right arms...

I've attached the creatures Legend stat block and would be interested in opinions etc. The (1) next to the weapon name in the weapon stats is the reload time in CA. So, essentially, if the situation was right it could make 6 arrow attacks per round (1per CA) at 105%, or 2 attacks every other CA for a total of 6, but at 95%. The simultaneous attacks, I would envisage as a defensive manoeuvre, i.e. a melee combatant is closing in.

 

[Mixster]

Does it require 1 or 2 CAs to load both the bows?

Anyway, it's pretty cool.

 

[DamonJynx]

Does it require 1 or 2 CAs to load both the bows?

Anyway, it's pretty cool.

It uses 1 CA to load both bows. Normally 1 bow is getting reloaded as the other is fired. So there is always a bow to be fired on each CA. If both bows are fired at the same time, the next CA is used for reloading, either one or both bows.

 

[tarkhan bey]

It's pretty cool DJ but I think you've got the points value wrong for it. There really is no way that this demonic .50Ma Deuce only costs 4mp.
Assuming 4points for stats, it's int stat is 10 higher than it's potential max. I think that it should only have 5ca's as well based on the average of int and dex.
I think that it needs another 3mp for chaotic features to cover the arms,armour and dark vision. I reckon that realistically it should be at least 7mp.
I don't recollect this from DnD. What does it actually look like?

 

[Mixster]

I don't recollect this from DnD. What does it actually look like?

I can answer this: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20040815b&page=4
In D&D it's one of those cool mobs that whenever you meet it you just laugh at it and kill it with a spell (or the barbarian jumps on it Mario style). Although I guess most mobs are like that in D&D.

 

[DamonJynx]

That would be the one Mixster. Not very easy to deal with when you're a mage, unprepared, less than 10th level and have 2 of these 'mooks' shooting you! As happened to a player I once knew. "You can't kill me , I'm the best power gamer. No DM has ever killed me." He entered the wrong room at the wrong time and ended up like a human pin-cushion. All above board random rolls for targets and so, but I decided they're tactic (2 of on a raised platform in the room, with some mook front line soldiers acting as a shield wall) was to focus fire on one target at a time making full attacks whenever possible. the mage whimpered in the end...

 

[DamonJynx]

It's pretty cool DJ but I think you've got the points value wrong for it. There really is no way that this demonic .50Ma Deuce only costs 4mp.

Quite so, I didn't allow the additional MP for chaotic features etc, I thought if you were summoning a specific creature...I'll adjust that though. Thanks.

Assuming 4points for stats, it's int stat is 10 higher than it's potential max. I think that it should only have 5ca's as well based on the average of int and dex.

I misread the entry, I thought they were +8 to INT not -8, therefore it's INT should be 18 and CA should be 5 as you point out.

Still, it's a nasty bugger in the right circumstances!

 

[tarkhan bey]

It certainly is DJ. As I remarked earlier, it's the demonic equivalent of a .50cal. :shock: especially after you add it's damage bonus to those great bows.

 

[Mixster]

That would be the one Mixster. Not very easy to deal with when you're a mage, unprepared, less than 10th level and have 2 of these 'mooks' shooting you! As happened to a player I once knew. "You can't kill me , I'm the best power gamer. No DM has ever killed me." He entered the wrong room at the wrong time and ended up like a human pin-cushion. All above board random rolls for targets and so, but I decided they're tactic (2 of on a raised platform in the room, with some mook front line soldiers acting as a shield wall) was to focus fire on one target at a time making full attacks whenever possible. the mage whimpered in the end...

If this was D&D, and the link leads to the demon in question, and the mage in question was level 7 or more, he certainly wasn't a power gamer.

Anyway, this is not discussing D&D and this is a great mob for runequest, and a wonderful conversion of a cool mob.

 

[DamonJynx]

Thanks for the comments guys. Glad you like it. Apart from the slight mechanical errors as pointed out by TB, I think it works pretty well.

Dan's more than welcome to use it against your crew in Eberron, Mixster! :wink:

TB, Feel free to make use of it if you want to set up a nasty ambush or two!

 

[tarkhan bey]

Much as I would love to Dj, that thing would make mincemeat out of my pc's. Although one of them has a sleeved scale hauberk, he hasn't even donned it yet and is not likely to as he's en route to Ryfel and the slave auctions(as a slave). Still, it might appear at a much later date. Do you view it as a species, like the grahluks(s), or as an individual tortured soul from Chardros'realm?
I am a big fan of making demon's demonic and not having them as otherworldly entities. To me, this could be either.

 

[DamonJynx]

I was thinking more of a specific type, a sub-genre of Demons of Combat, if you will. Now that you mention Chardros, being transformed into an Arrow Demon could be just the ticket as the final 'reward' for Deathbringers - to be an elite, specialist Demon in the marshaling armies of Chaos. Their purpose is two-fold, provide range support in squadrons for the foot soldiers and snipers - selected personally by Chardros (or suitably aligned and powerful mortals) for assassinations perhaps?

Interesting...

 

[DamonJynx]

You could always 'nerf' them a little by reducing the MP investment - reduce the stats by 1D8 and the tough hide, making them a 5MP Demon. You could also use the damage and AP/HP for a standard longbow, but I'd leave the increased range. That would make them less deadly...

 

[tarkhan bey]

I do like the notion of it being the ultimate aspiration of a rising death bringer cultist.That really works for me. it's most probably the twisted soul of a Chardros worshipped though. I imagine worshippers of Hionhurn to be a bit more......hands on.

I have been thinking of a similar demonic entity for Eequor. I know that in Cults, Loz suggests that the cult sends groups of cult champions to take revenge on members who betray the cults rules but I think that a demonic entity is most definitely appropriate as the avenger of wrongs against womanhood. At the minute I can't see past something like the Warhammer Daemonettes. The Elenoin would have been nice but Eequor just hates that long red hair.
Any ideas, anyone......?

 

[DamonJynx]

A Elenoin - Medusae cross? Same stats, but keening cry is replaced with Sickening Song, opposed Persistence Rolls, failure indicates the PC suffers a lesser variant of the Nausea condition 1D3 CA's rather than rounds. Blue tendril/snake like things that have the Formidable Natural Weapon trait so they can parry and/or can grapple a body part?

What do you think?

 

[danskmacabre]

That demon looks like good fun...
And I happen to be running an Elric game tomorrow! Muhahahahaha!

 

[DamonJynx]

That demon looks like good fun...
And I happen to be running an Elric game tomorrow! Muhahahahaha!

Don't forget to make the changes (either to the base version, the corrections or the nerfed version)! Wouldn't want your players crying foul!

 

[danskmacabre]

NPS, I'll just approximate something based on your demon that fits the situation appropriately..

 

[tarkhan bey]

Of course, if this thing is only ever going to be summoned by an npc, then the mp cost doesn't really matter except, perhaps, as a means to scale the encounter. Where the problem lies is where a pc wants to summon it.
I would suggest that it needs a better, more evocative, name as well. You brought it to the table DJ, so what do you reckon?
The idea of a Medusae/Elenoin cross with blue hair and tendrils is definitely a good one. Consider it used. As you dreamed it up, I'm gonna ask you if you wouldn't mind naming this demonic monstrosity, statting it and giving it an mp summoning cost.

In the meantime, I have been looking in the Viking sourcebook and considering a blue skinned female Draugr type thing as another type of demon avenger of Eequor. :evil:

 

[DamonJynx]

No problem, but I'm on Holidays for 2 weeks and won't have internet access so it'll have to wait! As will my thoughts on that EC stuff you sent TB.